✯ North Star ✯

Part 14

We all sat together as the sun had already set.
"First things first. Gotta take care of Terrance. Can't just leave him here. It won't sit right in my conscience." cleo says
"Cleos right. We gotta do something about Terrance. And when we have to get the hell out of here all right? Road trip" John b says
"What?" JJ asks almost asleep
"Road trip to where?" Kie asks
"John b and I were talking. We think the North Star and the Half Moon Battery is referring to Charleston" pope says
"I knew it" I mumble under my breath for no one to hear except me
"If we get to Charleston before them, we have a fighting chance." John b says
"What?" Kie asks
"We have no other option. What...what are we doing?" John b says
"What do you mean we have no other option?" Kie asks
"The zoning notice kie. We're gonna lose poguelandia." John b tells her
"John b they killed Terrance. We're in way way over our heads." Kie says
"I know kie but we have no choice. Dawn patrol. Hey JJ? Get the Twinkie up and running by dawn." John b tells JJ
"All right" JJ nods

"The rest of us will do right by Terrance. We'll be back here about 700 hours. First ferry leaves at 8. Let's go to Charleston. Ok with that cleo?" John b asks
"In Charleston we could find the man who killed Terrance. I'm good with it" she says stabbing the knife into the wood.

We had finally cleaned everything up. We had wrapped Terrance in cloth, cleaned up the blood. We were carrying him out to the boat and I quickly put the gun in the Twinkie. We get the him on the boat and start to drive off. But after a second I see a boat behind us.
"Hey I think we're being followed" I tell everyone
"Oh shit" John b mumbles
"Let's lose him. He's in a johnboat." Kie says
"Hold on yall" John b warns then speeds up the boat

We sat out in the middle of the ocean.
"One two three." John be counts and we lift of Terrance.
"I know you guys didn't know Terrance that well but... he took care of me when no one else did. He was like a father to me. And um and I loved him. And I'm gonna miss him. I ain't gonna forget who did this. I got you boss." Cleo says to him
Then pope John b and I all pushed him into the water.

I felt sick. I felt like my father. Pushing someone who was dead into the water. I felt as if I turned into him in that moment. But I shook it off. I couldn't do that right now, we had other things to worry about.

"I'm sorry" pope tells cleo
"Everyone's always sorry. Nothing ever happens." Cleo says then goes and sits on the other side of the boat.

Once we get back I didn't see JJ working on the van. John b goes over and picks up a piece of paper that was on the window.
"What?" I ask him
He hands me the note and I read it, I let out a sigh.
"She's topped off, had to run an errand, go on the chucktown without me catch up with you later JJ. Since when does JJ ever run errands?" I say
"Since never" kie shakes her head trying to call him
"Anything kie?" Pope asks
"Not answering." Kie says
"Great so what are we gonna do now?" Pope asks
"He said to go. We should go." Cleo says
"Yall go ahead. I'll hang back and if we can, we'll catch up with you later. Plus, I can keep the shop open" kie says
"Might as well" John b nods
"Yeah, all right let's go. Kie stay safe, if he turns up give me a call." I tell her before getting in the van

"Hey sarah" I say on the phone
"El! How's it been going? Find anything new yet?" She asks me
"Uh well it's been ok. A lot's happened already." I tell her
"What's wrong are you ok?" She asks me
"I'm fine, we're on our way to Charleston, we think some treasure could be hidden there. Enough about that though, how are you? How's becoming a lawyer been?" I ask her
"It's been great actually, the teachers are amazing. I'm really getting the hang out it, I know it's only been a couple weeks but I really love it here. Plus.... I may or may not have found a liking in someone" she laughs
"Sarah Cameron running off to find her lover. I knew it wasn't about becoming a lawyer" I laugh
"Ha. Ha. So funny. Hopefully you'll meet him in the future-.... Oh Stel I'm sorry I've got to go. I forgot I have a meeting with a teacher here soon." She tells me
"It's ok I have to go to. I love you Sarah. Stay safe" I say
"You stay safe too please. I love you" she says then hangs up the phone

I walk outside with John b looking out at the ocean.
"You know uh honestly I didn't expect this." John b says
"What?" I ask him
"Getting back in the hunt and all. I was just kinda getting used to normal." John b says
"You? Getting used to normal?" I ask
"What?" John b laughs
"No that's actually groundbreaking" I laugh
"No we.. we started normal you know? We got a house." John b says
"It was a little more like a commune." I tell him
"Ok we.... We got jobs." John b says
"Had jobs" I correct
"Right" he mumbles
"I know you're trying. It's fine I'm just joking." I laugh as he pulls me in
"Ok ok maybe maybe. After the honeymoon we can um-" he starts to say
"It's treasure reciprocation" I say
"Ok we go.., we go back to poguelandia." He says
"Ok" I nod
"We buy our own house" he says
"You don't wanna be a married couple with four roommates?" I ask him
"Not really" he laughs
"Tell me more" I smile
"And then maybe we get a dog" he says
"Oh yes and name it Fanny" I tell him
"And maybe we start a family." He says
"Ok woah. Slow down buddy." I say
"What?" He asks
"That's a lot. You had me right up until that point. Slow your roll" I laugh walking off
"Wait no I didn't mean right now. I meant like you know in the future. I'm just thinking about the biological clock and I know as a male-" he says but I pull him inside

"Biological clock? First off im kidding, I want kids yes in the far future. Second, John b I'm literally 19." I tell him
"Right...." He nods about to laugh
"Let's find the treasure. Let's get the money. Let's get the house. We have our entire lives to do all the other shit. I like us just the way we are right now. Except maybe a dog named Fanny added." I smile as we bring each other into a kiss