𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐒. ᵒᵘᵗᵉʳ ᵇᵃⁿᵏˢ ¹

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 51.

    "We're gonna go to town hall in a few minutes," Jj said after a long while of silence, placing both hands on the spaces beside his legs, leaning.

    I looked down at my hands, already knowing. The Pogues were only few feet away, sitting in the car behind me.

    "You know, see what's up," he said.

    Staring down at my fingers, I listened to Kie and Pope talking in the front seats, their voices quiet.

    "You wanna come back in," he suggested kindly, referring to the car, "I'll sit in the trunk again, you can sit with JB," he glanced back into the vehicle, slightly looking over the backseats as we sat in the open trunk. "Yeah?"

    I folded my fingers together, hard.

    When I didn't reply for a moment, Jj let out another short sigh, and leaned to the side. Our shoulders slightly bumped together as he reached into his back pocket, and then returned to sitting normally, this time with the vape between his two fingers. He pointed it towards me, lowly.

    I looked down at it, and then shook my head slowly. He shrugged and brought the vape up to his lips, before exhaling a puff of smoke.

    "I watched her die," my voice came out not much higher than a faint whisper. "Jj."

    Suddenly everyone went quiet for a quick second. Kie and Pope stopped talking when I spoke, but only for a moment, before hesitantly returning to conversation, so that I wouldn't be put into spotlight. I heard the backseat shuffle a bit, meaning John B had taken notice.

    "I know," Jj composed himself as much as he could, trying to wipe the shocked look off his face. "John B told us everything."

    "No, I watched her die," I repeated, staring down at the pavement. "And I couldn't do anything about it." My voice cracked.

     Jj's face fell, "But that's not your fault, Charlie—"

    "And now she's dead," I looked over at him, making eye contact. "And I don't—" I paused, lowering my voice as small tears poked at my eyes. I lowered my voice to a whisper. "I don't know, where Sarah is."

    He looked at me, sadly. "No one does." he frowned.

    "He shouldn't have gone to the cops last night." I swallowed the air in my throat, looking away. "John B shouldn't have gone in that station."

    "What," Jj slightly turned his body towards me, "What do you mean?"

    "Ward, he," I shook my head, "He's dangerous,"

    "Yeah, we know tha—"

    "He told me— he told the cops, everyone, that John B stabbed his arm with that spear," I said, a bit louder than anticipated.

    "What?" Kie's attention was pulled to us.

    John B sat up in the back seat.

    "I'm sorry I didn't say anything last night," a small tear trickled down my cheek, "I'm so sorry,"

    I didn't have to say anything for Jj to wrap an arm around my shoulders, hugging me tightly for a moment.