Poetry Friday ~ Photo Prompt

Colleen’s Weekly Poetry Challenge: It’s the third week of the month! Time for a #PhotoPrompt

Photo Credit: Ritu Bathal

The clouds reflected the light of a full moon. For a while longer, I’ll be able to spot them at a distance, but that meant they would be able to see me, too. It’s difficult to know who’s side the moon’s on. As I searched for refuge, I moved quickly dissolving into shadows whenever I heard their creepy grunts and shrieks. The night was hot and humid making me feel sticky and sofocated. I couldn’t help thinking it might be too late for me to make it to safety tonight.

A golden light shone brightly in the distance. My heart rapped against my ribs in anticipation. It could be a safe house. I followed the light, and saw a house lit like a beacon beckoning me to come. A scream cut through the night sky followed by numerous growls. They were close. I gasped and hurried. The house seemed to bend forward like a mother trying to reach for her child to bring him to the security of her arms. If I could make it to the light I’d be safe. I heard a crash to my right, a garbage can rolled in my direction spilling its garbage and stench along the way. More growling sounds came from the gloom to my left. Behind me, I heard the unmistakable sounds of feet pounding the ground. I bolted down the bumpy uneven paving stones. Exhaustion threatened to wear me out as my legs turned to lead. They lurked in the shadows all around me. I don’t think I’m going to make it.

A

light shines

giving me

hope that I may

survive this nightmare

It guides me to safety

A house of refuge from pain

offering protection from death

by zombies in this apocalypse

Photo Credit: Yohann Libot @yohannlibot

Thank you for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed the post. Have a great day!

How Will The World End?

A warm word of welcome to everyone today.  Thank you for visiting my blog.  Sit back and enjoy today’s post.

We’ve all heard and read many theories of how the world will end. This is a subject that I’ve thought about from time to time (somber, I know). I have my own theory of how the world will end, but before I get to that I’d like to first mention other worldwide theories.

There are scientists who have theories such as the explosion of the moon, a giant meteor collision, or a misbehaving sun violently releasing a sudden blaze of fire our way. Some add an extremist in power, drunk with supremacy, who releases nuclear weapons causing World War III and the end of the world.

Solar Flare

Moon explodes and collides with the Earth

Nuclear bombs released worldwide

A number of experts say the world will end in an inferno, while others believe in a new ice age. I don’t buy it.

The World Freezes Over

The World On Fire

The truth is there are seven billion of us now inhabiting every breathing space on this planet, even the most remote corners of the world that were once thought uninhabitable. The human species is like a virus.

VIRUS

A virus is a tiny parasite. One that’s not too bright because it kills its host, and then it too dies as a consequence. Mankind, like a virus, has infected this planet. We will continue to multiply, invade and destroy the earth until there is nothing left, and then we too will perish. Not too bright.

However, this is where my theory comes in…wait for it, this is going to be good. Microscopic species, such as viruses, bacteria and fungi have been around long before us, and will never allow the human species to destroy the planet. No matter what doomsday scenario we concoct, there is nothing we’ve yet conceived of that can kill every bacteria, virus and fungus on earth. So how do I believe the world will end?

Actually I believe the world will go on, but the human race, as we know it, will cease to exist. Perhaps the final stanza of the famous poem The Hollow Men by T.S. Eliot will give you a hint about my theory.

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

This is the way the world ends

Not with a bang but a whimper.

You see, I don’t believe the end of our world will come from an earth-killing asteroid, a nuclear war or a solar flare. I believe the smallest and oldest species on the planet will do us in.

Rabies Virus

Viruses and bacteria continue to mutate and become stronger. Every time a person gets infected by bacteria and does not finish their course of antibiotics, those bacteria become stronger and more adapted to the antibiotic. Soon, they will become resistant to treatment. A “Super Bug.”

A Zombie Apocalypse sounds far fetched, but is it? Don’t get me wrong, I know dead humans can’t come back to life, but there are certain viruses that can induce such aggressive, maniacal, zombie-like behavior. The rabies virus comes to mind.

Rabies in Latin means madness. Any warm-blooded mammal can become infected with the rabies virus, including humans. The virus has been adapted to grow in our cells. Rabies infects the central nervous system of its host and can drive a person violently mad.

Violently Crazy

When the influenza virus was first introduced it spread like wildfire, infecting five hundred million people across the world and killing five percent of the world’s population. This happened because the virus was airborne.

Imagine for a minute what would happen if the rabies virus were to mutate and become a “Super Bug.” I’ll give you a minute.

The rabies virus would invade our living cells and cause genetic mutation, and if the infection became airborne, it would spread quickly through the air from one person to another. We then might have the makings of a Zombie Apocalypse.

Zombie Apocalypse

Humans would cease to possess the qualities, which we have determined make us human. People would scurry about – hostile, foaming at the mouth, taking chunks off their neighbors with their teeth.

Okay, calm down. I’m not a scientist. I’ve probably seen 28 Days Later and I Am Legend more times than is advisable. Besides, doesn’t it take eons for a virus to mutate so drastically? So we probably won’t see anything like this happening in our lifetime or that of our loved ones.

Unless…

There are rumors that our government is trying to create a biological armament. They are experimenting with viruses and genetic mutation (not too bright). Perhaps the geniuses messing around with Mother Nature’s most lethal weapons will bring about the Zombie Apocalypse a lot sooner than nature intended.

Mad Science

So how will the world end? Not with a bang, but with the whimper of a man being bit in the neck by a zombie.

How do you think the world will end?

(For those of you still not acquainted with my humor; the above post is purely fictional and solely for entertainment. It should not be taken seriously. So don’t go out and purchase zombie slaying weapons, start an anti-zombie campaign or dig a hole in your backyard to build a doomsday anti-zombie bunker.)

by Vashti Q

• Read my Horror (Zombie) mini series The Search For The Last Flower

Surviving The Zombie Apocalypse with Al Lane

My friend Al Lane from A Certain Point of View is participating in a month long challenge called the A to Z Challenge. He’s chosen the theme of Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse in which he is giving us tips and advice on how to survive if zombies took over the world in the form of haiku. It’s brilliant and hilarious! To change it up in between his A to Z posts he posted this poem that shows us the positive side of a ‘Zombie Apocalypse’. I thought it was great, so I just had to share it. Be sure to check out his A to Z Challenge posts you’ll enjoy it.

Reasons To Be Cheerful

by Al Lane

♦

No more light pollution,
Ruining the stars,
Global warming gone,
With all those fumes from cars.

No more stuck in traffic;
Or idiots at the wheel;
Finding a spot to park,
Or hours caged in steel.

(That idiot bloke next door
And his annoying son
Acted big and brave:
Got eaten on day one! )

No need to pay the bills
Or keep the taxman quiet.
No pension plan to stress on
Or post-Christmas/ summer diet

And think of all those groups,
That really ticked you off
Lawyers, footballers, estate agents,
All now zombie scoff

No so-called celebrities
And the focus on their looks;
Instead, try conversation
And learning things from books

That’s not to say life’s easy
With zombies all about
But there’s plenty to be thankful for
Of that I have no doubt!

♦

Here are a few of his A to Z haiku . . .

Don’t believe the myth:
Zombies aren’t after your brains.
Any flesh will do.

♦

Hang onto your hope,
But don’t hold out for a cure.
Focus on living.

♦

Remember when death
Used to be a full stop?
Now it’s a comma.