𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 || 𝘫𝘫 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬

𝐓 𝐄 𝐍

Aleena's POV:

"An anagram!" John B repeats Pope's words, his eyes lighting up with excitement. He grabs a piece of paper and starts scribbling down the letters.

We all search through the office, hoping to find a clue. John B insists that he left it exactly as it was when his dad vanished.

I approach JJ and lean on the desk where he's examining the paper. He turns his head and his gaze lingers on me for a moment, trailing his eyes down my body, and swallowing hard before he refocuses on his task.

Everyone is searching, tossing things around, and offering suggestions. "Maybe it's something related to colors?" I suggest, hoping to contribute.

"That's definitely stupid," JJ dismisses, not missing a chance to criticize.

The pogue banter continues, Pope scratching his head and scribbling notes on the paper in frustration.

Amidst the chaos, I hear John B's voice, filled with fear. "Guys," he calls out urgently, but nobody seems to listen.

"Guys! Somebody's here," he repeats, his tone now filled with panic, capturing everyone's attention. JJ rushes to the window and peeks outside, his face contorting in alarm. Suddenly, a sense of fear ripples through the room.

Kiara furrows her brow, her voice quivering with concern. "Guys, guys, is that them?" she asks, her eyes scanning the figures outside.

JJ spins around, running a hand through his hair as he approaches me. "No, no, no, John B, I told you, this isn't funny anymore-" He's cut off as John B forcefully pushes him against the wall, startling me with his sudden outburst.

"Where is the gun?" John B whispers urgently.

I jerk my head up, searching Kiara and Pope's faces for answers. "Gun? He still has that gun?!"

Everyone seems to ignore my question, their attention fixed on JJ. "The gun, I had, uh..." he stutters, trying to recall.

"Now you don't have the gun the one time we need the gun?" Kie inhales deeply, almost crying.

JJ stutters while thinking deeply, "It was in my..."

"In your backpack," John B fills in, his voice strained.

"Yes, in my backpack. And now it's on the..." JJ pauses, his brain working overtime to remember.

"It's on the porch," John B finishes, his expression tense.

JJ pushes past John B and rushes to the front porch, but we're immediately met with a loud, menacing voice yelling, "Routledge!"

JJ slides back into the office, barely managing to stay on his feet, while John B positions his body against the door, holding it shut.

Kie frantically searches for a solution. "We have to get out of here!" Her gaze darts between the window and me. "The window! We can escape through the window!"

Everything is happening so fast, my heart pounding in my chest while thinking about getting killed in a minute. I can't afford to stand idly by, waiting for the worst. I swallow hard, deciding it's time to take action.

The boys push at the window, but it stubbornly refuses to budge. "Why is it taking so long!" I whisper-scream, frustration seeping into my voice.

"It's painted shut!" JJ grunts, exerting more force. Kiara quickly looks around, searching for something that can help. She throws a knife my way, urging me to loosen the paint.

"Hurry up! Do the right thing for once!" JJ yells, his words stinging. Anger surges through my veins, fueling my determination to free the window faster.