You Can't Kill a Pogue

The Cross

"Oh speak of the freaking devil. Look who it is. The tortoise and the other tortoises. Just a couple of hours late. Where the hell were you guys?" Pope yelled as JJ, Logan and Kie got back. 

"Paternal complications," Kie said.

"Luke was at the Chateau." JJ said

"Oh great. While you were having family time with your pops, John B got bit by a gator." Pope said sassily. 

"Like for real?" JJ asked.

"Are you serious?" Logan asked them. 

"Does it look like we're joking?" Sarah said. 

"Okay, what the hell happened?" Kie asked.

"What happened? I got bit by a gator!"
"He got bit by a gator!"

"I don't know why I'm being yelled at. I put my ass on the line." Kie yelled at them. Everyone started yelling over each other except for JJ, he was just standing there listening to his friends argue.

"Shut up!" JJ silenced them all. "Seriously, guys, I can't take it anymore, all right? Everyone just cut it out for a second. Look, I just helped my dad leave this island for good. Like, he's not ever coming back. He's straight up like the Spanish. Just, 'Bon voyage.'" They all made weird faces at him. 

"That's not the right language," Sarah whispered.

"All we got... And I know for a fact all I got is you guys, okay? You're it." JJ said and looked at Logan. "You're it. And I've come too close to losing you, all of you. I mean, shit like, Kie, you almost drowned. Pope, you were kidnapped. Sarah, your brother almost killed you. John B you were almost dinner for a freaking gator, bro. And Logan, I thought you died in a fire, your parents beat the shit out of you, and you got shot. I can't deal with almost losing you again, okay? You're the love of my life. So, this blaming each other is some Kook-ass bullshit, all right? We don't do that. Okay? We're pogues. Sorry, that was a lot right now. I didn't mean to..." Everyone looked at each other and started clapping for him. 

"Well done," Pope said. 

"I gotta be honest that was the best freaking speech you have ever given. Also, you should think about like, a Rosetta Stone because your Spanish and French are flip-flopped." John B said and JJ flipped them off. 

"We should bon voyage out of here," Sarah said. 

"That was great, J. I love you too." Logan said and kissed him. 

"All right, let's get this damn Twinkie out of here," JJ said and went to get everything ready. They pulled the Twinkie out and drove to the church walking inside and looking around. "Okay, you're telling me Denmark Tanny decided to hide the cross here?"

"Mm-hmm" Pope hummed.

"Everybody just spread out." Kie said

"Okay, well, if I was a cross and wanted to be hidden in an old church, where would I hide?" John B asked.

"I don't think the cross had control over where it was hidden Johnny," Logan said to him and he just pushed her. 

"Are you sure that Denmark hid the cross here Pope? Like, are we at the right church?" JJ asked. 

"It's gotta be here somewhere guys," Pope said.

"What if we have to push a secret button or, like play a... a certain chord and then all of a sudden the ground beneath us reveals the catacombs or something on which we stand?" JJ said. 

"Okay, Indiana Jones," Logan said patting his shoulder and continued looking around. 

"How about we try to find obvious clues." John B said. 

"It's not an escape room." Kie said. 

"It's gotta be in here. Come on." Pope said.

"I can't see where they'd hide a giant cross here." John B said. As Logan looked up and saw the pillars that could look like a cross. She got a crazy idea.

"Guys-" she started but got cut off.

"No, no. There's no way he would set us up on a freaking goose chase that would lead us to a church that has nothing in it." Pope freaked out.

"Yes, I get it. I don't know what to tell you, man." John said.

"The clues led us here. The cross is in this church." Pope said sitting down.

"Um... Guys-" she tried again.

"Pope, it'll be alright. We've had setbacks in the past, and we figured it out. We're gonna find it." John B cut her off again. 

"He's right," Kie said to Pope.

"Look, we've just gotta think about this logically, all right? Where else would you hide a seven-foot-tall cross made of gold?" John B said and Logan stood on one of the benches.

"I know!" She yelled. 

"What?" JJ asked her. 

"I've been trying to tell you guys for like, the past five minutes! Look up." Logan pointed to the pillars on the ceiling. They all looked up and the realization hit them.

"Oh my God. Look at that." Kie said in shock.

"Logan you're a genius." Pope kissed her head and started to climb the wall.

"Now Pope's climbing the wall." John B says like he's tired sick of everything.

"Pope this church is old. Like really old, this isn't safe." Kie yelled to him but he didn't listen. Everyone starts telling him to get down but he just ignores them. 

"Yo! This church has to be at least 200 years old." JJ said.

"He's right Pope, it's too dangerous." John B said.

"Just let me be real. You're not the most coordinated person on planet earth." JJ said

"Just let him do it. He's already up there, man." Logan said to them. Pope hit the first beam and looked down to them.

"All right, this ones solid wood, I'm gonna try the other beam." Pope then continues to do some acrobatic shit and climbs to the other side.

"Bro, just look out for that giant wasps nest right above your head." JJ yelled up.

"Hey, just move slow alright? Nice and easy." John B said. Pope kicks a piece of wood off the pillar and it shows that it's carved out. 

"Look, it's hollow. Go get me a crowbar." Pope said to them.

"I'll be right back." Sarah said, going outside.

"What are you gonna do Pope? I don't want this entire church to collapse on top of us. that's all I'm saying." JJ said.

"You're so over dramatic." Logan said to him. Sarah ran back in with the crow bar and Pope told her to throw it at him.

"Everybody watch your heads." John B said and everyone backed up.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna hide behind you because I am very prone to injuries." Logan said to JJ as she hid behind him. Sarah threw it up and Pope caught it, first try. 

"Hey, Pope, there's the wasps nest right up there, okay? Just move slow, all right?" John B said.

"Got it." Pope said then immediately starts hitting the wood at a fast pace, breaking it apart.

"What is that?" Sarah asked.

"Do you guys see that?" John B asked.

"Holy shit." Kie said

"Kie! Not in a church" Logan said but still looked at the cross in amazement.

"It's here. Oh my God" Sarah said.

"You did it buddy." JJ said.

"We did it!" Everyone starts cheering and hugging each other in happiness.