Startled by cracked glass,
took a sharp right turn,
hurtled towards the brush,
into a leafy butter churn.

Punched a hole in the greenery,
with a thumpity, thump, bump,
with a loud crack at the end,
van in a downward slump.

Surprised to be alive and unhurt,
foot jammed on the brake,
turned off that awful song,
mind did a double take.

The day was getting old,
and there was no way out.
Damned EZ- Lock jammed,
with a creeping fear of doubt.

No way to know how far wooded in,
turned off the engine to silence again.
Cracked the windows to get some air,
listened for sounds of rescue anywhere.

Twilight settled in and shadows crept deep,
sounds of bird twitters died with their sleep.
Knew that night would have a long run.
Water seeping in only added to the fun.

Dusk turned to darkness profound,
air grew chillier and fog rolled round.
Booming of alligators rose up in the mist,
one was so close,
heard when it hissed.

Spiders crawled silently around in the dark,
could feel them crawling with many eyes to see.
While mosquitoes rose up on a lark,
and supped from blood mercilessly.

Snakes slithered by with a slight ripple,
it was no time to be locked in as a cripple.
An owl kept hooting in the distance,
mind took a path of silent resistance.

Hunger and thirst took its toll,
sleep came uninvited, dreams did roll.
Woke up from one in a terrible fright,
only thing there was the deep dark night.

Cold crept in, a silent killer,
shivered and shook,
but couldn't shake the quiver,
the helpless feeling of awful dread,
the feeling of being,
well over one's head.

Night wore on like horrors unfold,
nightmares and pain came and went,
dawn broke just when thoughts told,
that life and limb were just about spent.

Another long day of lonely thought,
of hunger and thirst of what and what ought.
Of what could have been and what it was,
no escape, no relief from this torturous clause.

The sun went down into another long night,
a night filled with nightmares and constant fright,
living through was not a question anymore,
the Grim Reaper was coming to settle the score.

Into delirium and unconsciousness fear,
the night sounds grew deafening to the ear.
Throat swollen shut and eyes would not tear,
knew that the end was nearer than near.

With the dawn's light bright dew drops appeared,
the Grim Reaper came with a sound so feared.
Chainsaws ripping like in the Texas movie,
blurry thoughts turned to horror of hell's fury.

A quiet voice said, "We're here to get you out."
One must admit, through all that,
still, there was doubt.