THIRTY-EIGHT THE LAST GOODBYE

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The two boys raced through the suburbs like their lives depended on it, which, they kind of did. Now that was a terrifying thought to have. Stopping behind a truck to catch their breath, John B peeked around the corner to see Shoupe addressing the crowd and them dispersing for the most part. John B reached into the bed of the truck and pulled out a crowbar.

"John B, what are you gonna do with that thing?" Norman muttered in a whisper-yell, his eyes wide. "The second you're at least kind of armed, things will get a hell of a lot worse for you."

The boy looked concerned, but he didn't put the crowbar back, "With Rafe searching for me, I don't wanna be empty-handed. Besides, I don't plan on using this on anyone, just wait."

With that, he waited until Rafe and Kelce weren't looking before tossing the crowbar in the opposite direction, leading the boys astray. Huh, so maybe John B was smarter about things than Norman thought he was. He had to stop underestimating him. The car alarm of the truck across the street went off, giving the two boys enough time to run away from the gathering crowd that was participating in the manhunt. They ran through the trees, but John B stopped so immediately that Norman crashed directly into his back.

"What? What's wrong?" Norman asked, "Do you see someone?"

The boy shook his head and Norman realized what he was looking at. Up ahead, there looked to be an abandoned building. John B breathed a sigh of relief, "There. We'll be safe for a while."

Norman nodded and they picked up speed again. They ran towards the old building, but once again as they approached it, John B stopped in his tracks.

"Dude, you have got to start warning me," Norman sighed, a hand resting on John B's shoulder from behind, "What's wrong?"

"The light's on," John B pointed out, "I don't know who else knows about this place besides..."

The sirens passing by cut him off and John B looked from Norman back to the building before saying with bated breath, "We don't have another choice, come on, let's go."

They ran towards the building, John B pushing the door open as the two boys crawled underneath the plank that was supposed to be boarding the door up. It was an old church, Norman realized. He wondered how or why John B knew this was here and knew how to get into it, but those would be questions for later when they weren't being chased by police. John B nodded towards a ladder that seemed to lead into an attic of sorts, climbing up as he made sure Norman hopped on behind him.

"I guess you were going to meet my special place eventually..." John B muttered, "Come on, just up here."

He pushed up a trap door that led them into the attic of the church. He helped Norman up before closing the door behind them. They took a deep breath and Norman let his shoulders drop for just a moment. However, the relief was short-lived as there was soon a rattling and thumping on the trap door. John B picked up the closest thing to him -- a candlestick -- while Norman hid behind him. The door finally opened as a flashlight beam flooded the room, revealing Sarah.

"Hi," Sarah mumbled, crawling up into the attic, "Thank God you guys are here, I tried calling Kie, but she said that you guys had split up and just... holy shit. This is crazy, all of this is insane."

"Tell me about it," Norman muttered.

Sarah pulled both of the boys into a hug as she muttered, "I was worried the next time I was gonna see you guys it was gonna be talking through a phone with some fucking plexiglass between us. Are you guys okay?"

John B nodded, "Yeah, yeah, we are. Are you?"

"I am," the girl confirmed, looking relieved that she had found them. Norman guessed Sarah was the person John B had been talking about earlier when he said no one knew about this place. "I wanna help you guys as much as I can--"

Her words were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching downstairs.

Norman cursed, "Were you followed?"

The girl shook her head, "Not that I know of, I was careful. I swear."

"Not careful enough," Norman spoke, trying not to sound too angry as not to hurt the girl's feelings but considering that trap door was two seconds away from opening, he was a little angry. John B pushed himself to the front, keeping both Norman and Sarah behind him. The trap door opened moments later, revealing none other than Topper. Great, this night couldn't get any worse.

"What are you doing here, Top?" John B asked, but his voice was shaking. Norman grabbed his wrist gently, squeezing it reassuringly.

"Hey, just take it easy, man," Topper spoke as he raised his hands in surrender, "Let me--"

"Don't fucking move," the boy exclaimed, his grip white-knuckled on the candlestick.

Topper shook his head, "I just need to talk to Sarah, please."

Sarah nodded, pushing herself forward, "What do you want?"

"It's not too smart, is it? Meeting up with two fugitives like this?"

Norman shrugged, "Technically I'm a hostage but..."

Topper pushed himself up into the room and John B tensed up, the boy muttering, "Hey, hey, I'm not gonna do anything! What? Are you gonna try to kill me too, man?"

"You have literally tried to kill him twice," Norman cut in, "Don't come in here with that bullshit or else I will be the one to fuck you up."

The blond shrugged, his hands still up, "Jesus Christ, what has he done to you, you psycho? Norman, we used to be chill."

"I have literally always hated you."

"Whatever."

"What do you want, Topper?" Sarah sighed, clearly getting tired of dancing around the questions or whatever it was Topper actually had to say. "I care about them and I know the truth so yes, I'm going to help them and you can't stop me."

Topper scoffed, "You're kidding, he's brainwashed you, Sarah. You wouldn't believe the shit he told me about you. Telling me that you're what? Dating Kiara? That's crazy."

"I am, and so what?" Sarah scoffed, crossing her arms, "Just because I stopped caring about you doesn't mean I've lost my mind."

This, of course, angered the boy as John B went to whisper something to the girl, Topper grabbed the rope and began ringing the bell, screaming, "Hey, he's up here!"

With no hesitation, Norman walked over and pushed the boy away from the bell, punching him in the gut and knocking him to the floor. Shaking out his knuckles, Norman breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh, boy, that felt good. Don't make me do it again."

Topper pulled himself up, nodding, "Yeah, yeah, we're good. Sarah, I warned you about these Pogues, didn't I?"

The girl rolled her eyes, insisting, "He's innocent!"

"Then who did it, Sarah?"

The girl hardly hesitated in telling the truth, "Rafe."

Topper shook his head, muttering, "What are you talking about?"

"Why would I say that my own brother did it... if it wasn't true?" the girl muttered, her voice strong with conviction. "I was there, Topper."

The boy's face was now deadly serious as he insisted, "Don't lie to me, Sarah."

"Sheriff Peterkin was trying to arrest my father and then Rafe shot her," the girl explained and Norman shuddered at the thought. "That's my brother. Why would I lie about that?"

A siren sounded in the distance, Norman had a feeling they would be closing in soon. They were running out of time.

"And now you have royally screwed us over, Top," Norman said, motioning out the window where the sirens were getting closer and closer. "So, thanks for that."

"Shit," Topper muttered, "Shit, shit, shit."

"Yeah, how do you think I feel?" John B retorted with a scoff as he ran his fingers through his hair, looking up at Norman, "I-I don't know what to do. We've gotta go."

"Sarah, you realize I'm the one that loves you, right? Not Kiara, not these two. Me," Topper proclaimed and Norman was getting really tired of this shit.

"I don't care right now!" Sarah yelled in his face. Norman admired her tenacity. "Do you understand what's going on? If you loved me at all, you would help us right now. I'm sorry for what I did. I'm sorry, but this isn't about you. Okay?"

Topper looked disgruntled as he asked, "What does that mean, Sarah?"

"It means you're going to help us get out of here," John B cut in.

"Sarah, they don't love you!" Topper tried again, but it was useless. "It's me that does."

"Get your hands off of her!" John B exclaimed, pushing Topper back.

"Does anyone smell smoke?" Norman asked, but the question went widely ignored as Topper and John B were one fighting word away from a punch in the face.

"They don't love you and I can prove it, just let me prove it," Topper insisted.

Sarah nodded and Norman had to wonder what she had in mind, "Topper, you're going to put on John B's hoodie and go out the front door while we go out the back, got it?"

Topper nodded, "I-I can do that."

"Norman, you have to go with him," John B interrupted, "They think you're a hostage and the sooner you're in their hands the sooner you can help tell them the truth. I want you to be safe and not involved in this shit anymore."

"John B, I'm not leaving you," Norman said, his voice strained, "I told you, I can't leave you behind anymore."

"You don't have a choice right now," the boy shook his head, reaching up and holding his face, "Please, if I mean anything to you I need you to do this."

Topper interrupted the conversation as he opened the trap door, looking down, "Uh, guys, we really don't have time for this. John B, give me your hoodie."

John B handed over the jacket as Topper headed down the ladder. Sarah went down after him, leaving just the two boys. The smell of smoke was worse now as Norman figured out what was going on. Someone had set the church on fire. Because this night couldn't get any worse.

"Norman, I'm begging you, go," John B exclaimed, "Find the others as soon as you're done with the police and meet me at the docks tomorrow. I'll be there, I promise. I won't let this be the last time we say goodbye."

Time was off the essence, Norman knew this, but regardless he pulled the boy in for one more kiss before, through misty eyes, he said, "I love you."

"I love you, too," John B nodded as the two boys climbed down the ladder where Sarah and Topper were waiting for them, keeping a close eye on the spreading flames.

Then, John B and Norman went their separate ways in the burning church, watching while he and Sarah snuck out the back. Topper put his hood up and his head down, motioning towards the front doors. Norman opened the door first, putting his hands on the head as Topper followed suit behind him.

As the cops surrounded them, Norman had the inkling feeling that this wasn't going to be the last time he was forced to say goodbye to John B.

I cannot BELIEVE there is only two chapters left of this story I've never finished a story this fast in my LIFE