Faded Heart

XVII. Familiar Roads

The roads in this part of Kildare County looked oddly familiar. There was something about them that felt like I had been on them before. Something just felt off to me, but I couldn't put a finger on it. Eventually, I had to stop myself from looking out the window because there was a pit building in my stomach.

    "This feels weird." I whispered to JJ who was sitting next to me in the back to the van. John B took a few wild turns so occasionally I'd find myself bumping into the blonde boy.

We were all squeezed in the back minus Pope and John B who were in the front. There was still a lot of awkward tension in the group still because of Kiara's comments earlier in the day.

"We're fine, Em." He says, his bright eyes meeting mine with a reassuring smile. No matter the situation he always found a way to make me feel between even with just two simple words and a smile.

"Okay, so the road should split up here." Pope directed John B, the map in his hand. "You're going to take a left."

"Chill it with the turns John B. We aren't looking to die before we find this supposed gold." Ashtyn scoffed at her boyfriend. She was right, John B had to be the worst driver that I'd ever been a passenger for. It was debatable how the guy even got his license. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't even have it. To make it worse there weren't any seatbelts in the back of the van. Ashytn was most likely joking, but we could've easily died or be seriously injured if John B decided to flip the van.

The brown haired driver turned the car down another road. The entire street was surrounded by trees and vegetation, but what noticeably stood out was the brick wall which immediately caught all of our attention.

"That looks like a stone wall to me." JJ commented, looking out the window as John B parked the van so we could all get out to look around for the gold. This was one of the most important parts of the search. For all we know, we could be so close. The wall was another sign that something could be going our way.

Pope was the first to jump out of the van. "This is it." He smiled, the rest of us jumping out of the van behind him.

As soon as I left the van, I hit a brick wall. Now I knew why the roads felt so familiar, I had been here before. In fact, I had been to this house on many occasions. This house belonged to the woman who mostly likely killed my babysitter. This was the absolute worst case scenario. I was staring face to face with the creepiest house on the island...The Crain House.

"Are you kidding me?" I sighed, fighting the urge to turn back towards the van and run as far away from here and possible. In fact, I would rather have to face my parents again than be here right now. "Not the Crain house."

"Worst case scenario." JJ mumbled, standing next to me. He too knew exactly where we were and what this house meant. He knew the woman inside was capable of killing us all. I could feel that he was already on edge before we even stepped foot on the property line.

"Who's the Crain family?" Ashytn asked, obviously confused and unfamiliar with the notorious stories about the axe murder circiling around the island. Any local would've known who Mrs. Crain was and what she was infamously known for, but since he and her brother weren't from around here, they obviously needed some catching up.

"Only the most infamous family on the island. Legend says Mrs. Crain killed both her husband and her daughter." Pope answers, following behind John B towards the property.

JJ hesitantly follows behind the two Pogues, "It's not a legend, it's true."

"I never guessed that I would be back here." I mutter specifically to JJ as the pit in my stomach starts to come back. Even though I tried to be quiet I know the others hear me as well. "I might throw up."