𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 // 𝑱𝑱 𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒌 \\

Chapter Seven

"I'm going! Act natural." John B whispered as he turned into the marsh. The two guys in the other boat did the same thing. "Hey, guys... They're following us!" Kiara tuned her head to see the boat not far behind them. "This can't be good." Pope stressed out. "Shit." John B whispered as he drove faster. Valerie stood across from Kiara and next to JJ. Kiara turned to the girl with a worried expression. Valerie returned the same expression. "Dude, you gotta go faster!" JJ spoke up. "I'm going. I'm going!" John B grew anxious as the other boat sped up. "Gun it!" JJ kept turning his head to the boat behind them. JJ held onto the poles as the boat moved faster. Valerie and Kiara held onto the back of John B's seat. That's when the group heard shots. John B quickly ducked down as Pope, Valerie, Kiara, and JJ fell to the ground on either side of the boat.

"What the..." Pope shouted. "Holy shit!" Valerie shouted as she landed on top of JJ's legs. "John B, get down!" JJ yelled as John B crouched lower. Another shot was heard making everyone flinch. "Oh my god, we're gonna die!" Pope covered his face with his hands. JJ sat up only to throw himself back down as another shot was aimed at the pogues. JJ groaned as he held onto his hat so it didn't fly off with how fast there were going. "Shit! Pope, move. Val, come here." Kiara stood up and moved towards the front of the boat. Valerie nodded as she stood up, but stayed low, and moved over to Kiara. "Val, what the fuck are you doing? You're gonna get hurt." JJ shouted, but moved out of her way. Kiara grabbed the fishing net which seemed to be tangled up in something else. Valerie bent down to try and untangle it when another shot was heard. "Get down, Val and Kie!" John B shouted. Kie shrieked as she crouched down. "Val, come on!" Kiara yelled. "I'm trying!" She shouted back. Once it was untangled, Valerie handed it to Kiara who walked towards the back of the boat. Valerie fell backwards next to JJ.

Kiara threw the net into the water. One last gunshot was heard before the boat behind them stopped. "Let's go!" Pope shouted as he finally stood. The pogues turned a corner this time, no boat was on their tail. John B slowed down and sat up straight. John B chuckled as Kiara smiled. JJ stood up and cheered. "Oh my god! Pogue god, man!" JJ shouted. "That was insane." Valerie panted as JJ grabbed her hand and helped her up. Kiara and Pope laughed as the group made it back to the Château. John B quickly jumped off and ran up the short dock to the lookout. JJ tied up the boat as he joined the other pogues around a kneeling John B. "What do you guys think it is?" Kiara asked as she leaned back on the wooden fence. "Gotta be money, right?" John B said, not looking up as he tried to open the bag. "That or a couple of keys with street value to the low- to mid-mils!" JJ said as he patted John B's shoulder. John B looked up with a smile as he oohed. "Can we please just open the bag?" Pope shouted causing everyone to stop and look up at him. Pope looked the side surprised himself.

"Wow, Pope. That's a rare outburst of emotion..." John B chuckled as he opened the bag. "Okay, you guys are literally killing me with anticipation. Open the bag!" Pope bent down. "Jeez." Valerie whispered with a laugh. JJ turned to her with a smile. Everyone leaned forward to see what John B pulled out of the bag. "We almost died over this." Pope explained. John B opened a metal container to find a compass. JJ furrowed his eyebrows. "Oh, wow. Yup. That's about right." Pope stood up and turned around. "Good job everybody. We found a compass." He continued. JJ took his hat off his head as he looked at John B who was staring at it carefully. "Dude, what? It's not worth anything." JJ sighed.

"This was my father's." John B smiled as he held it in his hands. John B chuckled softly as he looked up at the Château with a smile.

Look, for nine months, everybody's tried to get me to believe my dad's dead. They say I'm in denial. Whatever. Denial's underrated. You should try it sometime. It's highly effective, and it's only denial if you're wrong. It doesn't make any sense. My dad is the last guy who would ever get lost at sea. This compass coming back to me, my father's compass, which was passed down for generations, it's a sign. My dad's still alive, and I'm gonna find him.