Skinwalker

I had to visit you, in your cell.
I had to see you for myself.
You were a confirmation, of sorts.
Sent from hell, as you claimed.
Yet I was not so sure.

You grinned at me - pleased, no doubt.
"At last, you come to speak with me.
You've no doubt heard, they spread the word,
I am not what I appear to be,
From me, human, you'll surely flee."

I stood fast against your wicked tongue,
Despite your scorn, I had to know.
"Creature or man, though hate you sow,
You know you may not come and go,
As you please. I shall not fear."

You laughed then, a ghastly sound,
Like a flock of shrieking birds.
"You wish to sit and hear my words?
You shall not like the truths I tell,
Honestly? I'm sent from hell!"

"I wear the flesh of man, tis true,
Yet this face belies the beast inside.
This facade is not so hard,
As what I am helps lend my pride,
To form and face of pleasantry."

Here I was forced to admit,
If demon lay inside of it,
The form was still... handsome, enough.
But I felt sure that evil would,
Tempt with beauty hearts of good.

"I wear your skin, I steal your face!
I spread discord and spiteful lies!
I hate this world, I hate this place,
And all this foolish, stupid race.
I shall break this place, and you."

Here I stopped and thought to ask,
"But what could suit you to this task?
What in your nature lets you lie,
And cheat and maim and kill again?
What suits you to this task?"

He seemed nonplussed at my demand,
Perhaps unsure - but maybe more.
"Why, I am equipped with many tools,
To entrap and devour fools.
The skinwalker is a mighty beast."

"Beyond the skins of men I wear,
I lust for power, nothing else.
And though I may pretend to care,
I would see the whole world burn,
If it suited my command."

"My own desire is as law,
I crave all ego satisfied,
And to those who would oppose,
I would see them burn.
They would all burn."

"I'll take your spite, I'll take your love,
Opposing, but the end's the same.
I must be noticed, to have worth!
If this life is but a game,
I intend to be the leader."

He regained his breath and caught my eye,
And grinned, baring those ugly teeth.
"And what are you, but horrified?
Can you not see the lengths that I
Shall go to be all that I need?"

I laughed at him.
"You fool! We are the same!
You think you are not man?
Because you rip and maim?
Man is that and more."

"Man is vicious and discrete,
Man can tear and kill to eat,
Man can feed and man can hate,
And man can forsake all he has,
To satisfy his happiness."

The beast looked shocked.
"But...how can you?
I drive this form to do base deeds,
But that is what I want and need,
I am demon! Man is -"

"- Man is that." I cut him off.
"Demon wrapped in pretty words,
Yet justified."
"Justified!" He cried, aghast.
"How can you say such a thing?"

"We've found a loophole," I informed him.
"It's called redemption, nothing more.
A word to sum up all we need,
A word to absolve all our sins,
A word to which demons take heed."

"After all," I mused aloud,
"We do not live for long, it seems.
And if, along our rush for dreams,
Some heads are crushed - so what?
They would do the same to us."

The beast turned an ashen grey,
The visage of humanity crumbling back,
But I was not afraid.
I had seen what people are,
And no beast within could worry me.

The demon cowered at my gaze,
"I implore you, look away!
I cannot bear the sight of you,
Man is more than I could hope
To contend with in horror."

I leant right in and watched him squirm.
"I advise you, beast or god,
To leave this place, lest you be seared.
Humanity has little patience,
And you will surely burn."

He did, of course. He had no choice.
For what skinwalker could stalk the streets,
Preying on that which has proven,
To be able to absorb his heat,
And turn it back upon tenfold?