Jack

by Brigitte Lepine

Jack slammed forward as the brakes screeched and the car ran into the curb. “What was that?” shrieked Janet.

It was an uneasy stop, a bumpy stop- brutal even. Janet looked at Jack. He was still holding the steering wheel and was lost in time in the dark night. The street was empty, not a soul around. The pavement was wet from the rain.

After some time, he glanced at her with horror in his eyes. His lips were blue, his hands trembling.

Who know how long they sat there before he opened the door unhurriedly, as he was scared of something. Slowly he got one leg out, then the other, and managed to pull himself outside the car. He barely made two steps toward the front of the car before she heard him scream and drop to the ground.

“What’s going on?” Janet got out of the car, walked to the front not knowing what to expect. She looked at the front of the car. It was not damaged! She carefully walked around the car toward her husband’s side. There, close to front of the car, a bit sideway, she saw broken bones and a rain jacket half burned and melted to the street that smelled revolting. Is it what they ran into? She looked around but could not see her husband...

Then, coming out from the empty night, Jack appeared with a bright smile. “Let’s go home darling!”