Carolina- OUTER BANKS

Ch. 9

I looked at John B and smiled "That's not gold." "Holy shit. This is from my dad." John B said as Kiara hoped out of the tomb. "Code red. Code red. Square groupers! Square groupers!" JJ hits my forearm as I jumped out of the tomb "It's the guys who robbed your house." "Are you sure?" I asked and he nodded "Light! Light. Turn your light off, man!" "John B? Your light!" Pope and Kie muttered and I turned off my light but JJ put out his blunt. "JJ, your light." Pope said trying to turn it off and I felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Do you think it's them?" "Homie's got a gun." JJ said and my eyes widened "What?!?" "Screw this." Kiara groaned then started running to the Twinkie. "Hurry up!" JJ said pulling me "Guys, I'm stuck." "Pope, come on!" We all looked to Pope as he was stuck on the fence and I frowned "We got you." Kiara said as me and her tried to pull him but he shook his head "No." "Pope, don't move, okay?" JJ said pointing the gun at him and I frowned "JJ, this is not the fucking time!" I yelled bringing my attention back to Pope "You're gonna rip me. Wait. You're gonna rip me!" He yelled and I rolled my eyes "You're fine. Come on!" Kiara said and I heard ripping and I gasped trying to hold in my laughter. "Pope, come on!" "Nice! Come on, dude." JJ smirked and i cleared my throat "Oh, Pope." "It's a little Tootsie Roll." John B laughed making me laugh and we got into the Twinkie. "Liv?" Kiara asked all serious as I was trying to contain my laughter and I turned to her "Yeah?" "Why Rafe Cameron?" She asked and I went silent, I didn't know what to tell her, I mean I love him.

I walked out of the bathroom and saw JJ putting peanut butter on old bread and I frowned "That bread had mold on it three days ago... JJ you'll get sick." "I'll just pull off the bad parts... Plus, mold is good for you. It's just a natural organism." JJ muttered and I rolled my eyes "JJ! Liv!" "Yup, yup, yup! Hot damn! Let's do it." JJ yelled as he pulled me over to the others and I sat next to John B. I heard JJ gag on the sandwich which made me frown in disgust, then he spit it into my hand "Ewe JJ, what the hell?!?" I groaned washing my hands then I brought my attention back to John B. "Holy shit." he muttered as he pulled out a map and I saw writing on it "Oh. X marks the spot." "Longitude, latitude." Pope and John B said, and I looked inside the package "Wait, there's somethin' else in there." I told him and handed him the device which JJ looked confused "What's that?" "It's a tape recorder, dumbass." I rolled my eyes and JJ nudged my arm.

John B pressed play on the recorder and it played "Dear Bird... and if you're listening to, my dear Bee." "Who's Bird and Bee?" JJ asked and John B looked at me then back at the recorder "That's what my dad called me and Olivia." "Beatrice is my middle name remember?" I told JJ and he nodded "Right." "I hate to say, "I told you so," but I told you so. And you doubted your old man. I suspect at this moment, you're filled with guilt and self-loathing over our last fight, but don't kill yourself just yet, kid. Don't give my sister a reason to have a heart attack." We heard Big John say in the recording and I smirked "I didn't expect to find the Merchant either. You were probably right to call me out. Wasn't exactly Father of the Decade... My sister always did try to keep me on my toes. What can I say, kids? I could smell the barn." I looked at John B and I held his hand.

"And hopefully, we're listenin' to this in our brand-new sugar-shack down in Costa Rica, livin' off passive investments and pulling on permits. If not, and you find this for less-than-optimal reasons, well, that's what the map is for. There she is the wreck of the Merchant. If somethin' happens to me, finish what I started. Go for the gold, kids. I love you, Bird, even if I didn't always act like it. I'll see you on the other side." Big John ended and I couldn't help but feel bad for John B.

The tape recorder clicks off and I turned to John B who was crying and I went over to him and pulled him into a hug "Holy shit, he did it! Big John... He found the Merchant..." "Can you... can you please?" Kiara said trying to shut JJ up and Kiara came over and hugged him too.