birds of a feather, obx

030. the island room

It's the next morning and the group are on the porch, all lounging around, the teenagers hungover. John B is slouched down in the arm chair and Rosie is curled up on his lap, cocooned in a blanket. She's half asleep, having not gotten much last night after Renfield's visit.

Pope is sitting in a different chair on the other side of the couch and covered with a blanket and JJ is leaning against the porch railing. Kie is lying on the couch with her beanie pulled down over her eyes. Cora is sitting on the floor and has a blanket wrapped around her and she's coloring on some blank pages she found stuffed away in Rosie's room.

JJ, John B, and Pope are talking about the bonfire fight and JJ's goofing off, seemingly the only one with any energy.

"Hey." JJ warns when he sees Sarah walk in. "Well, hello, princess." He greets.

"What's up?" Kie asks.

"Shouldn't you be on Figure Eight with your little group of polo players?" John B asks, taking the sunglasses off his face. "Or did you break up with Topper?" He winces.

"We're just friends." Sarah says, walking over to where Pope is.

"Oh, he's just a friend. You have a lot of friends, Sarah Cameron."

"Yeah, and it seems like you've got some of your own too."

"You guys are weird." Cora comments.

"All right, what are you doing here? What do you want?" John B asks her, putting the recliner down and sitting up, keeping his arms carefully wrapped around his sister.

"I'm here for Pope." Sarah states, turning to the said boy. "I think I found the island room."

+++

John B is driving to the Cameron house with Sarah in the passenger seat and the others in the back. Kie, Rosie, Cora, and JJ are taking up the bench in the back, though JJ put Cora on his lap to make it a little less squished.

"Guys, listen to this." Pope says. "The diary says the cross holds the most holy relic in all of Christendom, the Garment of the Savior."

"So, wait, he's saying there's a holy garment inside the cross?" Kie asks.

"Yeah. It says the garment is capable of healing the sick from any malady." Pope says.

"Mmm, yeah. "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well."" JJ says making the others all give him looks. "What? I went to Sunday school."

"Sure." Kie mutters.

"Well, that explains why Limbrey would want the cross so bad. She thinks it can heal her." Pope says.

"What else does it say?" Kie asks.

""Many feel that we have sinned to steal such a sacred thing, and God will strike His vengeance on us."" Pope reads.

"Thing is, God did have His vengeance." Kie says.

"He sent a hurricane to sink the ship." Pope says. "Only Denmark survived."

+++

They get to Tannyhill and everybody but Rosie gets out of the van.

Quickly noticing the lack of his kid sister, John B goes to the back door.

"Hey. What's the hold up?" He asks.

"I don't wanna go back in there." Rosie says, her voice just barely above a whisper, nothing but fear in it.

"Hey. Hey, it's okay. Ward's not here." John B says.

"Mm-mm." Rosie shakes her head. "It's not good. I don't want to." She whimpers.