season one ; episode ten { The Phantom }
chapter forty-three
[ ⚠️𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 - 𝐔𝐏𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐒 ]
THE FOUR TEENS WERE TAKEN to the tents that the police had set up all in search for John B. Brooklyn's could feel her legs giving weight when her eyes scanners over Ward Cameron who was sat around the table with a blanket cuddling his body. When he looked up even for a second to catch her eyes on his, she controlled her angry and stepped into the tent with the others.
"Right to your left here." The kids all sat next to each other on chairs while the officers stood in front of them. "Sit down. Don't move. We got a lot to talk about. Keep an eye on these kids."
"Blockade is up at the marsh and Masonboro and all other inlets from Shem Creek to Breach Inlet. I want eyes on all coastal access points, people. Let's get this guy."
There was no guy to "get" other than the guy who was sitting with a blanket wrapped around him to keep him warm.
Brooklyn was sat in between Kiara and JJ, she had her head pressed against Kiara's shoulder and her hand locked in JJ's. JJ's thumb grazed the skin of her hand, tracing such soft circles to comfort her. Brooklyn peered over to see Pope had taken Kiara's hand so Brooklyn used her other free hand to take Kiara's. All of them were safe for now.
Thunder clapped which caused Brooklyn to jerk up. "It's okay. It's okay." Kiara pushed her lips against Brooklyn's forehead.
Storm Danielle was about to hit OBX which meant the power was out. This place was really known for its catastrophic storms, there had been two major storms in the space of a week. Brooklyn could hear rain hitting the roof of the tent and the only source of light was the lightning that hit every few minutes.
The officers moved from one side of the Point to the other to scan over the waters to see if John B was there. "We need eyes on the other side of the Point. Go," One of the officers said before a few passed the kids who sat clung onto one another.
But as they were making their move to the other side of the Point, the lights from the surrounding houses began to turn back on. Brooklyn then caught a glimpse of the Phantom where John B was trying to hide. However, the lighthouse was the most powerful light source on this island so when that turned on, Brooklyn knew they were done for.
Brooklyn shot upwards only to be pushed back down by the officer. "That's them!"
"It's the Phantom."
"Bogey spotter off the lighthouse, running lights out. I think it's them." A few police boats started to head off in their direction to chase the Phantom.
Brooklyn didn't know what was about to happen as soon as John B and Sarah got away but the cops still chased after the boat. For a moment, Brooklyn wished she was on the boat with him when she overheard the radio say, "Suspect is attempting to escape to the south. Our attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful. We're gettin' hammered here."
He was heading straight into the storm.
Brooklyn's head turned to hear one of the officers say, "Brooklyn Routledge."
"Yeah."
"Come with us, please." The girl looked between each of her friends before standing to her feet.
"Hey." JJ grabbed her arm. "It's gonna be okay."
"I know." She pulled away from JJ'a grip and she picked her feet up to follow behind the officer into a different tent only to find Ward Cameron in there.
She sat down in front of him where she was handed a radio so she could speak to her brother.
She completely ignored Ward's presence.
"John B? It's me, it's Brooklyn." The girl looked around at each of the police officers, finding this interaction strange. "Look, you don't need to answer me but- but please, just... think about this. I can't lose you." She looked up at Ward to see he was the only person who wasn't looking at her. "I can't lose you after we lost Dad." Brooklyn put the radio down and her body limply fell back in the chair, she had no other words other than I don't want to lose you.
Instead, Ward took over. "John B? John B, I know you are there, son. I know you can hear me, and if you love my daughter like I think you love my daughter, then you will turn that boat around and come back. You are going into a storm that you cannot survive. John B, please, I will make it right. I promise you. Come back." Brooklyn shook her head, knowing he was lying. "John B, I am begging you. Think of her and your sister who is sat here crying and turn that boat around."
"Ward Cameron, do you hear me?" Brooklyn felt almost relieved to hear his voice.
"Yes. Yes, son, I'm right here. I'm right here. Please bring her back, okay? We'll work it all out when you get home."
"You killed my father," Brooklyn's eyes widened upon hearing the tone in his voice when he said that. All the cops in the room had turned to face Ward. "and you framed me for a murder I didn't commit. You took everything from me and Brooklyn! You took everything from us! But I'm still here. And I swear to God, Ward, I will come back one day and take what's mine. Brooklyn isn't going anywhere and she doesn't stop easily when told to so I'd be careful. So, you listen to me, all right? I'm comin' for you. I'm coming for you." The radio clicked off and the cops were looking from Brooklyn to Ward.
The cop took the radio away from Ward. "Those are kids out there. Don't stop lookin'." Shoupe leaned down to Ward's level. "You don't go anywhere. We're gonna need to talk to you." Shoupe looked up at the teenager across from Ward and said, "We'll need to speak with you. Soon. For a statement."
"Okay."
"Come on, Brooklyn." The officer grabbed her arm and pulled her back to her friends, sitting her down.
"Are you okay?" JJ asked.
She leaned her head into JJ's shoulder and said, "Yeah."
As time passed, the Pogues grew worried about John B and Sarah who had still not be found after going into the storm. When they spotted a few cops heading in their direction, Brooklyn shot up to her feet.
Pope was first to ask, "Did you find them?"
"No."
"So, they got away?"
Shoupe paused for a moment, looking over at Brooklyn who had managed to calm herself down after the events earlier.
"We, uh... we lost them. I'm sorry."
Brooklyn knew what he meant. She knew exactly what he was saying. The noises in the background began to drown out as she placed her palm over her heart, rubbing up and down softly. She was trying to slow down her panicking but her breathing only grew quicker. All the cops that surrounded them only overwhelmed Brooklyn more. No one took their eyes off the girl for a moment, knowing it would affect her more than anyone else in the tent. Her chest heaved up and down and she could feel her legs giving weight. Of course, she felt weak but no tears left her eyes as she tried to pick up the pieces of how this could've happened. Was it bad that she couldn't cry? Was it bad that she wanted to scream and punch everything until she felt better but not cry? She felt guilty that she didn't go with him. She could've died with him or she could've done anything to save him. It should've been her. Of course, it should've been her instead of him.
When the surrounding noises came back to her, she heard Pope say, "You lost them? What do you mean you lost them? Like, they're gone? What are you talking about?"
"They took an open boat into a tropical depression, Pope."
"So, they're dead?"
"We don't know."
"You drove them straight through the storm, man!" JJ ripped the cap off his head and threw it to the ground. "Are you kidding me? Come here!" JJ lunged forward trying to attack Shoupe.
A few cops pulled the raged teen off of Shoupe before he was pushed back to his group. It was clear that he was in rage about his best friend possibly being dead but this was no time to act out. "JJ, stop!" Brooklyn grabbed ahold of his arm. "Look at me!" He looked from Shoupe down at his girlfriend. "JJ."
"He didn't kill anyone, and you know it!"
"We're still looking for him, all right."
Brooklyn didn't control it but she finally felt her legs give weight and that's when she fell to the ground. The tears that had been threatening to fall had now come rushing down in buckets. She used the little strength she had to punch the ground a few times while she bawled loudly into the grass. Hearing her brother- the one guy she had left in her life was dead was slowly wrecking her. She finally let out her emotions and even though they were ugly and she was currently crying in front of the entire police force, she didn't care.
She was crumbling.
His words raced through her head, I'm gonna be okay. And remember, I'm always there. He placed his hand over his heart, so did she. He wasn't even supposed to be out there because he didn't even commit the goddamn crime. Always there. If he was always there then why did it feel like she was alone, like no one was there for her anymore. She couldn't feel her hands, her legs, her body. She didn't even feel alive in this moment.
JJ fought with Brooklyn to get his arms around her body so he could pull her up to her feet. He knew that now John B was gone, he needed to be there for her even when it was difficult. "That should've been me!"
While Brooklyn clung onto JJ, Kiara and Pope were met by their parents who they instantly ran to so they could feel the comfort that Brooklyn was feeling. Brooklyn had no one, not a single person left in her life anymore and JJ- His father didn't show up so all they had was each other.
Heyward looked over at the two kids, opening his arms to them. JJ and Brooklyn stepped forward and into the arms of a family. A family that cared for them in the way they should be cared for.
"It's okay. It's okay."
Brooklyn pulled away to wrap her arms around Kiara, wanting to make sure she was okay. Kiara grabbed Pope's arm and pulled him into the hug while Brooklyn pulled JJ into them. The four of them stood around, cuddled in each other's comfort. Brooklyn said loud enough for them to hear, "I love you guys."
Brooklyn separated herself from the group and chose to do something irrational. What did she have to lose now? She stepped into the other tent where Ward was. This was her moment to let it out.
Brooklyn slammed her hands on the table. "This- This will only take a second." She pointed over to the officer who was about to grab ahold of her.
She looked down at Ward, moving her finger over to him. "You- You took everything from me- from me and my brother and now- now I've lost everything. I've lost my dad because of you. You killed him, Ward! You framed my brother for a murder he didn't commit and now you've lost your daughter and I've lost the only thing I had left in my life. You- You don't deserve anything. You deserve to die alone and miserable- You don't deserve anything. You should be in jail, dying. And believe me, I will not stop until you are in a fucking jail cell, rotting to death." A police officer was just about the wrap his arms around the girl. The last thing she yelled was, "You took everything from me! Everything!"
The officer took her back to her friends where she found Pope opening his arms to her. "I'm so sorry."
Pope opened his arm for JJ to hold onto her while he spoke to his father and Kiara. JJ pulled Brooklyn down to the chairs to sit her down. She leaned her body into his, her head against his shoulder with their arms tangled together.
"Brooklyn, I'm sorry. But I'm here. I'm here." JJ pushed his lips to her forehead. "It's me and you forever, okay? I love you."
"You're the only thing I have left in my life," Brooklyn admitted just as she snatched his hand in hers to hold.
"Me and you forever. We are gonna get out of this godforsaken place and be together. We're gonna find the gold, okay? We're gonna make your dad and John B so proud of you. Do you understand?" JJ was rambling but Brooklyn didn't mind, it was sickeningly comforting how much he cared even though it was just a fantasy.
She may of lost the two most important people in her life but there was one thing she would never lose and that was her love for JJ. He was just as much her family as John B was— she loved him. She wasn't going to be alone if she had JJ to love her in the way he does.
Brooklyn shirked her face into his shoulder blade and she mumbled softly, "I love you so much. I love you. I love you."
"I love you."
𝐓𝐁𝐇𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐒
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→ so they story has now come to an end which is sad for me but i am currently thinking of writing another outer banks story so yeah :)
→ i will be back for season 2 and we will see what happens with brooklyn & john b
→ THANK YOU for all the love and support during this book. i'm glad you enjoyed reading it as much as i enjoyed writing it. LOVE YOU GUYS! ❤️