Kind Of Infinite (Outer Banks)

Chapter 19

Ava didn't really know how much time had passed. The adrenaline made everything seem unreal and she wasn't sure if everything on this boat happened in just a matter of seconds or if it had been hours of sneaking around. Either way, Ava made it to the life boats, just to see, that JJ wasn't there.

"No, no, no.", she mumbled and nervously looked around. If he wasn't there yet, something might have happened to him. Ava wanted to find him, but she knew, that the others needed someone to prepare the lifeboat. Maybe they had a timing plan and the lifeboat wasn't necessary yet. As a hundred thoughts and scenarios crossed her mind, Ava decided to just wait for a while. Pressing her back against one of the containers, the girl hid in a corner. Closing her eyes, she tried to control her breathing and be as quiet as possible. For a while, the only sound she heard was the waves crashing against the boat, when suddenly, she heard someone fight. Leaning forward, she looked around the corner.

"JJ!", she whispered, as she saw the familiar blonde hair, the grey tank top and the dirty pants. JJ had his back to her and kept walking backwards, when another man crossed the corner and ran towards him.

"Shit.", Ava mumbled and hid behind the container again. The both men were fighting about 30 feet away from Ava and the lifeboats. JJ still had his back to her and Ava thought, that it would only distract him if she would call for him. Walking around the container, Ava decided to get closer to them. Sneaking the way down to the level of JJ and the stranger, Ava eventually stopped and looked around to find a weapon. Only, when she heard a loud noise of something hitting metal and JJ hiss, she lifted her head. Walking around the container, she looked around the corner again to make sure, that the man wouldn't see her. He in fact, had his back to her, but the sight of him holding up a machete right in front of JJ, let Ava forget how to think clearly.

"JJ!", she shouted, as she ran up to the fighting men. JJ looked past the man to see Ava and the dark-haired man turned around to her swiftly. Out of the three, JJ reacted first. He attacked the man from behind and tried to make him drop the weapon. The stranger fought back and pushed JJ against the railing. Just when Ava ran up to them to help JJ, the man swung his arm in defence and hit JJs head with the blunt end of the machete. JJ passed out immediately and Ava watched how his unconscious body fell over the railing. She gasped and was about to run over to look for him, when the man turned around to walk up to her. Ava turned around, ran back behind the container and hoped, that the stranger wouldn't see right through her plan. He would either follow her, which was exactly what she wanted, or he would already wait for her at the railing. Ava did not have the time to find out if he was following her or not, so she just ran behind the container, took the corner right behind it and ran back to the railing. The man had followed her, but before he could catch up to her, Ava had climbed the railing and jumped off into the ocean.

"JJ!", she called again, when she saw his body float in the water. The waves that the boat created made it hard for her to get to him, but she eventually reached his body. As she tried to keep herself up, she turned JJ onto his back and put her hands beneath his arms to keep his face over the water.

"Really, you have to bleed now? Isn't drowning enough?", Ava complained, when her eyes caught the bleeding wound on his forehead.

"Ok, fine. Pull yourself together, Ava! You can't throw up now.", she encouraged herself and sighed as she looked up to the boat. If the pogues really waited for JJ to prepare the boat, they would never got off this boat. And if they won't get onto the lifeboat, they won't pick up her and JJ.

"Are you still breathing?", she asked JJ, even though she knew, that he wouldn't answer her. Ava had no idea how much water he had swallowed or how bad his head injury was. She couldn't even make out, if he was breathing or not and she slowly felt, how panic crept up on her.

"Just breathe, please.", Ava cried and felt how warm tears ran down her cold skin. While time felt like a surreal object again, Ava eventually saw how someone let down the lifeboat.

"They made it! JJ, they made it. Just hold on a little longer, ok?", she said and deep down, she knew, that she only encouraged herself in talking to him. Ava tried to swim closer to where the lifeboat would be get down, but the waves and holding up JJs body made it seem impossible to even move. Suddenly, she heard shouting and someone bending over the railing to prepare the boat.

"Kiara!", Ava shouted and waved her arm around. Repeating the actions a few times, Kiara suddenly looked up and into their direction. Ava watched how Kiara turned her head around and seemed to talk to someone, before John Bs face came into view. Ava sighed in relief and nodded her head, when John B waved at her and gestured, that they would get them.

"I swear JJ, I will kill you again if you die on me now.", Ava mumbled and forced herself to calm down, knowing, that the pogues would come and get them soon. She watched how the boat got down and felt a wave of relief and happiness wash over her body, when she saw not only John B and Kiara, but also Pope and Sarah jump into the boat. They got down and quickly made their way over to Ava and JJ.

"Get him! I'm not sure, if he's breathing!", Ava shouted at them, while she was still in the water holding JJ up. Pope and John B grabbed for JJs tank top and pulled on it, until they could reach his arms and shoulders to pull him onto the boat. They laid him down and while Pope checked up on him, John B and Kiara helped Ava onto the boat.

"Is he breathing?", Ava wanted to know and leant over the unconscious blonde boy, while Pope pressed his hands down onto his chest in a steady rhythm.

"Very much, yes.", Pope said, when JJ suddenly spat out some water and opened his eyes.

"Oh my god!", Ava gasped and heard everyone sigh in relief. Ava kneeled down next to JJ and leant her head against his as she carefully hugged him.

"Yo, you all look like someone just died.", JJ joked and Ava gently hit his chest as he laughed. The pogues huffed and chuckled at his comment and Ava just shook her head.

"Idiot.", she mumbled and saw him smirk up to her.

"Shit, John B start the fucking motor now!", Sarah suddenly called and everyone followed her eyes, just to see Rafe and a few other men standing at the railing. Unfortunately, Rafe pointed a gun at them. The relief that the friends had felt a second ago, left the boat quickly as Pope and John B tried to start the motorboat.