#flatbed truck dropping off a car is NOT quiet

[tundrakatiebean]

I am going to start biting people who make super huge noises after ten o clock. A bitch is tired and already had to listen to three different leaf blowers today.

[obxsummer]

Full Pogue // Ghost of You

summary: the cameron family can't seem to keep their hands off you, sending you and sarah on the battle to get off the coastal venture and reunite with your friends

warnings: the usual obx angst, cursing, physical violence, injuries

navigation -- series masterlist

--

Exhaustion was starting to set in harder than it had before, especially when you were tucked under JJ’s shoulder in the back seat of the Twinkie. Kie was on the floor, a join between her fingers as she sat next to Pope. John B and Sarah occupied the front seat, your brother intent on driving back to Figure Eight in attempt to find Rafe. What you didn’t expect was a slewd of cop cars to be blocking the road up ahead, ruining your course of action.

“Oh shit. They found the truck.”

“Chill, chill, chill, chill,” Pope hushed Kie’s distress as bright blue lights filled the darkness of the van. You sat up fully once a flashlight glossed over your eyes, JJ’s hand refusing to leave your skin despite the cops now approaching. 

“Well, lookee here,” Shoupe commented sarcastically as his light illuminated John B’s face through the open window.

“Evening, officer,” Your brother responded while keeping his face emotionless.

“Sherrif.”

“Right, sheriff. Forgot,” John B corrected his error without intent behind his words. He motioned towards the totaled truck ahead. “Speed kills, huh?”

Shoupe’s light hit your face again, making you wince and hide further into JJ’s shoulder before it moved again to find Kiara. “I pulled the tags, and I know whose truck that is. Hey, Kie. Did you drop your weed pen back there?”

“Sheriff, I just wanna say that this is all my fault. She had nothing to do with this. I take 100% responsibility,” Pope explained.

“Nothing to do with it? You wanna try that again?” Shoupe repeated before shaking his head. “Your parents reported the truck missing four hours ago, and the keys were missing from the house. I’m taking you home. Or I can pull you all in for leaving the scene of an accident.”

“Okay,” Kiara finally admitted defeat. Shoupe directed Officer Plumb to open the van door to let your friend out. Kie wasn’t even phased at the action and turned towards you guys. “Hit me up later and make sure I’m still alive.”

The sound of the door closing sent everyone into silence. You waited for a moment before the blue lights started to disappear and John B followed the tow truck that had the total vehicle on the flatbed. You knew where you were going in hopes of finding the cross and the idea definitely didn’t help the events of the night settle.

“Babe,” JJ’s voice was quiet as he pressed a kiss to your temple. “You don’t have to go. We can take you home.”

You shook your head softly, fingers ghosting over the bare skin under his shirt that you had sought out for warmth. You had come this far in the whole thing; there was no way you were stopping now. Surviving the Cameron house had been accomplished before.

The street lights provided barely enough coverage once John B pulled up outside of Sarah’s house. The five of you climbed out and ducked below the wall per Pope’s word in an attempt to see better. 

“He’s got the truck,” JJ whispered as he glanced over the concrete structure. You could hear the hiss of the brakes as Rafe parked the vehicle and killed the engine.

“How much you wanna bet Rafe has the cross inside that truck right now?” Pope asked as you watched the eldest Cameron enter the large house, not without pausing to look over his shoulder.

“There’s only one way to find out.” Sarah started making her way towards the gated entrance before John B was running after her in concern. You could hear broken pieces of their conversation, especially the part where your brother said he wanted to talk about their relationship at that exact moment, which just pissed Sarah off. 

John B stepped back with a smile on his face like a kid on Christmas and it made you roll your eyes. You watched Sarah creep up the driveway, busying tying the piece of your brother’s bandana around her neck as she did so. At least one good thing would come out of tonight.

“Hey! Did you want me to perform your vows while you’re at it?” 

“Did you say ‘be safe’?”

JJ and Pope didn’t hesitate to poke fun at your sibling once he returned to your group. You ignored them, eyes focused on your blonde friend as she glanced inside the passenger window of the truck. She flipped around to raise her arms in confusion when she didn’t find an answer. John B motioned for her to come back, but he was ignored when she pointed inside to signal where she was going. 

“No, no! Don’t go inside!�� Pope whisper-yelled as he watched her disappear into the front door. He turned towards John B. “Do the bird call!”

Your brother attempted the worst bird call in history that almost made you blow your cover by bursting into giggles. You shook your head at them as they attempted to do it the right way. “Losers. I’m going over.” You pushed yourself up on the concrete wall before hopping over. John B made a move to follow you but was interrupted by the sharp honking of a horn. You took a glance back, realizing they were caught by security and started running towards the house. 

You stared at the doorknob, a rush of fear running through you at the idea of entering this house willingly. It took a quick second to convince yourself that you were doing this for Pope, and even for Sarah. You weren’t about the let her walk into this house with her murderous brother on a rampage. 

The door was silent as you pushed it open, thankfully stepping into a silent room as you closed the door behind you. You knew this house more than you ever wished to, and being back here was weird, but as long as you avoided that room, you hoped it would be okay. 

Walking up the stairs, you headed in the general direction of Sarah’s room in hopes that she would maybe hide there first. The dark room was empty upon your arrival. “Sarah?” You whispered as you tried to navigate around it without bumping into anything.

“Oh my God, Wheeze. We gotta make this quick, okay?”

A sharp gasp left your mouth before you slammed a hand over your lips to keep quiet. Rafe’s voice echoed around the empty space as his footsteps hit the stairs nearby. He was clearly complaining to the youngest Cameron which told you that he didn’t find your friend just yet. His voice became distant before you heard quieter footsteps. 

Turning the corner, you could see Rafe’s silhouette in Wheezie’s room through the crack in her door. Without wasting a second, you were darting down the stairs in hopes of finding Sarah. Thankfully, the blonde girl ducked out of a bedroom at the perfect second. You had just enough time to place your finger over her lips before she screamed. A moment passed before she processed it was you and tugged your arm to lead you down the stairs. 

You followed her outside to where the truck was parked in the wrap-around driveway. “You came after me?” Sarah almost yelled as she turned to you in shock. “Are you insane?”

“In my defense, everyone was going to follow me!” You told her as she shoved the keys in her hand into the lock on the back doors. “I didn’t want to leave you alone!”

She ignored you and finally got the door unlocked. Handing you the keys, she twisted the handle as the metal creaked and swung out to reveal the back of the truck to you both. You didn’t even attempt to find the cross when the first thing you noticed was a pair of eyes staring back, unblinking. The second thing you noticed, was that it was the face of Limbrey’s partner, Renfield. Sarah’s fingers dug into your shoulder as the two of you stepped back with the realization that there was a dead body, here, in front of you, in the truck that Rafe had been driving.

An aggressive yank had a gasp falling from your lips before your back slammed against the metal of the truck. Tears sprung to your eyes as your already sore back and shoulder sparked pain down your spine. You were suddenly face to face with the person who you couldn’t seem to escape. 

Rafe’s expression broke into a devilish smirk at the idea of having you back into his hands again. “I really wish you didn’t do that.”

“Get off of me!” You spat back fingers digging into his wrists that were heavy on your shoulders. You shoved him aggressively, the two of you wrestling for a moment before Rafe’s arm was arround your throat and holding you tightly against him. Sarah yanked on her brother’s hood, choking him back before he latched onto her hair, literally dragging the two of you back into the house. 

The tile floor beneath you was chilly as Rafe tossed you forward without a care for your well-being. Sarah’s body collided with yours a second later before the door slammed shut and clicked locked. 

“What the hell!” Sarah grabbed the first bottle of wine she could find and threw it into the wall where it shattered into pieces. Another bottle, this time champagne, followed as you attempted to pull yourself off the floor. Your spine was aching with each movement and you knew it was just a matter of time before the injury got worse. You couldn’t keep doing this running thing forever.

“Rafe! Let us out!” Sarah pounded on the door aggressively, her facade breaking.

“I’m not letting you out, Sarah. Not until you calm down, okay? I’m trying to be civil here.”

“You asshole!” You were on your feet next, your hand colliding with the wood as rage filled you. No way you were about to be trapped back in this house again. Your saving grace was the form of Sarah Cameron beside you, reminding you that you weren’t alone.

Another voice joined the conversation, one that Sarah recognized right away. “Rose? Rafe locked us in!” She turned towards you, her hand grasping yours to offer any comfort possible. 

“You fail to understand that constantly, don’t you? Huh?” Rafe’s body slammed against the door causing you to jump back in shock. 

“Shut the hell up!” You snapped back, your foot connecting with the barrier. You couldn’t believe this was happening all over again. 

“Is that Y/N? Rafe, what the hell is going on?” Rose’s voice carried through the wood, now becoming your only hope of help to getting out. 

Stepping back, you sat on the couch in the room and placed your head in your hands as you tried to breathe. Sarah continued to bang on the door, ignoring Rose’s pleads to calm down. She turned to you when the answering stopped, collapsing into your side with a heavy breath. The silence of sniffles and cries continued until the lock on the door clicked and opened to reveal Rose.

“Girls?”

The two of you clambered off the couch towards her, Sarah crying about calling the cops as she stumbled into the large arm chairs in the hallway. You sat next to her, pulling your legs up into your chest as you glanced around the room in an attempt to keep an eye out for the inevitable. 

“What happened?” Rose asked as she tried to coach Sarah through her breathing. “Y/N, hey. What happened?”

“There’s a dead body in the truck,” You answered simply as you stared ahead emotionless. You took the teacup Rose offered, letting the liquid burn your throat without waiting. “Rafe killed Renfield.”

Rose hesitated for a second, listening as Sarah choked through more details while she waited for her tea to cool down. She eventually took the chance to sip on the warm drink, her breathing calming as she was forced to hold in air. “L-Last time Rafe did that… Dad took the blame, and you see where that got him.”

“Sarah, you’re absolutely right,” Rose agreed as she placed her hand on her stepdaughter’s knee. “I told your dad so many times that there was something wrong with Rafe. You just need to calm down. It’s gonna be okay.”

Taking a deep breath, your head felt light from the crying and yelling you had done. Leaning back, you crossed your arms over your chest, the exhaustion from running nonstop settling in. Glancing over at Sarah, you could see panic slowly fill her face as she looked to you. Her eyes drifted to the teacup and suddenly, your adrenaline crash made sense. 

“What’d you do?” You whispered, your hand reaching out to grab onto Sarah’s sleeve. This feeling of helplessness and dread was sickening.

“What’d you do?” Sarah repeated the question as the teacup crashed to the floor so she could grab your fingers. “Rose.”

The woman in front of you dug a pill bottle out of her pocket. “I’m really sorry. Nothing bad is going to happen, I promise. I promise. I need you to rest okay? When you wake up, everything’s going to be okay. I had to do whatever it takes to keep this family together, Sarah.”

Your eyes were heavy as you tried to blink the fuzziness away but sleep… sleep sounded so so good.

Rose stared silently for a moment, her heart aching at the idea of putting you anywhere near Rafe again, but they were compromised and she couldn’t risk leaving you here and running back to your brother. Not when the feds were already on their case. It would just risk further investigation and that was the last thing she needed. After assuring you were both unconscious and conversing with her stepson about the body and where to go, she called Wheezie down to help move the final pieces. 

Wheezie stared at the sight of you and Sarah, mostly asleep against each other in the foyer. “What happened with them?” 

Rose shushed her and wrapped your arm over her shoulder, pointing for the younger girl to do the same with Sarah. “They’re fine, it’s just been a long day. Y/N was freaking out about being back in the house and so Sarah freaked out and they wouldn’t stop crying. I gave them an anti-anxiety pill. They’ll be fine.”

Sarah and Wheezie were lugging behind, the younger girl struggling with the weight of her sister. Rose pulled the car door open, ungracefully dropping you inside before running to help get Sarah in too. She wasted no time to climb in the driver’s seat and start the car.

Across the lawn, JJ’s heart fell out of his chest at the sight of you, unconscious, in Rose’s arms. He knew he shouldn’t have let you hop the fence, but you were stubborn and he couldn’t risk getting you caught with them in the first place. 

“What’d she do to them?” John B whispered as he watched the scene unfold. The idea of losing both of you to wherever Rose was going was not about to become true. Not after you had made it this far. When Wheezie shut the door behind her and the car started moving, the two boys took off in an attempt to stop it.

Your eyes attempted to focus with the blur of lights. You could feel Sarah’s shoe in your side, the leather seats behind your back. The clothes on your body were not your own but you didn’t have the energy to piece it all together.

Hands smacking against car windows made you jump. You could barely recognize your brother’s voice, JJ’s right behind him before they faded away. Taking a deep breath, you filtered it as a dream and fell back into a peaceful sleep once again. 

--

Waking up was nowhere near as comfortable as to when you fell asleep. The ground beneath you felt wobbly unlike the smooth bumps of a car and there was nothing but the hum of machines to fill your ears. The pounding in your skull was mind numbing and the sun shining in your eyes didn’t help either. With a deep gasp, you sat up sharply to see the small room you had been left in. Soft sweatpants and a tank top covered your body along with a zip-up jacket, most likely remainders of clothes that had been in the house from when you were trapped there.

Sarah was nowhere to be found and from the looks of it, you were alone. Glancing out the windows, your heart sank at the sight of a never ending ocean which meant you were on a boat going who knows where away from your brother, JJ, and your friends. 

Moving to your feet, you grabbed the door handle in hopes it would be unlocked but that obviously was a long shot. You groaned, hand slamming against the wood in annoyance before sitting back in the chair you had originally been in. The sound of footsteps approached quickly before the lock clicked and the door opened. 

You didn’t know what you expected when you looked up - a miracle hopefully, but the glaring eyes of Rafe Cameron were easy to ruin that dream. You closed your eyes tightly, digging your fingers against your scalp as if it would wake you up from this real life nightmare. 

“Y/N, Y/N, Y/N… I told you we might as well be friends at this point. Make our lives easier.”

“Leave me the fuck alone, Rafe,” You grumbled as you stared at your ruined shoes beneath you. The less you had to look at him, the better.

A harsh hand grabbed your hair, yanking your head back to you were forced to look up. “You’re so lucky I convinced Rose to bring you up here. She was going to leave you at the house, all alone.”

Your hand grabbed his forearm and squeezed it tightly until he finally let go. “Am I supposed to appreciate that? This isn’t the first time you’ve stolen me from my family, you fucking psychopath!” The harsh sting on your cheek was expected and after you got over the initial pain of the slap, you couldn’t help but laugh at the situation in front of you and got to your feet. “God! What is it going to take for you to learn that I’m never staying with you, I hate every part of your being, and no matter how long you think you can keep me here, JJ and John B will find me, and you are going to lose. I will make sure of it.”

Chest to chest with the face of the person who haunted your sleep, the rush of anger and adrenaline in your veins held you still as you looked him in the eye. You refused to be scared of him, not when you were hundreds to thousands of miles from your family. 

The silence was teirrifying in itself before Rafe tugged your arm and led you out of the room. You didn’t bother to ask questions and refused to let him know you were nervous. He turned a few corners, grip getting increasingly tighter before practically launching you into a room like the one you had been. 

The first person you saw was Sarah, her face exhausted and annoyance evident in her features. You were thankful to see her, knowing the two of you might have a chance of getting out of here together. All of that hope disappeared the second the person sitting across from her turned to look at you. Ward Cameron, alive and well in front of you. It was almost silly to think your group would finally get a chance at the gold, or even the cross again.

Ward ignored your presence in the room, continuing to explain to Sarah about his remorse for not calling her, for the whole lie of his death. Rafe didn’t hesitate to make a shitty comment about being the only grateful child. His fingers ran across the bare skin of your neck making you tense as you stood there, frozen.

“That’s psychopathic. Both of you,” Sarah shot back, her eyes drifting from Rafe behind you to her father.

“I promised Rafe that he would’t go to prison for helping me,” Ward continued, “I had to make good on that promise.”

“Not that you care.”

“Did it look like I didn’t care when I thought Dad was dead?” Your friend defended herself as she glared at her brother. 

Rafe shook his head. “It-It actually looked like you cared about running off with some asshole-”

“It looked like all you cared about was the inheritance!” Tugging your arm out of Rafe’s grasp, you shoved him away from you in favor of sitting on the couch near Sarah. 

Ward eventually got both siblings to quit screaming before turning towards her again. “I know you’re angry right now, and rightfully so. The important thing is that it’s all behind us now. It is. We’re gonna live a new life, a-and Y/N can stay with us. All of us, together.” 

“Oh, hell no,” You mumbled under your breath, palms coming up to rub your eyes in hopes that you would blink and be back at home with JJ. You couldn’t even be surprised about the way everything went down, and of course, Rafe gets to drag you into it because Ward doesn’t care what he does. 

Sarah stared at her dad blankly as he attempted to convince her that the destination would be paradise. You kept watching as he slid a stack of tourist papers over to her. She leaned forward to catch them all in her hands before shoving them back towards Ward. “I want to call my friends, and I want to call my boyfriend. Can I at least just tell them that Y/N and I are okay?”

To your shock, Ward nodded. “Yes, of course you can. As soon as we get there, you both can call John B. He knows you’re here, right?”

You let out a bitter laugh, “No. He doesn’t. Your psychopathic son kidnapped us and your crazy ass wife drugged us!” Your brother would much rather throw himself into the ocean than let something like this happen.

Ward copied your laugh and threw all the crumbled papers into the garbage. “He came by the house not long after you two fell asleep. You know the cross you’ve all been looking for? Rafe was able to get it. Turns out, that I guess historically, it belongs to the Heywards.”

“Yeah, we know.”

“Well, it turns out that the most important thing to me, is you, so I gave John B the cross for you. And I let Rafe bring Y/N, because you need someone you can trust, and I know that’s not me right now.”

You and Sarah shared a glance, completely unbelieving of any word Ward was speaking. You crossed your arms over your chest. “Oh, and John B was okay with that?”

Ward came to crouch between the two of you. “Well, um, I had just given him a half-billion-dollar artifact, so, yeah. He seemed pretty okay. I don’t know what to tell you, girls”

You wanted nothing more than to kick him straight in the face and to watch his blood pour across his dress shirt. This family was fucked up and you weren’t staying here much longer to find out how bad. Whether you had to swim to the closest island or find a way to sneak out yourself, you were gonna do it. 

Rose and Wheezie came in a few moments later, Wheezie very much excited about the idea of going to a privately owned island. Sarah completely ignored her sibling in favor of looking up to avoid eye-contact. It didn’t take long for the awkward silence to win, with Rafe and Ward heading who knows where and Wheezie leaving in search of cards for you, Sarah, and Rose to be left. 

Sarah nudged your foot slightly, giving you a look before she groaned and stood up. You watched her carefully, not sure what exactly she had planned but giving her the space to do so. Suddenly, she stumbled across the room, catching Rose’s attention.

“Whoa, Sarah. Hey, what’s wrong, sweetie?” The magazine she was holding was discarded, her attention now fully on her stepchild.

“I just think I’m gonna be seasick,” Sarah whined as she leaned against one of the counters. 

Rose stood up from her seat, claiming she had ‘just the thing’ to cure Sarah’s faux sickness. While Rose occupied herself with digging through the closet, Sarah was waving you along out the door that Wheezie had accidentally left open. The two of you slipped out into the yellow-lit hallway and made your way through an open door to the cargo area. Glancing around, your eyes caught sight of the one object that definitely wasn’t supposed to be here: The Cross of Santo Domingo.

Tapping Sarah’s arm aggressively, you caught her attention before pointing towards the object that was resting in a large wooden crate. With a roll of her eyes and a newfound anger, she continued out of the hallway until you guys finally came to fresh air. You took a long look at the ocean, no sign of land anywhere near, before following Sarah up a flight of stairs towards the main cabin.

From the window, you could identify two crew members inside but a freehand walkie talkie close by that you could snag given a distraction. Sarah motioned to two almost empty buckets of paint that were set nearby. She grabbed one and waved you towards the doorway before tossing it across the deck. One of the crew members turned immediately at the noise as Sarah ducked to hide. 

As the crew member stepped outside, you had just enough time to grab the walkie talkie and step back out to where Sarah was hiding. Fingers shaking as you dialed 911, neither you nor Sarah even saw a crew member approaching when the radio crackled to life. 

“Dispatch 60290.”

“Hello? Hello, my name’s Y/N, I’m on a boat called the Coastal Venture. I’m with Sarah Cameron, we’ve-we’ve been kidnapped. I need-” Someone grabbed the radio of your hands with a demanding shush of silence. You stared at him with wide eyes as he kept your shoulder pressed against the wall and raised the radio to his ear.

“Yeah, that’s just my teenage daughter playing pranks again. Yeah, sorry.” He ended the call and applied more pressure to keep you in your spot as Sarah watched, concern. “You’re in deep shit, kid.”

Another crew member came to watch you and Sarah while the previous one, you assumed the captain, busied himself with calling Ward. The man was quick to come to your location, giving you and Sarah a glare as he stepped in to speak with the captain. 

Taking a deep breath, you slouched against the side of the boat and slumped down against the wall. You just wanted to get the hell off this ship and as far away from the Cameron family as you possibly could. Rafe’s weird obsession with you was becoming a little too real at this point, especially if he’s somehow convinced Ward to bring you along as if it wouldn’t just raise questions.

“Are you okay?” Sarah asked as sat down next to you. She knew it was an obvious question and that you probably didn’t want to talk to her, but she felt like she needed to ask.

You shrugged, eyes scanning the ocean around you. “I thought I would be free of this… repetitive endless loop. I don’t know why your brother is so obsessed with me, but Sarah… if it comes between staying on this boat or jumping into the ocean, I’m out,” You admitted as you looked over at her. “I don’t expect you to follow me, it’s probably a death wish, but I can’t stay here.”

“I’d come with you,” She admitted in a heart beat. “Somehow I just know you and I would do better out there than we think.”

Your small conversation was interrupted when Ward slammed the door of the cabin shut and stomped towards both of you. He didn’t hesitate to grab the hoods of your jackets and drag you down the stairs to the main level. There was a moment of quiet, one you dreaded because you knew the screaming match was on the other side. 

“Do you want them to take you?” The question was low and heavy as it slipped from Ward’s mouth.

“We didn’t ask to be here!” Sarah defended as she tossed her hands around in frustration.

“You’re here, and you’re staying here!” Ward screamed right back, the tone of his voice enough to send you into shock as you stumbled back away from him. It had been months since you’d heard him yell that way and it still struck you in the gut the way it had before. He was terrifying, and he scared you, and worst of all, he knew it too.

Sarah smacked her dad’s hand away in order to grab yours and pull you with her as she stormed away from the scene. What the two of you missed, was the sight of your brother looking over the railing with the painful realization that Ward Cameron was alive. What you missed, was that your friends managed to sneak on the boat and were looking for you and Sarah, risking their own lives and recruiting Cleo to help their mission. Your body felt like it was floating, no doubt your brain’s defense to keep you away from all the memories threatening to cave you in. Part of you regretted hopping over the wall to help Sarah that night, but honestly, you didn’t. You didn’t want her to go through this alone.

Turning the wrong corner, your luck ran you straight into Rafe Cameron, who had obviously been waiting for your arrival. He took your moment of distraction to grasp onto your wrist and twist your arm painfully behind your back. A sharp whimper left your mouth as he pushed you along, Sarah screaming and fighting her dad behind you. 

“You Pogues never learn your lesson, huh? Someone always has to get hurt.” His statement was venomous yet you still wanted to roll your eyes at him. Kook King Rafe Camerone wouldn’t be winning every battle, you would make sure of that. Especially once you got off this boat with Sarah, one of his biggest prizes would be swimming away before he could blink. 

Rafe pulled you into a dark red room, an alarm blaring nearby for unknown reasons, but it was enough to give you a headache. “This is what happens when we can’t trust you,” Rafe tried to reason.

You laughed and moved away from him when he dropped his grip. “Oh, yes. Because you and your dad are so trustworthy!” You shot back as Ward and Sarah stumbled in the room together. “We saw the cross. The whole ridiculous speech you gave about trading it was see through. Do either of you ever tell the truth?” 

You felt like a little kid arguing with your dad as you did so often. He always took John B’s side, never yours. He never let you do anything that your brother got away with. Your whole life, you were second place, limited, weak. And here you were, back in the same scenario with Ward and Rafe screaming at you and Sarah. 

“Since you both clearly cannot make good decisions, I will make them for you!” Ward turned towards you after he finished yelling at his daughter. “Decision one, you will not see John B or that Maybank boy again. Ever. You’re both coming with us, for good. One day, you will see. You’ll grow up and you’ll see I’m doing this for you.” He pointed at Sarah before making a move to leave.

“No, you’re not!” She clipped back. “Everything you do is for yourself. You are greedy. You are selfish. You are manipulative, you are a liar.”

“I am your father.”

“And you are a murderer.” 

The loud smack that followed made you gasp as Ward’s hand landed against Sarah’s cheek. With wide eyes, you launched yourself on Ward’s back and wrapped your arm around his neck, choking him with force. 

“You sick son of a bitch!” You screamed as he tried to pull you off to no avail. Rafe’s hands yanked at your jacket before Sarah launched at him with a wrench she found nearby. Ward’s fingers grasped as your arms as he gasped for air, but you weren’t giving up so easily. “Oh, how’s it feel, Ward Cameron? Is this how you killed my father? Tossed him in the ocean to never be seen again? Payback’s a bitch, isn’t it?”

He moved sharply, nailing your spine into a ridge in the wall that had you crying in pain and releasing your hold on him. You didn’t hesitate to collect yourself off the ground, pulling Sarah’s arm from where she had just knocked Rafe in the back of the head so the two of you could get out of there. Sarah turned and locked the door as quickly as possible, but the heavy metal did nothing to mute the screams coming from the other side. 

A broken order to meet at the tween forward hull came over the PA but neither of you bothered to listen to it and continued to run as far as you could. Sarah turned a sharp corner, leading the two of you straight to where a decent sized lifeboat was dangling over the water. She tossed her sweatshirt inside and moved to unlock all the latches keeping everything tied up.

You followed her lead, grabbing anything that looked useful before hitting the lever to move the lifeboat further over the water so you could lower it. It hit the water shortly after, both of you sharing a smile of success before you started throwing the ladder off the side to climb down. Throwing the last rung off the side, you stood up straight with a smile. “Let’s go home, Sarah.”

When the blonde girl didn’t answer, you turned around to see her in a staring match with her father who had managed to escape the lock on the door. She took a step back into your hands, pointing a sharp finger at her dad. “You get the hell away from me! I’m not doing this shit anymore, I’m not going with you!” She shouted angrily.

Ward surprisingly nodded. “I know, I get it. I mean it took a while because I didn’t wanna believe, but… I finally understand what everybody was trying to tell me. You’re not one of us. Right? Not anymore. And you never will be. But now, the problem is this… what do I do now?”

“You let us go,” Sarah said, the nerves clear throughout her body as she stood in front of him. You could tell she was terrified and after the events of today, you didn’t blame her. 

“Let you go?” Ward repeated before laughing. “Let you go back and tell everyone that I’m alive and tell them where we are and what we’ve done? Baby, come on now. You know I can’t do that.” He placed his hands on her neck softly. “I don’t know what to do with you!” 

In a swift movement, his grip tightened and he pushed her back against the metal side. You screamed in shock, jumping forward to grab Ward’s throat and throw him off balance. He seemed to be expecting it though, and with a harsh shove, you were colliding with the other wall of the boat. 

Your body was sending big red flags with even the slightest of movements. Your shoulder ached, back scorching with pain, but you refused to watch Sarah die at the hands of her own father. Attempting to sit up, you grabbed the side of the boat but a sharp pain up your spine kept you grounded.

“Sarah! Let her go!” You screamed in hopes that someone, anyone would hear and stop Ward. You knew you were hopeful to think anyone would even come in between him and murdering someone, but you had to try.

“Get off her!”

A blur of pink flooded your vision as someone ran forward, yanking Ward off of Sarah. The Cameron patriarch crumbled to the ground with the force of the punch before you were able to focus your vision enough to recognize your brother was standing a few feet away. He didn’t hesitate to hold Sarah in his grasp, the two of them mumbling reassurances as you managed to pull yourself into a sitting position.

“John B!” Your shout was a split second late as Ward managed to get back on his feet and tackled your brother from his spot. Sarah yelled out in shock, her hands grasping at her dad in a futile attempt to make him stop. John B managed to elbow Ward in the ribs to gain enough time to pull away and kick the older man in the stomach.

Once John B had the upper hand, Sarah took a second to run to your side. “I gotcha, here.” Her hands were gentle as they helped pull you from the ground, a sharp hiss leaving your lips as you did so. All the nonstop running and chaos more than likely irritated previous injuries and subjected you to new ones. There wasn’t any time to worry about it now, though.

John B managed to hit hard enough that Ward’s skull connected with the low side of the boat causing an instant formation of blood. You watched as your brother crouched down to taunt the man who had ruined so much of his life. “Is this how you did it? Is this how you killed my father? You just threw him in the ocean?”

Tears burned your eyes as you listened to John B almost repeat the exact same thing you had said to Ward not too long ago. As much as you tried to avoid it, you were just kids. Kids who were mourning their father who had been lost. There was no closure, no happy ending, and you were thrown head first into this crazy whirlwind of treasure hunting with no form of guidance. 

“I never got to say goodbye because of you. This is all your fault.” 

John B shifted to pick Ward up by the fabric of his shirt, leaning to throw the man overboard as he pictured his father in a similar position. He hesitated, taking a second to look at Sarah, who gave him a teary nod. Your brother looked to you next, taking in the exhaustion on your face and the tears on your cheeks as you held yourself in a hug. He refused to let you watch him do this, and he refused to let Sarah feel alone because of him. 

Deciding against what he really wanted to do, John B let go of Ward’s shirt. Sarah let out a visible sigh of relief but didn’t say a word. Your brother was quick to jump back into action. “Hey, we gotta go, okay? I got you, we gotta pick up the others.”

He turned to you a second later before pulling you into a bone crushing hug. A sob threatened to break free from your throat at the feeling of being held by your older brother, the realization that he actually didn’t forget about you this time overwhelming. You couldn’t care about the pain rushing through your body with every movement, you were just glad he was here.

“You’re okay, promise,” He reassured as he let go to hold your hand instead. Turning back to Sarah, he grabbed her hand too before the three of you placed yourselves on the edge of the boat. You could see the lifeboat down below and there was no time to climb the ladder at this point. John B gave a quick countdown before you jumped into the dark ocean below. 

The water felt cool for a moment, relaxing the tension in your body as you swam to the surface. John B and Sarah were there seconds later, all of you swimming as fast as possible towards the lifeboat. Grabbing the ropes along the side, you kicked your legs as hard as you could to get some momentum to climb up the boat. Each movement caused a tingling sensation across your back, but you had come way too far to stop now.

John B climbed up next, reaching out to help Sarah before he moved to start the engine. Just as it kicked to life, you watched as two more people jumped from the deck of the boat into the water. John B quickly steered the lifeboat in their direction until you could make out Pope’s familiar face alongside a girl you hadn’t seen before.

Hands reaching out, you and Sarah grabbed onto the girl and pulled her aboard as John B hauled Pope up next to you. “Oh my God!” Sarah practically screamed as she recognized the girl you had just pulled from the water. “Cleo, holy shit!”

“Long time no see, girl,” Cleo responded as she hugged Sarah tightly. You didn’t bother with introductions, figuring it could wait until you weren’t fighting for your life in an endless ocean.

“Where’s J and Kie?” 

Your brother’s question had you turning towards him in concern. “JJ?” You repeated your boyfriend’s name in shock that the whole damn crew had managed to sneak onto the boat without getting caught. 

“We’re gonna find them,” John B assured you as he began to turn the boat towards the other side of the Coastal Venture. 

The rush of water in your ears was almost deafening but even still, you could hear a distance scream, “John B! Help!”

You could make out Kie’s head as she strugged to swim above the rocky waves. Your heart sank as you recognized the blond hair barely moving next to her. “JJ!” 

Similar screams echoed behind you as hands fought hands to grab onto your boyfriend and relieve Kie of his weight so she could climb up. You and John B managed to pull him up in between the two of you as you tried to wake him up. The sight of blood on his forehead terrified you.

“J, come on.” You were so sick of crying all the time, but nothing scared you more than the idea of JJ not being here. “Come on, come on!” You tapped his cheek aggressively, trying in vein to snap him out of shock. You were so overwhelmed with trying to wake him up that you didn’t notice the lifeboat engine stalling, or the face that Rafe had a gun aimed straight at you. 

“JJ, please!” Your voice cracked with tears that you couldn’t hold back as the reality that JJ might not be coming back from this fight hit you full force. “You can’t leave me, you promised! Wake up!”

An aggressive cough finally escaped his mouth as he let out all the water he had inhaled while unconscious. A wave of relief took over as you finally relaxed next to him with your hand still on his shoulder in fear that he would disappear if you let go. Everyone crowded him with words of concern as John B continued to steer you all away. 

JJ followed the feeling along his arm up to your worried face. You stared back at him, a small smile on your lips with ugly tears no doubt still on your cheeks. His expression was blank, probably confused from what he woke up to, but he was okay, and that was all that mattered.

“Sup?”

You collided against him, hands searching for any bare skin you could grab to just feel him, and hold him, and ground yourself. JJ shifted to sit up so he could hold you properly, letting you settle into his lap once he got his thoughts together. His arms were snug around you as he pieced together that you were okay, and you were here, with him. No more Rafe Cameron, no more kidnapping. You were safe in his arms.

“Just always looking for attention, huh?”

JJ laughed, one of his hands letting go of your waist to gently touch the side of his head. “What the hell happened?”

“Blunt end of a machete,” Kie answered simply, grabbing one of the towels you had thrown aboard to hold it against JJ’s head to stop the bleeding.

“Next time, duck.”

As the boat continued to coast away from the Coastal Venture, vows of the treasure hunt not being over were promised, but you couldn’t bring yourself to care. You were just thankful to have your family, here, in one piece more or less. That was all that mattered.

Your group settled into a rather comfortable conversation, everyone catching up on what was missed. Cleo was apparently the girl who had helped Sarah and John B in Nassau, saving their lives more than once. Your friends had snuck onto the boat through one of the shipping containers, sweating it out until Pope and John B were brave enough to take the risk to look around. Sarah relayed your half of the story, letting everyone know how Ward had escaped and Rose was in on it. 

“Hi,” JJ’s voice was quiet as he looked down at you. Your sweatshirt sleeve had been ripped off in favor of wrapping the material around his head to keep the bleeding down, but if you were honest, it just made him look silly. 

“Hi,” You repeated as you leaned your head against his shoulder, not wanting to separate from him yet. Your heart was racing, the adrenaline refusing to wear off just yet until you guys found safety somewhere. This never ending battle of attempting to find some normalcy was pointless now, and all you could hope for was that your family would be able to stick together through whatever was coming.

“Are you okay?” JJ lips were gentle on your temple as he held you close. He couldn’t lie around the fear in his chest when you went missing. There was no way to tell if you were okay, if Rafe had gotten to you or if you were in a mindset he couldn’t pull you out of. JJ just wanted to make everything okay again. 

You looked up at him, placing a small kiss on his jawline before settling in the crook of his neck. “I will be.”

And so, here you were. A group of chaotic, overwhelmed teenagers who had nothing to their names. No food, no clothes, just you and the wide ocean ahead of you. You didn’t know what would happen from here, if you guys would figure it out or if you would die in this lifeboat with nothing left. But you honestly couldn’t care; as long as you had your family with you, you’d be fine.

To going full Pogue.

--

navigation -- series masterlist

tags: @strawberryfolks @jinxfirebolt18902 @lnnlove @itsmytimetoodream @dazzlingnights

[idreamofasriel-blog]

Metal Slug Past Life Ch 9

It was a long trip from Head Quarters to the train station for Marco and Fio. Marco ordered Tarma to stay behind to keep watch over Kartu and Fio asked Eri to dig up more information on Kronos Corp and she obeyed. Marco pulled the Jeep up to the station and found the train covered in bullet holes, deep dents, charred marks, and smoke smoldering from some of the box cars. They both got out and Fio couldn't keep her eyes off of the damaged train and box cars. Ralf and Clark were already giving orders to have all supplies and ammunition removed and any fire put out. Fio happily greeted Leona and Clark with an energetic wave and the young woman waved back and greeted Fio. “So what happened here, Colonel?” Marco asked, eyeing the mess on the train and its box cars. “We got ambushed by The Rebels and it looked like they got help too once again.” Said Ralf, who was covered in bruises, cuts, and a swollen eye that's in need of an ice pack. “Morden got help again? Do you know who's helping him?” Marco asked Ralf. Ralf shook his head, “No but they were wearing animal masks over their faces and gave all of us a good beating.” Marco raises a brow. The memory of his dream came flooding into his mind of the animals he saw in his dream and the train they were chasing after. “Ralf, you better tell me the full story about these masked fighters and Morden getting help from them.” It was after their meeting with the PF Squad when General Heidern gave his orders to the Ikari Warriors to protect the newly found mechanical Drake they transfer from the Kalahari desert. After removing loads after loads of sand to bring the metal beast out of the ground, they transfer it with a flatbed truck and then carefully flew it all the way to where PF Squad's headquarters could be reached by train. Ralf saluted to the general and promises him a swift and successful job and left the briefing room with Clark, Leona, and Whip. So far, the trip has been rather quiet except for the rhythm of the train going over the tracks and the tranquil view of the desert. Clark looked out the box car's window and smiled a bit when he see a Roadrunner chasing after a snake to make into its today's meal. “You should get yourself a Roadrunner, Ralf. They sure love to eat snakes like spaghetti.” Clark joked and Ralf playfully rolled his eyes at him.  “More like a pet for Whip. Have you seen how fast those birds move when they grab one? They swing them around like they're made of rope. Makes you think if Whip was a Roadrunner in her previous life.” “Maybe I can train it to bring snakes back to you, Ralf since you're so fond of them.” Whip retorted back. Ralf shivered at the thought of a dopey looking bird running up to him with a snake, dead or alive, in its beak and offering it to him as food. Whip smirked, it was funny to her to see the man who harasses her with the nickname Whippy squirming at the thought of a bird feeding him a snake. Leona couldn't help but smile, watching and listening to two fully grown men and a teenage girl talking about a bird that lives in the desert and eats snakes for dinner. Her smile soon ended and a concern expression began and she got off the crate she was sitting on and look out the window. Seeing a Rebel Motorbike going at a fast pace to keep up. “Ralf, we're being chased!” The whole box car shook violently and they grabbed on to something to prevent themselves from falling. A Rebel Soldier shot a missile, leaving a massive hole big enough for the others to climb in and start shooting at them. They took cover and started shooting back at the Rebels. Clark punched a rebel in the face, instantly knocking the soldier out and more moved in to get a better shot at The Ikari Warriors. Ralf exchanged shots and they hear more of them on the roof of the boxcar and two heavy ones accompanying them. Leona cleared the area with her explosives earrings and they moved out while gunning down any rebels still coming in. Ralf swung the door open and a R-Shobu flew in to gun them down. They were quick to take cover and shot back at the pilot and it was Whip who took down the R-Shobu with a throw of a knife. It loses control and crashes into the desert, bursting into flames. “Nice throw, Whippy.” Ralf smiled at her and they quickly climbed onto the roof of the boxcar. They thought the heavy footsteps were coming from Allen O'Neil and his son but they were in for a surprise when they saw who was making those heavy footsteps. Standing before them was a huge muscular of a man. He wore a blue jean coat with the sleeves ripped off and he had a tattoo of a wild stallion bucking it's hind legs into the air, throwing the rider off of it on his arm and he wore a thick chain necklace with a silver horseshoe attached to them. He wore a hand carved and decoratively painted horse mask to conceal his identity and his black hair flowing wildly in the wind. He wore black fingerless gloves and he cracked his knuckles then moved his neck around to crack it too. “I was about to come down to see if you need any help getting your ass kicked,” He said, with malice grin appearing on his face. “Funny coming from a guy who mask should be a horse's ass.” Ralf replied and getting into a fighting stance. Climbing from the other side and taking one big leap to land on the box car's roof is another man but this one was wearing a dog mask and he was Ralf's size. His brown hair was a butch cut and he got claw and bite scars all over his arms and neck. He wore a spiked dog collar and a black shirt with a picture of the snarling heads of Cerberus breathing out fire. “Need any help, Bronco?” He said, staring at the Ikari Warriors face-to-face. “Just in time, Hellhound. I'm going to need some help taking these four down.” Hellhound scoffs, “No problem while Poe and Celestial take care of their special cargo before the boss gets here to claim it.” “Over our dead bodies!” Ralf shouted and charged at Bronco. Bronco's punch was like getting kicked in the face by a horse and Clark tackled the man as if he was a bag of flour. “Leona! Whip! Get to the flatbed while Ralf and I take on these goons!” Clark shouted and dodging Bronco's punch. Leona and Whip obeyed Clark and passed the men and climb off the roof of the boxcar while fighting off any Rebels who dares to attack them. It'll take more than a punch in the eye to stop Ralf Jones from fighting. He was back on his feet again and ready to fight against Hellhound. “Most men Bronco punched would have just given up and run away with their tail between their legs,” Hellhound laughed “But you, huh, I'm going to have so much fun mauling on you.” Ralf grinned at him, “Big words coming from a mongrel.” Hellhound loses his temper and charges at Ralf. Ralf moved to the side and he kept blocking punches that Hellhound threw at him. He even threw some of his own back at Hellhound. He did punch him in the jaw and Hellhound punched him back in the chest and the men kept blocking and dodging their moves with Hellhound giving Ralf a fiery uppercut that burned his chin. Ralf was not going to give up and land a blowing kick on Hellhound and he hopes that Whip and Leona could read the flat bed on time to stop Celestial and Poe. Clark, meanwhile, locked hands with Bronco in a struggling shoving match. Both men with sweat dripping down their faces and shirt stained with it. Neither of them wanting to be pushed back by the other and waiting for the other to slip up. “Not bad for a man who works out all day,” Bronco huffs and shakes the sweat off his face, “But are you strong enough to defeat a man with the strength of a herd of wild horses?” Clark smiled, “Yes. Let me show you.” Bronco's jaw dropped and felt Clark getting a good hold on him and grabbing him in an arm lock. Struggling to free himself, Clark slams him and himself through the roof and into the box car. Leona threw a Rebel against three of them and they toppled over and fell off the train while Whip reflecting their bullets right back with her weapon. The path is cleared and they made their way to the next box car and swung the door open. Looking around the quiet box car, Leona and Whip crept inside,  they made their way to the next door when a blade flew and stuck itself into the wall, nicking Leona's ear. Standing behind them with throwing knives ready in hand is an athletic woman, wearing a raven mask and black pants and hooded sweater with a white Celtic knotting of a Raven taking flight. She wore a silver dragon ring with its tail curled around her middle finger and silver feather earrings and chopped up blond hair. “So this is Poe,” said Whip, getting her whip ready to fight. “But where is this Celestial character those two meatheads were talking about?” Her question is answered when Celestial smashed the window in and swiped at Whip with his talon made gloves, only grazing her arm and a thin man with a Rooster mask slipped through the door. He has a red Mohawk and wore torn blue jean pants and black boots with talons crafted onto them. He has an orange bandanna tied around his neck and wore a leather vest with a patch of a Rooster with its wings spread out and talons slashing in the air. “Funny, I thought we were expecting some roosters to fight, not a couple of hens,” Celestial laughs, “Let's cut them up, Poe.” Poe took on Whip, leaving Celestial to fight against Leona in an arm-to-arm combat. Leona dodges and weaved away from Celestial's slashing talons and kicks and caught his wrist in time to punch him in the face and let out a small cry when she felt the other hand claw at her other arm. Grabbing that one too, she moved in for a headbutt, causing Celestial to stumble and making a move to rapidly land blows after blows on him before he regains his stance to fight back again. Poe kept throwing knives at Whip but she got the upper hand on her with her whip. Spinning it fast enough to create a barrier to keep the knives from touching and took a quick step to the side when Poe charges at her with a combat knife. Poe plunged the knife in the wall and freed it turn her attention toward Whip. She took her whip and transform it into a blade and the girls clashed against each other with their weapons. Pushing back against each other, locking into a fierce staredown before pushing each other back. Poe came back charging at her and only to make a cut on her uniform before getting kicked in the stomach, knocking some wind out of her. Back to Ralf and Clark, Bronco was getting up before Clark got him into a headlock but not for long after Bronco smacks the back of his head against Clark's face to free himself and giving Clark a broken bloody nose. The masked man let out an aggressive cry and slams his foot on the ground so hard that the impact rocked the entire box car, shaking everyone around him, and striking Clark with a massive shock wave. “Has anyone ever told you not to mess with a stallion when it kicks back?” Bronco cracks his knuckles and raises his fist to punch Clark. Clark caught it just in time swung the man over his shoulder and gave him a beating of a lifetime. Bronco's mask is half shattered but not his spirit. He landed a powerful right on Clark's back to make the man fall over. Bronco smirk, getting cocky now and thinking that he got the fight in the bag. He lands another kick but felt Clark's hands grabbing him by the ankle and with one amazing swing, Clark breaks him right through the Box car's door and watched the man wildly tumble and roll across the dusty dry ground, laying there as the train rapidly pulled away and all he can see is a fading figure slowly getting up. Hellhound and Ralf were a mess. Hellhound didn't care that his mask was dangling by one strap and his face can be seen. All he cared about right now is winning his fight against Ralf and his blood is boiling that he's not winning. “You have given me one Hell of a dog fight I got to give you that,” he said, spitting the blood out of his mouth. “Now it's time put this fight to sleep.” Ralf has a nasty black eye and blood coming out of his mouth and he wiped it away and charges at him. In unison, they landed one punch after another on each other fists and Hellhound swoops his leg to knock Ralf over. He grinned and slammed his elbow right into Ralf's stomach and returned the favor with his kick. They did feel the box car violently shook from Bronco's wrath and focused on not losing their balance and went back to fighting. “Time to put you back in the dog house!” Ralf took him by surprise and moved in with his lighting speed punching. Poor Hellhound never had a chance. He felt like a piece of meat being tenderized by an angry chef and felt every blow. He could no longer stand on his own and Ralf KO him right on the spot with an uppercut and watched him fly into the air and then crash back to earth through the hole that Clark made. Ralf jumped through the hole and found Clark inside, “Let's go help Leona and Whip.” “For two hens, I'm impressed by how well you two fight,” said Celestial, he moved in to keep fighting with Leona and his attacks kept getting dodge and know all too well that Leona is getting tired and he lands scratches on her. She is getting tired of this and summons a powerful aura from her hands and feet. “Time to clip this bird's wings.” she said and with one swift of her hand, Celestial's gloves became useless and the man stood in horror, watching the talons clinking across the floor, he's been unarmed and it's not looking good for him. Leona moves in for the finishing move and made a nasty cut across his chest and kick him hard enough that he flew across the room and hit his back against the wall. Celestial slid down, defeated. Whip was just wrapping up her fight against Poe and finished with the crack of her whip. They smiled and high five each other and turn their attention toward the door when Ralf and Clark came in, “I see you two don't be needing our help after all.” said Ralf, seeing Poe and Celestial knocked out. “We stopped them from reaching the cargo just in time.” said Leona and flinched from her pain. “We better get you to a medic right away.” said Ralf, checking Leona's injuries and Clark checks Whip's. Poe groaned and grabbed her throwing knife and aims for Leona's chest. Ralf notices this from the corner of his eye and shoves Leona to protect her. It happened so fast with Ikari Warriors. They thought at first that they were going to lose Ralf on their mission but they didn't predict what happened next. A stream of light zoomed by them in a blink of an eye and everything around them came to a stand still. Ralf and the rest can see and hear but their bodies were frozen in place and the throwing knife was an inch away from stabbing Ralf in the heart. The box car's door slid open and stepped inside was a young man wearing a goat mask. His hair is a mess even if it was in a ponytail. He wore a hooded cloak and ash gray tunic underneath it and leather boots. He carries a satchel swung on his shoulder and he walked by Ralf and stopped and turn his attention to him and the knife. Ralf couldn't defend himself and this was the perfect timing for the man to kill him. Instead, he reached out and removed the knife and stored it in his bag. “Poe, my grandfather said no killing anyone.” he scolds her and ordered the Rebels to remove Celestial and Poe to safety. He opened the door and step to the flatbed and close the door and lock it. Everything was quiet and they can hear the young man ordering the rebels to remove the chains and tarps of the Drake and ordered them to remove the chest plate to insert the heart he has in his satchel. It went quiet again and the whole train began to rumble and shake and they heard a loud thunderous roar and more violent shaking around the train. Booming footsteps faded away and the young man didn't come back inside. Time sped up for them again and the train is moving at fast speed again. Ralf kicked the door out and the Ikari Warriors to find the flatbed empty of their precious cargo. “What do we now?” Leona asked Ralf who was taking his anger out on the cut chains on the ground. “First thing first,” Ralf turned to them, “We're going to do damage control and report this to General Heidern and the PF Squad.” When the story ended, Marco's dream was no coincidence to him. It was no doubt in his mind that it was some kind foretelling of the train robbery and even if he was awake early to warn them of it, he'll look like a fool in front of everyone if they were to ask him where he got this vital information on this plan. “But the young man mentioned his grandfather who's the master plan behind this robbery. We better dig deeper into Morden's plan and see who behind the theft and the new weapon they gave him.” said Marco. Ralf nodded, “Meanwhile, the Ikari Warriors and I are getting to get medical help and see what we have to do next.” Marco and Ralf saluted to each other and departed. Marco tells Fio that it's time to go even though she was helping Clark and Leona with their injuries. “Don't worry about us, Fio. We'll be in good hands.” Clark smiled at her and she waved goodbye to them and ran toward the jeep. The ride was awfully quiet and Fio can see that Marco is deep in his thoughts. She can tell when Marco moves his lips but not open them. “Are you okay, Marco?” Fio asked him with concern in her voice. Not saying a word, Marco drove the jeep to the side of the road and placed it in park. The Jeep sat idle and Marco turned to Fio, “I don't know if anyone will believe me or see me as a madman, Fio but....Last night I dreamt about the train robbery.”

[fathertyme1964]

Car and truck

car and Truck

It was 5 am and quiet at the farm today When truck started his loud engine agaist the rule but he wanted to play

It was so loud that the barn began to sway this way and that way and Every which Way

Now car was parked nearby trucks engine noise shattered his dream of being able to fly

Car looked at the time it was 5 am too early for the bells chime

You big oaff turn it off now You’re a bully truck you only good to be a plow

This irritated truck he got all red and off he went to clobber car to send baaack to bed

Then everyone could see that Truck was the best by far and the one that failed this test was car

He thought that car needed a good rest so he was going to smash him in the chest

Car smiled you never learn truck you play with fire you’re going to get burned

Truck was going full bore at Car who was for Truck to get a llittle bit closer because he was still to far

Car then put it in reverse to let truck zoom. pass and land in some muddy muck car will close up muddy field asked truck are you taking a mud bath or are you stuck

Car then laughed at truck and said its better to be nice than a big fat cat who is bigger and stronger just chasing mice

Car then continued to roll on by truck who was steaming all mad because car mad Truck look like a fool how sad

Truck had to wait for tractor all day to tow him out Truck was mad when tractor did arrive he just then began to shout

You old piece of rusted junk what took you so long Well I would have come sooner truck but I don’t like you and we don’t get along

Tractor then pulled him out of that muddy field just as the sun was coming down truck who was dripping with muck as he was pulled free Truck had a red face and a frown

He then went to the water tower to get cleaned up and take a shower

I will get that car next time it will be my turn to watch him burn

Truck was done he then went to look for car who was getting and oil change was not far

Car was by the barn when truck came to a quick stop covering car with dust Car no more games nothing but a has-been never was a bust

Car laughed at truck you’re too slow and you smoke You can just eat my dust and choke

Car then Burns rubber kicking up dust on his way out When the dust settled he was gone and truck just had to shout

I know where you’re going car and I’ll get there first and I’ll will be able to quench my thirst

Truck was not so dumb he knew car was going to the old water tower If truck took the old nob hill road which he had all power

To climb that steep of hill then he would be able to wait for the kill

Truck went up the old nob hill road up with ease he had all the power and all the skill

Then he saw the car coming up the road he was going really slow like a toad

Then car saw truck who was too big to hide the smuck

Car skidded to a stop and turned around but truck was right on his tail ready to pound

Car was sweating maybe this time truck was going to win He then saw a big turn up ahead but he was going too fast he brakes to hard and he begins to spin

Truck was so mad he never saw the turn then saw car go into a spin and laughs at car you are going to burn

Car was able to stop before the cliff but truck did not He was going too fast he missed car and went over where x marks the spot

Truck then tumbled down the cliff Truck was damaged badly and he felt stiff

Truck you ok down there I don't see you its car truck answered I'm banged in the rear I lost my roll bar and I can't steer

I have no front door and all my windows are no more Don’t go nowhere then car took off for help going faster than he ever went before

He went to get Tractor and Bulldozer and Flatbed Car brought help quickly to save truck from becoming dead

On the scene now were police who to keep on lookers who were trying to see if truck was hurt put up some flags that were red in the dirt

Flatbed then began to unwind his winch

Now Bulldozer attached to flatbed as an anchor and thought this will be a cinch

Tractor was now attached to the winch and was ready to go get truck Flatbed then began to send tractor over the cliff to get that smuck

Tractor got to Truck who wedged in tight Just you wait I will attached the winch to your bumper and Flatbed will pull us up with all his might

Flatbed cranked up his engine and slowly brought up the damaged Truck Who was our cold as ice then got wedged innabd was stuck

Tractor yelled to stop and went to get the cable off the rocks some of them began to fall but he was able to block

And keep them from hitting truck who was a punk and he woke up and said thanks you piece of junk

Tractor got him unstuck and flatbed got truck up and over he was badly damaged and look dead

Then truck yelled I’m ok and turned on his loy was he a sight

He had broken fenders and all his windows were broken front and rear Car it will be ok Truck we will fix you don't fear

They will make you better than before and paint you blue or red Truck was smiling as they put him on Flatbed I be back I'm not dead

3 month later Truck was painted blue He looked brand new

Car came by said looking good bro truck smiled They going to put me in this new show

Car rode up I missed you even though you are slower than molasses Truck laugh not any more son I have this big brand new hemi and car dropped his glasses

Car then replied but you still have that itty bitty brain but even though you’re still pain

Truck you still cant catch me because I want to watch and learn and see That friend don’t act like there three

With that car gave truck a hug and rolled on by and said to himself your still a bully and a thug

But I am glad you ok and dead and now its time for bed

Goodnight and turns off the lights

[floraexplorer]

Cloudberries & Woodsmoke Tea: a Newfoundland Beach Boil-Up

The sun is setting on our Fortune beach Boil-Up in Newfoundland, Canada.

We sip our tea from patterned china cups, looking out at the lapping waves, and Brian tells us this is the second cup of tea he’s ever drunk in his life.

“I never really thought I’d like the taste of tea – but it’s actually quite good!”

Brian Rose is a man who wears many hats. He’s lived in the tiny town of Fortune in Newfoundland & Labrador for most of his life, and is so proud of his hometown that he’s always planning new ways to attract more tourists. Brian runs the Fortune ferry offices, which shuttle passengers back and forth from the nearby French islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon each day. He owns the Fortune Hotel, which welcomes visitors venturing to the Fortune Head Geology Centre.

And now this native ‘Fortuner’ is branching out into his next endeavour: taking guests on ATV tours along the stunning coastline.

What was I doing in Fortune, Newfoundland?

The town of Fortune, on the southern tip of the Burin Peninsula, is about 360km from Newfoundland’s capital city of St Johns. It’s set in a valley, with water on both sides, and like many places in Newfoundland it was hugely affected by the cod moratorium in 1992 and the earlier resettlement program of the 1950s.

Unfortunately, I’d never heard of either of these crucial elements in Canada’s history before arriving in Newfoundland. Yet I quickly realised that both events have significantly shaped the lives and culture of modern-day Newfoundlanders: it’s the reason why communities were split apart, businesses dried up, and places were left empty and abandoned.

By the time we made it to Fortune, Kim and I had been exploring Canada for a week, driving our way across the province of Nova Scotia before catching a flight to Newfoundland and Labrador. We’d spent a few days in St John’s and left early that morning to drive four hours across the island.

It meant our journey to Fortune and its sister town of Grand Bank was our first real experience of Newfoundland.

Our first stop: arriving in Grand Bank, Newfoundland

Before meeting Brian in Fortune, we stopped off in nearby Grand Bank where we were spending the night: a town which immediately felt unusual to us both.

The landscape of this place was flat and empty, like a windswept beach. There were virtually no people on the streets – and although our quiet guesthouse, the Thorndyke Inn, had no staff around, there were two young builders walking across the roof instead, hammers and tape measures in hand.

Unsure where to go, we headed for the Provincial Seaman’s Museum, an angular and stark white building with a large mural on the wall which faced the street.

As we stood and looked up at the mural, an echo shivered through a hollow metal flagpole while its flag hung taut in the buffeting wind. It sounded like a strange kind of music. The gulls squawked, and I felt a chill skate across my skin.

There was an undeniable sense of anticipation. As if life was lived on some kind of edge out here.

Embarking on an ATV tour along the Newfoundland coast

We drove onwards to Fortune in order to meet Brian at the ferry offices for 3pm. Brian was red-faced, dressed in an orange shirt and cargo shorts, with an immediate question on his lips: “Would you ladies like me to pick up some beers for later?”

We drove behind Brian’s car, heading out of Fortune and into the countryside before eventually arriving at a covered ATV vehicle outside Brian’s house. He’d already packed it full with cooler bags and large bottles of water.

We added our own bags into the mix and clambered inside. I’d only ever ridden ATVs during off-roading trips – through desert sand dunes in Peru, for example – and those experiences are high paced and adrenaline fuelled. I wasn’t sure if that kind of trip was on the cards for Newfoundland!

But Brian’s ATV tour style was entirely different. He drove us through tall grass which towered over the vehicle’s framework, flinging his arm towards a variety of plants on either side.

There were clusters of pitcher plants, the carnivorous bell-shaped plants with pitfall traps. There were blueberry bushes, their fruits not yet ripe. There were bright purple petals known as fireweed – “it’s like caviar for honey bees,” Brian told us.

We moved further along a bumpy track until the cliff edge opened out beside us. Across the water was a thin stretch of flat land: Brunette island, the largest island in Fortune Bay. Once home to a small fishing community, Brunette island was resettled in the 1950s and now lies totally abandoned.

Brunette Island is a magical place for Brian. Occasionally he sails there with his teenage son: their friends drop them off with bags and drinking water in the afternoon and don’t return until the next morning.

When Brian spoke about the solitude of those overnight camping trips – the sense of space, the calm, the quiet – his eyes shone. It was fascinating, because it seemed at odds with his clear desire to bring more visitors to this part of Atlantic Canada.

Foraging for cloudberries and bakeapples

Approaching a large field, we saw two figures wandering in the distance. Brian practically leapt from the ATV — “Quick! Before they pick them all!”

‘Them’ turned out to be cloudberries, an amber-coloured fruit with a sharp tang. These tiny jewel-like berries have a myriad of other names: salmonberries, yellowberries, and bakeapples. The latter is a quintessentially Newfoundland & Labrador term – and this part of the province is famous for them.

We stopped the ATV and stepped out into the peaty moss land. I took care not to tread too heavily, cautious of squashing what I assumed were a finite number of cloudberries. But within moments I realised the entire field was covered with these tiny bursts of amber fruit, and I set to picking.

Eventually we reached the two figures who’d stopped their foraging to greet us. Wayne was with his niece from Toronto, who visits a few times each year – “and always now,” she said, “when we can pick berries.”

We stood in a little huddle as the wind whipped my hair across my face. Wayne grinned throughout our conversation: a Fortune man in his 70s, his thick Newfoundlander brogue meant I understand one word in ten. Brian’s accent changed when he spoke to Wayne too. It sounded like water.

The next hour saw us driving through wide open fields and down rocky gullets before eventually arriving at the empty house of Brian’s friend. We settled on the patio, cracked open our beers and soaked up the afternoon sunshine while delving into a surprisingly complex set of conversation topics: politics, tourism, the concept of home and what our origin stories mean to us.

And then we headed down towards the sea.

A Newfoundland Boil-Up on the beach

The ATV shrugged and jolted over wide flat stones, making a wide berth of the shoreline. When the vehicle pulled to a juddering halt, we jumped out to scavenge for driftwood.

Brian found an overhanging rock and began to construct a fire, slotting the wood together. He nestled a green pea can, its edges threaded with strong wire as a makeshift handle, into the fire, and then carefully poured a slug of fresh water inside.

He could have boiled our tea in a kettle – but, he explained, “I wanted it to be authentic.”

In the open flatbed of the ATV truck, Brian twisted the lids of jars filled with homemade jam – one of rhubarb and one of strawberry, both made by his Aunt Jean. He unpacked a tiny tupperware container of sugar; unwrapped fresh tea buns gifted by his mother that morning; carefully pulled bunched up paper towels from inside three china cups with painted details on the rim.

“This is essentially a Boil-Up,” he told us – a quintessential Newfoundland tradition where people gather on the beach for an outdoor picnic in a rural landscape.

As the woodsmoke continued to rise, we collected flat rocks to act as plates, spread the scones with fresh butter and even fresher jam, and Brian poured out the tea from its can.

We clinked our china cups together and sipped. The hot tea tasted delicious – almost as if it was flavoured with woodsmoke.

Sunset at Fortune Head Lighthouse

Once Brian learned that both Kim and I had a particular love for lighthouses, we decided to pack away our boil-up gear and drive to the Fortune Head lighthouse in time for sunset. “Fortune Head is the only place in North America where you can see the sun setting on France!” he told us with pride.

Up at the lighthouse in the fading light and amidst a suddenly strong wind, I breathed in the crisp air and gazed across the water to the French islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon. I wondered if their lives were anything like the one Brian enjoyed in Fortune.

Kim wandered off to take photos of the lighthouse against the setting sun and Brian beckoned to me. “Come here!” he whispered, indicating to the very edge of the cliff. “Listen!”

Amongst the sound of the gulls, I could hear water swishing back and forth over the jumbled collection of rocks far below us. It was so simple, but from the expression on his face it was a sound that Brian adored.

What’s next for Brian Rose, the man of Fortune?

The tiny town of Fortune may not receive hordes of visitors each year, but the place nonetheless exemplifies what rural Newfoundland is all about: simplicity, community, and a connection to nature.

Brian is acutely aware of what Fortune has to offer, and he already has bright ideas for the future of his ATV tours. He wants his guests to make crafts with old fishing ropes, courtesy of his fisherman friend; to go foraging in the fields with Wayne; to use the foraged fruits to make jam with his aunt Jean – different jams depending on the seasons, of course.

But hopefully the boil-up on Fortune beach will always be a part of the experience. It’s probably one of the most special memories I have from my fortnight travelling through Atlantic Canada – and as Brian pointed out to us, “You’ll never have a cup of tea that tastes better.”

He was right.

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NB: the majority of these photos are by Kim Leuenberger (except for a couple of my own which I snuck in). This trip was in paid partnership with Newfoundland & Labrador Tourism, but my immediate love for Brian’s newest venture is all my own. If you happen to be in Newfoundland, I highly recommend driving four hours from St Johns to Fortune, booking Brian’s tour and enjoying the best cup of woodsmoke tea you’ll ever drink!

The post Cloudberries & Woodsmoke Tea: a Newfoundland Beach Boil-Up appeared first on Flora The Explorer.

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