▶️ Falling - Oceans Ahead

T H E   V A R I A B L E S

After the square groupers left, we finally got out of the chicken coop. We buried Rocky close to the big tree and carved a cross into the trunk. John B wanted to check out the Redfield Lighthouse. He believed it was a sign from his father. With much convincing, John B made us get in his van to go check it out.

"I mean it's obvious, right?" John B spoke as he drove the van. He glanced at Kie, who sat in the passenger seat. Pope was dangling the compass in front of his face. "A family heirloom. What better place to hide a message? He had to know it was going to get back to me, right?"

JJ played with the tips of his hair in irritation. He looked at me and rolled his eyes at what John B was saying. I raised a brow at him.

"Yeah. It's possible." Kie told him.

"It could also be possible that you're concocting wild theories to help," Pope fiddled with the compass, "you know, deal with your sad feels."

"Pope?" John B looked at his rear view mirror to look at Pope.

"Dude." I hissed, leaning over to pinch his arm. "Stop."

"Um, ow!" Pope flicked my arm.

"Bro, you know how I process my sad feels." JJ started. "Dank nugs and the stickiest of ickies. That's how I do it."

"I'm not concocting, okay? My dad's trying to send me a message." John B turned to look at us for a moment.

"If it helps you believe, John B." Kie softly said.

"Look, I-I don't need a therapy session, okay? I'm not trippin' out." John B gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"It's okay to trip, bro, but-"

"Look," John B cut off JJ, "my-my dad is missing, okay? Missing."

"John B..." I trailed off when Pope shook his head.

"You don't know what it's like to have the person closest to you vanish and then have no idea what happened." John B's voice cracked as his eyes started to water. I averted my gaze to the floor. My heart aches for the pain my best friend was going through. "Just wake up every morning wondering."

"It's been almost a year." Kie reminded him.

"Maybe...maybe he's just stuck somewhere. Like maybe he's trying his best to get back to you." I licked my lips.

"Hey, he could have been kidnapped. That's definitely a possibility." JJ looked towards Pope for help.

"Yeah, he could be in a Soviet sub getting interrogated by the KGB somewhere." Pope added.

"Soviets, really?" I mouthed to him with a quirked brow.

"Absolutely." JJ continued with Pope's theory. "Uh...or Atlantis."

"JJ." Kie sent him a look to shut up before turning her attention to John B. "Look, what do you think the message is?"

"Redfield. Redfield Lighthouse. That's my dad's favorite place." John B informed us as we passed the sign to the lighthouse.

The van stopped facing the fence of the lighthouse. John B turned off the car. The five of us exited the van. We walked a little way to stare up at the lighthouse, the setting sun painting the sky in beautiful pastel colors.

"Right. You're gonna post up and look out for bogeys, okay?" John B pointed towards JJ.

"Why...why me?" JJ directed his finger toward his chest, crinkling his brows together.

"Because you're not coming." Pope said.

"Why?"

"There are independent and dependent variables." Pope started. JJ looked at John B. The later averted his gaze, adjusting his cap. "You're independent. We don't know what you'll do."

"Shut up." JJ repeatedly yelled at Pope.

"Listen to me for a second. Just listen to me for a second." John B made them stop. The two arguing boys turned their attention to him. "Just listen. Pope, you stay look out with JJ, okay? If we get split up, we meet back at JJ's house."

"Great." Kie gave a curt nod. "Nina, you coming?"

"Oh, hell no." I snorted, placing my hands on my hips. "I'm terrified of heights."

"Just don't kill them." John B rolled just eyes at me.

"No promises." I sent him a playful smirk.

John B shook his head with a chuckle. He waved for Kie to follow him. The two started to enter the property of the lighthouse. I heaved a sigh, wrapping an arm around Pope's and JJ's shoulders.

"I'm gonna work on my merit scholarship essay." Pope informed us. I let out a groan, dropping my arms. JJ walked away and took out a hackey sack from his pocket. "And I'm trying to keep felonies to a minimum."

JJ waved the hackey sack at me. I beamed and gave him a nod. He tossed the sack into the air, letting it drop to his thigh.

"Will you just shut up?" JJ started to juggle the hackey sack.

Pope shot him a glare. JJ kicked the hackey sack toward me. I trapped it with the laces of my shoe. Kicking it up, I caught it with my other foot. I juggled it for a bit, alternating from my feet to my thighs. I passed him the hackey sack with my foot.

"Okay, put me into the game." Pope walked toward us.

JJ played with the hackey sack for a bit before kneeing the sack to Pope. Pope caught it with his foot. He kicked it up to his thigh. It went higher than he expected, causing him to chest it. The hackey sack started to fall to the ground. Pope made a brought his foot up to try and catch it, but he missed it by a second.

"Damn." JJ groaned out.

"Another round?" I picked up the hackey sack.

"Yeah, toss it." Pope nodded.

I tossed the hackey sack to Pope. He hit it with his thigh, bouncing it up into the air. Pope kicked it toward JJ. JJ shuffled closer, crossing his left leg behind his right and lifting it up. He caught the hackey sack on the side of his shoe.

"Oh!" Pope cheered, pumping the air.

JJ grinned, kicking the hackey sack into the air. He quickly caught it with his other foot. JJ passed it to me. I trapped it with my foot. Kicking the sack up, I brought the same foot over the hackey sack and swung it underneath to catch it before it touched the ground.

"She got moves!" JJ cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted.

"It takes talent," I chipped the hackey sack to my thigh and passed it to Pope, "to be this good."

"You're full of it." Pope laughed, grabbing the hackey sack in the air.

"Damn it, Pope, we had it going." JJ groaned out.

"Here." Pope tossed the hackey sack to him.

JJ caught it in his hands.

"Oh! You should catch it in your shirt pocket!" I said in excitement. "Like basketball."

"Let's do it." Pope grinned, morning for JJ to give the hackey sack to it. JJ tossed him the sack. Pope looked at me with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "First one to make it gets to dare the other to do something. No back outs."

"You're on." I narrowed my eyes at the challenge.

"Alright, let's go." JJ rolled his shoulders back with a smirk.

JJ popped open his pocket. He grabbed it and made sure it stayed in that position. Pope tossed the hackey sack. It hit JJ's face.

"My bad." Pope winced.

"Yeah," JJ grumbled as he picked up the sack and gave it to me, "sure."

"You gotta remember he was in the math team." I joked, nudging Pope.

"Funny. It's your turn." Pope playfully shoved me.

"Wait, I gotta loosen up." I started to shake out my arms and legs. The boys stared at me as if I was the weird one. "It has results, okay?"

"Just throw the damn sack, Nina." JJ exasperated.

I mumbled encouraging words under my breath. Deciding to go with the under hand method, I tossed the hackey sack. It hit JJ's shoulder.

"It shows results." Pope mocked in a high pitched voice.

"Shut up." I groaned out.

"Alright buddy, you're turn." JJ chucked the hackey sack to Pope. He gave Pope a meaningful glance. "Crush her."

"Got it." Pope smirked.

"Wait. What was that?" I waved a suspicious finger between the two.

"Nothing." Pope quickly tossed the hackey sack towards JJ.

JJ moved to catch the hackey sack in his shirt pocket. The boys let out cheers. I gasped at them. Cheaters. A siren sounded from down the road. I looked over JJ to see a police car making its way toward us.

"Oh, shit!" Pope let out.

The three of us ran to the van. JJ turned the keys in the ignition to start the car. I opened the side door and hopped in. As soon as Pope got into the car, JJ started to back up. I slammed the door shut.

"We're seriously peeling on them?" Pope asked.

"Aren't we waiting for Kie and John B?" I sat down and gripped the driver's seat.

"No, John B told us to meet at my place if we were to get separated." JJ told me. "That's what we're doing. We're no good if we get arrested."

🌊

When we met up at JJ's, John B and Kie didn't come together. Kie had come to explain what had happened. From what the lighthouse worked informed them to John B being taken in for questioning. Kie told us she was going to go convince her dad to bail him out. The Royal Merchant would be closer to shore that people had expected and in the other side of the island. Apparently, Big John already knew that and John B was filled with disappointment. The crew decided to go home from there.

I was currently in my backyard watering the garden. Papi had planted them a few years back to help save us money on food. Sadly, the hurricane had uprooted some of the vegetables. I placed the vegetables that I found lying around the yard in the compost tub. With a basket in hand, I picked the vegetables that were ready to eat inside.

I turned off the water hose once all of the plants got their fill. Dusting my hands, I went back inside the house. Mom was working an extra shift again. Papi was still going around town applying to jobs, even going mainland. Lucas was grabbing his longboard from his room and heading towards the front door.

"Where are you going?" I placed the basket on the counter.

"Noah's. His parents managed to get a small generator. We're going to watch some movies and enjoy the the cool air the fans are going to give us." Lucas informed me. "You staying home?"

"Yeah, gotta finish the chores." I shrugged.

There was a honk from our dirt road. Someone called out my name. Lucas opened the door, shrugging in a backpack.

"I don't think so. You're friends are here." Lucas quirked a brow.

"Ugh, what now?" I walked to the door. Out on the dirt road was John B's van. JJ had his head sticking out of the window, his arm hanging out. John B was leaning against the steering wheel, sending us a wave. Pope had slid open the side door. "What?"

"Let's go." John B smiled.

"Uh...Why?"

"You know why." John B glanced at Lucas. "What up, kid?"

"Not a kid." Lucas shook his head, walking past me. "Going to Noah's, most likely spending the night there."

"Okay, you have your meds?" I asked.

"Yup!" Lucas gave me a thumbs up.

"Get in loser, where going to go pick up Kie." JJ beamed, banged the outside of the passenger door.

A couple minutes later, we arrived at The Wreck. Pope got down to go grab Kie. The rest of us stayed inside. I sat in the back, silently singing Like A River in my head.

"She says she's not coming." Pope exited the restaurant and leaned against the wooden railing.

"Why not?" JJ questioned. He looked at John B with narrowed eyes. "What did you do to her, John B?"

"Shit." John B thumped the steering wheel.

"What the hell did you do?" I leaned forward in my seat.

"Hang on. I'll deal with it." John B got out of the car.

JJ and I watched our friend make his way inside the restaurant. Pope walked back to the van, coming to join me in the back. The sun was starting to set. Whatever John B has in mind to do today was going to happen at night.

"By the way, I won so you gotta do the dare I tell you." Pope gave me a smug smile.

"No, you two cheated." I crossed my arms and leaned back into my seat.

"We did not." JJ rolled his eyes.

"Did too! You moved to let his to go in."

"The police scared me." JJ lied.

"We didn't hear or see them until after you caught it." I scoffed.

"I still say I won." Pope shrugged, placing an arm on top of the seat.

"Nope."

"What would have been the dare?" JJ asked Pope.

"Uh...didn't get that far." Pope dubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"Then why are you complaining?" I softly kicked my foot at his shin.

"I'm not complaining."

"Kinda are, bro." JJ nodded, taking out a joint and lighting it.

"Shut up."

Not long after, Kie and John B got into the van. Kie had forced JJ to go to the back so she could sit in the front. He grumbled and scowled at her until he sat next to me. He gave me a grin, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and pulling me closer to him. John B drove to wherever the hell we were going. The sun had fallen and the moon was slowly inclining in the sky.

"You mind if I just relax on this one? It's been a long day, and a lot of weird stuff's gone down." JJ held up a joint. His talking was slow and soft. A hint that he was high. "I'm just gonna lay low. Oh, did you want a hit if this?"

"I keep the signal clear." Pope denied JJ's offer.

"Dude, okay." JJ waved the joint toward the scholarship runner up. "Do you understand that your problem is that you don't get creative? If you got creative-"

I heaved a sigh. This was only going to lead into a fight. Kie sent a sharp look towards the driver.

"Look, I-I know I was wrong about the lighthouse, all right?" John B interrupted them. We turned our attention to him. "And-and pretty much wrong about everything else going on. But I-I was right about one thing. Okay? My dad is trying to tell me something."

My heart was divided. I hope that Big John is alive, because that would mean John B wouldn't go into the foster care system. However, deep down, I know that he isn't alive either. He's been gone for almost a year now.

John B cast a glance at us. We fell into a silence. I bit my lip, wondering where we were going. John B pulled the van close to the cemetery gates. My mouth dropped in shock.

He's got to be kidding.

John B stepped out, motioning for us to follow. He told us to grab the flashlights and pattern from the back. Begrudgingly, we did what he said. The things we do for this boy. A few minutes later and we were walking in the cemetery. Kie was slowly walking in the back, looking around the cemetery with unease. Goosebumps rose on my skin at the thought of walking over dead bodies.

"Come on, hey. Hey." John B whispered to Kie.

"I'm coming." Kie retorted, picking up her pace. "This place is scary. John B, what are we doing?"

John B hushed her. Kie shot him a look of irritation. JJ's headlamp would move along with his steps, wavering every time he avoided a tombstone.

"Okay, so you know how you're trying to remember a song and you can't remember who sings it?" John questioned.

"Yeah."

"What does this have to do with us being in a creepy haunted cemetery?" I exasperated, watching my step and eyeing the ground for snakes.

"So, Redfield. This whole time, I thought it was a place, right? But it's not a place." John B stopped in front of a mausoleum. He held his lantern above his head to show off the last name engraved at top of the stone door. Redfield. "It's a person."

"Voi-effing-lá." JJ muttered.

"See, my great-great-grandmother Olivia Redfield. That was her maiden name." John B informed us, lowering the lantern.

We stared at the mausoleum. Thick vines and dead branches covered a good portion of the stone door. The upper left of the door was missing, being covered. I held back a shiver at the thought of what was inside the building.

"Help me with the door. Come on." John B told Pope.

"Alright."

"Go." Kie waved her flashlight toy he building.

The two made their way to the door. I made sure to shine my light at them. They pressed their palms against the stone. John B counted down. At three, the two of them pushed at the stone. Only a small rumble was heard.

"Are you pushing?" Pope grunted out.

"Yeah, I'm pushing." John B's voice strained as he pushed again.

"Don't hurt yourselves." I told them.

"Come on."

"Hold on. I got it." JJ walked over to help them.

The three of them started to push together. I exchanged and nervous glance with Kie. These three idiots are going to end up hurting themselves.

"This door is like 700 pounds, man. It's not going to budge." Pope groaned.

"We didn't get this far to get this far, alright?" JJ gave him a look of irrational. "Got it."

There was a hiss. A black snake started to slither out of the hole in the door. I let out a shriek, almost dropping my flashlight from fright. The boys quickly jumped away. The black snake slithered onto the ground and started to go in a different direction than us.

"Whoa!"

"Ah, snake!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

"That's a moccasin, alright. Ye olde Dr. Cottonmouth. Death in tall grass." JJ informed us, taking a step towards the snake and then started to bark at it.

"JJ, shut up. Shut up!" Kie tried to hush him.

"What the hell was that?" I wrapped an hand around JJ's arm.

I pulled him towards us, before I dropped my hand. My gaze never leaving the area the snake had been. The snake was gone, for now. The saying my parents told me about snakes popping into my head. When there's one, there's always an other.

"You're gonna wake the freaking dead, man." Pope said.

"They're afraid of dogs. Everyone knows that." JJ glanced at us. John B and Kie started to walk back to the door. JJ quickly placed a hand on their shoulder to hold them back. "Wait, wait, hold on."

"What?"

"If there's one, there's probably dozens. All around." JJ reminded them.

"What?" Pope's brows furrowed together.

"He's right." I nodded. "That could have been a momma, and if there's a momma there babies."

"Oh my God, can you two stop? You're scaring me." Kie shot JJ and I a glare.

JJ smirked. He went closer to the door the snake had came out from. Then, JJ started to bark again. He made sure to aim his barks inside the mausoleum.

"Stop barking at the snakes." John B scolded him, tugging him away.

"Look, John-"

"Just making sure it's clear."

"Shut up. Shut up." Pope told JJ.

"It's a snake." JJ mumbled.

"John, look. We're not gonna get in there, alright? It's not budging." Pope shrugged. Kie flashed her light at the door. "We should probably just go."

"I can get through." Kie spoke up.

"What?" John B turned to face her. "No, no, no, no. You think you're gonna fit through the hole? That hole?"

"You sure about this Kie? There could be more snakes in there. It's dangerous." I warned her.

"Look, this is about your dad. And honestly," Kie shook her head slightly and averted her gaze to the mausoleum, "I really don't believe in it, but you deserve to know the truth. I'll do it. Come on."

Kie walked to the stone door. The boys and I hesitantly looked at each other. We didn't like the idea of sending Kie inside. There were most likely more snakes in there. Kie started to pull at the vines.

"I'll get those..." JJ grabbed onto the vines.

"Can you help me with that?" JJ's asked.

The rest of us went over to help. I wrapped my fingers around a branch like vine. JJ's headlamp was flashing its light so we could see.

"Ready? Come on."

"Nearly ready."

We started to yank at the vines and branches. Leaves and dead roots fell with each shake. Some parts of the plants would break off. Something poked the inside of my palm. I held back a hiss and continued to pull at the vines. Finally, we broke all the vines and branches away from the hole.

"I got it."

"You got it?"

"Give her a boost." John B instructed.

"I'm going to boost you, alright? I've seen it in the movies several times." JJ pressed his back against the door. He lowered himself into a squat, pushing back his hair from his eyes. JJ linked his fingers together and lowered them down to make a step for Kie. "Ready?

"Remind me what we're looking for?" Kie asked.

"You'll know when you see it." John B told her.

"Hold my flashlight." Kie licked her lips, holding out the device for someone to grab.

"Got it." I took the object out of her hand.

"Alright, so put your hands right there." JJ started to instruct Kie on what to do.

"Yep." Kie placed her hands on the door.

"Your foot." JJ said. Kie placed her foot into his cupped hands. "Alright, in three."

"Alright." Kie pushed herself off and grabbed onto the ledge of the hole.

"Okay, never mind." JJ let out a nod, pressing his lips together. "Just forget about three."

"I got it." Kie pulled herself into the hole.

I flashed the light into the hole as best as I could. Standing on my top toes, I watched Kie ease herself to the other side. She jumped in with a grunt.

"Okay, flashlight?" Kie asked.

"Here." I walked over, stepping on the tips of my toes. I held the flashlight over my head and tried to give it to Kie through the hole. "Can you reach it?"

"No!"

"Move it shorty." JJ bumped his hip against mine. With a snicker, he took the flashlight out of my hand and gave it to Kie. I scowled at him, crossing my arms. He grinned at me and pinched my cheeks. "You look adorable."

"Shut up." I grumbled, stomping away.

"You're so tiny." JJ clearly likes my reaction.

"Well, you're a giant Mr. Six-Foot." I pouted.

"You're what? Four feet?" JJ smugly lowered his hand to resemble my height.

"I'm five foot three, dumbass." I smacked his arm causing him to laugh.

"Can you two stop?" Pope scolded us, shaking his head.

"You alive?" John B called out to Kie. He pressed his chest against to stone so he could try and peer inside the hole. "Like, a-a heartbeat and everything?"

"So far." Kie responded, her voice echoing.

"That's good. That's good."

"Yep. Uh...I need more light." Kie notified.

"Yeah, yeah, here." John B held his lantern into the hole. "Yeah, I gotcha."

Kie was quiet. We could hear her footsteps letting us know she was moving around. I licked my lips and bite the inside of my cheek.

"Did you find something?" JJ inquired. "Is there gold?"

"Oh, my God." Kie breathed out.

I honestly love the OBX friend vibes, like, where can I get friends like these?