BRIZO | 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤

THIRTEEN

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - WE GOTTA LEAVE

JJ walked back trying to get as far from the window as he could. The teens looked at each other not knowing what to do. 

"John B, I told you- Why does it always-" JJ was starting to panic.

"JJ! Hey, look at me" John B said as he grabbed JJ by the collar of his shirt and push him to the nearest wall. "Where's the gun?" 

"Gun? I, uh, I can't-" JJ couldn't think straight with all his friends looking at him and pressing him. 

"Now you don't have the gun, the one time we need the gun?" Kiara cried. 

Brizo walked up to her brother and JJ trying to keep as calm as she possibly could. 

"It was in my backpack, and then I-" JJ tried to remember. 

"Your backpack it's on the porch, J" Brizo said.

"On the porch" JJ repeated. 

"It's on the porch" John B opened the office's door and pushed JJ through it. "Go, go, go"

"Routledge! Where's the compass?" One of the men shout. JJ stumbled into the room again and he closed the door behind him. 

"Where's the gun?" John B asked.

"They're on the front porch, guys"

They heard the men throwing stuff around and breaking things. It wouldn't take long til they found them. 

"We gotta leave!" Kiara cried looking around her for a way out. 

"The window! Guys, the window!" Brizo said. They rushed to the window and tried to open it with no luck. John B was pressed against the door just in case they tried to open it even though Brizo wasn't sure that he could hold them back. 

"What- what's happening? Why is it taking so long?" Kiara asked.

"It's painted shut, okay?" JJ, Pope and Brizo tried with all their strength to open it but it was useless. 

"Okay, guys. Guys. Here, I got it" Kie found a letter opener and tried to use it to cut the paint that kept the window shut. 

They heard the man's voice coming closer to them. Brizo looked at her brother who was already looking at her. It would suck if one of us died right after that fight. She thought to herself.  

"Come on, Kie" JJ hurried Kiara. 

"I'm going as fast as I can!" They went quiet as they noticed they couldn't hear the men anymore.

"You better not be in there!" A man yelled as he kicked the door trying to break it open. 

Just in time, Kiara opened the window and she jumped out. One by one they got out, John B being the last one. The man got tired of kicking the door and pulled out his gun. Brizo and John B were still in the room. He helped his sister get out. JJ was waiting to catch her when she jumped. Finally, John B got out closing the window behind him as another shotgun was heard. They ran to the coop and hide in it.

The rooster went crazy when it saw its place being invaded by humans. It wouldn't stop crowing. 

"Do something, Pope. Shut him up" Kiara said while crying. She was sitting next to John B. He looked at her not knowing how to help his friend. 

"What do you want me to do?" 

"Pet it, or talk to it. I don't know" She was sobbing so hard Brizo was scared that the men could hear her. 

She saw her twin looking through the gaps of the wood with his jaw clenched, so she carefully took a look too. She saw the men loading up their car with books, papers and maps. Their father's research. They had spend so much time on it, and now it was all gone. Stolen by some treasure hunters. 

One of the men heard the rooster, and he grabbed his gun. He started walking to the coop and John B and Brizo went back to their original position avoiding the gaps. 

"You do something" Pope said to JJ. The rooster was now beside him and Brizo. 

He grabbed the animal by its neck and pressed it against the ground. JJ grunted as he snapped the animal's neck. He looked at the animal in his hands and he dropped its body. His hands were shaking and had some drops of blood. 

Kiara sobbed watching the scene in front of her. John B held her hand and gave it a little squeeze. 

JJ went back to sitting next to Brizo, his hands shaking and his eyes focused on the blood. Tears were streaming down the girls face when she took the boy's hands in her own. He looked up at her and she smiled at him.

"It's okay. It's okay" She whispered so quietly that only JJ could hear her.

"Ratter! What the hell are you doing? Let's go" The next thing they heard was the engine starting and then the car driving away. 

They waited until they were sure they were safe and then they got out of the coop. 

John B and Brizo exchanged a quick look and run to their dad's office, leaving the other behind. They walked in the room and Brizo covered her mouth with her hand trying to hold back a sob. 

All her father research was gone. The maps on the walls, the books about the Royal Merchant... It was all gone. The only few things left were all about slaves and Routledge family history. She guessed the men didn't thought it was important. She looked around and she thought of her dad. What would he say if he saw his office like this? 

She felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to see her brother also trying to hold back his tears. 

"I'm sorry, Bee" He said almost in a whisper. "I'm sorry that I've been a shitty brother- and a shitty son" 

She pulled her brother closer to her and she hugged him tightly. Her arms around his neck as she let out all the tears she had been holding back. He wrapped his arms tightly around his sister's waist and cried with her. 

"You don't have to apologize, Johnny boy. I forgive you" She whispered between sobs. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier" She took at step back to look at her brother in the eye. 

"It's okay, Bee. You're right. I didn't care. I didn't care at all. And now I regret it" 

"No, John, I was wrong. You-"

"Bee, no" He cupped her sister face in his hands. "You were not wrong. I should've been there for you and dad. I'm sorry you had to go through all of this alone. And I'm sorry you feel guilty. It's not your fault that he- that he disappeared. You couldn't have known. And besides, if you had gone with him, I would've lost you too" 

"But John B... I should've been there and I wasn't. I wasn't with him. I couldn't protect him. And-" She started sobbing again. "and I'm Brizo. I should be your protector." She said remembering the words her mom once told her. She cried harder and she looked to the floor not being able to look at her brother in the eye.

"No, hey, no. Brizo. Look at me," John raised her head and wipped her tears, "Brizo, listen to me. You are my protector. I can't even count the times you've saved my ass. Damn, you even punched Topper in the eye for me!, "The girl let out a little chuckle earning a smile from her brother. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you" 

Brizo smiled at her brother and hugged him as tight as she could. They stayed like that for what it felt like an eternity. Their friends were listening to their conversation from the hallway and high-fived each other when they heard them made peace. 

Dad, I promise we will make you proud, Brizo thought to herself.