𝐋𝐔𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐘¹ » 𝐣𝐣 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤

𝒗𝒊𝒊. 𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒏𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔

chapter seven
cemetery snakes

     EVEN THOUGH LAST time's plan didn't go very well, john b was determined to find out what happened to his father. even if that meant assaulting the lighthouse worker, getting arrested and setting his father's belongings on fire.

     after their close escape from the cops, jj, stella and pope were all hanging out around a fire behind heyward's store. jj and stella passed a joint back as pope was fixing a motor of some sort. "where are we even going tonight?" stella asked as she let out a puff of smoke. "jb didn't tell us, but i think he has a new plan." jj answered.

      immediately after, the sound of john b's horn filled the air. "there he is!" stella exclaimed. "let's ride." jj followed, as pope muttered, "this better be good." the three hopped into the van with jj in the front, and pope and stella in the backseat.

     the group pulled up to the back of the wreck to pick up kie. pope went inside to get her, but returned with no avail.

     "she said she's not coming'." pope shouted. "why not?" stella asked drink the backseat. "what'd you do to her john b?" jj asked the boy. stella got up and stuck her head in between the front seats. "did you kiss her or something?" she joked quietly to john b. stella's smile faltered when she saw the boy's eyes widen in the rear view mirror. "oh shit, you did." john b quickly turned around, astounded at how she guessed in one try. "how did you— shh." he whispered to stella. "hang on, i'll deal with it." he told the three before hopping out of the van.

     "what'd you say to him?" pope asked the girl. stella sat back in her seat. "pope, that's a secret." she smiled, leaving jj and pope in the dark.

      a few minutes later, john b walked out with kiara following not far behind him. kie motioned for jj to move and sit in the back and she sat in his place. stella and pope looked out the window to watch the sun set, as jj rolled a joint in the back.

      "hey, mind if i just relax on this one? it's been a long day, and a lot of weird stuff's gone down." jj told the group. "i'm just gonna lay low— oh did you want a hit of this?" the boy asked pope. meanwhile, stella had found a napkin in her pocket and began to tear it up and throw the pieces where jj sat to bother him.

     "i keep the signal clear." pope explained.  "hey, what—" the blond boy said, feeling pieces of something land softly on his head. he turned to see the brunette leaning against the side of the bus, sprinkling paper towards where he sat. he smiled and began collecting pieces of paper to throw back in retaliation. just for fun, she tossed a few towards pope too.

      "see pope, your issue is that you don't get creative. maybe if you did, then..." stella told pope before john b began to speak.

      "look, i, i know i was wrong about the lighthouse, alright? and pretty much wrong about everything else, but i was right about one thing." the three in the back exchanged looks. "my dad is trying to tell me something."