How to Get Away with Lying

Chapter 18

Adley

Murderers in the End

"Why do we have to be here?" I moaned as I stared in confusion at Ivy. "Don't you already have your boyfriend to pull around to stupid events?"

"Yeah, now that you're back together, I don't see why you would need us to entertain you," Anna grumbled from beside me.

It was odd standing next to Anna since it had been weeks since we had a proper conversation together. She was still mad at me about how I had reacted when she told me that she had feelings for Jessi, and I wasn't willing to apologize. However, now we were in the town roundabout, freezing our asses off as the town set up Ember Falls' most famous event.

Founder's Day.

We were gathered around a stack of unopened folding tables and chairs, which Ivy was trying to set up as she had been instructed to do. Other volunteers were scattered around, setting up carnival game stations and bake sale tables. I didn't see how the Founder's Day committee could need any more help.

Yet here Anna and I were, forced to help Ivy.

"I'm part of a Founding Family," Ivy reminded us. "Since my mom couldn't be here, she wanted me to step in and represent. I hate it, but I know it will make her happy.

"As for you two, you're here because I need to talk to you, and this will probably be the only moment for a while that we can chat privately." Ivy then motioned with a hand for Anna and me to start helping.

"I swear, you've got to learn the definition of 'private.' Anyone here could hear if they tried," Anna exclaimed as she picked up a folding table and moved it to its designated place.

"No one is close enough to hear us whisper," Ivy stated, though her tone clearly indicated that she hadn't thought this through.

"So, what's there to say now?" I questioned, pulling out the legs of the folding table. "Are we finally going to discover what this stupid plan is? Why have we been taking so long to put it into motion anyway?"

"Because we're waiting on a celestial event," Ivy informed as she moved another table. "And it won't be happening for a while. I already told you that you don't need to know anything." She sighed, looking down tiredly at the five other tables that we had to set up. "We need to talk about today."

"Today?" Anna questioned, stepping away from the folding tables. "You mean Founder's Day? What else is there to know? We grew up learning every year in primary school how back in 1824–"

"1872," Ivy corrected, rolling her eyes.

"Some colonist named Winston–"

"William," I cried, amazed by how even I remembered more than my friend.

"Founded this town along with a dozen other people, naming this place – as well as that popular bridge – after his beloved wife, Ember," Anna finished confidently as if she hadn't screwed up the story. "The end."

"You see," Ivy started, leaving the folding tables and against a nearby tree pensively, "that's where you're wrong."

"Wrong? How could our teachers all be wrong? How could you know more when you weren't even alive back then?" Anna exclaimed.

"They're wrong because they don't know the real story," Ivy stated, clearing her throat. "In school, you learn the simple, non-supernatural story. There's much more to this town than you know, though, and you must be aware of this.