RIVER | JJ MAYBANK

FOURTEEN

PANIC

"Guys." John B said as he looked down to River. The three continued to ignore him.

"Guys somebody's here." River said, gaining all their attention. The three came and looked out of the window, JJ grabbed River's hand and pulled her next to him.

She was his responsibility.

"Guys, guys, is that them?" Kiara questioned anxiously.

"No." JJ said in disbelief. How did they find them?

"Is that them?" Kie questioned again, panic laced in her voice.

"This is suboptimal." Pope mumbled.

"John B, I told you. Why does it always—" JJ mumbled angrily.

"JJ, hey look at me." John B pusher JJ against the wall, making JJ let go of River's hand. "Where's the gun?"

River glanced around anxiously, JJ was her safety.

"Gun? I-uh-I can't." JJ mumbled.

"Now you don't have the gun, the one time we need the gun?" Kie mumbled, tears forming in her eyes.

"Gun or no gun, we need to get the hell out of here." River snapped.

"It was in my backpack and then I-"

"Your backpack, on the porch." John B said before JJ could finish talking.

River pushed past the two and ran out to the porch. She was so close to JJ's back pack but she stopped once she heard the men shout. "John Routledge!" JJ wrapped his arms around River and pulled her back inside.

"Don't do that."  JJ whisper shouted at the girl. He pulled her back into the office and shut the door. "They're on the front porch guys."

"Get out here. Routledge." The men shouted as they walked into the house. "Where you at boy?"

"We gotta leave." Kie mumbled. "Guys, window. Window!" JJ and Pope rushed to open the window, so they could all escape.  "What's—what's happening? Why's it taking so long?" Kie panicked.

"It's painted shut, okay?" JJ whispered to Kie.

"Fuck." River ran her hand through her hair. "You should have let me get the gun."

"And what? Let them kill you?" JJ snapped at her. "No, way. Not a chance." He wasn't angry, he was terrified for her safety. She acted all calm and protective but it was all an act, inside she was a scared, innocent girl.

River rolled her eyes and went to stand by John B, who was making sure the door stayed shut. "Johnny?" John B quickly covered River's mouth once he heard the floorboards creak from outside the room.

"Shhh." John B whispered to everyone.

"You better not be in there!" The man shouted as he tried to open the door. Pope was now trying to hold the door shut with John B.

John B had lightly pushed River towards JJ. River began to shake. She felt like a panic attack was coming along. She couldn't control what was going to happen next. The man kicked on the door making Pope and John B rush away from it. River jumped once she heard the gun. JJ was trying to open the window so John B wrapped his arms around the girl. He had a tight grip on her. He was trying to calm her, but not much was working. He could feel her heart racing.

JJ was out of the window first, John B passed River to him. JJ wrapped his arms around the girl and felt her relax slightly. Kie was next, then Pope and finally John B.

They ran towards the rooster's hutch. River was violently shaking. She was curled up on JJ's lap, with her head in his chest. She tried her hardest to steady her breathing. But not much was working.

Sometimes she was impulsive and reckless, she'd do anything for her friends, even if that meant she'd get killed in the process. And sometimes, she was anxious and scared. It always made her feel vulnerable and weak whenever she was.

"Do something Pope, shut him up." JJ whispered angrily about the rooster. He placed a light kiss on the top of River's head, trying to calm her as much as he could. He lightly rocked her back and forth. "You'll be okay, I promise." He whispered.

"What do you want me to do?" Pope asked frustratedly.

"Pet it, or talk to it. I don't know." Kie said with tears streaming down her face.

There was a slam of a car and John B quickly hide. "You do something!" Pope said to JJ. JJ passed River to John B. John B covered River's eyes as JJ snapped the rooster's neck. River jumped at the bones snapping.

JJ grabbed River once again and pulled her as close to him as possible. John B grabbed Kie's hand and tried to comfort the girl.

"Ratter! What the hell are you doing? Let's go!" The man shouted.

~

River locked herself in John B's bathroom and refused to come out. She had tears streaming down her face and her breathing was heavy.

Frustratedly she ran her hands through her hair and tugged at it slightly.

Fuck.

River tried to take deep breaths but all that were coming out were quick, rushed ones.

"R.C." John B knocked lightly on the door. "Let me in."

JJ paced around the hallway. He hated not being able to help her. He glanced down at his split knuckles. He'd decided to let his anger out on the wall after his seventh attempt to get into the bathroom.

River jumped once she heard another bang. "JJ! That's not going to help her." She faintly heard Pope shout. What was he doing? Was he hurting himself?

"JJ you need to calm down, you punching shit isn't going to get us in there." Kie agreed.

River pushed all her thoughts and feelings aside. JJ needed her and she cared more about him than she did herself. Shakily, she stood up and fiddled with the lock before opening the door.

Everyone turned to look at her, her red eyes, tear stained cheeks and chapped lips. She looked at JJ. He didn't waste any time before he wrapped his arms around her. She pulled away and looked him up and down. Her eyes landed on his split knuckles.

"I-I-I'm-" She stuttered, "Sorry." She cried.

"Hey baby, it's okay. Just breathe." JJ whispered,

PULLING HER BACK INTO HIS ARMS.