The Story of Jackson

Chapter 4 - Insight

I’d never thought that I would see the day where I would watch a really cute guy walk past me and tell me to ‘listen hard and then I will hear him…’ Really great way to get the mood going.

Regardless of this confrontation with Jackson, I was determined to not have this get the best of me. After delaying several minutes while I contemplated what had actually happened, I followed him out the door and down the hall.

I wasn’t actually following him…more like the direction of the exit. I was done with this place and I was out of here.

Seeing the front doors in view, there was an added bounce in my step, like all the bad things in my life were over, that nothing could hurt me anymore, and then I heard the PA system…

‘Could Alice Darcy please return to the ICU immediately!”

Pausing in my confident stride, I glanced over my shoulder…surly no one knew that was me right? Increasing the speed of my walk, I was anxious to reach the open doors that lead out to my freedom. No more trapped people in beds with tubes, no more confusing people that I’ve never met before in my life. No more bullshit, well at least the stuff in the hospital.

The air was blowing a nice warm breeze onto my face, the fresh air instantly clearing my head. Being contained really does no one any good what so ever.

Reaching the sidewalk, I realised there was one thing wrong with my plan of escape…I had no idea where I was and I didn’t have any way to get home.

Jingling the pockets of the clothing that I was wearing, there was a slight clinking sound, metal against metal. Reaching into my pockets, I pulled out a hand full of bulldog clips…shit! Now what the fuck can anyone do with a handful of bulldog clips.

Running a hand through my hair, I let out a frustrated sigh. There was no way that I was going to be able to get home. I had no money, no phone and no keys.

Kicking my feet against the curb, I glanced around in search of some form of signage. Something that could at least point me in the right direction.

                                                            ~*~

They say time brings wisdom right? Well it took a while for me to find the way home and so in some ways I guess you could say this was true.

But all the while, walking home makes me think… I was wondering about the listening thing that Jackson mentioned. I mean really…If he wanted to get rid of me all he had to do was ask. All this has done is made me anxious to work out what the hell he was talking about.

Frustrated and pissed off, my pace increased and I blocked off my surroundings. The cars, the birds in the park, the smell of the back street alleyways, the aroma wafting from all of the fast food outlets. All of my senses blocked from the world.

Strolling along and taking notice of nothing, I was in my own world. Confusion and mystery running as rivulets through the pathways in my mind, attempting at stimulating and feeding the beasts that live there, constantly chopping and changing emotions, feelings and thoughts.

Out of nowhere, I could hear him. Calling out to me I could hear Jackson.

Jerking from the reverie I was in, I looked around me, searching for him, looking for anything that would allow me to identify him and tell me that I was sane, that I wasn’t just hearing things. But hey…in a world where everyone thinks that vampires and werewolves are real, what’s a little mind talk on the side?

When I drew up empty on my searching of the area, I noticed that as soon as I drew out of my little bubble, all the voices dissipated.

Drawing back into my own world, I refocussed and tried to hear the voices again.

It was probably just me, but I could feel the atmosphere changing around me. The air grew thicker and full of electricity, crackling every few seconds, almost like I was in the middle of thunderstorm.

Yet again I was drawn out of concentration, however when I was, the lightening vanished and I was back in the normal world.

I was determined this time…I would not let myself get distracted again. I needed to listen out and focus. If I could get that close every time, then I could get the final step to finding out what the voices were saying.

‘Final time…listen close and don’t lose focus’ a constant mantra running through my head.

I could feel the atmosphere changing, the crackling of the lightening, and the whispering of voices. Nearly there, I focussed for the last step, amplifying the voices. They were getting louder and louder…I could nearly make it out, craving for the extra volume needed and the listening strength to decipher what was being said. After a while, it all seemed to blend into one, a single voice screaming out a word, with desperation.

“HOME!”

                                                            ~*~

Walking up the front steps of my house, I banged on the door until it opened slightly. My mum wasn’t home…of course, and my dad was retreating from the door holding his head between his hands. I couldn’t believe he was so drunk and it was only midday. What’s more…he hadn’t even noticed I was gone.

After hearing the voice, I rushed home, increasing my walking pace so I could get home faster…there was no way that I was going to run.

Searching all the nooks and crannies in the house, I tried to find what was amiss. What was ‘home’ and was it actually my home?

Clearing the bottom floor, I moved up the stairs. Double checking all the rooms up here, I came up empty handed. Slumping down on my bed, I felt really disappointed. I was looking forward to seeing something from Jackson, or Jackson himself again.

Feeling really tired, I kicked off my shoes and curled into a little ball on my bed. Soon after, I drifted off to sleep again.

                                                            ~*~

Waking up from the sleep, I saw the time on the clock beside my bed.

SHIT!

I slept through the whole afternoon and it was now 11.58 pm.

Sitting upright in my bed, the breeze was refreshing. Glancing out the open window I looked at the surroundings. I had always loved this room. The view looked out over the other houses on my street, and when I wanted an escape, I could climb out onto the tree framing the window.

Grabbing ‘Gatsby’ off my bedside table, I walked to the window and climbed out. Settling myself between the branches of the trees, I opened the book to one of the many dog-eared pages and started to read.

My copy was worn, and well loved. Every since I was introduced to this book, I read it and re read it…over and over again. It never really went anywhere but there were always more little hints and suggestions through the book, tales that were unforgettable, life lessons expressed with the oddest language choices, but still beautiful non the less.

It was a way to immerse myself in a task and enjoy it, without taking notice of the outside world. Reading came before the iPod, and without my phone…back to reading I went.

On into the early hours of the morning I read, and when it got to the time of the sunrise I stopped. Closing the book and leaning back into the embrace of the branches, I watched as the sun rose above the houses, the fields, and the city.

Sunrise has always been one of my favourite times of day, watching the city waking up and getting ready for the day ahead of them.

Heading back inside, I got ready for school.

Sorry for the short chapter...I've had exams and stuff. 

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