Stranger Things Have Happened (Elvis Presley story)

Chapter 9

Staying at Graceland for the most part hasn't been as scary as I expected. Everyone is beyond nice and welcoming. Elvis had to leave a couple of days ago to do some concerts out of state, so it's just been me, Mary, Gladys and Vernon. I've been picking up extra shifts at the library to occupy my time. Gladys and Vernon are great, but I just feel kind of lonely there without Elvis. Even after me freaking out on him he still had been keeping me company. But it's not really the same now without him.

I finish swiping on my mascara and fix a few stray strands of hair before grabbing a jacket. It's supposed to be unseasonably cold this morning. Pulling the jacket over my pastel green dress and buttoning it up, I give myself one last look in the mirror before leaving my room.

Bouncing down the stairs, I make a stop in the kitchen to grab an apple before heading outside. The cool breeze sends a shiver down my spine. Sitting myself down on one of the benches, I take a bite of the apple and wait.

Ever since I started staying here Elvis had made a point to have me driven to work, saying that it's too far of a walk to the library. So after he left, one of his Memphis Mafia guys Jerry has been taking me. Jerry is pretty nice, though he doesn't seem to be one for long conversations. We usually only exchange a few words the whole ride.

I stand up when I see his familiar black car roll up the driveway and scurry over, hopping inside to escape the cold morning. Once we get there, he drops me off out in front of the building on the sidewalk. I make sure to tell him when to pick me up before hopping out and wave goodbye, heading inside once he drives away.

The library is very busy inside, people browsing through the shelves and reading at the tables. Heading behind the desk, I see that one of my coworkers Arthur is working there. Storing my purse in its usual place under the counter, I can't help but notice him staring at me.

"Hello Anna!" He says cheerily, grinning widely at me.

I offer him a small, friendly smile in return. "Hey Arthur."

The smile on his face grows impossibly bigger. I've noticed a few things about Arthur. He seems to have some social issues, or at least problems with interacting with people. I have overheard our other coworkers talk badly about him on multiple occasions, saying how he is a "dork". That always bothered me for a few reasons, one being that I don't like people being mean, and another being that I hardly know the guy. You shouldn't judge someone without knowing them.

Arthur does seem like an easy target for bullying though. Even though he seems to have a strong build, he is always hunched over. His pale skin is oily and speckled with acne, even though I'm sure he's a few years past being a teenager. He also wears big thick glasses, and has a set of shiny metal braces.

"There's a cart of returned books in the back, if you wouldn't mind putting them away?" He says, fidgeting with his hands.

I nod. "Yeah, sure thing."

Heading to the back to the library, I see the cart he was talking about, piled high with all kinds of books. I roll it over to the historical section first, seeing that most of the books are from there. I hum quietly to a song that has been stuck in my head all morning as I slide each book into its proper spot.