Nimble Jack

photo courtesy of @tinypaleokitchen

Nimble Jack
By Gregory Galanter

Arms and legs burning from the cuts that littered his skin, Jack tore a path deeper into the woods. Mud and blood glued his shirt to his skin. Taking a deep breath, he wrenched a scream from deep inside his body.

“Help!” The sound snagged in his throat. He coughed, pausing to scan the trees ahead and found unending clumps of skinny trunks. Legs pumping, he ran on. “Help!” It didn’t matter.

As he cleared the treeline, Jack’s foot found only thin air. He halted, pinwheeling his arms in an attempt to find his balance before falling headfirst into a creek. Cold water stinging his skin, he gasped and gulped down a mouthful of brackish water. He thrashed about in an attempt to find the surface--to find air. As the burning in his lungs intensified, his feet finally found the bottom and he pushed upward. Digging his fingers into the wet bank, he pulled himself from the creek. Coughing, mud sputtering from his mouth, he took a deep breath.

Jack leaned on his hands as his stomach cramped and foul water and bile flooded his mouth, burning in his throat and nostrils. Behind him, twigs snapped. Twigs? Too loud! Trees? “Help!”

Breath rasping, he rose to his feet only to double over as pain lanced through his chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around his body. Pain shot down his side as his hand found a massive bruise.

He looked back across the creek. Lights among the trees headed straight for him. They asked him a question, their voices jumbled together. “I don’t understand!” Jack coughed, intensifying the pain in his side. He shut his eyes against a flash as the world fell away and Jack drifted into unconsciousness.

---

Jack slowly became aware of himself, and opened his eyes. Something kept his hands down though. He slowly sat up, careful of his injured side. How long have I been out? They hardly hurt now.

He coughed, and the young nurse darted to his side. She slid the needle from his arm, taping a piece of gauze in its place. Running his fingers down his ribs, Jack felt the tickle and remembered the pain.

“It’s ready. It’s absolutely amazing. The world isn’t ready for this, but they are going to want it,” Jack licked his lips and giggled through his clenched jaw. “And we are going to sell it to them.”

Standing, he rubbed the inside of his elbow and peeled the bandage and gauze off. He tossed them in the garbage. Jack picked up the pair of headphones and rubbed his thumb over the power button. Following everyone out of the room, Jack reached for the light switch and glanced back at the straps hanging off the bed. “We are going to sell this to them.”

The End

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I want to take a moment to thank everyone over at The Writer's Block. What an amazing group of people - all willing to give their time and effort to help me become a better writer. Of course, I am willing to do the same for them (whether I am able -- that remains to be seen). Everyone there is amazing, but I owe a special thank you to @tinypaleokitchen, who not only provided the above artwork, but also spent countless hours helping me take what was in my mind and put words to it. So thank you.

I recommend if you are a writer looking to improve your craft, take a little time and check out The Writer's Block. Bring an open mind and a sense of humor.