𝟎𝟏𝟕.                   𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧

breezeblocks       ──── alt-j

☀︎ 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯

𝖨'𝖵𝖤 𝖮𝖭𝖫𝖸 𝖤𝖵𝖤𝖱 𝖡𝖤𝖤𝖭 𝖳𝖧𝖨𝖲 𝖠𝖥𝖱𝖠𝖨𝖣 𝖮𝖭𝖤 𝖮𝖳𝖧𝖤𝖱 𝖳𝖨𝖬𝖤 𝖨𝖭 𝖬𝖸 𝖫𝖨𝖥𝖤 and it was when Dad hadn't returned from sea when he said he would. I spent those days following his departure, panicked and worried over every little thing── about him being potentially dead and alone. I mean, I guess I was right to worry because it's been nine months and dad still isn't back. I don't know where Dad is, but I do know he'd be just as worried in this moment as I am right now.

Lying in a hospital bed is my brother.

I've been pacing the length of his room, waiting for him to wake up after the doctors assured me he'd be conscious soon. Everybody but Sarah left hours ago after I promised to call if anything changes. John B better wake up soon because I'm slightly afraid that DCS will be here any moment to snatch us away forever.

He was admitted without a guardian present, and based off the strange looks I received from the nurses, they informed DCS that there were two kids without a legal guardian in the hospital. I imagine DCS will arrive soon, but if John B wakes up before they arrive, we may be able to sneak out and hide away.

"They're gonna take us away, Sarah," is what I had said. I was crying earlier, shaking my head and sobbing in the waiting area while they wheeled John B away. "They're gonna take us away── DCS."

Sarah took my hands in hers, offered me a smile and said, "No, they won't."

I haven't spoken to her since, but I know she's in the hospital. She was just as worried about John B as I am, so I know she wouldn't just leave him. Thankfully, his injuries were limited despite the fact that he literally fell off the Nest and plummeted to the ground. As I waited for the doctors to call me back into the room, every scenario ran through my head.

John B bleeding. John B falling into a coma. John B dying and never waking up again.

As I've pondered in worry, I've also been plotting Topper's death. I swear, next time I see him, I will pull the bastard trigger. He pushed my brother off of an already unstable structure because... why? He's jealous. Pathetic. God, I've never hated anyone more than him in this current moment.

He should be lying here, nearly dying, not my brother. Luckily, John B only has a cast on his arm as he broke his wrist which, given the events of what happened, isn't so bad. He also has a concussion, but that'll be healed in a few days or so. He's absolutely fine, and the doctor had to reassure me several times as I balled my eyes out like a damn child.

I wish Dad were here, but if Dad were here, we wouldn't be in this mess to begin with. Well, I don't think we'd be in this mess, but maybe we'd be caught in something far worse. Regardless, I want Dad here. The fear of potentially losing my brother tonight made me realise that if he were to ever die, I would be entirely alone. I wouldn't have any family left, so I cannot lose John B under any circumstances.

"You gotta wake up." I stare at him, my hands over my mouth. I'm exhausted, muddy and wet. I forced my feet back into these tight heels, pulled my hair back into a ponytail despite the knots, and wiped down the mud off the dress the best I can as I know I'll have to return this to Sarah.

The door swings open and Ward Cameron walks in, surprising me. I shoot off my chair, my legs protesting loudly. "Mr. Cameron."

He smiles, pushing his hands into his pockets. "Brooklyn." He nods to me, and my eyes glance over his shoulder at Sarah who walks in behind him, dressed in something more comfortable.

"Uh, hi." I'm unsure whether I should shake his hand or not. My hands are still a little muddy── I don't think he'd appreciate it giving that he's dressed to impress even at a hospital. "Is, uh... is everything okay?"

Sarah nods, stepping past her father to stand in front of me. "I talked to my dad about your situation."

"My..." I pause, glancing from Sarah to Ward, realising what she talked to her father about. "Oh. My situation," I repeat, dropping my head. "I-I didn't need you to do anything. I just──"

"I was happy to do it."

I exhale a laugh. "I'm sorry, happy to do what exactly?"

"I've offered to be yours and John B's legal guardian," he tells me, and my mouth gapes in utter shock. Ward Cameron── the richest man on the land wants to take in two Pogues, and have them live under his giant, expensive roof. He wants us to live in his home. He wants to take us in, help us out with DCS. What?

"I──" I'm lost for words. I never expected this. When I cried to Sarah, I hadn't expected her to do this. "Wow. I-I don't even..." I grasp Sarah's arms, smiling widely because despite John B lying in this hospital bed, this is good news── finally. "Thank you. Thank you so much. I-I didn't expect..." I feel like crying again for a whole new reason. "Oh, my God."

Sarah smiles at me, squeezing my arms. "We just wanted to help." I step forward to wrap her in a hug, overwhelmed.

"Thank you." I glance at Ward over Sarah's shoulders as we hug one another, acting like we've been best friends for years. "Thank you," I repeat, directing the words towards Ward who organised this. "Wow. Thank you so much."

I can't think of anything better to say.

"Like I said, I was happy to do it," Ward says, nodding to me as I pull away from Sarah.

I'm still in shock that I don't even realise when my brother starts to stir awake. I only turn to look at him when Sarah points it out, and the second she does, the smile that takes over my face is wide── wider than it's ever been. I'm overwhelmed for a whole new reason now.

I rush forward to throw myself at him, not caring that five seconds ago he was unconscious and completely out of it. I wrap my arms around his neck, surprising him for a second, but his arm lifts to rest around me. He seems just as relieved to be awake as I am.

"That was some fall you took," I joke, emotion welling in my throat at the small thought of losing him to such a height. It could've been so much worse than this, but I guess luck was on our side── with the fall and with DCS.

"Wasn't much fun," he replies, amusement in his voice. "You okay?"

I pull back, hands on his shoulders. "Much better now that you're okay," I say honestly, patting a hand against his cheek lovingly. "Don't ever pull that shit again."

"What? Falling off Hawks Nest? Don't plan on it."

The corner of my mouth twitches up in a smile. "Good." I need John B alive more than he knows.

He lifts his arm, and I hold his cast. "Oh, right. You, uh, have a concussion and broken wrist," I inform, moving to sit down, keeping my hand in his. "So, to say you fell from that height, you're actually fine."

He breathes out a laugh, and then he looks to Sarah, keeping a smile on his face. That quickly dies when something hits him── probably the same thing that hit me earlier. "Wait." His head snaps back to me. "We need to get outta here. DCS is gonna find us──" He starts to sit up, ignoring the fact that his body is still very much asleep.

I grasp his hand tighter. "Woah. It's──"

"Hang on there, kid." Ward speaks a great volume in this room, and John B falls back against the bed. He stands at the foot of John B's hospital bed, looking from me to John B. My smile is wide, and John B has a curious look on his face, lost on why I'm smiling right now.

"Sarah told me everything," Ward begins, pushing his hands into his pockets. "About your little adventure, about you and your sister running from DCS, and how you were protecting her in the tower." John B glances at Sarah who smiles back at him, holding his other hand. "John, I believe I owe you an apology. You were honest with me about a small indiscretion, and I went ahead and fired you anyway." I won't lie, I forgot that Ward had fired him. I was too caught up in the fact that we didn't have to run from DCS any longer. "And I shouldn't have. Unfortunately, from time to time, I have a bit of a..." He sighs. "...short fuse. Ask her."

Sarah nods, tight-lipped. "It's true."

"Anyway, I'd like to make up for it, if you'll let me." Ward peers at me, and I nod back with a kind smile, honestly so grateful. "I spoke with Sheriff Peterkin, and... I've offered to be yours and Brooklyn's legal guardian, if you'll have me."

John B's eyes widen, and when he peers at me, I'm nodding frantically and smiling. "Can you believe that?"

"What?" John B exhales a laugh, exasperated.

"It'd mean a roof over your head and no more running from the DCS," Ward tells us, and nothing has ever sounded so appealing.

John B stares at me, our eyes the same colour with, you know, being twins and all, and I swear I see something of a twinkle in them. Maybe I truly have gone mad because all of this sounds too good── it doesn't sound real.

"Sure, yeah." He nods, and I squeeze his hand. "Yeah... sounds good." He offers Ward a smile, his eyes moving to Sarah who beams back at him.

"Okay, then, it's settled." Ward steps to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Welcome to the family, you two."

I hope it's not too good to be true.

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𝖲𝖮 𝖣𝖨𝖣 𝖸'𝖠𝖫𝖫 𝖬𝖨𝖲𝖲 𝖩𝖮𝖧𝖭 𝖡'𝖲 𝖬𝖮𝖭𝖮𝖫𝖮𝖦𝖴𝖨𝖭𝖦？𝖶𝖤𝖫𝖫，𝖸𝖮𝖴'𝖫𝖫 𝖡𝖤 𝖧𝖠𝖯𝖯𝖸 𝖳𝖮 𝖪𝖭𝖮𝖶 𝖳𝖧𝖠𝖳 𝖨𝖳'𝖲 𝖡𝖠𝖢𝖪！

Onwards and upwards!

I'll be back soon, just let John B talk first...

There are only three types of relationships in the animal kingdom. The first is commensalism. One example... fish finding hiding spots in coral reefs. Fish profit, but life for the coral doesn't change. Then, there's mutualism... a relationship where both animals benefit from each other. The tricky thing about animals is you don't always know what kind of relationship you're in. Which brings you to relationship number three. The parasitic.

What does any of that mean? Well, I'm afraid I haven't got a damn clue, sorry!

Anyway, back to me.

I'm currently standing in my bedroom inside the Cameron house. Yes, that's right── I, Brooke Routledge, am standing in a room bigger than the Chateau. I'm inside the Cameron house, in a room that I definitely don't belong in, but holy mother of fuck, it's nice.

High ceilings. Plenty of space to do, well, nothing. A crystal chandelier hanging from above. Delicate wallpaper that, I swear, glows under the light of the sun peeking through the velvet curtains.

The centrepiece of this room is the enchanting four-poster bed draped in rich, flowing fabrics of crystal blue and gold, and I can promise you now that I will be sleeping like the dead tonight. Theres about a thousand pillows piled high which I don't understand. Why would anyone need that many pillows? But I might discover why there's that many pillows later tonight when I sink into the bed.

Oh, the thought is making me feel fuzzy.

Ornate, expensive oak nightstands sit on either side of the bed, topped with crystal lamps. I kick my shoes off, relieved to have the heels off my swollen feet, and my toes sink into the plush carpet at my feet. Holy mother of──

Seriously, I can't believe I'm here, standing in something that I've only ever dreamed of having. Gosh, even the air smells expensive, likely due to the exotic flowers that rest in a vase next to the bed. It smells and feels unreal in here.

Everything is crystal and shiny and rich.

I run my hand across the bed frame, feeling expensive wood. How do I know it's expensive? I just do, alright. Wow. I breathe in through my nose, my insides churning at the smell. Wow. There's no other word I can use to describe this room. Wow. Wow. Wow.

"I'm guessing you like it?" I snap my head to the door, finding Ward Cameron.

I exhale a laugh. "Well, it's alright." It's wow, not alright, but I can joke, can't I? I don't want him to think I'm crazy, but I've never seen a room or a house as beautiful as this, so I've got to bask in the crazy, right?

Again, this doesn't feel like my life.

It almost feels too good to be true.

John B's room is next door to mine, so we're still living closely to one another just like we were in the Chateau. I like that he's nearby, it makes me feel a little better about all... this── whatever this is.

"Is there anything else you need?"

I shake my head, sitting down on the bed which basically sinks under the weight. God, I've never felt something so comfy in my entire life. "No, you've done enough for us. Just..." I exhale. "Thank you. Seriously, thank you."

"Like I said, I'm happy to help."

Part of me doesn't understand why, but another part of me doesn't want to know why. I want to stay in this room and never leave because wow. It's seriously luxurious.

Ward steps into the room. "There's something I need to ask you."

"What's up?" The high, shiny ceilings. Ha!

"Last night, Sarah was in my office, and she was getting a map, and she said it was for your brother..." I know where this is going, but I let him finish. "I'm sorry, but I have to ask. You and your brother aren't chasin' after pots of gold like your old man, are you, Brooklyn?"

Do I say no? Has he spoken to John B? Did John B say no? I fear that if I lie, Ward Cameron will figure it out somehow. But I don't want to tell him that we're looking for the gold when it's, quite frankly, none of his business regardless of what he's done for us.

So what do I do?

Well, there's this approach I like── the JJ approach.

Deny, deny, deny.

"Uh, Sarah mentioned to me that you guys had some pretty cool old maps. I assume she told John B that too." I breathe out a laugh, my heart thumping in my chest. "John B and I are kind of history buffs." That isn't untrue. We do love history. "Guess we got it from our dad, so..."

"That makes sense." I think he believes me.

I smile. "Yeah."

"Anyway, uh... make sure your brother takes it easy the next couple of days, alright?"

"Oh, I'll try." John B's a little reckless, and if he does anything stupid, well, I can't stop him.

"He's been a through a lot," Ward adds, and I couldn't agree more.

"Thank you again," I say, and he nods one final time before he steps out of the room.

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𝖳𝖮 𝖲𝖠𝖸 𝖪𝖨𝖠𝖱𝖠 𝖨𝖲 𝖬𝖮𝖱𝖤 𝖬𝖠𝖣 𝖭𝖮𝖶 𝖳𝖧𝖠𝖭 𝖲𝖧𝖤 𝖶𝖠𝖲 𝖫𝖠𝖲𝖳 𝖭𝖨𝖦𝖧𝖳 𝖨𝖲 𝖠𝖭 𝖴𝖭𝖣𝖤𝖱𝖲𝖳𝖠𝖳𝖤𝖬𝖤𝖭𝖳．Kiara, unsurprisingly, is livid with the fact that we── two harmless kids── are living under a roof that isn't being guarded by DCS. We have a real home where we can eat real food and sleep in a real bed. We're safe, protected by the Cameron's, and away from being snatched by DCS.

"I'm sorry. You two are staying where?"

We're in The Wreck with Kiara, Pope and JJ. We just broke the news to the gang, and Kiara seems to be the only one that's mad. She and I need to talk but we haven't had the chance to. After the accident and John B nearly dying, I've been distracted, but now I want to talk to Kiara. We need to talk about my new friendship with Sarah and about, well... us.

"Tannyhill," we answer even if the question sounds rhetorical.

"So you're living with Sarah Cameron." Technically speaking, yes, we are living with Sarah Cameron, but we're also living with her family.

"Okay, look, the only reason we're living there is because her dad bailed us out, right?" John B talks first much to my appreciation. "And it's way better than foster care, which, by the way, is where we were about to go if Ward didn't──"

"Hey, so do you two have memberships to the clubs now?"

I sigh, tilting my head in Pope's direction. "I don't know, Pope."

"What about those golf carts they drive around? You get one of them?"

"Does it come with a sweater-vest, or do you have to buy one of your own?" Pope adds on, laughing along like this is the funniest thing in the world which, in some ways, it is. I do wish that these guys could be serious── maybe not Kiara serious, but serious for just one minute.

"Look, you promised. You said you weren't with her." I shift my gaze to Kiara, still lost on why she's so bothered by John B and Sarah. I mean, I understand that she dislikes Sarah, but it is not this serious, right?

"Bro, just own it. She got you."

"Look, if you wanna hang out with her, that's fine." It's so not fine based off the tone Kiara gives us. "But I'm letting you know now that I'm not doing anything with Sarah." Kiara sits down across from me, and everything feels so tense between us. I hate it.

"Do you guys see her here?" Each of them shake their heads, I remain still and quiet. "No, right. Okay. A little focus would be fantastic. We've got the map, right?"

"It's out of whack 'cause the guy was ganja'd when he drew it." JJ slides to sit on the table behind me, his arms resting on the back of my chair.

"It's 'cause the coast has changed."

"So we just have to look for landmarks that haven't changed." Pope peers down at the map that sits on the table in front of us. I lean back in my chair, and I feel JJ give my ponytail a gentle, subtle tug. I scoff, letting him move my hair between his fingers.

With everything going on lately, I haven't had the chance to properly think about what nearly happened last night. Once again, we were close, and had Pope not interrupted, I think I would've let him kiss me. I would've let him press me into the tree, clash his mouth with mine, and "ruin me" as he said last night. All this waiting and wanting is making me feel sick. JJ and I need to have a real conversation about whatever feelings we're having, but I know he isn't a serious conversationalist.

"What about the old forts?" I'm brought back to the current conversation. John B is staring down at the map, trying to find landmarks that haven't changed.

"Battery Jasper." Kiara points to it on the map.

Twenty minutes later, we're at Battery Jasper, the map in hand. "We're in Battery, right here." Pope holds the map up, pointing to another location. "So if this is parcel nine, then it's somewhere northeast of here." He looks out to the facade of trees and forest.

"Somewhere over there," I say, pointing in that general direction.

"Right."

"Over there? Guy's, that's not Tannyhill, that's a subdivision," JJ says.

"Tannyhill Plantation was the entire island. It got sold into smaller pieces over time."

Pope peers back down at the map. "So we're just looking for an old stone wall."

Easier said than done, right?

We're on the road, driving in that general direction of an old stone wall── wherever that may be. Pope spews out directions, guiding us to the correct place. "Okay, so the road should split up here. You're gonna take a left."

John B takes a sharp left which sends me off my seat. Reckless son of a bitch.

"That looks like a stone wall to me."

I look up, noticing the wall outside the window. "This is it," Pope says, and John B pulls up to the wall that looks too familiar to me. It's belongs to a house that we all know.

"Not the Crain house," JJ utters under his breath.

Ah, the Crain House── that's why I know it. I have some unfortunate memories of this place. "Why did it have to be here... of all places?"

"I heard that Mrs. Crain buried her husband's head on the property."

How fun.

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❀ soph speaks

hello hello,, part 2 of obx4 comes out tomorrow whoop whoop