Alone Together • JJ Maybank

Ten.

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I stood staring in the direction of the boat heading our way. We knew the marsh was closed, so to see another boat out here was worrying. Especially since the deputy had already warned us earlier. "Do you recognize that boat?" Pope asked.

"I've never seen it." Kiara replied as I looked at John B, hopeful that he might recognize it. "What are they doing here? The marsh is closed." Kie moved to stand beside me to get a better look, shielding the low sun from her eyes.

"I don't know, but lets not stick around to find out." JJ jumped into action, quickly pulling up the anchor. I caught the panic growing in Kiara's eyes as Pope rushed back to the wheel.

"I don't like the look of this." John B mumbled, watching the boat approaching fast. They were close enough now for me to see the two men staring straight at us with blank, hard expressions that sent a shiver down my spine.

"They look shady as fuck, guys. We gotta go!" I called back to Pope.

"Guys don't wait for me. Go!" The urgency was clear in JJ's voice. Pope started the engine and quickly turned us to head into the marsh, avoiding the other boat. Kie and I walked to the back of the boat just as I saw the other boat turning to follow in our direction.

"Hey, guys, they're following us." Kiara called to the boys. I felt the power in the boat increase as John B took over behind the wheel and pushed to go as fast as he could, all of us shouting over one another.

"Shit, shit, shit!" I couldn't take my eyes off the boat that was closing in on us.

I grabbed onto a pole to steady myself as we glided around the first bend. The wind was whipping my hair all around my face as I looked around, hoping to spot something nearby that could help us out. The marsh was bendy, and we hadn't travelled through it at this speed the whole time I had been here, so I found myself silently praying that John B knew it well enough to get us out of here.

I felt JJ move closer behind me, our bodies bumping together lightly as we turned another bend. I spun my head back to get another look at the boat that was still hot on our trail when I saw one of the men bend down briefly. My breath catching in my throat at the sight.

"Guys, they have a gun!" I screamed over the loud wind when the man took aim. We were turning another bend, but still in full view of the boat when the first loud gunshot rung out. I felt a hand push my shoulder down as we all ducked for cover.

"Holy shit!"

"Fuck! Guys!"

"John B, get down!"

Another gunshot echoed around us and I found myself trying to duck down even lower in my spot. My grip on the pole tightening as I glanced to my side to see Pope with his hands on his head, curled in a ball on the ground.

I turned to my other side when I felt JJ move, rising slightly to a crouching position. "What are you doing?" I glared at him as I stood a little, reaching for his shirt and pulling him back down roughly when we turned another bend. We both lost our footing as another shot was fired, tumbling down to the floor of the boat with a heavy thud.

"Shit. Pope, move!" Kiara's voice caught JJ's attention as he steadied himself upright again, watching what the girl was doing, but the sharp throbbing in my arm caught mine. I must have hit it on the side of the boat as I fell. Instinctively letting go of the pole to grip the aching in my upper arm, I slid further down the boat as we turned another corner.

"Get down, Kie!" I heard John B call out as we let out more screams at the sound of another gunshot. Looking up, I watched as Kiara unsteadily walked past me to the back of the boat.