𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 // 𝑱𝑱 𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒌 \\

Chapter Nineteen

John B and Kiara were the first inside the basement of the Crain house. Pope followed shortly after with Valerie behind him. JJ walked in behind Valerie. "Down came Mrs. Crain and cut off all our heads. Out came the sun and dried up all the blood-"

"Can you stop?" Pope turned around, interrupting JJ. JJ stopped singing and looked up to Pope who shined the flashlight at him. "I liked the song." Valerie whispered to JJ. JJ smiled at the girl. The blonde boy made sure no one was looking in their direction before pressing his lips to hers for a few seconds. "We should join the others." Valerie whispered. JJ nodded, grabbing her free hand. "I don't see any water." Kiara commented. "Another dead end." Kiara said turning to John B. "There's not even water on the pipes." JJ said as he moved his hand along the pipe.

"There's no water here." Pope said, looking at John B. "Not a dropamino." JJ commented. "Know why we didn't find it? Bad karma." Kiara said. "Oh god, here we go." John B groaned. "You know, we had a good thing going. And then, you decide to rope in Barbie and now the trail's gone dry. Coincidence? Probably not." Kiara shook her head, looking at John B. "This is exactly why I didn't wanna tell you about Sarah." John B got in Kiara's face. "Yeah?" Kiara looked unfazed. "Yeah. What the hell is the deal? What's going on with you two?" John B asked, referring to Sarah and Kiara. "Nothing." Kiara responded. "Nothing? Is it because I kissed you? Is that the problem?" John B had a smirk on his face. Kiara didn't respond. Instead, she slapped John B on the side of the face.

"Oh." Pope said, clearly surprised.

"Oh shit." Valerie and JJ said at the same time. "That echoed." JJ added. "Stop treating me like I'm some girl that's obsessed with you instead of your best friend who's actually trying to look out for you." Kiara looked at John B, clearly angry. John B looked back at the girl. "Did you, uh, hit me?" John B asked her. "Skeeter." Kiara held up her hand to show a dead mosquito. "Skeeter?" John B asked her again. "Yeah, see it?" Kiara kept a straight face. Then, John B slapped the side of Kiara's face.

"Oh, hey." JJ said trying to stop them. "Okay..." Pope rolled his eyes at the two. Valerie just crossed her arms. "Where's your proof?" Kiara asked John B. John B held up his hand. "Skeeter." He replied. Kiara shined her flashlight over his hand. "Yeah? There's probably one right there." Kiara slapped John B's arm. "There's one right there." John B slapped Kiara's shoulder.

"Yeah, really? You saw that?" Kiara asked John B. Kiara and John B backed up. "You're dead. Today is the day that you die." Kiara said, John B still slapping her. JJ slapped Valerie's arm, hard. Valerie turned to him. "Seriously?" Valerie looked at the boy with raised eyebrows. "Skeeter..." JJ held up his hand. Valerie rolled her eyes, slapping his head. "Okay, where's you proof?" JJ asked. "No proof. I just wanted to slap you." Valerie smiled, kissing his cheek. "Why are there so many mosquito's in a basement?" Pope asked himself. Valerie looked up at him.

"Oh my gosh. Okay, can we leave? 'Cause I'm already itching to leave." JJ swatted at the air around him as Kiara and John B kept playing around with each other. "Pope? Did you find something?" Valerie asked the boy who was leaning down. "Yo, I just found Mrs. Crain's voodoo doll." JJ held up a creepy doll. "JJ, put that down." Valerie said, turning to him. Pope started to stomp on the floor. Pope picked up a rock, dropping it into a crack between the floorboards. "Alright, can we leave this? 'Cause this is getting-" JJ trailed off, looking around. Kiara and John B kept playfully slapping each other. "Skeeter, for real." Kiara giggled. Valerie was caught off guard when Pope scrambled onto the ground and started to move things around.

"Hey, hey! Sh!" John B and JJ yelled at Pope who was moving things, loudly. "Hey, help me move this." Pope looked up at JJ. "Okay, just quiet." JJ whispered to him. Pope continued to move the floor boards. "Sh!" Kiara said as Pope continued to be loud. John B and Valerie leaned down, helping. "Guys, guys. She's probably right upstairs." Valerie said, helping JJ move a floor board. The pogues finished moving all of the floor boards to the side. When done, the pogues shined their flashlight into the well that was revealed in front of them. "Well, well, well." Pope said, looking into the well. "That was a good dad joke." John B commented. John B leaned down, trying to get a closer look.