The Lost Corpse

Chapter 5: Resurrection of the Corpse

At night, as I lay in bed next to him, I tried to stay awake and not sink into the mattress. After struggling with drowsiness for a while, I gave up and crawled back into the corpse, turned my head and bid him goodnight. To my astonishment and joy, the skull actually turned along with my movements. I attempted to move other body parts, but the joints were all fastened with wires, and my range of motion was limited. I attempted to call out to him, only to realize that I could only produce a clicking sound by clenching and unclenching my teeth – this body no longer had any vocal cords and tongue.

Ironically, as my desires grew, my ability to control this body diminished. I increasingly yearned for more, but what could I achieve even if I gained control? Living to a ripe old age as a mere corpse beside a person? Wake up, for goodness' sake! In horror films, ghosts can take on their former appearance and have a few spring nights with their loved ones. Meanwhile, you're stuck with just a pelvis. A woman's pelvis, no less.

Moreover, am I even Wu Mo? If I am, where is my real body?

Frustrated by the lack of answers, I decided to maintain the status quo. However, the next morning, after watering the flowers, Lu Nan knelt down and kissed the gum of the corpse, which was too close to the top. In fact, he only kissed my upper lip. I only relaxed once I heard the sound of him closing the door. I almost leaned up. But what if it happens again next time?

I never want to recall today's image in the future. My joints were securely fastened, and the price of leaving the chair was my skull hitting the concrete floor first. Slowly, I crawled toward the desk, using my fingers and knees. I stopped to rest a few times, and when I reached the desk, I sadly realized that standing up was an enormous task. My finger bones caught on the grooves of the drawer, while my lower half hung heavily, unresponsive. I used my elbow to prop myself against the chair seat, then the backrest, before finally standing upright stiffly. My body was so heavy, while my soul remained light and ethereal – something I had long become unaccustomed to.

I found paper and a pen on the desk. It was challenging to write with such precision using my soul as a substitute for muscles. The first few words were large and crooked, but I didn't have the strength to roll it and write a new one, so I continued: "Hello, Lu Nan. I am a person inhabiting this body. I'm not certain if I am the person you're looking for, but I believe I need your help." It was a rambling note because I wasn't entirely sure of my intentions, just a sense of urgency. After finishing one piece of paper, I grabbed another: "The joints are fastened too tightly; I'm still unable to move freely."

At this point, I truly didn't know what else to say. I quickly exited the skeletal and floated, feeling too weightless and without a sense of landing. The skeleton lay on the desk, wearing thick clothes, as if they had accidentally been dead for a very long time.

The clock slowly approached seven o'clock. I realized I had no idea what year or date it was, nor did I know how long I had been dead. Time was meaningless to me. But what should I do if he wanted to talk with me? I couldn't provide the time of death for either me or Wu Mo. Truthfully, I felt quite guilty; he always seemed indifferent to everyone except Wu Mo.

I heard the sound of him opening the living room door, but he didn't come directly to the bedroom. It seemed he went to the kitchen, where the sounds of knives on cutting boards and the sizzling of cooking filled the air. Should I move the skeleton back and tear up the note? These thoughts swirled in my mind. I didn't want to hope, because I didn't want to be disappointed.