you're on your own, kid... obx

005. scuba diving

Erin walks into the kitchen where her mom is and Jack is eating waffles.

"So... how was the party last night?" Lillian questions.

"It was fine." Erin says.

"What's this I hear about a gun? A, uh... I heard some blonde boy had a gun and shot it." Lillian recalls.

"Don't know where you heard that." Erin says.

"Erin." Lillian gives her a stern look.

"Okay, all right, maybe there was a gun. But-- but nobody was shot. The dude shot it off into the air. He didn't shoot anybody." Erin says.

"Do we know this blonde boy?" Lillian asks.

"We know a lot blonde kids." Erin says, shrugging.

"Do we know this gun owning blonde kid particularly well?" Lillian asks.

"I don't know." Erin says.

"I heard it was JJ who shot the gun." Jack states, sticking some waffles in his mouth. Erin glares at her brother.

"Was it JJ?" Lillian asks.

"It's a possibility." Erin mumbles.

"Why does that boy have a gun?" Lillian asks.

"I don't know. I don't ask questions I don't want the answers to." Erin says.

"Look, I can't parent him, and I know his dad isn't gonna parent him. But just make sure he's careful if he ever has it out." Lillian says. "I don't need him accidentally shooting himself or you or one of your friends."

"Got it." Erin nods.

+++

Erin and Kie are sitting on a bench, the latter playing bongos. Pope is sitting in a chair across from them while Zack leans on a post that helps hold the shack up. JJ is leaning against a table a few feet away and throwing rocks.

"Look, I'm callin' it off, all right?" John B states. "Peterkin said if I stay out of the marsh, she'll help me with DCS."

"And you believed her?" JJ asks.

"Yes, I believe her, JJ." John B says.

"An actual cop, John B. You believed a cop." JJ scoffs.

"Okay, if there were to be one decent cop in this town, it's definitely Peterkin." Erin comments.

"Look, all I gotta do is stay out of the marsh for a couple days, and she'll help me out. It doesn't help that your ass was the one shooting a gun." John B says.

"You know what I should have done, man? I should've just let Topper drown your ass." JJ scoffs.

"Yeah, because Topper was gonna drown me?" John B remarks.

"Sure looked like it." JJ says. "I mean, have you looked in the mirror?"

"Yeah, no, he was definitely drowning you." Zack agrees.

"Tell me some more. Come on." John B says.

"They always win, don't they, man? Kooks versus Pogues. They always, always win!" JJ exclaims. "God!" He hits a ball that swings around.

"Look, it's okay!" Kie says, trying to calm him down.

"No, it's not okay! It is not! They don't want us to go down into the marsh. That means there's something valuable down there, and you know it." JJ says. "I know you do."

"And I understand why you don't wanna go." He looks at Pope. "You're the golden boy. You got way too much to risk. And you--" He turns to Kie. "I mean, you're already rich as fuck anyway. Why would you bother? And you're, you know, somewhat goody two shoes." He tells Erin who gives him a weird look.