*ೃ༄GET THE GOLD, J. M 1

13

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗥𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗡
𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨.

𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗧 𝗛𝗜𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗔 𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗗, 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗦 𝗕𝗘𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗡 over by leaves and vines, her flashlight was handed to her by Pope, him sending her words of luck as she began looking.

With the only source of light being the small black flashlight, she was screwed. Her eyes narrowed, she couldn't see shit, the dark engulfing the grave completely, she turned back around, sticking her hand out of the hole as she directed more light, "Uh... I need some more light."

JJ had handed her a bright lantern, with a thank you she was off once more. Her finger tips touching the surface of a branch as she shined her light over it, a mail package being tucked in underneath it. Her heart got caught in her throat as she read the labeling.

𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗕𝗜𝗥𝗗 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗟𝗢𝗨.

Lou. Big John had been the only person that called her that, at first she hated it, arguing with the fact that Lu was strictly better. Ignoring the fact that they both sounded the same when said out loud. She ran her hand over the bag, dusting it off as she sniffled, "Oh, God."

With the help of her friends she was back on the grassy side, she passed on the package to John B, who nearly dropped it as he ran his eyes over it,
"Holy shit. This is from my dad."

Car headlights approached them, Luna nearly jumping out of her skin as she signaled the others, "Code red. Code red. Square groupers! Square groupers!"

The rock had been their only coverage, the five of them squeezing behind it as they attempted to hide from the car, all of their suspicions pointing towards the men who had hunted them down and robbed John B's home.

"Homie's got a gun." JJ muttered, crouching down next to Luna, she rolled her eyes, letting her legs straighten out as she stood up, "Screw this."

Skillfully she jumped the fence, catching herself before she face planted, reaching her hands up to help Kie hope down, they ran to the Twinkie, JJ and John B following behind as Pope struggled to her over.

"Guys, I'm stuck." Pope panicked, Kiara running up to his side as she grabbed ahold of his shorts, laughter spewing out of all the teens mouths as his pants ripped, leaving him in his boxers.

They all began to run to the parked van, still laughing as they picked up their pace, JJ teasing the pant less boy, "It's a little Tootsie Roll."

The package had stayed closed until they had arrived at the Chateau, Luna held her hands together as she waited patiently for him to open up the sealed bag.

JJ had been making himself a sandwich in the kitchen, Pope making a sour face as he watched him smear on the jelly, "That bread had mold on it three days ago."

The blonde shrugged, continuing to make the poorly put together sand which, " I'll just pull off the bad parts. Plus, mold is good for you. It's just a natural organism."

"JJ!" Luna called, her patience on thin ice at this point, he quickly ran over to the table, biting into the food, his face scrunching up as he gagged.

The top of the package was pulled open, John B reaching his hand into it as he pulled out a map, an X planted perfectly on a spot.

"Oh. X marks the spot." Pope noted, peering down at the written letter as he took mental screenshots of the large paper.

"Wait, there's somethin' else in there." John B dug his hand back in, pulling out a tape recorder as he set down the now empty bag.

"Dear Bird." Big John's voice spoke clearly on the record, sending chills down Luna's spine as she shut her eyes.

"Who's Bird?" JJ said clueless, John B glared up at him as he held the object, "That's what my dad called me."

"I hate to say, "I told you so," but I told you so." He hummed, "And you doubted your old man.
I suspect at this moment, you're filled with guilt and self-loathing over our last fight, but don't kill yourself just yet, kid. I didn't expect to find the Merchant either. You were probably right to call me out. Wasn't exactly Father of the Decade. What can I say, kid? I could smell the barn. And hopefully, we're listenin' to this in our brand new sugar-shack down in Costa Rica, livin' off passive investments and pulling on permits. If not, and you find this for less than optimal reasons, well, that's what the map is for. There she is, the wreck of theMerchant.
If somethin' happens to me, finish what I started."

There was a sudden pause, a loud breathe heard on the other side of the recording as he began to speak again, "Lou, don't blame your mother."

Her eyes snapped open at the mention of her mom, she sat up, listening closely, "John B, don't blame me. I wish I could be there to tell you this in person but due to the circumstances I can't. Nora was never a big fan of me, that night was a mistake. But in the end, we had you, Luna. It killed me inside to watch my own daughter grow up in front of my eyes and not even know her own father was right there. Take care of each other, you are all I have left. Go for the gold, kiddos. I love you, Bird, even if I didn't always act like it. And I love you, Lou, even if you didn't realize it. I'll see you two on the other side."

Luna's head was spinning with questions, her lips parting as tears fell freely from her eyes, she had locked eyes with John B, he quickly got up, leaning again the doorway as he sobbed.

The chair made a screeching noise as she stood, speed walking toward the front door as she swung it open, the breeze drying her falling tears as she ran toward the deck, her body leaning over the edge as she cried.

Her hands gripped the edge as she wailed, her breathing getting heavier as she breathed less and less each second, her eyes squeezing closed.

The cries became quieter as she stopped, the sadness waving through her as it turned to anger, she felt a hand on her back, the horse voice of John B behind her, "Luna."

She turned back around, her back pressing into the wood as she stared at him, "John B. I'm so sorry, I had no idea."

He quickly shushed her, wrapping his arms around her as they whispered apologies to one another, she pulled back, "You know, I've always wanted a brother."

"Well I've always wanted a sister." He breathed out a laugh, hugging her again tightly, "He loved you."

She nodded, dropping their arms from each other as they pulled away, "I wish he would've told me sooner. I've spent my whole life wondering why my father abandoned me, and little did I know he was right in front of me, my entire life. And she let it slid, every night that I would cry to her, she knew exactly where he was."

"At least we know now?" John B stared down at his feet, his head lifting back up as he heard the approaching footsteps of the other Pogues.

𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗥𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘!
so basically...
they're siblings.
surprise !?