“Sorry dad, she said his name and that was all it took. Everything came back to me.” Curt turned away from his father. He knew how much it meant to his dad that Jen had been the last girl.
“You got your revenge let us go.” Brandi told them. Tears streaming down her face. No matter what Jen had done she would always remember her as her best friend. Willing to do anything for her.
“How do you know that your son didn't get out of line with one of the girls? You weren't here to find out why.” Mike told him.
“No, you're right I wasn't. I was hoping that someone would come forward and say why he was killed. Maybe this wouldn't be going on right now if I knew the story.” Jeremy pointed out to him.
“If I could tell you why I would. You will go through the rest of your life not knowing. Killing those girls and not giving them a chance to tell you what happened.” Mike glared at him.
“Tommy didn't bother anyone. He wasn't the type of boy to go around causing trouble.” Curt glared just as hard back at Mike.
“Enough talk. I'm going to go start the fire.” Jeremy muttered, walking away from Curt and heading for the door.
“What do you mean start the fire?” Mike asked him turning around to look at him.
“Someone has to pay for what Jen did. Since I wasn't able to kill her the same way she helped kill my son then you two will pay for it!” Jeremy screamed at him.
Mike made his move there was no way he was going to die by burning to death. Whether he made it out alive he would never wish that upon anyone.
While Mike had been talking to them and keeping them distracted he watched as Brandi took the knife out of her bag that was under the table. She had handed it to him, holding it down low so that no one saw it he lunged at Jeremy and drove the knife into Jeremy's upper body. As he drove the knife into him he twisted the knife.
Brandi saw blood and started screaming. Curt froze for just a moment watching his father hit the floor knowing he was dead, Mike was already at the door with it open.
“Get the hell out of here Brandi! Don't look back!” Mike screamed at her as she ran outside the door.
As Mike tried getting out of the door Curt was already behind him. Curt took the knife he had in his hand and grabbed Mike. Mike felt the knife go across his throat. Felt Curt slide the blade across his throat as hard and as fast as he could.
Holding his throat as he fell to the floor he looked out the door and saw Brandi stand still and the old man that Brandi must have been talking about beside her with a gun in his hand. Before Mike took his last breath his last thought was he had hoped that Brandi would get out alive.
“Mike!” Brandi screamed into the night.
Curt came out the door and had a smile on his face when he saw his grandfather with a gun in his hand and saw Brandi beside him.
“Grandpa they killed my dad. She's the last one of the group.” Curt told him, nodding and his the smile on his face growing wider.
“Curt you stay right where you are.” The old man told him.
“What?” Curt asked him, a confused look on his face.
“Your father should have gotten the help that he needed when Tommy died. You know that as well as I do. Its hard losing a child, harder when they lose a child to murder. I can't let this continue. Its not going to happen anymore.” The old man stated.
Brandi was just as confused as Curt was. She had thought the old man was there to help kill her. She watched as Curt charged at the old man and he pulled the trigger three times before Curt got to him. Curt's body dropped a few feet away from them.
“Take that white car and get out of here. I know its in working condition. Jeremy always had his cars in perfect shape. Go home.” The old man told her, not looking at her.
“Why did you save me?” She asked him. She wanted at least an answer to her question.
“Why not? I was done with innocent kids coming out here, not heeding my warning and seeing more fliers of missing people hanging around when one of you kids go missing. Knowing my son was behind it all. He got what he wanted he got justice his way. I believe one of the last girls died here tonight right?” The old man looked at her.
“Yes, my friend Jen.” Brandi told him softly.
“I'm sorry to hear that.” The old man told her softly.
“Did Tommy do anything to those girls to have them kill him?” Brandi thought that if anyone would know about what had happened then he would.
“I've heard talk but you don't know if you can believe it or not. I heard that Tommy had one of the girls locked in the cabin, trying to have his way with her until the other girls broke the door down and pulled him off of her. I don't know if its true or not.” The old man explained sadly.
“Thank you. Thank you for saving my life.” Brandi told him as she walked to the white car and saw the keys were in the car.
“Don't come back here. I don't care if its for respect of the dead. This place will always be tainted with evil. Do you hear me?” The old man called out to her as she started the car.
“Yes.” She answered him as she turned the car around and headed up the dirt road. Knowing if it hadn't been for him showing up she would be dead as well.
Driving up the road with tears in her eyes she waited until she was almost home and pulled over on the side of the road. Shutting the car off she cried for her friends. Cried for the way she saw Mike die and hoped that he could see that she made it out alive. That she was the one who survived out of the mess.
Brandi didn't know how she was going to live without her friends. Mike had just planned on taking the first step further into their relationship. She had high hopes of living out the rest of her life with Mike.
That evening Brandi had thought about the reasons why Jen would want to kill anyone. Unless she had been the one that Tommy had tried taking advantage of. She cried trying to think of ways she could have saved all of them knowing that there was no way she could save any of them. She cried for a boy she didn't even know. Not knowing if the story was true that the old man had told her. She knew that no matter what after that night there would be no more innocent people killed. Knowing she couldn't turn back time she started the car and pulled away from the curb.
Seeing her house in sight Brandi was glad to be pulling in the driveway. She wasn't sure if she would tell her parents what had happened or if she would come up with a lie. Pushing it out of her mind for a while she knew that the old man wasn't going to call the cops. It had been his family and it was all over and done with. Not sure if she would go to the police herself when she saw her friends posters up all over town she knew that she should do right and tell the police where she had seen them last and the whole story but she figured they would just sweep it under the rug like they had done in the past. Not wanting to open a can of worms and explain to the public how they knew that there wouldn't be anymore missing people for a while and how they caught the person responsible when they hadn't. The people responsible were dead and she figured the wild animals would take care of the bodies. Including Mike's, Jen's and Maverick's.
Getting out of the car she didn't know what she was going to do with it. She didn't want it. Hoping her father could help her get rid of the car where he was a tow truck driver she could come up with something in the morning telling him she didn't know whose car it was.
Going into the house she went upstairs quietly to her room so that she wouldn't wake her parents up. As she turned on her bedroom light she looked around the room. Her computer desk was by the window straight ahead, her bed in the middle of the floor where she kept it and her television was still on sitting on her dresser across the room from her bed.
Walking over to her bed and glad the night was over with and that she was able to feel comfort in her room she noticed a white envelope on her bed with her name on it.
Seeing that it was Jen's handwriting she gave the envelope a funny look before opening it up. Holding it in her hand she knew Jen had to put the envelope on her bed before they h
eaded out for a weekend of fun.
Opening the envelope there was a piece of notebook paper in it. She smiled remembering how they use to pass notes at school and thought back to the good times as she slowly took the piece of notebook paper out and opened it up.
Dear Brandi,
You know that I love you and we've been best friends since the first grade. Something I have done from the past might make you second guess the person I am. I hope that what I am about to tell you won't end our friendship. That part is up to you. A couple of girls and I when we first started high school asked this kid Tommy to hang out with us. We were just going to have a few drinks and have fun with him. You know leave him stranded well the place we are going is the same place the girls and I took Tommy. By the time you read this it will be were we went over the weekend. I swear it was only suppose to be all in fun. We all got to drinking too much and so didn't Tommy. Thinking that he was going to have fun with one of girls Alicia that was there he went into the cabin right behind Alicia and locked the door. He tried pushing himself on her. All we could hear outside at the fire was Alicia screaming her head off. I tried opening the door but it was locked and it wouldn't budge. Breaking through the window in the back I got into the cabin and pulled Tommy off of her. It was Alicia's idea to set him on fire. All I did was watch. Well.........more then that I didn't tell anyone. Alicia was a police officer's daughter so we knew that we wouldn't get into trouble. I didn't think she would light the match and set him on fire. I really didn't think she would, you have to believe me on that. All these years I've been keeping this inside and its hard even know to admit that I had done something wrong. When it comes to something this important. I could have helped by opening my mouth but was told that if any of us girls said anything they would lock us up for life. Me included because it would be guilt by assocation. I will understand if you don't want to talk to me after you read this. I wouldn't want to talk to me either if I were reading this. I swore I would take it to my grave the same night the girls swore around the fire. I can still hear Tommy's voice screaming for help as he was burning alive. I still have nightmares about it. I guess that's the punishment that god has given me for not doing anything about it, for not trying to stop it.
Once Tommy stopped burning the girls and I left and as far as I know none of the girls had said anything to their parents. It was the last time we hung out in a group like that. Never once inviting each other over to anothers house. We would talk from time to time but it was never like it use to be before what happened. I think we all had our own guilt to deal with. Knowing that boy was killed and we didn't say a peep to anyone. I hope that one day you can forgive me. Anything you want to know you can feel free to ask me, I will tell you anything you want to know. I think the reason why I picked Myers Camp is to drown my own sins and I hope that I can talk to you about it while we are up there if I can find the courage to bring it up. If not you will read it here when you open the envelope. The cowards way out I guess you could call it. I wish that I could have come to you sooner about this and I even thought about backing out of this trip knowing that you would stay home with me if I lied and said that I wasn't feeling good. There's no party unless the both of us are involved. I had to face my demons by going there, look into the fire and beg god for forgiveness for that boy's family for taking away their boy. I don't even know who the kids parents were but I am sure they wondered where he was all these years. This letter is the longest letter I've ever written to you even back in school they weren't this long. Now you know the biggest sin I have committed and I pray that you can find a way to forgive me and continue to be my friend. If you don't want to I can understand that too but at least come and talk to me.
Love always
Jen
Best Friends For Life.
By the time Brandi got done reading the letter she was reading it through tears. Folding the notebook paper and seeing that Jen had fought with demons since the incident happened she looked up at the ceiling. Jen never thought that her life was flashing before her own eyes when they made plans to have a fun weekend before going back to college. She was sure that if Jen could see the future she never would have suggested Myers Camp.
“I forgive you. I would have forgiven you even if you hadn't lost your life tonight. I love you Jen and I always will. I really hope that you have asked god for forgiveness and made peace with him before you died tonight. I know I'm going to miss you and I know I will never forget you Jen. We have been friends since we were little there's no way I would ever forget you. Give Mike and Maverick a hug for me and keep them close to you up there in heaven. I love all three of you more then words can say.” Brandi said as if they were looking down on her and keeping watch over her.
As she was putting the letter back into the envelope her wind chimes began blowing in her room hanging on the wall. Looking to make sure all the windows were closed in her bedroom there were only two and they were closed up tight. She didn't have air conditioning in her room. She watched as the wind chimes moved in a circle and then lifted like a big gust of wind had enter the room and blew on them.
“Is that a sign that you guys are hearing me?” She asked as the wind chimes stopped moving on a dime. As if someone went over to them and held them tight to make them stop.
“Okay, what do I tell my parents when they come in here and ask what all this noise is?” Brandi laughed as she got off the bed and pulled the covers back on her bed so she could climb into bed and think of all the good memories she shared with the loved ones she had just lost less then twenty four hours ago.
Jen was right about one thing. If she cancelled going out for the weekend and having a good time Brandi would have stayed home with her. She would figure out that Jen being sick was a lie and she would be mad about it for a while but at least everyone would still be alive. They would go on with their normal lives and meet up on vacations. Now all Brandi had to look forward to during vacations and holidays was coming home and seeing her folks. Knowing they would ask questions where Jen was. Knowing that she would have to explain what happened at Myers Camp. She wouldn't be able to lie to her parents or Jen's mom when she called come Sunday to see if Jen was over there. Being Jen's best friend she wouldn't be able to lie and say she didn't know what happened. She had been with them, her own parents knew they were going out for the weekend as a group. Glad that they were going to be together her mother always thought there were safety in numbers. Her mother would think twice about it when she broke down and told her parents what happened.
Brandi thought about the nights events. Knowing she would have nightmares herself for the next few months. She knew she only had hours to keep the story to herself. When the found out that she was home they would ask what happened. They knew the only reason she came home early was when something was the matter. And the second she tried to lie her mother would see right through her. She had always been able to tell when Brandi was lying.
“I won't keep it a secret guys. I won't. I promise to let everyone know what happened tonight even if it brings up the past. The story has to be told and I'm going to be the one to break the cycle and come out with our story. Jen your mom will forgive you, I know she will when she reads the note you wrote to me.” Brandi talked as she looked up at the ceiling.
There was a soft knock on Brandi's bedroom door, thinking she was talking too loud she covered her mouth.
“Brandi are you home already?” Her mother asked, peeking into the bedroom.
Brandi's mother stood in the doorway wearing a pink robe and she had her hair up in a white towel. Looking like she had just gotten out of the shower.
“Yes, did I wake you up?” Brandi asked her in a whispered voice.
“No the phone call while I was in the shower woke me up. It was Jen's mother calling me in tears saying she woke up from a horrible dream. She had a nightmare that you all were dead. At least I can call her back and tell her that it was all just a dream.” Her mother gave her a small smile before heading do
wn the hallway.
“Mom, wait. There's something I need to tell you.” Brandi looked up at the ceiling and shook her head. It was just like Jen to get things out in the open and then speed up the rest of the problem.
“What?” Her mother came back to the doorway and turned on Brandi's bedroom light. Seeing that Brandi had been crying.
“Come sit down on the bed. There's something really important that I need to tell you.” Brandi broke down in tears as her mother went and sat on the edge of the bed.
“I'm not sure this is good news. What are you doing home anyways?” Brandi's mother gave her a sad look and put her arms around her.
It had been a long time since she had seen Brandi cry the way she was. It had been her first break if her mother remembered correctly. Once she heard the story she would be holding Brandi and hearing her cry more often.
As Brandi began telling her mother about the nights events she had made a decision that she was going to stay home and go back to college. What she needed was family around her, she would drive herself crazy if she went back to college and she had to think about what happened. Brandi knew that she didn't have any close friends. Not like the three she just lost, none of the friends she had would understand the pain she was going through and the pain that she would carry in her heart.
By the time Brandi got done telling her mother what had happened to Jen, Maverick and Mike the sun was coming up. It had taken the rest of the night to explain what had taken place and how her friends had died.
“Well I think that it would be right to call Jen's mother and let her know what happened.” Brandi's mother was crying with her since Jen was like a second daughter to her and she always thought that Brandi and Mike would get married one day.
Murder Thriller: Heart Of A Serial Killer (Murder, Serial Killer Thrillers, Psychological Thrillers, Gothic, Thriller & Suspense Crime, Mystery, Hard-Boiled Book 1) Page 4
