RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

THIRTY TWO

SKEETER

"Do you guys know who's house this is right?" Kie questioned as they walked through the garden. Everything was over grown and wrecked. It looked terrible.

"Oh yeah, no I do." JJ nodded holding River's hand and pulling her through. He smiled at the girl, when they were kids they'd come here and play hide and seek. It was scary, but fun.

"Honestly, I don't really believe the stories of this place." John B announced, scrunching up his face. The five of them had heard a range of stories about Mrs Crain.

"Shhh." Pope said quickly. River's hand covered his mouth, making his eyes widen.

"You guys are all so fucking loud." River mumbled looking at the four. "Shut up."

"What?" John B shrugged with a small scoff.

"Which stories did you hear?" JJ questioned Kie.

"The one where she killed her husband with an axe. And that she's been held up ever since." Kie explained as they continued walking. "On certain nights, when the moon is full you can see her in the window." Kie whispered and dance around with a playful smile on her face.

"No, Kie, this is not funny cause it's all true." JJ shook his head. He believed the stories. "I swear to God you guys, this is all real. Right baby girl?"

"He's telling the truth." River nodded, wrapping her hand around his wrist and pulling herself closer to him. There were only a few short hours that they weren't next to or touching each other and she hated it.

"I knew Hollis." JJ said, turning around slightly and jumping at the sight of a statue, River couldn't help but laugh at the boy.

"You knew Hollis Crain?" Pope questioned curiously. He couldn't tell if JJ was just fucking around or if he actually meant it.

"Yeah dude." JJ nodded.

Pope pushed JJ's shoulder lightly and said, "Dude, how do you know Hollis Crain?"

"She was my baby sitter man. She told me all about it. Told me the truth about her mother and what happened in this house." JJ said, making them look up to the house.

It was a creepy old house, most kids came and played hide and seek in the garden, but that was all. Nobody ever dared to enter the house, at most, they'd go up to the front porch.

"Is this the baby sitter you used to have a crush on?" River questioned, making JJ go all red and flustered.

"I-yes." He nodded. "So, as a kid, she heard all the stories that her mother killed her father, and she was a murderer and all. Hollis didn't believe it. Until that night." JJ said, quickly changing the topic.

"What night?" John B questioned his best friend.

"It all came back to her." JJ paused and turned to look at the house. "When Hollis was six years old she heard her parents arguing down stairs. So, she goes down stairs to see her mom washing her hands in a sink, full of blood. Her mother just says that she cut her finger."

River watched JJ as he spoke, he gave her hand a light squeeze before continuing,

"The next morning, she says her father and her split up. But the Hollis noticed something, her mother going into the parlour constantly, in and out and in and out, with plastic bags. Weeks pass and Hollis decides to use the out house. And as she's using it, she looks down, and there, in the out house, is her fathers head, looking straight back at her." JJ pointed to his eyes, taking a step closer to John B.

"God, you're so full of shit." John B snapped, throwing his head back slightly.

"Dude, I swear to God, man." JJ shook his head as John B pushed past him.