ROCK BOTTOM ~ Rafe Cameron // OC // JJ Maybank

FORTY SEVEN.

tw: violence

Someone else was in the church, and they were all sure of it.

The pogues were supposed to stay silent, but Bexley was getting anxious by the way they kept sharing loud whispers with one another.

"Can we go out the back?"

"They're probably out there."

"Is there another back?"

"That would be the side, not the back."

Bexley tried to peer over to the window. It was now pitch black outside.

"They'll probably just look and leave," Kiara tried to say. "If we haven't found anything, they won't find anything."

"We need to stay quiet," Bexley tried to tell them.

"She's right, you guys need to shut the fuck up," John B told them.

"Bexley just came through the front door and nothing happened," JJ pointed out. "We should just leave out the front, make a run for it while they're distracted back there."

"Sounds like a plan," Sarah whispered. "I'm ready to bolt."

"I'm good with that too," Kiara quickly said. "Who knows how long they'll stay back there."

"Count of three-?"

"I'm not leaving," Pope told them. "The cross is here, I know it is."

"There is also a strong chance Limbrey is here," John B reminded him. "And her little henchmen. We can come back later, but we need to go now."

"I can't give up now," Pope said. "I'm so close to it, I can tell. You guys go, I'm staying."

"We can't leave you here," Kiara told him.

"We need to be quieter," Bexley whispered.

They heard a crash in the backroom.

"I'm not going," the Heyward insisted.

"I'll stay with him," John B said. "You guys go. Me and Pope'll hide outside, the rest of you take off."

Sarah asked, "And leave you stranded?"

"I have a car," Bexley suddenly spoke up. "My car. I found it outside."

JJ frowned. "What? Your car is here?"

"Your dad must've left it here," she said. "He must've dumped it before he got off the island."

"Your dad?" Kiara asked, her head whipping around to look at JJ. "Your dad took her car?"

JJ paled. "I-He-Just focus on what's happening now, Kie."

Bexley told her brother, "John B, I'll leave you the keys. It's across the road."

"No," Kiara quickly said. "We'll leave in your car. The truck is too close to the church, they'll see the lights come on. Pope, I'm trusting you to take the truck home."

"Be careful, guys," John B told her.

JJ hesitated. "We can't just leave both of you here."

"We don't know who else could be here," Kiara reminded them. "Rafe could be here, JJ, and he's been trying to kill you for, like, a year."

JJ looked between his friends. "Okay. Okay," he eventually agreed.

"We'll hide out in the woods," John B repeated. "We'll be careful."

JJ, Sarah, Kiara, and Bexley left the church quickly, and quietly. No one was outside. They jogged across the street, Bexley jumping in the car and starting it right away.