All Wrong

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I handed John B the package I found, and Pope sighed saying, "Thats not gold." I climbed out of the hole while John B explained that the package was from our dad. I heard a car followed by JJ saying, "Code red. Code red. Square Groupers!" We started running. We hid behind the grave and Kie told everyone to turn the lights off, but JB stuck it up his shirt acting like we couldn't still see it, "John B, your light!" Kie scolded him and he turned it off. "Homies got a gun." JJ looked where they were. I got up saying, "Screw this." And I started to run making the rest of them follow me. We jumped the fence and started to run again but were stopped by Pope being stuck on the fence. JJ pulled out the gun and said, "Pope don't move." But I smacked the gun away. I laughed at Kie and Pope while Kie tore Pope's pants. "Its like a little tootsie roll." I laughed and Kie laughed with me.

_______

"That bread had mold on it three days ago." Pope said to JJ who was making a sandwich with moldy bread. "Just pull off the bad parts. Plus mold is good for you, its just a natural organism." I shook my head. "JJ!" I yelled as he responded, "Yup, yup, yup! Hot damn, lets do it!" I stood with Kie and John B had the package. Kie held my hand as John B opened the package, and JJ spit out his sandwich. John B opened it, "Holy shit. Thats a map of the entire island." I said looking down at the map. "Oh X marks the spot." Pope pointed to the X on the map. John B felt for more in the bag and pulled out a tape recorder, and JJ asked, "Whats that?" I rolled my eyes, "Its a tape recorder dumbass." Me and Kie said at the same time. John B hit the start button on the recorder and I felt a tear form at the sound of my fathers voice. "Dear Bird and Belle." I smiled but JJ ruined it by saying, "Who's Bird and Belle?" John B told him its what our father called us. "I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. And you doubted your old man. I suspect at this moment, John B's filled with guilt and self-loathing over our last fight, but don't kill yourself just yet kid. I didn't expect to find the Merchant either. Y'all were probably right to call me out. Wasn't exactly the father of the Decade. What can I say kid's? I could smell the barn. And hopefully we're listening to this in our brand new sugar-shack down in Costa Rica, living 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 something happens to me, finish what I started. Go for the gold kid's. I love you Bird and Belle, even if I didn't always act like it. Bird take care of your sister and I'll see y'all on the other side." The tape ended and I felt numb, I couldn't cry. John B grabbed the door frame and started sobbing. I came over and we hugged each other tight. I heard Kie and JJ's voices but I couldn't hear what they were saying.

________

I listened to Kie strum her ukelele and sat beside her. "How much was it again?" JJ asked. "Four hundred mil." I answered him even though I didn't want to. "All right let's talk the split. now before we say evenly may I remind you that I am the only one that can properly defend us from those groupers who were after us. Protection? Not cheap ok?"

"You haven't trained. You've done zero training."

"YouTube, Jada! Thats at least a 5% bump right there, any objections?"

"I object, you haven't-"

"Didn't think so. Yeah I don't hear any so..." I shook my head then held myself back from slapping JJ. "What are you gonna do with your 100 mil, Pope?" Kie asked, "Pay for college in advance. And also textbooks, those are expensive." Pope answered her. "What bout you Kie?" I asked, "Yeah what does a socialist do when she's rich?" Pope added to my question and Kie scoffed, "I just wanna make a double album. About OBX, the Pogues. You know the way Catch a Fire is about Kingston. Record it at Marley Studio, Peter Tosh producing. Peter Tosh is dead, I know." I smiled as she predicted what Pope would say. "Spirit of Peter Tosh will never die." I giggled and raised my beer with her. "I know what I'll do. Im gonna get a big ass house on Figure Eight and go full Kook." JJ said and I shot him a look, "You're gonna go full Kook?" He nodded, "Yup. Gonna get a marble statue of myself and then Im gonna get a koi pond. Put a bunch of those fish in it." I laughed along with Kie and Pope, "Im never visiting." Everyone turned their attention to JB and me, "What are you gonna do twins?" JB looked at me and I nodded, "To going full Kook." We both said smiling. "To going full Kook!" Everyone cheers and laughed.