Chapter 9

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We saw a plane go by,
JJ said" There goes the gold. Shit!" He kicked a chair,
Pope said" Fuck!" And threw something,
Kie said" Pope!"
" Goddammit! Shit! Fuck!" He started breaking stuff with a bat," Damn it!" And yelling.
" Pope!" He threw a can," Pope!" He sat down," Pope."
JJ said" Yeah, dude. I was wondering when this was gonna happen. Here you go, Chief. A little weed never hurt no one."
" JJ."
" Relax, Kie."
" You know he doesn't smoke." Pope took it from him,
" Well, maybe not until today."
" Pope. Yeah, what is that gonna help?"
Pope said" I lost my scholarship. Walked out in the middle of the interview. Every- It's gone. It's not gonna happen."
" You did that for us?"
" No, not for us. For nothing."
JJ said" I'm here for you, Pope. Welcome to my world, okay?"
Kie said" JJ-"
" What, Kie? He's right. It doesn't matter anymore."
" You don't have to do that."
Pope said" What do you care?" Then John B walked up,
JJ said" Dude! Dude, you good?"
Kie said" Oh, my god! John B!" We ran to him,
" Is this yours?"
" Whose blood is that?"
" Hey, you okay, man?"
" John B, are you okay?" We saw a police car,
Pope said" Shit." We all hid, then they looked at each other.

JJ said" John B, what are we doing at the police station?"
John B said" Somebody's gotta tell them what happened." Pope started coughing,
" Whoa. Easy there, Chief. Damn. Alright. I'm just gonna be real with you right now. You might end up in the lion's den, but you don't go there on purpose. It's fundamental. Just like my old man always told me, you should never ever trust cops, no matter what the circumstance is."
Kie said" Your old man's an abusive liar."
Pope said" I agree with JJ. Fuck the police."
" You goin' to the dark side now?"
" When's the last time the police ever helped us?"
John B said" Peterkin looked out for me, alright? Tried to, at least. They need to know." He got out, we waited on him.

John B said" Kie! Start the car! Start the car, Kie!" He ran to us, he opened the door,
Kie said" What? John B? What did you do?"
" The cops!"
JJ said" Shit!"
Pope said" Go, go, go!"
" Kie, drive! Go!" A deputy grabbed onto the door,
Kie said" I'm going! I'm sorry!" Kie drove off,
John B said" Go, Kie! Go!"
" What did you do?"
Pope said" Open it." John B opened the door and knocked off the deputy.
———
I was laying on JJ's chest, Kie turned off the radio, we slept in the car last night.
JJ said" Let's game this out. Maybe you guys can help, being the smart ones and all, but... who are the cops going to believe? Ward Cameron or us? So the accuser is a bigshot developer, kind of lord of the island, got the governor on speed dial kind of person, and the accused... is John B, who is... pretty much a homeless 16 year old boy at the moment."
John B said" Thanks."
Pope said" Shit."
JJ said" Okay, man. Yucatan, alright? I'm saying that's the only option. What other options do you have?"
John B said" Enough with the Mexico bullshit. Sarah's gonna bail me out."
Kie said" She did witness the whole thing."
" Thank you."
Pope said" And she's gonna snitch on her brother?" JJ sat up, I fell onto his lap,
JJ said" Not happening, bro, okay? We've gotta get you off the island."
" The ferry. Its the only way."
" Yeah, exit stage left while you still can, man, okay? Before the entire island is on lockdown."
Kie said" Guys, just get down." The sirens went by us,
Pope said" Sarah's not a pogue, John B."
JJ said" Yeah. You can't stay here, man."

Pope said" So, um... okay, so, bad news. The ferry's closed, and there is this." He handed Kie a paper and got in,
John B said" What is that? What is this?"
JJ said" Well, John B, uh... this is a good framer of you."
Pope said" Okay, so the whole island's lookin' for John B right now."
Kie said" That's a lot of money."
JJ said" Congratulations, John B. You're now famous."
" Okay, guys, we got to get to the HMS. We need small, no running lights-"
John B said" It's at the château, Kie."
JJ said" And I wonder if the cops got the entire place staked out. Let me think. Oh, yeah. No. They definitely have that place locked down."
Kie said" Yeah, copy that."
Pope said" Let me think. Just give me a second. JJ."
JJ said" What?"
" Does your dad still have that boat? The cigarette boat, the Phantom. The one he used to race."
" Maybe."
" You could get right up to the coast, no problem."
" It won't be easy, Pope."
Kie said" The surf's running from three to four."
" I don't know where the keys are."
Pope said" Well, find them."
" Okay, I'm thinking."
" Why is nobody moving forward?"
Kie said" Can you relax? JJ, how much weed did you give him?"
John B said" Your car's on the poster." Pope started honking the horn,
" That's not gonna help."
A boy said" It's that guy. Right there."
" Shit."
JJ said" We got a snitch. Pope, turn the car on." Then a man was knocking on the window,
He said" He's right there!"
" Turn the car on!"
Kie said" Pope, turn the frickin' car on!"
Pope said" I am trying!"
JJ said" Go, go, go, go, go!" Pope hit something, John B and JJ put an arm out in front of me, shielding me," Pope! Jeez!"
Kie said" Dude, back up! Other way!"
" It's okay! Pope, just go!" Pope started driving crazy.

We hit a mail box,
Pope said" I'm livin' my best life now."
Kie said" My mom's gonna kill me." JJ wrapped an arm around me, keeping me against his chest,
JJ said" I should be the last one to tell you this, but you are not okay to drive. Dude, stop!" Pope screeched the tires," Oh, jeez!" He held tighter to me,
Pope said" John B, get out."
" He's right. We'll draw the cops, you run. I'll get the rig, and I'll meet you in the dump tomorrow, okay? Three o'clock, okay?"
John B said" Yeah." He jumped out,
" Three tomorrow at the dump. Come on. Go, go, go, go!" Pope took off, as John B ran into the bush.

JJ said" Pope, you clocked that car, man. Like, that was so bad!"
Pope said" I'm just glad I'm not driving now." JJ laughed,
Kie said" Pull over!" He pulled over, Kie got out," JJ, it's not funny. He shouldn't be driving."
JJ said" Mama's mad." She walked around,
" What are you-" Pope moved, she got into driver's,
" Where are we going?"
" The last place they're gonna look."

Kie got out, we were at Sarah's,
Pope said" Perfectly focused."
JJ said" You sure this is a good idea?"
Kie said" She's the only one who can clear John B."
" Last place they'll look because of how stupid it is." Kie and Pope jumped the wall, I looked at JJ," Stupid idea... Hi, Munch."
I said" Hi." I rubbed my eyes,
" Wanna take a nap?"
" No."
" Alright. Uh, here." He gave me Turtle from his bag," Play with Turtle."
" Okay." I started playing with Turtle, then I looked at JJ," Where's John B?"
" Uh, hiding from the cops."
" Why?"
" 'Cause Ward framed him for murder." I tilted my head,
" What's murder?"
" Kill."
" Oh. Why?"
" 'Cause he's an asshole."
" Bad person? Like daddy?"
" Yeah, kinda. But dad wouldn't kill us."
" Oh. Okay." I yawned,
" Sure you're not a little tired?"
" Just a little." He kissed my head and I curled up on his lap,
" Gonna close your eyes?"
" Mmhm." I closed my eyes,
" Try and get some sleep, Munchie. I'm right here."

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