011 — parcel nine

season one —
episode six

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THE NEXT MORNING Tatum and Kiara waiter around some of the tables at the wreck with JJ sitting at one of the available tables awaiting for John B's arrival.

This morning Tatum and JJ woke up to John B demanding them to meet him at the wreck at eleven am for a Pogue meeting.

John B bursts through the wreck doors greeting Kiara and Tatum before explaining to them that he is now living at the Cameron's.

"I'm sorry, you're staying where?" Kiara shrieks, "Tannyhill" John B responds with a mumble, "So you're living with Sarah Cameron" Tatum mutters in annoyance.

"Okay, look, the only reason I'm living there is because her dad bailed me out, right? And it's way better than foster care, which, by the way, is where I was about to go if Ward didn't—" John B rants.

"To be fair with you JB, my mom literally offered—you straight up denied it" Tatum snaps pouring sone lemonade in the cup beside JJ's knowing the male will just gulp down the liquid.

"Hey, so do you have a membership to the clubs now?" Pope mocks, "I don't know, Pope" John B responds tiredly.

"What about those golf carts they drive around? You get one of them?" JJ questions.

"Does it come with a sweater-vest, or do you have to buy one on your own?" Pope wonders.

"Look, you promised, you said you weren't with her" Kiara states sharing a look with Tatum handing JJ her cup of soda.

"Bro, just own it, she got you" JJ voices sipping on the cup Tatum handed him.

"Look, if you wanna hang out with her, that's fine, but I'm letting you know now that I'm not doing anything with Sarah and I bet Tate agrees with me" Kiara mutters.

"Amen to that" Tatum responds, "Do you guys see her here? No, right, okay, a little focus would be fantastic, we've got the map, right?" John B quizzes looking directly at JJ.

"Well, it's out of whack 'cause the guy was ganja'd when he drew it" JJ states, "Jay, it's 'cause the coast has changed" Tatum says softly seeing JJ nod at her in understanding.

"So we just have to look for landmarks that haven't changed" Pope states, "What about the old forts?" John B questions.

"Battery Jasper" Kiara mumbles pointing at the destination on the map quickly hurrying the rest of them out into the Twinkie so they can go to the lookout area.

"We're in Battery, right here, so if this is parcel nine, then it's somewhere northeast of here" Pope explains.

JJ stands behind Tatum allowing the girl to rest against his chest feeling the wind blowing through their clothes.

"Somewhere there" Kiara states pointing, "Right" Pope responds, "Over there? Guy's, that's not Tannyhill, that's a subdivision" JJ voices.

"Tannyhill Plantation was the entire island, it got sold into smaller pieces over time" John B responds while Pope continues looking at the map.

"So we're just looking for an old stone wall" Pope suggests, "Yay more driving" Tatum groans getting in the back of the RV holding onto the supporters due to John B's reckless driving.

"Okay, so the road should split up here" Pope explains, "Okay" John B murmurs, "All right, you're gonna take a left" Pope explains making John B do as told taking a sharp left turn.

"Jesus" Tatum exclaims once the vehicle comes to a halt, "That looks like a stone wall to me" JJ voices looking at the said stone wall.

"This is it" Pope confirms looking at the old creepy house ahead of them while getting out of the RV alongside the others sharing grimaces at the house.

"Not the Crain house" John B mumbles, Tatum and Kiara walk beside one another towards the wall.

"Are you kidding me?" Kiara voices looking at JJ—who's now stood beside Tatum staring up at the said house.

"Worst-case scenario" JJ mutters, "Why'd it have to be here—of all places?" Pope groans.

"I heard that Mrs Crain buried her husband's head on the property" JJ explains hearing Tatum suck in a breath nervously looking up at the windows.

Eventually the group of friends climb over the stone wall looking around their surroundings in the Crain house front yard.

"Look, you guys know whose house this is, right?" Kiara questions smirking seeing Tatum waving off the mosquitos around her.

"Oh, yeah, no, I do" JJ confirms, "Honestly, I don't really believe the stories of this place" John B states receiving glares from everyone and a shushing motion off Pope.

"What?" John B shrugs, "Which stories did you hear?" JJ questions catching up with the two girls.

"The one where she killed her husband with an axe and that she's been holed up ever since" Kiara explains noticing Tatum's smirk.

"On certain nights, when the moon is full—you can see her in the window!" Tatum says doing a hand motion trying to scare the blonde teenager.

"No, it's not funny, 'cause it's all true" JJ states flinching as they run into one of the many statues in the Crain yard.

"I swear to god, guys, this is all real, I knew Hollis" JJ states, "Wait, you knew Hollis Crain?" Pope questions confused.

"Yeah, dude" JJ answers with a nod, "Dude, how do you know Hollis Crain?" Pope quizzes.

"She was my babysitter, man, she told me all about it, told me the truth—about her mother and what happened in this house, 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, until that night" JJ explains drawing John B and Pope in.

While Tatum stands with her arms crossed, "What night?" John B questions.

"It all came back to her, when Hollis was six years old, she heard her parents arguing downstairs, so she goes downstairs to see her mom washing her hands in a sink—full of blood, her mother just says that she cut her finger, the next morning, she says her father and her split up, but then, Hollis noticed something, her mother going into the parlor constantly, in and out and in and out with plastic bags" JJ explains.

Tatum tilts her head not believing the story one bit before shuffling a little closer to him seeing the curtain in the upstairs window move as if someone was watching them.

"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" JJ says.

"God, you are so full of shit" John B mutters throwing his head back in annoyance, "Dude, I swear to god, man" JJ responds.

"Did she call the police?" Pope asks curiously, "She didn't have time" JJ says.

"We can't do this" Pope panicks a little frightened by the story JJ just told.

"Wait! Dude!" JJ exclaims once John B shoves himself through the two of them walking closer to the house.

"What?" John B snaps irritated, "You sure you wanna do this? She's an axe murderer man, you got a cast on" JJ says gesturing to the said cast on John B's wrist.

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

"Great, so my cousin is leading me into my death, fantastic" Tatum utters.

"Come on" Kiara whispers leading Pope away following behind John B while Tatum stays by JJ's side.

"Come on Jay" Tatum suggests eventually following after her cousin and the others towards the side of the house.

"Hey, come on, come here, so here's the plan, we need to look for the wheat near the water like it said in Denmark's letter" John B explains quietly.

"Okay, like, what kind of water? Like, pond water?" Pope wonders, "Bong water?" JJ chuckles yet again earning glares from some of the others and a groan of annoyance off the light haired brunette crouched down beside him.

"No, it—it just said look for water, okay?" John B mutters, "That's the shittiest secret message ever" Kiara responds grabbing Tatum's hand and walking off with her.

"Agreed" Tatum says raising her hand, "You wanna complain a little more, Kie, Tate? Nobody said it was gonna be easy" John B states following behind the girls.

Tatum stops noticing JJ and Pope aren't following them, "Go" Kiara orders lowly getting a smile off Tatum who walks over to the boys—more so JJ complaining about something.

"The decapitation quadrant" JJ utters, "Come on baby, let's do this together" Tatum suggests grabbing a hold of JJ's hand and walking off towards where they're gonna search for any clues.

"Hey, psst! Hey, come on, it's the only place we haven't looked" John B whisper shouts alerting the others.

Tatum giggles seeing JJ nearly tripping over a branch and waving his arms around crazily due to a bird flying out of one of the bushes.

"Oh, shit" JJ utters standing beside Tatum at the entrance of the basement.

"Here we go" John B mumbles leading them into the basement area seeing Mrs Crain's storage everywhere.

"I'm gonna die—like actually die and come back and haunt your ass JB" Tatum snarls scared out of her mind at the environment.

"'Down came Mrs Crain and cut off all our heads, up came the sun and dried up all the blood'" JJ sings lowly.

"Can you stop?" Pope snaps turning towards the blonde male annoyed.

"Yeah, please stop" Tatum says hearing creaking above them gasping alongside Kiara.

"See any water?" Kiara asks using the flashlight John B's holding as her way to see.

Tatum grunts waving off another mosquito annoyed, "Another dead end?" Tatum questions.

"There's not even water on the pipes" JJ explains feeling the pipes since they're dry, "There's no water here" Pope confirms.

"Not a dropamino" JJ states using a weird accent oblivious to the way Tatum looks at him using the said accent.

"Know why we didn't find it? Bad karma" Kiara voices, "Oh, god, here we go" John B sighs.

"You know, we had a good thing going and then you decide to rope in Barbie, and now the trail's gone dry, coincidence? Probably not" Kiara snaps looking at the Routledge boy.

"This is exactly why I didn't wanna tell you or Tate about Sarah" John B responds, "Yeah?" Kiara mocks.

"Yeah, what the hell's the deal with you three?" John B quizzes looking at Tatum stood beside JJ.

"Nothing" Kiara denies, "Um—I've already told you what my problem with Sarah is" Tatum speaks after while in annoyance.

"Nothing? Is it because I kissed you? Is that the problem?" John B taunts.

Tatum smirks hearing the slap Kiara just gave John B on the cheek echoing around the basement.

"Yes! Go girl!" Tatum cheers for her best friend, "Oh!" Pope gasps shocked, "Oh, shit! That echoed, dude!" JJ voices.

"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—and your cousin is also trying to protect you!" Kiara snarls.

"Did you, uh—hit me?" John B asks stunned, "Skeeter" Kiara responds, "Skeeter?" John B suggests.

"Yeah, you see it?" Kiara mocks holding up her hand showing the squashed mosquito on her palm.

"Yeah" John B responds slapping Kiara across the face, "Yeah, okay nope!" Tatum exclaims angrily.

"Oh, hey!" JJ says raising his voice a little bit, "Okay—" Pope sighs knowing this is getting out of hand.

"Alright, no" JJ says shaking his head not liking that John B just hit Kiara.

"Where's your proof?" Kiara mutters, "Skeeter" John B confirms holding up his palm showing the curly haired brunette.

Tatum frowns feeling the floor from underneath move under her feet.

"Pope, hey! Come here" Tatum says motioning for the male to come over hearing a splash below them ignoring John B and Kiara's bickering behind them.

"Why are there so many mosquitoes in a basement?" Pope questions smacking away the mosquitoes hearing the same thing Tatum just did below them.

"Dude, I know, seriously, tiny vampire bats, just leave me alone, oh, my gosh! Okay, can we leave? 'Cause I'm already itchin' to leave" JJ voices chuckling at what he just said seeing Tatum's smile.

"Ha! Punny" JJ voices with a chuckle, "I just found Mrs Crain's voodoo doll, guys" JJ says picking up the said creepy door and smirking at Tatum while Pope stomps oj something below their feet.

JJ tilts his head throwing the doll towards Tatum who ducks horrified, "Jay!" Tatum exclaims shocked.

JJ laughs seeing the scared look on the girls face bringing her into his arms while Pope suddenly starts throwing stuff around the basement startling everyone else.

Tatum stares at the others shocked seeing the well below their feet leading into nothing but darkness, "Well, well, well" Pope says.

"That was a good dad joke" John B mumbles shocked, "They built this part of the house right over it" Kiara voices.

"This is where she hid the bodies" JJ says with a smirk, "Oh, dude, come on" Pope groans.

"Jay, stop" Tatum mumbles scared, "Stop" Kiara says, "No, I'm dead serious, it was never an outhouse" JJ says.

"She probably doesn't even know it's here" Tatum states looking at JJ, "So—we found water" Pope chuckles looking at John B.

JJ places his hands on Tatum's shoulders startling her, "Scare me again and you're going down there!" Tatum screeches, "Sorry, princess" JJ smirks.

"We're gonna need a really big rope" John B smiles happily escorting the others out of the basement towards the Twinkie to head back to the chateau to form a plan.

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AFTER ARRIVING BACK AT the chateau once Tatum offered to make them some lunch due to feeling peckish herself.

John B said he needed to be somewhere and he'll be back soon, Tatum walks onto the verandah handing JJ, Kiara and Pope some snacks on a food platter.

Tatum scoffs loudly seeing John B arrive at the chateau with Sarah Cameron on his side with smiles on their faces.

"No effing way!" Tatum shrieks alerting Kiara who looks just at pissed off as Tatum beginning to pace the verandah area scowling at John B and the blonde barbie sitting beside him.

"You brought her here? So what? She's in on this now?" Kiara snarls, "I dunno" Pope shrugs seeing John B looking at him and JJ needing a little help with the two pissed girls.

"Look, all I care about is her cut comes out of your share" JJ says speaking up for himself.

"You know, I don't remember taking a vote, this is our thing" Tatum exclaims, "A Pogue thing" Kiara voices adding to Tatum's speech.

"I gotta say, I'm just a tad uncomfortable with all of this" Pope states, "Thank you, Pope!" Tatum responds.

"Yeah, thank you!" Kiara says pointing at Pope gratefully, "When are you not uncomfortable?" John B snaps.

"I dunno, I rode here on the back of JJ's bike pretty comfortably" Pope responds.

"It's true, most relaxed I've ever seen him" JJ explains, "That's cute, guys" John B mutters.

"You know we were all extremely comfortable until you brought her" Kiara mutters.

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Sarah exclaims, "Then leave!" Tatum snaps glaring at the blonde girl.

"I told you" Sarah scoffs looking at John B beside her, "Told him what, exactly? That you're a liar?" Kiara questions, "No, that you're a shit-talking bitch!" Sarah snaps.

"Wow" Tatum laughs genuinely scaring the boys around her who know she has a bit of a temper when it comes to people fucking with her and her friends.

"Oh, shit!" JJ and Pope gasp, "When have I lied to either of you?" Sarah questions.

"Bitch, don't get me fucking started!" Tatum shrieks, "My money's on Tate" JJ states holding up cash towards Pope betting on his girl in the fight.

"You get somebody close to you—" Kiara voices, "I didn't lie about shit" Sarah responds.

"Everybody shut up!" John B shouts stopping the three girls from fighting one another.

"Tate, Kie, you guys are my best friends, right?" John B questions, "I dunno, are we?" Tatum scowls looking at her cousin.

"And Sarah, you're—you're my—" John B stammers looking at the blonde smiling at him, "Say it" Sarah nods.

"You're my girlfriend" John B responds, "Oh, vomit!" Tatum grimaces.

"Ohh—that's new" Pope mumbles sharing a look with JJ—who's looking at Tatum's betrayed face, "She's your girlfriend now?" Kiara chuckles looking at Tatum.

"What was all that talk about you were just using her for information? Get a map, cut her loose" Tatum questions repeating what John B said last night at the small bonfire.

"You said you were using me?" Sarah asks hurt laced in her tone, "No" John B denies.

"Yes, you did!" Tatum scoffs, "Yeah" Kiara confirms, "You did" Pope confirms.

"You said those things" JJ states also confirming what he said a nights prior.

"Look, love just walked in, okay?" John B exclaims smiling—if this were any other situation Tatum would congratulate him and be happy for her cousin but not this one.

"Oh, vomit" Kiara lowly repeats what Tatum said minutes prior with a hurt smile on her face.

"I didn't expect it, it just—it kind of happened and I'm not gonna deny it, right?" John B says looking directly at Sarah's hurt face.

"Oh! That's corny" Pope whispers, JJ retches in disgust but remains looking at the light haired brunette biting her lip obviously biting her tongue from snapping loudly at her cousin.

"Look, cut the bullshit, John B, if she's in, Tate and I are out" Kiara states with a shrug.

"Tate, Kie, I'm not doing this, I can't!" John B exclaims, "You are gonna decide, I'm very interested, actually, us or her?" Tatum quizzes looking at her cousin betrayal shown on her face clear as day.

"Both" John B shrugs, "Ooh" Pope mumbles with a wince, "Went for the Hail Mary" JJ whistles, "No!" Pope lowly exclaims.

"Have a nice life, John B" Tatum snaps not even bothering looking at the blonde girl seated beside him and walking out of the chateau with Kiara beside her.

"I'm gonna head home, I love you, Kie" Tatum says grabbing her bike from beside the Twinkie.

"I love you too, Tate" Kiara responds hugging the girl before separating and going their own ways for personal space.

JJ sits on the chair on the verandah watching Tatum and Kiara leave—more so Tatum's figure riding her bike away from the chateau with saggy shoulders knowing she's most likely crying.

"It'll be cool, right? I'm gonna leave" Sarah voices after a while getting up from her seat and leaving same as the other girls, "Sarah, don't" John B begs.

"Gonna let y'all chat, let me know" Sarah mutters, "I'd just like to say, you handled that beautifully" JJ voices standing up in-front of his best friend.

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TATUM PLACES HER BIKE on the side of her cottage seeing her mom's car in the driveway.

"T-T—honey?" Nicole calls out seeing Tatum's tear stained cheeks.

"I'm fine, mom, just had a fight with John B" Tatum explains walking upstairs towards her bedroom just wanting to be alone for the time being.

Tatum sits on her large bed looking at the curtains swaying in the wind from the balcony.

Said girl sighs walking into the ensuite of her bedroom showering and taking a break from all the chaos happening around them.

Tatum frowns coming out from her shower hearing a gentle knocking on her balcony doors.

"Rafe?" Tatum questions confused seeing her ex boyfriend standing on her balcony with red rimmed eyes sniffling.

"Tae" Rafe whispers holding in a sob, "Oh, come in, come on" Tatum says patting the bed for him to join her on.

"What happened Rafe?" Tatum sighs, "I fucked up, like always—homeless too" Rafe mutters wiping his nose.

Tatum tilts her head confused at the mention of Rafe being homeless.

"You can stay here, okay? My mom won't mind, as long as you're respectful and don't use under her roof" Tatum offers seeing Rafe looking at her with heartbroken eyes but he nods nonetheless and lays back on the large bed breathing heavily.

"Thank you Tae" Rafe weakly murmurs knowing the two of them—more so Tatum isn't really liking him much these days due to their complicated past together.

"Get some rest, okay?" Tatum whispers luring him into sleep rubbing circles on his back.

"Goodnight, Tae" Rafe mumbles before falling into slumber in Tatum's nice cozy bedroom snuggled into his ex girlfriend.

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TO BE CONTINUED...