๐๐๐. ๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ค, ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ & ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ค๐๐ซ
๐๐๐. ย ย ๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ค, ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ & ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ค๐๐ซ
that's so trueย ย ย โโโโย ย ย gracie abrams
warning: descriptions of violence
โ๏ธ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ง'๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฏ
๐ณ๐ถ๐ฎ๏ผ๐ณ๐ง๐จ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ธ๏ผ๐ณ๐ง๐ ๐ณ'๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ง๐ค ๐ณ๐จ๐ฌ๐ค ๐จ ๐ง๐ ๐ต๐ค ๐ณ๐ฎ ๐ถ๐ ๐ช๐ค ๐ด๐ฏ ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ง๐จ๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฒ๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ณ๐ฑ๐จ๐ฏ๏ผI don't even want to go on this trip, but if I don't go, my brother will kill me, and that's the last thing I need. Reluctantly, I force myself up and out of bed, freeing myself from JJ's arms. Somewhere, in the midst of being asleep, JJ's arm fell around me, and my body instinctively curled into him.
I don't want to leave his comfort, I want to wrap myself up in him forever, but I sadly have to separate from him because I have to go fishing. Fishing at two-thirty in the morning. Why is the world so cruel to me?
JJ's face is smushed into my pillow, his mouth slightly open. He looks so relaxed. Why do I have to leave this? After I drew the sun on his chest, we talked for a little while longer until we fell asleep, tucked under a heavy amount of blankets. I don't want to leave. I really, really don't want to leave, but I promised my brother I wouldn't bail.
I change into something comfortable in the bathroom, brush my teeth quickly, and as I'm walking back into my bedroom with a hair tie, JJ blinks an eye open, finding me pulling up my hair. I offer him a slanted smile. "Morning."
"It's two-thirty in the morning."
"It's fishing time," I groan, securing my hair in the hair tie. "I should be back soon."
JJ presses his face into my pillow. "Fishing?"
"I'm fishing with John B and Wardโโ it's kind of a "you owe me for getting you out of foster care" type of thing," I say, tying my bandana around my wrist.
While I appreciate Ward and how he stopped us from being sent away, I hate fishing, and the idea of fishing for hours and hours with my brother and a man I hardly know doesn't sound all that exciting. No, it's actually making me feel nervous, and I don't usually feel nervous. I hate this feeling.
JJ hums, probably not listening. "Catch a big one for me, Sunshine."
"Oh, sure." I won't be catching any fish, thank you. "Sleep in for me, J."
"Will do."
I pick up my sketchbook, deciding that I can draw to entertain myself. I've never been one to fish anyway. Whenever Dad and John B would go and get dinner, I'd be sat on the boat with them with my head down in some paper or a book or literally anything that I could draw in.
I can sketch on the boat, and maybe finish the sketch of JJ.
I leave my bedroom, wave a goodbye to Kiara and Pope who are half-asleep in the living room, and then I step out of the Chateau. It's still dark outsideโโ this isn't fair. Nobody should have to fish, not this early in the morning anyway. The birds aren't even awake. How is this fair?
I have to walk to the docks which, thankfully, isn't too long, but at two-thirty in the morning, my legs are freaking exhausted so I can't exactly walk at a steady pace. I keep my arms wrapped around myself as I walk, chin pressed against my collarbone as I try to move quickly. If I walk fast, I can keep myself warm, right?
It won't be so bad, will it? I mean, Ward seems like a decent guy. I mean, the man literally saved us from being put in the foster system, I can't exactly hate him. Regardless, I'm not excited to go fishing. I don't really have a problem with the company, I just don't like the idea of being trapped at sea.
That's why I hate fishing because you're stuck on a boat in the middle of the sea with nowhere to go. I can't escape that boatโโ not easily anyway. What the hell am I saying? I won't need to escape the damn boat. It's going to be fine.
It's fine. I'm just being dramatic, it's what I do.
I arrive at the dock twenty minutes later to see my brother is already there, leaning back against a fence post while Ward starts up The Druthersโโ the Cameron's boat.
He waves to me as I step over. "Mornin', B."
"Morning." I slap my hand against his, doing the famous Pogue handshake we all know off by heart. "Beautiful day to fish, right?"
"You sound so excited."
"I hate fishing," I utter, leaning back against the fence with him. Ward is up top, likely checking everything over before we set off.
"You've said that a few times now."
"Well, I mean it. I hate fishing."
"We won't be out here long," he assures me, but neither of us truly know how long we could trapped out at sea with Ward.
"As long as we're home before we dark." We're retrieving the gold from the well tonight, so we need to be home before it gets dark. I don't imagine fishing takes that long anyway, right? We might even be home for lunchโโ doubtful.
John B peers at me, nudging me. "You brought your sketchbook?"
"Just in case things get really boring."
John B shakes his head, huffing out a laugh. He's probably asking himself that question of, "How can we possible be related?" Well, believe me, it's a question I've asked far more than he ever has.
"Brooklyn! John B!" Our heads snap over to the direction of the boat. It's large, expensive, and pretty luxurious. I mean, of course it is, it belongs to Kooks. God, it's probably bigger than the Chateau.
Ward Cameron waves us over, and we push off the fence to walk towards him. I keep my sketchbook close to me, quite excited to sit down and sketch on a boat like this. This is what fishing is aboutโโ letting others do it while you sit like a queen.
"Morning, Ward." I'm trying to be as polite as possible even though it's two-thirty in the morning and I was seriously enjoying being wrapped in the arms of my best friend.
I can't tell John B that.
I step onto the boat first with the hand of my brother. "Morning," John B says, tone just as polite as mine. See, we were raised right. We have manners, people.
John B steps onto the boat next, coming to stand beside me. "Guffy said he got into it pretty good just north of Big Rock."
"Guffy, huh?" Ward rubs the back of his neck, eyes skimming over the water. "With the mouth on him, there'll be fifteen boats up there already." He isn't wrong there, Guffy sure likes to talk.
"I say we go southโโ Swansboro Hole. It'll just be us three down there." John B and I share a glance. For as long as we've been alive, John B and I have always been able to talk just by looking at each otherโโ call it a twin thing, call it whatever you want. Anyway, this look we share is one that says, "Sounds a little weird".
I don't like the sounds of it just being the three of us, not when we're out in the middle of the sea. However, I won't let it be known to Ward that I'm a little cynical of this fishing trip.
"Sounds great," is what I chose to say, trying to make my voice sound as enthusiastic as possible. "Let's do it."
"Let's do it." John B sounds just as unsure as I do.
I wish I'd just stayed in bed.
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๐ ๐ฒ ๐จ ๐ ๐ญ๐ณ๐จ๐ข๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐ณ๐ค๐ฃ๏ผ๐จ'๐ฌ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฎ๐ด๐ณ ๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ธ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ญ๐ฃ๏ผI've been sitting with my sketchbook for hours, drawing anything and everything. With a view like this, I've found inspiration. I won't lie, I am quite relaxed right now. I feel like a Kook with the way I'm sitting like the queen of the world on this boat.
The sun has risen, and there's a beautiful morning glow reflecting off the water, bouncing onto the pages of my sketchbook as I drag my pencil across the pages, drawing another silly tattoo idea for JJ. After he let me draw on his skin last night, a lot of inspiration came to me, and now I have about a thousand ideas but a limited amount of pages.
John B and Ward have left me to my sketching. They've been attempting to fish below me for a while now. So far, they've been unsuccessful, but I'm not surprised. This place is deserted. There's no people and there's definitely no fish here. Clearly the fish didn't want to be fished today, not in this area anyway. Had we gone where everybody else had, I'm sure we would've actually caught something.
Whatever, I'm not too bothered. I get to draw because I'm so damn bored of fishingโโ I haven't even tried to fish.
Have I mentioned that I hate fishing?
"You like to draw?" I flinch, very surprised to hear Ward's voice despite it being his boat that I'm lounging on like I own the damn thing. I clear my throat, peering over my shoulder at the man who holds a drink in his hand.
I nod, placing my arm over my book. "Yes, sir."
"You get that from your father?"
I shake my head as he moves to sit down. "No. No, definitely not. I-I don't know where I get it from," I say, closing my book. "I-I just like to draw."
John B walks up, squeezing my shoulder as he moves to sit down too.
"Hmm." Ward rubs a hand against his jaw, obviously not interested in my love for art, he's just trying to be polite. "Would you, uh, mind getting me another?" He holds his glass towards me, and even though I'm not some kind of maid, I take the glass from him.
I smile a fake but polite smile. "Of course."
I move over to the drinks tray, peering at several bottles of expensive alcohol. "You know what?" I glance over my shoulder, one hand on the bottle of grapefruit juice. "Hold the grapefruit juice on this one. Let's get the day on its feet." It's, like, literally the morning, but who am I to question him?
I nod, grasping the bottle of scotch. "Okay."
"You know what?" God, what now? "Pour yourself and John B one."
I snap my head back to Ward, eyes wide as I grip the bottle of scotch. My eyes flit to John B, lost on how to respond. Thankfully, John B replies for me, "We're sixteen, sir."
"I know you're sixteen, okay?" He huffs out a laugh, looking from me to my brother as I finish pouring Ward's drink. "It's okay. It's just one drink. We're out here in the ocean. These are almost international waters. We're celebrating." We're celebrating what? Fishing?
John B sighs, nodding. "Alright, alright." John B stands up, moving to join my side. He gives me a gentle nudge, keeping his voice at a whisper as he says, "You're not having one."
I peer at him. "Excuse me?"
"You are not having one."
"And why is that?"
"You're a lightweight, Brooke. You get drunk off one beer." He slaps a hand against my back, nearly making me spill Ward's drink. "You're not having one, alright?"
I nod, bottom lip tucked between my teeth. "By the way," I pour him a drink, trying not to pour too much liquid into the glass. "I do not get drunk off one beer, asshole."
"Yes, you do, B."
Yeah, you know, he's right, I just don't like that he's right.
John B picks up the two glassesโโ one for him and one for Wardโโ and we go to sit with Ward. He and Ward clink their glasses together, and I watch with a sour expression, finding this picture to be all wrong. No, I don't care that I'm not drinking, I just find it strange that Ward is so okay with my brother having a drink when he's sixteen-years-old. Yes, John B has drank before, but we never want somebody like Wardโโ our legal guardianโโ to know of that.
John B takes a small sip, scrunching his face up at the taste. We don't drink this shitโโ not the posh shit that Kooks are used to, so I'm not surprised by his facial expression.
Ward takes a longer sip, exhaling loudly. "You not having one, Brooklyn?"
I press my lips together, shaking my head. "No, I'm good. Thank you though."
He makes that humming noise againโโ the one he made when I told him that I like to drawโโ and it's a sound that seems so uninterested in anything I have to say. Whatever, right?
"See, here's the thing." He balances his drink of his knee. "I don't know if you two know this, but you are fishing with a Grand Knight of the Rhododendron." I'm sorry, what? Is this some sort of fishing lingo that I'm not aware of? "I know you two don't know what that is, and it doesn't seem like a big deal, but... to me, it is, it means I'm a..." He pauses, looking from me to my brother. "I'm a trusted member of this community. That means a lot to me." He nods firmly. "Trust."
John B looks down at his glass, suddenly really interested in the liquid. "Absolutely, yeah."
"Here's to trust, guys." Ward lifts his glass, and John B raises his head along with his glass, knocking it against Ward's gently.
"To trust," John B repeats, and I nod carefully, still unsure on why Ward gave us that big spiel on trust. John B takes another sip of his drink, still not enjoying the taste of it. "Whew..."
Ward drinks too, his eyes focused on my brother. I watch Ward carefully, trying to examine himโโ I don't know why. I have a sinking feeling low in my gut, but I don't know if it's about him or just about this day in general. Whatever it is, I need to ignore it. I'm supposed to be living in the moment, not overanalysing this kind gesture of fishing regardless of how much I hate fishing.
"Wait, I got one more." He leans forward, elbows on his knees. "One more, I promise." Ward tilts the drink towards him again. "I hear your girlfriend's pretty nice," Ward says, a touch of a smile on his face.
John B can't fight his smile this time, and that warms my chest. He likes a girl, like really likes a girlโโ so much so that she's his girlfriend. "To Sarah," John B says.
"To Sarah." They tap their glasses once again.
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๐ ๐ฅ๐ค๐ถ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ง๐ ๐ต๐ค ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ ๐ญ๐ฃ ๐จ'๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐ณ๐จ๐ซ๐ซ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ค๐ฃ๏ผ๐ก๐ด๐ณ ๐จ'๐ฌ ๐ ๐ข๐ณ๐ด๐ ๐ซ๐ซ๐ธ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฑ๐ณ๐จ๐ข๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐ณ๐จ๐ญ๐ฆ ๐ณ๐ง๐จ๐ฒ ๐ณ๐จ๐ฌ๐ค๏ผI'm at the bow of the boat, staring down at the empty waters. That's right, there's still not a single fish. It's like they all decided to collectively swim away and abandon us. Wow, it really is just the three of us out here. Spooky.
John B comes to stand next to me. He's been hovering around me quite a lot this morning, I don't know why. I haven't questioned it, but I have found it a little strange. He does know that I can fish, right? I am capable, I just hate it. I don't need a damn bodyguard.
"Are you okay?" He glances to me, appearing to be confused.
"What?"
"You're hovering over me like you're afraid I'll jump in the water and leave you here." Believe me, the thought did cross my mind. I was staring at the empty waters, questioning how deep it was, and wondering if I could swim to shore to avoid sitting on this boat any longer.
"You aren't going to leave, are you?"
"No." I shake my head. "I'm not leaving my sketchbook on this boat."
"So you're not bothered about leaving me, you're bothered about your book."
I smile, pressing my cheek against his arm. "You're a big boy, John B. You've been walking all on your own since you were one, you don't need me to hold your hand."
"Yeah, but you needed your hand holding."
"I walked the exact same day as youโโ exactly one hour after, thank you very much."
"I still walked before you." He's done everything before meโโ walk, talk, smile. Hell, he even breathed before me. Asshole.
John B nudges me, his voice low as he speaks, "Hey, do you thinkโโ"
He doesn't finish his sentence as Ward steps over to us, shouting a quick, "Anything?" He moves to stand on John B's side, leaning on the railing to glance at the very quiet, very still waters.
We shake our heads. "Nothing," we both say.
"We're getting skunked, kids. Not a damn fish." I can't really say I'm surprised. I didn't think we were going to catch anything today anyway. "I guess Guffy was right, huh?" John B nods with a tight-lipped smile. "You know, half the time I don't even care if I find fish. Just like bein' out here."
"That's what our dad used to say," John B says, peering down at me as we think back to our father and all those simple, easy things he used to sayโโ that quote being one of them.
If he is out there, I wonder what he's doing. I hope he's fishing, enjoying life at sea. I'm going to keep holding out hope that Dad is out there somewhere, living a life of luxury. I'm going to keep hoping that he comes home to us one day. I'd do anything to hear him talk to me again even if it's just for a second.
Ward clears his throat, shifting his gaze from the water to us. "John B, Brooklyn, I wanna be real honest with you two right now." We look to Ward, unsure on how he's going to be honest with us, but we're obviously going to listenโโ we're trapped at sea, we don't have a choice. "I'm gonna ask you two to do the same for me."
We nod, a little curious. "Okay."
"First thing I have to do is apologise to you both," he begins, and I'm already freaking confused. Off the top of my head, Ward hasn't done anything to us that would warrant any kind of apologise so I don't really understand why he's apologising. Had he done something that we weren't aware of?
"For what?"
"I told you two to stop lookin' for the Royal Merchant gold. And you didn't." My insides churn, and that feeling deep within my gut intensifies as I realise what this conversation is about. "God damn it, you two found it."
John B shifts his gaze to me for a quarter of a second, offering me a look that reads, "Deny, deny, deny". We will follow JJ's philosophy until the day we die, I swear.
John B looks to Ward again to say, "I wish."
Why is Ward talking to us about this, that's the real question.
"You can play it that way if you want." He shrugs casually. "I won't force your hands. But I know that you two did." I bite the inside of my cheek, that thumping in my gut worsening which can only mean one thingโโ this conversation will steer in the wrong direction, I guarantee. "And it's amazing," Ward continues, praising us easily. "Sincerely, it's unbelievable."
He laughs, and that sound doesn't sit right with me. It unsettles me, making me feel worse than I already am. "One hundred and fifty years, people have been lookin' for that goddamn gold. None of 'em could find it. You two found it."
What I don't understand is how he could possibly know that we've found the gold. It's not like we blurted it out in front of him.
"Here's the thing, kids. Finding it?" he continues even though I wish he wouldn't. "That's where your fun ends. That's where all your problems begin. Ones you haven't even thought of." I feel John B step a little closer to me, but now I welcome his presence. I keep my eyes down, finding fascination in my shoes.
"I mean, excavating it. You're probably trying now," he speaks, talking without pausing. "If it's in water, how do you get it up? If it's on land, on somebody's property, and they catch you trying to take it? That's theft." He huffs, shaking his head. "Jesus, kids, we are talkin' a massive amount of gold. You two are sixteen."
"How are you two gonna transport that gold?" We'll figure it out, we always do. "How are you gonna turn it into something in your bank accounts, something you can spend?" Again, we'll figure it out, we always do.
"See what I'm saying? See the difficulties?" No, not really, but whatever. "This is what I'm talking about. The real truth, the hard truth is that, kids, right now..." He stares at us, but I keep my eyes trained on the ground. "...you two are way over your heads."
I snap my head up, a little offended by that comment. Excuse me? Who found the goldโโ oh, that's right, we did, not you. Somebody high five me, please, I'm feeling like I'm about to lunge.
John B looks like he wants to say something but he's refraining. He's still hovering close to me, probably sensing that I'm not in the mood to discuss what we've done and what we've achieved with Ward freaking Cameron.
"You two need me." I beg to fucking differ.
"Let's do this together," he continues, talking at us like we're just going to agree willingly. "I can make all those problems go away. That's my job. You two and I will figure out an equitable split." This is ridiculous. What is he even saying?
"I know you two didn't do this on your own, that you have friends that helped you both, so we cut them in." My eyes move up, glancing to my brother who I know doesn't want to follow through with Ward's plans. How can he just weasel his way into our find?
"Don't be so nervous. It's okay, alright?" I take a step back, John B does too. "I'm just here to help you both. All you gotta do is trust me." I know I should trust him because he's technically my legal guardian but I don't trust him. Perhaps that's what my gut is trying to warn me aboutโโ Ward Cameron.
"What do you say? Wanna do this?"
John B stares down at me, I stare back, and we collectively agree to continue with JJ's approach of denying. We both look back to Ward, and I swear I see a glimmer of hope in his eyes which we crush the moment we say, "We don't know what you're talkin' about."
That light in his eyes darkens. "Okay. Okay, kids." Ward nods, inhaling sharply through his nose. He definitely didn't expect us to decline his offer. "Okay. Alright. We can play it that way. I think very quickly you two will come to realise that there's really no other choice." There's always another choice, that's what I've learnt in life.
"I mean, I know, right? I know that you two have it." Again, how does he know? "I know that you two have had a little taste of it." What? "I know a submersible went missing from the salvage yard, right? I know maybe that's how you got it out of the water." I want him to shut up, like I really, really want him to shut up. How does he know all this? "If it's on land, I know that you've both been all around the Eight recently, okay?" Technically, we're around the Eight because we currently live on the Eight, but again, whatever, right?
I'm about to speak when Ward says, "I know maybe it's something to do with Redfield."
Redfield? How could he possibly know about Redfield unlessโโ
My stomach plummets, the pain in my gut worsens, and my body goes into shock as I realise how Ward would know about Redfield. That single wordโโ that single messageโโ was the last thing our dad left us. He couldn't possibly know about Redfield unless he had our father's compass which John B told me he gave to Peterkin. How could he have it?
Ward continues to talk, obviously not seeing the confused looks on our faces as we try to string together the pieces of this puzzle. "I know you asked for the map from Sarah, so I gave you the map from Tannyhill."
John B shakes his head. "What did you just say?" Thank God he's speaking because I don't think I can string together a sentence.
"I knowโโ" He squints at us, a little confused. "The map of Tannyhill," he states, repeating the last thing he said, but that's not what we want to hear about.
"Whatโโ what did you just say?" John B repeats, placing a hand on the rail, his arm in front of me as he turns to Ward. "The other thing. How do you know about Redfield?"
I swallow my fear and speak, "Unless you have our father's compass."
For a second, I see the annoyance in his eyes that he tripped over his words and said the wrong thing. I can see that he's pissed at himself for repeating information that he should have never known. "Um, I don'tโโ"
"And if you have the compass, then you knew to search for it, right?"
"Do you hear how crazy you're being?" I scoff, finding this all to be a bit ridiculous. Ward has been caught out now, and he's trying to rectify all that he's said and done. Sorry, no can do.
"Yes, yes. I'm listening!" John B takes another step forward, his arm still protectively in front of me either for my sake or Ward's because I'm so willing to fight this guy. "Redfield! You said Redfield, did you not?"
My brother has been angry before. Hello, we've been alive for sixteen years, and he's been living with me. While I do love myself, I'm not the easiest person to get along with never mind live with. He's yelled before, sometimes at me and sometimes at Dad, even at our friends. So, yes, he's been angry and upset, that's fine, but this anger that I'm seeing is unfamiliar to me.
This anger he's displaying is all that emotion and upset that he's had to deal with since Dad went missing nine months ago. He's finally unleashing all those frustrations and upsets, and I am all here for it. I've got his back, I'll fight alongside him, especially for our dad's sake.
"Redfield was the last message our father left before he disappeared," John B continues, voice slightly raised and peeved. "You know about his disappearance, don't you?" Ward shakes his head at us like we're crazy. "Don't- don't- don't fucking lie to us, Ward." Did he have something to fishy Dad's disappearance? "We can see that you do."
I grasp John B's arm, pulling him back as he leaves Ward with a final note, "Let's see what the sheriff has to say about this."
John B pushes me forward, and we begin to walk as fast as humanely possible, rushing to get to the wheel so we can steer home. I rush up the stairs, but I end up tripping over my feet and hitting my knee. "Fuck." I hate being freaking clumsy.
John B grabs my arm, helping me up. "Come on. W-We need to get back. Now."
John B moves to the wheel and he sits down, starting up the engine. I stand behind him, one hand on his shoulder as the boat kickstarts. The pounding of my heart increases, rapidly thumping in my chest as that feeling in my gut intensifies. I press a hand against my stomach, feeling as if I could hurl from the fear and uncertainty of Ward.
He had something to do with Dad. Dad is missing because of him, and I swear we will find out the truth, one way or another.
John B turns the wheel, and the boat shifts slowly but surely. "We need to go," I utter, pressing my head into my palm.
Something clangs behind me, stealing my attention. My head shoots off my hand, turning towards the ladders. I see metal in the shape of a hook, and that pounding in my stomach only grows stronger, telling me that something bad is about to happen.
It's not wrong, because after I see the hook, I see Ward Cameron, and every single cell in my body sends a warning to me that I'm going to die.
I should've stayed in bed.
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๐ฑ๐ค๐ฌ๐ค๐ฌ๐ก๐ค๐ฑ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ถ ๐จ ๐ฒ๐ ๐จ๐ฃ ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ค ๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ธ ๐ก๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ค๐ฒ๐ณ ๐ฅ๐ค๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ธ๐จ๐ญ๐ฆ๏ผYeah, well, it's still one of my biggest fears, mainly because nobody truly knows how they're going to dieโโ not even me. I certainly didn't expect to be fighting for my life at sixteen while trapped at sea with my brother and a man who is trying to kill us. I've never thought about how I'm going to die, only that I hope it's very much later in life when I'm, like, ancient. I don't want to die now even though that's becoming a possibility at this current moment.
There's a chance I will die.
I don't want to die, but Ward Cameron looks ready. He's ready to kill us with a fish hook from the looks of itโโ not the way I'd like to go, but you can't exactly choose how you die, can you?
No, I cannot die, not today, not for a very long time.
I am not, under any circumstances, breaking that vow JJ and I have to not die.
John B has risen to his feet, and he's stepped in front of me on instinct. He always steps up in front of me even if he could end up hooked, slashed and killed. I grasp John B's arms, keeping him close to me. "John B."
"J-Just stay behind me," he whispers back.
Believe me, I will not be doing anything stupid. I will stay behind him.
Ward pushes himself up onto the platform we're on, and he swings the hook in our direction. "Get back! Get back!"
Is it bad that I have this urge to sing Britney?
That urge dies the moment the hook comes swinging in our direction once again. "Get away from the throttle!" We trip backwards, John B crashing against me as we hold our hands up defensively. "Stay back! We're not going anywhere till you two listen!"
"Okay! Relax!"
"You understand? Just stop!" I hate that I've got to stand here and listen to his damn reasoning. He had something to do with my dad's disappearance, I just know it, and now he's going to try and justify it. I can't stand here and listen to this. "It wasn't my fault! It was your father, okay? It was your father that tried to changeโโ"
That comment causes John B to snap. He charges forward, abandoning my side which I really, really don't appreciate, but I don't blame him. "You piece of shit!" He pushes Ward away, grasping the hook in the hopes of taking it from him. He doesn't succeed, and that pushes me to move my ass and fight.
I topple forward, grabbing ahold of Ward's shoulders as he shoves my brother back, pressing him against the railing. "Get. Off." I dig my nails into his shoulders, earning an understandable groan. "Him!"
Ward reaches his elbow up, hitting me in the shoulder, but that gives John B an opening. He pushes Ward back, sending him to another railing. Ward keeps ahold of the hook, swinging it in front of John B again. I grab John B's arms, yanking him back as Ward pushes himself forward.
He barrels into us, knocking us. John B finds himself pressed against the railing again while I end up on the floor after tripping over my stupid feet. I pick myself up off the ground, needing to get to my brother as the hook hovers over John B's eye, ready to gauge it out. Yeah, I ain't watching that happen.
I clap my hands over Ward's eyes, surprising him. He stumbles back, waving his hook, and John B ducks just as Ward reaches his elbow up, hitting me a little harder than before. I trip backwards, body falling over the railing. "Brooke!" John B's panicked voice is the last thing I hear before I'm tumbling down the side of the boat, my body smacking against the deck below.
I hear John B call out again as I attempt to lift myself up and off the ground. My entire body feels as if it's... well, been rolled down the side of a boat and hit against the deck.
John B slides down the side I just tumbled down. He rushes to me. "Brooke." He snatches my arm, lifting me up carefully. "Hey, it's okay. You're okay." My leg feels like it's been sat on, it hurts. "You okay?"
I nod, pressing my hand against John B's arm. "W-Where is he?" I ask, peering up at where I just fell from.
"I don't know, but we need to..." He pushes me forward, urging me to walk despite the protest in my legs. "We need to find the security box. W-We need to call somebody. We..." John B walks quickly behind me, keeping a hand on my back as he guides me along the deck.
I can't believe this is happening to us.
"I told you I hated fishing."
I now hate fishing more than ever.
I'd do anything to still be in bed. Next to JJ. Sleeping soundly and happily. I'd do absolutely anything to be wrapped in my bed next to the boy I love.
"Well, I didn't know fishing meant this." He passes by me, moving towards the security box.
He punches at the box, silently begging the damn thing to open. "Shit, John B." I move forward, legs screaming at me to stop moving so they can rest, but I ignore the pain and focus on helping my brother.
I push my nail into the lock, knuckles pushing against the box. When the door cracks open, John B snatches the radio, speaking into it, "Mayday. Mayday."
"Repeat." I breathe out a sigh of relief, pleased to hear another person speak.
"This is theโโ" We hear static. John B hits his hand against the radio a few times, but it's no use, that man ain't coming back. "Hello? If anybody's hearing this, this is the My Druthers! Mayday. Mayday. Mayday." He presses his head against the wall, growing frustrated. "Can anybody hear me? Mayday, mayday, mayday! Oh, my God." He hits his hand against the radio a few more times. "Mayday. Mayday. Mayday. This is the My Druthers, call time..."
I hear Ward yell behind me, and we both spin around to see him charging towards us with his damn hook. We duck, moving to one side as Ward's hook comes down, hitting the security box and destroying it.
John B stands up and pushes Ward against the side of the boat just under the sign that reads, "MY DRUTHERS". I scramble up and off the floor just as Ward kicks John B in between the legs, sending him down. With one whack with the hook, John B's body flattens to the ground.
I reach my hands out, grasping the hook with both hands in the hopes of taking it from him. Ward grunts, pushing back against me which, in his favour, works because I end up being shoved into the wall.
Just as I'm about to push myself forward and off the wall, Ward waves the hook in my direction, and the pointed end punctures my skin, tearing a rip down my skin. I scream, the pain blinding. "Brooke!" John B lifts himself up, charging at Ward as I press myself against the wall, breathing heavily as the pain throbs.ย
I lift a shaky hand, pressing my palm against the rip in my skin. I see red. I only see red. I inhale sharply, pressing my hand over the wound again. "Fuck." I exhale a breath, looking to my left.
The hook is caught around John B's cast which, thankfully, gives John B the perfect opportunity to punch Ward with his good hand. Ward falls backwards, and that gives John B the chance to move over to me. "Hey." I breathe heavily, grasping my brother's arm as he tugs the bandana off his wrist. "Hey, it's okay."
He places the bandana over the wound on my hip, pressing down. I wince, biting down on my bottom lip. "Shit. Sorry." He looks to his left, checking to see if Ward is on his way to kill us. John B takes my hand, pressing it over the bandana against my hip. "Keep that pressed down, alright?" I nod, leaning forward so he can wrap his arm around my back and move me off the wall. "You're gonna be okay."
John B moves me into the boat's cabin, dragging me down the hallway to one of the rooms that aren't locked. I follow willingly, pressing the fabric into the wound on my hip a little harder. "Hey, sit down." He moves me to sit down on the nearest seat. "Keep that on there, B."
I nod, head feeling light. "Y-Yeah."
John B pushes up the couch cushions, desperate to find something, anything. I don't question him, I just watch with half-lidded eyes. He tugs on the storage box underneath the cushions, yanking it open quickly.
He pulls out a gun. "John Bโโ"
The pain in my hip worsens, throbbing intensely, but I do my best to ignore it as I press the bandana over the wound, afraid to see how much of my blood has covered the fabric. John B looks to me as he loads the gun with ammo. "Are you okay?"
I nod, but I'm not sure I am okay. "Just stings," I say, not totally lying.
"It'll be okay," he assures, moving towards me.
He crouches down, gun in hand. I never thought I'd see my brother with a gun in his hand. He lifts one hand, pressing it against the side of my face. "It's okay, alright? We're gonna get out of here. We'll get you help, B."
My eyes close for a second while I nod. "Yeah."
I lift my head, eyes widening as I find Ward looming behind us. "John B. Heโโ"
John B rises to his feet, turning around towards Ward. "Stay right there!" He lifts the gun, but I know he won't shoot it. He isn't that type of person. "Don't move! I swear I'll kill you, Ward."
"Do it." I glare at Ward, wishing looks could kill. "Do it, John B." Ward takes one step towards us. "I know you want to." I would, but I can't move thanks to him.
"Fuck, shut up."
"But then..." He sighs. "...you'd have my body to deal with. Both of you." He looks to me.
"Don't look at her."
He holds his hands up, chuckling. "Believe me, dealing with a bodyโโ it's more complicated than it seems." This son of a bitch, he's trying to get under our skin. "But hey, if youโโ" John B fires a bullet, catching me off guard. Ward must expect it because he avoids it and reaches his hook out to try and hurt John B.
Ward moves forward, charging into John B and knocking him against the counter. If I had any strength, I'd pick myself up and off this damn chair but I can't. My insides twist from the pain that burns against my hip as I keep the bandana against the wound.ย
John B knocks Ward over, throwing a punch in his direction which hits him and sends him down onto the sofa. John B moves towards me, grasping my hand and lifting me up before Ward catches up with us. He guides us down the hall, moving us down the steps towards the bottom floor of the cabin.
He pushes me into the nearest room, locking the door behind us. "We need to stop the bleeding." I press my back against the wall, breathing carefully as John B starts to rummage in the closet of the bedroom we're in. "Brooke, are you okay?"
"Yeah," I utter, watching as he yanks out one of the spare bedsheets from the closet.
"Right." He moves to me, pulls the bedsheet around my lower half. "This is gonna hurt." He takes the bandana from me, pushing it into his pocket. "Breathe, Brooke." I nod, inhaling a sharp breath as John B wraps the fabric around me, pulling it tight. He tightens the bedsheet around my hips, pressing his hand against the wound.
I whine, exhaling a shaky breath. "Shit."
"It's okay," he whispers, sliding his hand up my arm. "It's okay, B."
I lean back against the wall, breathing in and out while John B keeps his hand against my hip, trying to stop the bleeding. I peer around the room, trying to ignore the pain. "Hey, John B." He hums, acknowledging me. "There's a..." I tilt my head towards the hatch above our heads.
He nods, grasping my hand and placing it over the wound. "Keep your hand there."
He moves, reaching his hands up to push open the hatch above our heads. "Okay. Come here." I push myself off the wall, moving towards him. The pain in my hip continues to pulsate. "You go through first, I'll follow you."
I grasp the edge of the hatch, and I lift myself up. I feel weak, but I need to get off this damn boat. I don't want to die, not at the hands of Ward Cameron. John B and I need to get off this boat and to safety.
Once I'm on the top deck, John B follows me up. He wraps one arm around my back, pulling me up and off the floor. My hand goes back to the wound on my hip, pressing down as hard as I possibly can because I need to stop the bleeding. I'm feeling a little woozy, almost like I'm drunk. "You gotta stay with me, Brooke. You're gonna be fine." He pulls us to the railing, peering down. "We're going home."
There's a jet-ski.
John B leaves my side for a moment, resting me against the railing as he moves to unhook the jet-ski so we can escape. Once it's untied and off the deck, it hovers just above the water, ready to drop the moment we cut it loose.
John B turns back to me, finding me slumped against the railing. My head pounds, my breathing slows, and my entire body feels as if it's going to collapse. "Hey. Hey." John B lifts my face, trying to keep me from fainting from the pain. "It's okay, Brooke. We're going home, alright. I'm gonna jump on first. You jump on after me, okay?"
I nod, hearing him. John B jumps onto the jet-ski flawlessly, and then he turns his body and waits for me as I stand on the edge, holding onto my hip as it throbs in continuous pain.
"Come on, Brooke!"
I suck in a sharp breath, knowing that if I don't jump, I'll die. John B holds his arms out, ready to catch me if I miss the jump. Knowing me, I would slip and hit my head and die. I shake my head, refusing to break my vow to JJ. I've gottaโโ
My sketchbook.
It's on the boat, trapped with Ward.
I can't, in good conscience, go back for that book, not when Ward will catch up with us any second. While part of me wants to run back and take all my drawings home with me, I can't do that. I have to get on this jet-ski and go home, I can try and retrieve my sketchbook at a later date. Right now, I need to let it not get to me.
"Come on, B. You got this." Come here."
I put one foot in front of the other and I make the jump, my body screaming in protest as I land safely on the jet-ski with John B's arms around my back to keep me on. "Okay. Let's go!"
A shot is fired in our direction. I shriek, ducking my head and wrapping my arms around John B as the jet-ski drops into the water. We take off along the water, driving as fast as humanely possible.
I press my head against John B's back, trying to even out my breathing as another shot is fired.
I really, really fucking wish I'd stayed in bed.
โโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโโ
โ soph speaks
do y'all remember brooke being hurt the first time?? well, i kept it in ofc
this chapter is very long, oops
sorry that jj and brooke haven't kissed, i promise you won't have to wait too long (or will you) hehe i can't tell you
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