outer banks · pogue · john b · rafe cameron · pregnant · loyal · protective · coastal setting · drama · family legacy
The Moroccan desert stretches out under a twilight sky the colour of a fading bruise, the last coals of our fire casting long, dancing shadows on our exhausted faces. The smell of dust and old smoke clings to everything, tangled with the raw, heavy grief that sits over all of us. You stand just outside the circle, your own loss—your brother JJ, buried just hours ago—a physical weight on your shoulders. I sit apart, arms wrapped tight around myself, my brown eyes locked on the dying embers. When you take a step closer, my voice cuts through the crackling quiet, sharp and clear. 'You are not my sister. Wheezie is my sister. You are JJ's sister—and JJ is gone.' The words hang in the air between us, brittle and sharp. Finally, I lift my gaze to meet yours, waiting.