SUNBURN | JOHN B ROUTLEDGE

076

Gabriella lay wide awake, refusing to let herself drift off. The faint wail of sirens faded into the background, mixing with the soft chatter of people outside. But none of that mattered as she kept her eyes fixed on John B, watching him finally get the peaceful sleep he desperately needed. His chest rose and fell smoothly, his face free from the tension that had haunted them for days. She couldn't help but find comfort in the sight of him resting so calmly.

She glanced at her dimly lit phone, a new message from Sarah Cameron catching her eye.

sarah c
Only the truth can set you
two free now.
I left some stuff in my tote bag
on the back porch!!!!

Gabriella's heart ached at the words, but she knew Sarah was right. The truth was the only way out, but it was also the thing that could destroy them.

As the light of dawn crept through the cracks in the blinds, she carefully crawled out of the closet, making sure not to wake John B. Before leaving, she quickly scribbled a note, sticking it to the closet door: "Don't move till I get back - Bonnie" with a small heart drawn next to their secret names. It was a tiny piece of reassurance for him, should he wake up and find her gone.

Quietly, she moved down the stairs, her senses on high alert. The sudden wail of sirens nearby made her jump, her heart leaping into her throat. She bit down hard on her lip to stop herself from gasping, the sharp pain grounding her in the moment. She couldn't afford any mistakes—not now. A metallic taste filled her mouth as blood trickled from her lip, but she ignored it, focusing on the task at hand.

At the backdoor, she quickly grabbed the small bag of food Sarah had left: a few pancakes, burritos, and orange juice—just what they needed to keep their energy up. As she turned to head back, another message from Sarah came through, along with a photo. The image showed massive tents set up by the SBI, swarming with agents and people, all focused on finding John B and Gabriella. The message that followed was like a punch to the gut:

sarah c
Ward is trying to say you've
been manipulated by John B,
and that you have bipolar and
you're off your meds,
thats why you killed peterkins.
no one is listening to me

Gabriella's heart sank. Every step they took seemed to lead them deeper into an impossible situation. Nothing was getting better—if anything, it was all unraveling faster than they could keep up with. The brightening light outside only added to her growing sense of dread as she began to creep back up the stairs.

Unknown to her, John B had woken up, his heart pounding in his chest. Panic gripped him as he worried that Gabriella had been taken. The sound of footsteps approaching made his breath catch in his throat, his body tense with fear. But then, he saw her, and relief washed over him like a tidal wave. "Gabriella," he breathed out, his voice filled with both relief and concern.

Gabriella's eyes were puffy, her nose red from crying, and she looked utterly exhausted. She swung the small tote bag of food over her shoulder and reached out for John B. He pulled her into his arms, his worry evident as he whispered, "Hey, where—where have you been?"

Her control finally broke, and she began to sob into his chest. John B held her tightly, trying to calm her. "It's okay. It's okay," he murmured, his voice gentle but firm, trying to soothe the storm inside her. She pulled out her phone, showing him the photo and the text messages from Sarah before collapsing back into his embrace. He held her close, whispering over her shoulder, "Hey. Hey, it's okay. It's okay. It's okay. I got you. I got you."

Gabriella whispered back, her voice shaking with fear and exhaustion, "I don't know how we're going to make it. It's getting really bad out there."

The sound of radio chatter and approaching sirens made them both jump. They turned to the window, dread creeping into their hearts as they saw officers swarming outside. John B's mind raced as he realized how close they were to being caught. "We need to go," he said urgently, pulling Gabriella by the hand and leading her down the stairs.