[trigger warning: panic attack]
RORY PACED the container repeatedly, as she worried about Sarah. John B was right, she wouldn't of been able to manage helping Sarah if she couldn't breathe properly due to the stress. She took of her jacket, leaving her in her shorts and short-sleeved y-shirt, which revealed the scabs on her arms she had picked at. Rory never liked people seeing the scars of where she suffered, but she couldn't take the heat any longer.
JJ finished telling his future surfing trip to Kie, "That's the dream- Rory, can you stop pacing? Seriously, I'm gettin' stressed just lookin' at you."
"Do you think they've been captured by Rafe?" Rory overthought, "What happens if Sarah-"
"Hey!" Pope's whisper-yelling interrupted the girl from outside the container, "Hey. Open it."
The group rushed to the vent to open it, as Pope and John B climbed in. Kiara went to close it, but was stopped by John B, "Wait, don't close it yet."
Unexpectedly, an unfamiliar girl around their age climbed into the container. She was pretty, had dark skin, and wore a grey tracksuit and hat. She looked around at the confused Pogues, "Jesus Christ! I kill you, John B."
Kiara frowned, "Who is this?"
"Where's Sarah?" Rory added in distress.
"Just relax. Okay?" JB reassured, "I told you I had a surprise."
"A crew member?" Rory questioned, "That was your surprise?"
"Who is she?" Kiara panicked, "What's going on?"
"Hey, relax, Kie." John B explained, "Remember I told you about the girl we met in the Bahamas that saved us?"
"Uh... Cleo, yeah?" Kiara questioned in confusion.
"This is Cleo." John B introduced, "She's going to help us."
The Pogues gathered in a circle, as JJ looked at their empty hands, "You seriously didn't grab nothing, not one singular gun? This is why I should've gone with you."
"Let me get this straight." Cleo interrupted, "You five, with no weapons, decided you were gonna hijack this tramp steamer on your own? Do you have any idea who these people are? Eberhimi, if he catch you, he's gonna kill you. Dead. Cut off your fingers."
"That's nice." Rory deadpanned, as she buried her head in her hands.
"What about waiting until we get to port?" Kiara suggested, "At least then we have a place to run, if something goes wrong."
"No, no. We can't do that." Pope replied, "Because I've run this scenario over 1000 times in my head, and our best chances are on this ship. There's 15 crew members and six of us."
Kie disagreed, "That's crazy-"
"There's something else..." John B added, "Ward's alive. He's alive and he's on this boat. It was all a set up, blowing up the boat, the confession to Shoupe. Think about it. That was to clear Rafe's name. So, he goes to the Druthers, and what's on the Druthers? Scuba."
Rory worried, "So, you're saying that Ward is with Sarah? Alone."
Pope explained, "If we just..."
Aurora felt the familiar feeling of anxiety knot in her stomach as her chest became tight again. A high pitched noise buzzed in her ears as she heard the muffled arguing of the Pogues. Rory grabbed her t-shirt in distress, as she tried to pull it away from her chest, as she watched Pope and Cleo climb out of the container. Aurora stood up, pausing for a moment as she realised she could no longer catch her breath; she could no longer push this feeling away.
"Okay, Cleo's on our side. That's good." JJ's voice echoed through Rory's head, as he turned around to look at Aurora, "Rory, you good?"
Aurora breathed quickly, as she held her chest with her hand. Tears filled her eyes quickly, as a pain shot through her chest. She watched JJ approach her slowly, followed by Kie and JB, who shared the same concerned expression on their faces.
"Rory..." JJ spoke calmly, as Aurora brushed the hair from her sweating face in distress. Her brother placed his hand on her shoulder, as Rory to snap back into reality, causing the world to stop moving in slow-motion.
She breathed loudly, "I-I think it's, uh, I think... it's happening again."
John B asked, "What's happening again? Is it a panic attack?"
"Shit." Kie muttered in worry, as she guided Aurora to sit down opposite JJ, "It's okay, it's okay."
"I, uh, I didn't... say it back." Rory spluttered, as she fiddled with the many rings on her fingers.
"What do you mean?" JJ asked curiously, as he sat down opposite her so they were eye-level. He spoke softly, "Say what, Rory? Hey, breathe."
"I-I love you, I didn't say it, uh, back... to Sarah." Rory panted, "What if... What if something bad happens?"
"Hey. Nothing bad is gonna happen to her. Or any of us." JJ reassured, "I promise. Listen, okay?"
Rory breathed, "But, Ward-"
"What are three things that annoy you?" JJ interrupted, "Three things, you go first. This should be easy for you."
"Uh..." Rory tried to breathe, "I don't like when, uh... I step.. in something wet with, uh... sock on."
JJ shivered in disgust, "Soggy socks, right? Okay, next one."
"Um...Kooks." Rory replied, as she felt the weight from her chest becoming lighter. She breathed deeply, "And, uh, when... you wax my surfboard... with too much wax."
"I can't believe you just criticised my waxing methods." JJ replied sarcastically, a slight smile on his face, "You good, now?"
Rory breathed slower, "Uh, yeah, I-uh, think so."
The group were cut off by the radio, echoing through the ship, "Attention, all passengers and crew. Report to the tween forward hull. That's an order. I repeat, all passengers and crew. Report to the tween forward hull. Immediately."
John B smiled, "They did it. They took the bridge."
"Once they're all in the hull, Kie and I will lock them inside." JJ explained, as he re-opened the vent.
John B nodded, "Rory and I will rescue Sarah and get a lifeboat."
"Then, we'll meet you and help Pope get the cross." Kiara added.
Rory agreed, "And then, we get the fuck off this ship."
a/n:
i love cleo
sorry for shorter chapter ive been so busy with my school exams!!