Gold Digger// JJ Maybank- OBX

fifty two

"from the very beginning, it was always Kooks and Pogues. some people with everything. and some with nothing. that's the way it's always been. and that's how they wanna keep it. some people make the best of it. and some people fight against it."

AFTER A month of being stranded on the island, the Pogues had managed to make it somewhat of a home for themselves. They had woven the leaves from the palm trees to make beds, which they had laid out in a circle around one of the small campfires that the boys had fashioned together. JJ had created a flag for their new home, using a white sheet that washed ashore in the days after their arrival. "POGUELANDIA" was written across the top, the image of the chicken that both JJ and Scarlett had come up with laying under the words.

Scarlett watched as the make-shift flag blew about in the breeze from where JJ had tied it to one of the many palm trees nearby. Her attention was pulled back to the Pogues' game of truth or dare as Sarah spoke, throwing the woven hat across the circle the friends had made. "John B, your turn. Truth or dare?"

"All right, all right. Truth." He answered, placing the hat on top of his head.

"Truth?" Sarah thought for a moment, trying to come up with a question. "If you could do it all again... what would you do different?"

"Uh, get the gold out before Ward did." JJ voiced his answer.

Pope nodded his head in agreement. "Maybe hide the cross a little better."

Scarlett curled her knees up to her chest as she raised her hand in the air. "Uh, I dunno but probably not let Rafe shoot me twice."

"Not yell 'murderer' at Ward, maybe." Kiara said sheepishly.

Finally John B spoke his answer. "Uh, steal a couple bottles of rum before we jumped off the boat?"

"Yeah, why didn't you do that, actually?" JJ asked, turning to look at the boy.

"Alcohol would've made being stranded here so much better." Scarlett mumbled. As much as she was enjoying her time with her friends, the feeling of guilt that she had abandoned her sister was still eating away at her insides. Unfortunately, the only thing that could quench that feeling was alcohol- one of the many things they didn't have access to on Poguelandia.

"Maybe 'cause I was in a fight to the death?" John B said, answering JJ's question.

"I would look both ways before crossing the street." Cleo voiced her answer to Sarah's previous question.

"Yeah, my bad. My bad." John B apologised as the girls couldn't help but chuckle slightly.

"What about you, Luke?" Scarlett asked, looking across the circle to her brother. "What would you have done differently?"

The older boy shrugged his shoulders, unsure of his answer. "Honestly, I don't know."

"Maybe not have answered the phone when I called you?" Scarlett suggested. "Then you wouldn't be in this mess in the first place."

"It's not so bad. It's nice to have a break from the boring Kook life."

"All right, Kie, truth or dare?" John B asked, passing her the hat and placing it on her head.

She shook her head for a moment before answering. "Truth."

"Alright. Um, if you could go home to your parents' house on Figure Eight this instant... would you do it?"

Kiara was silent for a second before she answered the question. "No chance." She grinned.

"Seconded." Sarah smiled, pointing over to her.