One Stupid Thing

2:8:71

John B and I take up the backseat of the Twinkie, laying sprawled out and trying to stay still to allow our wounds to heal, however the bumpy dirt road isn't really helping our case. I wince as the tire rolls over a rock and jostles me. I adjust my button-up shirt that is tied around my waist, preventing my wound from bleeding.

"Sorry, sorry," Sarah apologizes from the drivers seat. I don't know how she got assigned the job of driving the Twinkie to the church but with John B and I out of commission, Pope focused on the situation at hand, and Kie and JJ leading the way in the truck, she was the only one left.

"It's fine," I assure her through gritted teeth.

"We're almost there," she tells us.

When we reach Freedman's church, Sarah parks the Twinkie beside Mr. Carrera's truck. John B moves slowly and tenderly as he steps out of the van and just as I am about to follow, JJ stops me.

"Hey, what are you doing?" he asks, his brows furrowed. "You should stay here and rest."

"And miss something like this? Hell no, JJ. I'm coming with you," I protest.

"Stella—"

"No, JJ. You can either watch me walk into that church, or you can help me. Which one would you prefer?" I stare up at him defiantly.

"God, Stella Cameron. You will be the death of me." His serious expression breaks into a smile as he shakes his head and wraps his arm around my waist, being extra careful to avoid my wound. In return I wrap my arm around his shoulders and we make our way over to the rest of the group.

Pope approaches the entrance of the abandoned, run-down church and takes a deep breath before opening the double doors. Birds flutter around amongst the beams at the disruption. Pope steps inside, followed by John B, who uses his friend's shoulder to help him up the ledge, then JJ and I and finally, Kie and Sarah at the rear.

"Okay, you're telling me Denmark Tanny decided to hide the cross here?" JJ asks in confusion.

"Mm-hmm," Pope hums in reply.

"Everybody, just spread out," Kiara commands us. The group starts to disperse, looking for any clues that might lead us to the cross.

"Okay, well, if I was a cross and wanted to be hidden in an old church, where would I hide?" John B thinks out loud.

JJ helps me down onto an old pew, one of the only ones that didn't look like it was going to fall apart at any moment, and then joins the search. "Are you sure that Denmark hid the cross here, Pope? Like, are we at the right church?"

"It's gotta be here somewhere, guys," Pope assures from behind the podium at the head of the room.

"What if we have to push a secret button or, like, play, like, a... a certain chord, and then, all of a sudden, the ground beneath us reveals the catacombs or something on which we stand?" JJ suggests wildly, approaching a dusty piano that definitely would not work if he tried to play it.

"How about we try to find obvious clues?" John B suggests instead.

"It's not an escape room," Kiara reminds them with a scowl.

"It's gotta be in here. Come on," Pope says in frustration as he frantically searches the walls.

"Look, I can't see where they'd hide a giant cross in here," John B tells him in defeat.

"No, no. There's no way he would set us up on a freaking goose chase that would lead us to a church that has nothing in it!" Pope replies, his voice rising angrily.

"Yes, I get it. I don't know what to tell you, man."

"The clues led us here. The cross is in this church." Pope stomps over and sits on the pew beside me with a thud. Kiara slowly approaches and takes a seat on the other side of him.