All That Glitters

Fizzy Blood

They arrived at the Crain house after Pope showed up at the Chateau ten minutes after their agreed time. He'd walked the whole way apparently. Earning John B's hurt expression. " I could've picked you up, bro. Why didn't you call?" Pope shrugged and said something along the lines of "needing the walk".

Kie didn't buy it. But he didn't seem like he was itching to talk about it so she left it alone. He was smiling after all. Whether she knew if it was fake or not... that was the question.

"Alright, so the Crain house was stupidly terrifying during the day anyway. We need to stick together because I really don't want one of you fucks to have a panic attack while we're down there." Kie pointed at Pope and JJ. Mostly Pope. "Alright?"

JJ raised his hands in defense, his brow creasing. "Why're you pointing at me? I wasn't the one that was hyper-velin-gating—"

"Hyperventilating, JJ."

"Right, I wasn't the one hyperventilating last time. That was all you, Pope."

"You threw up after we got into the basement, JJ." Kie said.

"Yeah? And? I was fine after."

"You literally had it showing the entire time we were down there. Stop. Just stay with the group." Kie put emphasis on "it" knowing Sarah wasn't in the loop.

" It? What'd you do? Take your pants off?" Sarah snickered.

"What?! No." JJ held his face in his hands. "Forget about it." He said through muffled fingers.

Sarah continued to giggle while in the front seat with John B. He wasn't laughing with her. Which didn't stop her from continuing.

"Just stay with the group. Don't wander off." Kie rolled her eyes and slipped on her mask before jumping out of the Twinkie.

"Me? Wander off? " He said offended. "Kie, it's still an axe murderer's house we're about to rob."

"God, and I thought you were supposed to be a Creature of the Night ." She muttered "creature of the night" in a voice that was nowhere close to an accurate JJ impression. Which earned a scoff from him.

Sarah just glanced around confused. Of course they have inside jokes. What close-knit group of friends didn't?

The conversation died with that revelation. Nervousness and overall just plain jitters swept them like an uncomfortable silence. They each climbed the wall trying to be as careful as possible. Despite the shrubbery around the wall being rather noisy for a night with no wind. All it took was one wrong step.

And Pope was losing his mind over it.

Silently, of course, because they didn't need to hear the long string of anxiety induced thoughts that plagued his mind. Especially since it was dark and the Crain house had never looked so undoubtedly haunted.

They gathered behind some overgrown shrubs that were in front of the porch.

Pope's breath hitched when the porch light overlooking the garden blinked on.

" Shit !" Kie and John B whispered at the same time.

The five of them crouched against the ground behind the shrubs. JJ was frantically getting everyone to turn their lights off since both his hands were free. "Lights, guys, god." He said under his breath.

"It's a motion sensor light." Sarah peeked over the bush again. "I wouldn't have taken that old fart for a night stroller."

"We could just move like really slowly." JJ piped up.

"It doesn't work like that. We could throw a rock at it." John B picked up a pebble from the ground, tossing it in his hand.

Kie groaned, "Of course. Why didn't I think of that? Just throw a rock at the light which would alert the psycho axe murderer that we're here. Such a brilliant idea, John B." Sarcasm dripped from her voice.