Kneel

Case 21

  "Can I help you?" I questioned while not bothering to stop typing.

  "Oh, don't mind me. Is your hair dyed? It looks natural." Charlotte's voice came from behind me as she was messing with my hair. I wasn't sure why, but it seemed lately the people around me were doing some rather....odd things.

  "Because it is natural."

  "How strange."

  "Would you mind stopping touching me?"

  "Is this weird?"

  "Very."

  "I'm sorry." She chuckled and let my hair go before coming up beside my desk to sit on the edge. "I'm still getting used to things."

  "Why are you here?"

  "Oh, working. I just happened to see you. How are you, by the way?"

  "Fine. Confused, but fine."

  "And you're sure you're a natural redhead?"

  "Charlotte, what do you want?" I sighed while leaning back in my chair to look at her.

  "I'm simply trying to figure you out. You see, you don't quite make sense." Her brows furrowed. "I know how Lucifer is....put on edge by redheads. Honestly, he's not the only one." She chuckled. "But with you, it seems more like a joke you two laugh at."

  There was a quiet pause before I shrugged.

  "How do you do it?"

  "Do what?"

  "Get people to like you. I mean, you've proven rather trustworthy and determined, but you come off as very....distant. Sorry, I recognize the look in your eyes."

  "Uh-huh."

  "Were you close with your parents?"

  "Okay, I'm gonna just...." I trailed off while getting up from my seat before walking away. "And now I hope she's gone by the time I get back." I sighed under my breath while going toward the vending machines.

~

  "Ella....I need your help."

  "Yeah, whatcha need?"

  "The case we're working on....were working on....with the Uni students and that old professor."

  "Yeah, what about it? You find something after the body was picked up?"

  "Sort of."

  "Misha, you sound weird. Is everything okay?"

  "I got hit in the chase. I didn't think anything of it, but I-I should have been more aware. I thought it was something I ate until...."

  "Misha? Misha, what's wrong?" Ella's tone shifted to one of concern as I looked down at the blood on my hands. More blood dripped onto my palms as I was crying.

  "I-"

  "Imp!" I heard my front door swing open. "Imp, I need to talk to you!" Lucifer yelled through the house. "Imp! Did you know? This whole bloody time, did you know?!" He sounded angry while stomping around until my bedroom door slammed open.

  The anger vanished from his face as he looked down at me, seeing me sitting on the floor at the end of my bed. Tears were streaming down my face, mixing with the blood dripping from my chin.

  "I don't want to die." My voice was choked as I still held the phone firmly in my hand.

  "Misha?!" Ella's voice came loudly from the speaker.