𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐞〚𝚙𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 〛

Chapter 27: God, I Love You

Pope couldn't think straight. Every one of his thoughts went back to barely a few hours ago, when he had been confronted with the person he hated most; Rafe Cameron. 

The pain caused by the betrayal, the surprise of seeing Rafe there with Delilah, it nearly had been too much to handle. But he'd held strong, having promised himself to never cower in fear in front of a Kook. He would never give Rafe the satisfaction of scarring him for life. 

He sighed, the sound bitter and sad. 

Delilah. Sweet Delilah that would never turn down someone in need of help. He couldn't tell her to stop, to give up on Rafe. It wouldn't be right, and it would only push her away from him, something he wasn't willing to risk.

"Yo, Pope," hissed JJ, snapping him out of his dzae. "You're weakening. I need help here."

The rope slipped from his hands and he scrambled for a better grasp, curses spewing through clenched teeth. By the time they managed to regain control of the rope, John B let loose a groan of pain.

"You good, man?" asked JJ, leaning over the well in the Craine house's basement to try and see his best friend who was hanging below.

"I thought you said you weren't going to drop me," he protested, his voice echoing off of the walls.

Pope shivered, the dampness of the stone basement chilling him to the bone. "Little technical difficulties."

"Keep going slow!"

The floor boards above his head squeaked, shuffling and thumping making dust freckle his shoulders. 

The boys held their breath, aware that Mrs Craine was now awake. Hopefully the girls were alright, and managed to keep her away from the basement without dying with an axe through their heads. 

They were getting along much better since being left stranded on the boat. John B could thank God that they hadn't ganged up to kill him yet.

"Alright, keep going," breathed JJ.

Pope bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from groaning as the rope chafed his skin. He hadn't thought of bringing gloves, which he now realized was a stupid move on his part.

"We've only got 15 feet left," he noted.

"Are you close to the bottom?" called out JJ, much too loudly for someone breaking and entering an axe-murderer's house.

"I can't tell... Woah! Stop!"

They tugged the rope to a stop, trying to keep themselves steady.

"I'm above some sewage lookin' shit," he said, hesitating.

"Want us to pull you up?"

John B breathed shakily. "Keep going I guess."

Slowly, they lowered the rope once again.

"Right, I'm at the bottom!"

"Any gold yet?" asked JJ, trying to keep the nerves out of his voice.

"I felt something by my foot." John B took a deep breath. "Here goes nothing."

The apprehension Pope had managed to keep at bay as of now was coming back in waves, making his muscles tense and heavy. He glanced around, wondering if something was going to pop out of the shadows.

"Pull me up!" shouted John B, panic cutting through his mind. "Hurry, man, go!"

Without having to think about it twice, they started pulling with as much strength as they had left, not thinking about how heavy John B was or how tired they were.