The funny thing about blood is that it tends to stain no matter how hard you scrub. No matter how long it takes to dim the pink hue, you seem to always see it there. It's all I can notice as I stare down at my shaky hands, red lines around my nails and embedded in the cracks of my skin. 

    It's the only thing I can focus on to the point where I'm not even sure whose car we're in right now--probably Kie's. All I can see are my red hands, marking me the same way my guilt does. I left them behind, Peterkin and Sarah. They were both left to the mercy of Ward and Rafe Cameron.

    A hand blocks my vision of my own, calloused palms covering my stained ones. I lift my eyes, my watery vision directing me to JJ from where he sits across from me in the very back of the SUV. 

    JJ looks away from me, taking the joint from Pope as he coughs up a lung. He hands it to me without a word, his hand still blocking my view of my own. I take it from him, focusing on his face as he pretends not to look at me. I bring the joint to my lips, inhaling the substance. 

    Sometimes, it feels like he's the only person in the world to read my mind and know exactly what I need.

    "John B, what are we doing at the police station?" JJ speaks, slowly moving his hand away from me when he notices I'm no longer focusing on my tinted skin.

    "Somebody's gotta tell them what happened," John B states, the look of determination on his face basically permanent now.

    JJ leans forward, placing a hand on my brother's shoulder from where he sits in front of me, "All right, I'm gonna be real with you right now. You might end up in the Lion's den, but you don't go there on purpose. It's fundamental. Just like my old man always told me, you should never ever trust cops, no matter the circumstances,"

     "Your old man's an abusive liar," Kie deadpans, making a good point no matter how harsh.

    "I agree with JJ. Fuck the police," Pope adds, shaking his head rapidly. I furrow my eyebrows, kicking JJ's foot for his attention. I gesture to Pope, mouthing 'what's up with him', JJ only shrugs in return.

    "You going to the dark side now?" Kie asks, visibly unimpressed.

    "When's the last time the police ever helped us?" Pope responds, getting louder.

    "Peterkin looked out for me, alright?" John B speaks, defeated. My chest clenches, my fingers lifting the joint to my lips for another inhale. "Tried to, at least,"

     "Look where that got her," I finally speak, my voice coarse. "The rest of them, they're all wrapped around Ward's little finger. Who do you think they're going to believe? The runaway orphan with a bad history, or Ward Cameron,"

    John B stays quiet for a moment, letting my words sink in before turning over his shoulder and meeting my eye, "They have to know,"

    I stare at him unblinking before nodding slowly, taking another deep inhale. 

    John B nods in return, an understanding passing between us as if we were twins with telepathy. I guess in some ways we are. We're not even separated from each other by a year, and he was the only person I could trust growing up, the only person who knew me better than myself before I left, and we both changed. He turns, climbing out of the car and heading to the police station without a second thought. 

    I sigh, extending the joint to JJ before climbing out of the back of the trunk. I follow John B's path, pushing open the door to the police station foyer. John B stands at an empty desk, his hands tucked into the pockets of his faded red jacket. The lady at the desk leaves through the door, leaving the two of us alone.

    "You okay?" I ask, taking a step towards him, the light reflecting off the water in his eyes.

     "Are you?" He pushes back.

    "At least I'm not alone," I smile sadly at him.

    Before he can respond, the police radio on the desk comes to life with a soft static, Shoupe's voice coming through, "We have a suspect in our 31. John Routledge,"

    My heart stops, my spine straightening as I turn to the radio, staring at it like my gaze will make it take its accusation back. John B turns, as rigid as I am, as he faces the radio.

    "Copy that. All units be on the lookout for John B Routledge,"

    "John B?" My voice comes out timid and quiet as I see his face screw up in sadness and an indescribable rage.

    "Sixteen-year-old white male. Six foot. Last seen wearing board shorts, a 'Bad Brains' T-shirt, and a faded red hoodie," Shoupe comes back over the line, my eyes scanning through every detail of the outfit John B is still wearing.

    "We gotta get out of-"

    My words trail off as two officers cautiously enter the room, their hands itching towards their guns as if John B is a wild animal that they need to contain with force. I step back, subtly getting closer to the door behind me. In a similar fashion, my hand itches towards the door knob and the escape just behind the structure.

    "Just... breathe, alright?" The female officer speaks, trying to remain calm as John B slowly backs up.

    "Let me see your hands," The male deputy speaks next, puffing out his chest to seem intimidating.

    John B takes his hands out of his pockets, holding them up and whispering, "I didn't... I didn't do it,"

    My fingers grasp the cold metal of the doorknob, making myself small to try and stay somewhat hidden behind John B. I slowly turn the doorknob, making sure it's as quiet as possible as it clicks, and I pull the door forward.

    "Don't move," The male Deputy instructs.

    I rip the door the rest of the way open, reaching out and tugging John B's arm in warning. He follows me through the doorframe, our feet hitting the ground and skipping the stairs almost entirely.

    "Kie!" I yell, kicking dirt up from the ground as I barrel towards the car, John B hot on my heels.

    "Kie, start the car!" John B yells, running around to the other side of the car where he originally sat. I get there first, ripping the door open and flinging myself inside, basically landing on top of Pope on the other side. John B barely waits for me as he climbs in next, jamming the door closed.

    "Kie, drive, go!" I demand as the female officer approaches the window next to John B, her hands latching onto the car in determination. 

    Kie takes off, the three of them shouting questions at us as we drive away.

    The two officers scream for Kie to stop the car, her pinched face showing her conflict, but she continues to drive against her own better instincts.

   "Open it!" Pope instructs John B. I repeat his words, making sure John B hears it. He opens the door, sending the female officer toppling onto the ground. He quickly slams the door shut again, instructing Kie to drive faster.

    "Fuck, fuck, fuck," I chant, lowering my head into my hands as we all fall into a silence.

   Everything is fucked.

                    The radio plays quietly in the background, its purpose nothing more than to fill the cynical silence surrounding us since last night. I lounge sandwiched between John B and JJ, my head ever so slightly resting on JJ's shoulder in pure exhaustion. 

    I huff, blowing loose strands of dirty hair out of my face. God, I need a shower.

    JJ sits up straight, causing my head to drop slightly from the lack of support. He pulls his hat up from over his eyes, the sound of sirens sending chills up my spine. The police cars drive straight past our hiding spot, the car hidden by an old shack and overgrown shrubs.

    JJ relaxes, resting back into his seat and allowing me to take the same position from before.

    "-Still no arrest in the shooting death of Sheriff Susan Peterkin. The state police have issued a statement regarding a local person of interest, a juvenile from-" The voice of the radio is cut off quickly, Kie reaching over to turn the only noise off.

    "Let's game this out," JJ begins. I sigh, lifting my head from his shoulder and looking up at the roof from my slanted position in the trunk.

    "Let's not," I remark.

    "Let's. Maybe you guys can help, being the smart ones and all," JJ continues, directing his incoming speech to everyone, "Who are the cops going to believe? Ward Cameron or us? So, the accuser is a bigshot developer, kind of lord of the island, got the governor on speed dial type of person. And the accused is... John B, who is pretty much a homeless sixteen-year-old boy at the moment,"

    "Y'know I did bring that exact point up last night," I point out, crossing my ankles over each other as well as my arms. 

    "Yucatan, alright man?" JJ ignores my comment, sitting up slightly and looking over me at my brother, "I'm saying that's the only option, what other options do you have?"

    "Enough with the nexico bullshit, alright? Sarah's gonna bail me out," John B protests.

    "She did witness the whole thing," Kie comments.

    "Okay, listen," I interject, sitting up straight as I speak, "I get your point, John B, I do. But I witnessed the whole thing too. Something tells me witnesses aren't going to make any difference. Okay, you're an accused cop killer. They've already decided you're guilty. Two teenage girls who have personal connections to you, telling them you didn't do it isn't going to change that. As much as I absolutely hate the idea of validating one of JJ's dumbass ideas, it may be worth seriously considering getting off the island,"

    "Thank you, Pheebs," JJ responds, sitting up straight and letting smoke float from his lips. He looks down at my brother, holding the joint in his hands. "We gotta get you off the island, bro,"

    "The Ferry, it's the only way," Pope suggests.

    "I have to agree, John B. If you don't get out of here before the island goes on full lockdown, there's no going back," I stress, resting a hand on his shoulder in sympathy.

    "Okay, so we're all agreed?" Kie asks. No one responds, our silence answers enough as Kie starts the car. JJ and I climb out of the trunk, proping up the back seats and climbing into the back while John B stays lying out of view. His head rests on the folded-down seat beside me, his eyes dead and his stare blank as Kie drives out of the hidden spot. 

    I pull my eyes away from him, the sight of him so broken only making my heart ache more. I turn to JJ, his eyes also focused on the broken shell of my brother. He shifts his gaze to me, that same feeling in my gut reflecting in his eyes. 

    As if it were muscle memory, I find myself silently reaching for JJ's hand, holding onto it like it's the only thing keeping me seated, his own tight grip making me think he feels the same.

    Kie pulls up somewhere in town, John B's head hidden from the handfuls of people walking around us.

    Pope climbs out of the car, heading for the bulletin board to our right. My eyes stay stuck on the Ferry, wondering how we're going to get John B onto the boat secretly.

    Maybe, a part of me selfishly wishes he couldn't leave and would have to stay hidden here forever. He's the only family I have left. But, a bigger part of me wants him to escape, to be free from the lies and control of Ward Cameron and to live a life he won't get the chance to ever have here--not any more.

    Pope returns in seconds, a piece of paper clenched in his hands as he returns to the driver's side of the car, Kie now in the passenger seat, "Okay. Alright, no,"

    "Pope, can you act normal?" Kie harshly whispers, clearly feeling nervous over the fact that she has a fugitive in the back seat.

    "So, um, bad news," Pope begins. I groan, leaning my head back, "The Ferry's closed and there is this,"

    Pope reaches through the open window, handing the paper to Kie before climbing in. Kie turns to me with a horror-filled expression, turning the paper to face me. I let go of JJ's hand the second I see the photo of my brother, reaching forward with both hands and taking the paper from Kie.

    A twenty-five-thousand-dollar reward has been placed like a golden ticket on my brother's head. JJ leans over my shoulder, reading the number at the same time as me.

    "Shit," He hisses quietly. "Well, John B. This is a good framer of you,"

    I flip the paper to face John B. He stares at it in shock, somehow getting even quieter as he slowly turns his head away in defeat. 

    "That's a hefty price, JB. I might turn you in myself," I nudge his shoulder, barely getting a small smile out of him.

    "Okay, so, the whole island's looking for John B right now," Pope reinstates the information.

    "That's a lot of money," Kie gapes.

    "Congratulations, John B. You're now famous," JJ comments cynically as I hand the wanted poster over to my brother. 

    "Guys, we need to get to the HMS," Kie strategises, referring to John B's small boat. "We need small, no running lights-"

    "It's at the chateau, Kie," John B cuts her off, his voice meek. 

    "And I wonder if the cops got the entire place staked out. Let me think, oh yeah. no, they definitely have that place locked down," JJ comments sarcastically.

    "She's just trying to help, J," I slap his shoulder with the back of my hand. "You got any bright ideas, genius?"

    "Me?" JJ asks, placing an offended hand on his chest, "I got plenty of ideas. One, we hijack the Ferry-"

    "Sh, sh, sh, let me think," Pope cuts off the beginning of JJ's impossible plan. "Just, give me a second,"

    We all go quiet, waiting for Pope's incredible brain to consider every pathway and plan and offer us the best one.

   "JJ," Pope speaks, turning himself around in the seat, "Does your Dad still have that boat? The cigarette boat, The Phantom? The one he used to race,"

    "Maybe," JJ shrugs, resting his elbow behind my head and rubbing his fingers together in thought.

    "You could get right up the coast, no problem," Pope decides, turning back in his seat.

    "It's not gonna be easy, Pope," JJ points out. "I don't know where the keys are,"

    "Then find them," Pope insists. Pope becomes agitated very quickly, shifting in his seat, "Why is nobody moving forward? What's going on here?"

   "Okay, relax. We need a more solid plan than this," I interject. 

    "JJ, how much weed did you give him?" Kie accuses, turning to look back at JJ who immediately begins to defend himself.

    "Guys!" John B exclaims, trying to keep his voice quiet as Pope beeps the car horn, "Your car's on here, it's on the poster,"

    "Can we move it, please?" Pope calls out to the cars in front, continuing to beep the horn.

    "Pope, Pope, hey, shut up!" I whisper-yell, leaning forward to slap him on the arm, "The car's on the poster,"

    "It's that guy! That guy, right there!" I hear a voice from outside the car. I look, watching as a little kid lifts his arm and points right towards us.

    "We got a snitch. Pope, turn the car on," JJ exclaims.

    Banging on the window behind me startles me. I jump, turning back to watch in horror as a random man looks down at John B from the back window, shouting out, "He's right here!"

    The onlookers begin to argue about who found him first, a flock of strangers slowly moving towards the car.

    "Pope, turn the fucking car on!" Kie shouts in stress.

    "I'm trying!" Pope defends.

    "Go, go, go," I repeat, keeping my eyes trained on the stranger still at the window. Pope finally turns the car on, pressing on the accelerator too hard in the chaos and causing us to hit the car in front of us. "Holy shit!"

    Kie shouts for Pope to back up. He ignores the instructions, pushing the car further and further forward until he's free to turn the car and escape his position in the line. He races away from the spot, the two deputies from last night shouting after us.

    "That'll buff out!" JJ shouts out the window.

    Pope doesn't stop driving erratically, speeding out of the area and into a more secluded street. The car heads towards a mailbox, causing Kie to freak out. I duck as he hits the mailbox head-on, chips of wood flying in the air and some coming in through JJ's open window.

    "Pope!" John B exclaims.

    "What the fuck?" Kie curses.

    "I'm livin' my best life now!" Pope laughs, driving slightly steadier on the road.

    "What the hell is wrong with him?" I whisper to JJ beside me.

    "I don't know, but he's scaring me," JJ emphasises before sitting forward to talk to Pope, "I should be the last one to tell you this but, you are not okay to drive, dude. Stop!"

    Pope listens, slamming on the brakes of Kie's car in the middle of the road. He turns over his shoulder, looking at John B, "John B, get out,"

    "What?" I basically gasp in shock.

    "No, he's right. We'll draw the cops, you run," JJ insists. 

    John B's chest heaves up and down in a panic, his eyes closing for a moment as he whispers, "Shit,"

    "We'll get the rig and we'll meet you in the dump tomorrow, okay?" JJ rushes out his instructions and the plan as John B swings his legs around, opening the door and piling out, "Three o'clock, okay?"

   "Yeah," John B huffs, pushing himself out of Kie's SUV.

    "Three o'clock tomorrow at the dump!" JJ repeats. John B swings the door shut behind him, taking off into the woods.

    "Be safe!" I shout after him as JJ instructs Pope to drive off. The tyres screech, my gaze planted on the spot where John B disappeared.

   I feel JJ's hand reach for mine, my eyes flicking to his. I nod, understanding his attempt at reassurance. 

    Fuck this island.