012 !! GRAVEYARD

When Georgie arrived at The Chateau the next day having just finished a hectic shift at The Wreck, she could sense a shift in her friends' mood.

Everything felt so much more . . . . light.

Everyone seemed so much more excited, eager.

That was really all she needed to realise that a breakthrough had been made in her hours of absence.

All of their eyes rested on her as she carefully stepped over the threshold with a raised brow.

"What's up?".

"We found a clue. A solid one this time", Kiara declares with a grin.

"Oh, and John B got fired".

JJ comes walking into the living room drinking from a can of coke and plops down on the couch beside Pope who grimaces at the little spill the blond's drink makes as he thuds it down on the coffee table.

"Can we not talk about that? I'm trying to not think about my incredible luck right now, thank you very much", John B comes walking out while fidgeting with his bandana.

Georgie, all the while, stands stumped near the entrance.

"What", she widens her eyes, "is going on?".

It's Pope who answers this time since John B seems reluctant to follow up on the series of dramatic events that lead to him ultimately becoming unemployed.

"Sarah caught him sneaking on Ward's boat with the scuba gear he.....well, 'borrowed' yesterday so.....obviously, she snitched", he shrugs.

The thought of Sarah Cameron being the reason for John B losing his job over an insignificant little thing physically boils Georgie's blood.

How could someone be so fucking shallow?

She has everything.

The Kooks take everything.

That's what Luke Maybank has always told his children.

That is what even JJ now keeps reciting as a mantra on a daily basis.

And now, both the Maybank men have been proved right.

They took away John B's livelihood, who does that?

More so, Sarah Cameron did.

And for that, Georgie will hate her forever.

Forever.

"I can't believe this. What is wrong with her? He's been working so hard and Ward couldn't see that?".

John B sighs sitting on the edge of the armrest, "It's fine. I'll find another job.....maybe, Mrs. Carrera will get me a job at The Wreck", he wiggles his eyebrows at Kie who only rolls her eyes.

"In your dreams. She thinks you're useless".

An idea illuminates Georgie's mind.

Anna Carrera loves her - probably more than her own daughter but we don't talk about that - and she trusts her judgement too.

So, what if Georgie tried to ask her?

I mean, even though she might think of John B as a useless piece of shit, Georgie's recommendation could turn the tables.

The Maybank girl files that particular piece of information away for later since she's pretty sure surprising John B with the job offer would be the best way to go about it.

Her and John B working together? That'd be a dream come true.

"What's the clue then?", the blonde smiles secretly wrapping up her idea in a gift wrapping paper decorated with pink hearts.

Georgie is insane.

And maybe not too much in a good way.

Maybank blood, am I right?

"He won't tell us", Kiara whines pointing at John B who gets back on his feet with an infectious grin.

"That's 'cause I gotta show you".

And that is how, the gang ended up at the Southside graveyard at eight fucking pm on a summer night.

Georgie physically loathes graveyards, ever since she was a kid this little garden covered area in the corner of the island has been the epitome of a haunted house to her.

She can't explain why but just the thought of a place full of buried dead bodies lingering right below your feet gives her the creeps.

So, she always avoids this place.

But not tonight, for tonight she's here to help John B.

The things you do for love.

She shudders glancing around the bushes and wraps her arms around her midsection, a creeping fear at the back of her neck making every bone in her body feel sick.

"John B, what are we doing?", JJ whines tiredly.

"Shut up. You know how you're trying to remember a song and can't remember who sings it?", the bandana clad brunet turns to the group with an excited grin.

Georgie narrows her eyes at him while Kiara mutters a small "yeah".

"So, Redfield. This whole time I thought it was a place, right?", the group nods in affirmation, "but it's not a place. It's a person", he points back at the giant crypt they are all situated in front of.

"Voi-effing-là", JJ mumbles in disbelief.

Georgie, herself feels her eyes widen as John B goes on, a triumphant look on his face.

"See, my great-great-grandmother", he gestures at the crypt, "Olivia Redfield. That was her maiden name. Help me with the door. Come on".

Both JJ and Pope step forward followed by the two girls and together, the group pushes against the cemented door in unison.

A low grunt sounds from the group as they exert all their force against the 18th century door but it refuses to budge from its place.

"Are you pushing?", Pope grunts glancing at Georgie.

"Yeah, I'm pushing", she exhales.

"Come on".

"Hold on, I got it", JJ grunts from the far side now pushing with his shoulder against the door.

Pope sighs defeated, "This door is like 700 pounds. It's not gonna budge".

"We didn't come this far to get this far, alright?", JJ yells back, "we got this".

As if on cue, a small 'hiss' is heard through the area making Georgie immediately jump back with a yelp, her frantic eyes searching the ground for any . . . . slithering creatures.

"Woah!".

"A snake!", JJ more alerted now scans the ground when two seconds later he rolls his eyes.

"That's a moccasin, alright".

"Oh my god", Georgie whimpers desperately pulling on Pope's shirt who steps back with wide eyes.

"Ye old Doctor Cottonmouth. Death in tall grass", JJ, out of the blue, starts barking at the fleeing snake.

His barks scare Georgie even more which makes her cling onto Pope's torso like a clingy baby.

"JJ, shut up. Shut up!", Kiara yells shushing him.

"You're gonna wake the dead, man", Pope mumbles frustrated and pulls Georgie closer wrapping his arms around her frightened frame.

"They're afraid of dogs. Everyone knows that, man", JJ states earning an eye roll from his friends.

Meanwhile, Kiara's eyes are fixated above at a spot opening high up in the wall of the crypt.

"Wait, hold on", Georgie blurts out gazing at them with eyes the size of giant saucers.

"If there's one, there's probably dozens".

"What?", Pope pulls back slightly to look down at her.

"All around", adds JJ in a low menacing whisper.

"Stop you're scaring me", Kie momentarily looks at the twins in horror, one of whom is silently internally dying of herpetophobia.

JJ's barks start again and John B groans.

"Stop barking at the snakes".

"Look, John...."

"Just making sure it's clear", JJ retorts back.

"Shut up. John, look", Kiara points at the spot her eyes had been carefully analysing since the past few minutes.

JJ turns his gaze upwards and sighs.

"We're not gonna get in there, alright? It's not budging. We should just go".

"I can get through", Kiara looks at all of her friends.

Georgie, still clinging to Pope, is the first one to protest.

"What?", she shakes her head.

"No, no, no. You think you're gonna fit through that hole? That hole?", John B perks up.

Exhaling a loud sigh, Kiara turns to her friend.

"Look, this is about your dad. And honestly, I don't really believe in it but you deserve to know the truth. I'll do it".

And in that moment, Georgie could feel even in her toes an inverbal argument being made between the two which makes her wonder what exactly happened between them while she was working.

Maybe there's something no one's telling her.

***
is georgie a clear representation of me, a herpetophobic? yes. yes she is

did i almost scream out when i looked up what 'moccasins' are while writing this chapter? yes. yes i did.

the things i do for wattpad smh #nopunintended #slay #girlboss #ideservebetter