𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐄 𝐀 𝐏𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 // 𝘫𝘰𝘩𝘯 𝘣

𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢-𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚎

Kiara and Affinity had been driving all around the Cut and Figure 8 for at least an hour. There was no sign of John B or JJ and Pope. The sun had now set completely, consuming the island in darkness which made it near impossible to see anything past the road. Hopefully, John B was using it to his advantage. Maybe he still had a chance?

Kiara had explained the plan the rest of the Pogues had devised to Affinity. First, they had to get John B to a temporary safe place before they could disperse and ready a getaway on JJ's dad's old boat. It was a risky and slightly out of reach plan but it was their last hope. Affinity needed to get him to that safe place. That had to be her job. The others could handle the rest. She needed to be there for John B.

But their fanciful planning came to an abrupt end once the sight of police cruisers surrounding a single house with their sirens blared through the night air.

"Shit," Affinity cursed under her breath as she sat up further in her seat to get a better look. "He has to be in there."

"They're going to get him," Kiara muttered with discouragement as she pulled her car up behind the police.

"No, they can't." Affinity nodded to the hoodie Kiara was wearing. "Give me your hoodie."

Kiara quickly slid off her black hoodie and tossed it to Affinity. Affinity slipped the sleeves on her arms, zipped it up, and flipped the hood up and over her head.

"Are you going after him?" Kiara asked.

"I have to," Affinity responded while she moved to open the door. As Affinity opened the door and stood on the pavement, she saw a shadow slip out of the back of the house and sprint into the darkness.

It was John B.

Affinity slammed the door, ignoring Kiara's slur of protests, and took off full speed after the shadow. He had a decent lead ahead of her and she was breathing too hard to have the energy to call out his name, but she knew exactly where he was going. Affinity dodged several trees, jumping over sticks and shrubberies as she ran as fast as her feet could carry her.

Once her eyes locked with the steeple of the rundown church John B had taken her, she was able to let out a breath of relief. Affinity had followed him for at least a couple of miles but she didn't care one bit. She continued to race through the doors and towards the ladder that led up into the bell tower. Her hands pushed up on the slab of wood that covered up the opening in the floor. After taking a final step she could see inside the small room, her eyes soon finding the terrified pair that stared back at her.

"Affinity!" John B cried out of relief.

Affinity scrambled to her feet and jumped up into his welcoming arms. The boy almost crushed every bone in her body with his embrace, but Affinity didn't mind, especially since she did the same. Neither of them could describe the gratitude they felt for one another. They were each other's safe havens in the mix of hellish events. Affinity had wrapped her arms around his neck while his snaked around her tiny waist. One of her hands brought his head closer to her shoulder, just to keep him as close as possible.