𝐃𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐘 𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐄𝐒 | jj maybank

𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE: WE UH, LOST THEM

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"you're gonna have to hurry, waters. the storm is getting worse by the minute," shoupe addressed, handing me the piece to speak into.

"okay," i took a deep breath.

"john b, it's elsie. i'm here, and i want you to listen to me. you're innocent. ward and rafe are going to jail. you don't have to worry anymore, you can turn back!" i said to him, hoping the words coming out of my mouth would persuade him.

"elsie, you're cutting out a bit. but you know i can't do that," he screamed in reply.

"but why?"

"ward's still considered as my adoptive father," he let out. we don't have time for this, i thought.

"no, john b. not anymore," i looked at shoupe, who gave me a reassuring nod, "you can live somewhere else. my aunt could take you in, or kie's parents, or hell, maybe even pope's. the point is, we're not letting the dcs get you. you hear that? it's all over john b. all you need to do is just turn the phantom around, okay?"

"are you sure?" he inquired, wondering if this was some kind of setup.

i sighed lightly, "john b, i wouldn't be talking to you otherwise. you have to turn around now! or else you might not make it through the storm!"

"okay, i'll turn her around," john b spoke, and a relieved grin spread on my face. a few beats of silence passed.

"you got it?" i asked.

"yeah, i'm working on it, elsie. i'm just trying to-" the sound of a large wave crashing overtook the mic before it cut out.

"huh? john b?" i said to him, awaiting a response. "john b?" still, nothing came.

"we've lost the radio signal," a man called out to us.

"those are kids out there," shoupe took a mic and announced to everyone, "don't stop looking. stay here elsie."

him and a few other cops put on neon raincoats, exiting the tent. minutes past, and the sirens everywhere were starting to bother my ears.

"someone get her a medic," one cop spoke to the others.

"it's not that serious," i attempted to compromise, but still somebody came.

"what happened?" a middle-aged nurse walked into the tent with a bag full of supplies.

"her head needs some attention. nothing too serious, but she needs a bit of cleaning up. needs to stay here though," a sheriff spoke to the lady who began grabbing supplies to tend to my head.

"this is gonna sting, alright?" she grabbed a medical pad and pressed it against the cut that rafe had left earlier. the nurse continued to tend to the minor wounds i had as nerves ran through my body. "that should do for now," she stood up, patting my shoulder before leaving.

"thanks."

after a few more minutes of waiting that was pure torture, shoupe and his crew walked back in.

"so?" i stood up nervously, scared to hear what he had to say.

"we uh, lost em, elsie," the harsh words rolled off his tongue hesitantly.

"what?" i leaned forward, making sure i had heard what shoupe said correctly. "no, you can't be telling the truth. i mean, you heard him! he turned around!"

"a wave must've him them. i'm so sorry, but they're gone."

they're gone. who knew that two simple words could be so powerful and hold such a meaning?