Foul Is Fair

02 - Dollhouse

Undeniably, Adelaide was quite the pretty face when she was still alive. Her complexion was tanned with a natural dewy glow and her cheeks were tinted pink. Addy was brunette and her hair always fell elegantly down her back, as if she were a model. She had quite striking plump lips, which were always accompanied by a light layer of lipgloss that she carried around with her wherever she went on a daily basis. Those eyes... so beautiful, yet so sinister. They were a mesmerising shade of emerald green with tiny flecks of brown and blue, the type anybody could find themselves getting lost in. They were framed by long, dark lashes, which made her all the more alluring. Decorating her face were an array of freckles spread out across the bridge of her nose and her cheeks, which made her appear to be so innocent and sweet. Oh, how opposite she acted. Addy's favourite colour was red; you would quite often see her rocking the colour as if she owned it. Thanks to her riches, she dressed like royalty and acted as though she was. She was nothing but trouble.

Now, you may be wondering how the Briggs family even acquired such wealth. Well, let me tell you.

Victor Briggs, Addy's father, was a well-respected doctor within our community. A man with many years of experience and knowledge. A kind man. Some speculated that he wasn't a doctor, but a witch, simply because he managed to cure patients, even if they were doomed to die from their illnesses or injuries. He had been named our saviour by many; he had even acquired some sort of fanbase. As crazy as it sounds, people would often visit the Briggs' home and say prayers on their grounds, believing it was blessed by God himself. To say the least, the man was respected, and with that respect, came fortune.

Eleanor Briggs was also a famous face within our community. A journalist. She spent her days in front of a large camera crew and bright, white lights. She was even considered a celebrity due to the admiration she received across the media. Nobody was ever shy to approach her in the streets to hand her something to sign; she seemed so loving and thankful for her fans. The type of thankful which just seems somewhat sketchy. You can't ever place your finger on why, you just get that itching gut feeling. But apparently nobody else seemed to notice except for me. Perhaps I'm just biased having met both of Adelaide's parents.

From an outsider's point of view, the Briggs' looked perfect. The type of family that would be shown on a cereal advertisement - all together, loving and affectionate. Now, I don't have any evidence to prove otherwise. But that is my evidence. Surely deeper and darker secrets lie within their close-knit family. It just makes you question what truly goes on behind the scenes. What I'm getting at is that I don't believe their silly act; I know there must be more to it. Way more that they don't let on... or perhaps we aren't allowed to see.

This came as an advantage to me. The whole mysterious aura surrounding the Briggs'. When questioned about the death of their daughter, I knew for a fact they'd be stubborn and reluctant to work with officers. I mean, why would they? To you and I, the answer is simple - to find and capture the person responsible. However, the rich aren't exactly all that bright when it comes to common sense. Or, I don't find them to be. I knew there'd be a high chance of bickering and being uncooperative; perhaps maybe their alibis would slip up a little due to stress and confusion. Or maybe they'd even begin pointing the finger at one another, which would slowly unravel the depth to their happy little family. It'd certainly make a good headline for the papers.

I wanted to watch that family burn to the ground like a house victim of arson. I had poured the gasoline, now all that needed to happen was a spark. A flame. That flame would be the discovery of Adelaide's body, which was bound to go down in history.

I wasn't aiming for fame, after all, I wanted revenge. I wanted peace. But I always knew what I set out to do would shine some sort of limelight upon me, suspect or murderer. From the start, I knew I'd have to participate in interviews and questionings, which was really the only downside to all of this. But I knew how to play the perfect part. I could certainly play pretend just like the rest of her fake family. I would make the world my stage and have it applauding my talent. There was no way I'd ever get the blame for my perfect sin. The Briggs', however, certainly would. A family catastrophe.