Katherine and the Truth About Jack

Chapter 3: Where First Impressions Could Be Improved

Jack woke with the sound of a horn and cars. He didn't usually sleep long, especially when wanting to visit a friend in the morning. He must have been more exhausted than he thought. The sun was just rising, late in the day as it usually was as winter closed in. He blinked in the orange light and yawned. Baby Tooth stretched, letting out a contented, "Squeak," as she did.

The spirit smirked at her. "Comfortable there squeaky?"

She glared at him and scooted deeper into his hood. He stood up on the roof to look over his town and home. The place had been here since the mid sixteen hundreds. Despite multiple changes to the city, it had remained strangely timeless, and always comfortable. He took a deep breath of the fresh morning air and dropped from the roof to sidewalk. People were leaving their homes for work and school. The roar of cars being started filling his ears.

"This day calls for some fun doesn't it squeaky?" He asked.

She peeked out and nodded.

He chuckled warmly, "Then let's get started!" He jumped up, hovering over the frost covered grass. He flew through the city, his speed unmatched by anyone, the wind carrying him like a bird from cars to house. He ran alongside a delivery truck, flying close up against the side just enough for another massive cement truck to pass. Baby Tooth squeaked in terror, huddling up to Jack as he narrowly avoided the vehicle. When it moved he jumped on top of the truck, covering the roof and windshield with some of his frosty art.

He laughed his voice light and youthful, like the wind.

A child heading to daycare fought against her father, pointing to Jack as the truck he stood on drove past. He had just enough time to salute her before she disappeared into a car. He smiled broadly as the wind whipped his hair back from his face. This was the life, free, believed in, seen.

The sound of a bell broke through his happy thoughts. Jamie! He had almost forgotten. He jumped off the top of the truck, his feet leaving a frosty design behind him. Pushing himself, he sped toward the sound of the bell, who happened to be a church tower.

Grabbing the spire he searched the now busy town for the Elementary School his friend attended. It was only a couple of miles away, and he could see him sitting on the steps. If he hurried maybe he could catch the boy before he went into the building. He jumped off the spire streaking toward him. An array of colored leaves spun around him as he flew past trees. They chased him down for a little bit. The school bell suddenly rang, and the boy got up, grabbing his backpack.

"Jamie wait!" Jack shouted, but he was still too far away for the teen to hear.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jack spotted a woman, she seemed in a hurry as well. It didn't matter, even if she did beat him to the door he would just go through her, like every other adult. They turned to him, her face a mixture of confusion and surprise as he drew within feet of her. It took him a moment to realize she could see him, and another to know he was heading straight for her. He tried to slow down, but he was going too fast. The last thing he saw was very wide silver eyes.

***

Katherine groaned in pain, grabbing her head with one hand propping herself up with the other. The morning had already been severe when she woke and found that the electricity was out, so her alarm didn't go off.

Kailash had not been used to the smaller apartment and had knocked things over, and Katherine had spent a little bit more time than usual trying to get the stubborn goose into her cage. Now she is met on her first day of substituting with a bump on the head. She turned her head quickly from the boy who had run into her and to the school paper strewn over the sidewalk like modern art.