Nitid jumped to her feet as the door banged open and male voices filtered in through the open door. She desperately tried to smooth the wrinkles in her pale pink dress, plastering on the best fake smile that she could muster. "David. Hi. How was work today?"
David ignored her question, too busy inspecting the glass coffee table. "Did you clean today?"
Nitid bit her lip, trying not to fidget. Whenever he got that tone, she knew it meant that she had done something wrong. In his eyes at least. "I did... Is something wrong?"
"There are streaks on the glass. Clean it again and then bring us our drinks."
She cringed, going to get the glass cleaner and rag before starting to clean to coffee table again. Nitid set the shot glasses on a tray, tucking the whiskey bottles under her arm and walking quickly to the den. She had made up her mind earlier to tell David that she was leaving him, but even by the time she arrived at the den, she didn't have any clue how best to go about it.
She set the drinks down on the table and straightened, turning to leave the room. David's voice, cold, cruel, and hateful, froze her in place before she could leave.
"Do you expect us to pour the drinks for ourselves?"
"I do. I'm not your slave goddamnit. I'm finally getting out of here so I can have my own life that I control." Nitid caught herself from flinching as she heard him rise to his feet behind her.
"Worthless little whore. You'll do what you're told or you'll pay the consequences. Now pour the goddamn drinks," David growled in her ear.
Nitid whirled on him, nails digging into her palms until blood began to drip from the wounds. "Fuck you and your buddies. I don't have to listen anymore." She unclenched her fists to shove him back. The men's eyes widened as slender shards of what had been blood protruded from David's back.
Nitid pulled her hands back quickly, as if she'd touching a stove top turned to high, just as surprised as the men were. She snapped out of it at the sound of David's body thudded to the floor in front of her. She raised her eyes to glare at the men, more blood rising in little shards to point at them, like delicate red glass fragments.
Then the front door opened. She panicked.
Shards of blood flew forward, embedding in their targets, blood spraying everywhere, dyeing the walls, carpets, everything red.
"Oh god," she breathed, turning back to face the entrance to the den, watching as the police advanced.
"Ma'am, we got a call that something happened here -"
"I know, officer. My name is Nitid Hvitha. My family was in Tokyo while they were experimenting with Branch of Sin. As you can see, the experiment worked," she said calmly.
"I killed them."
The man frowned and stepped forward, placing her in handcuffs. "Nitid Hvitha, you're under arrest for first-degree murder. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the e right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, the state will provide one for you."
Nitid bit her lip, allowing him to lead her out to the patrol car.
The days before her trial passed in a blur to Nitid. When she took the stand, it seemed as if time slowed to a mere crawl.
"Miss Hvitha, please tell us what happened the night you were arrested."
Nitid bit her lip. "I had stayed home from work that day. To clean the house and cook for David and his friends. It was the day where he'd bring them home with him to play poker," she explained. "He got upset when he saw streaks on the coffee table, so I cleaned it again before I took the drinks to the den.
"I decided earlier that day that I was going to leaving him. I was just going to put down the drinks, pack my things, and go stay with a friend until I could get me own place. He came after me when I went to leave, so I turned around to push him back. I had no intention of killing him." She paused to take a breath, shaking her head. "I know I killed them, but you have to believe that I never planned it. I just wanted to leave without trouble. Please, you have to believe me."
The courtroom was silent for a moment until the judge spoke. "Miss Hvitha, if you did not plan to kill them, then please explain this video."
The video was of a girl speaking with Nitid's attorney, but she hadn't met with him before David's death.
"That wasn't me!" Nitid cried indignantly. "That video is a fraud!"
"Miss Hvitha, please -"
"No! I won't calm down until you admit that's fake!"
"Nitid Hvitha, I find you guilty of first-degree murder and hereby sentence you to death. You will be transferred to Deadman Wonderland in Tokyo tomorrow."