The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

Queen of the Night
by Lori R. Lopez

A castle rises out of mist,
guarded by the ravenous Moon.
These fools within its prison walls,
their suffering will be ended soon,
afraid to venture from its gate
as creatures prowl an arcane fog.
The sentinel perched with burning gaze,
alert for scraps, a grim watchdog:
its feathers black upon the wind;
its cries so sharp they slice the air
and scare away a brood of Bats.
The Moon a gravid open stare
with silver sheen and cool desire,
abysmal craters that demand
a sacrifice from tower and stone
to float inside her clouded land.
A bloody tithe of human sheep,
a morsel for the goddess high,
suspended on a regal throne
of pewter-gray in sullen sky.
The queen of Night will have her feast,
and none may join her at the table.
Those who vainly sought to reign
were captured by a lurid fable . . .

Such riches hoped for in this palace —
gold and jewels, the power it brings —
cannot be found when a Full Moon shines,
for that is when she gobbles kings!

Fiction © Copyright Lori R. Lopez
Image courtesy of Pixabay.com 

More from Lori R. Lopez:

The Witchhunt

This tale begins with a modern setting, on the creepy Ninth Floor of a hotel, where an old woman just wishes to be left in peace. But that isn’t possible. It never is in this world.

A novelette by Lori R. Lopez, THE WITCHHUNT unfolds in several parts, with four casts of characters connected by one . . . and she is not one to be messed with!

Someone should tell that to the construction crew daring to disturb her, threatening her territory. The cop and the property manager showing up to evict her. A pair of detectives sent to investigate deaths on the floor. Those who persecuted her through the ages. Tell them all to leave her alone, or suffer the consequences. But it would be too late. By the end you may wonder who was hunting whom?

The author of LEERY LANE, CORNSTALKER, MONSTROSITIES, and SAMHAIN among other tales, Lori has created a speculative horror story brimming with emotion and flashes of dark humor. The novelette introduces elements of Alternate History and Ancient History, while addressing a number of present-day issues and concerns. THE WITCHHUNT leads to the Past, yet tackles serious and timeless themes that remain eerily relevant.

Available on Amazon!

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Women in Horror Month 10

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