Invitation to a Better Life (Truth Be Feared More Than Lies Part Eight) (standard:drama, 3998 words) [8/8] show all parts
Author: Siobhan	Added: Oct 01 2002	Views/Reads: 2598/1987	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Her mother is still dying, the tumor starting to ravish her completely and Jessica cuts off the popular people only to have the school turn on her. She also is introduced to the interesting theory that Brandon may not altogether be human.

The next morning she awoke, sure that the events of the night before had
all been a bad dream. There was no way what she had seen could possibly 
be a reality, it was just too darn disturbing and unreal.  Then she 
walked downstairs and the television was on and Jessica saw the fiery 
skeleton of what had once been a car.  The blond reporter, feigning a 
look of deep sadness spoke in her “sad for the kids but what an  
exciting break” voice, “What started out as a night of fun and partying 
ended in tragedy when a group of young teenagers decided to drink.  The 
party was located at Brandon Rueger's home, here in Gilbert, Arizona 
and it was to be a clean party.  Brandon offered nothing but the purest 
of choices for his friends but not all was true for the attendees.  
Joey Fowler and Rheana Smith brought alcohol and began to douse it 
bottle after bottle and by only nine ‘o'clock were too drunk to stand 
up much less drive home.  But the group of about seven teenagers made a 
fatal decision to allow Joey to drive them home, and they paid their 
dues for the results were disastrous.    Brandon offers his 
condolences, Brandon...”  The reporter handed the handsome boy, who did 
look distressed but Jessica knew it was an act,  the microphone. 

“I wish that I had foreseen what would happen and I would have stopped
it.  They were a great group of kids with futures and it just seems 
unbelievable that now it is all over for them.  It seems like such a 
cruel price for one person's mistake and I am truly sorry for all who 
now must suffer over the loss of these awesome friends.  I hope the 
best for everyone and may no future incidents such as this happen 
again,” he angrily swiped at a tear that dribbled down his cheek and 
quickly handed the mike back to the reporter.  He walked off quickly 
and the camera followed him, showing him wiping swiftly at his face and 
trying to refrain from allowing his shoulders to shake too much.  
Jessica scoffed at the image because she knew it was all an act.  God, 
he was one heck of a liar, she bet everyone felt more sorry for him 
than those that had died in the hideous accident. 

“What a nice boy,” Jessica's mother spoke up softly from the table and
Jessica gave a start.  She turned and looked at her mother and was 
given yet another shock.  Her mother's face was pale and terribly 
drawn.  There were large bags under her eyes and her eyes themselves 
lacked any happiness but had rather a dull, pasty shine.  The sight 
made her stomach twist into knots and her heart beat queerly in her 
chest. 

“Mom, I didn't know you were there,” she croaked out after she recovered
from her initial astonishment.  Her mother was slipping away and she 
had the strange feeling that she were looking at a skeleton.  It was an 
unpleasant thought, like looking at the grim reaper, only he had come 
for her mother and was transforming her before Jessica's eyes. 

“Of course, I had to watch the news.  Were those kids, friends of
yours?” she asked, her hand reaching up to massage her forehead.  Every 
movement of her mother seemed to strained and painful and it hurt 
Jessica to watch her mother spiral down as she had.  She wished there 
was a way to save her but if there was, she didn't know how. 

“Yeah, and that, that “nice” boy killed them.  I know he did,” Jessica
swallowed her anger down as if it were a lump of coal and tears 
threatened to fall yet again.  He had murdered eight people and was 
getting away with it, he deserved to be killed himself for had 
happened.  He never had clean parties, he had probably conned them into 
drinking and poisoned it or something worse!  Something that she knew 
but refused to believe because it was too terrifying to think about. 

“Jessica, what a terrible thing to say!  It couldn't be true because
they have eye witnesses who said that they saw them drinking insanely 
and staggering out,” her mother vouched for Brandon causing Jessica to 
feel more anger.  Brandon had managed to con her mother into being on 
his side even though he was a murderer.  He had somehow manipulated her 
mother, her mother!!!  She was indignant and ready to rip him apart 
with her bare hands.  He had somehow managed the impossible and then 
had crossed the line by gaining the support of her mother.  She would 
bring him down somehow. 

“How could there be other witnesses?  I arrived there right after they
left and there was no one and no debris from a party.  They're lying, 
and I don't know how to prove it but I will,” she stubbornly insisted.  
She would too, she was not going to let them get away with what they 


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