“Callum… Callum p-please...” the girl’s voice cracked.

She was in front of a boy seated on the sofa. Her long hair was dirty and tears ran down her cheeks. She held a fork in her hand and next to her, there was a plate full of food.

The boy, Callum, had a blank expression on his face and stayed quiet. His skin was pale like a corpse and his eyes were empty.

“Please… You need to eat...” she begged, her hand shivered. Poppy didn’t understand why her lover acted like this. Usually he was full of joy and energy. His smile illuminated everything and brought happiness. But now, it was just gone. Her cries became more harrowing. She was scared. Scared that he didn’t love her anymore, scared that his health had got worse.

 

“I-if I did something wrong I-I’m sorry...” Poppy whispered. “But… I love you, you know? So please, a-answer me...”

No reaction, just silence. Why did he ignore her? Her heart hurt.

Something was wrong, she knew it. Callum never ignored her even if he was angry. “Don’t leave me alone...” she mumbled.

 

The girl dropped the fork on the ground when she stood up. She sighed as always. This wasn’t the first time Callum didn’t answer her and didn’t eat.

She sat on his lap and surrounded Callum’s waist with her arms. Poppy put her head on his chest and let the tears soak her boyfriend’s pullover. She caught a blanket beside her and wrapped them with it.

Secretly she hoped he would hug her and whisper sweet nothings in her ear. But, it’s just hope. It was only quiet and morbid. Like this, she fell asleep, a last tear escaped from her eyes.

 

The next day, she woke up with puffy eyes. She stared at Callum but nothing had changed. Poppy blinked, she didn’t want to cry again. She grabbed the fork on the ground and the plate with mechanical movements. She walked slowly, her steps were tottering. Different sounds could be heard when she walked on things since she couldn’t see because of the dark.

Suddenly, sharp knocks resonated in the room. The girl stopped and froze. She wasn’t expecting anybody. The knocks were repeated.

 

Poppy glanced at the boy who said nothing, a little fear in her eyes. She didn’t care about the plate and the fork anymore and put them down. She went to the doorway and opened it, the light invaded the apartment. In front of her stood a man. He frowned and smoothed out his police uniform.

“Poppy Wilson?” he asked in a deep voice.

“Y-yeah that’s me” she responded with difficulty.

The policeman sighed. “It’s about the disappearance of Callum smith… We have investigated and found that you were the last person who saw him.”

“D-disappearance?” she whispered. She didn’t understand anything. Callum was with her!

“Yes. We were informed of this two weeks ago. Do you have any information to help?” he said.

She stared at the face of the man. Confusion was a soft word to describe her mind right now.

“I don’t know what are you talking...” Poppy murmured. She furrowed her eyebrows and moved backwards little by little.

“Are you sure? I know you know him so what’s the problem?” he interrogated. The policeman carefully started to be quite annoyed.

“B-but… The disappearance… It’s impossible, Callum lives with me actually. Plus, we slept together the previous night!” she explained.

“Really? So may I see him please?” the tone he used suggested she obey and say nothing. In reply, Poppy simply nodded and opened the door more.

 

The policeman went inside and quickly put a hand against his nose. The smell was absolutely stifling. He walked slowly since the apartment was almost entirely in darkness. The sight was disturbing nay repulsive but he didn’t show anything. The mess was everywhere and he didn’t know where to put his feet.

Poppy ran to Callum. “H-hey… There’s a policeman who would like to talk to you… I know you don’t want to speak to me but it’s important. He said you were missing. It’s crazy, right?” she laughed nervously.

The boy didn’t move. His expression was still empty. She stroked his cheek, his skin abnormally cold. The girl watched the policeman with consternation.

“I’m sorry. Those days he ignores everything and everyone… I’m very worried.” she said.

The man fixed at her and Callum with eyes full of horror.

“It’s Callum Smith…?” he asked troubled.

“Yes it’s him. I’m sorry...” Poppy answered.

“But… But it’s a corpse. Callum Smith is dead.” the man yelled.

 

The girl widened her eyes. It’s impossible, her lover can’t be dead. “It’s a joke, isn’t it? It’s impossible” she whispered, tears dropped on her face.

 

The pale and cold skin, the empty eyes, and no response.

 

Callum, her boyfriend, the one she loved with all her heart was dead.

 

And, she had lived with his corpse for two weeks, believing only he didn’t feel alright.

 

Ambre.