𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐒 𝐒𝐎 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 ➝ 𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧

𝟏𝟎. 𝐖𝐇𝐘 𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 𝐔𝐒 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄

𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍 𝐁 𝐒𝐋𝐈𝐃 the key into the lock and pushed open the door before walking in. I stared at the room and all the books, boards and papers lying around the office. "I've slept over here like 600 times, and I've never seen this door opened," Pope said as John B grabbed a pinboard off of the wall.

He laid it down on the table and pointed to an old picture of a man. "Here, look. This is the original owner, right here," John B said.

"Robert Q. Routledge," I read aloud, "1880 to 1920. There's the lucky compass, right there," I said pointing to the picture.

"Actually, um... he was shot after he bought it," John B said which shocked me. Maybe it wasn't such a lucky compass. "Then the compass was shipped back to Henry. He was killed in a crop-dusting accident when he had the compass," I looked up at Pope and he gave me a questioning look. "After he died, the compass was given to Stephen. Stephen had the compass with him when he died in Vietnam,"

"Let me guess, he died in action, right?" JJ asked and John B sighed awkwardly.

"Uh, a-actually, he was killed by a banana truck. In-- in the country. Anyways, after that, Stephen passed the compass down to him, my dad," He explained as he pointed to a picture of him and his father together.

"Hm. Sounds like there's a reoccurring theme here," I implied as I looked at John B.

"Yeah, you have a death compass," Pope deadpanned and I mentally facepalmed, "You have a death compass," He repeated when John B tried to object.

"Get rid of it," JJ told him and he scoffed, "It's cursed, and made it's way back to you,"

John B walked away from the table and sat down in a chair, as he looked down at the compass. "Look, my dad used to talk about this compartment in here," He tried to unscrew the lid as Kie leaned over his shoulder, "Soldiers used to hide secret notes," He explained as he pulled the two pieces apart and shook out one end.

"What's that?" Kie asked as she pointed to the other half of the compass. John B told her that it wasn't there before. I moved closer and saw a word carved into the compass in his dad's usual handwriting.

"This is my dad's handwriting," John B said as he looked at us, "Because he does these weird Rs with the-- see it?" He asked as he showed us the compass.

"Can I see it?" JJ asked as he took the compass and started to sound out the word, "Red-- Rout-- no, I think that's an A," He stuttered and I sighed.

"It says Redfield," I read aloud and looked at John B, "What's Redfield?"

"Only the most common name in the country," Pope said and I groaned. Great, we're running a giant goose chase, with a clue that could mean anything.

"Oh, maybe--maybe it's a clue," John B said excitedly, "Maybe it's a clue to where he's hiding,"

"A clue? Come on, that's..." Pope started to cut in but I could feel the glare Kie was giving him. He cleared his throat, "But if it is a clue, maybe it's an anagram?"The rooster crowed in the background as I handed Pope a piece of paper and a pen. He started scribbling words down as John B paced around the office. "How can you concentrate with that thing crowing at you?" Pope asked us and I shrugged.

"JJ love's the rooster," I told him as I leaned against the desk. John B walked away from us and to his own little desk and started scribbling more words down. "JB, back at Lana's, the guys were looking for the compass," I started and he gave me a small hum that he was listening as he stared through the window. "Do you think they'll find out we have it and search the house as well--"

"Shit," He muttered and he looked at me. "Somebody's here," He said and my face dropped. It isn't--no it couldn't be the guys. How did they even find out we had it? I looked out the window with the group beside me and I mentally swore.

"Guys, guys. Is that them?" Kie asked, starting to panic and I walked away from the window.

"They found us! How did they find us?" I exclaimed quietly, not wanting to draw attention to the office.

John B grabbed JJ's shoulders, "JJ, where's the gun?"

JJ stuttered and I ran a hand through my hair. "I--I don't--"

"God, the one time we need the gun, you don't have it!" Kie exclaimed, and I started pacing back and forth. I could hear the voices outside but I had no clue what they were saying.

"It was in my backpack, and then I--" JJ continued, trying to remember where he put the gun.

"Porch!" I exclaimed, "Your backpack's on the porch," John B pushed JJ out of the room and towards the porch to grab the bag.

"John Routledge!" The man yelled, his voice echoing through the chateau, " Come on out now!" JJ rushed back into the room and shut the door.

We all stared at him, his hands empty, "They're on the front porch, guys," JJ whispered and my heart dropped. A large bang erupted from across the house like tables were being thrown around.

I looked around the group and everyone's face went completely pale, "We can't stay here," I told them and they agreed, "They're going to come through that door, and if we're here when they do, we're dead," I stated as I moved towards the door.

Glass smashed from outside and Kie looked at me than the window, "Window," She said as JJ and Pope moved towards the window, while John B and I held the door shut. They pulled at the glass, trying to pry it open, but it wouldn't budge. "What-- what's happening? Why is it taking so long?" Kie asked quickly and the boys let go of the window with a grunt.

"It's painted shut," JJ explained and I rubbed my face. Kie moved towards the desk and started rummaging through it before pulling out an envelope opener. She moved past the boys and started digging at the window with JJ while Pope hurried over to John B and me.

I heard footsteps coming close to the door and I immediately shushed the group. The three of us pressed our backs against the door, hoping that we could keep it closed long enough for Kie to open the window.

I bit my lip as the door handle rattled and one of the men started pushing against the door, roughly. "You better not be in there!" The man grunted as he continued to bang on the door. John B pulled me away, just before a part of the door broke, and as Kie finished with the window. She threw the opener to the floor and slid open the window, as the man continued to kick at the door.

The five of us climbed through the window and I closed it tightly. My feet hit the grass as a gunshot rang through the house. My heart was beating out of my chest as I ran into the chicken coop with the rest of the Pouges. John B shut the roof as I climbed in and I moved towards a corner, knee's pulled into my chest like everyone else.

The coop was small and filled with chickens and roosters, who were all crowing loudly at us. I leaned my head back, pressing it against the wood that surrounded us. "Do something, Pope. Shut him up," JJ said as the rooster crowed loudly as it ran around us.

"What do you want me to do?" Pope exclaimed as John B looked through one of the metal cages, watching as the men loaded their truck.

"Pet it, or talk to it. I don't know," Kie told him, clearly panicking, and he looked around trying to think of something.

"Why didn't we just get into the car and drive away. We're just sitting ducks right now," I muttered to myself as the rooster squawked. John B moved away from the cage and pressed his back to the wall.

The bird flapped his wings, showing that it was distressed and JJ grabbed it. I watched him press the rooster into the ground as I held a hand to my mouth, trying to keep myself quiet. In once quick movement, JJ snapped the rooster's neck and I sucked in a deep breath. He let go of the animal and slowly sat down next to me, clearly shaken up.

I did what anyone would do at the moment. I grabbed his hand, held it in mine and gave him a small squeeze, hoping to tell him that everything was going to be okay. I just prayed that they would leave. And as Kie sobbed quietly next to John B, the car engine roared to life and I could hear them leaving.

What the hell did we get ourselves into?