After the Storm- JJ Maybank (Outer Banks)

7.

"Pope, what the hell are you getting us into?" JJ scoffed, he had not been in the best mood.

It was pouring down rain, freezing. Just as it had been the past few days. I looked over to JJ, who was adjusting his cap on his head so his hair fit under it. We were hiding behind a gate as Pope was recording Ward and this man named Gavin that I guess had the evidence against Rafe, stuff that could clear John B.

I so badly wanted him and Sarah to return. I felt like a piece of me was missing. The only bit of family I had left was gone and framed for murder. I looked back over to see Ward and Gavin fighting.

"Guys, he has a gun." Pope says as he looks through the camera.

He had a thing for old prototypes, he still had faith in it. I wished he would've just used his phone, it would make this a whole lot easier. I saw Gavin in a pile on the ground, watching Ward try to walk away. That was when I heard the shot, making my body shake and move back off the gate. I leaned against it, breathing heavily. JJ's body leaned against mine, looking over to me with pure terror in his eyes. The rain was covering my tears.

"Ward just shot him, he's dead."  I heard Kie's voice crack.

"Oh my god, we need to get out of here." I looked up to Pope, he was still recording.

"He saw me, we gotta go. Go." Pope frantically started moving down the gate.

"Murderer!" Kie yelled as JJ grabbed her and pulled her down,  stepping on his hand.

"What the fuck are you doing, Kie?" I spit at her as we all fell to the ground in a pile.

Pope's camera was on the ground, broken into pieces.

"Great, the only evidence we have- gone!" Pope called out as we started to run back to the car.

"You stepped on my hand!" JJ yelled at Kie, throwing his hands in the air.

"Maybe if you weren't clumsy, this wouldn't have happened!" She yelled back.

"Maybe if you weren't such a selfish bitch, we wouldn't be in this situation." JJ said back as we got into the car.

"Hey!" Pope turned around to face us.

"It's true! Why do you always have to go around causing problems?" 

They sat silent for a moment.

"Kie, I'm sorry to say this but it's true. You should've just kept your mouth shut. What was the point?"

"Like you have any room to talk about anything. You made us believe you were dead for the whole summer and you magically just appear?"

"What's your fucking problem, Kie?" JJ lifts up in his seat, getting in her face. 

"She didn't bother to share where the hell she's been with me, did she with you?" 

Silence again.

"Of course she did." Kie just sits back and rolls her eyes.

I lifted my shirt up for everyone to see, getting stares from all three of them. 

"This is what happened. I didn't share it with you guys because it's too much for me to even handle at this point, okay? JJ noticed these scars and bruises and marks so I had to explain at the time, but the rest of you haven't seen them. Here. Take a great long look at me. Rafe took me hostage after he killed my mom in front of me when she was trying to take me away. This was when you guys were getting John B off the island. I played it off so he wouldn't kill me but he tortured and drugged me the entire summer. Who knows what he did to me when I was unconscious. I want to try and forget about it, okay? I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I hope you can understand where I was coming from." 

Her eyes scanned my torso, seeing the scars, slowly healing bruises, and cuts left from Rafe. I could see the guilt in her face as she turned away. She took out her phone.

"I'm so sorry, Rachel." Pope muttered silently, still catching his breath.

"It's okay. I'm here, I'm alive. That's all that matters."

"He's gonna pay for what he did." I heard him say again as Kie put the phone up to her ear.

"We're gonna just leave it be. As much as I would love to see him in jail, let's just wait."

"Wait, are you crazy?"

"Someone's been shot, at the old construction site. I don't know if he's breathing or if he's dead. Hurry, come quick." Kie scrambled her words together, hanging up the phone.

"You involved the cops? Kie, what the frick is happening?" JJ's hands went through his wet hair, his head going in between his knees.

"We can't just leave him there!"

"God, you're such an idiot." JJ mumbled as we all sat in the car silently.

I pulled my tanktop back on, feeling a sharp pain in my ribs. The pain was never going to go away.

I felt my wrists being restrained as I opened my eyes. His hand immediately to my mouth to keep me from making noise.

"Shhhhh, wouldn't want anyone to hear you." His voice made my entire body shake.

"Rafe, please. Just let me go. I won't tell anyone."

"Babygirl, just stay quiet."

I felt the tears start to roll down my cheeks as he tied my wrists to the bed frame. He lifted up my shirt, my ribs basically were sticking out of my skin from lack of food. I felt something cold against my skin causing my back to arch. I gasped lightly, tears beginning to flood my eyes.

"Now, we can do this the easy way-" 

He sliced into my ribs, just enough for it to sting. I bit my lip to avoid myself  from making more noise. I knew what would happen if I did.

"Or the hard way." He cut deeper, blood beginning to run down my stomach.

"Whatever you want, please just stop. Rafe, this isn't you. Please."

"I changed Rachel, everyone changes. You changed, you hurt me, more than anyone has ever hurt me before. You broke me. You're the reason why I'm like this."

"Rafe, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please. Please stop."

"You should've thought about this before you broke me."

The knife cut deeper into my ribs, causing me to cry out. I tried to keep myself quiet but it was impossible.

"I said be quiet!" I felt him punch me in the side, knocking the wind out of me.

I coughed, gasping for air.

"Rafe, please. Please. Think about Sarah, think about her. Please,  she died and it's all your fault.  She would be here if you didn't kill Peterkin."

"Shut up! Shut up!" He threw his fists into me, dropping the knife.

This hurt a lot less than the knife, I just taught myself to not let it bother me. It wasn't anything new.

"My mom beat me harder than this. You're pathetic." I felt a laugh escape my lips.

Maybe I was going crazy. What was happening to me? The pain was beginning to tickle.

I hadn't told the others about my thoughts, and what circled in my head everyday. It wouldn't ever leave. The pain in my side was starting to tingle and I just closed my eyes tightly.

"Are you okay?" I felt JJ's hand on my thigh, grazing his fingers over it.

I just nodded. I couldn't let them know. They couldn't figure out about the thoughts in my head, we had other things to worry about.