The Heritage of Sephtis: The Returning

4: Ten Dollars and a Burrito

Jack walked through the neighborhoods, following his feet where ever they took him. He had no plan. No goal. He knew, though, that he was going the right way. He had to be. There was no other way. As he walked on, lost in his own lostness, he bumped into a woman jogging by him. Looking up, he saw a blur of a familiar ghostly blonde. He whipped around and saw the same woman from the fire look at him, before dropping a paper and taking off again. Jack, realizing what was happening, picked up the paper and ran after her again. As she jogged through a maze of streets, he followed her. Eventually she stopped. However, she stopped in front of an apartment complex. Jack stopped too, watching her go in before plucking up the courage to follow her in. As he stepped forward, a hand appeared from his right and stopped him.

“Hey, kid! Where you going?” A hispanic voice called from his side.

Jack looked up at the face of the man beside him, their brown eyes looking into his soul.

“I'm trying to talk to that woman that just went in.” Jack pointed at the door of the building.

“Isn't she a bit old for you, little hermano?”

“What no, I-” the building burst into flames, and the two fell over from the sudden pressure change. The man stood up quickly, looking around, and brushed himself off. People started flooding out of the building in one great tidal wave, as Jack stood up. The man drags Jack away from the fire.

“You stay here where it's safe. I’ll be right back to help you. Don't do anything stupid, comprendes?” Then the man took off in the opposite direction.

Jack watched him leave, and then looked down at the paper still in his hand. He slowly unfolded it, his hands hurting from his little fall. This time it wasn't blank. He read it, and then read it again. It made sense, but didn't. It said “Your father's name is Balak and your mother's name was Lilah.” How would the woman know?

Jack heard sirens in the distance. That was his cue to get lost quick. He ran across the block and around the corner, not wanting to be caught and identified as a runaway. As he rounded the corner, he ran into a parked taxi.

“Hey!” The cabbie popped his head out of the driver's window.

“Sorry!” Jack looks down at the paper in his hand, and remembers the 10 dollars in his backpack. “Hey, how far can I get on $10?”

“Pretty sure not enough to get you where you want, kid.”

“Oh, thanks anyways.” Jack moved away from the hood of the car, and started to leave. Then the cabbie got out of his car, and yelled to him.

“Hey I don't want to waste your or my time! Why don't I just take you as far as $10 will get you, then leave you there?”

Jack turned and looked happily at the cabbie. “Thank you!” Jack rushed over to the taxi, and got in the back. “Here, have the ten now.” Jack pulled out the ten dollars from his backpack, and slipped the note into the bag. The cabbie sighed, and reached back for the money. Then he pulled out into the street.

“Any particular direction?”

“No.”

“Your ten are up.” The car lurched to a halt.

“Thank you again!”

“Yes, get out.”

Jack got out of the car, and grabbed his backpack, barely closing the door in time for the car to leave. Jack stood in the street briefly, looking at the empty space in front of him. Then, realizing he was still in the middle of the street, Jack jumped up on the curb. Where to now? He turned to the left, and began walking.