One Stupid Thing

This Isn't Over

"Hey, we gotta go, okay?" John B says gently, crouching down and placing a hand on my sister's cheek. "I got you." He places his other hand on my shoulder and looks at me. "Both of you. Come on. We gotta pick up the others."

He grabs Sarah's hands and hoists her up onto her feet. I use the railing nearby to help myself stand. I don't even bother glancing over at my father for one last time. That man is dead to me.

Sarah stands on the edge, looking down at the water below her with John B on one side and me on the other. The three of us hold hands in preparation.

"Ready?" John B asks. We both nod. "One, two three."

On his cue we step off the deck and plummet down, down, down, until we hit the water with a splash. The water is cold and it chills me to the bone, but I kick my legs despite the feeling. I gasp for air once I reach the surface.

"Come on, Stella!" I hear John B say. Him and Sarah are already paddling towards the lifeboat. I push away the shock and swim after them. "I hope they got the cross."

John B hoists himself out of the water and into the boat, turning to help Sarah, and then me as well before turning on the boat motor.

Two other people crash down into the water ahead of us. John B steers the boat towards them. "Pope!"

"Hey! We're over here," Pope shouts back, waving his arms.

"We're over here!" a girl I don't recognize yells out.

"Give me your hand," Sarah says, leaning over the edge of the lifeboat. The girl swims over and takes it graciously.

"Pope! I got you," John B grabs the boy's hand and pulls him up into the raft.

"Cleo. Holy shit," Sarah exclaims. "I got you. I got you. Come on. Guys, help." Without question I hurry over and help my sister pull her friend into the boat. "Cleo."

"Long time no see, girl," Cleo greets Sarah. Her voice is edged with a foreign accent.

"What are you doing here?" Sarah laughs, throwing her arms around the girl and embracing her. "Cleo, I'd like you to meet my sister. Stella, this is Cleo. She helped John B and I down in Nassau."

"Ah, the infamous, Stella Cameron. Your sister would not shut up about you," Cleo chuckles, holding her hand out. I take it in mine and shake it enthusiastically.

"It's so nice to meet you," I reply.

"Where's JJ and Kie?" John B asks between breaths. My stomach sinks.

"I thought they were with you," Pope replies.

"No," Sarah tells him.

"We gotta find them, all right?" John B say's determinedly. "We gotta find them."

"Last time I saw them was on the other side of the ship," Cleo tells us, pointing in that direction. John B turns the boat around and steers it as fast as the thing will go.

"John B! Help!" a distressed voice calls.

"That's Kie," Sarah announces.

"Where are they?" Pope asks, whipping his head around in search for them.

As the boat turns the corner, Cleo spots them. "There they are. Hey!"

"JJ!" I cry out, hurrying to the other side of the boat. Floating a couple yards away is Kie, holding an unconscious JJ at the surface.

"Oh my God. JJ!" Pope shouts.

"No! No! No! No!" John B steers the boat as close to them as he can get. He reaches out to grab him and pull him up out of the water. The rest of them help Kie.

I scoot over as John B transfers JJ into my arms. I stare down at him and feel the tears stinging my eyes. A blotch of red stains his forehead, evidence of where he was struck.

As John B speeds away from the Coastal Venture. We watch in horror as the crew pulls the cross up the side of the rig. At the head of them is Rafe. Of fucking course. He stands and obtains a gun from a man, cocks it, and points it at us. As if on cue, the lifeboat's engine sputters and stalls.

"No. No. No. Hey," John B pleads.

"John B," Sarah starts.

"We're stalling out." John B grunts with effort as he yanks on the cord multiple times to get the engine to run again.

"You serious? We're sitting ducks," Pope says.

"We gotta go!" Kie cries.

"I'm trying. If everyone just tries to relax," he replies in frustration.

JJ, still sprawled across my lap, has yet to wake up. I hit his chest with my hands, gently at first and growing harder with desperation. "JJ! You need to wake up! JJ! Please!"

Miraculously, the engine starts and John B cheers in relief. We continue out to sea, far away from psychopathic brothers and murderous fathers.

"JJ! Please get up!" I plead, taking his head in my hands, ignoring the blood. Kie shakes his shoulder desperately.

"You gotta wake up," John B adds.

"Get up! Please, Jay." With one final push, JJ's eyes blink open and he lurches forward, spitting up water.

"There you go. Yeah, yeah. Cough it out. Cough it out, baby," John B encourages.

"Hey, buddy. There you go," Pope says. "Hey. Hey, buddy. Welcome to the land of the living, dude."

"No, CPR needed, huh?" John B chuckles.

JJ looks around at our friends as he adjusts to his surroundings until his eyes settle on my hand on his chest. My other hand supporting his head, wrapped around his neck. His eyes scan upwards until they reach my face.

"Hi," I sigh in relief.

"Am I in heaven?" he slurs. Everyone laughs at his words. I chuckle and throw myself across him, wrapping my arms around his neck and never wanting to let go. He returns the embrace, his arms snaking around my waist.

"Just always looking for attention," John B teases.

"Whatever it takes, right?" JJ jokes back.

"Attaboy."

I shift to face him and I press my forehead against his, our noses brushing. "I thought I'd lost you," I sniffle.

"What would you do without me?" he replies softly. I chuckle and lightly press my lips to his. When we finally pull apart, Kie hands me a cloth to press against JJ's wound. I take it from her gratefully and hold it to his forehead. "What the hell happened?" JJ asks.

"The blunt end of a machete," Kie replies.

"Machete?" He sits up in the boat to look at her in confusion.

"The blunt end."

"Next time, duck," Cleo advises.

"I'll try to remember that next time. Thanks," JJ replies.

"Yeah, let's not talk about a next time," I laugh nervously.

Pope looks back at the Coastal Venture where the crew is still hoisting the cross up onto the deck. "This shit ain't over."

"No, it ain't," John B agrees, shaking his head slowly.

And they were right. This definitely isn't over.

——
Okay it is so surreal that we only have one more part of this season. I want to thank everyone for sticking around and reading along. I will forever be proud of this project of mine.

Edited: 4/5/26