Devotion | Outer Banks

16: The Crain House

I walk out of the van with my mouth hung open in shock as I look up at the gigantic house behind the stone wall.  Kie is next to me, the three boys closing the doors to the van. 

"Are you kidding me?" Kie looks up at the house in shock as well.  

"Worst-case scenario." JJ walks up beside us. 

"Why'd it have to be here?" Pope asks as he and John B join us.  "Of all places?"

"I heard that Mrs. Crain buried her husband's head on the property." JJ states the rumor that has been spread around the island for years.  This house was infamous among the island natives.  

"JJ." I warn, not wanting to hear the horror story while we are standing right in front of where it takes place. 

"There is no way that I'm going." Pope shakes his head.  "This is trespassing.  What if we get caught?" He worries. 

"$400 mil, Pope." John B turns to the boy, a convincing look on his face. 

"Fuck it." I walk over to the wall, beginning to climb. 

"Do we have to?" Kie whines.

"Come on, Kie." I turn to look at her, stopping at the top of the wall with my legs on either side.  "You're not gonna leave me with these idiots.  I need your help to make sure they don't do anything stupid." I gesture to John B and JJ who have also walked over to the stone wall and started to climb.  The girl huffs and begins to climb as well.

"Guys." Pope tries, and fails, to stop us. 

"Come on, Pope.  If Mrs. Crain catches us, we sacrifice JJ and make a run for it." My brother jokes, hopping over on the other side. 

"Hey!" JJ says, offended.  I laugh, jumping down with the blond into the yard of the Crain house.  Kie lands next to me a moment later. 

"I hate all of you." Pope gives in, appearing at the top of the stone wall. 

"Atta boy, Pope!" I encourage, smiling up at him.  

Once all of us are on the other side of the wall, we begin to walk through the tall, unkept plants that cover the yard.  

"Look, you guys know whose house this is, right?" Kie asks, leading the way. 

"Who doesn't?" I reply, holding onto JJ's hand as he follows behind me.  

"Oh, yeah.  No, I do." JJ answers. 

"Honestly, I don't really believe the stories of this place." My brother pipes up from the back of the line.  

"Shh." Pope turns back to shush my brother. 

"What?" John B looks at him, confused. 

"Which stories did you hear?" JJ walks ahead of me, pulling me up to stand right next to Kie. 

"The one where she killed her husband with an axe and that she's been holed up ever since." Kie responds, looking between the four of us.  "On certain nights, when the moon is full..." Kie's tone goes from serious to lighthearted, "you can see her in the window.  Waah!" She continues in front of JJ and I with a smile on her face, holding her hands up towards us.  I laugh along with the girl as she spins around, mocking the rumor. 

"No, it's not funny, 'cause it's all true." JJ remains serious.  I grab onto his arm as we make it to a clearing.  "I swear to God, guys, this is all real.  I knew Hollis." He turns back to look at John B and Pope.  "Jeez!" He turns back around to be face with a stone statue.  His arms break away from my grasp as he holds them up in defense.