He felt tired, and it was a type of exhaustion that he hadn't truly felt since he was young.
He wasn't too sure how much time had passed since that fateful day, but Jack figured it must have been a while at this point. The first few days weren't that bad, he had spent most of those days going around the town just collecting what supplies he could until he was finally caught and had to make a run for it. That's when he eventually found himself in the forest that was just outside of Everett, it spanned further than he had expected and by the time he had realized it, he was already lost.
He was already low on his supply of stardust, which wasn't really great considering his condition, but he figured that it would be alright for a little while. Jack didn't particularly want to go back to the house to get supplies, and he certainly didn't want to risk the chance of being seen by Jesse. He didn't want to see the hatred in his eyes, and he didn't want to be reminded of what had happened to Fletcher, someone who had seemed to trust him fully only to be betrayed in an instant. Try as hard as he might, he would never be able to keep those around him safe from himself. So when Jesse told him to leave and Jack realized he wouldn't change his mind under any circumstance, he accepted his fate and ran. If there were two things Jack knew he was good at, it was: making a mess of things and running.
Jack used his dwindling stardust supply as sparingly as he could, spending some days traveling through the forest, and other days he allowed himself to stay trapped on the ground, unwilling to allow himself the ability to walk. He had cursed himself with this disease of his after a major accident many years back left him paralyzed. After months of trial and error, he had come up with a rhyme that would allow him to move again, the only condition was that he had to re-enchant his staff everyday to stay functioning. He was a harm to himself, so it came to no surprise that he was a harm to others as well. He had known this all his life, but he had grown to accept that people still cared for him regardless. But there were some days that he couldn't accept this, and at this point, all the days started to feel the same.
He wouldn't blame anyone if they never came for him, he had caused more damage than usual this time around. To an extent, he was hoping that no one would come for him, that no one would find him only to get hurt all over again. It hurt to be by himself, but he knew ultimately that it was best for everyone involved if he were to just disappear completely.
Eventually the day came when he fully ran out of stardust. He figured that it would be no big deal and he would send his falcon, Marsh, back to the house to locate a pouch of the stuff and bring it back. His situation had only finally sunk in when Marsh returned with nothing but a piece of fruit that was obviously snatched from an outside market. He knew from that point forward that he was going to be stuck right where he was.
The days disappeared as quickly as they came, leaving him feeling as empty as the night. It wouldn't have been so bad if he could see the stars, but the trees covered up the sky above, leaving him feeling more trapped than he already was. He tried to keep track of the days, but they all melted into one giant pain. A pain that ached and seeped into his heart. A pain that he was all too familiar with.
Marsh stayed with him most of the time, only leaving to collect whatever food and water he could find for Jack, but it would never be enough. Jack started feeling bad for his bird, his companion. He was stuck there having to take care of this burden of a man rather than flying free. He was causing harm even to his own animal without meaning to. He tried his best to reassure Marsh that he was okay, that the food he found was enough, but they both knew better.
Jack would become increasingly more and more aware of his body as the days passed. He could feel the blood in his veins flowing through him, the odd numbness in his legs, and the overwhelming ache that fully consumed him. He was familiar with this pain, no matter how long ago it was, you don't forget how it feels to be dying.
He found it harder to concentrate in the final days he could remember. Only consumed with the final image of Fletcher collapsed in Jesse's arms while Jesse yelled at him to get lost. It was the only thing that played in his head over and over again in a horrible loop. He had hurt Fletcher, and in the process he had hurt Jesse and Wren as well. He knew that Jesse would never forgive him, regardless of it being an accident or not, and Jack couldn't blame him one bit.
The day finally came when Jack woke up and Marsh was nowhere to be found. He waited for what felt like an eternity for his final companion to come back, but he never did. He figured that Marsh finally gave up, that he realized that he didn't need to be trapped here when the skies above called to him. Why stay with a hopeless case anyways?
Jack watched the day melt into a display of oranges and pinks, signifying that the sun was ready to go to sleep. He understood that feeling all too well, and perhaps its was time to join the sun one last time. He could feel his eyes growing heavier and heavier with every passing second, beckoning for him to let go. He wasn't ready to yet, but he figured that ultimately that this was what needed to happen. He glanced at his staff, lying useless beside him. The enchantment had long faded, and without stardust, it was nothing more than a piece of wood. He thought about the rhyme he had created, the hope it had once given him. Now, it seemed like a distant memory, a relic of a time when he believed he could overcome his limitations.
Slowly but surely, he could feel himself slipping. As unwilling as a participant he was to this horrible game that was his life, he couldn't help but feel sad to see it go. He was going to miss everyone, no matter how much they may have wanted him gone, they were part of him now. A part that he wasn't quite ready to let go of yet. And yet, he felt a sense of solace wash over him. He wouldn't go knowing that they were worried, he knew that they were happy right where they were, clear of any trouble. They wouldn't waste any tears, living life as normal and never wonder what came of him. Afterall, no one loves an orphan.
