¥showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks¥
In which Jackie Routledge and her group of friends from the south side of Outer Banks try to have the summer of their lives, but end up it being filled with mystery, tragedy, risks, adventure...
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{We Did It, Dad}
As we moved through the tall grass, a floodlight suddenly turned on, throwing us all into a panic as we scrambled to hide behind a bush. "Flashlights!" Kie whispered urgently, and we all fumbled to turn ours off—except for JJ, who cursed as his stayed in strobe mode for a second before finally clicking off. "Looks like she's got motion sensor lights," Pope noted, and I sighed.
"Maybe if we, uh... move really slowly?" JJ suggested, glancing around hopefully. We all stared at him. "Yeah, that's not how it works," Pope replied, and JJ sighed in defeat.
"Alright, let's throw a rock at it," John B said, but I shot him a glare. "Perfect. Let's let the axe murderer know exactly where we are," I replied with a heavy dose of sarcasm, and he looked down, embarrassed. "You got a better idea?" he muttered.
"What about the breaker box on the porch?" Sarah offered, and I nodded. "We used to play hide and seek here as kids, and if we were brave enough, we'd creep up to the porch. I remember seeing it," she explained.
"No way you're going in alone," John B said, shaking his head. I put a hand on his arm. "I'm going with her, and so is Kie," I declared, earning a surprised look from Kie.
"Nope, you're staying with me," JJ interjected, grabbing my hand. I scoffed. "JJ, I'm going with them. End of discussion." He sighed, squeezing my hand gently. "I just don't want anything happening to you," he said softly. I smiled, giving him a quick kiss on the forehead. "Those two need me," I reassured him. "Besides, I can throw a mean punch and I'm a fast runner." Reluctantly, he let me go, and as I joined the girls, I heard John B calling after Sarah to stay safe. Kie rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, your sister and I will be safe too," she shot back, and John B gave a nervous chuckle as we crept toward the porch.
On the porch, we found it littered with old furniture and boxes. I located the breaker and flipped the switch, but nothing happened. "Damn it," I whispered, noticing a wire that led inside. "Looks like we're going in," I murmured, breaking the lock on the back door. We slipped inside, our flashlights casting faint beams as we searched for the switch.
"Over here," Sarah whispered, and Kie and I joined her as she flipped the switch. Just then, a creak from the stairs made us freeze. Sarah let out a gasp, and I quickly covered her mouth, pressing us against the wall as my heartbeat thundered in my chest.
"It's... it's late, Leon," Mrs. Crain's voice rasped from the stairs, her figure slowly descending. Kie clasped her hand over her mouth, her eyes brimming with tears. "Too late," Mrs. Crain croaked, and I grabbed Sarah and Kie's hands tightly. As Mrs. Crain shuffled past us, Sarah whimpered, causing her to turn around. Without hesitation, I pulled the girls and we bolted down the hallway, each of us darting in separate directions. I ducked into a bathroom, locking the door behind me.
Minutes later, gunshots rang out from the basement. Heart pounding, I unlocked the door and rushed down, finding Mrs. Crain shooting at the others. Sarah and Kie managed to escape, while JJ and Pope crouched behind some boxes, and John B was trying to climb out of a well.
"John B!" I shouted, drawing Mrs. Crain's attention as she fired in my direction. I ducked and crawled to the well, helping my brother climb up. "Come on!" I whispered urgently, and as Pope and JJ ran, John B and I made a break for it, diving over the wall just as another shot rang out. I landed hard, scraping my knee but scrambling to my feet and running to the van. John B reached out his hand, pulling me inside.
"Holy shit!" I panted, catching my breath as I slid into the passenger seat. JJ pulled me into a tight embrace, covering my face with quick kisses. "I love you, I love you," he murmured, and I laughed. "Love you too, dummy," I replied, interlocking our fingers. "Are you okay? Did you get shot?" he asked, inspecting me. "I think I'd know if I was shot," I joked as Kie shook her head, smirking. "God, John B, you look like you've been through hell," I teased, crinkling my nose. Kie laughed. "Yeah, you smell like it too," she added, making us all crack up.
"Pogue hall of fame, baby!" JJ cheered, fist-pumping. "Hell yeah!" Kie echoed. "That woman's possessed," I muttered, and Sarah and Kie nodded in agreement. "Can't believe how fast she moves," Pope added in disbelief.
"Did you get it, bro?" Kie asked, and John B grinned, pulling a mud-caked object from his pocket, brushing off the dirt to reveal a glint of gold. "No way!" Sarah gasped, as JJ hugged me tight, grinning ear-to-ear. "We're gonna be rich, baby!" he exclaimed, his hand resting on my waist as he kissed me again. "I can't believe it," Pope whispered in amazement. "Full Kook, baby!" John B shouted. We joined in, chanting, "Full Kook! Full Kook!" as we drove down the road.
I couldn't believe it. We actually found the gold. We were going to be rich, and it was all thanks to you, Dad. We did it. I hope you're proud and smiling down at us.
Back at the Chateau, Kie and Pope went home, while Sarah and JJ stayed over. John B and Sarah had gone off to his room, and I was in my own, changing, when JJ brought in some food. "I made pancakes with strawberries," he said, setting the plates down and wrapping his arms around my waist as I adjusted my hair in the mirror.
"What's going to happen now?" I asked, leaning back against him. "What do you mean?" he asked, trailing soft kisses along my neck.
"We have the gold now, school starts soon... what happens next, with all that money?" I asked, turning to face him. JJ smiled. "Well, you and I are moving out of the Outer Banks," he said. I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Where to?"
"Costa Rica," he said, a grin spreading across his face. "We'll get a new place, maybe start fresh. I'll open a surf shop, and you'll build houses for people who need them." My eyes widened as he described it, reminded of my dad's dream to take us there. "That sounds amazing," I whispered, leaning my head against his chest.
"And in a few years, I'll ask you to marry me, and you'll say yes," he chuckled, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "And maybe, someday, we'll have little versions of us running around, and we'll tell them the wild story of how we found the Royal Merchant treasure." I smiled up at him, feeling more at peace than I had in ages.
"I love you, JJ," I whispered. He looked down at me, his face soft. "I love you so much, Jackie," he replied.
