Storm Chaser // JJ Maybank

8

I pull out a FedEx envelope from the hole. For Bird is written in black marker on the front. I pass it through the crack in the wall to John B.

"That's not gold," Pope states.

I start to make my way out of the crypt.

"Holy shit. This is from my dad," John B tells us.

JJ lights a blunt. "Code red. Code red. Square groupers! Square groupers!"

"Go," Kie says.

"It's the guys who robbed your house," JJ warns.

We crouch down behind the crypts. Out of sights from the men.

"Light!" I say.

John B and JJ both still have their flashlights on.

Pope starts to fiddle with JJ's light. "Turn your light off, man!"

"John B? Your light!" Kie tells him.

"I see something!" a man shouts.

"Do you think it's them?" I ask.

"Homie's got a gun," JJ warns us.

"Screw this," I state.

I take off running and everyone follows after me. We climb over the cemetery gate.

"Hurry up!" JJ shouts.

"Go!" I shout. I can hear the golf cart coming towards us.

"Guys! Guys! Guys, I'm stuck," Pope tells us. His pants are stuck on the gate.

"Pope, come on!" JJ shouts.

"All right, guys..." John B says.

"I got you," Kie says as she runs towards him.

JJ holds up the gun. "No. Pope, don't move, okay?"

"What are you doing?" I ask JJ.

"You're gonna rip me," Pope protests. "Wait. You're gonna rip me!"

"You're fine. Come on!" Kiara shouts.

"Pope, come on!" I yell at him.

Kie gets Pope off the fence, but his pants get ripped off in the process.

"Nice! Come on, dude. It's a little Tootsie Roll," JJ taunts.

Kie laughs. "Come on!" We all run to the van. "Get in! Stupid!"

Everyone is barely in the van when John B takes off. We head back to the Château. JJ is in the kitchen making a sandwich.

"That bread had mold on it three days ago," John B tells him.

"I'll just pull off the bad parts," JJ states. "Plus, mold is good for you. It's just a natural organism."

I call out to him, "JJ!"

He comes running into the room with a sandwich and beer in hand. "Yup, yup, yup! Hot damn! Let's do it." JJ bites into the sandwich and then spits it out.

John B rips open the envelope. He unfolds a map with markings on it. "Holy shit."

Pope points to a spot. "Oh. X marks the spot."

John B moves his finger over the map. "Longitude, latitude. Wait, there's somethin' else in there."

"What's that?" JJ asks.

"It's a tape recorder, dumbass," I state.

John B plays the tape. "Dear Bird."

"Who's Bird?" JJ asks.