ISSUES II outer banks

quickly

"One mistake and it can all be over so quickly."

❥

"Where the hell have you been?", Pope yells at us as soon as we get back. "Someone thought it's great to have a family moment today", I reply ironically. "Luke's been at the chateau." "Great, while you were having a family celebration with your dad, John B was bitten by an alligator!" "Seriously?" "Oh my god, that's a lot of blood", I state looking at John B's leg. 

"Does that look like a joke to you?", Sarah snaps at JJ. "What the hell happened?" "What happened? He was attacked by an alligator!", Kie shouts at me. "Why am I being shouted at? I've risked my ass! We came back as soon as we could." "He could have died", the others argue and shout at each other until JJ stops us. 

"Shut up, now!", he yells, "Seriously, guys. I'm not able to deal with all of this anymore. Can all of you calm down for a moment? Listen, I've helped my dad to leave the island for real. He's never going to come back. He sailed away like a Spaniard. Just bon voyage." "That's french, JJ", I sigh as I speak spanish fluently. "Wrong language", Sarah whispers as well. 

"Everything that we have and I know for sure that everything that I have is you. Really everything. And I was on the brink of losing you. All of you. Fuck, Kie you've almost drowned. Pope, they wanted to kidnap you. Sarah, you've been shot. John B, you've almost been eaten by an alligator. And Iz, you were attacked by Barry and the kooks, almost shot by Barry. You're about to be sent back to New York. You almost went down with me when we tried to free John B and it still fucks me up what happened between us. Even more than anything else." 

I look down to the ground sadly. His words are sweet but sad, bittersweet. "So we wouldn't accuse each other. That's kookish bullshit. That's not what we do. We're pogues. Everyone of us", JJ states looking at me and I give him a weak smile, "Sorry, that was a bit too much. I didn't mean to-" We look at each other and clap for JJ smiling at each other.

From one crazy act to another, Pope climbs up the wood in the church a few minutes later believing that the cross is at the ceiling of the church although we all warn him. "Hey, Pope", Sarah calls and throws the tool to him so he can open up the wood to release the cross. "Holy shit." "La Cruz de Santa Domingo", I gasp and all of us jump around happily and hug each other. 

"I thought you were crazy!", Kie calls but our happiness lasts only for seconds as Pope gets stung by a wasp and falls down screaming just right after we laid some pillows on the bottom. "Say something, Pope, are you okay?" Pope doesn't answer and just looks at the ceiling shocked rolling to the other side as the cross falls down. "You've made it Pope. It's astonishing", I whisper looking at the cross and JJ already wonders how much money we could make. "J, that's his family's cross. It belongs to Pope." 

"It's about more than money. The world has to find out the truth", Pope adds and we try to pick the cross up from the bottom all together but it's too heavy for us. "Guys, guys. Something's wrong. I'm not feeling good", Pope calls and I take a closer look at his neck. "He's got an allergic reaction." Without thinking about the cross for another second, we bring Pope out of the church and into the van to drive to the one person who can help us.

"Ricky!" "You can leave, JJ!", Ricky shouts back at JJ and closes the door, but I knock the door again, this time more heavily. I don't care about Ricky and what he feels like right now or what we've done. This is about Pope's life. "Ricky, I know we've done something stupid but please help us! Our friend is dying!" "Who's dying?" "Look at him, help him, please", JJ adds anxiously, "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't an emergency." "What's happened?", Ricky finally asks seriously. 

"Wasps." "Wasps? Is he allergic?" "We think so." "I'll get my first aid kit." "What do we do now?" JJ asks impatiently but is cut off. "You're doing nothing, you're not a paramedic. I'll inject him this." "What now?" "We wait." After a few moments when Pope didn't even cry anymore, we become more nervously. "You've killed him!", one of us shouts and I instinctively lay my hand on Pope's, a tear falls down my cheek. Finally, Pope gasps for breath and before we can hug him happily, he jumps off the table to get back to get the cross.

Well, crashing the truck wasn't even worth it. Rafe and Renfield have already picked it up and the church is empty. Well done. Pogues 0. Kooks 1.

"Denmark has stood here and praid to all of the people who freed him. He's saved the gold and the cross and he saves people. He's built a community and a home. The limbrey's have taken it all away from him. I'm done. I'm so done with this bullshit. We have to win for once. I'll get my family's cross back. Are you coming with me?", Pope announces emotionally and JJ chuckles. 

"Let us think about it first", he replies ironically. "Yeah, we could write a list with pros and cons", I joke as well and Pope hits my upper arm lightly. "Let's get going."

As the truck is crashed, we get back into the van to drive home. Well, that's the plan until Shoupe stops us. "Look who we've got here", Shoupe greets us, Plumb stands next to him. "Good evening, officer", John B greets Shoupe innoncently, "Someone being too fast again, huh?" "I've typed the number plate into the system. I know who's truck this is. Hey, Kie, has your grass fallen down?", Shoupe answers just as sarcastically pointing the light into her direction. "Found it", she mumbles knowing what would expect us. 

"Uh, Sheriff, I just wanted to say that this is all my fault", Pope tries to help, "She had nothing to do with this. I take the full responsibility." "Nothing to do with it. Are you sure? Your parents have claimed the truck to be stolen and the key has ben taken away out of the house. Either I drive you home or I take all of you with me for hit and run." "If you had only been this strict with Ward", I mumble frustrated, "Shoupe, that was me. I stole the truck." "Your parents won't be amused, Isabella. Plumb, drive them home."

"Call me later to see if I'm still alive", Kie tells the others and I give them a sad look. "I wish I could have said goodbye in a different way", I sigh knowing what this means. My flight will be tomorrow for sure. "No, Iz", JJ tries to hold me back by gripping my upper arm but I shake my head trying to ignore the anxious and heartbroken look on his face. "I'm sorry", I whisper wanting to say a million different things but I also don't want to make this harder than it is. The less emotional our goodbye is, the quicker he might forget about me.

Plumb drove Kie to the wreck and me to the Cameron's. We haven't spoken in the car not wanting Plumb to hear us. But as Kie got out of the car first, we hug each other as tightly as possible. "I'll miss you, sister", I whisper sadly, "Tell the others that I love them." "We'll find a way to be with each other again", she replies trying to stay optimistically so I smile at her one last time. We can't even face our fate together.

"Your flight is tomorrow at eight a.m. Go pack your bags." This is all my dad says to me at first and I'm disappointed that he wouldn't even miss me. "Please, dad. Can I at least go to boarding school with Kie? She's family." I know it wouldn't work but I can't let them decide this without defending myself. "You've had your chance, you've had tons of them. I'm not going to discuss this anymore." "Mom, please. I know I've made mistakes and I promise to make it better. I'll pay for Christian's truck." My mom only shakes her head sadly and I realize that Luke wasn't right. I'm not like her, not at all.