Flowers For McGee

15 - She Knows

"Where is the box, does it say?" Rose asks Johnny as they walk around in Rose's room. McGee stood in the corner and watches the twins.

"She said it was in her room under the floor." Johnny says.

"I have to tell you-" Rose starts an then looks to the corner where McGee stands. He gives her a worried look ans she sighs. "I have to. That's two people who can help."

"That would be two people who shouldn't know, Rose." McGee says.

"Don't be afraid. That's what you tell me, remember? Don't be afraid, let Johnny help." Rose says, trying to get McGee to understand.

"Who are you talking to?" Johnny asks. He turns around and he sees an empty corner.

Rose sees a scared boy.

"What if he won't help?" McGee asks her. McGee was afraid that he would be stuck here forever, Rose understood his worry.

"I'll make him." Rose says with a determined look and then turns to her brother.

"What if he gets scared and tries to take you away. I don't want to be stuck here anymore, Rose. I need you." McGee says and the lights flicker. Johnny takes a step back.

"I'm not going anywhere," Rose says and McGee slowly nods. "We need this box, Johnny. He needs this box." She points to the corner and Johnny only stares at McGee with wide eyes.
"No way " Johnny says. "I knew it, damn you Rose, you knew it this whole time and didn't tell me?" Johnny pushes Rose with one hand and points at McGee with the other.

"Do not put your hands on her." McGee threatens Johnny and he steps away from his sister.

"Why do you need the box?" Johnny asks McGee.

"Because it could help us find his body." Rose says. "He is stuck here, Johnny. He can't leave until we find him."

"What do you want me to do about it, Rose? Pry up the floor?" Johnny asks sarcastically.

"If that box is under this floor, then we are looking under this floor." Rose demands and her brother sighs, looking around at the floor

"I'll need the crowbar, the hammer, and some nails." Johnny says.
-
Rose was in the basement and Johnny was upstairs. McGee was making trips between the two, but he was mainly helping Johnny with the floorboards. Rose could practically feel McGee's excitement.

Rose swings the hammer against the wall and she groans loudly as the brick barely breaks. She stops and listens behind her as there is shuffling.

"I know you are there, Gwen," Rose says. "You know something we don't." Rose was too afraid to turn around and face the little girl, but she could hear Gwen and her humming. "Are you going to answer me?" Rose slowly turns around and the girl looks up at her with dead eyes and puts a finger to her lips and points above her. She holds out a piece of paper and stands. With her free hand, she reaches for Rose's hand and as Rose reaches back, the basement door opens and Gwen runs away, leaving the paper on the ground.

"There is nothing there." Johnny says and McGee stands behind him. Rose bends to pick up the piece of paper and it is just another poorly drawn picture.

"What is that?" McGee asks an he is suddenly beside her. He looks at the paper and then grabs his head and falls to his knees.

"McGee?" Johnny asks and walks over. Rose bends down and puts her hands on his arm.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked and he drags his eyes and faces her.

"I remember something, Rose." He says. "I... I had a kid. I had a kid and that's what all the money was for. That's where it went. The chest has money... and something else in it. Rosaline was angry because I had a child... That was my mistake. No, not a mistake." He says and then winces. "I have her box." He stands up and picks up the hammer.

Rose takes the paper and looks at the drawing of the stick figure with a box on top of it. The eyes were crossed out and there was no smile. The picture was a dead McGee.

"Gwen knows," Rose says an McGee looks at her as she holds up the paper. "She gave this to me."

"Then let's talk to her. She knows what to do if you'll listen." Johnny says a little more urgently than Rose would have expected. She narrows her eyes in question at him and he simply looks away.

"Please be careful, Rose." McGee says and she nods. She and Johnny run up the basement stairs and Gwen stands at the end of the hall.

"Gwen, I need your help." Rose says calmly and Johnny stands behind her with the crowbar in hand. He didn't stand with intent to use it against the girl. If anything, he stood with intentions to protect the little girl from Rose.

The girl is shrouded in darkness, but Rose can see her. Gwen shakes her head and raises a finger to her lips.

"Please." Rose says. There is stomping throughout the house and then Rosaline appears behind Gwen with two other figures.

"Gwen." Rose says and the girl shakes her head and is dragged away, followed by a horrible, bitter wailing.

"I... I have to tell you something," Johnny says and turns to his sister. "Sunday I was in the woods. I just felt like I needed to do that and I found a graveyard." Johnny says and fidgets with his fingers.

"Of course you did. What else would you find in the damn forest?" Rose rolls her eyes and Johnny slaps her shoulder and scowls.

"Shut up, this is serious now and you can't joke. Even if you are right," He says. "There are five graves and one of the headstones is destroyed."

"McGee's grave. Oh, my god, if he is there... " Rose stop herself and she turns to the basement and runs down the steps only to reveal an empty room. "McGee?" She calls out and gets no answer. "Where did you go?" She looks behind every piece of furniture and under every sheet like he is going to be hiding.

"Where did who go- Oh, my God! Have you lost your freaking minds?!" Johnny and Rose then to see Maggie with her hands pressed to her mouth. The dark haired woman has wide eyes as she descend the stairs and walks over. "Why have you done this?" She adds, frantically pointing to the busted wall.

"Mom, we... We... " Johnny looks to Rose, he hasn't been very good at lying, but Rose doesn't see the point.

"There is a box behind this wall." Rose says and Maggie looks at her with a bewildered look and then grabs her two kids by their sleeves and drags them upstairs.

"The only thing that wall is dirt and possibly both of you if I don't change my mind," Maggie says. At the top, she pushes the two away from the door and they both protest as she sticks the key in the lock and locks the door.

"Mom, please. We need that box." Johnny says and his mother turns to him with wild eyes.

"I'm so furious with you two! I would expect this childish, insane behavior from Rose, but not you. You are supposed to be my good kid, but no, you have a hay day on the support walls of our house!" Maggie yells and Johnny and Rose stop trying to argue.

"Expect it from me?" Rose says in astonishment. "Mom, I-"

"Just shut up, Rosanna, the damage is done. Give me your phone and go to your room. You, too." Maggie says and holds out her hands. Rose and Johnny hand their phones over and Johnny tries to reason with his mother, Rose runs to her room and slams the door.