{"sf1_id":777251,"sf2_id":"GnDkMkpm","title":"Nights of Storm and Stone","author":"ShingetsuMoon","words":516,"posted_at":"2014-11-02T18:16:00.000Z","tags":["Fantasy","Gargoyles","Poem","Poetry"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/777251-nights-of-storm-and-stone","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/GnDkMkpm","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/a7/b7/a7b77dc7-18e1-4f43-8b8a-882166718b65","description":"#21 of Poems\n\nAnother poem for my poetry book. This one about gargoyles and there an added Doctor Who reference at the end!","content":"Do you hear the whispers  \nof the night? The scraping  \nof stone against the pavement  \neven as the sound of rain falls   \nheavily on your ears?\n\nEven the booming thunder  \ncannot mask the sounds  \nof pursuit as you flee  \nthrough the twisting   \nalleyways of a dark  \nand dank city.\n\nMonoliths tower overhead.  \nBuildings of stone carved  \nover the years into works  \nof precious art.\n\nGuarded by statues of   \nstone beasts who guide  \nthe falling rains away  \nto their proper places.\n\nLions with their mouths  \nopen in silent roars.\n\nDragons with wings   \nspread as if they will  \nsoon take off in flight.\n\nGriffins rule as kings  \nover the silent array  \nof stone guardians  \nset before them.\n\nTigers and wolves  \ncalmly posed as  \nfountains to delight  \nthe hearts of those  \nwho pass by.\n\nSilent observers to  \nthe wickedness and  \nevil of man.\n\nFor only a criminal  \nwould risk going  \nout at night during  \nthe heavy storms  \nthat plague the land.\n\nOnly person with  \nsomething to hide  \nwould sneak about  \nin the dark corners  \nwhile thunder and   \nlightning clashes in  \nwar over their heads.\n\nDo you hear them?\n\nThe statues now come  \nto life?\n\nStalking through the   \nstreets?\n\nTheir footsteps masked  \nby the rain but not   \nhidden by it entirely?\n\nCan you feel their   \nunwavering gaze as  \nit slides up and down   \nyour spine?\n\nA creature of stone  \nknows no fear and   \nfeels nothing but   \npatience.\n\nIt can wait as long  \nas the rain pours  \nfor you to take that  \none misstep.\n\nThat single hesitation.  \nThat one moment of   \ndoubt that finally  \nmakes you turn around.\n\nFor the goodhearted   \nrarely venture out  \nduring such times and  \nthose that do know to  \nnever, ever turn around.\n\nBut the wicked?\n\nOh the wicked cannot  \nresist just the smallest  \nlook.\n\nIs it the guilt in their   \nhearts which strikes  \nthem suddenly?\n\nOr sheer curiosity  \nthat makes them want  \nto gaze back and see  \nif the rumors of stone  \nguardians wandering  \nthe streets during the  \nstorms are really true?\n\nThe good know to   \nstand still. To close  \ntheir eyes and wait until  \nthe great beasts of stone  \npass. Their movement  \nforever hidden from the  \neyes of men.\n\nWicked are the ones  \nwho turn to look and  \nthen to stare in horror  \nat the instruments of   \ntheir destruction.\n\nGaze with sickening  \ndread upon the gargoyles  \nof stone who silently   \nserve the cities needs  \nduring the day, but   \ncome alive at night  \nduring the storms to  \npunish those who would  \nsneak around with   \nevil intent in their hearts.\n\nStare into stone eyes  \nthat feel no malice.  \nNo hatred or anger.  \nOnly silent unquestioning  \npatience.\n\nFor if they do not manage  \nto capture you tonight  \nthen they will return to  \ntheir perch.\n\nFunneling the rains away  \nand creating fountains  \nthe delight the children.\n\nThey will wait for the   \nnext night of storms to  \ncome.\n\nAnd then they will  \nroam the streets again.  \nHunting down the one  \nwho thought they could  \nescape the guardians of   \nstone.\n\nSo when the gargoyles  \nlay their eyes on you at  \nnight...\n\n...whatever you do...\n\n...wherever you go...\n\n...whatever happens...\n\nDon't blink.\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"Poems","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/777250-acid-sand.json"}}