Sunshine in the Rain

8. Lighthouse

When we get back, we're all on the back porch and JJ is over exaggerating the story.

"And I was waiting for death." JJ says.

"Ok so you saw that guys that shot at us?" Pope asks.

I walk inside to grab a snack. I'm starving. I just need hearing my friends say, "Square grouper." I walk back out with a bag of cheese curls.

"The office." JB says.

We all walk into my fathers office. I've never been in here before. There's a pattern, everyone with the compass died.

"So you have a death compass?" JJ asks.

"It's cursed man." Pope says.

JB opens a part of the compass and finds an engraving on it. It says, "Redfield."

"What the hell does that mean?" I ask.

We try to figure it out but then I see a black truck pull out in front of the house.

"G-guys." I say with fear. It's the square groupers.

"JJ where's the gun?" JB asks.

"I don't have it." JJ says.

"John and Ashlyn Routledge!!" The guys yell. I starts shaking. I hear them trashing the house.

"The windows are painted shut." Kiara says. I try to open them with her and JJ and Pope hold the door closed.

Then I hear a gunshot and I get dizzy from breathing so fast. We all climb out the window and run to the chicken coop. I sit next to JJ and I can't calm down. A chicken keeps making weird sounds so JJ cracks it's neck. Kie starts quietly crying.

I breath faster and harder. JJ notices and he wraps his arms around me.

"Ash, you gotta calm down or they'll hear us." JJ says. He stuffs my face into his shoulder to try and make my breathing quieter.

After we hear the car pull away, I can't calm down. I can't move. I'm frozen.

"Ash, we're ok now. We're safe." JJ says. I cry into his neck. He rubs my back as he carries me out. We walk back inside the house as I hold onto JJ like my life depends on it.

He takes us to sit in my room and we lay on the bed. He whispers is my ear, "We're safe" or "You're safe with me" or "They're gone" or "Shhhhh, it's ok."

After a while of crying and holding onto JJ like my own personal teddy bear, we get in the car. I sit next to JJ while JB talks about the compass.

"Ok I don't need a therapy session ok? I'm not tripping out." John B says.

"It's okay to trip bro." JJ says.

"Look my dad is missing ok? Ash's dad too. Our father is missing. Okay?" John B asks. "You don't know what's it's like to have the person closest to you vanish."

"And then have no idea what happened." I say. "Just wake up every morning wondering." I look down and JJ puts a hand on my back to comfort me.

"What do you think the message even is?" Kiara asks.

"Redfield lighthouse." John B says.

"Our dad's favorite place." I say.

"JJ, Ash, you two watch for bogeys ok?" John B asks. "You stay too Pope. Make sure JJ doesn't fuck my sister in the back of my van."

"Excuse me?" I ask. JB smirks and walks away.

"Ok I'm gonna work on my essay." Pope says. "Go fuck somewhere else."

JJ and I sit on top of the van. "You look extra pretty today." JJ says.

I smile and look down. JJ lifts my chin up to look at him and he kisses me on the cheek.

I look at him and smirk. I kiss him back but on the lips.

Then we both kiss each other on the lips and start making out on top of the van. I'm basically laying down on the top of the van and JJ is on top of me and kissing me.

Then I flip us over so I can kiss him with all of my strength. He pulls me closer and we make out more and get rougher.

JJ has his hands on my bare sides and he gives me shivers as his hands slowly go up and down my body. Then Pope yells our names.

I sigh. "Pope? What's wrong?"

"They're here!!" He says. "We gotta go!!"

JJ stands up and gets off of the roof. He helps me down and we get into the car.

"Ash what happened to your hair?" Pope asks. "It's super messy." My face gets red and I look at JJ and then look down. "Oh my god did you guys make out?" Pope asks.

"Maybe." JJ says. He smirks and looks at me.

We see police cars and then JJ starts driving away.

"What about JB and Kiara?" I ask. "JJ we can't leave my brother." I say.

"Ash, your brother and Kie will be fine." JJ says. "You can't get involved with the cops and neither can Pope. I can't either."