༄ 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝖾𝗇 ༄

JJ AND THALIA shared a joint, Pope sitting near them on the dock at his house. They were done fishing and were just enjoying the evening sun, wondering where Kiara and John B had run off to. Their question was answered as John B pulled up in the Twinkie, honking the horn. JJ took the joint from Thalia. "Let's ride." he stood up straight and started walking towards the van.

Pope offered Thalia his hand, guessing that it was a struggle for her to stand up because of her knee. "This better be good." Pope spoke, Thalia thanking him awkwardly as she hobbled towards the van, shaking her knee out.

"Are you concocting again?" Thalia asked with a smile, settling in the back of the Twinkie.

John B rolled his eyes, and once JJ and Pope were in his car, he drove to The Wreck, Kiara's family restaurant. Pope disappeared inside to collect the brunette. "She says she's not comin'." he announced, walking out of the restaurant.

"Why not? What'd you do to her, John B?" JJ asked accusingly, both him and Thalia turning to John B.

"Shit," John B sighed. "Hang on. I'll deal with it." he said, leaving the car and walking inside the restaurant.

Moments later, Kiara and John B appeared, getting into the van. For once, Kie didn't make a big deal about Thalia's presense, and Thalia was skeptical. As the sun set, John B drove the group to an unknown location. "You mind if I just relax on this one? It's been a long day, and a lot of weird stuff's gone down. I'm just gonna lay low," JJ listed, holding a joint between his fingers as he sat beside Pope. Thalia had her legs up beside JJ, arms crossed over her chest. "Oh, did you want a hit of this?" JJ asked Pope.

"I keep the signal clear." Pope declined.

Thalia reached her hand out and grabbed the joint from JJ, placing it between her lips. "Dude, okay. Do you understand that your problem is that you don't get creative?" JJ spoke to Pope.

"I'm pretty sure his problem is you, asshole." Thalia said with closed eyes, her red hair still in its messy braids while she smoked.

JJ rolled his eyes. "If you got creative, then–" he attempted to continue his words.

John B cut the blonde off quickly. "Look, I... I know I was wrong about the lighthouse, all right? And wrong about everything else going on. But I... I was right about one thing. Okay? My dad is trying to tell me something." John B insisted, and nobody dared to argue.

When John B parked the van at a graveyard, Thalia's eyes widened. "Nothing good happens in a cemetery after dark, man." the redhead grumbled, hauling herself out of the van.

"Come on." John B urged the group.

"I'm coming. This place is scary," Kie said, the five of them turning on flashlights. "John B, what are we doing?" Kiara questioned apprehensively.

"Shut up. You know how you're trying to remember a song and can't remember who sings it?" John B questioned, the group nodding. "So, Redfield. This whole time, I thought it was a place, right? But it's not a place. It's a person."

The four Pogues and their redheaded accomplice landed at a crypt with the name Redfield on the headstone. "Voi-effing-là." JJ commented, a headlamp on his forehead.

John B held his lantern to the stone. "See, my great-great-grandmother Olivia Redfield. That was her maiden name," it was quiet for a moment. "Help me with the door. Come on." John B urged JJ and Pope

The three boys bickered the entire time as they failed to get the door to the crypt to open. "This door is like 700 pounds. It's not gonna budge." Pope grunted, embarrassed to be failing in front of Thalia, who was just smiling at the event.

"We didn't come this far to get this far, all right?" JJ panted, leaping back quickly as a snake hissed loudly, crawling out from the crypt.

The boys and Kie shouted in fear as the snake landed on the ground. "That's a moccasin, all right," JJ said as the snake slithered on the grass, hissing. "Ye olde Dr. Cottonmouth. Death in tall grass." when JJ started barking at the snake Thalia wanted to murder him.

"JJ, shut up. Shut up!" Kie yelled, stressed out of her mind.

"You're gonna wake the freaking dead, man." Pope said, not noticing Thalia approach the snake.

"They're afraid of dogs. Everyone knows that, man," JJ grumbled, eyes widening as he found Thalia holding the snake. "What are you doing?" he shouted in terror, all four Pogues leaping back.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "It's not a moccasin. It's just a water snake." Thalia stepped away from the crypt, putting the snake down near a bush, watching as it slithered away.

JJ wasn't convinced. "Wait, hold on," he pulled John B away from the crypt as Thalia stepped over to Kie, wiping her hands on her pants. If there's one, there's probably dozens." he said, Thalia sighing.

"What?" Pope spoke, exasperated.

"Stop. You're scaring me." Kie whined as JJ started barking again, Thalia tossing a rock at his back to get him to stop.

"Stop barking at the snakes." John B ordered, breathing deeply.

"Just making sure it's clear." JJ spoke, Pope reaching him and John B.

"Shut up," Pope said sharply. "John, look. We're not gonna get in there, all right? It's not budging. We should probably just go." Pope suggested, glancing back to Thalia.

Kie held her flashlight up to the hole. "I can get through." she said suddenly, conversation ceasing.

John B whipped his head over to Kie. "What? No, no, no, no. You think you're gonna fit through the hole? That hole?" he questioned, not believing.

"Sounds like a fat joke to me." Thalia muttered, using her flashlight to draw random shapes on the crypt.

Kie rolled her eyes. "Look, this is about your dad. And honestly, I really don't believe in it, but you deserve to know the truth. One of us can fit, me or Thalia." she turned to look at the redhead, who lowered her flashlight.

Thalia realized what Kie was saying. "Hell no, Princess," Thalia said with a small laugh. "You can't have it both ways. You said I'm not in the group, which means I don't have to go diving for gold in a graveyard crypt. It's all you, girl." she pointed to the crypt, JJ and Pope biting their lips to contain their laughter at Thalia's words and Kie's face.

Kie scoffed and stepped towards the crypt. Pope, John B and Thalia held the vines back away from the hole. "Give her a boost." Pope said to JJ.

"I'm gonna boost you, all right. I've seen it in the movies several times. Ready?" he leant against the wall in a squat, Kie about to step into his hands.

"Remind me what we're looking for." Kie said to John B, flashlight aimed at the crypt.

"You'll know when you see it." John B said, and Thalia rolled her eyes at his lack of direction.

Thalia dissociated away from the situation, snapping back to life as Kie disappeared into the hole. She was doing that more and more recently. All she needed was some weed, and she would be fine. "Did you find something? Is there gold?" John B questioned, Thalia cracking her knuckles to limit her fidgeting.

"Oh, my God." Kie said suddenly.

When she crawled out of the crypt, Kie handed John B a package with two words scrawled over it. "That's not gold." Pope said, defeated.

John B stared at the white package, Thalia reaching his other side to read the words. "Holy shit. This is from my dad." John B realized in astonishment,

There wasn't any time for Thalia or Pope to respond, the look they shared expressing thousands of words. "Code red. Code red. Square groupers! Square groupers!" JJ said suddenly, Kie urging the group away. "It's the guys who robbed your house." the blonde led the five away from the vehicle that had pulled up.

"Light. Light!" Pope shouted, Thalia, Kie and John B hurriedly turning their flashlights off.

"JJ, your light, dumbass!" Thalia said in a hushed whisper as JJ fumbled with his headlamp.

"Turn your light off, man!" Pope ended up switching JJ's light off, frustrated.

Kie shouted for John B to get his lamp off, and once he did, she peered around the tomb they were leaning against to get a look at the two men. "Do you think it's them?" she questioned.

"Homie's got a gun." JJ said, and Thalia was already running away before the others could even stand up.

She started going the wrong direction, so as the group caught up to her, Pope yanked her over to him by the hood of her sweatshirt, pushing her in front of him. "Sorry." he muttered while they ran.

Thalia smiled to herself. "It's okay." Thalia panted, hobbling on her injured leg. She didn't have the stamina she used to, and even walking was an issue with her knee, so running was a nightmare.

They reached a gate, so JJ and John B hoisted Thalia up and over it, Kie landing beside her after JJ helped her over. Pope got stuck, JJ and John B rushing towards the van. "Guys, I'm stuck." Pope said in a panic, his shorts caught on the fence.

"Pope, come on!" JJ said, skidding to a stop.

Thalia moved over to him, Kie and John B stopping JJ from shooting Pope free. "Stop moving, dude!" she said, trying to get Pope free.

"You're gonna rip me. Wait. You're gonna rip me!" Pope said, but Thalia had to do what she had to do.

"You're fine. Come on!" Thalia ripped Pope free, his shorts remaining on the fence.

Thalia and Kiara burst out in laughter at Pope covering himself, rushing to the van. "Pope, come on!" JJ turned, seeing Pope in his underwear. "Nice! Come on, dude." the blonde teased as the five ran over to the van.

"It's a little Tootsie Roll." John B joked. Thalia slid the back door open, still laughing and Pope dove in.

"You're so stupid." Thalia smiled, pulling off her sweatshirt once she was seated, tossing it onto Pope's lap so he would be more comfortable. Pope was absolutely mortified to have been nearly naked in front of his crush, but Thalia just thought the scene was hilarious. Thalia's hadn't laughed or smiled in a long time. Maybe this was what it felt like to actually have friends.

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