Sink or Swim || Outer Banks || JJ Maybank

Chapter 9

"I hate to state the obvious, but you know this isn't Redfield Cemetery, right?" Pope reluctantly climbed over the fence following the rest of the Pogues.

Sarah walked right behind John B as he led the way, "And did we have to do this at night?"

"This is scary," Kiara agreed, wrapping her arms around herself.

Pope pointed out Madison's attire, "And why are you dressed like the Grim Reaper?"

Madison looked down at her outfit which consisted of an over sized black hoodie, a pair of black leggings, and black sneakers. "I'm sorry I didn't know the cemetery had a dress code. I was going for comfortable."

"Guys," John B didn't slow his pace as the rest lingered behind as they were still uneasy about being in a cemetery in the middle of the night. "Come on."

Madison slipped her hand into JJ's pocket earning her a smirk in return and she rolled her eyes, pulling out his Juul. She took a hit to calm her nerves. She honestly could care less about being in the cemetery at night. It was more of a hyperactive anxiety as if she just knew this was what they had been waiting for.

"Did you know that they bury a person six feet down because if it was closer to you'd be able to smell the decomposition," Pope rattled off the information as if anyone actually needed to know that as he scanned the area around them with a flashlight.

Kiara shook her head, "You better get that scholarship."

"Alright, listen," John B stayed on topic, leading Sarah by the hand further into the cemetery until he stopped in front of a mausoleum. "We thought Redfield was a place, right? But, Mads went deep into our family history and..." he trailed off as he held his lantern up to the name on the door. "Our great-great-grandmother Olivia Redfield."

Madison smiled at JJ as he grabbed her from behind and spun her around, "Voi-effing-là."

"Help me with the door," John B handed Sarah his lantern and Madison took Pope's flashlight. JJ moved over with the guys and they tried to open the door but even with the three of them it didn't even budge.

The girls held back a little chuckle. Sarah teased, "Put a little muscle into it boys."

They gave her a pointed look as they tried again, their faces red with the amount of pressure they were putting on the door.

"Are you even pushing?" Pope grunted, almost losing his footing.

JJ nearly growled in frustration, "We didn't come this far to get this far, all right?"

Hiss.

"A snake!" JJ yelled, jumping back from the door.

Pope immediately stepped back, "Whoa, whoa, whoa."

"That's a moccasin, all right," JJ bent over using his head light to check out the snake. "Ye olde Dr. Cottonmouth. Death in tall grass."

Madison wasted no time as she jumped on Pope's back, wrapping her legs around his middle, her arms coming around his neck. He stumbled at the sudden force and barely kept himself standing. She would have jumped on Kiara who was closer but she needed to know that the person was going to be tall enough so she would be further off the ground and Pope was the next closest.

JJ started barking at the snake and Kiara yelled at him, "Shut up. Shut up!"

"You're gonna wake the dead, man." Pope tried to get him to stop as he kept a loose grip on Madison's legs, not that it mattered she had such a death grip on him he didn't need to worry.