Sunflower || JJ Maybank/Cassandra Routledge

11. Marble Town

Lucky Compass 2.07

The smile on his face grows when he realizes she isn't looking away, or changing the subject. She is as much in the moment right now as he is.

          Casey and John B walk in silence as they make their way back to the Chȃteau, both wishing they had a clear choice. Every time they have had to make a decision, there has been a conflict. Either go the smart way, or the way that will lead them to answers. But now that John B has given away the compass, there is only one option. Forget. Forget about the compass. Forget about the constant burden of finding the truth. Finally let go of hoping for something that's not there. Go back to being two teenagers with the only worries being relationships and underage drinking.

          As the two near the house, their strides slow. From the outside, the Château looks untouched, like no one has broken in but they know that's not the case for the inside. From glass breaking, to the office door being shot, the inside has to be a mess. John B is the first to enter as they make their way through the side door and to no surprise, the house is exactly how they imagine. Glass, tables, chairs, the couch, picture frames, everything is broken on the floor, just like Lana's. The one place they consider safe, destroyed before their eyes. As they take in the state of the house, now seeing it from outside of the office, John B and Casey's hearts break. This is their home. This is all they have left and the Square Groupers destroyed it.

          Instead of letting the defeat take over, John B takes a deep breath in and starts moving throughout the living space, grabbing broken glass and throwing it in the trash. At first Casey doesn't move, she just watches her brother begin cleaning. Out of the two, John B is better at hiding his feelings, he always has been, and Casey needs a minute to collect herself. She can feel the tear pulling at her eyes but she doesn't want to cry. She doesn't want to break down right now. She needs to be strong. She will be strong.

          After getting her emotions under control, and realizing John B has the main living space handled, Casey carefully makes her way through the house, stepping over multiple broken pictures frames laying in the doorway to the hallway. She supports herself against the wall as she climbs over a chair blocking Big John's room and manages to get into the room. Inside, the room is just as bad as the living room and kitchen. The dresser drawers are thrown on the bed and floor and clothes are everywhere. When she thought they needed a minute alone, without the Pogues, this is not what she meant. Cleaning up their house after the Square Groupers ransacked it does not seem like a calming time. The complete opposite for that matter. But, like John B, she pushes through the dread and carefully starts picking up the clothes directly in front of her, cringing at her stomach hurting.

          As soon as Casey stands up, a huge pile of clothes in hand, something immediately clicks in her head and her breathing rapidly increases. If the dresser drawers are out and all of the clothes are strewn across the room, where is her red box? She immediately throws the clothes in her hand to the corner of the room and starts rummaging through the piles on the floor. Her heartbeat begins to race as she gets through the last of the clothes, still not finding the box. She runs her hands through her hair and scans the room, praying the box is in the room and she missed it, instead of the terrible possibility of it being in the living room with John B. If he finds the box, even though it's locked, he is going to question it and right now, Casey can't think of a lie good enough to make him believe her.

          She lets herself study the room for a brief moment before turning manic, quickly piling all the clothes up in the corner, the trash and rubbish flying out of the door. From the far corner of the room, the best vantage point in her mind, Casey's eyes scan across the floor, unfortunately not seeing the box. It has to be in the room. It has to be, or all hell will break loose. Right as she thinks all hope is lost and she is going to have to secretly search the living room without John B asking what she's doing, a tiny piece of red sticking out from under the nightstand catches her eye. She quickly jumps over the bed and grabs the box, a huge wave of relief flooding over her as she pulls it out. She knows she should check to make sure the pills are still in there, but she needs a second to breathe. She stashes the now dented box under the dresser for the moment and sits on the corner of the bed, running her hands through her hair.