MARLBORO NIGHTS [JJ MAYBANK]

the redfield death compass

WHY JJ AND JOHN B WERE AWAKE SO EARLY DURING THE SUMMER, KAROLINA WOULD NEVER KNOW. Yet, there they were, honking the horn of John B's van at her as she exited her house. "We got places to be, Princess! Pick up the speed!" shouted JJ out the passenger side window. Karolina showed him her middle finger.

"You buffoons woke up my sister, so just know she won't be letting any of you sleep over for the rest of the summer," she spat, climbing into the back seat. She frowned. "Where's Pope and Kie?"

"Home probably."

"What? Then why do I have to be here?" asked Karolina, closing the door and figuring she was already awake, so why not. "Because Lana Grubbs likes you," John B answered, "And she doesn't like us."

The van started moving again, and they were on their way. "You think Ms. Lana knows something about the compass?" she questioned and her eyes caught on the rusty thing sitting on top of the dash board. JJ shrugged, glancing back at her with a skeptical look. "It's worth a shot."

John B had never really accepted his father's death. In the first few months after his disappearance, it was reasonable for him to still have some hope that one day his dad would return, but even when the police officially declared him dead, JB refused to sign the papers. He refused to be put into the foster care system because if he did, it would mean his dad was truly dead. For months, he had been holding to whatever evidence he had, and finding the compass only fueled his delusions. It was time to let go.

Karolina had dealt with the death of a parent, and if there was one thing she knew, it was that John B needed closure. And if going on a wild compass goose chase was what he needed to find that closure, then she was all for it.

When they arrived at Lana Grubbs wildly painted house, JJ made sure to comment on it. "Know what this house looks like? That whoever lives here smokes too much weed."

"Scooter actually did smoke a lot of weed," Karolina informed them, "It was medicinal though, for his arthritis." Her sister took care of the Grubbs family occasionally at the hospital, and thought it was hilarious that the oldest, most conservative man in all of the Outer Banks smoked weed for his chronic pain.

"Maybe that's why he went out into a hurricane," muttered John.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash and the sound of glass shattering. Karolina's eyes widened, and they all hesitated. A deafening voice boomed from the inside. "Where is it?!"

"M-maybe we should come back," JJ tried, starting to back away, "Its a little too soon-" Karolina looked at John B, shaking her head, knowing they were thinking the same thing- If Lana was in trouble, they had to help her. "Shut up, just shut up JJ," interrupted John B, as JJ argued in favor for leaving immediately.

"I'll sink you in the-"

Lana's scream pierced the air, and Karolina jumped, startled. "You're hurting me!" Lana cried, before she screamed again following another loud crash, which sent chills up Karolina's spine. Without saying a word, she followed John B closer to the house, fighting every instinct in her body that told her to run.

"Where is it? Where is it?"

"I don't know!"

Karolina had to hold a hand over her mouth to bury the bile rising in her throat; it sounded like they were torturing her, trying to find something that was obviously very important. Something deep down told her the very thing they were looking for was in John B's pocket.

The three slid along the side of the house, backs pressed up against the wood as the screaming continued. "The compass wasn't in the boat! Where is it Lana!"