August 3rd 12:19 a.m.
"Wait so why do you think you know what really happened?" Jessica asked, rolling her eyes and stealing a chip out of Mike's hand. Tyler shrugged.
"My cousin went all Mystery Inc. on her. Interviewed teachers, analyzed yearbooks, he even spent his own survive the night investigating this very house." Liam Crowely certainly had developed an obsession over the life and death of Isabella Swan. He had tracked down her schedule from Forks High and interviewed all of her teachers. Though for his efforts, he did not come up with much. Isabella Swan was simply not an exciting person. She never participated in any clubs in school, hovered in the B average crowd, and was not stunningly attractive. The few friendships she was able to make were hollow and fizzled out quickly. The only true friendship she had was with the art instructor Ms. Barrywick. Isabella never took an art class in her life, but had a natural talent. She frequently submitted her work into art shows under a pseudonym. Only Linda Barrywick knew the truth behind the stunning paintings and sketches that always won first.
She was devastated by the loss of Isabella and moved across the country almost immediately following her memorial service.
"Now do we want to hear the story or what?" Tyler asked, glaring at his friends for their interruption and doubt. They all shrugged, pretending nonchalance though each was excited to hear the story. Their parents had told them the small pieces they knew, but something about sitting at the scene made the story all the more plausible.
"Okay, so little Isabella Swan was a wallflower. The daughter of the chief of police and his wife, the product of a passionate love and the catalyst for a shot gun wedding. Her parents fought all the time, she often went to sleep to the soothing sounds of plates hitting the wall and doors slamming. At school, she never spoke and was a completely social outcast. Until one day… she caught the attention of a man." Tyler waggled his eyebrows at the implication. Angela rolled her eyes and snuggled closer to Ben.
"And so the sordid affair began. Isabella found herself in the arms of an older man, someone who made her feel special. But there was a twist...He was also involved in an affair with another woman. A married woman." He paused for effect. "Renee Swan."
"Oh that is a bunch of shit," Mike called, throwing a hand full of chips at Tyler. "You've been watching too much porn, Ty. What, did mommy and daughter get it on with the same guy?" He rolled his eyes. Angela nursed her beer again, feeling uneasy at the turn of the conversation. The hair on her arms raised and her stomach churned.
"What does that even have to do with the story?" Ben asked, rubbing his girlfriend's arm. "I heard that it was an animal attack." A heavy silence fell over the group as the crux of the matter was finally touched. The mystery surrounding the tragedy was intriguing, but it was the act itself that was the most mysterious of all.
"I heard that when she found out about her mom, she wanted to call the whole thing off." Tyler continued. "And, in trying to convince her, he got violent and beat her to a pulp."
"But that doesn't explain the blood. My dad always said that there was blood everywhere! The walls, the floor, even the ceiling." Ben added, his eyes going wide as he remembered the many Halloweens his father told the story of Isabella Swan. From the age of seven, Ben was plagued with countless nightmares of blood dripping from the ceiling and seeping through the walls of the magnificent house in the forest. And yet, no matter how much sleep he lost over it, he still listened every year and waited for his turn at survive the night.
"Yeah, an animal attack explains that better. My uncle said that a bear got in the house and mauled her before dragging her into the trees." Angela piped in, quietly. It was that story that made Angela avidly against hiking or camping. It took her friends weeks to convince her to even come out tonight.
"But that doesn't explain why no one found a body." Mike groaned, frustrated by the never ending questions. Jessica giggled and wiggled out of his lap. She reached into the center of the circle and pulled the backpack toward her.
"Well, we all know who can answer our questions…" She trailed off as she roughly pulled a box from the inside of the bag.
"Jess! Why did you bring that?" Angela shrieked, jerking away from Ben and away from the box. Jessica ignored her and pulled the board out of the box.
"Why don't we ask Isabella Swan ourselves?"