Eastside ₒ OBX

16- Capsized

Dahlia Jade meets up with JJ and Kie in time for them to take a trip to JJ's house where his loser dad mostly got drunk and high as a kite. She was not looking forward to it. 
   "JJ told me what you did," Kie says. 
   "JJ, you snitch," Jade clicks in her seatbelt as they drive off. 
   "You're lucky I saw you on the road before we drove by," JJ turns to look at her. "You can never trust the cops." 
   "Well, I did." 
   "And how did that work out?" 
   "Not... exactly terrific." 
   "See? I told you." 
   "I mean, they were busy." 
   "Yeah, well, now we might have to deal with angry Galway parents." 
   "I didn't tell them my name. Just that I knew Sarah." 
   "Okay, not entirely bad as I thought." 
   Kie stops the car. Jade can sense the dread radiating off of JJ. "You don't have to go by yourself." 
   "You want us to come with you?" Kie asks. 
   "No, I'll be fine," JJ tells them. "You two stay here." 
   Jade unhooks her seatbelt. 
   "I mean it, Jade. I'm good." 
   They wait for him to come back. JJ gets in the passenger side with his head down. "How did it go?" Kie asks. 
   JJ holds up the keys and manages a smile. 

They arrive at the docks to collect JJ's dad's boat. The Phantom sits nearly abandoned on a bed of dirt. Jade looks around and goes to check it out. Then there's the clicking of a gun. Something she wish she hadn't heard before. 
   "You three back up. Oh, look what we have here. The same little b*tch that was really testing my patience," Barry levels the barrel to her head. 
   "Hey, don't take it out on her," JJ cautions. 
   "Right." Barry then dives at JJ and begins pummeling him. 
   Jade immediately pries off one of Barry's arms and pins it behind his back and twists. Then Rafe comes out of nowhere and kicks her off. Jade coughs and splutters, catching herself before she lands completely on the ground. 
   "I don't care if your sister's Regina. I'll kick your ass," Rafe says through gritted teeth. 
   "Stop it!" Kie shouts. Rafe then turns around to face her. 
   Barry walks over and places his foot on Jade's back. "You better not get up and try that shit again." 
   "Get off of her," JJ mumbles. He looked pretty beat up at it was. 
   "Oh yeah?" Barry goes back to beat the crap out of him. "Where's my money?" 
   Jade tries to get her breathing back to normal and looks over to see Rafe choking out Kie. "Hey!" her voice comes out raspy. 
   That was when Pope runs in and starts whaling on Rafe. JJ helps Jade to her feet and they go t stop Pope before he kills the eldest Cameron sibling. "Pope! Calm down! Pope, he's had enough." 
   Pope snaps out of his rage and looks at Rafe in shock. He had blood dripping down his chin. JJ taps Pope on the shoulder, "we got to go." 

They have the boat docked in a secluded place. Jade opens up her knapsack and looks down at her phone. Twenty-one missed calls. Seven were from Candice and Sam. Two was from Regina. The rest were from her parents. 
   "Great," she mutters. 
   "You good?" Pope asks. 
   "Yeah. I'll deal with it later." 
   "Shit," Kie says. 
   They all turn to see a police car pull up. Jade could feel her knees knocking. 
   "Wait. Is that...?" JJ shields his eyes against the sun. "No way." 
   "John B," Jade races towards him and hugs him tightly. "You made it." 
   "Why are you still here? Its not safe out here," John B looks at her. "Why did you go back?" 
   "I wanted to help. I made it this far, haven't I?" 
   John B smiles, "Jade, I just wanted to tell you... Wait, where's Sarah? She was supposed to meet me." 
   "We haven't seen her," Kie replies. 
   "She can't stay here. Her dad--" 
   "John B, listen. You have to go," JJ hops off the boat. "There's enough food and water for a week. You go now and looks for Brownsville. You got that?" 
   "Yeah. I got it," John B nods. He looks at Jade, "Cosmic irony." 
   "Something like that," she breaks into a small grin. 
   He holds a metallic object. "This is my lucky charm now." 
   "That stupid key chain?" Tears prick her eyes. "Why would you keep that piece of junk?" 
   "Because you gave it to me," John B climbs onto the Phantom. JJ and Pope begin to push the boat off. "Hey, hey, I'm sorry for throwing you guys off the cliff with this whole treasure hunting thing." 
   "We were bound to go off the cliff at some point, right?" JJ responds. They all chuckle a little. "But we did it all together. Pogue style." 
   "Plus one," Jade adds. 
   "Pogues for life." 
   "Now get out of here," Kie tells John B. "Please." 
   They send the boat off and John B disappears through the Sound. JJ claps Jade on the back, "now lets bring you back. John B would really hate us if we didn't bring his girl..." 
   Sirens cut him off as a few police cars tear up the road. "Hands up!" the cops point guns at them. 
   "JJ, I see you're living up to your name," Shoupe remarks. 
   "Hey," Jade starts. 
   JJ casts her a warning look and shakes his head. 
   "And you must be that missing girl reported," Shoupe turns to her. "Your parents were wondering where you were. Not the best thing looking to the locals for trouble. Especially a fugitive." 
   Jade does not say anything, keeping her hands behind her head and her chin up. She had no regrets. They put her and Kie in one car and Pope and JJ in the other. There was a storm coming in and the sky was growing dark. 
   "We're going to be okay," Jade tells Kie as she fidgets. 
   "How are you so calm?" Kie asks. 
   "Practice with my anxiety. They'll see that this was just one big wild goose chase." 
   Kie rests her head on her shoulder, "thanks for being a good friend. I hope your family comes back next year." 
Jade feels a lump in her throat well up and places her head against hers. They probably wouldn't after all of this. This was likely the last visit to the Outer Banks. 

People were shouting at them and putting cameras in their faces. Who were they to judge? They were just bystanders with little to no information on what really happened. The Pogues are corralled and put into a single tent. Jade sits on one side of JJ and Kie and Pope are on the other. 
   A million thoughts swarm Jade's head. They were there for about two hours. Rain was pelting the tarp like paintballs. Jade plants her face into her hands. She was positive her life was over. 
   "It'll be okay. They haven't found them yet," JJ tells her. 
   Jade straightens herself out and looks over at Kie and Pope. Pope nods to her and Kie gives her a weak smile. They knew what was going on with her. 
   Then Officer Shoupe and a few other cops enter then tent. The Pogues stand up. "Did you find them?" Pope asks. 
   Shoupe is quiet for a moment. "No." 
   "So, they got away?" Kie questions. 
   He falls quiet again. "Uh... we lost them. I'm sorry." 
   "What do you mean 'you lost them'?" Pope demands. 
   "They took an open boat into a tropical storm, Pope." 
   "You mean they're dead?" Kie asks. 
   No response. Then, "we don't know."
   Jade looks out to the water where the hurricane was rolls on. Thunder crackles, but the sound of her heart thumping drown it out. "He's still out there," she murmurs. With her gaze focused on the churning sea, Jade starts walking to the harbor's edge.
   "Where are you going, Jade?" Pope calls. 
   "Jade!" JJ shouts. 
   "Someone stop her!" a cop yells. 
   "I'll get her. You've done enough." 
   Jade picks up the pace, racing towards the ocean. She is just about to set foot on the dock as arms haul her back and off the ground. "Let me go!"
    "Are you crazy?" JJ questions, setting her down. He rapidly shakes her shoulders, "what the hell is wrong with you?"
   "He's not dead. John B is still out there."
   "No, Jade, he isn't. Didn't you hear those bastards? They chased him into the storm," his voice is quacking with grief. 
   "I don't believe it," she replies. "Its not true. I don't feel it."
   "Why would you even try to swim there and you died too, huh?" 
   "Then so be it."
   JJ looks at her. His face is slack in disbelief, "what good would that do?"
   "Its better than living, knowing that he was dead for sure and not trying. Knowing there could be something more I could've done to prevent it." 
   JJ looks at her with rain plastering down his clothes. "Just come back to the tent." When they arrive back, the Galways and their parents are waiting. 
   Regina is the first to hug Jade, which surprised her. "I'm sorry.  I was such a douche to you. I'm sorry about John B and..." 
   It was at that moment that it hit Jade that this was it. She gives into her tears and sobs. Ian and Halle hug her. Jade looks at the Pogues. It all ended here. 

            . . . 

A massive cargo ship is heading to the Bahamas. Dream a Little Dream of Me by Ella Fitzgerald is playing at John B looks out at the ocean. Everything had worked out for the most part. Expect for the fact that everyone thought they died. 
   "What's that in your hand, John B?" Sarah asks, coming up behind him. "You've been holding onto it for hours." 
    John B opens up his palm, revealing an object that had made a deep imprint in his palm from holding on so tight. It was a dolphin keychain. 



[Author's Note next page]