One Stupid Thing

2:9:73

"Uh, Pope, you're driving pretty fast," Sarah approaches carefully. In response, Pope just howls and accelerates.

"Pope, last to judge, but I think you should slow down a little," JJ tells him.

"That would definitely delay our arrival to the cross. We gotta get there," Pope protests.

"Why did we let him drive again?" Kiara asks. The two of us share a concerned look. We got smooshed in the front while the other three sit comfortably in the back.

"Because I said I'd rip your ears off," he responds quickly.

"Because he said he'd rip our ears off," Sarah says, slower and more annoyed.

"You did say you'd rip our ears off," I recall.

"I was joking about that, by the way," Pope tells.

"That's a really funny joke." Kiara reaches across me and grips the handle attached to the roof tight in her hand.

"Hey, how ya feeling, buddy? How ya doing?" John B asks Pope genuinely.

"Uh, fantastic. I don't know what JJ's cousin gave me, but I am moving!"

"We couldn't tell," Kiara comment's sarcastically.

"Okay, we'll, um, you're going really fast right now," John B points out.

"Yeah, really fast!" Pope replies, turning around in his seat to face him. With his eyes off the road, Pope didn't realize that he has swerved into the opposite lane, and is heading towards another car.

"Pope. Pope, car!" I shout. He whips around and swerves out of the way just in time.

"I don't know if you noticed, but there's these giant oak trees all along the road. They're like six inches off the road," John B warns him as he continues to swerve all over the road.

"Woah, woah!" JJ starts. Pope quickly began to gain speed on the car in front of us and he merges into the other lane.

"You don't need to pass. You don't need to pass!" Kiara tells him. He cuts it close, just barely merging back into our lane in front of the other car while hardly missing another coming from the opposite direction. The tires screech with effort and I hang on to whatever is within my reach.

"What an asshole, right?" Pope scoffs, turning to me for agreement.

"He's going the speed limit!" I yell back with wide eyes.

"We're not going to get the cross if we're dead, Pope!" John B scolds him.

"We're not gonna die," Pope assures him. "It's our divine right to get that cross."

"Pope! Look at the road!" John B shouts. A curve in the road was approaching and Pope was going far too fast to make it. Instead, he slams on the breaks and jerks the wheel harshly, causing the truck to spin out of control. The back end collides with a tree on the far side of the road and the vehicle ricochets into the ditch on the opposite side. Glass shatters when we come in contact with the wooden tree trunks and I instinctively tuck my head down into my chest to brace myself. On impact, the airbags deploy which helps to some extent. Everyone groans and coughs weakly.

"Is everyone okay?" John B mutters.

"I think so," Sarah croaks.

"Never better." JJ opens his dented truck door with a groan. "That is the last time you drive, Pope."

"Holy shit," I curse, feeling like my whole body is on fire. I open the door and follow everyone out.

Kiara hurries past me and runs out to the front of the truck. "My dad's truck! No!"