Grey

Twenty two: Culprit

Knock knock knock.

Agatha turned around lazily, still in her sleep.

Knock knock knock

The knocking continued. Agatha woke up with a start, realising someone was knocking.

It was still dark. Her eyes felt tired and her head hurt.

She raised herself off the bed and walked out of her room, to the living room, stretching herself. She looked up at the wall clock. It was almost 6 o'clock in the morning.

She walked to the door and peeped out of the window beside the door. She saw Lisa standing there, biting her lip and knocking incessantly. She quickly opened the door.

"Can I come in?" Lisa asked, hugging herself and clearly shivering inside her sweater. Agatha wondered why, it wasn't a particularly cold night.

Agatha nodded and let her in. Lisa sat on the couch and fiddled with her fingers.

Agatha went in and brought a glass of warm water from the kitchen. She handed it over to Lisa, and sat down opposite her.

Lisa drank up the water in one go and put down the glass on the wooden coffee table between them.

"Anything wrong, Lisa?"

"Yes," she said nodding. Her eyes were red and swollen. "I think I killed Ashley."

"You think?" Asked Agatha doubtfully, an eyebrow raised.

She nodded again. "I'll tell the police tomorrow, but I wanted you to know first."

Agatha shook her head and opened her mouth to speak, but Lisa held up her hand and sniffed before speaking again.

"I found a diary of Ashley's. I was sure she didn't kill herself. I don't want to go into the specifics, but I have reason to believe it was me."

A fresh shock of tears took over, rolling down her face.

"No, Lisa, I don't think you did it—"

"No, I did!" She cried, "I've done things I don't remember at all! I think I did this in the same way!"

"What?"

"I just have these lapses in memory! And I'm sure it was me."

"That doesn't prove anything."

"But, I have a strong feeling that I did it."

"Lisa, calm down, you didn't do it."

"How can you be so sure?"

"You're such a nice girl, you really loved Ashley. It couldn't be you."

"No! I've been someone else. I've done things that I wouldn't imagine doing!" Lisa buried her face in her hands and sobbed. Agatha looked at her, a sad look on her face.

"Lisa, you didn't do it!"

"No, I did it! I need to be punished."

"Lisa, it couldn't have been you." Agatha walked over to her and patted her on the head.

Lisa looked up from her hands and shook her head. "It was me. I am ready to face the consequences."

Agatha took a sharp breath. "Lisa, I did it."

Lisa stopped crying and looked up at Agatha in shock. Then an understanding look crossed her face.

"You're lying," she said, eyes downcast, "To convince me. To ease my guilt. It's not necessary— I—"