Lost at Sea ⋆ JJ Maybank

𝖛𝖎𝖎𝖎. Ice Cold Death

Kathryn knows she's on borrowed time. She already freaks out on a daily basis if something feels even remotely wrong, so now that she was actually confronted with her upcoming death? Yeah, she wasn't going to last very long. The most she can do is make sure she's out of the room before she freezes.

That's what happens when she has a panic attack. Her entire body tenses up and she can't move anymore. She knows exactly why she reacts that way. She thought it would save her once. If she doesn't move, she doesn't feel, it doesn't hurt. Maybe it would even be quicker. And that's all she had wanted at that moment.

"This is suboptimal."

"You don't say, Pope!"

Everyone starts panicking – her, first and foremost – but when she turns around, it's JJ that grabs her attention. She has to think quickly while she still can; he has the gun. He's got to have it, he's had it every single time up until now.

JJ starts to sweat. "John B, I told you, man. Why does it always–"

She has to shock him out of the panic. Force him to focus on anything else but it. She walks to him, turns him towards her, and throws him up against the wall. She holds him there, arm thrown across his collarbone, forcing him to look in her eyes and forget about everything around him. He blinks.

"JJ, look at me," she says, voice loud and clear. "You have to calm down. Where's the gun?"

Well, now he's too distracted. "Gun? I, uh, I can't–"

"Now you don't have the gun, the one time we need the gun?" exclaims Kie.

Kathryn looks over her shoulder. Kie is panicking too. Her window's closing. "Don't yell, Kie. Breathe." She turns back to JJ. "The gun?"

He gulps. "It was in my backpack, and then I – It's on the porch."

JJ frees himself from her grip and opens the door, discreetly walking towards the porch. Kathryn realises that JJ has no regard for his personal safety.

"No – JJ!" she whisper-shouts, anxiety washing over her, stronger than before. "I swear to god–"

"John Routledge!"