.monsters and grace.

a raging sea dinosaur
roars up out of my imagination and
soon my arms and legs are curled up in unrelenting tentacles
which begin to
s q u e e z e
s q u e e z e
squeeze
oh so tightly!

how do i get loose?
my breath quickens in short gasps
now being dragged under the sea

somehow, i feel calm in the murky green abyss
my hair floating around me
and then
i see my unmoving body
as if from a distance
clenched in the grip of ever-tightening tentacles

suddenly
the sea dinosaur releases me
with a loud groan.
i am back in my body, thrashing for the surface
my lungs desperate for air
head above water
my feet soon touch bottom
as i near the shore
collapsing on wet sand
chest heaving damp wind

i glance back to see a sword flashing
loud crashes coming from a flailing sea dinosaur
appendages blindly sweeping
searching for danger
but missing the source
a clever otter dances around the dinosaur
wielding effortless yet fatal strokes
as the power of the sea dinosaur
d i m i n i s h e s
d i m i n i s h e s
diminishes
until the pieces of its lifeless body
sink
s i n k
s i n k
to the bottom.

i am saved.