On Top//Topper Thornton

twenty nine

In the morning we spot Pope and Kie coming back on the pogue. We meet them at the dock.

"Finally. Hey!" I shout.

"Guys, don't tie up. Stop it!" JJ tells them.

"What?" Kie asks.

"We're dipping," JJ tells them.

"Wait, why?" Pope asks.

"What? What are you talking about?" Kie asks.

"Where'd you guys go? What happened last night?" John B asks.

"We slept on the break," Pope tells him. "What's up?"

"Slept, right. Yeah," JJ teases.

"We were up all night," Topper tells them.

"We gotta get the hell out of here," John B states.

"Rafe knows we're here, so we have to leave, like, now," Sarah explains.

"Okay," Kie says.

"Come on," Pope says.

We take the boat to a little clearing on the marsh. You wouldn't know we were here unless you really tried to find us and even then maybe not.

"Look, if Rafe and Barry know, it's only a matter of time," Kie says.

"Before everyone knows," Pope adds.

JJ scoffs. "I told you. We should've gone south, man."

"Just stop it," John B tells him.

"Why does no one ever listen?" JJ remarks.

"I get it. I get it. I understand," John B tells him.

"I have an idea," Sarah tells us. "With me back, my dad's going to have to choose between me and Rafe."

"Sarah, Sarah..." John B starts.

"He's gonna choose me," Sarah insists.

"Just please listen. Ward keeps lying to you, Sarah," John B tells her.

"Sarah, he's not gonna agree after all that's happened," Kie says.

"No. I... I know it sounds crazy," Sarah says.

I nod my head. "Yeah, it does."

"I know!" Sarah says. "But he's my dad. And I know him, and I know he loves me. I'm just asking for two hours."

She starts to walk away and John B calls after her, "Sarah."

I watch as Sarah and John B talk. When they're done I walk over to Sarah.

"Do you want me to go with you?" I ask.

Sarah shakes her head. "I'm not gonna make you go home if you don't want to."

"I can't, Sarah," I confess. "After what Dad and Rafe have done. I don't know that I can ever get over it."

Sarah nods. "I have to do this, Ash."

"I'll be here when you get back," I tell her.

Kie and I head off to find some firewood. Who knows how long we're going to be staying on the break.

"Why didn't you go with Sarah?" Kie asks.

I take a deep breath. "I don't want to be there if he chooses Rafe over Sarah."

"Do you really think he would?" Kie asks.

I nod my head. "My dad will do anything to keep our family together. We saw that, Kie. He killed Gavin to shut him up. Ward is capable of more than any of us realize."