good outcomes, all the time

"Pilot"; pt.2

"They were my haven, my sanctuary, my home."

The next morning, I sat up and stretched. Looking over I saw JJ passed out next to me. He must have crashed in the middle of the night and not bothered to walk to a free bed.

I grabbed my phone to check the time and noticed there was no service.

"No service?" I asked aloud.

John B walked into the living room and flickered the light switch, "No power. Great" John B sighed, "Have you guys seen outside?"

"I have polio bro, I can't walk," JJ mumbled into his pillow.

I roll my eyes at him and groan as I stand up to follow John B outside. I scan the room for my pants that I had carelessly regarded the night before. I shrugged down at my current attire, the same shirt I wore yesterday. Whatever, it covered enough. I bonked JJ on the head with the nearest pillow and then walked outside.

"Oh, man," John B yawned as he stepped outside.

"Hoo," I agreed, "that bitch really did a number."

"Damn," JJ muttered, "Agatha did some work huh?" I turned to JJ who, somehow, found a half-empty beer bottle to drink out of, and caught his eyes lingering low.

"Yeah, she did."

I turned my head to John B who was looking out toward the water, "Whatcha thinking?"

"I'm thinking that a storm surge pushed all the crabs down the marsh. I wanna go chase some crab."

"What about the DCS?" JJ burped, "Wasn't that today?"

"Nah," John B dismissed.

I agreed, "they're not getting on a ferry."

"think about it," he continued. "It's god telling us to fish." he looked at us with the question.

I shrugged, "I'm in."

"Well look who we have here," JJ hollered, then in his "announcer" voice, "We have a safety meeting. Attendance: mandatory.

We caught Pope's attention on the docks, "Nah, can't. My pops got me on lockdown."

"Come on man!" JJ persisted, mimicking a static sound, "Your dad's a pussy over.

Out of what felt like nowhere Heyward yelled at JJ, "Oh I heard that you little bastard."

"Hey Mr H!" I smiled, "We need your son."

"Yeah and island rules: day after a hurricane's a free day." I just kept smiling to back up JJ's ridiculous comment.

"Who the hell made that up?" Pope's dad argued.

"Uh, the pentagon I think? We have security clearance. I have a card-"

I elbowed JJ under the ribs the whispered through my smile, "smart ass."

Heyward rolled his eyes, "You think i'm stupid?"

Pope turned to his dad in argument, "I'll do it tomorrow. Dad, I will do it tomorrow."

"No." his dad declared, "No, Hell no. You are doing it right now."

"Get on pope.." I whispered through my fading smile.

"Make a run for it bro, make a run for it." JJ insisted, "Let's go."

Heyward was practically fuming, "boy, you get in that boat-"