On Top//Topper Thornton

fourteen

There are only three kinds of relationships in the animal kingdom. The first is commensalism. One example... fish finding hiding spots in coral reefs. Fish profit, but life for the coral doesn't change. Then, there's mutualism... a relationship where both animals benefit from each other. The tricky thing about animals is you don't always know what kind of relationship you're in. Which brings me to relationship number three. The parasitic.

I never made it home last night. I feel so much better now that Topper and I talked. I feel even better knowing that JB is moving into Tannyhill. Apparently my father offered to be his legal guardian. At least now I know he has a roof over his head with food and electricity.

After John B gets out of the hospital we meet at the Wreck.

"I'm sorry. You're staying where?" Kie questions.

"Tannyhill," John B states.

"So you're living with Sarah Cameron," Kie says.

"And Ash. But, look, the only reason I'm living there is because their dad bailed me out, right? And it's way better than foster care, which, by the way, is where I was about to go if Ward didn't..." John B starts.

Pope cuts him off, "Hey, so do you have a membership to the clubs now?"

John B shakes his head slightly. "I don't know, Pope."

"What about those golf carts they drive around? You get one of them?" JJ asks.

"Does it come with a sweater-vest, or do you have to buy one on your own?" Pope teases.

"Look, you promised. You said you weren't with her," Kie reminds John B.

"Bro, just own it. She got you," JJ tells him.

"Look, if you wanna hang out with her, that's fine. But I'm letting you know now that I'm not doing anything with Sarah," Kiara insists.

"Do you guys see her here?" John B looks around. "No, right. Okay. A little focus would be fantastic. We've got the map, right?"

"It's out of whack 'cause the guy was ganja'd when he drew it," JJ states.

"It's 'cause the coast has changed," I explain. JJ nods his head in realization and I smile slightly.

"So we just have to look for landmarks that haven't changed," Pope explains.

"What about the old forts?" John B offers.

Kie points at the map. "Battery Jasper."

We drive out to the remains of the old fort. JJ and I stand on the old stones looking out into the distance.

Pope stands with the map. "We're in Battery, right here." He points to the map. "So if this is parcel nine, then it's somewhere northeast of here."

Kie points in the distance. "Somewhere there."

"Right," Pope agrees.

JJ points in that direction. "Over there? Guy's, that's not Tannyhill, that's a subdivision."

"Tannyhill Plantation was the entire island. It got sold into smaller pieces over time," John B explains.

"So we're just looking for an old stone wall," Pope tells us.

We drive towards where parcel 9 should be. Pope points out the window. "Okay, so the road should split up here."

John B nods. "Okay."

"All right. You're gonna take a left," Pope instructs.

"That looks like a stone wall to me," JJ offers.