✯ North Star ✯

Part 15

John B and I finally resurface and see Singh with a gun but I don't see Big John.
"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa! Easy now young Routledge easy! Go for a little swim now did you? Step out of the water and put your hands up both of you. Now! Put your hands up." He yells and John B and I do as told.
"Put your.. put your hands up! Easy now. Very good. Drop the flare. Drop it!" He tells us
"I'm gonna put it down," John B tells him.
"Very good. Looks like you're carrying a load there young Routledge. You want to tell me about it? What is in the bag? Show me what's in the bag." He says pointing the gun at me.
"Okay okay okay. Keep it right here. Look. Hey. You want it? There you go." John b tells him throwing him the bag
"So you found El Dorado at last. I know I was right to keep you alive you know. But unfortunately for your son the celebration will be short-lived. You have three seconds to come out before I start firing." Singh says
"One." He says and I grab John B's hand.
"Two!" He yells
"I'm here Singh. Over here" Big John says as we turn to see him holding a stick of dynamite.
"You kill us I'll make sure this thing blows. That roof won't hold and you'll never see El Dorado. Drop your gun. Drop the gun!" Big John tells him
But Singh just puts the gun to John B's chest.
"No if my son dies we all die." Big John says
"You see the problem is I don't believe you John. I don't believe that you would blow up your opportunity to see El Dorado even to save your own son and even your own son knows that you know. You've proven it time and time again John you know that. This John is the great quest. This is what we've been looking for our whole lives. So put that thing out and join me." Singh tells him
"No I can't. This is for you kid." Big John says to JB and throws the dynamite towards the tunnel
"Run!" He yells
John B and I take off towards to front of the cave
"Dad let's go!" John B yells
"Keep going!" Big John yells at us
John B hands me the bag.
"Take the gold. Get out of here. Go." John b tells me.
I take a breath and run out of the cave. I hear the dynamite explode. John B and his dad were blown out. I quickly help John B to his feet.
"You okay?" I ask him
"Yeah never better" John B says
We both help Big John to his feet.
"We gotta go. Dad come on" John B.
"Anybody could have heard that blast" Big John tells us

"I think I got pretty banged up back there kids"
Big John tells us
"Let's just keep moving" John B says
"I think I gotta sit. I need to sit for a sec. I just need a minute. Get my legs up under me." Big John says
"Just take it easy Dad" John B says
I drop the bag down from my shoulder
"Is that what I think it is?" Big John asks us
"Oh yeah" John B says
"Big John it's beautiful." I tell him taking out a piece of gold and showing him.
"We found it. Just like you said. Look at that. Look at that." John b smiles
"It was like nothing you could ever imagine." I smile
"Ah. That's amazing." Big John smiles.
"You were right" John B tells him
"It's all like gold... everywhere." I tell him
"Stella figured out the riddle. The walking in the dark." John b tells him
"That a girl. Thank you Stella." Big John tells me
"So sweet you know?" Someone says and we turn to see my dad is standing there with a gun pointed at us.
"One big happy family huh?" He says
"Dad what are you doing?" I ask him
"I'm too tired to hold my hands up Ward. So if you're not good with that you can just shoot me now." Big John tells him
"Well watch what you wish for my old friend. We might come to that." Dad tells him
"Put the gun down" I tell dad
"Shut up Stella. You have it all don't you John? Now you get everything huh?" Dad says taking the gold from my hand.
"Thank you sweetheart. You get to go home back to Kildare. Live happily ever after. With your son that loves you. And my daughter... who hates me. I'm sorry John. I don't think I can allow that. You're supposed to be dead. I think I liked you better that way." Dad tells him and just then
Sarah, kie, JJ, Cleo, and Pope come rushing out of the trees holding machetes at my dad
"Stay back! Stop right now!" My dad yells
"Put it down!" Pope yells

They all circled him as he yells at them to stay back
"Come on! You're outnumbered Ward" JJ tells him.
"What are you gonna do shoot us all?" Pope asks him
"If you gotta shoot somebody Ward shoot me"
Big John says and my Dad points the gun on Big John.
"Or me." John B says stepping in front of big John
I step in front of John B.
"Stop. Enough." I tell him
"Don't!" Dad yells
"You're not gonna kill all of us. I know you won't. I know you." I say stepping forward so the gun is on my chest
"You forget that I know you." I say as I put my hand on the gun over my dad's.
"You can't." I tell him
"I couldn't. I couldn't do it." Dad cries
"Yeah? Well I can." One of Singh's men says.
John B points the gun at him then the man points his gun at Big John.
"Toss it" the guy tells John b
"Take it easy bud. Your boss is dead. You got no reason to do this." Big John tells him
"I can think of a few reasons. Toss it!" He tells John b again
John B tosses the gun down and holds his hands up.
"Thought you'd end up with the gold eh? All right nobody move. My mate back there is dead.
Because of you." He says
"You go first." The guy says pointing the gun at me. I suck in a breath
I see Dad out of the corner of my eye look at Sarah then he looks at me. I start to tear up as he smiles
Then Dad runs forward. He gets shot multiple times but he screams as he keeps running tackling the guy off the edge of the cliff.
I let out a sob as I feel John B wrap his arm around me.
"Hey. Hey. Big John? Big John? Hey. John B!" Pope yells and John B rushes over to his dad.
I turn to see Big John bleeding.
"Okay Dad we gotta get you out of here. It's all right." John b tells him

We get back to the boat and start making our way back to the village.
"Hey hey hey Pop. Hey. Hang in there okay?"
John B tells him
"But we did it together my boy. Just.. Just like we drew it up." Big john says
"Yeah. Yeah we did." John b says trying to keep his tears back
"Bird Bird Bird" Big John says
"Dad yeah" John B says
"Hey hey Bird. Hey. Stella. Stella." He says as he grabs my hand
"Hi. I'm here Big John" I tell him
"Bird you got to hang on to this one. I know that I wasn't any great shakes as a father." Big John says
"Stop Dad." John b says
"But you...You were the best son any man could hope for. I want you to know that..." big john tells him
"You can tell me when we get home okay? We're almost there." John b tells him
"Okay" Big John says
"Hold up. Look Dad. Look. We did it. You did it." John b says giving him a piece of the gold
"I'll see you. I'll see you at home kid." Big John says taking his last breath
"Dad? Dad?" John B says as he sobs into his dads chest

Life is harder and weirder than you think.
Sometimes the biggest victories come with the greatest losses and sometimes the biggest villains are also unexpected heroes.

We all sit down looking at the same grave we had set up for big john. John b holds me from behind as we both cry.

After we stay there for a while Sarah and I set up a small grave for our dad.
It was a little cross tied together with string. We put some flowers on it as well.
Sarah got up and left first but I stayed. Sitting on my knees looking at it. I pull out our last family picture we had taken together and set it on the cross.
"Goodbye dad" I say letting a few tears fall from my eyes

We get back to tannyhill and I sit with John b my head on his shoulder
"When my father came back I thought it was a dream come true" John b tells me
"I know." I say grabbing his hand
"But the thing that I found is life doesn't give you oceans without waves. My dad wanted to make a great quest of his life. He wanted adventure and he wanted to find treasure. You know what I realize? I am my father's son." John b smiles
"I love you JB I always will" I smile at him
"God I love you Stella Lee Cameron." He smiles as he lands down to kiss me