Coralina Routledge, twin sister of John Booker Routledge, needs a distraction from the chaos of her life. Her father, Big John, known throughout the North Carolina island of Kildaire as a crazy treasure hunter is always running off and leaving his...
"Shit," Pope gasped before yelling, "Move!" as he rolled to the side causing everyone to scatter as the cross fell from the rafter landing where Pope had just been laying.
Breathing heavily Coral rushed towards Pope, "Pope, are you okay?"
"Pope!" Kie yelled when the boy didn't move.
"Yeah, I'm good. Just give me, like, one second to, like, catch my breath," he told them laying on his side gasping.
"You did it Pope," John B laughed as he and JJ looked over the large gold cross, "Hey, here's why Limbrey wanted that key so bad," John B said pointing to a key hole on the front of the cross.
"How much do you think she's worth?" JJ asked running his hand over the detailing on the cross, "Like if we melted her old bones down I'm thinking like high billions."
After helping Pope up and to one of the pews Coral walked over to get a look at the cross, "JJ, something like this belongs in, like, a museum or something."
"You did not just say that," he replied looking affronted.
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"It's history."
"It's our payday," he contradicted.
"Hey, it's my ancestors cross," Pope reminded them, "This is bigger then money and the world's gonna know the truth."
"Yes, and if we don't get this shit out of here before Limbrey gets here nobody's gonna know," John B said looking at all of them.
Nodding they all moved to a part of the cross to carry it out of the church.
"Alright, John B you have to pull. Pull down."
"Got it. I'm gonna pull down. You guys pull up," John B instructed, "Ready? One, two, three."
"Oh my God!"
"JJ, watch my foot!"
"Who's not lifting right!"
"I'm lifting!"
Grunting they moved the cross a few feet before Pope started gasping, "I can't. I can't," he told them before dropping his end.
"Put it down! Put it down!"
"Watch it! Damn you all almost dropped that on my foot!" JJ complained.
"Okay, so what if we make like a sling or something," John B suggested.
"Yeah, and put it on, like, the tail hitch," JJ added.
"Pope, are you okay?" Coral asked noticing the boy breathing heavily from where he sat on one of the pews.
"No, no I'm not okay!" he moaned.
"Your eye is all puffy," Sarah commented.
"Dude, you don't look so good."
"Helpful JJ," Coral said before looking more closely at Pope, "He's having an allergic reaction. How many times did you get stung? We need to get him to the clinic," she told the others as Pope struggled to breath and just shook his head at her.
