I N S T I N C T | Jackson Whittemore

48: 3:47

3:47 
Chapter 48

"If I give this to you, you have to destroy it immediately. You burn it..."

Gerard's reminder echoed in Annie's head as she sat on her own bed. Allison and her had both agreed they wanted to be in private when they read their mothers' last thoughts.

She sat, legs crossed, and lighter in hand as she stared at the neatly folded letter. Annie's face was stained with fresh tears, her eyes puffy, and her nose leaking. Her throat felt more and more tight the closer the flame grew to the paper, before she flicked the small heat source off and took a breath.

How could she possibly burn something of so much value? An hour passed before her phone buzzed. It was a group message from... Scott?

"If they see that you're in contact with me, I promise, it will end badly for me, for you, and for Allison."

Weren't those words a subtle reminder always in the back of her head to never contact Scott for all of their sakes? And here he is, carelessly texting both Allison and her at the same time? Annie swallowed. Something didn't feel right.

When she opened the text, something clearly wasn't right.

Scott: I'm at the Sheriff's Station with Derek. Meet me. Bring the bestiary.

Annie looked down at her phone, confused, as another message came through.

Allison: Did you get it too?

Annie quickly typed back.

Annie: Yes. Something's wrong.

Not a minute passed before her phone buzzed again.

Allison: Meet in my family's arsenal.

Annie was summoned to her cousin's basement. The arsenal had been opened up and guns were laid across the tables. Annie held her phone up as Allison held up her's.

Allison shook her head, "That's not from Scott. He wouldn't have texted me."

Annie nodded, "And he definitely wouldn't have mentioned Derek."

It was currently 3:47 in the morning, and everyone... especially Annie... looked like they desperately needed sleep. Annie noted her cousin's passive-aggressive behavior as she stood next to Sam, who's eyes were puffy from crying. If Sam looked as if he just escaped from being a prisoner of war, why does Allison look as if she's not cried a single tear?

Gerard took Annie's phone off the table and read the text message himself, "The sheriff's station?"

Sam swallowed, regaining his composure before speaking, "If Derek's really there, I doubt it's willingly."

Allison raised her eyebrows, "You think Jackson's there, too?"

Annie's heart dropped. Why would Allison turn her back on Jackson? Hadn't the four friends agreed to protect him? Try to help control him, rather than eliminate him?

Chris looked at his daughter, then to his nephew. He sighed when he noticed his brother was missing, but said nothing. Kyle needs his time to mourn. Chris, out of anyone, could understand that.

"Maybe," Chris nodded. "Maybe him and the one controlling him."

"How many do they keep on in a night shift?" Gerard asked.