𝐽𝑈𝑆𝑇 𝑁𝑂𝑇 𝑌𝐸𝑇 / JJ MAYBANK

𝟹𝟻

T H E G O L D

At that moment, the lights in the garden go out.

"They did it." I mutter in relief.

"Go time." John b whispers and the three boys pull their scarf over their noses.

I sigh "Guys, is this necessary, I mean-"

"Pull it up." John b pulls up my scarf up as he starts counting.

"Three, two..." we start walking, down to the basement.

We put our things down and JJ stands by the well.

"Holy crap, you know what this is? It just hit me. Pope, look." JJ pulls down his scarf and holds the rope out to Pope. "This is C.H.U.D. Full C.H.U.D." JJ smiles.

"What is he talking about?" asks John b.

"What is C.H.U.D.?" I look confused at JJ.

JJ looks at Pope, as if he didn't hear me "Cannibalistic humanoid underground dwellers? Have you guys not seen that film?" He answers.

"Can't say I have, no." sighs Pope.

"It's actually a good movie. It's about like, cannibals living in the sewers and under New York City, and it's like--"

"Shut up! Shut up!" whispers John b. "All right, how deep do you think this is, Pope?"

"I don't know," he sighs.

We swing the rope over the beam on the ceiling, getting everything ready for John b to go down the well. I look down the well. I can't say I'm not afraid of what'll happen, but I trust my brother.
John b is hanging from the rope now, Pope holding tightly over the beam, and JJ pulling away with him a little further.

"What can I do?" I ask, kinda bored.

"You can be quiet." says JJ. Everyone, including me, looks confused at him. Since when does he talk so rude to me?

„Umm... yeah you can stand by the well and watch your brother." says Pope, breaking the weird silence.

"Hey, guys. I have one request." says John b who is now hanging over the well.

"Yeah?"

"Don't drop me."

"I'll kill you if you do." I turn to Pope.

The two slacken the rope for a brief moment, and John b drops down for a second.

"Whoa!" laughs JJ.

My heart stopped for a moment "Jesus Christ." I take a deep breath.

"Okay...you're gonna die first, for sure." says John b.

"Got ya." mumbles JJ.

"All right, just keep payin' it out nice and slow like that." the two put John b down, and on and on.... on and on.
All I hear from him is "keep going." all the time.

"Wait, hold on one second. I'm gonna get situated." JJ pulls the rope behind his back, and I can already see that this is not going to work.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh, shit-" JJ falls to the ground with the rope and John B falls seconds down into the well.

"Oh, shit! John, shit!" Pope and JJ try to get the rope back as fast as they can and then have John b safe again.

"Jesus!" cries John b. "I told you not to drop me!"

"You good, John b?" I look down into the well.

"What the hell was that?"