Collide | Rafe Cameron

3

The next morning I had found sheriff Peterkin talking to John B. She was telling him to stay out of the marsh, to which I also told him not to go. I couldn't stay home to monitor him and make sure he didn't go out into the marsh as I had a shift at The Wreck. It made me nervous leaving him alone as I knew just how stubborn he could be, even if he promised not to do something. 

When I had gotten home I found John B and the rest of the crew standing on the edge of the dock. I made my way down to them to see John B holding what looked to be an old compass. He looked up at me as I stopped in front of them already having a feeling as to where it had come from. 

"John B, what is that?" I ask, he stood up glancing off to the side. "Please tell me you didn't go out into the marsh today." I wasn't surprised that he had, but I just hoped he hadn't gotten caught. 

"I'm sorry Y/n, but Peterkin isn't going to know, I promise," he said stepping forward.

"God damn it John B, whatever, if you get in trouble don't ask me for help," I sigh walking away from him. I was going to go to bed early as I had to get up early and go to Tanney Hill and help clean up the Cameron's yard. 

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The next morning John B gave me a ride so I wouldn't hog up the Twinkie. I was still a little disappointed in him but he had apologized again this morning. I knew this was going to happen but it was still disappointing. I'm not sure why but once I started looking after him it's like I got motherly instincts. 

We arrived at the Cameron's, the house had power, which I'm sure was from back up generators. I jumped out of the twinkie, waving at John B before turning back and walking to the backyard. 

It had been about an hour of cleaning branches out of the yard. I was currently kneeling down by a large branch, cutting off the smaller branches before stuffing it into a trash can. 

"Will you look at that, a pogue on their knees working for a kook, just like how it should be," Said a voice from behind me, it was Topper of course. I glanced back seeing Kelce and Rafe with him. I ignored them and kept doing my job. "Wow no snarky remark back, that is surprising."

"Please just leave me alone Topper," I say not looking back at him, I heard him walk closer, then turned to watch him push the trash can over, spilling most of the branches out. 

"I don't have to do shit, you're on Figure 8," he says getting in my face. I looked over, rafe had this look on his face that I just couldn't explain, while Kelce just smirked. 

"You already almost drowned me, haven't you done enough?" I question before trying to clean up the branches he had spilled. 

"Yeah, clean that shit up, fucking pogue," He remarked as he walked away, his friends following behind. I looked over to them and saw Rafe looking behind, making eye contact for just a second before I turned away. 

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When I had gotten home I found all the pogues on the porch, JJ was animatedly telling everyone something. I walked up the steps joining them on the porch. I briefly heard JJ mention something Lana Grubbs. 

"You went to Lana Grubbs house?" I ask, everyone looked over to me. 

"Yeah, Y/n you'll never believe it, these guys are the same guys who chased us in the marsh yesterday. They were tearing up Lana's house looking for something," JJ told me, I raised my brows hearing about the chase in the marsh which I had not previously known about. "We showed her the compass and she just freaked out man."

"That's great, just don't get hurt," I said before walking into the house. Everyone seemed to follow behind. John B started talking about the compass, so I followed them into Big Johns office. We figured out that it was a compass that had been passed down in our family since the Royal Merchant.

 John B found a compartment on the compass that had Redfield etched into it. He told us the R was his dads hand writing. We started to think about what it could mean. 

"Maybe it's a clue to where he's hiding," Said John B, I always felt sad when John B got like this about his dad. Unlike him, I didn't have much faith that my uncle was still alive. 

"A clue? Come on, that's-- But if it is a clue, maybe it's an anagram?" Pope spitballs, making us all think.

"Yes. Perfect. Anagram. You need paper." John B said, standing to look for paper. As we were doing this, the rooster in the falling a part coop outside kept crowing. 

"How can you concentrate with that thing crowing at you?" Pope said expressing his annoyance at the crow. 

"JJ loves the rooster." John B said in retort to Pope. 

"I love the rooster." I added. 

As we all started thinking about what it could mean John B looked out the window.

"Guys. Guys! Somebody's here." John B said, trying to get our attention. We joined him at the window, seeing a lifted black truck had pulled into the dirt driveway. Two men had gotten out and were walking towards the front door. JJ started to freak out, and John B asked where the gun was. It must have been the guys that had chased them in the marsh. I could feel my heart starting to beat quicker. 

"It's on the porch," JJ said as he left the room to try to get the gun out of the backpack. A second after, someone yelled. 

"John Rutledge!" A deep voice yelled into the house. JJ came running back into the office, telling us they were on the porch. 

"Shit, shit," I started to panic, pacing around the room. The men were yelling in the house and I could hear them throwing stuff in the living room. JJ and Pope tried to open the window but it was painted shut. John B and I stood in front of the door. 

Kie grabbed a letter opener and began cutting the paint off the window seal. A man walked over to the door yelling then started kicking the door. John B and I sprinted to the window, trying to climb out. A gunshot went off but it seemed to have been at the handle of the door. We sprinted over to the chicken coop, climbing inside and hiding. 

The chickens and rooster kept making noises from us disturbing them. It was making too much noise. Kie told them to do something as one of the men started walking closer. I tried to slow my breathing as I closed my eyes for a second, trying to melt into the wall of the coop. 

JJ grabbed the chicken making the noise, pushing it down into the ground, I could hear it's neck snap, making it go silent. I looked over at Kie as a tear slipped out. 

The men finally left and I let out a quivering breath. This was all too much. We climbed out of the coop walking into the now thrashed house. 

"Fuck John B, what did you get us into," I say quietly before walking into my own room and laying down. 

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OKAY so we finally got a little glimpse of RAFEEEEEEEEEE. Anyways, things are starting to get heated up so STRAP IN PEOPLE. Thank you all for reading, make sure to comment and vote if you want to read more :)