𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿.

thirty two.

   "Sarah?"

   I freeze behind Sarah as my eyes land on Ward. He runs over to us, laughing as he tries to hug Sarah. She raises her hand, "stay back! Don't!"

   He raises his hands in the air, backing away as he smiles looking between the two of us. "I'm back- I'm back, I just- I can't believe my girls came back to me."

   I scoff. That's bullshit.

   "Where's Rafe?"

   "I- I don't know, he's not home." His eyes fall to the bandage on Sarah's stomach, "are you okay?"

   "Of course I'm not okay. You saw what Rafe did."

   "He didn't mean to, sweetheart. It was an accident. It was. I didn't think I was ever going to see you again and here you are, in your backyard. You're home and w-with your sister and-"

   Sarah shakes her head, "I'm not coming home."

   "Aw Sare Bear you're here-"

   "I said stay back!"

   He backs up again, "I'm staying back, I'm right here."

   "It's just," he starts, "I can't stand to see you hurt. I just want to protect you- both of you, and I can't do that when you're with him. And he's got you in these situations and you can't even know what it's been like. I just..." he trails off.

   "I thought you were dead."

   "Do you remember the night of the storm?"

   "Yea-"

   "On the radio you promised me that if I came back you would tell the truth. You remember?" I can see tears in Sarah's eyes, "I'm going to testify against you. That you lied and that Rafe lied and that Rose lied."

   "Oh sweetie-"

   "Just convince Rafe to turn himself in."

   "I'm not gonna do that."

   "But why? John B didn't shoot peterkin-"

   "No he didn't kill Sheriff Peterkin but he is the reason she's dead."

   I stare blankly at him, "what?"

   "I offered to help him for just the tiniest little bit of what was already rightfully mine, and he said no. You know why he said no? Because he's greedy, like his father before him-"

   I feel my blood boil, "don't you talk about them! You're the greedy one!"

   Ward scoffs, "he's brainwashed you! He and his father! That's why it all happened, it was him!"

   Sarah shakes her head, "No. It was Rafe. And he's gonna get caught and he's gonna drag all of you with him-"

   "Honey," Ward sighs, "he's not. Because I'm not gonna let it happen. You still don't understand. Sarah, this family, all of this...I didn't have it growing up. Any of it. And if you think there is anything I wouldn't do to keep us all together, sweetheart you haven't been paying attention."

   "If you don't tell the truth you'll never see me again- you'll never see us again."

   I look between Ward and Sarah scanning for some side of caving on either end. There's not a single trace of it.

   "Sarah honey you're my favorite. Rafe knows it. But no. I'm not gonna choose between my daughter and my son."

   I almost laugh at how he's completely forgotten about Wheezie.

   "I can't. But what I will tell you is that, in the end, it will be okay. We'll all be okay and we'll be right back here and we'll be a family."

   This man is delusional.

   Sarah sees it too as she takes two steps towards him, "what happened to you?"

   Ward doesn't respond as she spins on her heel, walking back down the dock and towards the boat. I stare at him, my father, for a moment.

   How could he have created me?

   His eyes fall on me and he sighs, "Catalina listen-"

   I shake my head, "I just wanna thank you, I think putting me up for adoption was the best thing you could've ever done for me."

   He opens his mouth but I quickly cut him off again.

   "I may be a pogue, but you're the one I pity."

* * *

   I rub Sarah's shoulder as we slowly pull into the beach where our friends are, the girl still sniffling back her tears.

   Our friends run over to us as we hop off the boat, "how'd it go?"

   Sarah wipes her eyes, "you guys were right, it didn't work."

   "Welp that settles it!" JJ makes his way over, "now, y'all need to load up in the paddy wagon and get the heck out of dodge right now."

   Pope nods, "right you'll need supplies and you'll have to split as soon as possible."

   I shake my head. This can't be happening. We literally just got them back and we're losing them again. Before I can protest Kie speaks up.

   "Guys I think it's too late."

   I look up at the sound of sirens, my eyes widening.

    "They followed you here? Must've been your father."

    "We've gotta find another way outta here."

   "Stay on the beach with your hands in the air!"

   "Guys we gotta go!"

   We take off running down the beach, cutting through the water to the next piece of land. "Let's go let's go let's go!"

   "Go! Go!"

   I follow JJ as he ducks and weaves through the trees, my heart pounding as I hear John B's constant shouts for us to hurry up.

   We make it to tall grass, letting out into more water. I jump down into the bank as JJ helps Sarah down behind me. I grab her arm and pull it over my shoulder as we make our way through the water.

   It drops to the point where I can't stand and we both begin to swim. Kie pulls me with her as she makes it to the shore.

   "Go! Behind the trees!"

   I duck as more and more police appear.

   "We're trapped, they surrounded us."

   "What do we do?"

   "There's no getting out of this, we've gotta make a stand," JJ pulls out the gun and my eyes widen. There's no scenario in which this ends well.

   A tear rolls down my cheek as I look up at the blonde, "JJ."

   John B grabs him, forcing him to drop the gun.

   This cannot be happening.

   JJ kicks dirt over the gun and John B steps away from us just as the cops pull up on land, the ones in the water now on shore.

   "John B! Step out of the clearing! Get down, do not move!"

   I slowly raise my hands into the air as everyone continues to yell at us. My hands shake and my lip quiver as I watch nearly every policeman on the island gather around us.

   An officer makes his way over to John B, dropping his gun and slamming the boy to the ground. I stand from my knees, "are you serious!?"

   I go to take a step forward, a gun shoved in my face.

   I lower my head, my hands shaking as I drop back to my knees and orders are yelled at me. Tears roll down my face as I hear my friends scream.

   There's nothing I can even do.

   There's nothing I can ever do.