Chapter 2

"Deathday party?" Vanessa asked confusedly.

"You aren't dead, are you?"

"I'm alive. But to you, I've been dead. True?"

" I..." Vanessa paused. She wanted to say she does not know. Not once did he come to mind in a year after all. But she thought how awkward it would sound. Then suddenly she remembered the newsreel. What had the reporter said? Something about a broken windscreen and a car with no body inside.

"The newsreel." She muttered distractedly, thinking hard.

"What newsreel?" The corpse asked her.

"The reporter said something about a broken windscreen..." She mumbled. Then it came to her suddenly. "You swam to safety, didn't you? You committed suicide, then found you could not face death."

The corpse grinned.

"Yeah. I could not face death. But I won't say the breakup was not painful. It was so painful I hid myself among some island people for a whole year. I was as good as dead."

Something in the voice made Vanessa look at Mike. He was smiling grimly. She sighed and rested her head on his chest.

"I'm sorry" She whispered.

"I was actually dead, to the world, for a while. I never wanted to see the real world again. Infact, I resolved not to. But then, I discovered I cannot stay without you. I want to stay with you forever."

" I love you." Vanessa whispered.

"Where I was, it was beautiful. I want to take you there. Will you came with me?"

" Anywhere in the world with you." Vanessa whispered again. She could not see the wicked smile on the corpse's face. She saw a happy smile instead.

"But we will have a deathday party first. Today is my deathday anniversary. It would be yours too if you would come with me. Those island people, they don't have contact with the outside world."

" So I will be dead to the world too?" Vanessa asked innocently.

"Yes. In the same way as me." The corpse smiled wickedly. And again, Vanessa could not see it. She saw a reminiscent smile instead. If she could see the corpse for what it was, that reply would have sent her running and screaming. As it was, she could not. She disengaged herself from the corpse and pulled him down into a seat. She seated herself beside him.

"I will go with you anywhere. But this secluded island people, can you tell me more about them?"

"That, my dear, is a story for the party. Now I would rather you tell me how much you love me."

"I love you so much I can't put into words." Vanessa replied.

"Then show me how much."

Vanessa smiled. She missed showing Mike how much she loved him. She leaped into the corpse's hands and let it carry her to the bedroom.

×××××

Vanessa got into her car wondering what a deathday party would be like. She has never been to one before but it seems like it would be fun. She was judging by the programme on the invitation card Mike gave her. She pulled up by the roadside and picked her purse from the empty seat beside her. She unclasped it and took out the card.

The cover was bright ruby red in colour and had: An invitation to the Deathday party of Ikeyson Mike printed across it's front. Under the words were the date of death and date of rebirth. The cover and the visible edges were gilted in deep gold. Vanessa flipped open the cover and glanced through the card again. It was an opaque ultra marine blue that made one feel as if he was looking into the depths of the ocean. From the depths, bright blood red letters in different fonts glinted at Vanessa. At the top of the card was the formal invitation of Vanessa to the party. Under it was the dress code for men;black, and for women; black too. A little below that was the programme for the event. It read:

*Introduction of guests of honour and their story. 7:30pm

*Cake cutting. 9:00pm

*Ghost stories. 9:15pm

*Entertainment.

*Item seven

- fried intestines

-roasted kidneys

-finger chops

-stomach sausages

-and many more

*Party ends. 12:00am

Vanessa shuddered when she read the words under 'item seven'. Item seven is a party slang word for eating, but she does not know of any food slanged as 'fried intestines' and the rest of the list of food. For a while, she let herself imagine that they would be eating human parts. But she knew it would probably be chicken parts, though how 'finger chops' fit in, she could not guess. She waved it out of mind and looked at the last group of words at the bottom of the card. It read:

Address: 12 Ahmad street, Marquis Estate.

Vanessa looked at the signboard in front of the car. It identified the red gate as leading into Marquis Estate. She matched on the brakes and rolled past the gate. Then she took a right turn and accelerated towards Ahmad street. She parked the car at the end of the street, put back the card inside her purse and got out.

Marquis Estate is a haven for the rich and the socialites. But even those rich and socialites consider Ahmad street as exclusive to thise if higher class than themselves. Ahmad street consisted of houses with different architectural designs, each according to the taste if the owner. The diversity of architectural designs made space for even a kind of mordenized pagoda. But no.12 was just a simple modern duplex. Ever since it's last owner disappeared since a year before, the building has turned derelict at an abnormal pace. The two front pillars, holding up a stylish porch roof was cracked frighteningly and the roof leaned lower at one end. The porch railings were rusted and almost unhinged from the floor. The tiles were cracked and chipped in several places. The white paint of the building has peeled off in several places, leaving large patches of grey-coloured cement visible. The remaining paintwa soiled, as if someone with dirty hands had plastered prints all over the walls which has spread and become indistinct with time.

No.12's state of disrepair formed a sharp contrast with the rest of the buildings on Ahmad street, but one thing made it even more unusual. Apart from the fact that it seems to harbour no inhabitants, all windows were open, black curtains were drawn over them and no light shine through any of them- not even a light bulb mistakenly left on. It seemed as if someone had taken care not to leave any lights on.

Vanessa found no.12 and stood admiring it. As has been happening all day with everything related to her late boyfriend, she could not see the real state of the house. Instead, she saw u in all its fromee grandeur. She checked the time on her phone. It was someinutes past seven. She knew that as a guest if honor,she should be there to be introduced by half past seven.

She rang the doorbell. At that moment, a white cat which was strolling casually across the street took a startled leap, as if it had suddenly stepped on hot coals. It streaked off towards the other end of the street. Some distance past no.12, it stopped. It's back was arched, it's tails hung down and itsouth was set in a snarl. It's hairs stood erect. It turned to stareat Vanessa as a hand drew her into the house. Then it hissed in a mixture if fear and anger and continued strolling. It's hairs were still erect.