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The following morning, Sarah and Eleanor sat on Eleanor's back porch talking about the events from the night before. With a cup of tea in her hands, Eleanor sat curled up on the outdoor furniture. Sarah told Eleanor how neither she nor Topper spoke on their ride back home. She was mad at her boyfriend, and rightfully so, but at the end of the day he was safe and everyone got out of the situation unscathed.

Well, technically not unscathed seeing as John B was now sporting a black eye and Topper had a bruised rib, but at least no one had been shot.

The sheriff and her deputies heard about the gunshots at the beach, leaving the four in possession with the gun on edge. But when they arrived at the scene, not a single person remained. The only sign that someone had been there was the faint smoke coming from the extinguished fire pits.

"He wanted to go to Peterkin last night after we left," Sarah told Eleanor.

Eleanor's eyes widened, "Thank God he didn't. Do you know how much trouble we would have all been in?"

Sarah nodded, "I talked him out of it once we got to his house. I hardly even got him into his bed before he passed out."

"That's good, at least." The older girl stated, Reporting it would have caused a lot more problems than it would have solved."

A bunch of underage intoxicated teenagers on a beach with an illegally acquired firearm would not have gone over well at all with law enforcement, especially for those who's parents couldn't get them out of trouble with the snap of their fingers.

"I just can't believe they did that."

"Me either, I mean why would they have even brought a gun in the first place?" Eleanor asked.

The conversation came to a halt as the screen door on the neighbor's porch swung open with a loud creak, catching Eleanor and Sarah's attention. "No, Sophie!" The booming voice of Mrs. Robins shouted at her young daughter.

Little Sophie Robins followed behind her mother, tears streaming down her face, pulling directly on Eleanor's heartstrings.

"Please Mommy!" Sophie wailed, "I need help!"

Her mother gave her a stern look, "No. You left it out there after I told you not to."

Eleanor glanced over at Sarah, who was already looking at her. Eleanor nodded and Sarah understood what she meant. Setting her cup of tea down onto the small glass table, Eleanor got up from her spot and made her way down the wooden porch steps. With Sarah following behind, they walked across the yard and over to where Sophie stood crying. Both Sarah and Eleanor had baby sat Sophie over the years and the little girl practically looked up to them

Eleanor bent down, so she was closer to the small girl's height. "Hey, Soph." She said, trying to comfort her. "What's the matter?"

"I-I left Ellie on the b-boat and..." Sophie answered, doing her best to stop crying to allow her words to form. "I can't get her."

The Robins' small boat was tipped onto its side in what was left of the water from the low tide. An electrical pole had fallen into it, pinning the boat down away from the dock.

"We could try and get her for you," Eleanor suggested and Sophie's face brightened up.

Mrs. Robins wasn't particularly fond of the idea. She stood on the porch of her house with her arms crossed in front of her. She wasn't saying anything, but it was clear to everyone who looked at her that she didn't want to help her daughter.

"I had her on the boat with my dad before the storm," Sophie added.

"Oh, so you left her on the boat, right," Sarah confirmed.

Until It Doesn't Hurt | Rafe CameronWhere stories live. Discover now