RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

THIRTY SIX

GOLD

On the drive to Mrs Crain's house, John B was asking everyone if they had got everything they needed. River was writing in her book once again. Sarah had asked her what she was writing, but only received a scowl in return. JJ had looked in the book himself, out of curiosity, it was mainly about him and they encounters from today.

"I wanna say thank you, guys. Seriously. It means a lot to me that you're here tonight." John B said as he prevented everyone from getting out of the van.

"Always." Kie smiled at the boy.

"Of course man." Pope smiled as they did their hand shake.

"My man." John B smiled.

"Can we go and get the gold now?" River asked impatiently. She wanted to be in and out of the Crain house as quick as possible.

"Alright we done with this circle jerk? Can we go do this?" JJ questioned at the same time.

"Let go get that wheat in the water." Pope said as he jumped out of the van.

"Weed? I'm up for weed!" JJ perked up the second he thought he heard about weed.

"Wheat. He said what." River muttered, linking her arm with the boy. She shook her head lightly.

JJ had to give River a boost over the wall, so that she could get over, he called her a few nicknames while doing so.

River got quickly pulled down by JJ once the porch light turned on. Everyone mumbled a few curse words or told JJ to turn off his flashlight.

"Okay, so she had motion sensor lights." Pope announced looking around at the group, seeing if they had any smart ideas for once.

"We can uh, move really slowly maybe?" JJ suggested, running his hand over his face. River gave the boy a bazar look, was he serious?

"Yeah that's not how it works." Pope said shutting down JJ's idea almost instantly.

"Oh shit, let's throw a rock at it." John B said as River picked up a rock. She threw it up slightly, testing the weight of it, she went to throw it at the light but before she could, Kie wrapped her arms around her and pulled her back.

"That's a really good idea." She whispered. "Let the axe murderer know that we're here." She said sarcastically, releasing River from her grip.

"Throw a rock at it?" Pope quizzed.

"You have a better idea? Plus R.C has perfect aim." John B motioned to River who still had the rock in her hand.

"It's true, I have perfect aim." River shrugged, slightly bragging.

"Literally anything but that." Kie shook her head disappointedly.

"The old bat is probably dead." River muttered, JJ chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. She was wearing one of his black hoodies. He always loved seeing her in his clothes. Something about it made him extremely happy.

"What about the breaker? In the circuit box on the porch. We used to play hide and seek here as kids. And if we were brave enough, we'd go all the way up to the porch. I've seen it." Sarah explained.

"No, no. You're not going in the house alone." John B shook his head. He didn't want Sarah to come to any harm.

"Watch me." Sarah shrugged cockily. River purses her lips and nodded, the girl was ballsy at least.

"Crain chops people into pieces." JJ muttered.

"JJ was always too much of a pussy to go to the porch." River mumbled with a light laugh.

"If you believe that, but she's like what, 85?" Kie said at the same time.

"Shaddup you." JJ said pulling River closer to him. "Yeah something like that."

"She's probably barely still kicking." Sarah said looking over to JJ.

"I'll go with you." Kie offered, smiling to her old friend.

"Yeah." Sarah nodded.

"We'll wait for your signal." Pope announced, motioning to the four.

"Okay cool." Sarah nodded as she and Kie stood up.

"Hey! Be safe." John B said, to both Sarah and Kie.

"We will." Sarah nodded as they pair walked off.

JJ cupped Popes face and turned Pope to face him. "Be safe." JJ whispered.

"I'll be so safe." Pope whispered back with a smile. "I'll be safe for you."

"Can you guys stop? Stop!" John B whisper shouted. "I'm gonna kill you."

"But how will that keep them safe?" River questioned with a teasing smirk.

~

"They said when Hollis disappeared—"

"That you should shut the eff up!" Pope muttered angrily to JJ who was currently telling another story about Mrs Crain. JJ let out a low whistle.

The lights went out and the was their queue. "They did it. Go time." John B announced as River pulled her hair up into a quick bun.

"So let's do it." Pope agreed. JJ pulled the balaclava over his face and sent River a wink, making her blush and her heart rate increase rapidly.

"Three, two." John B began to count down but River grabbed JJ's hand and pulled him up with her as they made their way towards the house. "Just go, just go."

"Holy crap, you know what this is?" JJ questioned as they entered the basement, where the well was. "It just hit me." JJ looked at Pope. "Pope look." JJ pulled down his balaclava. "This is C.H.U.D. Full C.H.U.D." He smiled.

"What is he talking about?" John B questioned.

"This isn't a film JJ." River scoffed shaking her head as she handed JJ the rope.

"Cannibalistic humanoid underground dwellers. Have you guys not seen that film?" JJ's mouth parted in shock.

"No."

"Can't say I have, no." Pope shook his head.

"It's actually a good film. It's about like cannibals that live in the sewers and under New York City." JJ muttered. "Took Ri to go and see it, didn't I baby girl?" He smiled at the memory. "Payed for it too." He turned and faced her. "Kinda like a first date." He winked.

"Oh J, that's not being our first date." She smiled at the boy.

"Wait-you want to go on a-"

"How deep do you think it is Pope?" John B questioned, cutting off JJ. River sent JJ a playful wink which made his heart race.

She was hot.

Pope let out a heavy sigh, "I don't know."

John B got all kitted up. "Boys I have one request." He said as he dangled over the well.

"Yeah?" Both boys nodded and held the rope tightly in their hands.

"Don't drop me." He whispered pleadingly.

"Whoa!" JJ shouted as he pretended to drop John B.

"Okay, you're gonna die first, for sure." John B threatened JJ.

"Gotcha ya." JJ replied in a fake British accent.  River let out a small giggle.

"Alright, just keep paying out out nice and slow like that. Hey R.C? Try and find the girls okay? Tell them we're in here." River saluted at John B,

WITH A SMILE.