𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲

fifty-four: King Street.

IN THE large, empty field, Pope parked the truck and they set up to sleep in the back of the truck. JJ and Kai were laying side by side at one end, JJ's head against Kai's shoulder as Kai was using his backpack as a cushion. Kie and Pope laid facing outward of the truck, side by side but not too close to one another.

"Good night, everyone."

"Good night."

Kai had trouble sleeping, yet again, so when he realized JJ was asleep, along with Kie and Pope, he got up carefully and climbed out of the car as quietly as he could, taking out his pack of cigarettes to light one up.

He sat onto the grass, looking up at the sky as many thoughts filled his mind. He looked over at the truck and kind of wished he had a joint, contemplating for a moment if he should wake JJ or not. Usually weed helps him sleep. Or sex. But at the moment, he couldn't do either of those, one, JJ was asleep, two, JJ was asleep. So instead, he just smoked cigarettes until he got bored and laid back down next to JJ, who suddenly cuddled closer.

"Where'd you go?" JJ mumbled as Kai hugged his boyfriend back. "Nowhere... just sat and enjoyed a cigarette." He says and JJ opens his eyes to look at him. "Just one?" He whispers and Kai looks at him, "fine, I had like... two." He whispered back. "Two?"

"Fine... it was, uh, four." Kai glanced away and JJ sighs. "Smoking nicotine is bad for you..." He says and Kai scrunched up his face. "You used to smoke it with me." He says, looking at JJ who shrugs. "At least I quit." He says and Kai simply rolled his eyes at the blond.

"Good night, J..."

"Good night, mi amor."

The next morning, they rented a car just as JJ said they would. Kie and Pope sat in the front as JJ and Kai sat in the back, side bt side, holding hands as JJ leaned against Kai. They drive across the bridge as they pass the Charleston sign, JJ looked out the window.

"I wonder where John B and Sarah are right now." He spoke aloud his thoughts as Kai smiles softly. "Hopefully somewhere safe..." He says and kissed JJ's forehead, looking at him. When they entered Charleston, they headed straight for the address on the letter.

"Yeah, they're a bunch of fancy people. They've had, like, three governors in the family. They've run Charleston for, like, 300 years." Kie says as they arrive to the address given in the letter. "These Kooks make our Kooks look like Pogues." JJ says and Kai chuckles.

"You sure this is the place, Pope?" JJ asked when Pope came to a stop. "Pretty sure." Pope answered as the blond boy nods. "Alright." He's the first one to get out, Kai following him out the back door as Kie got out the passenger side and Pope on the driver side. "Fat City, for sure." JJ says, taking Kai's hand in his.

"Twenty-seven King Street." Pope says, raising the letter. "Talk about home security." JJ said, glancing over at Pope who makes his way around the car to join the other three. "Are those spikes to keep people out?" JJ asked and Kai looks at him. "Or in..." He whispers.

"The slave quarters are over there." Pope tells them and Kai looked at him next with wide eyes. "These spikes were actually to keep people in." He says, looking back at Kai who glanced away, looking up at the spikes above the gate leading into the yard of the building.

They entered the gates and made their way to the door as Kai raised his hand, grabbing JJ's arm despite already holding hands. Pope walked up to the door and used the lion's head knocker twice before turning to the others.

"You think that was too much?" He asked them as JJ looked at Pope. "It echoed the entire house. That's for sure. So they definitely heard it." He says and Kie looks at them. "Maybe nobody's home." She says, looking to the door Pope had walked over to, using the knocker again two more times then the door opens.

A man steps out, looking at Pope then at Kai, JJ and Kie. He smiled a bit and pointed at Pope, "you must be Pope." He says and Pope just stammers, "um..." He looked to JJ and Kai before looking back at the man.

"Are you Mr. Limbrey?" He asked. "Ms. Limbrey was expecting you yesterday," the man corrected him. "Oh, I'm... I'm sorry. My car broke down on the way up here." The teen now explained himself. "Carburetor blew up in the middle of Nowheresville." JJ said, catching the man's attention. "Sorry about that."

"Yeah, she was, uh," the older male looked back at Pope, "real upset when you didn't show up." He said and Pope glanced at Kai and JJ. "We tried to call, but there's no number on the invitation." Kie helped them explain themselves for being so late. "We got here as fast as we could." Kai added after her.

"She also expected you to come alone."

"I mean, these are my friends. They helped find the Royal Merchant too. So, I--" "The instructions were explicit. Your friends can stay outside." He cut off Pope. "Well, we're kind of a package deal, man." JJ said and Pope looks at him. "JJ. It's okay. I got this." He reassured the blond who just glanced at him. "I'll be good." He glanced at Kai then to Kie.

"Yeah. We'll be right here." Kie says, smiling at him. "Keep the car running." Pope says. "Yup." She said, squeezing Pope's hand in hers softly before he let go and he followed the man into the house. Kai sighed, leaning on the wall by the front door. "So... that's a bummer. I really wanted to see the inside." He says.

 

  

  

  

  

  

  

   

     

   

AUTHORS NOTE
carla limbrey was annoying imo, she was literally just another ward cameron who can take whatever treasure they find with all their hard work and research...