It was the day after John B found the compass, everyone, except Pope, slept over. Matilda groaned as she stood up. JJ and John B already in the garden, talking on the hammock,
"Morning boys." she walked over to them, sitting next to JJ. The boys smile, turning back to each other,
"Look i'm sure Lana will know why Scooter had the compass." John B says, JJ nods,
"Is it worth it?" JJ asks. Matilda thinks,
"So are you guys going?" she asks. The two nod,
"We're going alright." JJ sighs,
"Well i'm coming." Matilda orders. JJ and John B shake their head,
"What if something happens?" John B asks her. Matilda shrugs her shoulders,
"I'll be fine." The two boys look at each other and nod,
"You're in then." JJ grins. Kiara walks out,
"Hey guys." she sits on the hammock next to John B. The four sit in silence for a while,
"Yeah we better get going." JJ says, standing up swiftly. Kiara furrows her brows,
"And where is that? she asks. Matilda looks at John B,
"Lana Grubb's." he says. Kiara nods,
"Thanks for the invite!" she walks into the chateau. Matilda laughs,
"Why can't she come?" she asks. The two boys shrug.
The three were in the Twinkie. On the way to the house. Driving through the cut,
"So what's the deal with this compass?" JJ asks, staring out the window,
"Look I don't know, but it's 100% my father's." John B taps on the steering wheel. JJ looks at Matilda,
"And you know that, because of the R's?" Matilda puts her chin on the back of JJ's seat,
"Yes! That's exactly what i'm saying, it's a sign." John yells,
"If you say so." Matilda mumbles,
"Look believe it all you want. My father is alive!" John B snaps. JJ sighs,
"Alright stop, I gotta' admit, your father's compass, on Scooter Grubbs' boat, that's weird." he says, his eyes looking around the twinkie.
"Yeah that's why we're going to Lana's to find out exactly what is going on." John B looks at JJ, whose now nodding,
"Don't you think it's a bit, intruding, like her husband did just drown to death." Matilda asks. The two boys look at each other,
"Well. I need to know." John B turns a corner aggressively, Matilda flies towards the other side,
"Any need dude?" JJ asks, John B shrugs,
"She's being a bitch." John B whispers. Matilda hits his seat, as she sits up, rubbing her shoulder. John B glares through the mirror,
"How long until we're there?" JJ asks. John B checks the street,
"I'd say, eh, not long." he mumbles,
"That means he's going the long way." she rolls her eyes. John B snaps,
"Do you have a problem?" he yells,
"Do you?" she bites back,
"Hey! Leave it, both of you." JJ flicks John B on the shoulder. He turns,
"How was work yesterday Matty?" JJ asks. Matilda huffs,
"My dad yelled at me, i nearly got dragged into the dock by some large boat." she puts a leg over another. JJ laughs,
"So you're telling me you never yelled back?" he asks, Matilda smirks,
"Of course i did." she laughs out loud,
"Now, that's what makes it believable!" JJ smiles. Matilda rolls her eyes sarcastically,
"I was meant to be on until 9:30 i think, but i ran at 6:45." She laughs, "dreading going home." she continues. JJ looks at her,
"Well actions have consequences, as you always say." he sarcastically remarks. John B turns down a road of rubble,
"How do you know the way here dude?" JJ asks. John B turns again,
"My dad used to go here, every once in a while." he says, fiddling with the gear stick. Matilda and JJ look at each other. JJ sensing the awkwardness between the van,
"Well, i hope you find out what happened to you pops then dude." he gently smacks John B on the shoulder.
As they arrive to Lana Grubb's a lot of commotion is going on. Glasses smash, doors slam, the whole house shakes. The three keep their heads down so they don't get caught, leaning against a wall, towards the rear end of the house,
"The compass wasn't in the boat!" a masculine voice yells out,
"Where is it Lana?" another one calls out, throwing glass,
"Welp that is me going, i'm not ready to die!" JJ tries to run, John B grabbing him. He stands stern on the house. Paint flies into the three teens' hair. JJ and Matilda brush their hair,
"Ew!" Matilda shakes her head,
"This is not okay man." JJ whispers. The commotion carries on,
"I don't know!" Lana yells. A sudden door slams, the two boys look over towards the front door. They both immediately repel back,
"Is that?" John B asks, JJ puts his finger over his mouth,
"The guys that shot at us." he whispers. Matilda chokes on her breath,
"I'm sorry what?" She yells, JJ putting his hand over her mouth, slowly lowering it,
"You need to keep quiet." he mumbles. Matilda nods. The two men rush to their boat. Driving off into the marsh. The three wait a second before walking towards the front of the house. They gently open the door,
"Lana?" John B calls out,
"You know what this looks like, whoever lives here smokes too much weed." JJ mumbles, Matilda smacks his arm,
"Shut up!" she gasps. John B bends down to Lana, who's crouched on the floor,
"You can't be here!" she yells. JJ and Matilda look at each other, scared,
"Yeah, that's our que to leave." JJ grabs Matilda by the arm, trying to pull her out. Matilda brushes him off. John B pulls out the compass,
"Is it something to do with this?" he shows, Lana looks,
"This is my father's and Scooter had it, why?" he abruptly asks. Lana shakes her head,
"Scooter didn't have it. Don't tell anyone you have that?!" she yells, distressed,
"Uh John B, let's go." Matilda grabs the two boys' wrist, dragging them out,
"Go!" Lana yells, hitting their legs. The three run out, yanking open the twinkie. JJ and Matilda land in the back, face to face, awkwardly. They both sit up in the back, startled,
"Okay, what the hell was that?!" Matilda yells, JJ nodding,
"I don't know, super suspicious right?" John B breathlessly yells back. JJ grunts,
"Now you know those guys from yesterday were after you JB." he sighs, while managing his breathing,
"This is gonna be an issue for us." Matilda puts her head in her hands. JJ lifts her head up,
"Don't worry Matilda." he mumbles. John B looking back at the two,
"Remember the rules guys." he emotionlessly says, looking straight forward. JJ lets go of Matilda, facing the other way. The girl stares for a while at the boy now turned away. They sit in silence for the journey.
JJ rushes out of the Twinkie as they pull up to the chateau, Pope and Kie are talking there. Everyone has a commotion while Matilda walks in slowly. The rooster calling as they speak,
"Do you see this shit?" JJ walks over to Kie, rumbling through his hair, paint falls out,
"That's dandruff.." Kie wipes it off her legs. Matilda shakes her head,
"Surprisingly it's not!" she laughs, sitting next to Kie. JJ stands up,
"It's paint." he announces. Kiara laughs,
"Whoever these killers are, they're square groupers bro." JJ says, hitting on a cigarette while he's at it,
"Okay, did you get a glimpse of what they looked like?" Pope asks,
"Man I wasn't taking mental polaroids the whole time i was under duress!" JJ throws his hands everywhere,
"Okay let's calm down." the two girls stand up,
"Guys! I thought of something!" John B exclaims, walking towards his dad's office,
"So what is it?" Matilda asks,
"This room, I kinda just left it ever since he's gone." he points at an un open door,
"Yeah for when he gets back." Kiara encourages John B. He nods, unlocking the door,
"Damn, i've slept here like 400 times and i've never seen this door open." Pope says, walking into the room. John B grabs a board, (i would recite the whole speech of the board but i really do not want to). Everyone looks at each other,
"Yeah you have a death compass." Pope admits, John B shakes his head,
"No i don't have a death compass." he disagrees,
"Well there seems to be a pattern John B." Matilda adds, JJ looks out the window with Kiara as a car pulls up,
"Guys." JJ yells,
"Guys someone's here!" Kiara shouts, the two boys and Matilda swiftly open the blinds. Kiara stands back,
"Oh man." JJ huffs,
"Is that them?" Kiara trembles, John B grabs JJ,
"JJ, where's the gun?" he whispers, the blond boy thinks,
"The one time we need it you don't have the gun Jayj?" Matilda asks,
"It's on the front porch." he mumbles,
"On the front porch, go!" John B orders, JJ runs off. The two men barge in,
"John Routledge!" one yells, JJ runs in barricading the door,
"They're on the front porch." JJ whispers. Everyone paces trying to find an exit. Matilda stands firm against the door, shushing everyone,
"The window!" Pope points. Kiara tries to yank it open,
"It's painted shut!" John B exclaims. Matilda cusses,
"JJ your knife!" She frantically points to his pockets. The rooster crows,
"Shut that rooster up!" Pope rolls his eyes,
"JJ loves the rooster!" John B whispers,
"I love the rooster!" Matilda buts in. JJ slips a pocket knife out, jamming it on the paint. A man bangs on the door, sending Matilda too the floor,
"I know you're in there!" a man yells, as folders crash onto the floor with Matilda. She winces, JJ helping her up. The window finally opens up, all the pogues leaping out. They all run towards the chicken kennel, the chickens erupting with noise. They hear the office door crash open, but nobody's in there,
"They're not here! Lets go!" a man calls out, the rooster now pecking JJ. Everyone sighs,
"Shut that thing up!" Pope whispers, JJ grabs the rooster by it's neck, aggressively slamming it on the ground. The rooster eventually stops making noise, because it was dead. Kiara lets out a silent sob, as Matilda looks out. A man walks towards them, his gun pointed. Everyone went silent. The man stops in his steps, hearing the muffling breaths of the pogues,
"What are you doing? Let's go!" his partner called out. The man put his gun away, turning from the kennel. They both got into a truck and drove away,
"So they're after us then." JJ breathlessly mumbles. Matilda sighs, crawling out of the entrance,
"Poor rooster." she mumbles. JJ crawls out after her,
"I'm sorry." He sighs, looking at the rooster. Everyone stands up, wiping themselves down, the hay flourishing to the floor. Kiara pants,
"So um, that was." She pauses to think of the word,
"Crazy!" Pope yells, John B shakes his head,
"What is it they want!" John B throws his cap onto the floor with rage,
"It's that compass!" Matilda points to John B's pocket, JJ nods,
"JB, you gotta get rid of it dude!" JJ mumbles. John B shakes his head abruptly,
"It's my father's! It's a clue! Look!" he yells showing the writing,
"A clue? Really? Redfield is a clue to your father who went missing in international waters!" Matilda snaps,
"Matty." JJ taps her arm, she pushes him off,
"No JJ! I'm sick of hearing this shit! Your father's dead John B, so if this compass is in on your little mission, i'm out." Matilda announces, she walks towards the chateau,
"So you're just going to leave, because you have this notion of my father being dead? How pathetic!" John B raises his arms in anger,
"If that's what you want to believe." Matilda walks off towards the front of the chateau.
𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐀𝐀 (𝐢 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧)
