Sunflower || JJ Maybank/Cassandra Routledge

30. Facing The Music

Parcel 9 6.03

From being inches away from each other, to the anger they are both feeling, this could turn ugly very quickly. What makes it even worse is, they have never fought like this. Yes, they bicker, and talk shit about each other to the Pogues, but it has never gotten to this point.

          "Well." Casey whispers, fighting hard not to laugh at herself. She finally understands why JJ has been laughing at his own unintentional jokes. Saying a single word, while looking down at a literal well, is hilarious. "We should probably get outta here before Crain hears us." She glances around the creepy basement and quickly comes to a haunting realization. "With all the noise we've been making, there's a good chance she's on her way down, or she's called the cops. And I, for one, don't want to be thrown down there."

          "Uh, yeah." John B agrees, without attitude. Either from the playful fight he and Kiara were in the middle of, or the fact that they found something substantial, this is the first time in a while he doesn't feel the need to get pissy with her. "We needa' get supplies. There's no way we're gettin' down there without it, so we have to come back."

          "Good." Without hesitating, JJ grabs Casey's arm and pulls her toward the door. "I swear, I was gettin' eaten alive by those damn 'skeeters. I've been waitin' to get outta here the entire time."

          Casey can't help but smile as he practically drags her up the concrete half wall and near the small entrance they came through. "Yeah. Sure." She pauses for a moment when he doesn't stop and the two have to squint their eyes from the sun. "It was definitely the mosquitoes and not that thought of an old lady comin' down and killin' you with her ax."

           "Us." He corrects as they stand. He turns to make sure the Pogues have followed them out before slowly shutting the wooden door with his free hand. "She would've killed all of us. Not just me."

          "Oh, I would've definitely died. You would've thrown me at her to make sure you got out alive."

          Before they can bicker back and forth, the two are shoved forward. Casey by Kiara and JJ by John B. "Shut up." John B spits out. It's not the same attitude from earlier, one laced with anger and frustration, but his typical tone. His annoying, 'older' brother voice. "We gotta get outta here."

          "Yeah, yeah, we know." JJ laughs as he and Casey lead the group. It doesn't take long to find the path and as they pass the stone statue again, Casey lightly nudges JJ with her elbow. He doesn't look at her, having already seen the piece of art the second they turned the corner. He is not going to give her the satisfaction from before. That was a one time mistake. A lapse in judgment, some might say.

          Thankfully, the group moves through the jungle relatively quickly, practically running through the front yard. At the wall, though, John B and Casey pause to look at the house. They will be back. If it's the last thing they do, they will be back. The water will lead them to the gold and they will finally finish what their father started.

          The two glance at each other, since they are the only ones who have yet to leave. Right now would be the perfect time to resume the argument. JJ would have to climb the wall to stop it, meaning they have a few seconds to get out what needs to be said. But, neither do. Not because they don't think the other deserves it. Quite the opposite, actually. They both feel justified and the small white flag in the basement allows them a moment of silence. A moment to go back in time to when they were not at each other's neck.

          However, the tension is still lingering in the air and the fire burning in both of them has not gone out. There are only seconds before it comes crashing down again and Casey wants nothing to do with it. She would rather deal with the evil looks than pretend everything's okay. Especially when there are more than just her feelings involved. She has to think of JJ and the other Pogues when this argument starts. So, thinking she is being the bigger person right now, she wastes no time hosting herself up onto the stone.