Lost & Wild: A Joshua Brown Story

CHAPTER 13 - Departure

(Includes Forward)

Harper didn't think the trip could take any longer. She was tired of having to hear Bam knocking at the door every five minutes. She was tired of his begging her to talk to him. She was tired of him demanding that she hear him out. She put her headphones in, but could still feel him outside the door.

She felt the boat lurch as it slowed down. She checked her watch, it had felt like eons, but they'd been out on the water only a little over an hour. She slid off one of the bunks and looked out a porthole window. She saw the docks of Hoonah, sighing to herself.

"Harper, you know...we could stay. Just talk to the guy. Hell ignore him, we've got a lot of stuff we are still supposed to do. This is our job after all." Alex tried to reason with her.

"We can't stay. I can't even take looking at him."

"But Harp, the show..."Braden started.

"We'll figure it out, so they take the bonus check. Big fucking deal." She said, grabbing her bag.

"It is a big fucking deal, Harp, I've got a family to take care of. I quit my job to do this show for you." Jack said, starting to get agitated.

"Then, Jack, I'll give you the money. I just can't do this. I had a hard enough time with David.." She trailed off, trying not to cry. The cousins all dropped their gaze to the floor. They'd been there to help her, they were the ones that forced David out and helped her recoup, "And then Jo-, Bam goes and pulls this. He used me. After I told him everything with that asshole before. I want to go home. I want to be home." Harper said, sinking down into the chair next to her. She felt so weak. So lost. Her mind was spinning wildly.

Alex got up and went over to her, hugging her tightly. Jack, Braden, and Koby followed suit, joining in the group hug.

"Harper, I'm sorry. We're here for you. We'll always be here for you." Jack said, feeling her choke back tears against his arm.

The boat came to complete stop as it was docked in the bay. As soon as they stopped moving, Harper was antsy to get off of the boat. She had Braden leave first. She heard him talking to Bam on the other side. There were others too, Gabe she could hear, and Matt. She heard Braden try to explain that they weren't staying. She tried to ignore what they said, but Bam's voice rising was difficult to miss.

"If she'd just talk to me, she'd understand!" He yelled, "I would never do anything to hurt her, that's the last thing I'd ever want to do!." She was pretty sure the entire dock heard him. She was getting annoyed at having to wait and having to listen to his lies.

"Well you have a pretty shitty track record then!." She spat from the doorway, Alex directly behind her. Alex laid his hand on her shoulder, squeezing slightly, trying to get her to just move to the stairs.

"Harper please, just give me a chance to ex..."

"I already did, Bam, and we all see how well that turned out." He voice dripped with disdain as she saw his face growing more frustrated and angry by the second.

"Do you have a compulsion to be difficult or are you just so sadistic that you enjoy this?" Bam asked, crossing his arms. Gabe nudged Bam, attempting to tell him to back off.

"Well allow me to do you a favor by leaving then. Because god knows you can't deal with anything difficult." Harper narrowed her eyes at him, stalking towards the stairs and ascending them. Bam moved towards the stairs, catching her hand as walked up them.

"Let...me...go." She warned. She looked down as Bam put a small plastic item in her palm.

"Everything I said in there was true." He said, his voice softer, but still firm. She pulled her hand from his, looking at the item in her palm. It was the tape from his camcorder. She didn't have to think long about what was on the tape, remembering the one he made for her. She continued up the stairs, gripping the tape tightly in her hand. She was followed closely by the four other James's.