High Tide // JJ Maybank

Chapter 36

JJ finishes refilling the hole after we had put Cecilia's grave back together. He pats the back of the shovel down, flattening the ground once again.

"I just don't get it. I mean you guys saw the map. He hides his gold so no one finds it for 170 years. And then he sends a message to his son Robert to come here to his mother's grave, but the message never gets to him. Denmark wanted him to find the cross. I know we're in the right spot. It just feels like—"

"Like we missed something?" JJ speaks up as something catches his eye. "Guys? Come here."

We follow JJ over to the van. I watch in confusion as he begins to climb onto the roof of the vehicle. I follow after him, accepting his hand when he holds it out, climbing up next to him.

The boy points to a softball size hole in the tree. "That looks like the painting in the island room."

"Oh my god." I raise my eyebrows, impressed with him.

He looks down at the rest of the group, waiting for their approval. "Worth a shot, right?"

"Yeah, let's do it." John B agrees.

"Go for it." JJ tells me, nodding toward the tree.

"Oh, hell no." I shake my head.

"You do it!" Sarah demands.

"You found it, you put it together, you do it." I tell him.

JJ sighs, shaking his head. "Fine. Only because it's you up here with me and none of those cowards." He side glances the rest of the Pogues on the ground below us.

"He's scared." I hear Pope whisper to JB.

"I'm not scared." JJ snaps, preparing his arm by pulling up his sleeve. He sticks his arm into the hole. "There's something in here." A light chuckle escapes the boy's lips. "Wait." His body jerks forward, pulling him against the tree. A loud scream escapes his lips.

"JJ!" I panic, grabbing onto his shoulders, pulling him towards me. "What the hell?"

The boy relaxes, a loud laugh escapes his lips as he looks at all of our panicked states.

I send a light smack to his stomach. "Fuck you, J. That wasn't funny."

"Oh you asshole!" Pope agrees

"Oh, man! I got you all on that one." He continues to laugh.

"Oh yeah, real original." Pope retorts.

"You're fucking sick." I shake my head, irritated with the boy.

"Babe, come on it was a joke." JJ says, grabbing my arm. I step away from him, out of his grasp.

"Just grab whatever it is that's in there and let's go." I huff.

JJ sighs, reaching back into the hole. Seconds later he pulls out a gold and brown canister. He hands it down to Pope before hopping down onto the ground. He reaches up to help me down, but I ignore him. I grab my brother's outstretched hand, allowing him to help me slide down the side and onto the ground.

"HMS Royal Merchant." Pope reads the words etched into the side.

"Here, give it to the Captain." JJ says, taking the canister from our friend. "It's a spyglass." JJ announces, extending it completely.

John B looks at the spyglass as JJ looks into the eye hole.

"There's something on the ends." Kie points out.

Pope and JB looks at the spyglass.

"An inscription, right there." John B says pointing at the words. "Look at that shit.

"Oh what does it say?" JJ asks, looking over Popes shoulder.

"You've come this far. Do not falter. The cross is at the Freedman's altar." Pope reads. "Freedman's Altar! The cross is at the church! What are we doing here guys?"

"Come on!" John B cheers.

"We got it!"

"Woogity-Woogity." JJ and Pope say in unison.

We all pile into the van and take off toward the church. Though, our excitement is cut short when we realize the tide had come in, flooding the road.

"Ah, crap, the tide." John B says.

"Oh this doesn't look good." Pope agrees.

"How deep is that?" Kie asks, looking at the puddle over John B's shoulder.

"I don't know. The roads gone." John B answers her.

"Tide rose faster than I thought it would." JJ speaks up.

"Little bit." John B nods.

"Uh, John B, how high are the spark plugs?" JJ asks.

"They're good. We're fine."

"How high are they?" JJ repeats.

"Uh, just above the tail lights." John B finally answers, sticking his head out the window to check.

There's a moment of silence before Pope speaks up. "Okay, so that's what, three feet?"

"That's three feet, yeah." JJ confirms, nodding.

"That water can't be three feet deep." Kie speaks up.

"Then what's the problem?" JB asks.

"Not a problem. No we're good. We're good. She'll make it."

"Yeah, fasten your seatbelts. Hold onto something." John B announces. "We're going into hyperdrive."

"Oh this is gonna be a terrible idea." I mumble.

"I'll say a quick prayer." JJ says, marking a cross across his torso.

"3... 2... 1..." John B counts down before he guns it. The wheels of the Twinkie spin out as he floors it.

The Pogues shout words of encouragement as the vehicle begins to inch forward, out of the mud. John B drives forward, making his way through the deep puddle.

"Speed is your friend. Speed is your friend." JJ cheers.

The cheering ends abruptly when John B hits an extra slick spot in the mud, sending us to the right. A collective disappointed 'oh' sounds through the van.

"I think we miscalculated." Pope points out, looking at the high water outside of the car.

"Oh, you think?" I chirp.

"I knew I should have driven." JJ shakes his head.

"I don't think that would have helped." I say to the boy.

"Are we really not gonna get over the whole tree thing?" JJ asks, turning to look at me.

"No one ever said that's what this is about." I reply.

"No one had to. You're being ridiculous."

"Oh, I'm being ridiculous?" I snap, glaring at the boy.

"Hey! That's enough, you two. If you're gonna fight you can take your lover's quarrel elsewhere." Pope cuts the two of us off.

JJ rolls his eyes getting out of the van. Everyone else follows after.

"Okay, maybe we can walk from here."

"What? And leave the Twinkie?" John B asks incredulously. "The... the tides coming in."

"So then what are we supposed to do?" Sarah asks.

"I can go get the Jeep." I speak up.

"And there's a winch at the Chateau too. We can pull her out." JJ adds.

"If you're gonna do it, let's do it, okay?" John B says, panic in his voice.

"Okay, let's go."