"I'm sorry. You're staying where?" Kiara asked.
John B was finally out of the hospital and the group had decided to meet up at The Wreck.
"Tannyhill," John B said.
"So you're living with Sarah Cameron?" Kiara asked.
"Okay, look, the only reason I'm living there is because her dad bailed me out, right?" John B asked, "And it's way better than foster care, which, by the way, is where I was about to go if Ward didn't--"
"Hey, so do you have a membership to the club now?" Pope asked.
"I don't know, Pope," John B said.
"What about those golf carts they drive around? You get one of them?" JJ asked.
"Does it come with a sweater-vest, or do you have to buy one on your own?" Pope teased.
"Leave him alone, guys," Evelyn said.
"Look, you promised," Kiara said, "You said you weren't with her."
"Bro, just own it. She got you," JJ said.
"Look, if you want to hang out with her, that's fine," Kiara said, "But I'm letting you know now that I'm not doing anything with Sarah."
"Do you guys see her here?' John B asked, "No, right. Okay. A little focus would be fantastic. We've got the map, right?"
"It's all out of whack 'cause the guy was ganja'd when he drew it," JJ said.
"It's cause the coast had changed," Evelyn said looking down at the map.
"So we just have to look for landmarks that haven't changed," Pope said.
"What about the old forts?" John B asked.
"Battery Jasper," Kiara said pointing to it on the map.
"Looks like we better get going then," Evelyn said.
--
"We're on Battery, right here," Pope said pointing to the map and everyone stood around him, "So if this is parcel nine, then it's somewhere northeast of here."
"Somewhere over there," Kiara said pointing in front of them.
"Right," Pope said.
"Over there?" JJ asked, "Guys, that's not Tannyhill, that's a subdivision."
"Tannyhill Plantaion use to be the entire island," John B said, "It got sold into smaller pieces over time."
"So we're just looking for an old stone wall, then," Evelyn said looking down at the map.
"Off we go on another adventure," JJ said.
"Hopefully this one turns out better than they last," Evelyn mumbled to herself.
The five teens all climbed back into the van, John B and Pope sitting in the front, while Kiara, Evelyn and JJ got in the back.
"Okay, so the road should split up here," Pope said directing John B.
"Okay," John B said.
"All right. You're gonna take a left," Pope said.
"That looks like a stone wall to me," JJ said as John B stopped the van
"This is it," Pope said.
"Not the Carin house," Evelyn said getting out of the van.
"Are you kidding me?" Kiara asked.
"Worst case senecio," JJ said.
"Why'd it have to be here?" Pope asked, "Of all places..."
"I heard that Mrs. Crain buried her husband's head on the property," JJ said making Evelyn give him a look of concern.
"Well we aren't going to find the gold just standing here," John B said climbing over the rock wall.
Evelyn sighed, "Here goes nothing," she hoisted herself up climbing over the wall.
"Look, you guys know whose house this is, right?" Kiara asked.
"Oh, yeah. No, I do," JJ said.
"Honestly, I don't really believe the stories of this place," John B said being shushed by Pope.
"Which storied did you hear?" JJ asked Kiara.
"The one where she killed her husband with an axe," Kiara said, "And that she's been holed ever since."
"On certain night when the moon is full, you can see her in the window," Evelyn grabbing JJ's shoulders and whispering in his ear.
"It's not funny," JJ said shrugging her off, "Cause it's all true."
Evelyn laughed at the boy.
"I swear to God, guys, this is all real I know Hollis," JJ jumping as he turned the corner, being scared by a statue, "Jeez!"
"You knew Hollis Crain?" Pope asked.
"Yeah, dude," JJ said.
"How did you know Hollis Crain?" Pope asked.
"She was my babysitter," JJ said, "She told me all about it. Told me the truth...about her mother and what happened in this house."
"What happened in this house JJ?" Evelyn asked.
"So as a kid, she heard all the stories that her mother killed her father, and she was a murderer and all. Hollis didn't believe it," JJ said, "Until that night."
"What night?" John B asked.
"It all came back to her," JJ said turning to look at the statue behind him, "When Hollis was six years old, she heard her parents arguing downstairs. So she goes downstairs to see her mom washing her hands in the sink...full of blood. Her mother just says that she cut her finger."
Evelyn looked at John B with wide eyes, JJ's story freaking her out wether it was true or not.
"The next morning, she says her father and her split up. But then, Hollis noticed something," JJ said, "Her mother going into the parlor constantly, in and out and in and out with plastic bags. Weeks pass, and Hollis decided 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."
"God, you are so full of shit," John B said.
"Dude, I swear to God, man," JJ said looking at the rest of the group.
"Did she call the police?" Pope asked.
"She didn't have time," JJ said, John B cutting him off by walking past him, "Wait! Dude!"
"What?" John B asked.
"You sure you wanna do this? She's an axe murderer. You got a cast on," JJ said.
"I don't give a shit is she's an axe murderer, okay?" John B said making Pope look at him wide eyed, "I got nothin' to lose, right? You coming' or what?"
"Come on," Kiara said following John B.
Evelyn walked behind Pope with JJ behind her, making sure to stay low.
"Hey, come on. Come here," John B whispered, "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?"
"Bong water?" JJ joked.
"Seriously, JJ?" Evelyn said giving the boy an 'are you dumb' look.
"It just said look for water, okay," John B said.
"That's the shittiest secret message ever," Kiara said staring to walk away.
"You wanna complain a little more, Kie," John B said following her, "Nobody said it was going to be easy."
"Evelyn and I will search the northeast quadrant," Pope said looking at JJ, "You search the northwest."
"The decapitation quadrant?" JJ asked.
"Yeah..." Pope said.
"Well I'm at least taking Evelyn with me," JJ said pulling the girl to his side.
"Fine," Pope said walking away.
"What? I don't want to go to the decapitation quadrant," Evelyn complained.
"Sorry darlin' I'm not going by myself," JJ said pulling the girl along.
Evelyn followed closely behind JJ looking all around for any signs of water, "This is probably the stupidest thing we've done this far. And that includes getting shot at."
"Hold my hand," JJ said putting his hand out.
"What? No," Evelyn said smacking the boys hand away.
"Guys!" John B whispered, "This is the only place we haven't looked."
Evelyn walked up to the doors that lead to under the house. It was dark and smelled musty.
"Okay," she said looking at JJ, "I take back what I said earlier. This is the stupidest thing we've done."
"Want my hand now?" JJ asked.
"Yes, please," the girl said grabbing ahold of his hand tightly.
"Down came Mrs. Crain and cut off all our head," JJ sang to the tune of itsy bitsy spider, "Up came the sun and dried up all the blood."
"Can you not right now," Evelyn hissed.
"Do you see any water?" Kiara asked.
Evelyn looked around seeing a bunch of junk inside of the basement.
"Another dead end?' Evelyn asked.
"There's not even water on the pipes," JJ said letting go of Evelyns hand to run his hand along it.
"There is no water here," Pope said.
"Not a dropamino," JJ said.
"Know why we didn't find it?" Kiara asked, "Bad karma."
"Oh, god, here we go," John B muttered.
"You know, we had a good thing going," Kiara said turning to John B, "And then you decided to rope in Barbie, and now the trail's gone dry. Coincidence? Probably not."
"This is exactly why I didn't wanna tell you about Sarah," John B said.
"Yeah?" Kiara challenged.
"Yeah," John B confirmed, "What the hell's the deal with you two?"
"Nothing," Kiara said.
"Nothing? Is it because I kissed you? Is that the problem?" John B asked.
Evelyn gasped looking over at them, this being the first time she's heard it.
"Ha," she said turning to JJ and Pope, "I believe you boys each owe me $5!"
Kiara slapped John B making Evelyn snap her head back toward her friends.
"Oh, shit," JJ said, "That echoed, dude."
"Stop treating me like I'm some girl that's obsessed with you instead of your best friend who's actually trying to look out for you," Kiara said.
"Did you uh... hit me?" John B asked.
"Skeeter," Kiara said holding up her hand.
"Skeeter?" John B asked.
"Yeah, you see it?" the girl questioned as John B slapped her back.
"Oh, hey!" JJ said, "All right...no"
"You guys are going way too far with this," Evelyn said.
"Where's your proof?" Kiara asked.
"Skeeter," John B said holding up his palm.
Kiara smacked John B with her flashlight on his arm, "There was probably one right there."
"There's one right there," John B said smacking the girls arm.
"Yeah cause you saw that," Kiara said.
"Are we just going to let this happened?" Evelyn questioned looking at Pope and JJ who just shrugged.
"On your forehead," John B said poking Kiara.
"You're dead," Kiara laughed, "That's it. Today is the day you die. It's your funeral."
Evelyn smack at her arm and forehead as multiple mosquitos landed on her, "These things are freakin' swarming!"
"Sh, keep it down," JJ said turning to John B and Kiara.
"Why are there so many mosquitos in a basement?" Pope asked to himself.
"Dude. I know, seriously. Tiny vampire bats, just leave me alone," JJ said, "Oh, my gosh! Okay, can we leave? 'Cause I'm already itchin' to leave."
"Ha, punny," Evelyn laughed.
Evelyn looked over to where Pope was stomping on some boards.
"I just found Mrs. Crain's voodoo doll, guys," JJ said.
"Oh shit," Kiara said.
Evelyn walked toward Pope as he dropped a pebble in between two boards. They both looked up at each other as water splashed beneath them.
"We gotta move the boards," Evelyn said as her and Pope started throwing the wood.
"What are you guys doing," JJ questioned as John B and Kiara shushed them.
"Help us move this," Evelyn gestured toward the wood on the ground.
"Okay, just quiet," JJ said.
Everyone grabbed an end of the board moving the wood.
"Guy shh. She's probably right upstairs," Kiara said.
Pope shinned his flashlight down as the group looked into the well they had uncovered.
"Well, well, well," Pope joked.
"You guys are just full of dad jokes today, aren't ya," Evelyn said.
"They built this part of the house right over it," Kiara said.
"This is where she hid the bodies," JJ said earning a slap from Evelyn.
"Stop," the girl whined.
"No, I'm dead serious," JJ said.
"Another dad joke?" Evelyn questioned.
"It was never an outhouse," JJ said ignoring her.
"She probably doesn't even know it's here," Kiara said.
"We found water," Pope said.
"We're gonna need a really big rope," John B smiled.