A Dance of Ghosts

A school night without education. No stress and no stacks of papers. No exams and no grades. It was the prom. The night everybody looked forward to. A night of gathering and fun. A night of friendship and “prom-posals”. Everyone was excited to attend, except for the boy.

He waded through the crowd. The blinding lights burned his eyes. The deafening music assaulted his ears. His classmates frolicked in ecstasy. The boy couldn’t breathe. “We went to prom when we were young. You should go, too. You’ll love it”, his parents said. His heart was beating fast, yet there was no joy on his face. Searching for some peace, he found a quiet wall away from the commotion. His breathing was fast, like hyperventilation, and his muscles were stiff. “What am I doing? Why am I even here?” he thought to himself. He took a deep breath and slowly relaxed. He was finally alone, just the way he liked it.

There were so many pairs and groups within the crowd. All were smiling and laughing. “It’s good to have friends, son”, his parents said. “Don’t shut yourself out. You might even meet your soulmate”. Upon seeing the mass of people, he shook his head. He just couldn’t understand. No, he didn’t want to. “People are so loud and irritating”, he thought. “My soulmate is definitely not here. I just want silence”.

Footsteps approached him. He sighed as he turned to face the stranger. It was a girl. She set her back against the wall and took a deep breath. She faced the boy with a sweet smile. Immediately, his heart sank to his feet. They greeted each other. He complimented her white dress and she complimented his black tuxedo. A long moment passed, yet they continued staring at each other. They’re eyes connected, drawing a bridge between souls. Her cheeks began to blush. Then, they both looked away. He clenched his heart. It was beating more rapidly than before. His eyes shifted to the dancing students. No longer were they making a ruckus. They now moved slowly and formally. Holding each other's hands. He looked back at her. She was rubbing her arms and playing with her hair. Her entire face was blushed. Focusing on her gentle hands, he clenched his into fists. His entire body suffered an ever so slight shakiness. He opened his mouth, but no word came out. He looked away again. In the corner of his eye, he noticed her opening her mouth, but saying nothing. She slowly tilted her head downwards, sighed, and wiped her eyes. Then, she looked at the boy, smiled, and walked away. The boy watched as she vanished within the crowd.

Prom was over and the school was emptying out. The boy eagerly waited by the entrance. His posture was straight, yet he was still shaking slightly. Student after student passed him by, but he never saw the girl. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. Then, he left the school. He strolled home with his hands in his pockets. A large grin adorned his face. His mind focused on the girl. “Who is she?” he wondered. It’s a big school with many students, yet he never met her before. “Four lonesome, annoying years of high school and this was the best day ever”. His heart felt as if it would burst out of his chest. “There are still some days left until graduation. I need to see her again”, he thought with a warm chuckle. He was so blinded by his thoughts that he failed to see the speeding car as he crossed the street.

Awakening within a mound of dirt, he climbed to his feet and stood up. He had a headache. About to rest his hand on his forehead, he began to tremble at the sight of his bony hands. He looked around and noticed graves surrounding him. He was in the center of a cemetery. He began to hyperventilate. Turning around, he immediately fell to his knees and clenched his heart. Standing over his mound, the moonlight lit his tombstone. His mind cycled through many thoughts. His parents, his lost future, the girl. “What happened to me? Am I really gone? Why am I awake?” he wondered.

For many years, the boy pondered these questions as he wandered the graveyard solitarily. Not once did he see a single soul. Not even after the multitude of funerals he witnessed. Nobody ever noticed him either. He was an invisible skeleton, a ghost of his former self, and he was truly alone. He imagined how his own funeral must’ve been. How his parents probably felt. He attempted to leave the graveyard and visit them many times, but couldn’t. He was bound to this place. He pondered, and pondered, and pondered.

One night, the boy noticed motion at one of the graves. There appeared to be digging from under the dirt. He ran faster than he ever had in his entire life just to see who would come out. For the first time in years, he wouldn’t be alone. Emerging from the dirt was a girl. Her face was a skinless skull, just like his. She stood up and looked about herself. She, too, sank to her knees and trembled. Throughout this whole ordeal, the boy stood completely still. He placed his hand over his mouth. She was the girl. He didn’t know how, but he knew it to be true. He took a step forward and opened his arms, but suddenly stopped. He looked down to the ground. His body suffered an ever so slight shake. Footsteps approached him. Looking up, she was directly in front of him. She placed her hand over her mouth. Then, she caressed his bony face. He held her hand. Her ring finger lacked a ring and he was taken aback. She was toying with her hair while looking away. He stepped toward her and wiped the dirt from her white dress. She wiped away the dirt from his black tuxedo. They complimented each other’s clothing. Then, they both took deep breaths. He closed his eyes and loosened his body. Slowly, he held her waist. She slowly grabbed his shoulder. They’re free hands were clenched together tightly. With the moonlight creating a spotlight around them, they finally danced together. Although they were skeletons, they could see each other’s smile. Feel each other’s warmth. Leaves swooshed as they twirled around. They’re dance felt like an eternity. They looked into each other’s eyes, a bridge between souls. “Till death do us part”, they said. Gradually, the moonlight closed, like an iris out, around them as they faded away.