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❝ I didn't even get to say goodbye  ❞
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𝘚𝘺𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘦'𝘴 𝘗𝘖𝘝

"Dude, we're is he?!" Kiara complains as the four of us wait on John B to arrive.

"Give him a second. He'll be here" Pope states.

"He's coming. He'll be fine" JJ adds.

"He better be" I huff.

A police siren makes me spin around to see a cop car pull up right in front of us. My eyes widen and I look to JJ who looks just as worried.

"JJ" I speak up.

"Hey, yeah. Get back on the boat!" He snaps "Untie it!"

"Shit" Kiara curses.

The car door swings open and I watch closely as John B gets out the car, my eyes widening in shock.

"Wait. No way" JJ says in disbelief.

"Oh, my God" I laugh.

"No fucking way" Pope declares.

"I'm sorry" Kiara snaps in surprise.

"You've gotta be kidding me" JJ grins excitedly.

"Shoupe let me take it for a spin" John B grins and I run at him, throwing my arms around my friend.

"Okay. That's believable. I'll buy that for now" Kiara laughs as John B hugs me tightly before giving her a hug as well.

"It wasn't easy, bro, but I got the Phantom for you, and she runs like she was made yesterday" JJ grins, throwing the keys to John B who catches them with ease "You ready to go?"

"Where's Sarah?" John B asks.

"She's not with you?" I ask in concern.

"No, we got separated in the swamp. She said she was gonna meet me here" He explains.

"No, we haven't seen her, man" Pope shakes his head.

"Okay, well, I'm not leaving without her" John B declares.

"John B, look at me. I know you feel bad for leaving, but there's no time, man. You've got plenty of gas, you've got plenty of food. Once you get around that point, it's a straight shot across the sound to Dismal Swamp, okay? Once you get there, lay low, all right? Hang out for a couple of weeks and then go overland, cross the border at Brownsville, you got that? Brownsville. You- Hey! You got that?!" JJ explains sternly.

"Yeah, yeah. Brownsville" John B nods.

Thunder rumbles through the sky and Kiara grabs my hand, lacing our fingers together.

"All right. Saddle her up, saltwater cowboy. Let's do this" JJ declares, hopping off the boat to stand in between Pope and I.

John B climbs onto the boat and I bite my lip to keep my tears at bay.

"Hey. Hey" John B says, getting our attention.

I look up at him to see his eyes are red and tears are running down his face.

"I'm sorry for basically...throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing" Our friend apologises and a tear slips down my cheek.

"Hey, John B, yo...we were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" JJ argues and we all laugh through our tears.

"Yeah" John B nods.

"At least we did it together, though" JJ states, wrapping one arm around Pope and the other around Kiara and I who are still holding hands "Pogue style"

"Pogue style" John B repeats, biting his lip.

"Get out of here! Please" Kiara smiles.

"Now. We'll see you in two months, down in Mexico" Pope tells him.

"We love you, Johnny!" I remind him, smiling as big as I can.

"Hey, wait- wait a second. Tell Sarah I said goodbye, okay?" John B asks, his voice cracking and we nod.

"Don't forget. Cross the border at Brownsville, okay?" JJ shouts.

"Got it!" John B replies.

The Routledge boy starts up the boat and we all push it out, further into the water. He steers the boat away and drives off into the sunset as we watch him from the dock.

I slip my hand out of Kiara's and walk towards the car, taking a minute to breathe.

"Hey, you good?" I hear JJ's voice and I turn to face him.

"I'm just worried" I laugh, wiping away my tears "Y'know me. Miss Anxiety"

"Try not to worry yourself too much, angel. JB is gonna be just fine" JJ assures me and I nod.

"I know. I just can't help but be anxious" I shrug, shoving my hands in my pockets "It comes with the illness"

"I'm proud of you" The blonde smiles down at me "For being so brave"

"Don't use my own lines on me, Maybank" I scoff with a smile and he chuckles.

"I'm being serious though, angel. You've really kept your cool, and I am proud" He explains and it makes me smile.

"Thank you, J" I say gratefully.

JJ wraps his arms around me and kisses my head as I hug him tightly, snuggling as close as I can to him. I peak around JJ to see if Kiara and Pope are doing okay, only to see them caught in a lip lock.

"Oh, my God" I gasp in awe "JJ, turn around"

He turns his head and his eyes widen as a proud smile spreads across his face.

"That's my boy" JJ grins.

"My babies are all grown up" I coo.

I look up at JJ and he smiles down at me lovingly, making butterflies erupt in my stomach. I lean up and press my lips to JJ's in a sweet kiss. Sirens close in on us and I peck JJ's cheek before turning to the others.

"Hey, guys! I'm sorry to ruin the party, but we gotta go right now!" I holler.

"Come on!" JJ adds.

I grab the handle of the car door but a cop car swerves in front of me and I back up next to the others. JJ, Kiara and I throw our hands in the air but Pope doesn't seem to get the memo as he walks towards the SBI holding guns.

"Pope" Kiara warns him.

"Move! Hands up! Hands up!" The agents yell.

"Pope, hands" I stress in worry and the boy slowly raises his hands.

"We're too late. He's gone! Goddamn it!" Shoupe barks in anger.

"Bratcher, have your guys stand down! Let me talk to these kids" Shoupe orders before looking at us "All right, where the hell is he? Where the hell is he?!"

"JJ?...I see you're livin' up to your name. Sylvie?...Daddy can't bail you out this time, princess. Pope, how about you?...This isn't a fucking game! You can do the right thing now! Where'd he go?!" Shoupe rages at us but we all stay silent.

"Suspect has just left Station 26 in a small boat. Need marine patrol to respond" Agent Bratcher talks into his walkie talkie.

"You gonna arrest us, Sheriff?" I ask curiously.

Shoupe glares at me in irritation and turns to his deputies, not giving us a second look.

"Get these kids in cuffs! I want em' in the car! Let's get movin'!" Shoupe demands, storming away.

Four deputies cuff us and drag us to two different cars, throwing us in.

Soon enough, the sky is pitch black and we're being hauled out of the cars. We're guided through crowds of agents, cops and reporters until we reach a tent. They uncuff us and sit us down in the tent on some foldable chairs.

"Sit down. Don't move. We got a lot to talk about" Shoupe snaps before turning to one of his deputies "Keep an eye on these kids"

"The 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!" One of the men in charge rants with authority in his tone.

I feel a hand on my thigh and I put my hand on top of it, shooting JJ a grateful smile. Worry seeps into my bones and anxiety courses through my body as my mind wanders to the whereabouts of John B and my sister.

The four of us sit in silence, listening carefully to the people buzzing around us for any news on our friends.

All the power suddenly turns back on and my eyes widen.

"That's them! There they are!" I hear a man announce and chaos erupts throughout the crowd.

"Oh, fuck it" I curse under my breath.

"Don't start panicking on me, angel" JJ mumbles and I try to control my breathing, squeezing his hand a little tighter "I'm right here"

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After waiting for over an hour, Shoupe enters the tent with two of his deputies and we all jump to our feet.

"Did you find them?" Pope asks.

"No" Shoupe replies simply.

"So, they got away?" Kiara asks hopefully.

"We, uh...we lost them" Shoupe tells us "I'm sorry"

"You lost them? What do you mean you lost them? Like, they're gone? What are you talking about?" Pope questions the man desperately.

"They took an open boat into a tropical depression, Pope" Shoupe states and my eyes fill with unshed tears.

"So, they're dead?" I question shakily.

"We don't know" Shoupe answers.

"You drove them straight through the storm, man! Are you kidding me?! Come here! I'm gonna kill you!" JJ screams, lunging at Shoupe who is pulled back by one of his deputies.

"JJ, stop!" I cry out.

"I'm gonna kill you, you bastard!" JJ barks.

"Hey!" The deputy snaps, grabbing JJ and restraining him.

"You killed him!" Pope shouts in Shoupe's face "He didn't kill anyone, and you know it!"

"We're still looking for him, all right?" Shoupe tells us.

"Pope. Pope, just stop" Kiara cries "Please stop"

Four figures rush into the tent and I turn to see the Carreras and the Heywards. Kiara runs into her mother's arms, her father wrapping them both up in a tight hug.

"Pope! Pope" Denise Heyward calls out, pulling her son into a motherly hug as he sobs.

"I'm sorry" Pope cries out "I'm sorry"

Heyward wraps his arms around his wife and son, making my heart drop as I realise no one will be coming for me.

"They didn't make it, Mom" I hear Kiara sob and it finally sets in.

Sarah and John B are gone

I reach up, grabbing the necklace hanging around my neck that Sarah gave me and a sob escapes my lips.

Heyward turns to JJ, yanking into their family hug and Mike turns to me with a sad frown, pity written across his face. The Carrera man holds out his arm but I shake my head, my legs taking off to be away from the situation.

My dirty chucks slap against the muddy grass and the rain pours down, completely soaking me within seconds.

Before I can get too far, my knees buckle under me and hit the muddy ground. A blood curdling scream escapes my lips and tears spill down my face, mixing with the rain water hitting me.

Through my teary eyes, I see someone approach me and I look up, seeing a blonde mop of hair. JJ drops to his knees in front of me and pulls me into his arm, causing me to cry louder as I cling onto the boy I love.

"They're gone, JJ" I sob, my chest heaving for breaths "We're never gonna see them again"

"My sister is dead, and I didn't even get to say goodbye" I croak, realisation fully sinking in the more I repeat it.

"They didn't make it" I choke out.