P4L, carpe diem (JJ Maybank)

020

"So on the day they were coming to get him, he writes a letter to his son as a farewell, and in the last line of the letter, he leaves a coded message about where to find the gold."

"Where?" I asked, impact dropping like at 30 pounded brick. "'Harvest the wheat in Parcel 9, near the water," he explained.

My widened mouth closed, expecting something other than a description, maybe a riddle or some dumb shit. But, he wasn't finished.

"Except...there's no wheat. You see, wheat is code for gold. Check this out," he said, showing me the letter and another piece of paper. "Holy fucking shit," I said, laughing.

"All we need is an original survey map of the property, and we've found the gold!"

I passed the papers to Pope, who examined them. "Okay, so this might have a small chance of being true," Pope said. Meanwhile, JJ stood up and walked over to my brother, then picked him up.

"Hello! Fire! You're near the fire! You're gonna burn," John B warned J. "I'm so proud of you right now," he said.

"So, what's the plan," I asked, sitting on the log. "Good question, Dyl. Sarah Cameron's coming tonight. She's gonna bring an original survey map-"

"Hold on," Kie warned. Oh shit.

"Sarah? Wh-Why Sarah?" she asked. "This is gonna be good," JJ said. "Sarah- she-she got me into the archives in Chapel Hill yesterday, and that's where I got the letter," John B said.

"You were in Chapel Hill yesterday with Sarah Cameron?" Kie questioned, pissed.

"He was mackin' on her," JJ said. "I wasn't macking," they fought.

"You were totally macking Sarah Cameron," JJ added. "I wasn't macking on her, okay? I was using her for access," JB explained.

"There was access all right," I mumbled, burning a stick on the fire. "Did you tell her about the treasure?"

"I was trying to get into the archives," John B yelled. "Is that a yes?" Kie explained. "I- I left out key details!"

"You let a Kook in on our secret!?" Kie fought with him. "What about Pogue Lyfe? What about the t-shirt company, bro?"

"He was just using her for info, Kiara. It's fine," I said, staring at the fire.

"You're taking his side? Wait, sorry, her side? After what she did to you? She practically backed up when your ex raped and was beating you, while being drunk! Then called you a low-classed bitch!" Kie yelled in my face.

Everyone except me and Kie gasped. They knew he hurt me, but never raped me.

"He did what?!" JJ blew.

"Nothing," I muttered, my eyes dodging at everyone in the group. At my brother— shocked and pissed. Pope— shocked and worried, maybe even sad. JJ— pissed and looking like he was going to commit a murder.

"Dylan— he did what?" JJ demanded.

"Nothing. Nonetheless..." I began.

"That's a low blow, Kie. A very low blow. But just because you still have some fucking beef with her, means I cannot be around her. She was my best friend too! What? Are you my fucking keeper now?" I yelled at her, throwing my stick into the fire. "He's trying to make us filthy rich, and of course, you can't get over yourself. So, that we can pay off a boat, or send Pope to autopsy school to study corpses. Just because he's a Pogue, doesn't mean he has to spend his life acting like one. You're rich as fuck and you don't understand what it's like to be broke. He can do what he wants. But does he, Jonathan Booker Routledge, look like someone to fall for Sarah Cameron?!"

Yes, I knew that was gonna come back and bite me in the ass, knowing damn well Sarah and John liked each other, but, oh well. It's already my death day. My best friend gets mad for me being friends with her ex-best friend. JJ got beat by his dad. Pope ditched on his dad. It's a great day for all of us.

"What did she even do to you?" Pope asked Kie. "She's like... a spitting cobra. First, she blinds you, and then-"

"This is a bad analogy," Pope declares. "Listen to me!" She screams. "Whatever we get, she's gonna try to take."

-|-

We all sat in the Twinkie, since John B was going to meet up with Sarah. John B had left to go to the tower to meet Sarah, promising one thing. Nothing is happening between them. I could hear the thunder and I could see the lightning strikes, so I snuggled against JJ, who placed his hand on my leg.

Out of nowhere, I heard a female scream.

"Kelce and Rafe followed us-" Pope explained.

"Shut up," I said, trying to make sure I heard it correctly. "Someone help!" Someone screamed. "Did you guys hear that?"

"Help!"

"Yep, I hear that!"

We all hopped out of the Twinkie, and I took off my heels, running to the voice. I ran as fast as I could, hoping that they wouldn't be hurt. Oh, boy, was I wrong.

There he was, my brother, unconscious, on the sand. He was surrounded by wooden planks on the floor. I slid on the ground, falling to my brother, to see Sarah above him. "Sarah! What happened?" Pope asked. "I don't know what to do! Topper shoved him!"

"Where the hell is he!?" I shouted, tears falling from my eyes. "I don't know," a sobbing Sarah shouted. I placed my brothers head on my lap, crying overtop of him. "Please wake up, Bird. Please!"

I could hear his breathing, but crackly and barely. "Please, please, please get help. I don't care. Just call someone!" Sarah said. "Pope, go!" JJ said, turning around and pushing Pope. "Pope, hurry!" Kie yelled. Under my voice, I mumbled prayers. As many as I could. I was never very religious, but I still believed in God. I believed He was up there.

Now more than ever. Sarah pressed a kiss on my brothers lips, and I looked up at Kie, who realized he'd lied to her.

"John B, stay with me," I said, hugging him. "Please don't leave me. I lost Dad, I don't need to lose you too," I said, crying. "Pope! Come on!!" JJ yelled. He knelt down to my level, hugging me. He slowly picked me up from the floor. I wrapped my arms around him. How could this day go from being so good to so bad in 40 minutes and 48 seconds?