The air was thick and sticky even though the sun was setting on the day, suffocating as the trio stood by the tree that they had just dedicated to John B. No one was going to have a funeral for a forgotten, but he wasn't not to JJ, Pope or Kie. Since the boat had gone down that night the three of them had been sticking closer than ever despite the protest of Kie's parents or the hesitation of Pope's. They had become the local pariahs, the town was abuzz with rumors and dirty glares, it would have affected Kie's parents' business, but the vacation spot only became more popular as outsiders poured in to hear the story. JJ was used to the dirty looks, the way people turned away from him or even the way they whispered about the trouble he was, but this was different; they were now scowls and stories about how he killed the Kook princess.
Earlier that day they held a funeral for Sarah, plenty of people showed, crying and dress in all black despite the suffocating humidity. Pope, Kie and JJ had all stood at the farthest end of the cemetery as the pastor spoke in front of an empty casket. They had been spotted pretty quickly, and a death glare from Rafe and Ward was given even though they were both just was guilty of this crime. The Cameron family was after the three of them, legally they hadn't pressed charges, Ward knows that he was not in the clear after John B's accusations, but the Cameron's had their allies. The Pouges knew too much; how Ward had unsuccessfully tried to kill John B, how Rafe had successfully killed Peterkin, and they knew about the gold.
"To John B," JJ raised his glass.
"And Sarah," Kie added as she stared at the carved heart on the tree.
"For John B and Sarah," Pope and JJ repeated. They stood by that tree in silence for a few moments, there was so much they wanted to say but held back, the past few months had been nothing but crying, memories and guilt. They had been cut off from the chateau for a while, while Shoupe and his team ripped through it, throwing everything out of place. When the three of them had stepped foot in the home it was like a bomb had gone off. They took care to clean up everything with Kie's urging and settled in.
JJ pour some of his beer on the trunk of the tree, a homage for his fallen friends, the other pouges followed suit. Kie linked her arms in the boys and laid her head on Pope's shoulder. They stood together in silence staring at the burned name of their friend in the tree, unsure how all of this ended to his and Sarah's demise. The sun had finally disappeared beyond the horizon and the once pink, yellow and purple sky had turned dark.
"I have to go," Kie lifted her head off of Pope's shoulder and released their arms. Since the death of her friends, Kie's parents had become more strict about curfew and who she hungout with.
"Me too," Pope's parents were the same way, demanding he be home by sundown. "You coming JJ?"
JJ stared at the tree, rubbing at a bruise covered by his sleeve. "Nah, I think ill stay here for another minute or two." Kie and Pope looked at each other hesitantly but left anyway, making JJ promise to test them when he was home safe. As the two of them disappeared down the path, JJ looked back to his friends engraved name. He had felt the tremendous about of guilt for the deaths of Sarah and John B; he knew Pope and Kie felt the same but he held a larger weight on his shoulders.
JJ had met John B during one of the worst times of his life; a time when he felt abandoned and stuck and the world was against him. His mother had disappeared in the night a month prior, she hadn't even left a note for him to explain. Late at night when his father had passed out of the couch in a drunken stupor and the home was quiet JJ would close his eyes and see her. Sitting on the edge of the bed as she kissed him goodnight, her blonde curls tickling at his face and her radiant smile that everyone said they shared. It had only been a month but her voice seemed so foreign, he had to strain himself just to hear it. It had been the worst month of his life where he felt alone… until he met John B.
John B, much like JJ had a rumored reputation about him that everyone assumed to be true. At 8 years old it was unfair of anyone to assume anything about them, to prejudge before meeting but it happened. Big John was known around town as the drunk mad man who was a single father to the wild kid, Wild kid not to be mistaken as JJ's problem child title. JJ had certainly seen John B before the third grade, in the halls where he walked alone just like JJ himself, but it wasn't until there were paired up in Mr. Grayson's third grade class where they met. JJ hated the first day of school, but he rather be in class than at home with his drugged, drunk, job hopping father. He had taken his seat right next to John B and the rest was history. JJ and John B became the dynamic, prankster duo that all teachers despised, and all the kids loved.
JJ could hear his former 8 year old self cackling when Mr. Grayson sat on the airhorn seat him and JB had rigged but now those laughs were faded much like his mothers voice. Now he was left standing in the dark in front of a tree that was dedicated to the friend he forced into the gold game, the one he got killed. JJ scooped his bag up and started his dirt bike for his short ride home. Lately his father had been worse but besides the occasional beating he was usually passed out drunk on the couch or out shooting up in some abandoned crack house. It didn't take him long to get home, the house was dark… Luke wasn't there. JJ opened the mail box and pulled out the pile. Mostly overdue bills and junk mail, the usual but one thing stuck out. JJ never received mail… unless you count the time that Luke stole his identity for the credit, a true misery and after a load of fighting and beatings he was able to stop his father before too much damage was done.
JJ pushed the door open and quickly did a search for Luke, he was nowhere to be found; alone just like JJ liked it. He threw the junk mail on the table of motors and boat parts before stowing away to his room. He clicked on the light and plopped to the bed holding the small blue envelope that was just barely bigger than his hand. The writing was neat, clean almost flawless, dawning his name and address in small print. The stamp was covered by the postal marker, which was smudged and warn. He carefully flipped the envelope and ripped it at its seam. Pulling the note card out the side facing him was blank but when he flipped it a surge of adrenaline rushed through him.
"The game is on – Vlad" He read aloud. His cheeks burned hot and he felt the same heat begin to burn in his eyes as he looked at the second set of handwriting, the handwriting that hadn't changed since the third grade. John B and Sarah were alive and out there potentially in the Bahamas and they had let it be known that they were okay. It didn't take more than two seconds for JJ to bolt out of his room and start his trek out to let Pope and Kie know the news.