nightrunners

xxxv.

Cassiopeia hadn't realized that she had glued her eyes shut. Seeping through her cracked lips, she could taste her salty tears. The image of JJ's lifeless, bloodied body was all she could picture, and she knew well enough that if she looked down at him, the image would never clear her mind. The ringing in her ears had quieted to a feeble hum, and the melody of the early morning owls glided over her head. The Earth was quiet, as if the island had experienced its first snowfall. It wasn't until she heard Sarah's shrill scream that Cassiopeia peeled her eyes open.

They first landed on Rafe, whose own pair were wide and tense. His arm was still extended and shaking furiously, still pointing the gun at JJ. Cassiopeia took a hesitant breath and flicked her attention towards the Pogue, which to her surprise he was still alive, and untouched. His hands frantically ran over his body, trying to pinpoint any wounds. She surveyed the ground around him, no bullet holes in sight. Sarah's scream grew an octave higher. As Cassiopeia snapped her head towards the group of Pogues, her stomach fell. Then it dawned on her, it wasn't JJ that was shot, it was John B.

Sarah hovered over her boyfriend, desperately pressing her hands down on his blood-stained Hawaiian shirt.

"Get help!" She screamed into the night. Kiara was instantaneously by her side, trying to coax John B back into consciousness. She placed her trembling fingers under her friend's head, hoping to elevate him slightly. Pope was frantically reaching into his pockets, pulling out his phone to try and dial help, but his fingers were quivering so badly that his phone slipped from his hands in the process.

"Rafe," Cassiopeia breathed out. The boy suddenly looked at her and she watched him gulp carefully. He shook his head slowly and stepped to the side, revealing the shorter, blonde Kook.

"Topper," Sarah screamed, "What the fuck, why did you do this?"

Topper stood there firmly, feet apart with a stern expression on his once easy features.

"Answer me," Sarah shouted, tears streaming down her reddened cheeks.

"You left me," He said softly, lowering the gun.

"So you shoot him?" Sarah's voice cracked, "He's dying Topper!"

Cassiopeia looked back over at John B, his eyes were closed, his mouth slightly open, and a pool of blood surrounded him. Sarah's new salmon colored nails were coated in a deep red. Her cheeks were flushed and her tears had begun to create a small pool on the nape of John B's neck.

"I should kill you," Kiara hissed, standing up suddenly. She pulled a pocketknife out of her shorts pocket.

Topper chuckled, "You're pathetic Carrera, always a disappointment."

"Hey," Pope shouted suddenly, "Don't you ever fucking talk to her like that."

Topper's lips curved into a smirk, and he strolled over to the Pogue with a radiating, new found confidence that Cassiopeia had not yet encountered.

"Hey," Rafe reached out and grabbed his friend, "This wasn't our plan."

Topper glared at the taller boy and yanked his arm away, "You don't always call the shots Cameron."

As Topper approached Pope, he aimed the gun at him.

"What makes you think I won't blow your head off too?" His voice matched the crispness of the early morning, cold and bitter.

Pope stood his ground, although he was shivering violently.

"Because we will kill you," He said firmly, "All of us left."