*TW for this chapter- non-consensual human contact* (Scene marked with stars, if you wish to skip)
"AH, CRAP! The tide!" John B exclaimed as he rolled the Twinkie to a stop. Scarlett leaned forward, looking over JJ's shoulder to see through the cracked window. While they had been at the Angel Oak, the tide had washed all the water in, drowning the dirt path they needed to drive across.
"Oh, this doesn't look good." Pope sighed.
"How deep is that?" Kiara asked from the backseat.
John B shrugged. "I dunno. The road's gone."
"The tide rose faster than I thought it would." JJ commented. "Uh, John B, how high are the spark plugs?"
"They're good. We're fine." John B answered, his words not doing anything to reassure the Pogues.
"JB, how high are they?" Scarlett asked him.
The boy shrugged. "Oh, um..." He leaned his head out through the open window, looking to the back of the van. "Uh, just above the taillight."
"So, what's that?" Scarlett questioned, looking round at the boys.
"Maybe three feet." Pope told her.
JJ nodded. "Yeah. That's three feet."
"That water can't be three feet deep." Kiara commented, looking through the window next to her.
"Then what's the problem?" John B asked.
JJ shook his head. "Not a problem. No, we're good. We're good. She'll make it." He tapped the side of the Twinkie.
"Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts." John B announced, starting up the Twinkie for a second time. "Hold on to something. We're going into hyperdrive."
"Mmm, I don't trust this will go well." Scarlett mumbled, reaching over and securing her seatbelt. "That water could be deeper then we think."
John B counted down from three, pressing hard on the gas pedal. The group began yelling over each other as the back wheels spun in the mud. "You got this! You got this!" JJ yelled as the van began to move quickly. Water flew up, hitting the sides of the Twinkie as John B sped up. "Speed is your friend. Speed is your friend, John B." JJ cried.
The Pogues began shouting over one another as they neared the end of the flooded path, spinning off at the last second. "Shit!" Scarlett exclaimed as the Twinkie came to a sudden stop, now stuck in a ditch just off the dirt path. She reached up a hand, rubbing the back of her head which had harshly hit the back of her seat.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." John B muttered quickly, hitting his hands against the wheel.
"I think we miscalculated." Pope spoke.
"You think?" Scarlett quipped, leaning forward and resting her head in her hands, her elbows digging into her knees. As usual, just when things were starting to look up for the Pogues something else had to happen to throw them back a few steps.
"I knew I should have driven." JJ commented.
Scarlett shook her head as she unclipped her seatbelt. "No offense, JJ, but it would probably have been worse if you had." She leaned over the back of his seat, placing a quick kiss to his cheek. She pulled away, turning to open the door and hopped out into the water, which came up to just below the edge of her shorts.
One by one the Pogues climbed out the van until they were all stood by the open trunk, brainstorming how to get themselves out of the mess they were in. "Okay, maybe we can walk from here." Pope suggested.
"What? And leave the Twinkie?" John B questioned. "The... the tide's coming in."
"So then what are we supposed to do?" Sarah asked.
JJ shrugged his shoulders. "Not stay here."
Scarlett ran a hand over her face, an idea forming in her mind. "I could... I could get my dad's truck?" She suggested with a sigh. "We could borrow it to tow the Twinkie out and then I'll return it to him."
"No." Pope said. "Your dad and step-mom won't let you back in the house- probably ever- if you did that." He told her truthfully.
Scarlett shook her head. "It's a risk I'm willing to take."
JJ rested a hand on her shoulder. "But then they won't you see Maisie. And we can't let you take this risk if it means losing her." Scarlett sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder.
"I could take my dad's truck instead." Kiara spoke up.
"Kie, are you sure?" John B asked her.
The brunette shrugged her shoulders. "How much worse can it get, you know?" She sighed. "Besides, we've all agreed we can't take Lottie's dad's truck. And if it means Lottie still has a chance with her new family, I'm happy to take the risk."
"Have I told you how much I appreciate you, Kie?" Scarlett smiled at the girl. She truly was grateful that Kiara was willing to steal her father's truck to help the Pogues.
"We need something to pull her out with." JJ noted. "There's the winch at the Château. That's, like, two miles."
"Yeah, that's a good idea." Sarah agreed.
"If you're gonna do it, let's go, okay?" John B said. "Tide's coming in. Twinkie's going underwater."
"I'll go with you guys." Scarlett said, moving to follow JJ and Kiara. "You might need an extra hand. Besides, then JJ won't be worrying about me drowning the whole time." She joked.
⭐⭐⭐
The three Pogues crept round the side of Mr. Carrera's car, keeping low so as to not be visible from the windows of the house. JJ, who was in front of the two girls, looked through the driver door window. "He's not in there. We're good." He whispered. Following JJ, the teens crept up to the fence, kneeling so they were hidden by the bushes. "Are you sure you wanna do this, a little Dad Theft Auto?" JJ asked Kiara.
"Yeah, Kie you don't have to do this." Scarlett added. "We can go to my dad's house. It's a few minutes from here."
Kiara shook her head. "No. It's okay Lottie. I can't let you risk not seeing Maisie. I can do it." Keeping low, she approached the gate as JJ unlocked it, swinging it open for her. JJ and Scarlett waited in silence, watching as Kiara tiptoed up the porch steps and disappeared through the backdoor.
"You think Kie's gonna be okay?" Scarlett asked quietly to JJ after a few minutes of silence between the two. While she was grateful that Kiara had suggested taking her dad's truck, Scarlett worried about what it would mean for the rift between her best friend and her parents. She knew things were becoming difficult for Kiara, and she didn't want it to be made worse by borrowing Mr. Carrera's car.
The boy shrugged, going to answer when he spotted Kiara rushing back down the porch stairs. He swung the gate open, catching the keys that the brunette threw to him. "C'mon." He whispered, unlocking the car. Scarlett jumped in the backseat as JJ claimed the driver's seat. He started up the engine as Kiara raced round the front of the car to the passenger seat.
The Pogues didn't say much as they drove away to the Château. As JJ drove the stolen car, Scarlett couldn't help but think about if they would be able to rescue the Twinkie in time. The Pogues had so many memories with that van that Scarlett knew it would be impossible to say goodbye to. They had to hurry, grab the winch and drive as fast as possible back towards Goat Island.
"This'll only take a sec." JJ said as the car pulled up by the garden shed. "I think it's in the surf shack."
"Want me to go with you?" Scarlett asked.
JJ shook his head as he put the car in park. "No, it's alright Red. "I'll be right back." The girls watched as he hurried out of the car, barely closing the door behind him as he broke into a run. Scarlett gasped, watching as JJ tripped over a piece of the broken wired fence. "I'm okay!" He called over his shoulder, picking himself back up and continuing to run towards the shack.
Scarlett rolled down the window, sticking her head through the gap. "Be quick! The Twinkie's dying!" She reminded him, her voice loud. JJ sent her a thumbs up, kneeling down and picking up a duffle bag. He looked around for a moment before spotting the winch sitting atop a pile of rope. Scarlett furrowed her eyebrows as JJ disappeared from view for a few minutes, having been pulled out of sight by his dad.
"I don't want anybody to know I'm here, all right?" Luke Maybanks said, his hand covering JJ's mouth.
"Get off me!" JJ cried, his voice still quiet so as to not alert Scarlett and Kiara. He pulled away from his dad's grip, spinning around to face the man. "How'd you get out?" JJ asked after a few moments, taking a couple of steps back from his father.
"Work release." The man answered. "Good behaviour. Can you believe that?" He chuckled. JJ shook his head, looking down at his father's bloody and bruised knuckles. "Yeah. Busted a window in a pharmacy." Luke said as if it wasn't a big deal, having seen his son's gaze drop to his hands. He looked behind him for a second, making sure no one else could hear him. "Busted that pharmacist too. Look, I gotta get out of here. That pharmacist, he can ID me."
From inside the car, Kiara reached over and honked the horn on the wheel. "JJ!" She yelled out the window.
"We gotta go!" Scarlett added, her fingers tapping against the inside of the car door. She watched as Kiara climbed out the car, walking around to the driver's side and leaning on the door.
"I gotta get off this island." Luke Maybank continued. "So you gotta help me, and I'm done with Kildare. I'm taking Malcom's boat, and I need to get to the other side of the island."
Scarlett undid her seatbelt, reaching forward and leaning her hand on the car horn for a few seconds. "JJ!" She yelled again, wondering where her boyfriend had disappeared to. JJ looked past his father to the car for a moment before kneeling down and shoving the winch into the bag.
"J! J!" Luke hissed, reaching forward and grabbing his son's shoulder.
"Dad, get off me!" JJ cried, being pulled up from the ground.
With his hands harshly grabbing both JJ's shoulders, Luke spun his son around to face him. "Listen to me. I should've had the Phantom, but I don't because of you." Luke spat at JJ, who unsuccessfully tried to pry himself from his father's grip. "I got your restitution hanging over me. This is your fault. Look at me." Reluctantly, JJ moved his gaze from the floor to his father's face, looking the man in the eye. "You telling me you're not gonna help your own blood?"
JJ clenched his jaw as he thought about his best option. Luke's grip dropped from JJ's shoulders as he watched his son. After a moment or two, JJ picked up the bag, pushing his father in the direction of Kiara's car.
"Oh, no. No, no, no, no." Scarlett mumbled, watching JJ walk back into view with his father. She easily remembered the last interaction she'd had with Luke Maybank and knew from the hatred in the man's eyes that he hadn't forgotten it either.
"What the frick? No. Immediately, no." Kiara said, climbing out the driver's seat.
"JJ- What the hell?" Scarlett asked, wondering what he was doing with his father. And why the man was hanging around the Château in the first place.
"What is this?" Kiara questioned, looking between the two Maybanks.
JJ threw the duffle bag into the truck bed. "Just get in the truck." Scarlett's mouth curled into a thin line as she watched Luke climb into the seat next to her.
Kiara ignored JJ's words, moving closer to him as he sorted out the bag. "I'm sorry. The Twinkie's drowning right now, JJ. What is the plan? What is this?"
Unable to cope with the hateful looks being thrown her way, Scarlett pushed open the car door and joined her friends outside. "JJ, I don't know what he wants but now really isn't the time." She said to him, her voice soft. She wasn't angry at the boy, just confused. For someone who hated his dad so much, she couldn't understand what he was doing allowing the man to tag along with them.
"Listen to me. Listen to me, okay?" JJ spun around to face the two girls, having walked a little way from the car. "I need to get into the marina at the Island Club. There's a boat he can take." He turned to Kiara, focusing his next words on her. "You got the sticker on your truck. Twenty minutes, that's all I need."
"The Twinkie's gonna be a submarine in twenty minutes." Kiara cried, watching as JJ walked round the front of the car.
"I know, Kie."
"J- look, we can come back for him after we rescue the Twinkie and the others." Scarlett spoke. "I- this isn't a good time."
JJ's jaw tensed and his hands hit the lid of the truck. "The cops are after him!" Scarlett's face fell, seeing how upset the blonde looked. "If I do this now, maybe I will never have to do it again. Red, you understand right? You'd do the same if it was your step-dad."
Scarlett shrugged. "I- I don't know J." She answered. It was the truth though. She wasn't sure if she'd do what JJ was right now, and help the man. Even if he begged her too. But she could understand why JJ was so determined to help his father, even after everything else. If JJ helped Luke leave, he might never have to face the man again. Both Kiara and Scarlett shared a worried look as JJ climbed into the front passenger seat. Scarlett let out a sigh, reluctantly moving to sit behind the driver's seat as Kiara sat in the front.
⭐⭐⭐
⁕⁕⁕
"Hey, pull up to Home Food here. I'm gonna need provisions." Luke said to Kiara after driving for a short while back towards Figure Eight. Scarlett hadn't spoke the entire drive, not wanting to put any attention on herself. She was already feeling uncomfortable sitting in the back of the car with Luke Maybank. "Crackers and baked beans and tuna, all right?" Luke said to JJ once the car had rolled to a stop. Scarlett moved her gaze from the window, watching JJ climb out the car. "And some salt and pepper. Five day's worth." He added.
"Yeah. I know." JJ muttered, shutting the door behind him and walking up the steps into the shop.
Both Kiara and Scarlett tried to ignore Luke as he drummed his fingers on the back of the seat. Scarlett had slid herself as close to the car door as possible, wanting to get away from the man her boyfriend called his dad. The drumming increased, and it was beginning to drive Scarlett insane. "Can you stop that." She snapped, her head whipping round to look at the man.
"You're a terrible father, you know that?" Kiara said to him, not even sparing the man a glance.
Luke rolled his eyes at the girls. "Yeah, preach it to me. Set me straight. Just like your friend here." He sat back in his seat, his hand tapping Scarlett's thigh. Her face scrunched up in disgust as she looked down at his hand, waiting for it to move. It didn't.
Kiara shook her head slightly, her gaze focused on the shop JJ had disappeared to. "Do you have any idea how special your son is? Like, even a clue?"
"He's a thief is what he is."
Scarlett sucked in a deep breath, too scared to move the man's hand off her leg in case he did something worse. "How can you say that? He's your son."
"What are you?" Kiara asked the man. "You're just a wasted local who never did shit but get messed up and hustle people. Not exactly impressive."
Luke chuckled lightly at Kiara's words. "You know, you sound just like your mama. She was just like that in high school. Always thought she was better than everybody else. Kook princess." Scarlett saw through the rear-view mirror as Kiara's face fell. Luke's words hit her deep, just like he intended them to. "You too." He turned to Scarlett, rounding on her. "You're just like your mama." Scarlett's jaw tensed as his grip on her thigh tightened. "Sleeping with a bad boy, letting other people do your work for you. Bet you two are both ungrateful shits like your mama's were." He sneered. "I bet you are."
Outside, the shop bell rung as JJ pushed open the door. Luke leaned forward, focusing his words on Kiara again- smiling at the way he was making her mad. "Miss Figure Eight, hopping up there on your high horse, riding around in daddy's car." Without warning, Kiara elbowed the man in the face, hitting his nose. Luke groaned, lifting his hand off Scarlett's leg and bringing it to his face. Scarlett stayed quiet, though thankful her friend's actions had made Luke remove his hand.
"Don't talk about my family." Kiara said to him, looking over her shoulder to the back of the car. "And don't talk about Lottie's either."
"Hey." JJ whistled as he approached the car. He handed his father a pack of beers through the open window, placing the rest of the shopping in the truck bed. Kiara started the engine, glaring at Luke through the mirror.
"Let's get this over with, yeah?" Kiara said to JJ as he opened the door. She plastered a fake smile on her face, and Scarlett did the same.
"Yeah." The blonde took a quick look round the car, noticing the uncomfortable way Scarlett was sat. Her fingers fiddled with her mother's old rings and despite the fake smile she sported, her face seemed tense. JJ knew he couldn't talk to her about it while his dad was present, so he pushed it to the back of his mind as he sat down and closed the door- deciding to check on his girlfriend when they were next able to get a moment alone.
⁕⁕⁕
⭐⭐⭐
Kiara rolled the truck to a stop just outside the Pelican Yacht Club. Though Scarlett was happy to see the older Maybank go for good, she wished he'd picked a better moment for it. The Twinkie was drowning and their friends were stranded. If they didn't make it back in time, who knows what would happen. Nerves racked Scarlett's body as her fingers tapped lightly against the fabric of her shorts. She watched as JJ climbed out the front passenger seat, sending her a worried glance. She sent him a small smile as a way to show him that she was okay- but they both knew she wasn't. As JJ walked round to the truck bed to collect his dad's things, the older man leaned over and rested his arm on the driver's seat. "Hey, why don't you tell your mom hi?" He spoke to Kiara before flitting his gaze to the Woods girl next to him. "Would say the same to you, if your mama weren't dead."
Scarlett flinched, moving herself so her back pressed against the closed door. His comment hit her hard, reminding her of the heavy loss. Keeping her mouth shut in a thin line, she turned her head away from the man, determined to ignore his presence. Having heard the comments his father had made to his friend and girlfriend, JJ reached forward through the open door and whacked the older man's shoulder. "Shut up."
"Make it quick." Kiara said to the blonde boy, wanting to get back to the other Pogues as quick as possible. Like Scarlett, she was worried they wouldn't make it on time. JJ nodded at her, his gaze flitting to the blonde girl in the seat behind her. His face fell as he saw the pain in her features after Luke Maybank's comment.
"Come on." JJ said simply, turning around and leading his father away from the car.
"Hey, Luke." Kiara called to the man after a moment. Both of the Maybanks turned to face her watching as Kiara flipped her middle finger up at the man. Luke made a move towards the car, only stopped by JJ stepping in front of him and quietly telling him to go. Satisfied that she had riled up the older man, Kiara sat back in her seat with a smirk planted on her face. Though, her smirk fell when she saw through the rear-view mirror how reserved her friend had become. "Lottie, you okay?" She asked, twisting in her seat to look at the girl.
Scarlett shrugged. Luke Maybank had gotten under her skin, especially with his comment about her mother. The pain was still fresh to her, and any healing that she had done over the last few weeks seemed to unravel before her eyes. The feeling wasn't helped by the fact that she could still feel the phantom grip of his hand on her leg.
"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Kiara spoke again, her voice soft. "And I know it's hard but try not to let his words get to you. It's how he wins." Scarlett nodded at her friend's words, the side of her face leaning against the window as she watched the distant figure of JJ down at the end of the dock.
"Did you have to do that?" JJ asked his dad, helping the man load up his supplies. "Did you have to go after them like that?"
Luke shrugged as he fiddled with something on the floor of the boat. "I told 'em the truth. Not my fault they didn't like it."
JJ shook his head as he dug the keys from the wooden box on the end of the jetty. He was angry at his father for everything he'd done- but more so for the way he seemed to make his girlfriend uncomfortable. "Everything, hmm." He mumbled. "Everything I have, you fricking ruin."
"I don't try to." Luke shrugged. "Just happens naturally." JJ spun around to face his father, having fished the key out of the locked box. Luke walked past the boy into the cabin and after a moment's hesitation, JJ climbed up to the crows nest. He slotted the key into the engine, listening to it's spluttering as it slowly started.
Pausing for a moment, he looked out across to the Pelican Yacht Club, faintly spotting Scarlett as she sat on the hood of Kiara's car. From where he stood it looked like the girls were having a conversation, though it mainly seemed to be Kiara talking- her back leaning against the passenger door. He shook his head slightly as worried thoughts of Scarlett started flooding his brain. He would have to talk to her later, once he'd helped his dad leave and once the Twinkie was saved. Climbing back down the ladder, he walked through the open door into the cabin his father had disappeared to.
"You got a full tank of gas..." JJ started, his words stopping short as his eyes fell on his father. The man was leaning over the table, his back to his son as he slid a couple of pill bottles into a drawer. "...but I reckon that's only gonna get you to Jacksonville." He continued, stepping further into the room as he pretended to not have seen anything. "You got money for gas, right?" JJ asked over his shoulder as Luke walked past him to the main deck of the boat.
"What do you think?" Luke retorted, kneeling down by the edge of the boat and fiddling with the rope. "Yeah, no. I'll figure it out."
JJ sighed, his eyes rolling slightly as he pulled out his wallet. He didn't have much cash and the cash he did have he was saving to buy something for Scarlett, or even take her out for a nice meal once the Pogues found the cross. But he knew if he didn't lend some of it to his father, there was a chance he would end up somewhere on the mainland. Somewhere too close for comfort where there was a chance of running into him again. With a sigh, JJ took out a few notes and held them between his fingers as he turned to face his father. "Dad." He held the cash up, his hand held out towards the man.
Luke Maybank looked over to his son, rising to his feet. The two took a few steps towards each other and Luke grabbed his son's hand, stopping him as he tried to walk past. "Hey. Come here, Son. Come here." JJ stopped, turning to his dad. Luke pulled him closer, cupping his hands on either side of JJ's face. "I know I could've been better." His said, seeming to sound genuine for the first time in a long time.
"I hadn't exactly been perfect either." JJ shrugged, taking a small step backwards and letting his father's hands fall to his shoulders.
"Well, hey, perfect don't matter." Luke said to him. "You got a good heart." He patted JJ's shoulder before the boy pulled away, moving to walk away from his father. Luke's grip on his shoulder tightened, pulling JJ back to face him. "No, no. Come on. Can't let it end like this. I'm going to Yucatán. I might never be coming back. It'll all work out."
JJ couldn't help that he was happy at the news of his father leaving, possibly for good. The man had never treated him right. But he also felt sadness at knowing he would never see his father again. They were family at the end of the day, and family loved each other. Even with all the wrong-doings, family was family and they cared for one another. He kept his face set, trying to hide any of the mixed emotions he was feeling. "No, it's not." He whimpered quietly, his head shaking slightly. "But maybe in the next life."
Luke patted the boy's shoulders. "Come on, J. Don't be like that."
Tears welling up in his eyes, JJ stepped forward. He wrapped his arms around Luke's back, resting his head on his dad's shoulder as he hugged him. He let out a quiet sigh as Luke patted him on the back. "Take care, Dad, okay?" He pulled away, turning before his father could see his face. JJ stepped off the boat, walking down to untie it from the jetty. Luke stared after his son for a brief moment before climbing up the ladder. Rope in hand, JJ paused as he thought about all the times his father had beaten him and yelled at him.
A small hand placed itself gently on his shoulder, and without turning his head he knew it was Scarlett. "It's okay." Her voice was soft and quiet as she spoke, placing her other hand on the top of his arm. "It's okay. It's okay to let him go." JJ nodded slowly, sniffling slightly as he angrily threw the rope onto the deck of the boat. He blinked his eyes furiously, trying to not let any tears fall as he watched his father sail off into the distance. Scarlett's hands slid down to his, grasping tightly. With his free hand, he pulled out the stolen pills bottles he had taken from his dad. Not letting go off Scarlett's hands, he walked her over to the bin on the edge of the dock, chucking to bottles in there.
Kiara watched from further down the jetty as JJ crumbled, giving the couple some space for a few minutes. He pulled Scarlett closer to him, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist as he leaned his head against her shoulder. Scarlett flinched slightly at the contact, but slowly wrapped her arms around JJ's taller frame. "It's gonna be okay." She whispered, running her hands gently through his hair and down his back. "He can't hurt you anymore. You're gonna be okay."
⭐⭐⭐
"Oh, and speak of the fricking devil." Pope exclaimed as Kiara's car backed up to the water's edge. Sarah looked up briefly before turning her attention to wrapping John B's alligator bite with his bandanna. Kiara honked the horn as she put the vehicle into park, signalling their arrival to the other Pogues. "Look who it is, the three tortoises. Just a couple of hours late." He called to Kiara through the rolled down window. "Where the hell were you guys?" He yelled, holding his arms out to them.
Closing the car door, Scarlett smiled sheepishly at the three and nervously scratching the back of her head. "Sorry. Something came up." Her face frowned as her eyes landed on John B, the boy lying between Sarah and Pope on the roof of the Twinkie. "What the hell happened to you?" She exclaimed, rushing forward to the water's edge.
"What the hell happened to you?" John B fired back. "You've been hours."
"Paternal complications." Kiara answered, pointing to JJ as he walked round the truck.
JJ stopped by the truck bed, reaching over the side and pulling out the duffel bag and the winch. "Luke was at the Château."
"Which Luke?" John B asked. "Your Luke or Lottie's Luke?"
"His Luke." Scarlett answered, her words full of distaste as she memories of the car came back to her. She shivered slightly, shoving her hands into the pockets of her shorts.
"Oh, great!" Pope's voice dripped with sarcasm. "While you were having family time with your pops, John B got bit by a gator."
Scarlett's eyes widened in both shock and worry. "You what?" She yelled. "Are you okay? Please tell me you're okay!"
"I got bit by a gator, Lottie." John B sighed, pulling himself into a sitting position now that Sarah had finished wrapping the wound. "Of course I'm not okay."
"Oh, shit." JJ exclaimed. "Like, for real?"
"Does it look like we're joking?" Sarah asked him.
Kiara stepped forward, her eyebrows furrowing at the friends sat on the roof of the van. "Okay, what the hell happened?"
"What happened? I got bit by a gator!"
"He got bit by a gator!"
Both John B and Pope stressed at the same time.
Scarlett stayed quiet as she looked back and forth between her friends. She had expected some sort of disagreement over their lateness but she realise it would turn out like this. "I dunno why I'm being yelled at." Kiara's voice was also raised. "I put my ass on the line." She gestured towards her car.
"You're being yelled at because it was twenty minutes-" Pope began to yell.
"We got here as fast as we could." Kiara spoke over him. Scarlett took a step back as the Pogues began to yell over one another. The day's events had already made her feel uneasy and seeing her friends argue was making her feel worse.
JJ ran his hands through his hair, looking between his friends. When his gaze fell on Scarlett and saw how uneasy and uncomfortable she looked, he broke. "Shut up!" He yelled over the group's arguing. Suddenly, silence fell over the Pogues as they all turned to stare at the blonde boy. "Seriously, guys, I can't take it anymore, all right?" He paused, turning as he took a few steps over to a tree and leaned his back against it. "Everyone just cut it out for a second." He laughed under his breath, though the others could tell it was forced. Scarlett watched JJ with sad eyes, knowing that seeing his dad leaving had affected him more than he showed. With a small shrug of his shoulders, JJ spoke again, lifting his gaze from the dirt ground. "Look, I just helped my dad leave this island for good. Like, he's not ever coming back. He's straight up like the Spanish. Just, 'Bon voyage.'"
Scarlett shook her head slightly, a small smile playing on her lips. "J, hun, that's French." She spoke softly, her gaze fixed on the boy.
JJ shrugged at her, continuing his speech. "All we got... And I know for a fact all I got is you guys, okay?" He looked round at each of the Pogues, fixing on Scarlett after he'd looked at the others. "You're it." The two locked eyes for a moment, small smiles on each of their faces, before JJ turned back to the rest of the Pogues. "And I've come too close to losing you, all of you. I mean, shit, like you almost drowned." He pointed to Kiara. "Pope, you were kidnapped. Sarah, you've been shot. John B, you were almost dinner for a freaking gator, bro. And Red..." He turned back to her, hi face falling as his eyes scanned all the various bruises and scratches on her skin. "You've nearly died so many times I've lost count. You've been shot at, nearly drowned a few times. I can't tell you how it hurts to think I've lost you, over and over again." He turned back to the others, pushing back the tears that formed in the corner of his eyes. "So, this blaming each other is some Kook-ass bullshit, all right? We don't do that. Okay? We're Pogues." He paused, shoving his hands in his pockets awkwardly. "Sorry, that was a lot right now. I didn't mean to..."
Scarlett wiped the back of her sleeve over her face, wiping the tears away. "No, you're right, J. We need to stick together. If we fight, that's time where we're losing to get the cross before Limbrey does." She walked past Kiara, stopping next to the boy. Despite the fact she didn't feel like feeling another person's touch right now, she pulled the boy into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her gently, resting his chin on the top of her head as he looked over at the Pogues.
The others all shared a smile before beginning to clap at JJ's speech. "I gotta be honest." John B said. "That was the best freaking speech you have ever given. Also, you should think about, like, a Rosetta Stone because your Spanish and French are flip-flopped." With his arms still wrapped around Scarlett's back, he held both his middle fingers up at John B.
"I'm proud of you, JJ." Scarlett whispered, tilting her face up to look at him. He smiled down at her, placing a quick kiss on the top of her head.
"We should bon voyage out of here." Sarah cried, raising her arm.
JJ nodded, letting go of Scarlett so he could grab the winch. "All right, let's get this damn Twinkie out of here."
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Having managed the rescue the Twinkie, the Pogues finally found themselves at Freedman's Church. Scarlett stayed close to JJ as both him and Pope pulled the doors open. They opened with a loud 'creak' and the sound of wings fluttering sounded as a few birds flew off the roof outside. "Okay, you're telling me Denmark Tanny decided to hide the cross here?" JJ asked, looking round the dusty and deserted building.
Pope hummed as he nodded his head. The Pogues filed through the wide doorway, looking around at the empty inside. Scarlett was surprised the church was still standing considering the state it was in. Paint was peeling from the walls and the wooden benches seemed rotten. "Everybody, just spread out." Kiara said as the teens began walking slowly around the room.
"Okay, well, if I was a cross and wanted to be hidden in an old church, where would I hide?" John B mused. Scarlett shrugged her shoulders, walking towards the altar. She crouched down, feeling the floor for any loose floorboards. People usually hid their prized possessions under false flooring so she figured Tanny would have done the same. She managed to lift up a loose floorboard, but to her dismay there wasn't anything underneath. A sigh escaped her lips and she sat back on her heels, looking over to the others.
"Are you sure that Denmark hid the cross here, Pope?" JJ asked him. His gaze moved from where Scarlett was kneeling on the floor to Pope who had made his way to stand behind the altar. "Like, are we sure we're at the right church?"
"It's gotta be here somewhere, guys." Pope said to them.
Scarlett stood up, brushing the dirt off her legs. "Well, this place doesn't seem to have false flooring for it to be buried under. Just loose floorboards from years of disrepair." She sighed, running a hand through her hair.
"What if we have to push a secret button or, like, play, like, a... a certain chord," JJ suggested, walking over to the old piano. His fingers traced over the keys as he spoke. "...and then, all of a sudden, the ground beneath us reveals the catacombs or something on which we stand?"
"How about we try to find obvious clues?" John B suggested. "I think Lottie was onto something with the whole false floor thing." Scarlett sent the boy a smile, glad someone had listened to her earlier statement.
"It's not an escape room." Kiara said, taking a eat on one of the old pews. "But Lottie's theory could be right. It is possible."
"Thank you." Scarlett spoke, walking across the room. She took a seat on the opposite row to the girl, her fingers twisting her mother's old rings as she thought about where the cross could be hidden. And if it was under the floor, would they have to rip up the whole floor to get to it?
"It's gotta be in here." Pope stressed. "Come on." He gasped, running his fingers over the walls.
"Look, I can't see where they'd hide a giant cross here." John B said to him. "And if Lottie's right, then it's gonna be buried pretty deep underground. It could take us ages to get it out."
Pope shook his head. "No, no. There's no way he would set us up on a freaking goose chase that would lead us to a church that has nothing." He waved his arms around as he walked back to the middle of the room.
"Yes, I get it." John B told him, the Pogues watching the conversation between the two boys. "I don't know what to tell you, man."
"The clues led us here. The cross is in this church." Pope was becoming increasingly stressed the more they looked. He slumped down on the bench next to Scarlett.
"It'll be okay." She said softly, patting the boy on the shoulder. "We'll find it. I promise you."
John B nodded as Kiara took a seat on the other side of Pope. "Listen to Lottie, she's right. It's gonna be okay. We've had setbacks in the past, and we figured it out. We're gonna find it."
"They're right." Kiara added quietly. Pope sat back, quiet as he looked over the spyglass again.
"We've just gotta think about this logically, all right?" John B continued. "We could try Lottie's idea. Rip up the floorboards."
Scarlett shook her head. "No. If it's not there then we've damaged the church for no reason."
"Then, what else?" John B asked, looking to her. "Where else would you hide a seven-foot-tall cross made of gold?"
Out the corner of her eye, Scarlett saw Pope raise the telescope to his eye, looking up towards the ceiling. Turning her head to properly face the boy, she watched as his eyes widened and he lowered the spyglass back to his lap. "What?" JJ asked, knowing the boy had an idea. He glanced up to the ceiling, as did the other Pogues, in order to understand where Pope was going with his realisation. Pope stood up from the bench, his eyes not moving from the beam above them. Holding the beam up were two large wooden crosses.
"Do you think..." Scarlett started to ask, her voice trailing off into silence.
"Oh my God!" Kiara exclaimed. "Look at that."
"Pope." Sarah called out as the boy crossed the room. Gasping, he placed his hands in the gaps between the bricks beginning to climb up to the beam.
JJ shook his head in disbelief. "Hey, no!"
"Be careful, Pope!" Scarlett cried, her hands over her mouth. She couldn't take her eyes off her friend out of fear he was going to fall. The Pogues all voiced their discontent as Pope climbed higher and higher, ignoring them.
"Yo! This church gots to be at least 200 years old." JJ voiced.
"He's right. It's too dangerous." John B added. "Plus, you're giving Lottie a heart attack." Scarlett lightly hit his arm in protest. Though, John B was right. The sight of Pope climbing onto the beam was enough to send Scarlett's heart racing. If Pope were to get hurt she wouldn't know what to do.
"Yo, let me just be real." JJ called. "You're not the most coordinated person on planet Earth. You hear me? What are you doing?"
"Oh, God!" Scarlett squealed as Pope pulled himself into a standing position on the beam. "I can't watch!" She turned, hiding her face in JJ's shoulder. He wrapped an arm around her, rubbing his hand against her back.
Pope hit his fist against the first cross. "All right, this one's solid wood." He informed the others. "I'm gonna try the other beam." He began to climb over it, reaching the centre.
"Pope, that's rotten as shit right there, okay?" JJ told him.
Pope knelt down, gripping tightly to the middle beam as he banged his hand against it. "Hey, easy!" Kiara called up to him, worried he might fall.
"Pope, I hate to break it to you, but that's wood." JJ said, his gaze flickering between Pope and Scarlett, the latter of whom was still in his arms.
"No, no." Pope cried. "It has to be here. I know it." He stood up again, stepping round the beam to the other side.
"Bro, just look out for that giant wasp nest right above your head." At JJ's words, Scarlett buried her face further into his jacket, her fingers gripping tightly to the material. Wasps were one of her biggest fears, she couldn't stand them.
Pope looked up, the wasps buzzing as they flew around their nest. "Hey, just... just move slow, all right?" John B called up to him. "Nice and easy, all right?" The Pogues watched from down below as Pope reached his foot over and kicked at a loose bit of wood on the other cross shaped beam. They let out small yells, moving to the side as the wood fell.
"Look!" Pope cried, his eyes wide as they fixed on the beam. "It's hollow." His voice was a whisper but somehow the Pogues still heard him. Scarlett turned her head to look up at her friend, her fingers still gripping tightly to JJ's jacket. "Go get me a crowbar!" He called.
"What are you gonna do, Pope?" JJ asked him as Sarah dashed outside. Their was a crowbar in the back of the Twinkie. "I don't want this entire church to collapse on top of us. That's all I'm saying."
The Pogues watched as Pope knelt down, picking at the small loose bits of wood with his fingers. After a few moments Sarah walked back into the church, crowbar in hand. "Sarah!" Pope called.
"Hey. Pope." Sarah moved quickly, the door swinging shut behind her.
"Throw it." Pope said, his hand reaching out for the crowbar. The others moved backwards as Sarah readied herself to throw the crowbar. She threw it into the air, Pope catching it as it reached him. "Got it!" He called. Sarah chuckled in relief as the others clapped, surprised it had gone well.
"Hey, Pope, Pope, there's the wasp nest right up there, okay?" John B reminded him. "Just move slow, all right?"
Pope nodded glancing up at the active nest. "Got it." Scarlett removed one hand from JJ's jacket, moving it to her mouth where she anxiously bit at her nails. Pope began to hit at the wood with the crowbar, sending small bits of debris flying down.
"What is that?" Sarah whispered as Pope created a hole in the wood.
"Do you guys see that?" John B asked, his voice quiet.
Scarlett shook her head, eyes fixated on the wasps beginning to fly closer to Pope. "Be careful!" She cried.
Slowly, bigger pieces of wood fell from the beam and finally the Pogues could see inside the hollow wood. Gold shone at them, catching on the rays of light shining in through the high windows. They had found the cross. Pope had found it.
"Holy shit." Sarah gasped.
"Pope, you did it!" Scarlett exclaimed, letting go of JJ's jacket and holding her hands over her chest. "You actually did it!"
"You did it, buddy." JJ breathed, tears in his eyes as he stared up at his friend. The group began laughing and chattering in their shock as Pope sat there frozen on the beam. None of them were able to believe it. "We did it!" The began cheering, jumping up and down with excitement as they hugged each other in their joy. Pope hit away at the last of the wood that was hiding the cross, his face lit up with a huge grin.
"I thought you were crazy!" Kiara yelled.
"We did it!" Pope cheered, kneeling back against the middle beam. "We did it!" His face fell a moment later as he waved his hands around by his head, the wasps beginning to take an interest in him. "Okay, they're stinging now. Ow!"
"Take it easy!" JJ yelled, pulling Scarlett to the side as the crowbar slipped from Pope's hands and clattered to the floor next to them.
Pope slipped, gripping onto the beam under the cross. The Pogues yelled out in shock before running around to collect the old cushions. They piled them up in the middle of the floor, directly under where Pope was hanging off the beam. The teens also pushed back the pews, making sure Pope wouldn't accidentally fall onto one of them.
"I can't hold!" Pope screamed, one of his hands slipping just as one of the wasps stung it. The Pogues all let out a scream as Pope's fingers slipped and he fell onto the cushions.
"Are you okay?" Scarlett asked as she and the others rushed over to him. The teens spoke over each other, all asking if the boy was okay. They crouched down around him, checking the boy over for any injuries his fall could have caused. The sound of wood creaking hit their ears and they all looked up with wide eyes as the cross fell from its spot in the beam.
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A/N:
Hi all! Just wanted to say that I hope you all had a merry Christmas (to those of you who celebrate it), and if you don't I hope you had a happy holiday. Also, happy new year!! I hope 2022 brings you all lots of good times and wonderful memories!!
This was a long chapter, so if those aren't your thing I'm sorry. I hope it made up for me not updating last week, but its been pretty busy. I'm currently going through a fairly messy break-up as well as dealing with family stuff and putting my whole room back together. So, apologies if my writing isn't up to scratch or I miss a week.
Sending you all much love,
Piper x
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Edited: 01/01/2022