"He was different than anyone else, more rough and less polite in the best aspects. Being with him was like my own personal punishment, and my best gift all at once."
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It happened much quicker than I really could imagine, and all of a sudden Rafe was on the ground.
Pope kept throwing punches, not stopping despite me and Kie struggling to pull him off. I looked at JJ, who almost seemed to be welcoming it and I threw an appalled look his way.
"Are you not gonna stop him?! He's bleeding, Pope, stop!" I could only stand by in fear at this point, and I ignored the stares of both Barry and JJ.
No, this really couldn't be real and I contemplated pinching myself to come back to. Everything was overwhelming, from the yells of Kie all the way down to the grunts from Pope.
"Pope, c'mon, let's go," JJ finally called out, snapping Pope out of his trance and they walked away to the boat.
I stared at Rafe, who was a bloodied mess against the cement floor of the garage. I struggled between helping him and leaving him.
He must've framed John B, this entire time when I had thought of it differently. It didn't make sense, though. Rafe was bad, yes, but bad enough to kill someone, and a sheriff at that?
This time, I didn't bother to help him up and I looked down at him. He lifted his head slightly off the floor to breathe, looking at me and waiting for my reaction.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" my voice held a tone of revulsion, and I stood by for another minute, before beginning to walk away.
A deep sigh sounded, followed by the soft thud of his head as he let it lay back down on the ground.
—
Coming back to the dock out back by the Chateau, John B stood alone and obviously he was a bundle of nerves. Sarah was supposed to meet back here and her disappearance was alarming.
"She said she'd meet me here," he was the first to speak up, leaning against the wooden post of the dock. He had looked like a muddy mess, and his bandanna wasn't in its usual tangle.
"We haven't seen her," Kie spoke, looking off to the side in hope that she'd find her. Another moment passed, before I walked up to him.
"I'm not leaving without her," John B declared, shaking his head and pushing himself off the post. Turning to face us, as we watched in anticipation across the grassy water of Kildare.
"I know you feel bad for leaving," JJ began, meeting his gaze and placing a hand on his shoulder, "but you've got no time, man."
"You've got plenty of gas, plenty of food. Once you get out there, it's a straight shot across then you head by Dismal Swamp. Once you're out there, lay low, alright?" JJ stared deep into John B's eyes, hoping to make it through to him.
"Hang out, then cross the border to Brownsville." Pope chimed in, standing directly next to JJ as me and Kie observed the boys.
"You got that?" JJ said sternly, patting his shoulder and turning him towards the boat. "All right, saddle her up, saltwater cowboy!"
