𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

four.

─☼☼☼─

𝙈𝘼𝙔𝘽𝙀 𝙄𝙏 𝙒𝘼𝙎 because she predominantly grew up on the Figure Eight. Maybe it was because she was best known to take the path of least resistance. Maybe it was because Charlotte Carrera hated putting herself in dangerous situations. 

Whichever it was, she could say with confidence that this might have been the most scared she had been in her entire life. 

Her heart hammered in her chest as she held a hand over her mouth, trying to quiet her rapid breathing. 

Five minutes ago, the two men who had chased her friends and sister the day before, the ones who had shot at Miss. Lana, the "burly" ones, had arrived at the Chateau and burst in in a rage. 

From Big John's office, the kids could hear the men screaming for "Routledge", digging through drawers and knocking over anything in their way. 

They had found the office door, and had began breaking it down just as Pope and JJ finally managed to pry open the window. 

Now, the five of them sat huddled in the chicken coop, their breathing ragged and laboured as they tried to stay as silent as possible. 

One problem, though. The rooster, the one that Pope had complained about earlier, would not shut up. 

Charlotte's eyes darted between the rooster and the house where the two men had just exited from...they were going to find them. 

"Shut him up!" JJ snapped through gritted teeth. 

The two men were now loading boxes into their truck. Whatever they had found in Big John's office, apparently it had been of importance. 

"What do you want me to do?" Pope whispered, his eyes darting between the rooster and JJ. 

Kie looked like she was ready to break down in tears. "Pet it, or talk to it, or something. I don't know!"

Charlotte shoved herself further into JJ as one of the men turned toward the coop, his face clouding in intrigue. 

"He's coming." She whispered, her voice shaking viciously. 

In a split second, JJ had pulled himself away from Charlotte and toward the chicken, wrapping his hands around the animal's neck. 

"Oh my God." Charlotte whispered, her stomach lurching as JJ drove the bird into the ground, effectively breaking its neck. 

The noise stopped, and all that could be heard were the quiet cries coming from Kiara. 

Charlotte pressed her hand to her mouth, trying to stop herself from making any noise as she adverted her eyes away from the dead rooster. 

"Ratter!" A voice called. "What the hell are you doing? Let's go man!"

JJ released his grip on the animal, his face tight with discomfort as he settled back into his spot next to Charlotte. 

Soon enough, the sound of the truck starting up filled the air, causing all five teenagers to let out the smallest sighs of relief.