All That Glitters

Indiana Jones-ing

"You've gone off the deep end. I told you that this would happen. Someone in your family was named Redfield? Do you know how many families have that name in their family tree?" Pope said.

"Guys I swear, if I'm wrong, y'all are welcome to disown me and cut me off completely. I'll admit I'm a bit doubtful myself because I don't wanna have the lighthouse situation happen again—"

"Yeah, I wasn't the biggest fan of that." Kie sighed.

"Just, god. We're going to the cemetery to my great grandmother's mausoleum tomb thing. Olivia Redfield Routledge. If I'm wrong, I'll drop it for good."

Silence rang in the van for a solid few seconds. John B was white knuckling the steering wheel. JJ was busy smoking a joint in the back. Pope was laid back in his seat just listening to John B ramble on about how he hadn't lost it yet. Kie was the only one who wasn't on edge.

"If it's cool with you guys, I'm gonna sit this one out." JJ said, cutting through the silence.

"JJ, we're gonna need a lookout just in case. You're coming with, but you don't gotta do anything if you don't want to." Kie said.

JJ scoffed and hung his head. "Is it because I'm the only one who has effective night vision?" He offered his joint to Pope.

His face twisted with disgust and he held his hand up to refuse. "Gotta keep the signal clear."

"Yes. Kinda. You're the one who said you weren't feeling up to this. So I just gave you something to do so that you don't feel left out."

"Whatever, dude. You're always so tense. I'm just saying, a little weed never hurt nobody. Also, Kie, I'm not feeling left out. I'm perfectly content being y'all's personal guard dog. No pun intended." Kie just rolled her eyes and turned back around.

"You say that but do you actually know the statistics?"

"No. Chill, bro. I just wanna relax during our grave robbing adventure. Indiana Jones-ing this shit, y'know?" John B chuckled at that.

They pulled up next to the gate. John B made sure to turn off all the lights and the ignition so that if someone was watching, they probably would overlook the darkness he hid the Twinkie in.

Probably.

They ended up hopping the steel fence that kept the cemetery sealed at night. It creaked as they each pulled themselves up and over.

"John B, do you know where you're going?" Kie whispered in his general direction.

"You think I haven't explored the graveyard before, Kie?" He snorted at her lack of faith in him.

"God I hate this." Pope said while stepping over grave after grave. "Can't we do anything legal for once?" Pope lurched forward as he tripped.

JJ reached forward and saved him. His hand pushed his chest slightly to help him gain his balance again. "Woah. You almost just ate shit." He snorted.

"Thanks." Pope pulled his hand away slowly. Before following the other two toward a giant stone building.

John B flashed his light up to read the name on it. Redfield. His face grew a large smile.

"Alright. Pope, help me with the door." John B situated himself and waited for Pope to as well. They both grunted from how heavy the door was. "Jesus, fuck."

"Watch out guys, coming through." JJ slammed his hands on the door. Pushing with all his might. It only budged a little and then they all collectively jumped back as a snake hissed and wriggled from an opening in the door. "Dear god! That's a moccasin all right. Ye old, Cottonmouth." He said.

JJ watched the snake intently and began barking at it. Like a guard dog.

"JJ!" Kie shouted.

"What? They're afraid of dogs, everyone knows that." He barked a few more times.

"You're gonna wake the dead, dude!" Pope had his hands behind his head in an anxious stance. Fear stricken eyes and wearing a frown.

"Hey if there's one, there's probably more." JJ pushed Pope and Kie back to survey the surroundings. "Okay, there isn't anyone around. We're fine."

"I don't think it's gonna open, John B." Pope said.

"No no. We didn't get this far just to get this far and not have anything to show for it." JJ spoke before John B could.

John B gave JJ a look. His eyebrows raised like he wasn't expecting JJ, the one who didn't even want to come, to push them into going all the way. It wasn't unlike his character. But he just wasn't expecting him to.

"There's an opening up there. I can't reach in." John B said, while his hand was outlining the opening. He flashed his light up at it.

"Huh." Kie traced her hand along the opening as well. "I think I could get in there no problem."

"Are you sure?" John B asked with a sincere tone.

"I mean. No. But like, if it'll get you some answers about what happened to your dad, even if I don't really think we're gonna find anything, then I guess it's worth it."

"I appreciate that. Do you want a boost?" John B gave her a toothy grin and squatted down with his hands clasped together for her to step up on.

"You're such a gentleman, John B." She giggled. She placed her foot on his hands and watched him struggle to hold her right for a second. With a huff she was up and sliding inside the tomb.

Immediately, the stench of dust and old stone wafted over her. She coughed in response. "God, it's like unreasonably dusty in here." She waved her hand in front of her face and used the flashlight in her other hand to look around.

"See anything?" John B called from outside.

"No. I need some more light." She yelled back.

"Gotcha." John B stuck his lantern into the opening. It's yellowish light contrasted her flashlight's bluish hue in such a way that made the dust particles in the air look like tiny sparkles.

She took a step backward when her eyes landed on something.

"Oh my god." She reached forward pulling it out of the wall. "Oh my god, guys!"

It was a package labeled For Bird .

She squealed as she pushed herself back out the opening. Once on her feet again she handed it to John B who's eyes immediately began to water as soon as he read it.

They didn't have time to say anything before JJ slapped Pope's shoulder and urgently ushered the four of them out. He'd spotted a golf cart with two guys pulling toward them.

"Square groupers. Code red. Let's go!"

They hid behind the stone building while fumbling to turn off their lights. "John B, your light." Kie hissed.

"Fuck it. Honestly." JJ said as he took off toward the gate. John B followed him.

"Fuck me." Pope sprung from his hiding spot. Taking a glance backward at the cart that had pulled up beside the stone building. "They've got a gun!" He shouted forward at John B and JJ who had now disappeared into the night.

Pope reached out for Kie. She grabbed his hand and they sprinted after the other two. Pope didn't dare look back now.

They climbed the steel gate like before. This time it was more difficult because of the sheer amount of hurry and fear that had enveloped them. Pope snagged his shorts on a spear protruding from the gate. He held himself up as to not rip them.

Kie got over and helped him down. Well, pulled him down. Not caring at all if his shorts were left behind or not. Not when the groupers with very real guns were right on their trail. JJ laughed at him waddling in his underwear as he and Kie bolted for the side door of the Twinkie.

John B sped away knowing his father had left something behind for him. And that... that felt better than anything he'd tried to drown the pain of losing him with.