"This is the autopsy report. I'm sorry, Mr. Joseph Cox, your wife had a severe heart condition, so... this outcome was inevitable." A police officer handed the autopsy report to Joseph, along with a pen, pointing to a spot at the bottom of the document. "If you see no issues, please sign here."
Joseph took the autopsy report, but as he read, his expression continued to change. No external trauma, no abnormalities, even the dental examination was normal. He looked at the officer with a wooden expression. "This...how could this be? My God, this is impossible..."
"If you have doubts, you can request another autopsy and express your concerns. Now, would you like to sign?" The officer seemed a bit impatient, pointing again to where Joseph should sign.
Joseph signed quickly, no longer daring to question it. He was unsure how he managed to make it back home. Upon entering his home, he saw a young man standing up from the sofa, his daughter Lisa, dancing joyfully by his side. He nodded to the young man, his heart full of unspoken words.
"You must be confused why there are no wounds on the body, why it's heart disease... I know you must have many questions," the young man said to Joseph. "I know it's all too shocking. I will explain everything to you."
Joseph didn't respond. He held his daughter and went into his room, quietly keeping her company until she woke him with her animated movements. That's when he remembered he should arrange a funeral for Melissa. But the most pressing thing at the moment was to figure out who exactly this young man was.
The young man was still sitting in the living room. It appeared he was waiting for Joseph and didn't seem bothered by Joseph's lack of hospitality or gratitude for saving their lives.
"This world... is not as you imagine it to be, nor as I once knew it," the young man looked at Joseph, "After many years, I realised that this world is a joke to me and perhaps a disaster for you... but it doesn't matter. I've made it through."
Joseph listened quietly as the young man spoke about vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and even superheroes. To him, it all sounded absurd.
"Okay, listen... I don't know where you're from, who you are, but I am grateful to you. You saved Lisa and me. If you like, I can host you here, as a token of my gratitude." Joseph patiently waited for the young man to finish speaking.
"I would appreciate a French black pepper steak with pasta and a bit of Bordeaux Merlot red wine. Oh, don't forget a glass of apple juice," the young man didn't hesitate to state his demands.
"Uh, sorry, sir..." Joseph started hesitantly.
"Just call me Jason. I'm Chinese," the young man interjected.
"Mr. Jason..." Joseph looked at him awkwardly, "I only have gin and red wine from Temechula..."
"Then red wine it is." Jason casually nodded. "I'll go check on Lisa. Is that her name? Cute, but you should be careful with her." He went to the bedroom, expertly picked Lisa up from her cradle and held her. He seemed far from inexperienced, almost like he was used to handling children.
Joseph, feeling reassured, went to the kitchen. The steak was average, nothing special. He was no chef, but he thought he did pretty well this time. He had cooked well once before, when Melissa was just pregnant.
Jason ate his food quietly, and Joseph, not one for talking during meals, silently finished his dinner too. Only Lisa made little "yi yi ya ya" noises, injecting a dose of freshness into the otherwise dull atmosphere.
"I think... Melissa should have a funeral. Tomorrow... I'll try to claim the body from the police station. Father Cassidy from the town church will help me with the arrangements... Would you like to attend?" Joseph wasn't sure what to talk about with Jason, but he felt like he should say something.
Jason's apparent indifference made him feel awkward again. He held up his hands, "If you don't want to... I mean, we've just met, forget what I said..."
"No problem, I've got time," Jason agreed immediately. "Where do I sleep?" He seemed to treat the place like his own home.
"We have another room...it's mostly empty, rarely used. I can tidy it up for you!" Joseph touched his lips, not knowing what else to say, and just nodded.
As soon as Jason left, Lisa started crying. Joseph rushed over to comfort her, but her cries only got louder, and she seemed to be gasping for breath. Joseph was at a loss, usually Melissa handled these situations, and he felt out of his depth.
"You should feed her," Jason stopped and looked back, "Use the milk in your refrigerator, remember to boil it first and then cool it to room temperature. Test the first drop on the back of your hand, if it's not hot, you can feed it to her." He then walked straight into his room.
Melissa's funeral was held in the town's only church, large enough to accommodate 160 people for prayers and gatherings.
Melissa's popularity seemed lacking, as only about twenty people attended her funeral, making the church seem rather empty.
Her coffin lay at the front of the church. Melissa was peacefully resting inside. Her lips were tightly closed, her sharp teeth hidden, everything seemed normal. It looked like a typical death, which made Joseph feel as if he had been dreaming the entire time.
However, the presence of Jason, sitting at the back of the church, reminded him that this absurd dream was, in fact, a reality.
When the coffin was lowered into the ground, a sudden noise came from inside the coffin. Joseph tried to lean closer, wanting to hear something, but a loud 'bang' resounded and a pale hand shot out from the coffin, grabbing his bent over head unexpectedly.
Joseph tried to scream, but before he could make a sound, he was violently pulled into the coffin. Everything went dark. He struggled, but as he got closer, it felt as though he was bound by heavy ropes, his breathing becoming harder, as if a hand was strangling his throat.
The funeral for Melissa was held in the town's only church. This was the only church in the small town, capable of accommodating 160 people for prayers and gatherings.
There were not many people at Melissa's funeral, only about twenty or so. This made the church seem quite empty.
The coffin was placed at the front of the church, with Melissa lying peacefully inside. Her lips were closed tight, her sharp teeth no longer visible, everything seemed normal. She seemed like she had died a normal death. This gave Joseph a surreal feeling, as if what he had witnessed before was just a ridiculous dream.
However, Jason, who was sitting at the back of the church, made him feel like everything was indeed real. The Chinese man was like a constant reminder of the absurd dream he had experienced.
When the coffin was being lowered into the ground, there was a sudden commotion from within. He wanted to get closer, to hear something, but just as he leaned in, with a loud bang, a pale hand suddenly extended from the coffin, catching his bowing head off guard.
Joseph felt his throat tighten and wanted to scream, but before he could make a noise, he was abruptly pulled into the coffin. Everything went dark. He struggled, but the more he did, the tighter it felt, as if he was bound by heavy ropes, even breathing became difficult, as if a hand was choking his throat. In the darkness, he could almost see two ghastly beams of light that suddenly lit up in the coffin. Those were Melissa's eyes, which suddenly opened wide. Her eyes were filled with a ghostly glow, and inside her open mouth, two sharp fangs gradually grew...
"Ah—"
Joseph let out a cry, abruptly stepping back, as if suddenly struck by a flood of light. It seemed as if all the darkness had vanished. He looked around frantically, realizing he was standing right next to the grave, almost falling in. Only Jason's hand, clutching his, prevented him from tumbling in.
"You zoned out," Jason said, nodding at him.
Everyone around glanced at Joseph, their eyes filled with pity and indifference. Yes, to some people, these things were not worth pondering or doing anything about.
This poor fellow, his wife died just after their child was born. His abnormal reaction just showed how pitiful he was. Someone walked up and gently patted him on the shoulder as a show of comfort.
Joseph didn't respond to the comfort offered by these people immediately, still lost in his thoughts. But no one blamed him; he was pitiful enough as it was.
"Yes, I guess... yes, I was lost in thought."
Joseph used the weakest words to explain to the people around him. However, he knew that what had just happened was not simply zoning out; he had a feeling of reality... so real as if the person in the coffin could leap out at any moment.
The priest had finished his prayer, and people had started throwing flowers on the coffin. People left one after another, and it wasn't until someone started shoveling dirt into the pit that Joseph turned around, seemingly lost.
"Were you zoning out just now?"
Suddenly, a voice came from behind him. He stopped and turned around to see Jason standing not far behind him, looking at him and shrugging slightly.
"Yes, I suppose so!" Joseph nodded, preferring to treat what had just happened as an illusion after zoning out.
"Maybe so, sometimes, who can differentiate between illusion and reality? I've spent many years on this, so many that I've forgotten how many years it's been..." Jason suddenly smiled at Joseph, "Lisa is taken care of, don't worry, and... I plan on staying here for a while."
"That's your decision, you didn't need to tell me!" Joseph pursed his lips, still somewhat dazed.
"I know, but... where I plan to stay is not far from you, in the woods." Jason said, raising a piece of paper in his hand that seemed to be some kind of document, "I have obtained the right to build on that land. I'm familiar with these procedures, so I need a house. Just a small one is fine, it's only me."
"You'll find a suitable house!" Joseph nodded and started walking away.
He didn't know what the future held, he only knew that he should raise Lisa properly. This was his only thought now. With this determination, whether it was his previous illusion, or Melissa's death, he would try to forget and start a new life.
Jason watched Joseph walk towards his home, shrugging nonchalantly. Yes, he should take a break for a while. He's been on the road for too long, over a hundred years on the road and still continuing, he felt that he needed to pause and adjust himself after each segment of the journey.
This world was no different from the one he was in before. The only difference was that it held many secrets and unknown bizarre things.
Fifteen years, just a blink of an eye.
Fifteen years had rendered the small cabin built in the woods greener, as many vines had climbed onto the roof, windows, and walls.
And in that cabin lived a young man, just as young as he was fifteen years ago, without a hint of change...