FUMES [2], jj maybank

41. NO ONE'S GONNA CATCH US NOW

   

"I'M REGRETTING THIS, HIGH-KEY," I hold a hand to my heart.

    "Yeah, nice work, John B. You know these things lock from the outside, right? And, Sam hates small spaces!" JJ points at me in my slightly panicked state. "I know, okay? I was just trying to get us on the boat, JJ. I wasn't thinking that far ahead—"

  "We're stuck in here, like rats! In this death cage!" JJ panics as well now.

      It's so warm in here. I have to take my hoodie off or I'm scared I'll pass the fuck out. "Okay, JJ, you're not helping," Pope whispers. JJ wouldn't admit it to our friends but he too has a feel of small spaces. He admitted it to me one time. We were high so I have no idea if he remembers.

  "You said you had a plan. What happened to thinking ahead?" JJ says to Pope. The lack of cycling air in this crate is gonna drive me to my death. "I find your lack of self knowledge disturbing," Pope says.

  JJ let's out a chuckle, "Last I checked, you literally shot an oil container with the gat—"

  "Wow!"

  "Remember that!"

  I roll my eyes and pull at my hair, "Oh my God!"

  "Shut up! Shut up!" Kie kicks the two boys, "Pull it together." The two boys sigh loudly. "Would it be wrong to sit here in my bra?" Bailey pants. The heat is rising quickly. "Bails, don't. I understand but, don't," Kie puts a hand on her girlfriend's shirt. I pull back and forth on the collar of my t-shirt, trying to fan myself from heat and panic. "Let's just find a way out of here," Pope says quietly.

      JJ walks over to me in my little corner and bends down, almost like I'm a child, "You okay, Pigeon?"

   I smirk, "You haven't used that one in a while. I'm just trying to—not focus on the fact that we're FUCKED," I kick the metal crate, making everyone jump, "right now." Tears prick at my eyes but I remember why we're here. For Sarah and for Piper. At least I'm here for Piper. The black pistol resides in my back pocket. JJ holds my face, "We'll get outta here, baby. I promise."

  "You better do good on that, JJ," I tilt my head and kiss his palm, looking into his eyes. 

  

     God—how long have we been on this thing? If I had balls—they would've sweat off by now. All of us took off as many clothes as we could. "Hey, Pope. Do you know how to kill a snake?" I roll my eyes at JJ's question. "You go for the head," Pope says, leaning against the rope to keep him up. "Exactly. But the head, in this instance, is the bridge. To take the bridge, we need maximum firepower. And I happen to know that there's an armory on this ship in case of pirate attacks—"

  "Maybank, this isn't a fucking Pirates of the Caribbean movie!"

  "Okay, Perez but if we take that—I'm not just talking pistols—"