Literary Quote, Phrase Prompt, Prose, Prosery, Theme Prompt, Writing Challenge, Writing Prompts

I Am What Waits

Nancy's Notes 🖊️♬

Written for dVerse Prosery: “Of Jaguars
and the Night”. Our host, Merril, invites us
to write prose in 144 words incorporating the
line below from “Jaguar Song” by Arthur Sze.

Image by Me & ChatGPT

You think you are alone when you check the locks, when you pause on the landing and listen for nothing. But nothing is never nothing. I am what waits in the gap between your ribs, the thing you feed each time you rehearse an apology you’ll never give. I am the creature who smells your darkest thoughts and, as you turn the key in the lock, day or night, out of the darkness I spring. You believe the door is a boundary. It isn’t. I have already slipped through every threshold you’ve ever built and made myself at home in your chest before you finished unlocking anything. Go on …. turn the key all you like. I was inside before you even reached the door, and I will still be here after you’ve convinced yourself, over and over again, that tonight is different.

NAR©2026

Nancy’s Notes: Our prompt line is ” I am the creature who smells your darkest thoughts and as you turn the key in the lock day or night out of the darkness I spring” from “Jaguar Song” by Arthur Sze.

This is “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)” by David Bowie

Prosery: Of Jaguars and the Night

Everything on The Elephant’s Trunk was created by me, unless otherwise indicated. Thanks for your consideration. NAR©2017-present.



20 thoughts on “I Am What Waits”

    1. Thank you, Merril. This was a compelling challenge. As I commented to Reelika, this can be whatever you want it to be. In my head, the voice belongs to a manipulative and controlling personality who wants to keep its subject under its thumb and forever in fear of going against it.

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  7. “There’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in” … LC …

    “Between the ribs rattling gaps
    darkness never naps” … Ivor … and a great song from, David my friend …

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      1. I could have used “You Want It Darker” but I saw this video version of his song “Darkness” which I had not seen before … and I said ‘wow’ that’s the one … I’m so pleased you enjoyed the video as much as I did my friend 🎶🥰🎶💕

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