The Least Favorite Cameron

Chapter 19

"Gracie?" Sarah says and her voice cracks and I can hear her heavy breathing through the phone.

"Sarah, I'm alive, so is John B. We-I have so much I need to tell you and I'm sorry I couldn't call sooner, I just couldn't get a phone till now and I love you and I'm sorry I've been gone," I had so much I wanted to say to her it was like word vomit trying to talk to her.

"Gracie, I don't understand, what happened?" She asks and I can hear her crying and the confusion in her voice.

"I will explain everything. When can I see you?" I ask her desperate to be able to just be with my sister again.

"Tonight? Now!" She says back in a similar tone as me.

"I'll take John B's boat and be there in-" I stopped as I heard a car door shut and I turned to see JJ and John B. looking out towards the driveway as well and the confusion and fear on their faces scared me.

"Sarah I have to go, I'll text you, someone's here. I love you," I said quickly and hung up the phone before I could hear the response. I run out to the porch and JJ is dumping water onto the fire.

"What the hell is going on?" I whispered as John B. ran up to me.

"Someone's here. We gotta hide," He says back and I can hear the fear in his voice.

"Come on!" He says grabbing my hand and pulling me but I want to get Kie's phone to talk to Sarah. She just found out I'm alive and now I probably scared her with the way i hung up.

"Hang on, I'll be right there," I say as I run back inside and just as I grab Kie's phone I hear someone's voice. A familiar voice.

"You really think they're here man?" Barry asks the person with him. Barry, the asshole that not only got Rafe hooked on drugs but also held a gun up to all of us to try and rob us.

But the voice that responds makes my heart drop.

"That's what Kelce said dude. I know they're here," Rafe says back to him. I look outside and see JJ and John B. climbing up the big tree in the yard. John B. mouths the word "hide" to me. And I run back to his room and get under the bed. I hear the screen door creak open just as I get under and I feel like I was thrown into a horror movie, just waiting to get pulled out from under the bed like the girl in Taken. Either Rafe or Barry was throwing things around inside and looking around for us. Just as I think he's about to leave I see a pair of dirty and old black boots appear at the door.

"Come on out little Pogues, I know y'all are here somewhere," Barry says and I hold my breath not daring to make a single sound.

He's walking all around the room and then I hear Rafe call him from outside. A part of me wanted to see Rafe, talk to him without our dad around and see if there's any sign of the old Rafe that I knew there. As I hear the door open and close as Barry leaves, I pull myself out from under the bed and crawl over to the hall and peer out towards the yard to see what was going on. I can just barely hear their conversation, Rafe is mumbling something about how we must have just been there. Then he stops for a second and I see him staring at the tree and reading my name and John B's name where the others made a little memorial for us. He turns back and I can see his smile from here, it's not a happy smile, a smile like the Joker that shows no sign of happiness and more a breaking point.

"P4L," He laughs to Barry.

"Your sister's a Pogue for life apparently bro," Barry says back to him laughing. But then something changes in Rafe, his smile drops and he looks hurt and mad. Like Barry's words triggered something in him and flipped a switch.