Approachable: Sixth Allied Forces
The Folly
Allied Forces
Approachable
Rain falls, a light and misty one, the best of sorts
As they of the night patrol who require the pull of it
Have medium to prowl the grounds in broader swaths
Simon Tattersby, avoiding Lady Gimple and Roscoe
Matey and inseparable, those spectral reprobates
By no means yet induced to vacate
(Poltergeists, to the serious spiritualist, almost a burlesque
to an oratorio—and they know it)
The inmates, with Virginia and Trout, being mortal all
Will post to the outer rings, first weaponing themselves
‘Falco, of course, is a man and can bleed…
It happens I’ve a lovely little pistol that I carry in my bag.’
‘I’m of two minds,’ the host replies. ‘But leave it, I think, Virginia.’
‘Whyever…?’
‘He is trained as a soldier; he is desperate and ruthless.
He may wrest it from you…and frankly, his hope is
to kill the most of us.’
Hence from the curiosities, the guest has drawn a stick with a blade
that springs at the depression of a lever
I would be depressed, if I were a lever, says Roscoe
A tepid laugh, and: ‘You are forgiven’
For these are the words that sting
The whole enterprise is terrifying
The sparkling Lucille has said barely a word
Only: ‘Gracious, I think I love you all! Tell me you’ll none of you be harmed.’
‘What signal?’ asks Simon
‘Why, tackle him, sir, if you spot him.’
‘Ah. Shall I ever learn? I don’t feel that I can frighten anyone.’
Virginia to make east, with a flare, for hurtling
(While resolved to get fully in the assassin’s face, if need be)
Trout to make west, tucked under his arm
a sturdy crossbow, like an idyllist’s lyre
The host will go north, a bright torch his defence
‘I shall play decoy, if you’ll lend me the dog.’
‘Oh, my poor Robbie is no use…’ Virginia begins
‘To walk, my dear. Merely to exercise on a lead.’
Snares
Of Use
(2021, Stephanie Foster)