JJ and a Routledge

Bonfire and Talks

We were all on the Chateua porch, Kiara included. Pope had the book in hand as was pacing back and forth, when suddenly, he began reading. "Guys, this is from Denmark's diary. August 15th, set sail from Port-au-Prince on calm seas. Came upon the Spanish ship, San Jose, on fire. The entire deck was aflame. And we could hear the screams of men trapped below." I shivered at the thought. "The Spanish Captian cared about only one thing, his valuable cargo, the Cross of Santo Domingo, and countless bars of gold. Once the cargo was on board, we went to help the crew, but Captain Limbrey ordered us to pull bayonets and not to let any of the Spanish crew on board. He robbed them and left them to die." JJ was sprawled out on the couch, messing with his lighter, I was sitting in front of the couch and John B was sitting in an armchair and Kiara pulled up a chair right next to him. 

"So it didn't go down off Bermuda," Jay remarks. I roll my eyes at the ongoing theory JJ has about the cross. His dreams are truly crushed. 

"And it was a Limbrey, stealing shit again." Kiara scoffs, honestly I wasn't surprised. They all seem like bitches. 

"This diary proves that both the gold and the Cross of Santo Domingo were on the Royal Merchant." Pope bursts out, almost over Kiara's words and he was now sat down next to John B. 

"Why didn't we find it in the well then?" JJ asks, making me snort, he flicks me on the back of the head. "I mean..." JJ then sits up, a crazy idea sprouting in his head. "if Denmark was able to get this, like, bedazzled cross off of the Merchant, to shore why didn't he just hide it in with the gold." JJ's feet were now on either side of me. 

John B points his finger out, as another answer to JJ's wild theories came to his head."Because it was too big." 

"You're right." Pope agrees. "He had to hide it someplace else." No shit Sherlocks. Like, wasn't that obvious? I really question everyone's IQ in the friend group. Even Pope. 

I sigh, "But where? Is the question." 

Pope nods, "Right before he was hung, Denmark said he buried the treasure at the foot of the angel." Now I'm super confused, wasn't this about the key? 

JJ was clearly confused as well, "I thought this was about the key." 

"Right," I agree, "So what's the connection?" Pope now has the key in his hand and was fiddling with it. 

"The path to the tomb begins in the island room." Pope shakes his head, clearly not understanding what that means. 

Kiara rolls her head back and then rolls her eyes, "But what is the island room?!" She exclaims, raising her voice a little loud. 

"You know what helps me figure shit out?" Everyone looks over at him, and John B mutters something under his breath. "Smoking beers and drinking weed. The ideas just pourrrrr out of me.'" John B picks up the beer can tower that I was smacked in the face with this morning, and leans against it. "If we just sit here and try to figure this out, we're gonna get nowhere. But if we get creative and go to this bonfire tonight, maybe we get somewhere." Someone wants to get high or boozed, it was always one or the other with JJ Maybank. 

This time, I flick JJ, in the leg, making him tug a piece of my hair. "Well, I just got disowned by my parents, and I'm an official member of the I-have-nothing-to-lose club." So that is a yes from Kiara. 

"Pope?" The boy looks up at JJ like he is absolutely insane, and in some cases JJ definitely is. 

"We're so close," Pope tells him, making JJ roll his eyes and go into yet another rant. 

"Look, look, think about how much you could think if you just gave your brain a rest." Everyone is on the edge of their seats, waiting for Pope's response, John B was drumming his fingers against the many cans.