SEASON THREE,
CHAPTER 18:
HIKING
"Is this ride or die?"
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BARRACUDA MIKE FOUND the group of teens lingering around the fruit stands, just minutes after they all managed to slip through the grasp of Singh's guards. The man wasn't particularly pleased by them not listening to his warning about laying low, but he quickly let it slide because he doesn't expect any less from the group. Delilah, however, would argue that it wasn't even their (her, JJ, and Kie's) fault because the chaos started before they even got off the bus.
Nevertheless, Barracuda Mike leads all of them away from the crowded streets and down a dirt path. It is extremely quiet, with nothing except tall, thick trees surrounding them. The adult and the teenagers soon reach a river where a single boat can be seen resting on the bank, a thick rope tied to a wooden beam in order to prevent it from floating away. Delilah stares at the boat from a moment, noticing how it doesn't look any better from the HMS Pogue that they own back at home.
"Have you guys got anything to protect yourselves while you're doing this?" Barracuda Mike asks.
"Oh, uh... We're working on that part." JJ admits.
Without saying a word, Barracuda Mike then shoves the beige-coloured bag that he was holding into JJ's hands. A furrow forms between JJ's eyebrows as he glances between the man and the heavy bag, unsure of what it could possibly be inside — especially after he asked if they had anything to protect themselves. Pope and Kiara silently eye the bag from beside their friends, dreading the idea that JJ (out of all of them) has just been handed over a bag of weapons.
Delilah, however, finds herself feeling too impatient to wait around to figure out what is contained inside the bag, her curiosity getting the best of her. The girl leans closer to JJ and pulls back the string from the bag, peeking inside to reveal five machetes resting at the bottom. Almost immediately, Delilah and JJ turn to exchange looks, knowing what one another is like with weapons — back at Scooter Grubbs' hotel, all those months ago, she was the one who grabbed the gun first, and it was JJ that kept it the entire time.
"Oh, I'm also adding the cost of this rig to what you already owe me. I don't expect to be seeing it again anyway." Barracuda Mike tells the blond boy.
"Okay, got it." JJ replies with a small nod.
"I asked around the landing today. Your buds did leave this morning, but I was able to get directions to El Tesoro. Only Jose knows the real way, but it can get you in the right zip code, maybe." Barracuda Mike explains.
"Thank you." Pope says.
"Don't thank me. Start praying." Mike comments as he turns back to look at the blond. "JJ, you owe me ten times, dude. Good luck."
With Barracuda Mika not having anything else to say to all of them, the teenagers take that as their sign to walk forward and finally climb inside the boat. JJ is kind enough to turn and hold out a hand for Delilah, helping keep her stable due to the fact that the boat is unsteady — the slightest movement will cause it to rock on top of the water. Delilah simply flashes JJ a smile, quietly thanking her boyfriend as she takes a seat next to him.
Then, once everyone is seated down, Barracuda Mike secures his backpack over his shoulders and reaches forward to untie the thick rope that's tied around the wooden beam. After doing that, the man grabs onto the edge of the small boat and slowly begins to push the teenagers further out into the water so that they can continue their journey to find El Dorado and the gold. JJ is quick to reach for the helm of the boat so that he can direct which direction they're travelling in, not wanting to make this journey any longer than it has to be.
"Let's hope that we will be able to find John B and Sarah quickly." Kie says with a faint sigh.
"I'm sure that they'll both show up somewhere. They can handle themselves; they're strong and Sarah is responsible." Cleo reassures.
JJ laughs. "I love that you've just called John B irresponsible. You're not wrong, though."
"Cleo's right." Pope agrees. "I don't think there's ever a time where John B doesn't run off without us."
"He's somehow everywhere and nowhere at the same time." Delilah states.
"I admire his ability to get himself into this much trouble." JJ comments.
"Of course you would say that, JJ." Pope replies.
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All that surrounds the group of teenagers is the dirty water and a line of tall trees that border the edge of the river. They can barely see what lurks beneath the surface, and the thought is terrifying because they've never visited South America before and have no idea what harmful creatures might reside here. However, Delilah pushes the thought to one side because she and her friends have been through far worse — John B being bitten by a gator, Sarah getting shot by her brother, the countless times they've been in a fight or ran from the police.
Currently, JJ has stopped the boat beneath a willow tree, allowing the weeping branches and green leaves to fall in front of their sitting bodies. This is because they had spotted Singh's men travelling on a boat in the near distance, desperately wanting to hide from them in order to avoid being caught; otherwise, they might never be able to find John B and Sarah. There is no doubting that they are Singh's men, especially with their dark-coloured clothes and the stern looks on their faces as they keep a careful watch of their surroundings.
Delilah intently watches as Singh's men speed across the murky river water. They look as though they are in a hurry, which only makes Delilah frown as worry begins to settle itself in the pit of her stomach. They barely even glance over at the boat that she and her friends quietly sit on, making her think that the men are no longer after the group; however, if given the chance, they would definitely try to take all of them hostage again.
"They have to be going after John B and Sarah." JJ informs.
"If those two have already left to try find El Dorado, Singh will obviously want to catch up before they can find the gold first." Delilah tells them.
"We need to go now." Pope states. "We can follow Singh's boat so that they can lead us to John B and Sarah."
JJ nods in agreement. He then quietly starts the boat once again and directs them back across the water as they trail after Singh's boat from a distance. Not one of them utters a single word, almost as if they are all afraid of capturing the unwanted attention of Singh's men. Fortunately, they don't appear to be suspicious about the boat, most likely assuming it to be a group of tourists that are just enjoying a boat ride together.
Eventually, after minutes of following behind Singh's men (it feels like forever), the group are directed into a peaceful village. Delilah's gaze drifts between each of the small wooden houses that line the edge of the river, curiosity swimming in her green eyes. A couple of people can be seen walking around, either on their own or with others, but they aren't being too loud, so their talking fortunately doesn't disturb the peace.
"I think this is El Tesoro." Cleo tells them.
"The trailhead to the mountain is supposed to start here." Kie informs.
"Shit." JJ suddenly curses under his breath.
"What?" Delilah quickly questions, looking at him with concern. "What's wrong?"
"One of Singh's guys is over there." JJ informs.
Delilah turns to see one of the Singhs guard standing out amongst everyone. A stern look is plastered over his face as he stands on near the edge of the wooden pier that overlooks the river. JJ makes sure to keep the boat at a large distance between themselves and Singh's guard, not wishing to be spotted. This allows all of them to observe from afar, able to assess the situation and plan accordingly.
"What are we gonna do?" Kie quietly asks. "We need to follow that trail to find John B and Sarah."
"I have an idea." JJ and Pope chorus.
"Oh, man." Cleo mutters.
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A gunshot rings through the quiet air, disrupting the peace.
Moments beforehand, JJ had written a 'kind' note to Singh's guard; the teenage boy had stated that within the next five seconds, a gunshot will be fired into the air as a warning sign, and also that the next shot will be directly at his head. The small note had then been tied to the end of a fishing line and was literally used as bait because JJ had lowered it down into the boat and conveniently made it fall right next to the now sleeping guard, who awakes at the faint noise.
Another gunshot rings through the air — the one that is supposedly meant to be aimed at his head.
"Miguel! They're shooting at us!" The guard shouts, frantically. "Miguel!"
Meanwhile, the teenagers are huddled inside a small hut nearby. They are hidden away from the windows in order to avoid being spotted as Singh's guard flails around in a panicked mess, trying to decipher where the gunshots have actually come from. Delilah and JJ, however, silently exchange looks as the girl slyly holds a hand out for him to high-five, which he does with a wide grin.
"Now?" Pope questions.
"Now." JJ confirms.
With a lighter in hand, Pope holds the flame beneath the thin string of the bundle of firecrackers that have been tied together with a rubber band. The boy then doesn't waste a second to launch it through the open window of the wooden cabin, not wanting to still be holding onto it once it eventually explodes, which is going to happen in a matter of seconds. Pope aims it towards the man, making sure it's not directly at him in order to avoid injuries.
A panicked shout rings through the tense air, closely followed by the sound of water splashing. The guard instantly jumped to the other side of the boat that he had been sitting on. In order to protect himself from his attackers, he swiftly reaches out for his gun and firmly holds it in his grasp, beginning to rapidly fire bullets into the water in retaliation.
"Shit!" The guard curses with a yell. "Miguel! We're surrounded!"
"Get down!" Kie warns.
The entire group immediately drop to the hard floor of the cabin. Delilah is quick to firmly press her back against the wall, keeping herself hidden from view as her friends crouch beside her. Delilah then raises her hands to cover her ears, desperately trying to muffle the deafening sound of gunshots and explosions that are currently happening outside. She isn't afraid; the ringing in her eardrums is just annoying.
"Pope, return fire!" JJ exclaims.
Just like he had done so earlier, Pope lights another bundle of the firecrackers before passing the lighter over to JJ. Then, before another second can pass, he quickly throws the burning object towards the guard once again. Water splashing can be heard filling the air as the firecracker explodes, followed by another yell escaping the man's throat. He dives forward as he shields his head with his arms, afraid that he will get severely injured.
"There's too many of them!" The guard shouts.
"Let's get out of here!" Another guard exclaims.
The boat's engine fills the air, echoing loudly as the water's surface ripples from their sudden movement. JJ shifts from his place next to Delilah and curiously peeks his head out of the window, watching as they quickly disappear into the distance. He then fumbles with the lighter and another bundle of firecrackers, lighting them. The blond boy launches it towards the moving boat, wanting to make it seem like they are still after them and only making the men's actions speed up.
"Okay, they're gone." Cleo confirms.
"Thank god." Kie mumbles.
Along with her friends, Delilah rises to her feet from where she's crouched against the wall. Her eyes drift towards JJ and Pope, who are looking at one another with proud grins etched onto their lips. Their hands raise into the hair as they start their handshake, not even needing to think twice about their actions since they've done it so many times for years. Delilah just watches the two boys with a proud smile of her own, glad that their plans were successful.
"I think we're getting better at this." JJ states.
"Oh, yeah, definitely." Pope agrees.
"Hey, ain't no time for celebrating. We didn't do nothing yet." Cleo tells them.
Kie nods in agreement. "That's fair."
"I thought we did something." JJ reasons while he shrugs, turning back to the boy. "Well done, soldier."
"I thought you guys did something." Delilah states with a whisper, still smiling. "It was really cool and it worked out pretty well."
Pope returns the smile. "Thanks, Del."
"You slowpokes coming or what?" Cleo calls from ahead.
"We're coming." Pope assures.
"That's what—" Delilah begins.
"Del, please shut up." Pope swiftly interrupts.
"Well, since you said 'please', I guess that I have to now." Delilah jokes.
"After you, my lady." JJ playfully tells the redhead, bowing his head.
"Thank you, kind sir." Delilah replies.
With a grin still etched onto his face, JJ follows after Delilah as the three walk behind the two girls. All of the teenagers proceed to make their way towards the mountain trail, continuing the journey to find John B and Sarah. Judging by the overgrown green grass and the branches of trees that fall over the entrance, Delilah assumes that the trail isn't used very often (even just for hiking) because of the belief that El Dorado and its curse lurk in the area. Nevertheless, the Pogues are willing to take that risk.
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Delilah thought that she might pass out at any given second now. She, her boyfriend, and their three best friends have been hiking up the side of the mountain for what feels like forever now. They are surrounded by beautiful nature, which Delilah loves, but she has grown so tired and irritated that she may just throw herself off the mountain if someone decides to get on her last remaining nerve.
Five minutes ago, the teenagers decided to separate into two groups to scout the area for any ideas as to where they have to go next. So, Delilah can currently be found walking alongside JJ and Kie — after they had been put into a group together — as they slowly make their way back towards Pope and Cleo again. The three were unable to find anything that could be useful, which only further frustrates Delilah.
"Whose idea was it to go hiking?" Delilah questions, breathlessly.
"Not mine." JJ mumbles.
"I'm fighting for my life just trying to breathe right now." Delilah comments.
"It's a mountain." Kie reminds as she laughs. "Did you expect there to be an elevator?"
"Yeah, I did, actually." Delilah replies, jokingly. "But seriously, I'm dying here."
Kie sighs. "You're not dying, Lila."
"Okay, but I feel like I am." Delilah continues.
"Come on, lets just find Pope and Cleo." JJ tells them.
"The love of my life doesn't even care." Delilah mumbles, playfully.
Kie laughs. "Bad luck."
"Don't say that, Ly. I care." JJ states.
They continue to walk alongside the steep mountain, feeling the grass brush past their bare legs with each movement. Birds can be heard tweeting from where they reside up in the trees that tower high above the teenagers, sitting happily in their nests among their families. Delilah is almost jealous of the birds being so peaceful because she wishes she was back at home cuddled in her boyfriend's arms.
Trailing behind JJ and Kiara, Delilah goes to push a branch out of her way, however, it flings backwards and manages to hit the bandage that has been gently wrapped around her wound by JJ. With the injury fresh and the branch being fast with its movement, the girl can't help but hiss in pain. She instinctively reaches a hand up to carefully hold onto her arm.
"Ow, you fucking bitch." Delilah mutters under her breath.
"Hey, Pope!" JJ calls.
At the sound of his voice, Delilah follows after JJ and walks through the opening in the trees, her gaze then snapping up to find Pope and Cleo standing in front of one another. The distance between them quickly grows as the two not-so-subtly step away from each other. Silence then fills the air. Pope and Cleo simply stare at the three, waiting for the blond to continue speaking. Pope fiddles with the thin strings from his bracelets, awkwardly clearing his throat.
Delilah glances over her shoulder to look back at Kie, both of them exchanging knowing glances. Nothing has to be said to either of the girls for them to know that something has just happened between Pope and Cleo — the two couldn't be happier for their friends. Meanwhile, JJ remains clueless about the situation, not even sparing a glance back at the girls or picking up on Pope's awkwardness (most likely because he's too exhausted from all the hiking).
"We couldn't find anything." JJ states with a faint sigh. "Did you?"
"Oh, uh... Yeah, the path leads this way." Pope tells them.
JJ stares at the boy for a moment, a crease forming between his brows as he catches onto the stammer in Pope's voice. Pope, on the other hand, quickly turns on his heel and continues to walk forward, hoping that none of them will try to make a comment about his awkwardness — specifically Delilah, because he knows that the girl definitely caught on, as she is good at observing her friends.
Fortunately for Pope, Delilah decides against saying anything for his sake and therefore saves him (and Cleo) from embarrassment. Instead, she decides to trail behind the pair, with both JJ and Kie following closely behind the redhead. But Delilah doesn't miss the way that Pope and Cleo silently steal glances at each other as smiles threaten to tug at the corners of their lips.
So, as the group continue advancing forwards, the girl can't help but feel the need to make a comment about what they interrupted minutes ago — almost as if it's an itch that she desperately needs to scratch. Delilah then finds herself walking alongside Pope as Cleo and Kie walk ahead, lost in a conversation with one another to help distract themselves from their own exhaustion.
"Did you use the pick up line?" Delilah whispers, making sure that only he can hear her.
"What?" Pope questions in confusion.
"You know, 'my love for you is like—'" Delilah begins.
"Okay, no. Shut up." Pope swiftly interrupts. "No, I didn't. And please don't bring up that pick up like again."
"Oh, so something actually did happen between you two? Interesting." Delilah comments with a smirk.
"You already knew that, Del." Pope states.
"I know." Delilah replies, grinning. "I just wanted confirmation."
All of a sudden, an explosion erupts from the top of the mountain. The loud sound of the blast echoing through the air causes Delilah to jump, sending her crashing backwards into JJ's chest by accident. He's quick to reach out and place his hands on Ly's waist to hold her steady, making sure that she won't trip and fall to the floor. Delilah relaxes slightly under JJ's gentle touch, but anxiety still settles itself in the pit of her stomach.
Everyone's gazes snap towards the mountain in the near distance. Clouds of dark smoke slowly seep into the tense atmosphere, contrasting the clear blue sky that currently resides above the group of teenagers. As well as that, the explosion has caused the habitats to be disrupted; the birds squawk loudly as they leave their nests, soaring through the sky in a panic to reach somewhere safer for themselves and their families.
"Holy shit." Delilah curses.
"Do you think that they're okay?" Kie quietly asks.
"Yeah." Cleo replies with a nod. "They're both strong. They've got this."
"Let's go. We need to help them." JJ states.
Delilah places a hand over JJ's, gently removing it from her waist to intertwine their fingers instead. JJ glances over at the girl beside him and flashes her a warm smile, relaxing under her touch just like she had done so with him a minute ago. Delilah returns the smile as she squeezes his hand softly — she's just as worried about their best friends as JJ is, but she knows that he silently needs her comfort right now.
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Unless someone enjoys hiking and is well prepared for it, it's highly exhausting and feels like time drags on forever. Delilah may be used to running from the cops, but she's most certainly not used to climbing up a steep mountain. The redhead is almost tempted to beg the others to continue on without her and just collect her again on the way back down. But Delilah continues on for John B and Sarah's sake, knowing that they need them all at this moment in time.
As the group of teenagers continue hiking, they find themselves getting closer and closer to the top of the mountain, where the sudden explosion occurred just moments ago. The exhaustion in Delilah's body has increased, threatening to make her pass out and beg the others to continue on without her. However, at the sound of faint voices filling her ears, which she knows don't belong to her boyfriend and friends, Delilah's head snaps up.
"Is that them?" Delilah whispers.
"It has to be." Cleo replies.
Quickly and quietly, the group of friends edge closer to where the voices are coming from, keeping low to the ground in order to avoid being seen. Delilah can see John B and Sarah standing close to one another with fear plastered across their faces. Both of them are staring at Ward, who has a hand pointing a gun at John B while the other clutches onto the gold that the three had found. But as Delilah's eyes then fall onto Big John, worry settles in her stomach; he has a hand, which is covered in blood, hovering over his stomach as he sits on the edge of a rock, struggling for breath.
"You get to go home and live happily ever after with your son that loves you. And my daughter that hates me." Ward tells them. "I'm sorry, John. I don't think I can allow that."
"What are we going to do?" Pope whispers to his friends, who are couched next to him. "We have to do something!"
"Is this ride or die?" JJ questions.
"P4L." Cleo states.
"P4L." The four chorus.
As Delilah says that with her friends, her green eyes travel down to the tattoo that's on her ankle, hidden beneath her sock. JJ was the one to tattoo 'P4L' onto her skin, and she doesn't regret it for a single second. No matter what, Delilah will always be a ride or die for all of them, and they feel the same way too. This is why everyone is quick to take one of the machetes as JJ passes the bag out to everyone.
"You're supposed to be dead, John. I think I liked you better that way." Ward continues.
Screams suddenly fill the air, all belonging to the five teenagers that had been lurking nearby. They all run forward while keeping a firm grip on their weapons, aiming them at Ward to show that none of them are messing around and are ready to attack if it means that they will save the people that they care so much about — John B, Sarah, and Big John. However, as Ward spins around on his heel and attempts to point the gun at each of them, the five Pogues halt in their steps but keep their machetes held up.
"Stay back!" Ward snaps.
"Put the gun down, old man!" Delilah shouts.
"Stand back right now!" Ward yells.
"You're outnumbered, Ward." JJ states.
"What are you going to do? Shoot us all?" Pope questions.
"If you have to shoot somebody, shoot me." Big John tells him.
Ward complies, turning to point the gun at Big John. However, John B is quick to step in front of his dad's injured body, shielding Big John from harm. But the teenage boy doesn't seem to care about the fact that a weapon is being pointed directly at his chest, just wanting to be brave and protect his father — he can't lose him after only just getting him back in his life.
"Or me." John B says, confidently.
Ward's eyes narrow as he stares at John B, the young boy who his daughter loves so dearly. Even with that in mind, Ward, however, doesn't lower the gun and takes a single step closer to him instead. John B just watches the man carefully, not daring to tear his eyes away in order to avoid being caught off guard. The Pogues can only watch their best friend in fear, not wanting him to die, let alone witness it; his 'death' from the storm ruined them, and Delilah believes that they wouldn't be able to handle it again.
However, suddenly, the barrel of the gun is pressed against Sarah's chest. She had courageously stepped in front of John B, protecting him the way that he'd chosen to protect his father. Something flickers in Ward's eyes as his gaze shifts down to his daughter, his grip on the weapon becoming slightly looser. But Sarah only stares back at her father.
"Stop. Enough." Sarah orders.
"Don't." Ward pleads.
"You're not going to kill all of us. I know you won't. I know you." Sarah reminds through tears, her voice remaining steady. "You forget that I know you."
At those words leaving Sarah's mouth, Ward visibly falters. He finds himself unable to move as he stares at his daughter with tears prickling in his eyes. Sarah takes this opportunity to gently place her hand over her father's, removing the gun from his loose grasp. He simply allows Sarah to take it, even now that her hand has fallen to rest by her side again. A sob then leaves Ward's mouth while a shaky hand reaches out to cup Sarah's face, his thumb brushing against her cheek. The girl carefully watches him as she fights back the tears that threaten to fall from her eyes.
"I couldn't do it." Ward whispers, choking back a sob. "I couldn't."
"I can." A voice bluntly states.
Immediately, everyone turns to look in the direction that the male voice had come from. Their gazes fall on the sight of one of Singh's men walking towards them with a gun gripped firmly in his hands while a finger hovers over the trigger, ready to pull it at any second. The mans cold eyes are narrowed into slits, and an angry expression is plastered across his face. His movements are slow and unpredictable, making everyone feel more tense than they already are.
John B quickly grabs the gun from Sarah, which she had taken from her father minutes ago. He doesn't hesitate to directly point it at Singh's guard, wanting to protect himself and everyone else. The teenagers, who are holding onto the machetes, clutch onto their weapons tightly as their postures become stiff, ready to attack if the man decides to act violently. As well as that, Delilah finds herself shifting closer to JJ as he sun subconsciously steps in front of her, shielding her body with his own.
"Toss the gun." The guard orders.
"Take it easy, bud." Big John tells him. "Your boss is dead. You have no reason to do this."
"I can think of a few reasons." The man angrily fires back. "Toss it! Now!"
Knowing that he would only get someone hurt in this situation, John B reluctantly loosens his tight grip on the gun; a thud is heard as it collides against the dirt beneath. John B then holds both of his hands up into the air to show that he's unarmed, surrendering. The man, looking satisfied with the teenage boy's actions, takes a step forward and kicks the gun away from all of them, not wanting to risk the possibility of one of them picking it up when he's not looking.
"Thought you would end up with the gold, huh?" The man snaps, irritated. "No one move! My mate back there is dead because of you."
His gaze darts between everyone before then settling on the blonde haired teenager that stands in front of her group of friends, with her dad and her boyfriend by her side. Without hesitating, the man shifts from his place and points the lethal weapon at the young girl instead. His finger is hovering over the trigger, ready to push down and fire a bullet within the next few seconds; the man isn't willing to stand around and negotiate their lives because he doesn't care for any of them.
"You go first." The man bluntly states.
In that moment, Sarah finds herself unable to move. Only the girl's head moves as she turns to look at her father, finding him staring back at her as tears swell in his usually cold eyes. Ward can see the amount of fear that has glazed over his daughter's brown eyes. In a split second, in a flashback of his memory, Ward sees his little princess again, a girl who would run to him to feel safe because he swore to love and protect her forever.
And Ward still vows that he will never stop loving or protecting his daughter. So, he knows what he has to do.
Without hesitation, a loud cry leaves Ward's mouth as he sprints forward, running straight towards the man who has a lethal weapon pointed at his beloved daughter. However, the angered man, who is seeking revenge for the death of his friend, is quick to direct the gun towards Ward instead. Gunshots then echo throughout the tense air as bullets leave the narrow barrel and embed themselves into the father's chest.
Determined to save Sarah, even if it is the last thing that he does in this lifetime, Ward continues to push forward. Adrenaline floods through his whole body, making the fresh wounds appear painless — almost as if the bullets haven't hit any vital organs and that he won't bleed to death. Ward's arms wrap around the man's torso, forcefully tackling him and sending him staggering backwards upon impact. However, the edge of the cliff is dangerously close to both of the men.
A final gunshot rings through everyone's eardrums as they helplessly watch the pair fall from the cliff's edge.
Then, silence immediately fills the air for what feels like forever. Even Mother Nature freezes.
Then, slowly, Sarah begins to walk forward, shifting closer to the cliff's edge. A gasp leaves her trembling lips as her gaze falls to the bottom of the cliff. Horror fills her brown eyes as salty tears begin to slide down her flushed cheeks, unable to fight back the stinging sensation any longer. A sharp pain strikes the girl's heart, which causes her to press a hand to her chest as she tries to relieve the agonising heartache that she's currently experiencing.
Subconsciously, the rest of the teenagers finally shift from their places and advance forward, almost as if they are afraid to move too fast and end up with the same fate. However, slowly, they inch closer to find Ward and the man both lying still at the bottom of the cliff, their limbs twisted at awkward angles while their chests remain unmoving. Everyone knows that there is absolutely no way that either of them have managed to survive that big of a fall, especially with how they have landed.
Muffled sobs slip past Sarah's lips. She tries to cover her mouth with her hand, but it does nothing to stop the painful noises from coming out. John B slips an arm around Sarah's shoulder and carefully pulls her body closer to his, providing comfort to the girl and silently offering her a shoulder to cry on. His hand gently rubs her arm up and down to help soothe her. Delilah, too, reaches out to comfort Sarah; she takes the blond girl's hand and softly squeezes it to silently remind her that she isn't alone and they are here to help her through this horrible time — even if they didn't like Ward, Sarah is important to them.
"Big John!" Pope suddenly calls.
Everyone turns around at the sound of Pope's voice, instantly noticing the slight panic in his gentle tone. Their eyes fall onto the sight of Big John now leaning back against a large boulder, his chest rising up and down as he struggles to gasp for air. A bloodied hand is held over his stomach, and a pained look crosses over his face with every movement that he makes — he tries to keep his actions minimal. However, Big John's face looks extremely pale, making it clear that he's unfortunately losing blood fast.
"Dad." John B whispers. "We need to get you out of here, okay?"
"O- Okay..." Big John stammers, struggling for breath.
"Pope, can you help me?" John B asks, trying not to let his voice waver. "Can you grab his other arm?"
"Yeah, of course." Pope replies.
Both of the boys carefully sling Big John's arms over their shoulders, resting a gentle hand on his back in order to keep him stable. Cleo and Kie take the lead, clearing the path and making sure that it's safe for Big John to walk back down the mountain. Delilah worriedly glances over at JJ, who anxiously meets her gaze while he chews on the inside of his cheek. Then, the pair follow after their friends, with Sarah quietly trailing beside them with tear-stained cheeks.
"Hey, Dad, it's going to be okay." John B softly assures. "You're going to be okay."