The Cool Kids - JJ Maybank

John B Digs Himself Into a Hole

John B has to fight for his life with his friends at the moment because he keeps denying that he's fallen for Sarah Cameron even though he had texted his confession to me in the morning, apologizing for what he's going to be saying against my best friend. I told him as long as he doesn't take it too far, we'll still be fine.

"A little focus would be fantastic," John B says. "We've got the map, right?"

"It's all out of wack because the guy was ganja'd when he drew it."

I shake my head. "Not exactly."

"The coast has changed," Kiara adds.

"So," Pope says, "we just have to look for the landmarks that haven't."

John B says, "What about the old forts?"

"Battery Jasper," Kiara offers.

. the cool kids .

I stare at the house we're supposed to be going toward. "You're shitting me."

"Afraid not, Princess," JJ says, offering me his hand to step down. "What stories have you guys heard about this place?"

"Personally, I don't believe them," John B says.

"Personally, I think we're gonna die," Taylor announces.

Kiara answers JJ's question: "I heard the one where she murdered her husband with an axe and that she's been holed up ever since." They continue deeper into the forest that isn't a real forest and is only an old woman's yard. "On certain nights, when the moon is full... you can see her in the window."

"It's not funny," Taylor argues, pushing Kiara's hands out of her face, grabbing them on their way down. It surprises Kiara but Taylor doesn't notice. "It's all true."

"We knew Hollis," JJ says.

"You knew Hollis Crane?" Pope asks. The blondes nod. "How did you know Hollis Crane?"

JJ says, "She was my babysitter-"

"That explains a lot," I mutter, teasing him.

He shoves my shoulder with his. "She told me all about it. She told me the truth... about her mother and what happened in this house." We all stare at the house. "So, as a kid, she heard all the stories that her mother killed her father and she was a murderer and all. Hollis didn't believe it. Until that night."

"What night?" John B asks.

"It all came back to her. When Hollis was six years old, she heard her parents arguing downstairs. So, she goes downstairs to see her mom washing her hands in a sink... full of blood. Her mother just says she cut her finger. The next morning, she says her and her father split up. But then, Hollis noticed something. Her mother going into the parlor constantly, in and out and in and out with plastic bags." I have to admit that JJ's a pretty good story teller. "Weeks pass and Hollis decides to use the outhouse. And as she's using it, she looks down, and there, in the outhouse, is her father's head looking straight at her."

John B, who is taking the brunt of JJ's story direction, rolls his head back. "God, you are so full of shit."

"Dude, I swear to God, man," JJ says.

"Did she call the police?" Pope asks.

JJ shakes his head. "She didn't have time-" John B walks past him. JJ grabs his best friend's shirt with my help, getting him to stop with a look from me and a plead from JJ. "You sure you wanna do this? She's an axe murderer. You've got a cast on."

"I don't give a shit if she's an axe murderer," John B argues.

"You'd die in a horror movie," I mutter. Kiara and Taylor hum in agreement. "And so would we because we're here already. We're already in the movie." I frown. "Who would be the final girl?"