All That Glitters

Furious Blue Eyes

Tw: gun violence, body horror

"Why do I have to be the one to pawn it?" JJ said with annoyance. "Like nice work Dr. Frankenstein. I coulda done so much better than this piece of shit." He held up the puck of gold with a bandana around his hand.

"Really? JJ—" Kie started.

"I took a welding class."

"—when did you have time to take a welding class?"

"I was bored and my dad said his cousin was a smith so he gave me a free lesson."

They stared for a second.

"You're the best liar, JJ." Pope slapped his arm.

"What? No— Come on."

"And I don't think after all the shit we just went through to get it to work the way we wanted would have been worth it if you just ended up smithing it into something we would have no problem selling."

JJ rolled his eyes. Biting at his gold nail.

"You see, that's where you're wrong, Pope. Cause if we made something with it, instead of this hunk of metal, it wouldn't be so suspicious. The OBX isn't exactly known for being fair to people who have a lot of gold. Rest In Peace what's-his-face."

"Denmark Tanny." John B said. "Don't disrespect the man himself, JJ. I don't even wanna know how pissed he'd be if he heard you complaining about how suspicious or scrappy the gold he died over is. Shut up and work your JJ magic."

"Bro," JJ placed his hand on John B's shoulder. "I'd never diss the man himself. Count on that. His sacrifice is about to make us richer than Ward- Motherfucking -Cameron."

"Speaking of Camerons, Kie, call Sarah and ask her if she wants to come with us to the pawnshop." Pope said.

"Why can't John B do it? She's his girlfriend."

"Kie, she's a Pogue now. And we should include her after the shit we just did last night."

Kie poured her lip for a second before snatching her phone from a table. "Okay, fine." She walked off to somewhere private.

—

"Yeah, she said that their warehouse was out here. They have the money out here, I don't know, bro." JJ rambled.

"Guys, there's like nothing out here." Pope said while leaning against the window. Concern lacing every syllable he spoke.

"This shit is super sketchy." Kie remarked as she fiddled with her nails.

Out the back window of the Twinkie, Pope watched a car pull up behind them. Going faster than they were. He held his breath.

"Guys." He called out to get their attention just as the car's lights began to blink red and blue. "Cops."

"What? Out here? Shit!" JJ said, frantically shoving the gold into his backpack and all the illegal stuff he carried on him.

"JJ, how much weed do you have on you?!" Kie practically screamed. He shot her a scared look before huffing in response.

"Jesus Christ!" Sarah shouted from the front seat.

John B slowly came to a stop on the side of the road. His breath hitched in his throat as he heard the car's door close from behind them.

JJ and Kie were throwing faces at each other as he figured a place to stash his things. Under his seat seemed most logical at the moment. Cops were dumb.

At least all the real ones were.

John B's heart stopped when the barrel of a shotgun came into view from his driver side window. His hands flew up as the man outside shouted for them all to leave the van.