THE PICTURE OF YOU -rafe cameron-

006; out of the loop

An hour had passed, in which the sun had soaked up all of the marsh water off of the five teenagers. JJ, Pope, John and Kiara had gone off to the island centre to report that they had found a boat in the marsh as Myra headed home to check on their dad before heading off to work. She had a shift planned and she assumed that the island club needed her there even though they were still closed due to the hurricane. A storm of such calibre left a lot of work behind. Seeing as she couldn't call in and ask if her shift was canceled, she figured that it was best to just show up. She couldn't afford to lose that job, especially now. The roof of their home would need another round of patching and she doubted that her father would purchase the materials needed.

A lot had happened during the time Myra was at work, which she of course knew nothing about, and JJ wasn't one to tell his younger sister about all of his shenanigans. It was best like that, it kept her a little safer. JJ had always been very keen about that, her safety. He didn't think twice about his own well being, but he never risked hers. A lot had gone down; being turned away, going to the motel, finding cash and a gun, stealing, a almost unlucky run in with the cops and the discovery of Scooter Grubb's lifeless body. It was all over the cut, one of them had passed, a broke marina rat. So Myra knew about that at least.

She didn't need to stay until 2 am, as her shift was planned. The island club wasn't open so her boss sent everyone home at eleven. She wasn't complaining, she hadn't exactly enjoyed the five hours she had spent cleaning up. She returned home after a brisk walk, not having been able to call JJ for a ride. "Hello" she hummed as she tossed her bag onto one of the old chairs in the kitchen of their home. It was dim, their lights not working and the darkness creeping up upon the evening sky. No answer, that's odd. She walked around a corner, glancing into the living room. Usually she would find her father passed out on the couch by now, a small bag of weed and a abundance of empty beer cans surrounding him but no, he wasn't there. "Hello?" she called out again, searching through the house. She knocked on the door to her older brother's bedroom, no response. Nothing. Not from her father and not from her brother. "Hello? Anyone home?" she urged again, pulling her tangled hair into a ponytail as she continued to search, but at last - nothing. Her father and her brother were both out doing whatever, leaving her alone in the small fishing shack.

The fridge was empty, so was the pantry. She sighed, feeling her stomach growl a little. To suffocate the feeling of hunger she decided to head out for a midnight swim. The boneyard wasn't far from her house, so she put on a bikini underneath her denim shorts and her sweater before she grabbed her bag, stuffing a towel into it. She then headed off, hearing the sounds of a roaring party as she got closer. "Myra" Kiara called out, running over to her. "Kie, hi" Myra hummed, glancing around. The beach was packed with pouge kids, bratty kooks and seemingly confused tourists, touroons as they often called them. "What's going on?" she asked, fiddling with the hem of her shirt. "A kegger" Kiara said, shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly as she glanced around, "cause why not?"

"Stinky!"

JJ's loud voice rang out across the beach as he had noticed his younger sister. He was now making his way over towards her. His worn out boots treaded in the sand. He was clearly drunk, swaying a little on his steps. "Don't call me that" Myra groaned as JJ drew closer, laying an arm around her. He reeked of cheap beer and smoke. "Oh I will never stop calling you that, Stinky... never" JJ laughed, poking her cheek. Myra groaned as Kiara laughed. "Hey Myra" John B cheered, casting a glance at them "How was work? Do you want a beer?". She offered the brown haired boy a faint smile as she answered, "work was fine, and yes please". John B nodded his head before he grabbed a plastic cup, pouring beer from the keg into it. Myra watched as he trodded across the beach, handing her the cup. "Thanks" she hummed, taking a big sip just after JJ had reached his own plastic cup out to cheers her. "How'd it go with the boat?" she asked, watching the joyous looks on JJ, Kiara and John's faces fade. "Uhm..." John trailed, scratching the back of his neck "not great honestly, the were all lot of people down at the crisis centre". JJ soon stepped in, agreeing, "yup, some woman wouldn't stop blabbering about her dog and its diabetes... like that's a thing?". Kiara sighed, nudging JJ as she rolled her eyes. "Of course that's a thing JJ, come on" she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest "anyways Myra, I don't know if you heard but..."