KIE HONKS THE HORN as we approach the rest of the group.
The truck backs up so we can grab The Twinkie. "Where the hell were you guys?" Pope shouts with open arms as Kie and I get out of the truck. I look at the others and notice the blood on John B and Bailey. Clearly they're hurt. What the hell?
"Paternal complications," Kie points at JJ. "Luke decided to stop by the Chateau," I explain a bit clearer. "Oh, great! While you were having family time with your pops, John B and Bailey got bit by a gator!" Pope yells. My hand goes to my mouth. "Like, for real?" JJ asks, too stunned to believe it. "Does it look like we're joking?" Sarah points to the two and their injured legs. "Bailey," Kie runs up to her and gently grabs her leg. The bite mark is giant and doesn't look good at all. "How—how the hell?" I step towards John B. My eyes stay on the ripped pant leg. "What happened? We were bit by a gator!"
"They got bit by a gator!"
"Okay, I dunno why I'm being yelled at! I asked a question because I am stunned that I come back to two of my friends bit by a fucking GATOR!" I throw my hands in the air. Every bit of tension is a wire snapping. "And I just put my ass on the line!" Kie yells while still having a hold on Bailey. "Oh, yeah," Pope gestures to the two girls ,"when were you two gonna tell us that? That you two are dating!" Pope shouts. I puff the air into my cheeks. A known nervous tick. "You're being yelled at because it was 20 minutes—"
"Why do we have to tell you guys immediately?" Bailey now shouts. This is one of the worst times to start arguing. I run my hands through my hair in frustration. Their voices are making my head pound. My eyes find JJ's and the sadness in his matches mine. "We got here as fast as we could and we didn't say anything because of Pope!" Kie's words make me sigh and walk towards the truck. My body falls onto it. Their voices mix together when the yelling gets louder.
"SHUT UP!" JJ yells so loud my heart falls to my ass. They immediately stop yelling, thankfully. JJ turns to me and then back to the group, "Seriously, guys, I can't take it anymore, alright? Everyone just cut it out for a second," He chuckles slightly and leans against the tree in front of me.
Them fighting is the last thing he needed.
"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.'"
That's not the right—I'll just stay quiet. Let him have his moment.
"All we got...And I know for a fact all I got is you guys, okay? You're it," His ocean eyes look over each of us, "And I've come too close to losing you, all of you. I mean, shit, you almost drowned," He gestures to Kie, "Pope, you were kidnapped. Sarah, you've been shot. John B and Bailey, you were almost dinner for a gator," JJ turns to me with a sad smile, "And you, sunshine? Your psycho dad is after you all the time. I'm at risk of losing you all the fucking time!" His hands covered in rings fall to his sides, "So, this blaming each other is some Kook-ass bullshit, alright? We don't do that. Okay, we're Pogues. Sorry, that was a lot right now," JJ finishes.
I push myself off the truck while the others start clapping. I run up behind JJ and wrap my arms around him, his hands finding mine. "Amazing, babe," I cheer him on.
"Well done!"
"I gotta be honest. That was the best freaking speech you've ever given!" John B praises the blonde.
"Yeah, but, you should think about a Rosetta stone. Bon voyage isn't Spanish, bud," Bailey says in between claps. I watch his arms go up and then the double middle finger is given to the rest of the group. "We should bon voyage outta here!" Sarah jokes. My arms leave JJ but he quickly grabs me to pull me into his side. "Alright, let's get The Twinkie out of here," JJ ruffles my hair and lets go.
"Sarah, to the right!" JJ directs the blonde in the van while we stand in the truck bed. My main goal is to not bust my ass. After what feels like forever, the van's tires are out of the mud. "Fuck yeah!" I shout in victory. "Whoo! The Twinkie lives!" JJ shouts as well. "We did it! Whoo!" I dance a bit in excitement. Sarah's laughs fill my ears. I settle into the truck next to JJ.
My emotions, obviously, keep changing. Rapidly. I could feel like death and then the next second I'm doing a little dance. I never really dealt with grief. Like I said, I tend to ignore it. I'm trying so hard to ignore it but the time will come where we have to talk to the cops. The time will come when her parents contact me. The time will come where her funeral will happen and the guilt I'm trying to avoid will consume me. For now, I know Piper would want me to enjoy the trip. The treasure hunt. Or maybe I'm saying that so I feel less guilty about going on the road trip after screaming my lungs out over her dead body. Who the fuck knows?
I DON'T REMEMBER THE last time I went to a church. My family just isn't religious. I'm not even baptized. Maybe that was my downfall? If God somehow exists—I apologize.
The dirt path to the church doesn't help the uncomfortable feeling I get when I see the old building that used to hold people who'd worship like their life depended on it. Now, it's just an abandoned hell hole.
JJ and Pope open the doors to the church revealing just what I expected—a broken down church. Paint chipping off the walls and holes in the floor. Birds that made the place of worship their home flutter out at the rare sight of people entering. John B used Pope to push up onto the step in.
"Okay, you're telling me Denmark Tanny decided to hide the cross here?" JJ asks as we step in further. Pope hums as a response. "Everybody, just spread out," Kie tells us. I walk down the aisles of a church for the first time. I stop right in front of where the Priest would be. I always wonder how churches go abandoned if all these people are so dedicated to religion.
"Okay, if I was a cross in an old church, where would I hide?" John B limps around. "Bro, Pope. Are you sure he hid it here?" Bailey asks, limping as well. "It's gotta be here somehow, guys," Pope says. You'd think a cross would be in an obvious place in a damn church but the only one I see is the wooden one in front of me. "What if we have to touch a button or, like, play, uh, certain chord...and then, all of the sudden, the ground beneath us reveals the catacombs or something on which we stand?" JJ says.
I scrunch my nose at JJ, "As cool as that would be—I don't think Outerbanks, North Carolina has catacombs. Let's look for more obvious clues?"
"It's not an escape room," Kie makes me chuckle. "It's gotta be in here!" Pope paces the church. "Sorry. I'm sorry," I hear JJ softly say. I lean over to him, feeling bad that we just bullied him, "It's fine, babe. It was a valid question for the amount of movies we watch," I smile at him and he returns it. He probably knows all my smiles right now are forced but for JJ's sake I make it look as real as I can.
Is Piper religious? Would her parents hold a service or whatever in a church? One like this? Well, one that's functioning. Obviously.
"I can't see where they'd hide a giant cross here!" John B is already frustrated. I'm so blanked out and coming back that I can't be that frustrated. "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!" Pope starts yelling.
I feel bad for Pope. He has a right to this damn cross and everything has made it so difficult for him to find it. "Yes, I get it. I don't know what to tell you, man," John B tells him. He would know how it feels better than anyone. My back hits a wall of a church. "The clues led us here. The cross is in this church!" Pope slams down in a seat. "Pope, I'm sure it's all okay, okay? We're smart—yeah—smart!" I don't think my reassurance is very reassuring.
"Yeah, Sam is right. We've had plenty of setbacks in the past, and we figured it out. We're gonna find it," John B adds on. "He's right," Kie tells him but Pope scoffs.
"I really don't want reassurance from you or Bailey right now," Pope moves away from Kie. Bailey turns towards me with panic and guilt evident in her expression. "Really, Pope? Don't start this now—"
"Was I the only one that didn't know? Were you just stringing me along until you figured out Bailey?"
My back leaves the wall. I sense I might have to stop something at some point. "Pope, I don't think now is the time to start this. We're so close—"
"Did you know, Sarah?" Pope's eyes are glossy. He feels betrayed. I know it. The blonde girl shakes her head, "No, no. I was just as surprised as you were, Pope! But now isn't the time!" Sarah tries to get some sense into him. "Pope, let's focus on the cross and then we can discuss everything else!" Bailey really just should've stayed quiet. The gloss in Pope's eyes shift to anger as he steps close to Bailey and I.
"You knew that I liked her! She strung you along as well and you just didn't do anything. Is it because you knew she'd go with you?" He gets in Bailey's face but she's not mad or provoked, she's racked with guilt. "Pope, I'm sorry. I told her to tell you so many times—"
"But why didn't you?"
"Because it wasn't my friendship to ruin! It was Kie's business!"
"Really? Because you've been trying to claim the Pogue title since last year and now that you are one, you have the nerve to hide this from me?" His glare lowers to me, "You knew the whole time as well didn't you?"
Pope is the one person who's never gotten truly mad at me. Now, my heart is broken as his glare burrows into me. "Pope, the cross," JJ grabs Pope's hoodie but he doesn't budge. He stays in my face. "Do you realize the position I was in? If I said anything, three people would be mad at me! I didn't even know what Kie was going to do!" That's a lie, I knew she'd pick Bailey.
He lets air out of his nose and walks away from me. My head drops down as well as my heart. "You should've never fucking joined us! You should've never known anything! I brought you into this by complete accident! A mistake!" Pope's finger aggressively points at Bailey across the church.
"Pope!" Everyone shouts at him. He speeds up and when he gets to Bailey, he shoves her. "Pope!" JJ and I shout. I step in between the two even though I know Bailey wouldn't hurt Pope. "Okay! No! Pope!" John B's voice bounces off the walls of the church, "Are you really arguing? After what JJ just said? I understand the situation but you know this cross is more important so, sit down, take a breath and think about this logically!"
I missed John B's way to calm down almost any situation. "You good?" I ask Bailey who just nods and takes a seat on a step. When I turn back around, Pope is using the telescope to look around the church. A concerned stare from JJ catches my attention and I just throw a thumbs up this time. I'm too disappointed in myself to even force another smile. "Where else would you hide a seven foot tall cross made of gold?" John B questions.
"A graveyard, maybe? Isn't there one in the back of churches?" I suggest but John B shakes his head no.
"What?" JJ asks. My eyes follow in the direction both Pope and JJ's eyes are. Up, towards the ceiling. Pope gets up from his seat, his eyes not leaving the ceiling.
I look back up and stare at it. I don't get it—Holy fuck—it's the shape of a cross. "Oh my God! Look at that!" Kie figures it out as well. I leave Bailey on the stair and go over to JJ. Pope starts climbing the wall. What the hell?
"Pope!" Sarah calls out his name. "Hey, no!" JJ yells. "Now Pope is climbing the wall," John B says. "Bro, no! This place isn't stable!" He's definitely not going to listen to me right now. He continues to go up further. Dirt and paint fall off the walls. "Wait. Pope. This is crazy," Sarah tells him. "Pope, this church is old!" Kie tries but he just continues to climb. "This isn't safe!" My tone is desperate. We don't need another person injured. I sigh and run a hand through my hair like a tired mother. The wall cracks with each step and we continue to yell at him but he just...keeps...climbing.
"He's right! It's too dangerous!" John B yells but Pope is already non the cross shaped area. "Yo, let me just be real. You're not the most coordinated person on planet Earth!" JJ yells up at him. I cup my hands around my mouth, "Pope! You're gonna kill yourself!"
We continue to yell, even Bailey starts yelling at him. "Pope, oh my God! Get down!" She yells up as she limps over. I cringe as he smacks the wood, "Alright, this one's solid wood. I'm gonna try the other beam!" The wood cracks more as he moves to the next part. My heart jumping at each wood cracking noise. "Pope, that's rotten as shit right there, okay?" JJ tells him. "God, he's gonna die," I whisper. "Nah, nah. John B and I will catch him, right?"
"I will definitely try with my one goddamn leg, JJ!" John B points to his bite mark. I press my lips together at the reminder of both him and Bailey's matching injuries. Pope smacks the wood again. "Pope, I hate to break it to you, but that's wood!"
"I think he's aware, JJ," I roll my eyes. He continues to smack the wood, "No, no. It has to be here, I know it!" Pope groans. Pope stands up and all I can see is him falling onto the floor in front of me. I watch closely as he moves again. I gasp. There's a wasp nest right next to him.
"Pope! There's a goddamn wasps nest next to your head!" A wave of nervousness in my words. "Oh shit, yeah!" Sarah now gasps as well. "Hey, just move slow, alright? Nice and easy," John B tells him in a calmer tone than I did. The wasps start to buzz around him which makes me paranoid. I've never been stung by a bee—I stepped on a wasp when I was a kid at a barbecue. It was a rare time I cried because of pain.
A piece of wood comes flying down at us causing me to curse and jump to the side. "Look!" Pope says, "It's hollow! Go get me a crowbar!"
Sarah moves quicker than I do. "What are you gonna do Pope?" JJ asks. "Can you not fall to your death?" Bailey says while hobbling over again. "I don't want this entire church to collapse on top of us," JJ motions. "Yeah, I second that!" I nod. I bet when they built the church they never expected a ground of teenagers to slowly destroy it.
Pope starts smacking the wood with something when Sarah finally comes back with the crowbar. "Sarah!" He calls out. "Hey. Pope."
"Throw it," Pope puts his hand out. "This is dangerous I feel like," I back up as Sarah gets ready to throw it. "Oh, for real?" Kie backs up as well. "Watch your heads," John B grabs both Bailey and I and moves us back even more. Sarah tosses the crowbar up with success, Pope caught it. "Got it!" Pope holds out the crowbar. "Okay, good job Sarah," I say and JJ and I start clapping. A big smile on Sarah's face at her own success. "Hey, Pope. There's the wasp nest right up there, okay?" John B points it out again. "Got it," Pope says.
"I don't like this. Not one bit. Wasps? And he's on old wood? Nope," My tired mom persona comes back ten times stronger. "He's—fine," Sarah doesn't believe her own words. Pope starts hitting the hollow wood. Dust and wood chips fall down. Pieces of wood itself falls down in front of us.
A dust cloud surrounds Pope and then he starts groaning. Pieces of wood fall and start to reveal what I'm hoping is the cross. "What is that?" Sarah squints. "Do you guys see that?" John B says. The sun shining on it makes the gold bounce off the walls. Excitement at the realization that it's the cross. It's the fucking cross. "JJ, I think—" My attention moves back to Pope as he rips off more wood that falls to the floor.
"It's the cross...." I whisper with a smile. "Holy shit!" Kie gasps. "It's—real! Whoo!" Bailey cheers from behind me. "You did it, buddy," JJ says, proud as ever. A flood of emotions come over me. I start laughing and quietly crying. Cheers erupt around me as the cross is revealed even more. It's...gorgeous. And huge!
JJ and John B grab me and start cheering and bouncing around. "Holy fuck!" I yell and laugh in disbelief. Pope starts screaming in victory as well now. "Keep going!" Sarah yells at him. Kie and Bailey are hand and hand as they continue cheering. He moves the last piece of wood and it reveals the whole cross in all its glory.
"We did it! We did it!" JJ grabs me again and starts aggressively shaking me by my shoulders. My head moving rapidly back and forth at the shaking. "Okay, they're stinging now. Ow!" Pope yells. Ah, shit. The wasps. "J, stop shaking me, babe! The wasps!"
The crowbar comes flying down and I jump when it lands right in front of me, "Woah! Pope!"
"Take it easy!" JJ yells. I hear Pope yelp in pain. His body falls in a split second and I move under him, ready to catch him but he catches himself on the wood ledge. I gasp as his body dangles above me. He can't hold on forever. "Cushion!" John B calls out. I put my arms up under Pope so that I can catch him if anything. I help Kie move the pews as Pope's grip loosens on the wood. "Pope! Hold on!" I yell to him.
"I can't hold!" I hear Pope say and then scream when his hand falls off. Only one hand is now gripping the wood. We all rush to move the cushions unde Pope. "I'm slipping!" I throw another cushion under Pope. He lets out a scream that makes us all scream when he hits the ground. Thankfully, he landed right on the cushions. "Pope, are you okay?" Kie runs over to him. "Shit! Is anything broken?" I run over to him as well and bend down onto the cushions next to Pope. The dust had gotten all over him. His eyes are closed like he's processing another close call. Another one. God.
"You did not tuck and roll, that's for sure," JJ chuckles as we look over Pope. He's not screaming in pain, so I don't think anything is broken. His eyes open. "Oh, Pope, you good?" I ask but he doesn't answer. Instead, his eyes widened.