𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 - JJ Maybank

Chapter 36: Sewer Worm

JJ wiped the back of his hand over his forehead then put the final garbage bag down. "Well that was fun."

"If it's not in the trash, then it's gotta be in the storm drain," Pope said.

"It's in...it's in the drain," JJ grumbled.

"Damn it."

"Of course it is," Kie added.

JJ turned around and dug through through his backpack. "Good thing I brought the crow."

"So, are we gonna do, like, rock, paper, scissors?" Kie asked. "Or alphabetically?"

"Nah," Pope answered simply.

JJ shoved the crow bar into the grate. "On three, Pope. One, two, three." They yanked it open.

"Or, like, the oldest goes?" Kiara continued.

JJ straightened up, "In the sewer, there's this worm that you get when you're down there. It gets into your blood, and then it has to come out your pecker. So, uh... that would be a hard pass for me."

"Yeah, that's gonna be a no for me," Pope added.

"No, I get it. I get it. You guys are scared."

JJ was quick to cut her off, "I'm not scared."

"It's kinda cute.".

"It's the pecker thing," Pope shrugged.

"I'm not scared," JJ repeated.

"You should've just led with that. You don't have to be scared. I'll do it."

Kie moved around JJ and towards the sewer entrance.

"Okay, just, you know, be careful," Pope said.

Kie grinned, "I'll be so careful."

"I deserve that."

JJ grimaced as Kie got down and crawled into the pipe. "Just, uh, holler if you need anything, okay? We'll uh....we'll holler back."

Kie's voice echoed from inside of the pipe, "Very helpful, thank you."

The boys waited a couple minutes before Pope shouted, "Kiara, you find anything yet?"

"Yeah, Kie, do you see the gun?" JJ yelled.

"Nothing."

"It's probably at the bottom of the catch basin," Pope's voice echoed through the pipe.

JJ placed the crowbar down and turned to Pope. "All right, bro, I see you vibing on Kie, okay?"

Pope looked down away from JJ.

"Give me the details. Are we talking first base, second base, third base?"

"Try not even in the same ballpark," Pope complained.

"What do you mean by that?"

"It's like we're not playing the same game," he shrugged. "The other night, she was all over me."

"All right. Good start."

"But she was wasted, so it doesn't really count," Pope continued. "I tried to be edgy out there Pope and she didn't like that. So I tried to be strait-laced Pope. She didn't like that."

"I understand!" JJ raised his voice to cut off his friend's rambling.

"So I don't know what to do."

JJ held a finger to his temple then pointed it at Pope. "Pope, think. I know you can do that, all right? Like, light some candles. Put on some Otis Redding," he snapped his fingers, "Yeah. That would work. Or play guitar."