Storm Chaser // JJ Maybank

26

We wait until it gets light out to head to the sewer runoff to find the gun.

"This is the north drain. It should have gotten washed into the gulley," JJ tells us. "So if it got flushed out from this drain it would've been pushed out to, like..." JJ gestures around him to a whole lot of garbage in the water.

"Somewhere in this trash," Pope states.

"Correct," JJ tells him.

Kie sighs. "Oh my god. People who use plastic should be shot."

Pope and JJ start to look through the garbage as Kie and I watch. I'd help but that's pretty gross so.

"Okay personally, I love plastic. Use it every day. Love the stuff," JJ tells her.

"Yeah well hopefully you recycle it and don't let it flush into the ocean," Kie states.

"I thought you'd say something like that so..." Pope holds up black garbage bags. "Garbage bags."

"Did you just proactively protect the environment?" Kie asks with a smile.

"Maybe," Pope tells her.

"Should JJ and I leave you two alone or what's going on?" I tease.

Pope tosses the garbage bags at JJ. "Just pick up the trash."

The boys dig through the trash but they can't find the gun.

"Well that was fun," JJ remarks.

"If it's not in the trash then it's gotta be in the storm drain," Pope reasons.

"It's in... it's in the drain," JJ says.

"Damn it," Pope says.

"Of course it is," Kie remarks.

"Good thing I brought the crow," JJ says.

"So, are we gonna do like rock paper scissors?" Kie asks.

"No," JJ states.

"Or alphabetically?" Kie offers.

"Nah," JJ tells her. "On three, Pope. One, two, three."

Pope and JJ pry the grate off the end of the drainage pipe.

"Or like oldest goes?" Kie asks.

"In the swerve, there's this worm that you get when you're down there," JJ says. "It gets into your blood, and then it has to come out your pecker. So uh... that would be a hard pass for me."

"That's gonna be a no for me," Pope agrees.

Kie looks at me and I shake my head. "I climbed into that crypt in the graveyard. It's not my turn."

"No, I get it. I get it. You guys are scared," Kie taunts.

"No. I'm not scared," JJ tells her.

"It's kind of cute," Kie teases.

"It's the pecker thing," Pope says.

"I'm not scared," JJ insists.

"You should have just led with that. You don't have to be sacred. I'll do it," Kie tells them.

"Okay, just, you know, be careful," Pope tells her.

"I'll be so careful," Kie tells him.

"I deserve that,"Pope says.

Kie starts to crawl into the drainage pipe.

"Just uh holler if you need anything," JJ tells her. "We'll uh... we'll holler back."