Brother's Best Friend || JJ Maybank

Episode 2. The Lucky Compass | 9

Julianne Bailey Routledge

"Wait." I stopped him. He turned around, "I don't... I don't know if I wanna go in yet."

John B sighed, his shoulders dropping.

JJ grabbed my hand, giving me an encouraging nod, "Hey, you got this. I'll be with you the whole time."

I nodded, sucking in a breath, "Let's go."

John B pushed the door open, all of us piling in the small room. I skimmed my eyes over the room, memories of my father flashing in front of me. I blinked them away, focusing on the reason we were in here.

"Wow." Pope began, "I've slept over here like 600 times, and I've never seen this door opened." Kie hummed in agreeance.

John B took dads board off the wall, tossing it on a table, "Here, look. This is the original owner, right here."

Kie turned her head to get a better look, reading the name, "Okay. Robert Q. Routledge, 1880 to 1920. There's the lucky compass, right there." She pointed out.

I remember this story.

"Actually, um.." I started, debating whether or not to tell them, "he was shot after he bought it."

John B nodded, finishing the rest, "Then the compass was shipped back to Henry. Henry was killed in a crop-dusting accident when he had the compass. After he died, the compass was given to Stephen. Stephen had the compass with him when he died in Vietnam."

"Let me guess, he died in action, right?" JJ said smugly.

I shrugged, "Sort of."

"Actually, he was killed by a banana truck.. In country." John B said, "Anyways, after that, Stephen passed the compass down to him, our dad."

JJ nodded, "Hm. Sounds like there's a reoccurring theme here."

Pope agreed, "Yeah, um, you have a death compass."

I scoffed, "No we do not."

Pope cut me off, "You have a death compass."

JJ shook his head, "Get rid of it. It's cursed, and it made it's way back to you guys."

John B ignored them, sitting down, "Look, our dad used to talk about this compartment in here. Soldiers used to hide secret notes." He unscrewed the back of the compass, shaking it until something fell out.

Kie peered over his shoulder, "What's that?"

I looked over at it, seeing writing, "That wasn't there before."

John B looked up at me, "That's our dad's handwriting."

Pope shook his head at him, "How can you know that?"

I got a closer look, my mouth falling open, "Because he does these weird 'R's'." I pointed to the R with the triangle, "See it?"

"Can I see it?" JJ asked, John B handing it to JJ. He took it with the hand that wasn't holding mine, trying to read it, "Red- Rout- No, I think that's an A."

I read it, immediately recognizing it, "It says Redfield."

JJ nodded, "Right."

Kie scoffed, "Okay, well, what's Redfield?"

"Besides the most common name in the county." Pope added. John B and I both recognized the name, neither of us remembering exactly it.

My brother sighed, "Maybe it's a clue. Maybe it's a clue to where he's hiding."