The Criterion 2012, The Literary Magazine of American International College

these, one caught my eye. Right central in the cemetery was a grave marked by a giant black marble mass and weighed down by heavy boulders. The words on the stone I could not make out, only a name, possibly Richard or Robert. As I was squinting to decipher the lettering, I blinked and the scene morphed. I was now standing next to the grave which had been flipped and dug up.

With my gaze fixed forward, I would not dare look down at the strewn about earth, but an invisible force penetrated my concentration. Slowly I tilted my head down to glance upon the shadowy figure that began to levitate. All I could make out of the figure in the darkness were glowing green eyes and pale hands drenched in blood.

I screamed and woke for I felt a hand brush upon my neck. When I arose from my sleep, it was morning and I spotted a beautiful cross pendant on my neck. Just then, a tall man left the room. I would not let it bother me; it was probably one of the hotel employees checking on me.

I was obviously uneasy since the occurrences with my fiancée, so I resumed focus on the necklace. I was so drawn to it that I decided I would keep it on.

Once I had composed myself and gone off to breakfast, I came across Sir Daniels who informed me that my whole evening had been planned out. He wanted to ensure that I experienced only the best parts of Tanzania. For the most part, my day was executed with ease. It was not until I was returning to the old‐fashioned hotel that I felt a little disturbed.

As we were turning the corner onto the road of the hotel, I noticed a cemetery on the left.

Instantly, my mind flashed back to the dream I had the night before and cold drops of sweat trickled down between my shoulder blades. Located centrally in the graveyard was a giant black marble tombstone, as I had seen in my dream. Flustered with confusion, I turned from the graveyard and decided that I would retire for the night once I returned to the hotel.

Still, it did not make sense. Upon arriving, I had traveled in from the coast to reach the hotel last night. There was no way that I could have crossed the cemetery last night, allowing the site an access into my unconscious thoughts. I was all sorts of confused. Rest would be the only answer.

As I lay in bed, I tossed and turned in and out of sleep. My dreams soon became reality and a strange man invaded them. How he got into my room, I cannot recall, but his face seemed familiar. Slight recognition stopped me from tensing up. I allowed him to draw closer as I continued to make out his face. Just as he reached the foot of my bed, I gasped. I had thought him to be a friend, but instead he was the deformed version of a familiar face. I cringed, pulling the covers near to me. He smiled showing fierce pointy teeth. His pale skin glowed in the dark, accentuating his long misshapen head. Still he grew closer.