On Top//Topper Thornton

eleven

I'm halfway out the door when Sarah stops me. "I need your help."

"With what?" I ask.

"Just come on," Sarah says.

I follow her into Dad's office. John B is sitting on the couch. I turn to Sarah. "What?"

Sarah hands me some first aid stuff. "He's your friend."

I take the stuff as I walk over to John B. "What did you do, JB?"

"I was trying to get away from Cheryl and I kind of stole a bike and then crashed it," John B explains.

"He yeeted himself over a chain," Sarah tells me.

I laugh as I shake my head. "At least you didn't rob a bank. You didn't rob a bank right?" John B gives me a look. I look down at his shirt and see blood. "You really did a number on yourself." John B smiles slightly. "Lift up your shirt."

"Okay." John B does as I say.

"That's gotta be disinfected." I put some rubbing alcohol on a gauze pad.

"Wait, is that rubbing alcohol?" John B asks.

"Yes. It's the only way to be safe. Okay, close your eyes. On the count of three." John B sighs. "Ready? One, two..."

"Two..." John B repeats.

I put the rubbing alcohol on the cut and he screams.

Sarah covers his mouth with her hand. "Shh! Are you kidding me? My God."

"Sorry," John B says.

"Never heard anyone whine like that before." I clean off the cut.

John B groans. "Stop." He hits my hand.

I give him a look. "Excuse you."

"Sorry. Sorry," John B says.

I keep cleaning the cut. "I'll make you sorry."

"Who, uh... who's the dude on the wall?" John B asks.

"Oh, it's Denmark Tanny, founder of Tannyhill," Sarah explains.

John B exhales. "Founder?"

I nod my head. "Mm-hm."

"So, how did a slave found a cotton plantation?" John B asks.

"He was a free man. He's kind of a mystery. He showed up out of nowhere and paid for all of the land around here in gold," I explain.

"In gold?" John B asks.

"Mm-hm." I nod. John B stands up. "Hey, wh... I'm not finished, JB," I tell him.

"Denmark Tanny." John B pulls a paper from his backpack. "I... I recognize that name. He... he was on the Royal Merchant. But there was no survivors." John B turns to me. "What else do you know about this guy?"

"When we first moved in, we found a diary, an almanac, a bunch of papers." I put a band aid over his cut. "Our dad donated all of it to the state archives at Chapel Hill," I explain.

"Can I go see that?" John B asks.

"See what?" I question.

"The... the archives. I need... I need to see them," John B tells me.

"I mean, I can get you in if you want. He's got a trustee pass," I offer.

John B nods. "Yeah, yeah. I need that."

"To Chapel Hill?" I ask.

"Yes. Right now," John B tells me.

"Why now?" Sarah asks.