𝗠𝘆 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 ⇉ 𝗝𝗝 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸

𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦

"Guys, we're coming up in Freedman's Church." Pope announces as they approached the abandoned church.

The sight of the place, hurting Ari's heart. It was sad seeing how destroyed the place now was. Her heart only aches more when Pope says the following. "The church Denmark built for all the slaves he freed."

Ariella looks out of the window, from where she sat in the passengers seat, Pope sitting between both her and John B. JJ in the seat behind John B, his eyes not leaving the side of Ari's face. He wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and hold her, he wanted to make up for what he stupidly did. He needed her back.

"There it is." Ariella for the first time speaks up, since they got in the car. Her eyes on the overly large tree, standing taller than all the rest. "Angel Oak."

As John B drives, he curses when he sees the flooded water and mud before them. "Oh shit, tides coming in."

Ariella leans her head on Pope's shoulder as her hand clutches to door handle. Pope gives his best friend a smile, leaning his head on top of hers. He could imagine the pain she was going through. He kinda felt bad, they dragged her all around as if they forgot that she was pregnant, they didn't of course. He knew she wouldn't leave them anyway, she held too much commitment towards them. He knew that she knew her limits and would never let anything happen to her, they all would.

The pair of friends lift their heads when they felt the Twinkie come to a sudden stop. Pope sits up, pointing towards the tracks. "Wait a minute, they already came through here. Those have to be Limbrey's tire tracks."

"Of course she fucking did." Ariella let's out a groan, throwing her head back. She flinches feeling sudden warm hard on the sides of her forehead, but relaxes when she sees JJ. He sends her a smile before he softly rubs her temples. Stopping her upcoming headache.

"Guys, we gotta go." Pope tells him, worry in his tone.

"Mmm." JJ hums, moving his hands off her forehead gently and going toward John B. "What do you think, chief?"

"I'm thinking it's looking a little dicey." John B eyes the road that consisted of wet, thick dirt.

"Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with that statement." JJ nods.

Ariella rolls her eyes, letting out a small chuckle. She tilts her head at her two boys. They had to do this. There was no way they could let Limbrey take the win, not after all the other ones she got over them. "Clearly they made it, no?"

"Exactly." Kie agrees.

"In a two-wheel drive?" JJ tilts his head back. "I don't know about that."

Ariella shakes her head. She eyes John B, who she saw held back a smirk. She looks back to JJ, who gives her a innocent look. Ariella huff before looking to her sister, who gets the hint and speaks up. "Why are y'all acting like you're not gonna do it anyways?"

John B turns his gaze towards the younger Cameron sister as she continues. "Like when have y'all ever done the safe thing?"

"The answer is never, if you didn't know." Ariella adds as she sits back in her seat.

John B gives JJ a defeated look. "They got a point."

"True. Up." JJ tells Pope, who scoffs before getting up, throwing himself over the seat, letting JJ take his previous spot. He flashes the girl a smile before going to instruct John B. "Speed is your friend here, okay? So, put her down in second and hammer down, brother."

"Stick to the ground in the middle, John B." Pope pipes in.

"All right, ready?" John B sits up as he prepares himself, the others doing the same, holding on tightly to their seats or the sides of the van.