family. | outer banks x oc

death compass.

John B twists the key inside the lock and pushes the door open. He quickly walks inside and shuffles around the room.

"I've slept over here like 600 times, and I've never seen this door open." Pope states.

I nod my head in agreement as we begin to walk in the office, following John B.

John B pulls a board with photos off the wall and places it on a table infront of us. We all circle around and listen to what the brunette boy has to say.

"Here, look. This is the original owner, right here." John B informs us, pointing to a photo of some old guy.

"Robert Q. Routledge. 1880 to 1920." Kiara reads.

"He was 40 when he died." I state. "Typically, that would be pretty young, but in the 20's, it sounds pretty normal." I explain, walking around the room, examining the photos and notes all over the room.

"And there's the lucky compass." Kie continues. She points at a photo of man I assume would be Robert.

"Actually, um... he was shot after he bought it." John B informs us.

"Oh, well that's nice." I joke.

Jj holds back his laugh next to me, and Kie gives us a disapproving look. I put my head down, trying to ignore her.

"The compass was shipped jack to Henry." John continues. "Henry was killed in a crop-dusting accident when he had the compass."

I look between Jj, Pope, and Kie. I'm not really interested in dying right now. I'm 16 years old. Death doesn't sound like something fun to do with my friends.

"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 interrupts the boy.

My attention goes back to John B, who replies, "Sort of. Uh, a-actually, he was kill by a banana truck. In-- in country."

Death compass. This compass reeks of death and solitude.

"Anyways, after that, Stephen passed the compass down to him," John B points to a photo of a familiar man. "My dad."

"Hm. Sounds like there's a reoccurring theme here." Jj starts.

"Yeah. Uh, you have a death compass." Pope continues Jj's idea.

"No, I do not."

I look at Kiara, trying to discover what she was thinking in this situation. My guess, she was trying to come up with the best way to comfort John B.

"Get rid of it. It's cursed, and it made its way back to you."

"Yeah. Jb, I'm not really looking for the most interesting way to die." I comment.

John B walks away from our conversation and towards the back of the room.

He finds a chair, and sits down. "Look, my dad used to talk about this compartment in here." He starts fiddling with the back of the compass, looking to tear it open. "Soldiers used to hide secret notes."

John B twists off the back and starts shaking the compass. A piece falls off and Kiara begins to talk. "What's that?" She questions, pointing to words inscribed on the back.

"That wasn't there before." John B states. "This is my dad's handwriting."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"Because he does these weird Rs with the-- See it?"

"Can I see it?" Jj asks. Jj ponders, trying to read the word. "Red-- Rout-- No, I think that's an A."