Down

Chapter 26

Pope said" Couldve been a faulty electrical wire."
Kie said" Place was all wood. A tinderbox."
Cleo said" Thing just went up. Boom."
JJ said" Verdict's in, bro. Whoever's up there does not like you. Sorry." He threw a bottle, I kept my arms wrapped around his neck.

John B said" Sarah, when did you say the pilot was getting in?"
Sarah said" Probably like an hour? I mean, once he's here, my dad says we can leave whenever we want."
Pope said" Okay, well, as much as I would love to ghost my parents again, I can't."
JJ said" Pope, we're talking El Dorado here. Can you just slip out the back maybe?"
Kie said" Great advice."
" It always worked for me. How to avoid unpleasant circumstances 101. If there's a problem, you don't wanna face it, turn that face and keister around and walk the other way."
Pope said" I'm not doing that, okay?"
" I just want you to be there, dog."
" I'm gonna be there. I'll meet you at the airstrip in an hour?"
John B said" Yeah, we'll see you there."
JJ said" One hour, Pope. Not a second later." Pope and Cleo walked away, I looked at JJ," I'm gonna take a stroll back to the shack. For old time's sake. I always wanted to go to South America. Great surf, cheap weed." He lifted me up, we started walking," See you guys on the tarmac."
Kie said" Hey, Jayj, wait. Hey. Um... just, uh, last night, you were... you were saying something before the fire."
" I'll tell you what. I'll tell you on the plane. Just to make sure you get on."
" Right."
" Right."
" I'm gonna hold you to that."
" I'm sure you will."
" So glad you're not stalling."

JJ put me down inside,
I said" Going with you?" He smiled at me,
He said" Definitely! And... most of your stuff is at Pope's, ain't it?" I nodded, he laughed," Shit, I hope he grabs some of your things. Wanna help me pack?"
" Yeah!"
" Grab clean, non-smelly stuff, okay?" I nodded, running around," And see if you can find some of your things!"
" Yeah, yeah!"

JJ said" What the hell? Oh shit. Shit shit."
I heard a man yell" JJ! Your ol' buddy, Mike. You lost my load. Time to pay up! I'm coming in, JJ! Yeah, I know you're in there." JJ grabbed me, pulling me to him, I gulped," We're gonna do this your way." JJ lifted me up as he ran, we ran out the porch door. He stopped running as we got far enough," Damnit! Where are you? JJ! I'm gonna find you!" JJ held up two peace signs, then started running again.

We were at the plane,
JJ said" Dude, where is everybody?"
John B said" I don't know, man."
" We should get in the twinkie, and we should just get 'em."
" Five minutes, okay? Just give 'em five minutes, alright?"
Sarah said" Guys, guys, guys, there's Pope and Cleo. Right there." Pope and Cleo pulled up,
Cleo said" Were you guys waiting for us?"
JJ said" Yes, we were. You're late. Did you actually convince your pops this time or..."
Pope said" Cleo convinced him."
" My girl. That's what I'm talking about. I thank you for being a part of my crew."
Cleo said" Anytime."
Pope said" Hey, where's, uh... where's Kie?"
Sarah said" I don't know. It's gotta be her parents, dude. They've been up her ass."
" They must've said she couldn't come. We're gonna have to do this without her."
JJ said" No. Give me the keys."
John B said" No, dude. No, no, no, no, no."
" Gimme the keys."
" It doesn't seem like a good idea right now, JJ."
" Her parents already hate me. Alright? Just give me an hour. It'll be like a black ops mission, in and out. Surgical removal type shit."
" You gotta be..."
" Plus... I kind of owe her. Gimme the keys. Stop making that face and gimme the keys."
" Okay. Well, yeah, you owe her, right? You owe her. I get it. I just appreciate the honesty. Okay? Hurry back."
" Just give me an hour. Watch Munchie!" JJ ran to the twinkie,
" No, no, don't, don't, don't!" He jumped through the window, and failed,
Pope said" That door opens, bro." JJ crawled in, and started driving,
" Feather, feather, feather the throttle, you know? You got 59 minutes, JJ!"

I was sitting on Pope's lap,
John B said" Eight hour? I don't have eight hours! I've got the jet here, we're all waiting! No, we can't... we can't... No, JJ, listen, we can't wait for you."
Pope said" Yo, what's going on? What'd he say?"
" I'm gonna kill him."
I said" Where's JJ, Pope?" Pope looked at me,
Sarah said" Hopefully, on his way, Skye. Don't worry." I laid my head on Pope's shoulder, Pope rubbed my back.

I was running in circles, Pope and Cleo were sitting on the steps while John B and Sarah sat under the wing. A jeep pulled up, I stopped, Sarah and John B walked up as Topper got out of the jeep. I stopped running,
He said" Hey, Sarah. What are you doing? You just seeing John B off or what?"
Sarah said" I'm sorry, I, uh... I didn't call. I meant to call you last night." I walked to John B, hiding behind him,
" Oh, you meant to call me last night? Okay. No, it's all good. I was actually asking around myself and heard your dad's plane was here. And I was like, Oh, that's... that's interesting. Yeah. So are you leaving with him? Are you leaving with him? Yes or no, Sarah." Sarah nodded," You're just... you're a f... a damn liar, Sarah Cameron. You've always been a liar. After everything we've been through? This... this is what you're gonna do to me? I'm done. Okay? You literally just promised John B would go away, you'd stay here with me. I can't keep doing this to myself anymore, man."
Pope said" Hey, Top. You got a little something right here, man."
" Why don't you shut up? How about that? And oh, buddy, John B, you better be glad I didnt swing back at you at the Wreck 'cause I think you know what would've happened." I held onto John B's shirt,
John B said" I'm not taking the bait, Top. You're right. You would've kicked my ass."
" I, um, heard they're remodeling the chateau. That's tough, man. How'd that happen?"
" What did you just say? No, Topper, what'd you just say?"
" Hey, you guys have a nice life, alright?" He got into his jeep, driving away, I looked up at John B.

Sarah said" Has he called?"
Pope said" Have you heard from him?"
John B said" No. Nothing."
Sarah said" We have to go. We don't have eight hours. And Topper mightve already called the police."
" Okay. Okay. I'll call him." A motorcycle was pulling up,
Cleo said" Wait. That might be JJ right there." The bike stopped and it was Rafe, I hid behind John B,
Rafe said" Hey. You're okay, dad. Come on. You're good. Hey. Hey, dad. Hey, come on. You're okay. Come on, help! Help! Don't just stand there. I need some help, please, come on." Sarah ran to them, I gulped,
She said" What happened?"
" Let's go on the plane." 
" Come on."
" You're good. A fisherman spotted him, alright? They know he's alive. We gotta get him off the island right now." Rafe took Ward into the plane,
" Shit, this cannot be happening." Sarah went onto the plane,
Pope said" No. Hell, no. We can't. We're not getting on a plane with him. No way! Hell, no!"
Cleo said" Are we still going? Don't worry, he's not coming?"
Sarah said" He wasn't supposed to. I told you. He stays on this island, he gets arrested."
John B said" I don't think you understand. I don't know if I can get on a plane with that guy."
" This is his plane. I can't stop him from leaving. But he will still give us a ride to Orinoco, so if you don't wanna get on the plane, I get it. We'll find another way."
" There's no other way. Let's go. If you're going, I'm going. It's you and me. Let's get on the plane. Come on, we're getting on the plane. We gotta go."
Pope said" With them?"
" Yes. We don't have any other choice."
Cleo said" Just stick to the plan. Come on." Rafe came out,
Rafe said" You're gonna be alright. You're gonna be alright." Pope stopped him,
" Hey. Don't let the devil tempt you." John B was texting,
I said" What about Bubba?" John B ignored me, he grabbed my hand and walked to the plane.
Rafe said" You do anything to him, anything, I swear to god I'll find you." I heard sirens coming, John B lifted me up, we walked up the stairs.
" John B?! Bubba! Bubba!" I cried, pushing at his shoulders," John B! Put me down! Put me- John B!"
John B whispered" I'm sorry, I'm sorry, sorry, I'm sorry..." I cried, he hugged me tightly,
" Bubba! Bubba?!"

I was on hanging over John B's shoulder as he sat, my face against the seat, playing with his hair.
Ward said" John. Thank you too. I know you won't believe it, but... you have nothing to worry about from me. Not anymore. I'm just here to help you. All of you. I have a lot to make up for. For what it's worth... I'm glad your father's alive." I squirmed off John B's shoulder, I stared at Ward,
I whispered" Want Pope..." I kept my eyes on Ward,
Sarah said" Go sit with Pope, it's okay, he won't hurt you." Pope looked back at me, he smiled, holding out his arms, John B put me down. I ran to Pope, crashing onto his chest, he lifted me up and sat me on his lap.
" Is JJ gonna get there?"
Pope said" Skye, there is nothing in this world that can keep JJ Maybank away from his baby sister for long." I giggled, smiling," He'll probably be there a few hours after us, knowing him."
" Yea, he'll be there!"