#kingdon?

bonus natural hair colour!

“What?”

When he finally could focus, he saw Mel standing in front of him. Her eyes were wide, her hands out in front of her and covered in blood, and her dress was stained red.

“Mel, what happened to you?” He questions, ushering her inside his cheap one-bed apartment and quickly turning on the lights. “Why are you covered in blood?”

She pulled a face, sitting down at the kitchen island and seemed solemn. She wasn’t freaking out, almost as if being covered in blood was natural to her, which he supposed it was, considering their jobs.

“I killed someone,”

That made him stop.

“You killed someone? Mel, I'm gonna need more context.” He’s grabbing a dish towel from under the sink, thinking it might work best, and it was something he could throw away.

“He was being annoying, coming onto me, and when he went outside, I got my revenge,” Her eyes lifted to his, a small smile pulling at the corners of her lips. “I might’ve gone too far, but the idiot deserved what was coming to him; he should’ve listened when girls said no to him.”

“Mel I-“ He was lost for words. What was he supposed to say? “Was anyone with you? Did anybody witness this…this crime?”

She laughed out loud, her head shaking as she picked the blood from her nails. “Of course not, I planned everything the second I saw him outside.” She spoke casually, as if she were telling him what she did at home with her sister one night.

“Mel, this is crazy, you can’t just go around killing people.”

There was suddenly a wicked gleam in her eyes and a slight smirk on her face, “Is that doubt I'm hearing?” She stands up, “I’m capable of killing somebody, Frank, I'm not some weak girl you can just put in a box.”

He puts up his hands and nods, still holding the dish towel, but he’s almost too scared to move. “Let me clean you up, you’re covered in blood and probably cold.”

She sighs, tilting her head. “You’re so nice, I wish I didn't have plans for you. My partner and I overstayed our welcome here. You were just somebody we worked with, but we got too close.”

Frank tilts his head, eyes narrowing a little. “Mel, I don’t understand.”

“This guy was too cocky in the bar, he’d been eyeing up Samira all night,” She tuts, walking away from him and taking out one of the knives that was in a wooden block on the counter. “We decided we’d had enough when he began flirting with me, such an eyesore.” Her finger traces against the edge of the blade, barely flinching when it cuts her finger, and she sucks at the blood. “I followed him out, with no real plan in mind until I saw the opportunity. I took an empty glass and smashed it against his head. He went down, all dazed and helpless, and I used a shard to cut his throat.”

“You said nobody knew what you had done,” He starts. “Samira was there.”

“She was, she knew, but went along with it. We’re partners, you see, started at The Pitt at the same time and pretended not to know each other.” She smiles, “It was smart really, she’s the brains and I do the dirty work.”

“I would’ve guessed it was the other way around.”

“Samira has her moments, too. Don’t underestimate her.”

He’s lost for words, just staring at her as she plays with one of his knives. She’s acting coy.

“Love is a strange thing, though, I mean, you had it all and then you lost it. I fell for you, but you didn’t have an ounce of interest in me. You broke my heart that day when you took that nurse on a date instead of me.”

“I had no idea. Claudia was interested, so I figured I would give it a shot.”

“Well, it was the wrong thing to do,” Her voice was raised now, and her fist came down into the granite of the kitchen island worktop. “I watched the date, it should’ve been me! Going on that date would’ve cured my loneliness. Do you have any idea how lonely I’ve been my entire life?”

He’s still when she walks towards him, barely touching the knife against his neck.

“I’ve been mocked, ignored, and bullied. I figured this place was going to be different, that I’d make friends or even find the love of my life. I didn’t have my parents' love anymore, Becca barely came home, and you were just there!” She laughs, running a hand over her hair. “You saw me for who I was and-and you listened! You loved me!”

“Mel, we’re friends, I would never have ignored you even if we didn’t talk much.”

Mel goes on, though, as if he had never spoken.

“When I found out you were married, I had to see for myself. You had your perfect little family, perfect little children and even a dog. You betrayed me, and you’re just like the rest of them.” She pushes him down, the knife pressed a little harder against his neck, and she moves to straddle his hips.

His heart begins to pound harder and his breaths come more quickly. “Mel, please.”

“That’s what every man says, asking me to spare them, but you’re the last piece of this puzzle before I go.” She lifts the knife, looking down at him, and raises her arms, both hands grasping the handle. “You messed with the wrong girl, Langdon, and I won’t take no for an answer.”

The blood on her clothes was dripping onto the tiles, and the dishcloth was forgotten behind them. Now that he could get a good look at her without being confused, she looked almost saddened. Her mascara was running, her eyes bloodshot, and her hands were shaking.

“Mel, you don’t have to do this. We can sit down and talk about this. I can help you.” His hands lift, trying to reach for her

“No!” She screamed, her hands moving as her knife made cuts on the palms of his hand, and he recoiled back. “Don’t try to talk me out of this, don’t be like the other men. I can’t be changed, this is who I am, and I’ve been betrayed by you, by everyone.”

Her arms go back up, and her teeth are gritted. She doesn’t look like the sweet Mel he met months ago; her once neat braid is messy and barely looks like a braid anymore. Her glasses are barely on her nose, and blood stains the lenses.