A Chance Encounter: The Strange, Bloodstained Lady

My first instinct was to draw my knife, but I didn't want to instigate something at Daniel's wedding. Before my second instinct could kick in (to get up and walk away), I wondered why no one seemed to care why this lady covered in blood was just at this wedding. Was she a family friend, am I just not in the know? In that moment of doubt, she spoke.

"You ever got in trouble with the law, kid?" She didn't bother moving her head from its relaxed position. 

"Umm no." I replied. 

"Dang, I was looking for some advice." 

"A-d-d-vice?" I said, against my better judgment.

"Yeah, these guys keep on coming after me. Some say that they're the town guard, or the military, or the royal guard, but they all keep on saying 'Stop right there!' and stuff." So I'm just here to avoid them. What're you here for?"

"Friend's wedding." 

"You seem awfully glum for your friend's wedding."

"Well, you seem pretty nonchalant for someone who just-" Wow. Her comment cut deeper than I thought. But what did she even do anyway?

"Killed someone," Natalie said, finishing my sentence. I'm sitting next to a murderer. Okay. A-Okay. Peaches and gravy.

"Did you do it for self-defense, or..."

"The voices in my head told me to do it." 

"Like uhh..."

"I woke up a week ago. no memories, just an unstoppable urge to kill this guy. That's all the voices were screaming about."

"That's uhh... quite the tale."

"It's true." She brought her head up and opened her eyes. They were bright red. Deep bags hung below them. 

"I killed him. I grabbed him, brought him close, and stuck my blade through his body. For good measure, I let the flames loose from my blade. I can still smell his ash on me. As soon as he stopped screaming the voices stopped. The silence is still deafening." Her eyes were quivering, ever so slightly. She was scared.