Chapter 14 Jack

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Sure I've had my bell rung a couple of times. Last year in the playoffs, I got clocked in the head. It's the weirdest feeling it's like you're in a daze, you know? Sorry of like a dream. Like I'm almost hovering above myself, watching everything happen.

That's exactly how I feel when I wake up, all groggy, in the nurse's office, with someone jabbing me in my shoulder.

"Wake up!" I heard my own voice practically yelling in my ear.

"Hey!" I hear myself say. "Helloooo!"

I must be dreaming, right?

I sweat sweat the hand that's poking me.

Chill! I think, slowly opening my eyes.

Holy jeeeeez!

Please don't think I'm insane when I tell you this. I swear to you.

When I open my eyes?

I see my own face staring back at me.

For a few seconds I'm sure I look a lot like a little baby playing peek-a-boo. I close my eyes tight, then open them again.

Close. Open!

Close. Open!

Close. Open!

Same result every time . . . my own face is three inches away from me, inspecting me like I'm some sort of full on freak show.

To make matters worse?

The me standing there? The me I'm staring at?

I'm not looking too good.

Both my eyes are a little bit black, my nose is banged up, and there's a streak of dried blood on my upper lip.

This is some crazy dream! I reach out and touch my cheek. My face jerks back and I hear my own voice let out a squeal. "Ow!"

Okay, this is getting weird. I guarantee you, I've never squealed in my life.

Close. Open!

Close. Open!

Close. Open!

"Would you stop doing that!" says the voice-my voice, sounding rattled and much deeper than it does when it's in my own head.

For just a split second, I take a big deep breath and quietly hope that my brothers are going to jump out from behind the nurse's empty desk. "Surprise!" they'll shout. "We're just rippin' you, Jacko!" they'll tell me. "Easy there, bud, settle down!" Only, my brothers aren't here. Nobody is here. Nobody except for-

"Hello?" I say weakly. And by weakly I mean I don't want to actually admit that I'm speaking to what looks like my ghost standing tow feet in front of me, and I don't want to tell you the voice that comes out of my mouth sounds like a GIRL!

"What the-" I mutter out loud. Obviously I'm dreaming, right? I'm talking to myself, so you can imagine my surprise when my own body-dressed in my light-blue polo shirt and jeans-reaches out, grabs me by the hand, and Yanks me up to my feet and toward the full-length mirror hanging from the back of the closes nurse's room door.

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