✯ North Star ✯

Part 4

I laid in bed with John b fast asleep. Well fast asleep until the nightmares started.

"Dad?" I ask staring at him in front of me
"Why? Why did you do it?" He asks me
"What?... do what I don't understand?" I ask
"Why did you kill me?" He asks to me and I see the bullet marks all over his body appear
"No no, I didn't- I didn't kill you. That wasn't my fault" I shake my head
"You did this Stella! I would be alive if it wasn't for you!" He yells as he steps towards me grabbing my throat
"Dad please no!" I beg

Then the scene switches, now it's my mom choking me.
"Please please don't, stop please" I beg but she doesn't

Then the scene switches again. Now Rafe is standing in front of me.
"Rafe" I breathe out
"You tore our family apart" he tells me
"No no please I didn't mean to. I was doing the right thing. Rafe please believe me" I beg him
"You wanted to throw me in jail. You hated me. You did this Stella" he yells at me
"Rafe please I didn't- I'm sorry" I cry as he starts to come over towards me

I jump up gasping for air as I hear the lighting strike. I take a couple of deep breaths trying to calm myself down. It wasn't real, it was just in my head.

I get out of bed and go look out the window at the storm. I jump a little when lighting strikes the shop.

I step away and sit on the floor. Tears started to flow down my eyes as everything that's happened flashed before my eyes.
"Come on Stella stop crying. Please come on stop." I beg myself putting my head onto my knees

"Anyone want fried fish?" John b asks holding up a net full of dead fish
"What's the damage pope?" JJ asks
"Fuse box is busted. Without the live bait, the fisherman won't come, and there goes half our business right there. We have enough profit to cover it, but barely just barely. All right? This is it. The last of our AU." Pope tells us taking out a piece of gold we had hidden
"Uh what?" John b asks confused
"Gold. It's the periodic symbol for gold" pope says
"Why not just say gold?" Sarah asks

"Because it doesn't matter. This is all our savings and it's a no-go. This is for property taxes. So we're gonna have to tighten up. Which means no more $600 in gas chasing tarpon up the Gulf." Pope tells JJ 
"Pope that's my job" JJ tells him
"We were chasing a bait board" John b says
"No more $200 in heirloom tomato seeds." Pope tells kie
"What about my imported peppers?" Cleo asks
"Peppers gotta go too baby" pope says

Then it all goes crazy
"I need to run the charters" JJ says
"It's not the tomato's fault" Sarah says and everyone just keeps saying what they need to do still
"Hey! Everyone stop!" I yell and everyone goes silent
"If the business starts to fall the sharks start to circling all right? And if they do we lose this place. So just listen to what pope has to say" I tell everyone and nod towards pope to continue

"JJ we don't even know if your dad is coming back." Pope says
"Yeah well it's not even his anymore" JJ tells him
"Doesn't matter. What's he gonna think when he sees all this? Listen if we wanna save this place we skinny up until the business gets afloat again ok?" Pope says putting the gold down and walking off

We did it. We recreated Poguelandia on Kildare. We built it and worked it and lived together. Just like we dreamed of. And I know we should've been more careful. We should have saved. But come on, knowing us, how long were we really gonna stay out of trouble?

I stood with kie and Sarah as we watched the boys with their bikes warming up for the race. Cleo was fixing up JJ's bike to make sure it was ready for the race.

I watched John b walk over and talk to JJ, he seemed to get more stressed as the conversation went on. Then he walks off towards his bike. I quickly walk over to him.
"What was that?" I ask him
"It looks like I'm racing today." He tells me
"What do you mean why?" I ask
"J bet the gold on himself" he tells me
"Are you shitting me? You didn't try to stop him?" I ask
"I just found out Star" he says
"Is this even a racing bike JB? You can't it's a piece of shit." I tell him
"I know. If I don't help him, topper and Rafe are gonna go after him. I have to block for him. I'm sorry." He tells me and I look over at JJ
"I'll kill him. Be careful please JB." I tell him giving him a kiss
"Yeah" he nods
"Ok?" I ask
"Yes maam" he nods before walking off to join the starting point

I walk over and stand next to kie. I had already filled her in on what he did.
"Does JJ ever think? Like seriously I don't think I've seen him think before doing something ever" I tell her
"Yeah no. Never. Like not even once." She tells me

I watch as the race starts, and JJ's bike doesn't even work. He's 5 seconds behind and the race just started. Finally it starts to work and he takes off.

I start to bite my nails as I hear the announcer say JJ fell in the woods. Then again when they say he fell on the turn. He was in dead last, there was no way he will make it. Especially not in his bike.

But then JJ does what we call a "JJ thing". He's going full speed at a jump ramp. It was a 50 foot jump, in his bike. Not likely. But it's JJ, so there's a possibility.

"Come on JJ" I mumble as he about to get to the ramp. And of course somehow some way, he landed it.
"Yes! Go JJ!" I cheer with everyone else

Now it was a fight between Rafe and JJ. They both start to bump into each other, but JJ was still in first. But when they were 10 yards from the finish line. Rafe clips the back on JJ's bike. Sending them both flying. My hand flys over my mouth as I watch them both crash.

John b was next in front but he quickly slams on the breaks when he was about to hit JJ. Leaving topper in front. He almost hits JJ but he jumps out of the way. And topper drives through the finish line.

We quickly all run over to him once everyone passes.
"JJ!" I yell as we all get over to him
John b helps him up but JJ just pushes him away.
JJ throws his helmet down as he blamed John b for him losing.

The crowd had pushed us back some so I tried to fight my way through to get to John b, he started walking over towards me as well.
"John b! Are you ok?" I ask once I get to him
"Yeah I'm good." He says kissing my forehead
"Where did JJ go? Is he ok?" I ask him
"He'll be fine, he's just mad right now it's ok" he tells me

"Get used to it!" Rafe yells and I turn around
"What'd you say?" John b asks walking over to him, but Rafe tries to walk away.
"Hey no what'd you say? Huh? What did you say?" John b asks while shoving him
Rafe turns around and shoves him back
"Get used to it!" He yells again

"Hey!" I yell getting in between them and shoving Rafe off
"This is forever, all right?! Yall don't get to win" Rafe yells
"Stop! You could've killed each other!" I yell at him
"Yeah like you give a shit" Rafe tells me and starts to walk off as I just look at him
"You gonna kill me like you killed dad?" He asks walking off and my heart drops
"Excuse me?! Rafe! What did you just say?" I yell as he walks off trying not to cry

"Stella, how's that pogue life treating you?" Topper asks walking by me
"Screw you topper" I roll my eyes

I walk with John b as we watch JJ yell.
"We are so screwed" John b says
"Yeah we are" kie agrees
"Why are we screwed?" Pope asks
"I'll let you tell pope" kie tells John b then walks off
"Tell pope what?" He asks
"Just come on. Let's go" John b tells him
"Tell pope what? Hey!" Pope tells following us

JJ had just lost the rest of the money we had. What the hell are we gonna do now?