Liar

Aaron and Zane were as different as identical twins could be. Aaron was neat, smart, polite and a perfect child in every way. Zane was always covered in mud, hated school and, at the tender age of ten was voted most likely to commit a felony by his fifth grade classmates.

Yes, in the tougher neighborhoods they do vote on things like that.

Time passed and the differences grew greater. Aaron graduated from high school and was nearly offered a scholarship to a fine Ivy League university. Unfortunately, only the finest families were allowed to send their children to such a school. Zane’s “accidental” burning down of the high school gym had not gone unnoticed by the awards board.

Aaron didn’t get the scholarship. Being a kind-hearted person, he accepted this and bore no outward malice towards Zane.

The next year, the local bank was robbed. Video cameras clearly showed one of the twins waving a gun around wildly before running out with bags of money. No one considered Aaron for he was good and pure and would never dress so poorly in public. The police picked Zane up right away.

The trial was swift. Zane was going to jail, of that there could be no doubt.

At the last minute, the defense called a surprise witness, Zane’s mom.

“Zane’s mom,” began the defense attorney, “do you believe that Zane committed this crime?”

“No,” she replied softly, her eyes red from days of crying.

“Why do say that?” he asked.

“My boys are opposites much more so than identical twins. A big difference is that one, only one of them, never lies. I know Zane is innocent because he told me so.”

Her eyes turned to burn a hole through Aaron sitting, suddenly uncomfortably in the second row.

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