Dead and Gone

Callie sat opposite the icy window, staring into the gloom outside. She sunk into the huge, soft armchair she had been perched on. 1

"He's not coming.." She repeated to herself in a whisper. "He.. he's not.."2

Callie felt her eyes water, and she hastily whisked her hand up to wipe her glinting eyes. But as soon as they were dry, the tears came again. This time Callie left the salty water to fog up her lime green eyes, gather enough liquid to form a tear drop, let it roll down her left cheek and finally drop onto her quivering chin. Then another, and another until she was sobbing hard. 3

She was in the midst of crying when she heard a sudden crack. She was startled and the noise made her right knee jolt. In the process it knocked her jaw bone. 4

To keep from crying, Callie bit her lip, but too hard for her lip was now bleeding, and swelling up. All of a sudden, a gentle knock landed on the front door which made Callie gasp.5

"Hello?" A male's voice called from behind the golden yellow front door. 6

"I.. I'm coming." Callie yelled back while weaving her way through the messy set-up of the lounge towards the door. She gulped. She was really scared. She clutched a baseball bat with two, strong hands, the flung open the door with her foot, half expecting some kind of murderer on a killing spree, half expecting Sirius himself! 7

The police officer standing before her with a folder of documents and photos seemed to be neither, so she lowered the bat and opened her mouth to speak. 8

"Callie Smith?" The cop spoke first.9

"Yes? Is something wrong?" She whispered, surprised at being able to talk. 10

"I'm Officer Daniel Brown. Do you know this man?" Brown held up an old photograph of Sirius shot in sepia. "Sirius Cooper?" 11

Callie was lost for words. She didn't know what to say, so she just nodded. A pained expression appeared on Brown's white face, while a worried look spread over Callie's light-brown one. 12

"I don't know how to say this.." Brown started.13

"Just.. um.. blurt it out." She helped. 14

"Ok.. here goes.. Sirius Cooper has.. has been killed." After a pause he added: "Not murdered, just a car accident."15

"I see." Callie said, trying not to cry. "I see..." It was obviously all she could manage because it was all she said. 16

"Um, Miss, if it helps, I have this." The officer dug deep into his pocket and pulled out a shabby piece of paper. He handed it to her, and she unfolded it. 17

"They are his last words. It's how we tracked you down." 18

Callie glanced momentarily at the paper in her hands, and caught her name and address printed in black ink. She closed her eyes and imagined Sirius saying them, not to the police, but to her. "Callie Smith: 100 Fox St.. find her.." 19

"Miss? Are.. are you alright?" Brown stammered, unsure of what he was saying was the right thing to say after all. 20

Callie nodded, and all the tears she had been holding back suddenly burst out of her eyes. They sparkled, reflecting light off the dimly lit street lamps surrounding them. 21

"Um, Miss I'm really sorry for upsetting you like this. Look, why don't I take you out for dinner? Huh? I'm not busy and it looks like you need a shoulder to lean on." 22

She ceased crying and puzzled over Brown's last request. "What? Are you asking me out on a date?" Callie was both disappointed and disgusted.
"How do you know that Sirius and I weren't in a relationship? And that is really wrong of you, the way you did that, you.. you sleezy idiot"23

"I know! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have done that!" Feeling uncomfortable, Daniel Brown glanced at his gold watch. "Um, it's getting late. I should probably be getting back to the office." 24

And with that, he turned on his heels and groped his way back to the black Mercedes-Benz parked outside the driveway.25

Callie stood beneath the ivy growing over the door frame, thinking. Sirius was dead. The only person in the living world who understood her was gone. She loitered in the doorway for a few more minutes then dwardled back inside. She slammed the door shut, then curled up on her armchair, and closed her eyes, blocking away everthing.