I DROPPED my bike to the floor outside The Wreck half an hour after Pope had texted me asking where I was with a sigh. I guess we had cell service now which, right now was a bad thing because I had my friends hounding me asking me where I was. I didn't know we were having a rendezvous here and the last time I checked I wasn't telepathic so I didn't understand how they expected me to know to be at The Wreck this afternoon.

I didn't go back to them last night and there was a large part of me that felt horrible for not doing so. I wanted to be with John B to make sure he was going to be all right but I had a problem named Topper Thornton. After I saw the ambulances arrive at the Hawk's Nest he passed out on me on the floor, wether it was from his intake last night or just plain tiredness or what, I didn't know.

I didn't want to take him home but I didn't want him to drive himself there either when he woke up. He shouldn't of been behind the wheel in the first place. He could've hit someone and killed them and I didn't want him to tear someone's family apart. I probably shouldn't of been driving either but at least I had control over my own body unlike Topper.

I parked his jeep outside his house and left him and his keys inside of it before walking home. I didn't bother waking him up or getting him inside the house, trying to get him off the floor and into his jeep was hard enough. Instead, I walked home. Over Figure Eight and through the cut and my feet were wrecked by the time I'd gotten across the island and it neared three in the morning when I walked up my porch steps. My dad was been in bed, clearly still under the impression I was still at Midsummers but the front door was locked and I didn't have a spare key. I had to jump through my window which was the last thing I wanted to do.

I wished I'd stayed with my friends, I wished I hadn't even chased after Topper because I felt like I was choosing him over John B and that made me feel rotten. I hated that idea that I'd chosen my Kook step-brother over my best friend. I knew my mistake, I should've been there with John B. Even if I couldn't stay at the hospital with him I should've at least been there for my other friends as well instead of running around, stopping my idiotic step brother from killing someone.

I'd gotten almost no sleep — maybe two hours worth — and my mom calling me was what had woken me up. If she hadn't rang so early I think I'd of probably slept in past lunch time. I went over to her house, the very house I'd left this morning, to apologise for leaving last night but she didn't seem bothered by the stunt I'd pulled. Micheal didn't look too pleased to see me but my mom told me she didn't hold it against me. In fact she asked me if I'd had a good night and if my friends and I enjoyed the champagne I'd swiped from the waiter.

I lied to her — told her I'd had a good night with my friends and she took the bait. I figured she hadn't heard of what had happened to John B yet but it would only be a matter of time.

Midsummers had started rocky ended horribly, the night was just going on a steady incline downwards all night.

When I caught a hungover Topper walking down the stairs while my mom was walking me to the door the way he froze when he saw me gave me the impression that he remembered our conversation last night. I was surprised really, he was so out of it I thought he wouldn't remember a thing but he just turned around and walked back up the stairs. Maybe he thought I'd been to tell my mom about what happened and what he'd done, going back upstairs and into his room to avoid her but I hadn't.

I'd leave it to them to hear it for themselves, I'm sure Sarah would've told Ward and if Ward knew it wouldn't be long before he told Rose and she was talking to every man on the island about it. Rose Cameron was a big gossip, everyone knew it, that's why my mom liked to avoid her like the plague.

It was almost twelve in the afternoon when I pushed the door to The Wreck open and walked into the air conditioned restaurant. I sighed heavily in relief as the cool air fanned my skin, it was hot today. Well, it was hot everyday but today just hit differently. I wasn't sure wether it was because I was running around like an idiot or if it was because I was tired but I was suffering under the heat and humidity today.

"Afternoon Mally." I heard and I looked up to see Kie's dad stood behind the bar. He didn't look very impressed to see me as he stood cleaning a glass, his black brow arched high as he looked at me.

"I'm so sorry about last night, Mr Carrera." I apologised with a sigh. I walked over to the bar and leaned on it, resting my head against my fist, "I— I just didn't think.. at all."

He shook his head, "It's all right." He told me although his face contradicted his words. Mr. Carrera was a lot like Heyward, he wasn't a fan of his child's friends and he made it clear but he didn't try to stop us from being around her or vice versa. I think Kie's dad liked Pope for sure but his opinion of me varied and John B and JJ? Well, I don't think he was a fan.

Mr Carrera placed a medium cup of pink lemonade on the bar in front of me, "You guys are still kids, you're just having fun."

I nodded and reached into my back pocket for some change. Mr. Carrera knew pink lemonade was my favourite, I ordered it every time I came in. I gestured towards the drink, "How much?"

He shook his head, "It's on the house." He told me and I nodded with a smile, picking it up and taking a drink out of the straw. So sometimes he wasn't my biggest fan but he was always nice to me. He was a strange case but no matter what he said or how he portrayed his feelings towards me and my friends he knew we were better than any group of Kooks on Figure Eight.

"So she lives." I heard Pope shout and I turned my head to see my four friends around a table, "Here I was thinking she'd passed out on a boat somewhere."

I walked over to my friends at the table with a blank stare and put my drink on the table, tiredly collapsing into the plastic chair and leaning back with an exhale. I sat down next to John B, Pope was sitting opposite me while JJ stood behind him silently and Kie was stood on the other side of John B. They all had a cup like mine in front of them and I was very aware of JJ's eyes on me. He was watching me very closely and I could tell he wanted to talk but he didn't — my guess was he was silently fuming to himself, waiting to pop.

"Seriously, where have you been?" Kie asked me.

"Long story." I replied, looking up at the ceiling before rubbing my face.

"Well you better start talking." She demanded, "You left us when we needed you."

I looked at her and her facial expression wasn't one of the friendliest. I remembered our disagreements last night over Sarah Cameron and John B, we weren't exactly on the best terms.

I rolled my bottom lip in between my teeth before turning to John B who was sat next to me. He had a black cast on his arm, from his hand up to his elbow but other than that he look all right, "How're you doing?" I asked him.

"What?" JJ snapped as he scoffed. He'd been quiet until now and I looked away from John B and to him. His brows were drawn in and his eyes narrowed in anger, "We asked you where you were Mally, I think we deserve an answer."

I didn't want to argue. I wasn't in the mood and I didn't have the energy. Last night had taken most of it out of me and I get what I did was wrong on them but I didn't really have an opportunity to meet back with them. I could've gone to the hospital but they mightn't of been there and I could've gone to the chateau but they could've been at the hospital — besides I didn't even have a car.

I just wanted to talk with my friends like a normal person but between the almost dirty looks Kie was giving me and JJ's hostility I found my defensive nature sparking.

"Kie asked me where I was, all right?" I fired, turning to JJ, "And I was about to answer her but I wanted to check on my friend first, you know, after he almost fell to his death."

"I didn't think you cared since you ran off." He snapped at me.

"I don't get why you're angry with me JJ. I told him, raising my brows, "First you're mad at me for asking John B if he's okay and now you're claiming I don't care? I'm confused."

As I narrowed my eyes JJ opened his mouth to most likely continue his argument with me but John B interjected, waving his injured arm between us, "I'm okay Mal." He said to me, "Are you?"

I sighed, grumbling while leaning back into my chair and crossing my arms, "Better than ever."

Pope pulled out of leaning in his chair and sat forwards, "You bolted.. and you scared the shit out of us."

"I'm sorry, all right?" I apologised, "I didn't mean to scare you guys I just.."

"..You what?" Kie asked, "You decided to run away?"

"Well if you're gonna be a bitch about it I won't tell you." I snapped. I wasn't up for this and I sat up, my chair scraping across the floor. If I was going to be in the line of fire today I was leaving. I wasn't even getting a chance to explain myself, "If I knew you guys were just gonna shout at me I wouldn't of come."

"Mal—" John B sighed, groaning in annoyance, "—don't leave."

"No, JB." I shook my head, "These two clearly want to pick an argument with me and I can't be assed." I pointed at JJ and Kie, the both of them rolling their eyes at me, "Fuck you guys, I'm going home."

"Mally." Pope sighed, "C'mon."

I ignored him and I walked out of The Wreck, trying to control my feelings before I let them get the better of me. I was never one for lashing out but last night had really tipped me over the edge.

Kie was jumping down my throat so quickly, putting words into my mouth and not even giving me a chance to explain where I'd been. It was a dick move really,
I get that we'd had a disagreement yesterday but I didn't think she'd still be bitter about me not choosing her side. I didn't think Kie was that type of girl.

I jogged down the steps from The Wreck and over to my bike on the ground and picked it up by the handle bars, about to swing my leg over the seat when someone grabbed my arm gently, "Just leave me—" I turned my head, half expecting to see Pope there ready to mediate or even John B about to tell me to ignore our friends and come back but instead I saw JJ stood behind me and I clenched my jaw as my stomach fluttered.

Now really wasn't the time for my romantic feelings.

"Here to shout at me again?" I asked, my brow arching high as I put my bike back on the ground.

He shifted his gaze away, turning his head to the side and I watched him fight his emotions. He was still angry, I could see it in his eyes but he was really trying not to argue with me. JJ was a borderline hothead, he didn't have much control over his anger — when he fired he fired hard and there was rarely any going back. I guess he didn't want to fire at me, which was why he was trying so hard not to snap.

His jaw clenched and I saw the cuts and scrapes on his face. He turned back to me, "Can you blame me?" He asked me lowly, "You run off and I don't see you for the rest of the night."

"I was going to come back.." I sighed, my defensive demeanour relaxing along with my shoulders.

JJ stepped even closer towards me and he dipped his head to look down into my eyes, "So why didn't you?"

I shook my head, "You'll flip out." I warned him, watching his eyes steadily.

"Great." He muttered sarcastically while scoffing.

I arched my brow again, "Sure you want me to tell you?" He nodded and I pressed my lips together, still aware of his hand on my arm, "I saw Topper."

His switch flipped — I saw it in his eyes, felt it as he gripped my arm tightly but he fought it. He repressed the urge to fire and instead he composed himself as he nodded his head in response. If we weren't in the middle of an unresolved issue I'd of smiled at him and told him I was proud for not starting a fight but I didn't.

He didn't reply so I took it as my cue to keep talking, "I followed him to his jeep." I told JJ, still watching him hesitantly, "I told him I saw everything that happened, told him how much he'd fucked up."

"Is that it?" He asked, "That's all you said?"

"No." I shook my head, "But it's better off that you don't know."

His jaw clenched, "Why's that?"

I hesitated, my heart thumping wildly in my chest. I didn't know if JJ wanted me involved in his case. We hadn't even spoken about it yet here I was, getting my mom to be his attorney and blackmailing Topper. I was already involved, more involved than what he was and I was knee deep in. I was probably causing more trouble than solving problems and I didn't want him to be mad with me for meddling but I was angry. 

"I—" I what? I'm blackmailing Topper, I'm doing it for you. I can't tell you? I don't know.

"Mally." He muttered, his eyes hard. I could tell how much I was testing him right now.

"I don't know if I can tell you." I responded quietly.

"Well how am I supposed to trust you?" He asked me.

Trust. So this was there we were heading.

I bit my lip, "You don't trust me?"

"I want to." He replied. I felt his fingers graze down my arm and he loosely slotted his fingers into mine as he dipped his head and sighed, "You've never given me a reason not to but.."

He fell short with his words and I nodded softly. I was going to have to tell him, even if I didn't want to. I found his gaze again and his eyes were mixed with emotion, he was confused and he was conflicted, "I threatened him." I muttered.

Was I proud that I threatened my stepbrother? I wasn't sure. I didn't know what had gotten into me last night but I was so angry and in my rash thinking I saw a solution — a bad one at that and now I couldn't go back. It almost scared me how far down the barrel I went, it was like I saw red and dived and I kept swimming until the colour started to shift. I was pushing it, testing the water to see how far I could reach.

I was scared to hear what my friends thought of my rash doings and I was glad they didn't see it happen. I was never an angry or aggressive person but last night I'd been just that.

Maybe I had a bit of a darker side and that scared me because there were people on this island who's darker side made them dangerous.

"You did what?" JJ asked me, his eyes wider than usual.

"I wasn't thinking." I replied while swallowing, "I was so angry that it just.. happened."

He was taken aback by what I'd told him but his tone softened, "What did you say to him?"

"I told him that if he didn't convince his mom to drop the charges against you I'd go to Peterkin and I'd tell her about how he and Rafe beat up Pope, about how Topper strangled him at the movie series, about how he was driving around drunk and high and about how he pushed John B of the Hawk's Nest."

JJ looked speechless and it was certainly a first but it filled me with dread. He didn't know how to respond to what I'd done and to be quite frank I didn't know either.

"I wasn't planning on telling you incase you got mad I was trying to interfere with your case but—"

I was surprised when JJ pressed his lips to mine and I jolted a little but it wasn't long before I melted into him and I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back. He pulled away, "I'm not mad." He said to me and he smiled a little, "I didn't know you had it in you but I'm not mad."

I nodded, "So you're not mad I intervened?"

He shook his head and kissed me again, "Course not."

"Good." I nodded sheepishly, "Because my mom took your case." I told him and his jaw dropped a little bit.

"She did? I— I didn't—"

"I asked her to." I interrupted softly, and I grazed my thumb across his cheek bone, "She knows how much you mean to me and she's doing everything to keep you out of jail."

He licked his bottom lip while nodding, "Thank you."

A ghost of a smile cracked across my face, "I do anything for you."

He leaned in again, pressing his lips to mine firmly and pulling me closer towards him. I responded, running my fingers through the back of his hair while I kissed him.

I would do anything for JJ because I wanted what was best for him. I wanted to give him a life he'd been deprived of, love he hadn't received. I wanted — no, needed — him to know how it felt to be truly loved. He needed to have a life where he wasn't blamed for everything, he deserved a chance.. more than anyone else on his damn island.

• • •

Ward Cameron had taken legal custody of John B and boy did that surprise me. I wasn't expecting to hear that at all and I didn't really know how to react when John B filled me in on what I'd missed.

Kie had, once again, refused point blank to work with Sarah Cameron and there wasn't anything we could do or say to convince her otherwise. I, for one, wouldn't be getting involved in that conversation again after what was said last night. I'd said my piece and she'd heard it, there wasn't any point in trying to repeat it because she wouldn't change her mind or opinion.

The map Sarah had swiped for John B was confusing to read and understand. It was split into 'parcels' and the coast had changed since then so we devised the plan to look for the landmarks that remained and work our way from there.

I dropped my bike off at home and John B followed me in his minivan so I could come with them on the adventure. We drove up to Battery Jasper to try and find out where the gold was. In Denmark Tanny's letter he said it was on Parcel Nine which was right next to Battery Jasper according to the map.

We didn't hang around there for long, Pope told us we had to find an old stone wall and where that was the gold shouldn't be too far from it. So we went on the hunt for said wall and Pope navigated John B all the way.

"Okay, so the road should split up here." Pope instructed.

"Okay." John B nodded.

"Are we nearly there?" I asked my friends.

"We're gonna take a left." Pope responded and John B made the turn — quite harshly may I add. I skidded across the seat and into JJ but he didn't seem to mind as he grinned mischievously at me, "It should be right here." Pope answered my question.

"A stone wall?" I asked for clarification, looking out of the side window of the VW.

"There." JJ pointed from my side, "That looks like a stone wall to me."

John B pulled the van to a stop and put the hand break on, "This is it." Pope said and I pulled the side door open, putting one leg on to the floor and looking up.

I froze in discomfort, still half in the van, "C'mon Mal, why've—" JJ stopped behind me and I turned my head to see him looking at the house we'd arrived at. He sighed heavily, "Well if it isn't our luck."

"Not the Crain house." John B mumbled and we all got out the van, walking to the gates of the old house.

"Are you kidding me?" Kie asked.

JJ and I walked over to her, falling in line, "Worst-case scenario." JJ said from between us and we turned to him.

"Why'd it have to be here?" Pope asked, "Of all places."

"I didn't have much fear as I kid and I don't now but the Crain house really stirs me the wrong way." I told my friends.

"If Mal's scared of the Crain house we're all screwed." Kie muttered.

"I'm not scared." I shook my head, "It just irks me."

"I heard that Mrs. Crain buried her husband's head on the property." JJ said and he looked past me to Pope who was stood next to me.

I elbowed his side lightly, still looking at the house, "Be quiet JJ."

"Well." John B muttered, "Who wants to the lead the way?"

I bit my lip and stepped forwards, "C'mon then you girls. This gold isn't going to find itself." I walked ahead of my friends, walking round the side of the high stone wall until I found a gap to jump over. My feet landed on the grass of the property and my friends followed me.

"You guys know whose house this is, right?" Kie asked us.

"Oh yeah. No, I do." JJ responded as I continued in the lead.

"Honestly, I don't really believe the stories of this place." John B said.

"Shhh." Pope ushered.

JJ caught up with Kie and I, "Which stories did you guys here?" He asked us.

"About twenty." I replied, looking at the old house.

"Yeah, of the one where she killed her husband with an axe." Kie said after me, "And that she's been holed up ever since."

I nodded, "All the same story just with a different weapon." I told my friends as I led us into the dense trees next to the house, "Apparently on certain nights when the moon is full you can see her in the window." I fabricated, turning back to JJ and wiggling my brows.

"No, Mal it's not funny." JJ told me seriously, "'Cause it's all true."

"I thought you were scared of the Crain house?" Pope asked me.

"Nah." I shook my head, "Not scared of the woman, it's just the house gives me the heebie-jeebies.. the stories are bullshit though."

"No, they're not." JJ warned me, "I swear to God, guys, this is all real. I knew Hollis."

I turned to JJ and pouted, "Do you need me to hold your hand?"

He narrowed his eyes at me but Pope grabbed his shoulder, "Wait, you knew Hollis Crain?"

"Yeah, dude." JJ nodded.

"Dude, how do you know Hollis Crain?"

We stopped walking and I shook my head, "He didn't know her."

"I do." JJ nodded, "She was my babysitter, man. She told me all about it — told me the truth.. about her mother and about what happened in this house."

I scratched my head, "How would Hollis even know?"

JJ looked at me before back to the group, "As a kid she heard all the stories that her mother killed her father and she was a murderer and all. Hollis never believed it.. until that night."

"What night?" John B asked.

"He's playing with you guys." I tried to tell my friends, reaching for JJ's arm to shove him.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me into him, tackling me into a headlock while he continued, "It all came back to her." He said and I managed to get my head out of his arm, shoving him lightly and fixing my hair, "When Hollis was six years old she heard her parents arguing downstairs. So she goes down to see her mom washing her hands in a sink.. full of blood."

"Oh my god." I rolled my eyes, walking away.

JJ was the biggest bullshitter I knew.

"Her mother just says that she cut her finger. The next morning she says that her father and her split up.. but then Hollis noticed something. Her mother going into the parlour constantly, in and out and in and out with plastic bags. Weeks pass and Hollis decides to use the outhouse, and as she's using it, she looks down and there in the outhouse is her father's head — looking straight back at her."

I made a beeline for JJ, jumping on his back and scaring him. He jumped, swearing in response as I wrapped my arms and legs around him to keep myself up and I could feel his heart against his chest as I held my hand there. I laughed in amusement, "Oh god, JJ, you're so full of shit."

He turned his head to me, "What the hell is wrong with you?" He asked me, holding my legs up under my thighs, "Why would you do that?"

I slid down his back and put my feet back on to the floor, still grinning in amusement as I laughed, "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it."

"Yeah, I'll get you back." He threatened, pulling me into his chest and locking me in place with his arms around me, "Watch your back Davis."

"Whatcha' gonna do, huh?" I smirked, "Scare me?"

JJ narrowed his eyes playfully at me and Pope cleared his throat in front of us. He was looking at JJ behind me as he continued to hold me to his chest, "Did Hollis call the police?"

"She didn't have time." JJ responded and John B walked by us, heading to the house. JJ let go of me and chased after John B, "Wait, hold on. Hold on."

"What, dude?" John B asked, he sounded agitated.

"You sure you wanna do this?" JJ asked, "She's an axe murderer man. You got a cast on."

"I don't give a shit if she's an axe murderer, okay?" John B snapped, "I got nothin' to lose, right? You comin' or what?"

I stepped forwards, my hand in the air, "I am. An elderly axe murderer isn't going to stop me from becoming rich."

"See." John B said, "Thank you." He turned and started walking further towards the house slowly and I followed him.

I could sense JJ's hesitation as I passed him and I took his hand, rubbing my thumb across the back of his knuckles, "C'mon."

He followed me begrudgingly as I pulled him along by our hands and John B turned to us, "Hey, come here." He whispered as we huddled in a group, "So, here's the plan. We need to look for the wheat near the water like it said in Denmark's letter."

"Okay, like, what kind of water?" Pope asked, "Like, pond water?"

JJ chuckled behind me, "Bong water?"

I facepalmed.

"No. It— it just said look for water, okay?" John B told us.

"That's the shittiest secret message ever." Kie grumbled.

"Hey, there's something we agree on." I smiled and she walked by us.

"You wanna complain a little more, Kie?" John B asked as she walked away. He followed her, "Nobody said it was gonna be easy."

Pope turned to JJ and I, "I'll search the northeast quadrant. You search the northwest."

"The-the decapitation quadrant!" JJ snapped as Pope scurried off.

I rolled my eyes and pulled JJ towards the northwest, "Don't worry big boy, I'll hold you hand."

"I don't need to you hold my hand." He told me as we walked, "I'm not even scared."

I rolled my eyes, "Yeah because that's so convincing."

A bird crowed, flapping it's wings in the trees near us and JJ scattered. He let go of my hand, putting as much space between him and the bird as he could.

"Hey, come on." I heard John B whisper, "It's the only place we haven't looked."

I walked out of the trees, meeting Pope who came out the opposite side and rolled my eyes, "Thanks for leaving me with Mr. Scaredy-cat."

JJ jumped out of the trees behind us, creating a rusting noise as Pope and I walked over to the wooden hatch door leading into the basement of the Crain house. My friend pulled a flashlight out and handed me one, "Thanks." I mumbled, climbing into the basement and following Kie as she followed John B.

"Down came Mrs. Crain and cut off all our heads." JJ sung and I rolled my eyes, "Up came the sun and dried up all the blood."

Pope turned around from besides me, "Can you stop?"

I walked away from them and further into the basement, standing next to John B and Kie and looking around with my flashlight, "See any water?" Kie asked.

It was clear Mrs. Crain was a bit of a hoarder because the basement was full of shite and it was all covered in dust and thick cobwebs. Mosquitos flew around us, creating a buzzing noise as we continued our search for the water. 

Kie sighed, "Another dead end?"

"There's not even water on the pipes." JJ said.

"There's no water here." Pope shook his head.

"Not a dropamino." JJ agreed.

I shook my head in disappointment, "I can't believe it."

"Know why we didn't find it?" Kie asked, looking to John B, "Bad karma."

"Oh God, here we go." He muttered.

"You know, we had a good thing going." Kie snapped, "And then you decide to rope in Barbie and now the trail's gone dry. Coincidence? Probably not."

"Are you seriously implying Sarah Cameron beat us to it?" I asked Kie, my brows narrowed.

She shrugged, "If the shoe fits."

I rolled my eyes, "This is exactly why I didn't wanna tell you about Sarah." John B argued.

"Yeah?" Kie asked.

"Yeah." He nodded, "What the hell's the deal with you two?"

"Nothing." Kie shrugged.

"Nothing?" John B repeated, "Is it because I kissed you? Is that the problem?"

Kie slapped John B and I scoffed, my jaw dropping, "Oh, shit." JJ said.

"That echoed, dude." Pope muttered.

"Stop treating me like I'm some girl that's obsessed with you." Kie snapped, "Instead of your best friend who's actually trying to look out for you."

"Did you, uh, hit me?" John B asked.

"Skeeter." She told him, holding up her hand to show a squished mosquito against her palm.

He nodded, "Skeeter?"

Kie nodded and John B slapped her in response. The three of us cringed, hearing the slap echo and John B held his hand up to Kie to show the dead mosquito on the palm of his hand.

I crossed my arms and watched my two friends as they started slapping each other, running away from each other while arguing.

"You're dead." Kie said, running away from John B, "Today is the day you die."

The mosquitos started to swam us, I couldn't ignore it and I slapped my arm when I felt something crawl across it, stepping back and walking into JJ. The last thing I wanted was to get bitten to death by mosquitoes.

"These things are a freakin' swarm!" Pope muttered.

"Shh, shh." JJ muttered, "Keep it down."

"Why are there so many mosquitoes in the basement?" Pope asked, he looked puzzled but I was too preoccupied trying to kill the insects before they sank their teeth into me.

"I know, dude, seriously." JJ muttered, "Tiny vampire bats, just leave me alone."

I swatted one on JJ's shoulder, "Oh my god."

"Seriously, can we just leave?" He muttered, ducking away from me as one flew between us, "I'm itchin' to leave." He chucked to himself and looked at me, "Punny."

"That's so bad." I told him, smiling as he found amusement.

Pope started stomping on the wooden planks and JJ picked an old creepy looking doll, "I just found Mrs. Crain's voodoo doll, guys."

"Oh, shit." Kie laughed, "That's terrifying."

"All right, can we leave this?" JJ asked, "'Cause this is getting—"

"—Hey guys." Pope hissed, moving things from the floor in a sudden hurry.

"Shh." Kie scolded.

"Hey, hey." He said, "Help me move this."

John B nodded, "Okay, just.. quiet."

We started moving all the crap off the floor boards, making too much noise as the items clattered to the floor, "Hey, guys."

"I know." Pope agreed with Kie and we started pulling the floor boards up, the wooden planks weren't even drilled in.

"She's probably right upstairs." Kie said.

We pulled enough planks away to see a big hole in the ground and we gathered around it, pointing our flashlights down it.

"Well, well, well." Pope muttered.

John B chuckled, "That's a good dad joke."

"Hell yeah it is." I mumbled, standing above JJ as he crouched down in front of the well.

"They built this part of the house right over it." Kie muttered as we looked down, our lights not even reaching the bottom.

"This is where she hid the bodies." JJ told us.

"Oh, dude, come on." Pope muttered.

"Stop."

"No, I'm dead serious." He responded, "It was never an outhouse."

"How about I push you down and you can tell us?" I asked, crouching down next to him with an arched brow.

"She probably doesn't even know it's here." Kie replied.

"So.." Pope said to us, "We found water."

"We're gonna need a really big rope." John B replied with a grin.

• • •