Pogue on Pogue- JJ Maybank

Chapter 13

John B and I head out to meet up with JJ, Kie, and Pope.

  I am sitting next to Kiara while she taps on the bongos, Pope is sitting across from us on a chair, JJ is sitting on a table throwing rocks, and JB is standing up.

       " Look, I'm calling it off, Alright." John B announces to us. " Peterkin said, if I stay out of the marsh, she'll help me with DCS." John B explains.

      " And you believed her?" JJ asks.

" Yes, I believe her, JJ." John B says.

      " An actual cop, John B, you believed a cop?" He asks, throwing another rock.

" All I gotta do is stay out of the marsh for a couple days, and she'll help me out!" John B says, raising his voice slightly.

       " It doesn't help that your ass was the one shooting the gun." John B says. " Or you with the knife." He adds, but he uses a softer tone with me than he did JJ.

      " You know what we should have done?" JJ asks angrily. " We should have just let Topper drown your ass." JJ tells JB.

       " JJ!" I slightly scold.

" Yeah, because Topper was gonna drown me?" John B asks sarcastically.

       " Sure looked like it." JJ says, standing up.

" Funny." JB says sarcastically.

       " I mean, have you looked in the mirror?" JJ asks sarcastically, walking toward us.

" Tell me some more, come on." JB antagonizes.

       " They always win, don't they man?" JJ asks calmly, leaning against a pole.

" Kooks versus Pogues. They always, always win!" JJ yells, hitting one of the string lights. "God damn!" JJ yells walking away.

       " It's okay!" Kie says, trying to calm JJ down.

" No it's not okay! It is not!" JJ yells out, coming back to the group.

        " They don't want us to go down into the marsh. That means there is something valuable down there, and you know it, man." JJ says, lowering his voice, and pointing to JB.

        " I know you do." He tells JB. " And I understand why you don't wanna go," He starts, pointing at Pope.

        " You're the golden boy. You got way too much to risk." He tells Pope.

" And you," He says, pointing to Kie. " I mean, you're already rich as fuck anyway. Why would you bother?" He asks, rhetorically.

      " But us 3 man," JJ starts, gesturing to John B and me. " We got nothin' to lose! We really don't, all right." He says, raising his voice.

      " And I know it didn't use to be that way for you." JJ tells JB.

" I don't wanna talk about this. I don't wanna talk about it." John B says quietly, standing up.

      " So that's it?" JJ asks angrily.

" Just get out of my way bro!" John B tells JJ, slightly pushing him to the side. Then stopping a few feet away.

     " John B! Listen to me, I have a plan." JJ calls after him, walking toward him. " You got the key to Cameron's big boat right?" JJ asks John B.

    " No." John B says, knowing part of what JJ is thinking.

" There's scuba gear. We just borrow that and then we go to the wreck this afternoon, and that is what's gonna save you, man." JJ explains.

       " You don't see rich kids going into foster care, do you?" JJ asks.