Calubus

         It had been a long time since I thought about when we first met. Watching his pale face in the firelight's glow of the parlor recalled so many memories for me, and I broke out in an involuntary giggle. He looked up at me from his spot on the floor where he was leaning on my legs, his long red hair falling over his shoulder like silk strands.

“What's so funny, Sarah san?”

I stopped myself and ran my hand through his soft hair, ruffling it on top to mess it up. He laughed as he batted my hand away so I couldn't make it any messier than it already was, then looked up at me with such warmth it made my heart skip a beat. It was strange, really, how this undead human could hold such warmth in his dull gray eyes. Whereas most would call him a 'zombie', I saw something else. Once you learned to not fear his ice cold touch and to ignore the gory injury hidden behind wraps around his neck, he was rather cute and happy. He had become so special to me ever since the night that we met, and I will always remember it.

“Hey, Cal, do you remember when you met me for the first time?”

He came up and sat beside me on the couch and wrapped his arm around me, his height causing him to have to look down a bit to meet my eyes.

“Of course I remember. I may have forgotten everything else about myself, but I remember that night just as if it were yesterday.”

I smiled and looked down. It was definitely a strange story, and not one many people would believe. I mean, how could you tell someone that you fell in love with a zombie?

* * *About 6 years ago * * *

         As the storm raged outside I didn't let it break my concentration on my book. It was an old tome of horrible madness and demons, The Necronomicon. There was much speculation as to its origin, or as to whether it was just a false gathering of short stories about some mad man's dreams. As to my beliefs, I thought it was real. I mean, it was definitely possible that there were other beings out there that we couldn't possibly be aware of. The thought was frightening, but in a way it made life a bit more interesting. I hadn't tried any of the rituals in the book yet, but I knew there would come a day when I would muster up the courage and try it. I definitely wanted to call upon Nyarlathotep, the god that was most human. He delights in madness and cruelty, and has a huge cult following. Many say he is faceless, but I'd like to find out for myself.

A huge crack of thunder made me jump and I dropped my book on the floor. I sat in the chair for a minute and laughed at myself for being such a baby, and bent over to gather the book. As my fingers touched its spine, I heard a loud knock on the door directly in front of me. It was the only door out of the house leading to the driveway, and as I checked the clock I saw it was near midnight. A cold sweat formed on my body and my heart leaped into my throat. I hadn't been expecting anyone and it was much too late for anyone to bother in this terrible weather. Another knock, louder this time. I gripped the book tightly and held it in front of my chest as if it was a shield, and yelled out.

“I'll call the cops!”

I then heard a thump on the door as if a large object had been thrown against it. No more knocking, and no reply. I looked around and made sure the curtains were drawn, then wandered back to my chair. I was tempted to gaze out the window to see if whatever was making the racket was still there, but the window was too far away from the door to be able to see anything. A few moments of silence passed, except for the storm outside which had calmed slightly, and I began to relax. I then heard a weak voice that made my hair stand on the back of my neck.

“Please... Let me in...”

“Why should I?”

“I'm lost, and I'm confused. I don't know where I am, I need help.”

The voice sounded strained and very sad. I got up from my chair and stood next to the front door. What if it really was someone that needed help? They didn't sound well, and they could catch a death of a cold out there in this weather. I fought with myself for a moment before I decided to place my hand on the knob.

“I'll open the door, but if you're lying I have a weapon in my hand, and I know how to use it!”

I was lying of course, unless you could count a large hardback book as a weapon. Swung hard enough, the book could probably knock someone out. I began to tremor as I turned the knob and went to swing open the door. Before I could even get a chance to pull, a heavy weight pushed the door open and a tall figure collapsed onto its hands and knees on the floor. A mess of slicked down red hair stuck to the skin of the stranger, the strands falling around it in long heaps. I sank to my knees and placed my hand on the stranger's back; the skin was unnervingly cold and bony. I flew into a panic and ran to grab the largest blanket I could find, and when I returned I tried to pull the lithe body into a sitting position. I wrapped the thick cotton blanket around the stranger once I was successful and finally got a good look at this person's face. It appeared to be a young man that was shockingly pale and thin with dark circles under his eyes. All he appeared to be wearing was a brown cloth pair of pants and nothing else. No wonder he was practically half dead from the cold! It was freezing outside tonight.

“Hey, are you alright? You're not dying, are you? Are you dizzy or anything?”

“Dying? I don't think so... Where am I? Who are you?”

I then realized the awful scent rising from his body. It smelled like a rotting carcass and it burnt strongly into my nostrils. I tried my hardest not to gag and plugged my nose.

“Gods where have you been? You smell like you've been bathing in roadkill.”

I backed away from him slightly once he was able to support himself. He was so thin. When he turned his neck to look around, his body creaked and cracked. It was then that I noticed the gaping wound in his throat. My mouth opened in a horrified gasp and I covered it with my hand to keep from screaming. I could clearly see the bone and muscle glistening in the light from the lamp by the door. He turned to look at me and I saw that his right eye was completely black and teary, while his other was normal except for the fact that it lacked any shine or color. It was a pale gray.

“I apologize, I didn't realize I smelled so bad. I honestly can't remember where I've been, or where I came from...”

He lifted his long bony fingers to his face and stared at his hand for some time before continuing. I was beginning to grow faint.

“... or what my name is. I remember nothing.”

He stretched wide, creaking and crackling as he did so, and wrapped the blanket tighter around himself as I scooted farther away. He seemed not to notice me for the moment, which I was glad for. I then heard him groan and a pained expression filled his features.

“I can't get warm! This blanket isn't working.”

He shakily stood to his feet as if he hadn't stood on his own two legs for some time, and I was able to see how horrific this being was. He was amazingly tall, around the 6 foot mark at least, with long red hair reaching down past his waist. Water pooled beneath him as it dripped from his hair, and I could see what looked like spots of dirt on his skin. He stretched his legs some more and turned to me. I curled up tight with my knees against my chest, waiting for him to eat me. There was no doubt about it... He had to be a zombie.

“Please... please don't eat me. I'm not very nutritious. Too much fat, and I eat way too many salty and sweet things.”

He looked down at me and snickered.

“Eat you? Why would I do that?”

“Well... You're a zombie. You eat humans, right?”

“Zombie? What do you...?”

He seemed to be in a panic at my words and looked around frantically for something. He ran into the kitchen, dragging muddy water behind him, and then back into the living room. His eyes were large with fright.

“Mirror... Do you have a mirror?!”

“Y-yeah... In the bathroom, over there down the hall.”

He took off and had to support himself on the wall before he collapsed from running, and finally made his way down the hall. There was a moment of silence, and then I heard an angry yell. I got up slowly and started walking towards the bathroom, when he nearly ran into me while coming back down the hall. He grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me in the eye.

“What's going on?! How did this happen?!”

I stared back at him, completely clueless and at a loss for words. He was obviously not aware that he was a zombie, and not aware of the passage of time. He looked around with both his good eye and his bad eye.

“Why do I have a gaping hole in my neck?! And what in the hell are all these weird things giving off light?”

I tried to pull away from him, but he grabbed me tighter. I began to shake. Nothing good could come out of an angry zombie. He returned his gaze to me, and must have noticed my fear. He closed his eyes and attempted to take a deep breath, but when his lungs didn't expand he gritted his teeth.

“Sorry... How much time has passed?”

“How much time? Since when?”

“Since... … I have no idea.”

He released me and sat on the couch. I cringed as I thought of how long it would take to get the stink out. He seemed in a terrible mood so I kept my distance. I sat as far from him as I could on the couch and watched as he tried to collect his thoughts. I sort of felt bad for him. I couldn't imagine rising from the dead and not even realizing that I was dead. It must be so confusing for him. He looked over at me with a sad face.

“What did you say your name was?”

“Oh, everyone just calls me Sarah san. I'd ask what your name is, but I suppose you've forgotten.”

“Yes... I'm sorry.”

I held my breath and scooted close enough to pat him on the back. It was sticky and cold from the rain.

“Cheer up. Hey, I have an idea. Why don't you take a shower? You'd feel a lot better and it's a great way to relax.”

I had hoped he would take my offer and at least attempt to wash away the smell of death. It was starting to fill the whole room. I'd probably have to teach him how to use the faucet, but that was easy enough. I had plenty of extra clothes, too. With as thin as he was, there was no doubt in my mind that he'd fit in a pair of my jeans.

“Sarah san, thank you, but I shouldn't be any more of a burden than I've already been. I've barged in your house in the middle of the night and have been extremely rude.”

I stood instantly and grabbed him by the hand, pulling him up forcefully. He looked over his shoulder at me as I pushed him forcefully into the bathroom and threw a towel in his face.

“You stink, zombie, take a shower, please!”

I then made my way over to the faucet, started a flow of lukewarm water, and turned on the shower head.

“Use as much shampoo and soap as you need, but please make sure you don't stink when you're done.”

I shut the door behind me as I walked back into the living room, the faint smell of death still permeating the air.

~ ~ ~ 30 minutes later ~ ~ ~

I sat in my chair mulling over the current situation when I heard the bathroom door creak open. The fresh smell of shampoos and warm mist filled the hall and it was a pleasant change to the rotting smell that I had finally aired out of the living room. Since the storm had finally stopped and it was still outside, I went ahead and left the window open. I heard the sound of bare feet on tile approaching and realized that my new zombie friend had made it through his shower alright, even though I could still hear the shower running. He probably couldn't figure out how to turn it off. I jumped out of my chair and stood to meet him, and then blushed as he walked around the corner, a white towel slung around his waist. I knew he was a zombie, but he was still a half naked guy standing in my living room. Without all of that dirt and grime, and with the rotting carcass smell gone he was actually quite attractive. His hair was beautiful and shiny, finer than mine in fact. His bangs fell messy in his face, covering his bad eye. I cleared my throat and looked away from him, trying to think about the gaping hole in his neck to bring me to my senses.

“Sorry, I guess I should have grabbed you something to wear before the shower.”

“It's quite alright. Your shower was wonderful, even if I couldn't enjoy the warmth I do admit I look much better now than I did earlier.”

“Yes, you look a lot less frightening. Well, except for the hole in your neck...”

The zombie brought his fingers up to his throat and poked at the wound, making me cringe.

“Oh, right. That thing is still there. We should do something about that.”

“I have some gauze in a first aid kit in the laundry room. Wait there.”

I ran to the laundry room to the first aid kit, opening it to grab some gauze and ointment. I stopped and thought about it, then laughed at myself, putting the ointment back. It's not like he was going to get any infections. I returned with the medical tape and gauze, and led the zombie back into the bathroom. I turned off the shower before getting started, and then had him sit on a stool so I could reach him better. I couldn't stop staring at the wound. Part of me wanted to touch it, but I knew that would've made me gag. My fascination was due in part to the fact that a wound like that on a living human being just wasn't possible. Then again, I had never met a zombie before, either.

“Sarah san, would you like me to do it if it bothers you so much?”

I snapped out of my daze and grabbed the scissors and gauze.

“No, it's fine. It's just not something you see every day. We'll have you fixed up in no time!”

I proceeded to use the entire roll of gauze on his neck so it was good and thick, and taped it together at the end. I tried not to make it too tight so I didn't choke him, but I caught myself again and just tried my best to conceal the nasty gaping hole. During the process I noticed that he didn't smell like a rotting carcass anymore. He was rather... scent-less.

“There, all done!”

I set the scissors down and looked in the mirror with him. He brought his hand to his neck and smiled, happy that he looked a little less dead now.

Thank you, Sarah san. You've been so kind to me. I don't know how I could ever repay you.”

He turned on the stool and brought me into a tight hug, his inhuman strength making it more of a tight squeeze. I bore it out and when he released me I realized that he was still only covered with a towel. This caused me to back away rather quickly, covering my face in embarrassment.

“Ah! That's right! We need to get you some clothes! I hope you don't mind wearing some of mine tonight. We can find you some more tomorrow. I do have a couple pairs of pants that could be considered unisex. Hopefully they aren't too short, but they are sort of long on me.”

I led him into my bedroom and opened the closet door. A look of amazement appeared on his face when he saw me click the light on. He must've been resting for a very long time in his grave, if he was even in a grave. It was clear that he wasn't used to technology and electricity, let alone the simplicity of running water. It was cute, the way he looked like a child every time amusement crossed his face. I sat back on the bed and let him go through my large closet, and when he found something he liked I looked away as he changed. After a minute my eyes met with a tall clean cut zombie wearing purple capris. He was the cutest thing I'd ever laid eyes on, and I was sure he'd give me a heart attack by the time the night was through.

“Didn't find any shirts to your liking?”

“Shirts? Oh, I didn't really think about it. These were really comfortable by themselves. Thank you very much, Sarah san.”

“Right... Well... Are you hungry or anything?”

“Hungry...”

He felt his thin stomach and rubbed his hand around on it a few times. At least it didn't seem to be hunger that had weakened him before. Rather, he seemed rather awake and stable now. He looked at me with large innocent eyes.

“I... I don't know. I don't feel hungry. Maybe if we go to the kitchen and try to find something we can see.”

Once in the kitchen, I tried to think of things that a zombie would eat. The first thing that kept coming to mind was human flesh, but that just wasn't an option. He proved to be different from your average zombie, though, so maybe he ate regular things. I dug in the fridge and found some thawed ground beef that I had planned on cooking with tomorrow.

“Hey, how about a burger?”

His eyes locked onto the styrofoam package of raw beef and he took it out of my hands, sitting down at the table with it. I watched curiously as he unwrapped it and grabbed enough to fit between his thumb and finger, then popped it into his mouth. I suppose this wasn't the strangest thing he could have eaten, but it was amusing all the same. I crossed my arms and leaned back against the cabinet, watching him eat. He ate carefully and properly, not at all like the ravenous creatures that you'd see on a George A. Romero film.

“Need a fork?”

He stopped momentarily and looked up at me, then back down at his meal.

“Er, I suppose this isn't quite natural, is it? I just felt like I could really go for some right now.”

I laughed and tossed him a roll of paper towels. He had changed so much from the stranger I had met only an hour or so ago. And to think that I went from cowering in the corner to blushing every time he stared up at me with that innocent gaze. He really was the cutest zombie I had ever laid eyes on.

“Hey, do you remember where you woke up? Like, was it in the cemetery or something?”

I sat down beside him at the table to question him. I had to find out what his name was so I could stop calling him zombie, as he was looking less and less like a one as he was cleaned up a bit. He stopped eating for a moment to think. His answer was strained.

“I... think I remember a cemetery...”

“Well, it couldn't be far from here since you managed to get here with as weak as you were.”

“That's true. Is there a cemetery anywhere close?”

“There's one about a half mile down the road, actually. I go there sometimes to write.”

He wrapped the meat back up that he had eaten a generous amount of and sat back, still seeming to be in thought. I stood and put the meat back in the fridge, guessing he'd be eating more of it later, and turned to see him standing.

“Are you okay?”

He nodded and stared at the door.

“Could you walk with me back to the cemetery? Maybe we could find some clues as to my identity there.”

“This late? We might get in trouble by the authorities.”

“Why?”

Oh, right, I'd nearly forgotten. He was probably from a different time where things like that weren't such a big deal. Since it was sort of an important point right now, I figured a little sneak down to the old cemetery wouldn't be a big deal, and it did quit raining.

“Ah, never mind. I suppose we can go. Why don't we walk? It'd be better that way. You can borrow one of my sweaters.”

“Thank you, Sarah san.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was almost pitch dark walking down the back road to the cemetery. There was a chill in the air and I could see my breath in front of me whenever we passed by someone's porch light. I looked up at the zombie in my oversized black zip up hoodie to see if he was breathing. It was odd not to see any puffs of mist coming from his mouth. I guess he didn't need to breathe. He noticed me staring at him and looked over at me. I was hoping that my blush didn't light up my face in the dark. I couldn't figure out why I was getting so worked up over this undead guy. He was a walking corpse, so that would technically make me a necrophiliac...

“Sarah san, I want to thank you again for all you've done for me. No one else would have accepted a... well... a zombie in the state I was in.”

“I don't think anyone would have accepted a zombie period. I just happen to be an overly nice and gullible person.”

“Well, I am still thankful. I am starting to feel much better now. I do have another favor to ask of you, though. I really feel bad for asking.”

“Ask away. I'd like to think we're friends now, and you're not exactly too well off, so I'll do whatever I can to help you out.”

He stopped us and turned me to look at him.

“Sarah san, may I stay with you until I get things figured out? I don't really have anywhere to go.”

I swallowed hard. I only had one bed in my small house, he'd have to sleep on the couch. Yes. The couch.

“Y-yeah, you can make yourself at home.”

He looked relieved and his shoulders slumped down as he relaxed.

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

We continued walking down the cold street. My face was kept warm by the blush that remained even after our small conversation.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The small cast iron gate of the cemetery was low enough for us to jump over, and with my zombie friend's height it was a breeze to hop over. It had been a long time since I'd been in the cemetery at night, and I found myself becoming slightly uneasy. It was true that I was an avid fan of horror novels and movies, the occult and fortune telling, all sorts of esoteric stuff, but a cemetery at night was always creepy. It was even more creepy now that I had actually met a zombie. Once we walked a bit the zombie stopped.

“I'm trying to remember if any of this is familiar.”

“Hmmm... Why don't we keep walking and then maybe it will come to mind?”

He nodded and we made our way deeper into the cemetery to where the older stones were. This was one of the oldest graveyards in the area, so it was possible that my zombie friend could have been buried here. I looked up to see if he had caught on to anything yet, and it seemed he had. His pace quickened and he walked ever faster until we were nearly running. The moonlight was bright enough to highlight the glossy marble of some of the stones and to light our way. It was a full moon tonight, and it had finally come out into a clear sky. The storm before had completely covered it with clouds, so it was a wonder the zombie even knew where he was going. We came to a stop in front of a large gory tombstone. He knelt down before it and ran his hand across the rough weathered marble.

“This is it. I can feel it. This has to be it.”

I knelt beside him and tried to read the inscription.

“I can't quite read the date... Can you?”

“No. It's too weathered, and my memory can't quite recall anything about when I was buried.”

I squinted at the stone letters and managed to find a single name slowly fading away through time.

“Hey, I can read the name... I think its says... C... C-A...”

His eyes shot open and he smiled.

“Calubus.”

“Calubus?”

Strange name. I'd never heard one like it. I tried to read the last name but it was indecipherable. The only thing legible was a capital 'W'.

“W... W what?”

“I don't know... I can't remember. It seems my memories are just gone. I can only remember events from when I woke from this place.”

“Do you remember why you rose in the first place?”

He shook his head and stood. I stood as well and was surprised when he took my hands in his. His skin wasn't as rough as I thought it'd be. He flashed me a charming smile and tilted his head to the side playfully.

“Well then, now for a proper greeting. Sarah san, allow me to introduce myself as Calubus. Thank you for helping me start my new life, or rather, unlife.”

“Well met, Calubus. At least this is a better first meeting than our last.”

“I agree. I am sorry I frightened you. I frightened myself. I looked awful when I saw myself for the first time in most likely ages.”

We both laughed and stood holding hands. The night was quiet and the wind was practically non-existent. The moon was beautiful, a large and bright silver glow emanating down onto the stones. Everything seemed so romantic. I found myself blushing again as I looked into Calubus' eyes. I was the first human being he'd seen in ages, centuries maybe. I guess that sort of made me special in a way, or at least I liked the thought of being special.

“Hey Calubus, can I just call you Cal?”

“Cal? You mean for short?”

“Yeah. It's like a nick name of sorts for your full name.”

“Alright. I like that.”

“Awesome. Shall we head home now, Cal?”

I could have sworn I saw a faint pale blush on his cheeks, but after realizing that zombies probably didn't blush, I blew it off and with his hand in mine, I led the way back through the cemetery. I had made an awesome new friend, and to top it all off he was a zombie.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After returning to the house I checked the clock and saw that it was turning 4 in the morning. Cal stepped in behind me and removed the hoodie he borrowed from me. He was still wearing those purple capris; it seemed he liked the color purple. It clashed terribly with his hair color, but if it made him happy then that was all that mattered. I plopped down on the couch and brought my feet up to rest on the coffee table in front of me, and Cal dropped down beside me. I heard him groan and run his hand through his hair.

“It's strange, but I'm not sleepy at all. I suppose it's because I've been resting for so long. I've had a century long power nap.”

I burst out laughing at this as did Cal, the laughter becoming contagious. As my laughter died down I noticed Cal kept going. It was a bit much, but realizing that the guy probably hadn't laughed in a very long time I just let him have at it. When he finally stopped he leaned over and lazily fell into my lap. As soon as his head hit my legs I stiffened. He seemed content there and closed his eyes. Even though I hadn't known him for long, it was good to see him this happy. At least he now knew his name and where he was buried, so he could begin his search for his memories. I unconsciously ran my hand through his hair, smoothing it out of his face. Looking at him like this, he seemed so gentle. Instead of that scary, dirty zombie I met on my doorstep he was becoming something close to me. I could already feel my heart expanding every time I looked at his face. I no longer found him hideous.

He opened his eyes after a time and caught me looking at him. He smiled gently and turned onto his back, placing a hand on my cheek. His bad eye was hidden behind his hair once more, and I found myself leaning into his touch. It was a bit cold. I'll admit it would take a while to get used to the feel of cold skin, but I knew it wouldn't be a problem for long. This was turning bad and I knew it. I could feel my heart beating as he looked at me. I tried to blow it off, to attribute it to something similar to a motherly feeling since I'd cared for him and brought him back around like a lost little kitten. That's all it was. I think...

“Hey, Sarah san?”

His voice brought me back from my mental battle. It was no longer weak or sad.

“Yeah?”

“I think I always want to be with you.”

“Cal... you barely know me.”

“That may be true, but you've cared for me and helped me so much. I can't help but feel that we will always have a sort of connection with each other.”

My ears were hot by now, and I knew he could see my red face. I hated my shyness, it gave me away every time. I tried to look away, but he turned my face back to meet his. His hand moved to the back of my head and he gently pushed it down. Our lips were inches apart, and I swallowed hard. What would it be like to kiss a zombie? I mean, he was clean and he brushed his teeth and everything, but it still made me nervous. As if sensing my worries, he whispered against my mouth.

“Don't be frightened. I'm not overflowing with maggots or anything.”

I tried to hold back my laughter.

“That's so romantic, Cal.”

“Were we being romantic?”

I felt my body heat up in embarrassment. Before I could say something back he pressed his lips against mine. They felt cool, as if he had just rubbed an ice cube against them. I became slightly uneasy and tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let me. I decided to accept what had started just to get it over with, but soon found myself practically swooning as he opened his mouth. By now I was shaking slightly, and opened my mouth against his, my breath being the only between us. I became wrapped up in the moment, our kiss growing deeper, my breathing sending warm semblances of life into his cold body. His tongue was soft against mine and strangely moist. Everything about this kiss was enthralling. It lacked the usual warmth of a human kiss, but there was something else about it that excited my senses.  It had a warmth of its own, even though it wasn't physical heat. It was full of feeling and love.

I felt him lift his hand from my head and set it under my chin, signaling for me to go ahead and come up for air. I looked down at him breathing heavily. My whole body was on fire from something so simple. I felt wrong inside for wanting more. He was a zombie, and everything about what we were doing was completely wrong, but I didn't care anymore. He was alive to me, and he felt emotion just as much as I did. There was nothing gross about him or the way he looked. I trailed a finger down his chest and traced his ribcage that was protruding a little more than slightly. It didn't bother me at all. I felt his hand touch mine and he stopped its trail down his body. Sitting up, he drew me into a tight hug.

“Sarah san... As much as it pains me to not continue this, it is late and you need your sleep.”

He was right. It was late and dawn was fast approaching. We would have plenty of time to continue this, there was no point in rushing it. I still felt disappointed, but agreed.

“Yes, maybe you're right. But please lay with me, even if you aren't tired. I want you to hold me while I fall asleep.”

He smiled and lifted me from the couch, carrying me into my bedroom. There he laid me on my bed and  laid down beside me, hugging me close.

“You're sure you'll be able to fall asleep in these cold arms?”

I pulled a blanket up to my neck and snuggled close.

“Of course. It's you, Cal, and that's all that matters.”