Eternal Silence: The Phantasm of Graceland Cemetary

    I had only read about him, I had seen his picture a few times, and finally, this summer, I had the opportunity to stand in his presence and admire him up close. He was even more beautiful in person, so much so, I felt my breath taken from my lips at first gaze into those green eyes. There he stood, “Eternal Silence”, the Graves’ family marker at Graceland cemetery, you know, the one at 4001 Clark Street? I stood there, cell phone in hand in hopes of immortalizing this moment with a picture, as I asked the statue’s permission to take the picture. I took three, but only one came out. Still, that one was perfect, and to this day, I use it as my wallpaper on my phone. I had come to the cemetery with my family, just to look, we don’t have family there and none of us were seeking a plot for ourselves, I already have mine picked out in Elmwood cemetery in Hammond, just across the state line. Even as we drove around the cemetery, it seemed I could see him wherever we went, like he was following me with his gaze, or at least as best he could with his eyes closed. As we were leaving, I felt this insane urge to leap from the car and race back to him and kiss his feet. 
    That night, as I lay down to sleep, I thought about my crazy desire to kiss the memorial. What was that about? Finally, I fell asleep. ‘Whawasat?!’ I sat bolt upright as I heard some type of disturbance in the house. Was it the cats? No, not them, not my parents or sister either, not the right sounds. I raced downstairs, never mind donning  my pajamas, and saw…nothing. As I turned to head back upstairs and sleep, I saw  a figure in white at the top of the stairs… right outside my door. Angry that someone would DARE enter MY home, I charged at whoever it was and went right through them, the sound of cruel laughter ringing in my ears as I hit the floor. Not one to be defeated so easily, I grabbed at the figure’s robe with both hands. 
    “Who are you?”, I demanded with a snarl. The figure just turned, looked at me and laughed from under his hood.  He turned back and went through my door, taking me with, then through my room and out the window, the old glass shattering as I passed through it. I hit the ground between my house and the neighbors with a hard thump, but somehow I got to my feet. There was that phantom again, floating just out of my reach and laughing. Annoyed, I reached out to grab him again, he just flew away from me and the chase was on. I pursued him through the streets, through puddles and over broken glass in my bare feet. I ran for what felt like hours, never stopping or slowing or tiring, I had to catch this guy, just HAD to. I followed him all the way to Graceland cemetery on foot, he passed through the gates easily and I climbed over them to get to him. There was no way I was going to let him get away. I chased him to the Graves’ plot, but wait…something was wrong. Where was “Eternal Silence”? I looked at my phantom as he settled back on his perch and stretched out his hand to me, motioning me closer. He pointed down to his feet under his robe. I immediately understood and bent to kiss his feet and…woke up.
    I expected to see my room around me and feel my sheets under me, but instead, I felt… grass and leaves? I saw my hands first, they were blistered, bleeding, and red, as if they had been cut and burned. My feet hurt and they were bleeding also. My pajamas were filthy and ragged. I stood up cautiously on legs that felt like noodles. I didn’t have my glasses on, but I didn’t need them to recognize what was in front of me as that cold laughter echoed around me.