Adventures of Jacko the

Conjurer
Red Skies, Blue Skies

By Jamie Ott

Flight
Chapter 1
Jacko lived with his father, John,
whom he hated with every fiber of
his being. Dad and his friend
thought he was stupid and didnt
know what was going on. But just
because she managed to leave
before he woke, or stay hidden until
he left for school, didnt mean he
didnt know she was there all night.
He lay there, listening in
disgust to the giggling on the other
side of the wall. Moaning loudly, he
slammed the pillow on his head and
rolled onto his belly.

Dads bed, repeatedly, tapped

into the wall.

It was bad enough that they

were together, but did they have to
rub it in? Were they trying to drive
him crazy?
He jumped from his bed, and
then stomped to the door, which he
slammed into the wall.
Without knocking, he opened
his fathers door and slammed that
into the wall, too. His father and his
friend jumped to their sides of the
bed while trying to cover up.
Jacko yelled, Shut up! I can
hear everything you two do through
the wall! Im sick of it!
He rammed the door shut and
went back to his room.
The floor rumbled under the
force of his feet. Heavily, he
plopped down onto his bed. The

metal frame bounced back and

forth off the wall.
Dad opened his door, entered
the room, calmly, and gently closed
it again.
Jacko remained with his face
buried in his pillow, readying
himself for his fathers backlash.
The sound of the floor lightly
creaking got closer and closer.
His fathers hand brutally
grazed his scalp as he yanked his
head up by a fistful of hair. He tried
to resist but his father was too
strong.
Dad pushed his head back until
his neck cracked, and then gave
him a powerful red welt across the
face. In a low voice, he said, If you
ever do that again, Ill beat the crap
outta you.
Jacko almost bit through his
tongue as dad slammed his head,
hard, into the pillow, and then left.

The tapping against the wall

resumed.
Jacko screamed into his pillow.

He tried to ignore it, but with

each tap, Jacko grew angrier. For a
moment, he imagined shooting Dad
and his friend right as they lay in
bed, together. Then he thought
about shooting himself in the head.
Finally, he rolled over onto his
back and screamed so loud that the
neighbors could have heard, I
CANT TAKE IT ANYMOOOOOORE!!
He got out of bed, grabbed his
air rifle, and loaded it with BBs.
Dad stumbled angrily back into
his room. His face was red with
rage.
He made to rush Jacko, but this
time, he wasnt going to let his
father beat him. Jacko quickly

pointed the rifle and shot multiple

pellets at him.
His father yelped like a dog as
he jumped back.
He stopped shooting, so his
father would have a chance to leave
the room. Instead, Dad and Jackos
eyes met for a second; then he
made to rush him again.
Jacko sent another round of
balls at him.
Dad jumped up and down as he
jerked his body about the room like
chicken in a cock fight. The pellets
hit him ferociously in the chest and
thighs, with one getting him square
in the crotch.
Finally, he turned and left the
room. Jacko shot multiple pellets at
his back side as he ran out.
He wouldnt have much time
for escape, so he rushed into his
jeans, a sweater and a jacket. Then
he packed a change of clothes into

his red backpack. Next, he grabbed

his laptop bag, threw in his cell
phone, wallet, and keys.
He raised his rifle and, slowly,
opened the door, exiting the way
hed seen it done on television.
With his rifle raised skyward, he
poked his head out. He looked left
and right.
Upon seeing that all was clear,
he moved, quickly, into the hallway
with his rifle pointed outward. Jacko
scanned the area, and then made
his way, carefully, to the stairwell.
Slowly, he made his way
downstairs where, as he stepped off
the last step, and onto the landing,
he spotted his father on the phone.
Jacko assumed he was talking
with the police, as they had been
through similar violent scenarios
before that night. Dad always ended
up calling the cops, who always
took his fathers side of all their
disputes.

They looked at each other. His

eyes shifted down to the rifle and
back up to Jackos face.
Gently, Dad hung up the phone.
Innocently, he lifted his
eyebrows as he walked toward him,
trying to emanate a calm yet
concerned look with his face. He
opened his arms and held them out
in a welcome, hug-like gesture, as
though trying to convince Jacko,
through body language, that all was
fine.
His father stepped a few paces
closer to him, and then charged him
like a bull. He made it outside just
as heard his father ram himself into
the coat rack nailed to the wall
behind the door.
Parked on the street was his
250cc scooter. Jacko stowed his
items and got on.

Get your ASS back here!

Jacko heard as he sped off.

Several police cars turned onto

his street as he approached stop
signs at the end of his block. He
knew they must be headed for his
home, but Jacko remained calm as
he looked both ways before making
a left turn.
Nothing mattered to Jacko,
anymore, because he was
determined never to look back on
the town with the father that let him
down in so many ways.

~~~

Jackos real name was John,

like his fathers. His sister, Sissy,
told him hed earned the nickname
around Halloween time; that when
he was a toddler, learning to speak,

he loved the way Jacko, from the

word Jack o Lantern sounded. After
a week of saying the word,
repeatedly, Sissy and his mother
became fond of it.
He was happy to go by Jacko,
instead of Junior, because he didnt
want to be anything like his father.
Jacko remembered, clearly, the
night his mother and sister left
them, and he remembered his
father being the cause of his
mothers grief. It was the grief that
was the reason she was dead.
Yes, he was quite young when
they left, but he remembered,
vividly, the pain and awkwardness
that followed their absence. He got
sick when his father and Anna holed
up in his room on the same night
Mom and Sissy left, as if nothing
important had happened. They
blasted music, and only came out
every so often to get cold beer.

Jacko, alone, retched again and

again into the toilet, in between
tears.
What made him angrier was
his sisters insistence that he not
hate his father. He didnt
understand how she could expect
him to feel different. They, as a
family, were happy until Anna, his
friend, came along, so how could
she forgive so easily?
There was a period when
Jacko was angry with his mother
and Sissy, too, for leaving him
behind. It hurt to think that Sissy
was more loved. Why else would his
mother take her and not him? But
when weeks went by without word
from either of them, and as his
father spent, increasingly, more
time with Anna, he became severely
depressed.
It wasnt more than a month
after they moved out that he got
the news of his mothers suicide. He
didnt know all the facts about what
happened, except that shed

consumed a large amount of

hemlock root that was boiled into a
tea a strange method of suicide,
a cop commented.
The police delivered the
shocking news in their living room,
one evening. His father was stone
faced and stone cold as they told
him how Sissy called 9-1-1, but
when they got to their home, shed
gone.
Jacko didnt know, at first,
what happened to Sissy, as she
didnt talk to him for several years.
Then, one day, she sent him an
email. Immediately, he let go of all
his anger toward her, for she was all
he had. He was grateful shed come
back to him. Except for her
disappearance, she was always a
good sister; she was always kind
and loving, and never picked on
him. It made him sad that she was
five years older than he was
because, sometimes, he thought, if
she were with him, then maybe he
could tolerate Dad and his friend.

~~~

It was particularly black that

April night, as he rode north, along
the ocean, toward San Francisco.
His blood boiled angry-hot for many
miles, and his cell phone rang every
half hour. He knew it was his father,
but he just didnt care. They had
been through many struggles, and
they always ended the same way:
Jacko sent to his room, and his
father and Anna off drinking and
partying.
Despite the cold air, Jacko
sweated excessively. He took off his
helmet and allowed the wind to dry
his soaked face.
Deeply, he inhaled the ocean
air, and with each exhale, he felt his
anxiety-stiffened muscles relax.
His face was still sweaty when
he put the helmet back on, but he

didnt want a ticket because he

didnt have a license. That and he
was only fourteen years old.
Jackos phone started to vibrate
in his pocket again. He grabbed it,
looked at the screen, saw it was his
father and threw it to the side of the
road.
Three hours later, he rode into
the small township of Gonzalez, off
the 101 freeway. Too tired to ride
anymore, he went east at the first
stop sign, and then off-road into a
large grassy area.
A wide berthed, barren tree
with numerous leafless branches
stood 100 yards away from the
road. Jacko rode up, and parked his
bike behind the tree.
He swung his tired, stiff leg off
the scooter, yanked off his helmet,
and stretched long toward the sky.
Jacko put his helmet on the
rack, and pulled his tarp and
sleeping bag out from the luggage

compartment. After spreading the

tarp and sleeping bag on the
ground, he climbed into it and fell
asleep, instantly.

~~~

Dawn was cracking, but that

wasnt what woke Jacko. A semitruck, lugging its way to the
freeway blew its horn, scaring the
heck out of him. After that, it was
hard to ignore the deep penetration
of the suns rays that leaked
through his sleeping bag and the
lids of his eyes.
He tried to nod off again, but
the chill from the ground was
already forcing multiple waves of
shivers through his muscles and
joints. Then another truck on the
road blew its lousy horn.

After a few more moments, he

gave up trying to sleep. He packed
his items and left.
The morning chill was harsh, so
he hurried to the freeway, and then
looked for a caf where he could
thaw out.
His fingers recoiled on the
chilly bike handles; his teeth
chattered against his chin strap. He
should have looked through the
luggage compartment and gotten
his leather gloves.
Ten miles up the road, he
found a nearly vacant little diner. He
walked up to the counter and
ordered a tall coffee and a breakfast
burrito. The heat from the coffee
spread, like that of hot coals, down
his throat, into his stomach. It was
the only thing that kept him from
falling asleep while sitting up.
Sleeping on the cold rocky ground
all night was hardly restful.
He tried to focus on how
much money he had, and where he

should go. If he remembered

correctly, there would be about a
thousand dollars in his bank
account, after his last paycheck.
It took him a whole year to
save that money by working, part
time, in his uncles car repair. His
uncle always asked him why he
preferred spending all his time in
the shop, rather than out with
friends. Although he made some
lame excuse, the truth is Jacko
always knew, in the back of his
mind, that hed leave his father
sooner, rather than later.
But a thousand dollars wasnt
enough to do anything. He was a
minor, so he couldnt get an
apartment. His fathers family was
sure to send him right back home,
and he knew nothing of his
mothers side of the family.
As he sat, contemplating, a
thought plugged itself into his mind,
almost as though someone
whispered it into his ear. It said, Go

to your sisters; shes already

expecting you.
Hmmm, he thought. How
would his sister react, if he showed
up? And, in fact, he did have the
feeling that she would be expecting
him.

Well, it doesnt matter because

she was all the family he had, so
shed have to help him.
Hed go to Concord, New
Hampshire, where she lived. When
he got to her state, hed call her.
That way she couldnt possibly
refuse him.
Hopefully, he could persuade
her to help him start a life of his
own. He could get another job, take
the GED. Maybe take night classes
at the local college.
Settling on the decision to go
to Sissy made him exuberant. He
finished his breakfast and went next

door, to the gas station where he

bought a national map and a cheap
little prepaid phone, for in case of
emergency, and to call Sissy when
he got close to Concord.
After he traced, with his finger,
the interstate freeways, he didnt
waste time getting back on his bike
and riding the whole morning
through, only stopping to refill his
tank and buy a few bottles of water.
The worst part of the trip was
when Jacko had to go over the Bay
Bridge. Although he grinded the
bars, his little 250 would go no
faster than 60 mph which, although
the speed limit was 45 on the
bridge, people seemed to think
Jacko was a pest. People honked,
and always made sure to extend
their middle fingers, as they rode
around him.
Cars continually slammed their
breaks, and skidded behind him,
making his blood pressure shoot up.
Frightened by the repeated squeals
coming from behind, he wondered if

he was clearly visible on the poorly

lit blue bridge.
He didnt feel safe, again,
until he made it into San Francisco,
where people seemed less hostile
toward scooter riders.
The Golden Gate Bridge wasnt
so bad because it was brightly lit
and completely open, skyward, right
under the sun. He was able to
stretch his legs, a moment, in the
bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Eventually, the bridges
afternoon congestion started to
clear, and he made it to Marin,
where he decided to pullover and
have a rest.
Starved and exhausted, he took
the nearest exit into the city and
parked his bike near the window of
a harbor restaurant.
Inside, a pretty waitress with
owl shaped eyes stared him up and
down in a way that made Jacko
realize he was about to be asked

questions. There was an older man

who sat behind a register, reading a
newspaper. He looked at him and
tipped his hat.
Worried, Jacko, reluctantly,
nodded back.
The waitress sat him at a
table, and then walked off to the
kitchen. She quickly came back with
a complimentary New England
chowder soup.
The woman appeared to be in
her mid-twenties. Jacko could tell
she was a very nosey person and,
when she didnt stop staring at him,
he said in a very short and direct
manner, Stop looking at me.
The waitress looked surprised
at Jackos assertiveness. He
continued, Id like a cola, please.
She said nothing but
continued to stare at him, as if he
were an oddity of nature.

If you can tear your eyes away

from the show, perhaps you can do
your job? Or should I leave?
Jacko got up.
Lorraine, said the man with
the hat, Get the boy a drink!
He watched her walk to the
soda machine, fill it with ice and
coke, and come back.
Then he got up and went to the
restroom.

Upon seeing his reflection in

the mirror, he thought, No wonder
the waitress was staring at me.

Jacko looked like hed spent the

morning tumbling in hay. His shirt
had been soaked, several times
through, with sweat. His hair was a
yellow poof on his head, his red
puffy eyes looked anaphylactic, and

his tee shirt had a crusty yellow

tinge to it, like a sock.
Ugh! he said to himself, as he
bent over the sink and splashed
water onto his face and hair. Then,
he reached into his red backpack
and pulled a clean tee shirt out.
Back at the table, the waitress
asked him where he was from.
Jackos skin burned. He wanted
to be left alone. Instead of having a
restful lunch, he now had to find a
lie to satisfy the nosey woman.
After a moment, he said, San
Francisco. Im going to visit a friend
in Sonoma.
He looked down at his soup.
Arent you a little young to
be riding that scooter? It looks
dangerous, and especially to ride
over the bridge?
His mind raced as he stalled by
taking a bite of his soup.

The lady stood there and

waited for an answer.
He chewed, thoughtfully, for a
moment, sighed loudly and said, I
know being small time means
youve got nothing better to do, but
do you have to ruin my lunch? If its
money youre worried about, well,
here. He pulled out his wallet and
showed her his cash. So if thats
what youre concerned about,
problem solved.
Alright, then, Ill leave you
alone.
Hoping she wouldnt spit in
his burger for being rude, he
watched her walk back into the
kitchen. Twenty minutes later, she
came out with a burger and fries,
which she left on the table, without
saying a word.
After pulling the sandwich
apart and verifying that it was safe,
he wolfed it down. Periodically, the
waitress would throw a glance at
him, but he kept eating.

When he finished, he took the

check up to the old man, behind the
counter, who apologized for the
nosey waitress. My niece, he said,
and gave him a ten-percent
discount.
He thanked the man who, just
before he walked out of the door,
said Youre leaving now? Traffics
coming and you cant be on the
road with that little bike, but Jacko
smiled, said thank you and left.
The old man was right. The
freeway, which was visible from
where he stood, was even worse
than when he rode in.
It wasnt so much that he
couldnt ride around all the traffic,
but what worried him was it would
slow him down. He wanted to get
away from the cities and into the
country side, before dark. There, he
could sleep, camp, or get a motel
room without question.

So without stopping for gas,

Jacko weaved, as fast he could, to
the 80.

When he made it onto the 80

ramp, happiness welled up inside
him. The realization that he was
closer to leaving rotten California
was exciting. He resented the west
coast, the people who lived there,
and everything hed ever
experienced.
Perhaps his resentment was
misplaced, and had more to do with
his father. Still, leaving and starting
over again, seemed like exactly
what he needed.

As he rode on, he fantasized

about how happy he was going to
be. Hed be on his own without
rules, or anyone to strong arm him.
He wouldnt have to look at his
father, not that his father ever
really looked at him. Just one more

thing Jacko didnt have to deal with:

guilt for being alive, guilt for being
in his fathers house. Once settled
in Concord, hed get a small
apartment, work in the day, and
take a class or two in the evenings.
Maybe hed get a girlfriend!
The increasing temperature
distracted Jacko from his thoughts.
He observed his surroundings, and
noticed the scenery had changed
from stretches of dark green grass
to miles of dried yellow prairie. The
air was hot, dry, and dusty, but he
didnt mind because he could slow
his bike down and relax.
Despite the heat, Jacko tried
to press on, but he didnt last too
long. The problem was the glare of
the sun; it was barely noticeable
through his helmet, yet continued
to heat his clothes and radiate to
his flesh.
When the heat became
unbearable, he pulled to the side of
the grassy road to take a break.

He took off his jacket and let

the air cool his arms. Raising and
kicking his legs, he rolled his arms
and walked up and down the side of
the road for a bit.
As he turned to walk back in
the opposite direction, he noticed, a
few yards away, a bit of dust from
the brown and green grass whirl
upward in circles to form a little dirt
devil.
Jacko pulled a bottle of water
out of his bikes luggage
compartment, sat on the grass, and
watched the dust whirl. He chewed
on some dried fruit and jerky he had
in his luggage compartment.
Despite his snack, Jackos
stomach started rumbling again.
Such was the plight of a growing
teen. He was constantly hungry
these days. The sweet from the fruit
and harshness of the jerky made
him hungrier.
Jacko packed up his snacks and
put them back in his luggage.

After a few more moments of

rest, he mounted his bike again.
However, just when he was about to
turn the key, he had a strange
feeling that made him stop. The
feeling was of someone familiar to
him, standing nearby.
Instinctively, he thought about
his mother and looked around him
for the source.
Jacko looked back at the dust
devil and noticed how the particles
seemed to be frozen in the air. He
shook his head, hoping to straighten
out his eye sight.

Maybe he needed more rest?

His eyes played tricks on him
before, when hed stayed awake for
long periods of time, and although
he slept the night before, he was
still exhausted because hed tossed
and turned the entire time.

Maybe after he crossed the

state line, hed check into a motel.
Again, he went to start the
ignition of his bike. Only, this time,
he thought he saw a smiling face
instead of his key in the circular
ignition.
Quickly, Jacko drew back his
hand.
Wow, he thought. I must be
really tired.

Perhaps hed done too much

riding that day. Thinking it must
have been the constant heat and
glare of the sun, he closed his eyes
and counted to ten, then, blindly,
turned the key.
When the motor came on, he
opened his eyes. The face was
gone. He looked up and saw the
dust devil had settled, but there
wasnt any explanation for what
Jacko saw next.

A nearly transparent head

floated in the air, right above where
the dust devil had been. The face
looked familiar to Jacko, with dark
brown shapely eyes and white
blonde hair, but the features were
exaggerated as the wind blew
through the shape.
Yeah, whatever, he said, as
though trying to write his own self
off. He looked down and behind
him, and then sped along the 80,
and didnt stop until he reached the
state line.

Crossing Over
Chapter 2
As soon as Jacko crossed the state
line, the heat intensified, making
him feel even more tired. So he
found a cheap motel off of a stretch
of road right outside Reno, Nevada.
The desk clerk didnt ask any
questions of the boy. He, simply,
gave him a key without even saying
hello! Jacko liked that!
When he walked back outside,
he noticed a dive diner with low
class people screaming, yelling,
drinking, and hanging about in the
parking lot, to his right. He, then,
looked to his left and saw only the
highway and miles of more dusty
grassland. He pushed his bike up to
the second floor of the motel, and
parked it right outside his window.
Once inside, he peeled his
clothes off, climbed into bed, and
slept.

Six hours later, the bed

violently trembled. He woke, looked
around and realized it was not an
earthquake, but it was his stomach,
rumbling.
The clock said nine p.m.
He had two huge meals today!
Inwardly, he yelled at himself,
Why cant I stop being hungry?
He stumbled out of the lumpy,
sinking, bed. Then he showered and
rinsed his shirts in the bath tub. He
hung one to dry, and put the other
one on. Better wet than stinky, plus
the shirt lowered his body
temperature, considerably.
Outside his door, the first
thing that scared Jacko was the
loud, rowdy voices of questionable
looking people. What if they tried to
start something with him?
The voices came from the
parking lot behind the diner, where
he saw seven raggedly dressed men

hanging about semi-trucks. Not very

far from the men stood several
prostitutes, cackling and smoking.
Jacko drew in his breathe,
brought up his chest, and tried to be
brave while praying that no one
talked to him.
When he opened the door to
the diner, his stomach quivered at
the smell of grease and meat.
Despite what hed seen, which was
about two dozen scary, hairy,
overweight, tough, burly truckers half of which seemed to be missing
a good deal of teeth - his stomach
propelled him forward.
In the air, hung a nasty, thick,
haze of cigarette smoke, through
which several of the faces looked
him up and down. To Jacko, they
looked surly and mean. In
particular, a dark haired guy in a
blue and black plaid shirt tried to
stare Jacko down.
He looked down at his feet and
continued to the available spot at

the bar that was closest to him

upon entry; that way, if there was
trouble, he could just run.

What can I get ya? asked a

waitress with eyebrows that rose up
into her forehead, and an incredibly
wrinkled face.
Bacon burger, fries, and a
cola, he mumbled.
She went off to get his order
when the guy who stared him down
approached.
Hey, kid. What are you doing
here? Where are your parents?
The man asked with a
menacing curiosity that did not go
unnoticed.
Instinctively, he knew the guy
meant him anything but good. The
way his eyes shifted down to his
leather jacket, down to his shoes,

and back to Jackos eyes, made his

skin tingle.
His sunken eyes looked dark
and empty, yet full of crazy. The
skin of his face was falling into dark,
leathery folds. He was severely
underweight and his breath smelled
bad.
Jacko sat for a moment trying
to think of what to say.
Say something. What are you
deaf? Where are your parents?
Im just here to get a bite
and go. Is that okay? Jacko asked,
trying to sound tough.
So youre all alone, huh?
The man grabbed him by the
back of the neck, forced him off the
chair, and pushed him to the
ground.
Well, thats just great cause
Im lookin for a little action tonight,

and your face has got awl my

attention, pretty boy, hee hee.
The man laughed almost like a
donkey.
Hey said the waitress,
whod just set Jackos food on the
counter. Leave him alone or get
out.
The mans face lost the laugh,
and his eyes became real serious
and dark as he said, Dont need to
tell me, twice, wrinkle.
Screw you.
Yeah, no thanks, he
mumbled. I got me somin he
talked to himself as he walked back
to his seat.

Jacko sat back down to eat at

an extremely slow pace. He knew
he needed to be worried, so he took
the time to think how, best, to leave
the diner.

Unfortunately, no good ideas

came to mind. He slowly turned his
head to see the man was watching
him. He gave Jacko a dirty smile and
winked his right eye at him.
It crossed his mind that
maybe he needed a weapon.
Slowly, carefully, he slipped the
butter knife into the sleeve of his
jacket. When hed finished, the lady
asked if he wanted anything else.
Jacko asked if someone would
escort him back to his room, but the
woman rolled her eyes and told him
to leave if he was done ordering.
He hated the waitress for not
showing even the least bit of
sympathy for his situation. He
looked to his left and saw the man
was, now, standing at the door of
the restaurant, laughing at Jackos
attempt to save himself.
The waitress saw it too but
couldnt care less.

Needless to say, he wasnt

going to leave the ugly, old bat a
tip. In fact, he was gonna skip out
on the meal. His best chance was to
run out of the diner as quickly as
possible. If he paid, then the guy
would know he was preparing to
leave, but if he just ran, it would be
a surprise that would give Jacko a
head start! Besides, if the waitress
couldnt find it in her conscience to
help a boy in trouble, then he was
entitled to a free last supper, as if
the crazy man caught him, Jacko
was sure hed be dead.
He sat extremely still for a
moment while gathering up his
courage. Next, he stood up and
bolted out of the door, as fast as he
could. Jacko ran around to the back
of the building. This seemed like a
good idea because he didnt want
that psycho following him back to
his room. The last thing he needed
was for his bike to get trashed, or
for someone to burst through the
lame lock of his motel room while
he slept.

He waited in the back lot of

the diner for fifteen minutes, but he
never heard the diner door re open
or subsequent footsteps. He didnt
know if he should continue to stay
where he was or try to make it back
to his room.
One strange thing he did notice
was how quiet itd suddenly got, as
though all the truckers and hookers
had gone away.
Oh boy, he thought. If they
were gone, he was definitely in
trouble. On the other hand, if they
werent gone, would they care if an
innocent boy was being beat to
death?
Slowly, he walked out from
behind the building. Looking all
around him, he stepped quietly to
the front of the diner, which was the
only way back to the motel.
Jacko felt a moment of relief, as
he thought he was in the clear. He
was just about to take off running,
when suddenly he was grabbed

from behind and thrown up against

the stone wall of the diner.
The butter knife fell to the
ground.

Hey pretty boy? Wheres

your mama?
He threw a fist in his gut that
sent Jacko reeling for air. The
excruciating pain spread all the way
down to his groin and up to his
neck.
Jacko was nearly in fetal
position, yet still standing as he
tried to catch his breath.
The man pulled him straight up
by the collar of his jacket. He ran his
hand through Jackos hair and
caressed his face and neck.
Jacko, still gasping for air,
asked, Why are you doing this?
Because I dont take crap
from nobody, especially not from a

faggot like you. Then he hurled

Jackos face down onto the edge of
his knee where his cheek split.
At that moment Jacko got
really scared because he knew the
man wasnt going to stop there.
Tears sprung from his eyes as the
man made mince of his rib cage.
A few more brutal connections
numbed Jacko out. The heel of the
mans boot slammed his head into
the ground.
Funnily, he thought to himself
that the ground felt soft, like a
feather pillow, and then there was
silence. All seemed to go black and,
for a moment, he felt like he was
floating in the air.
In that silence, there was a
low ringing noise in Jackos ear.
Slowly, it grew louder and louder,
and he wondered if hed blacked
out.
Why was he dreaming of
ringing noises and feather textured

tarmac? How could he be thinking

of these things when a psycho was
beating the crap out of him?
That was when Jacko saw the
face again: white blonde hair and
dark brown eyes.
Sissy? said Jacko.
As quickly as he saw the face
was as quickly as it disappeared.
Remembering where he was,
he opened his eyes and wondered
why he was no longer being hit. A
few feet away, the man was
propped on his elbows, on the
ground, and was looking at Jacko
with confusion on his face.
What Jacko didnt see was,
while he was contemplating his
state of awareness, the man tried to
kick him once more. Mysteriously,
instead of giving Jacko a whopping
good one, he was somehow
knocked backward onto the ground.

Now, the vagrant man may

have been confused, but he wasnt
willing to give up on easy prey.
He stood back up and made to
boot stomp poor Jacko, once more.
He sent his heel right in the
direction of his forehead, but for
some reason, couldnt make the
connection.
The mans foot just stopped
mid-air at a few inches above his
face.
Confused, he tried to retract his
boot from the frozen point but
couldnt. He cursed, growled, and
scowled enraged. The man huffed
with his hands around his ankle and
pulled with all his strength.
Suddenly, he flew off,
backward, his legs flung over his
head. The man slammed still-faced
and face forward, on the ground.
Despite his shaky equilibrium,
Jacko pulled himself up. Wiping the
blood from his eyes, he started to

limp his way in the direction of the

motel. He stopped when he heard a
strange gurgling noise coming from
the man.
He walked back over to the
man and kicked him onto his back.
The guy was struggling to breathe.
His hands seemed pinned to his
side as he struggled and tossed
about, like a fish out of water.
Was the man were having a
seizure?
His crazy brown eyes bugged
out as he opened his mouth wider,
and tried to breathe in.
For a moment, Jacko considered
running off and leaving the evil man
to die, but then his conscience
kicked in. He couldnt just leave a
man to die no matter what hed
done to him. With that thought,
Jacko ran back inside the diner to
tell the waitress to call for help.
The waitress was unmoved by
Jacko because she was angry at him

for stiffing her. Upon seeing him,

she screamed nonstop that hed
better pay her or shed whip his ass.
That he was beaten, bloody, and his
clothes were torn, made little
difference to the wrinkled woman.
Jacko looked around for a
payphone but there was none. Yes,
he could call from his cheap, little,
prepaid phone, but it was registered
in his name.
He looked around to see if
anyone looked like they would help
him. Unfortunately, all he saw were
the many faces of uncaring, big
bellied, plaid wearing truckers. All
they could hear and see was the
scary waitress screaming at
bloodied Jacko.
Then a man in a dirty white
apron burst from the door behind
the counter. He walked up to Jacko,
yelling. He screamed at the man
that he needed to call an
ambulance, but he just kept
shouting.

Ignoring him, he ran back

outside, and the man followed. You
get back, boy! he shouted, but
when he saw the crazy guy turning
blue on the ground, he was
completely silenced.
The man had passed out while
Jacko was inside arguing with the
waitress. At that moment, when he
kneeled down to check to the mans
airway, a voice whispered inside his
head; it told him to leave, quickly.
He stood up and looked around
for the source, but all he saw was
the cook running back inside the
diner.
The voice whispered again hurryyy.
Jacko limped-ran back to his
room in which he gathered his
items, and stuffed his bag.
Stumbling down the steps with his
bike, he looked across the lot to see
two cowboys bending over the body
while one spoke into a phone.

~~~

Several hours later, he was

miles away from Reno. Still, Jacko
worried about the man, and hoped
hed be okay.
What would happen to him, if
the man died? He kept asking
himself.
Thinking about what happened
at the diner made his head ache,
but he couldnt stop. He tried to
focus his thoughts on the line of city
lights in the skyline, ahead, but the
ache got worse. Then two coin sized
flashes of white glared at him from,
some feet, ahead on the road.
Jacko grinded his breaks and
the bike went skidding. He swerved
off into a ditch and rode onto a
ground cactus that flipped his bike
over sideways.

Fortunately, his jacket was of

biker leather, but it didnt stop the
needles that pricked through his
skin. He moaned, loudly, and lay
still for a few moments. He told
himself that he was fine and tried to
push himself up, but instead, he
passed out.

When he finally woke up, it

was because something wet was
slapping his face.
Slowly, he opened his eyes to
find that he was in a lumpy, sagging
bed. Next to him, he noticed a large
impression that was heavily
specked with yellow animal hairs.
Looking around, he realized he
was in an old and dusty house. The
walls were made with old grey slats,
through which light leaked.
Slowly, he pulled his legs over
the side of the bed, and rested
them on the floor a moment. He
had to hold his breath, so as not to

put extra pressure on the inside of

his stomach and ribs, which hurt
bad.
After a moment, he drew in a
slow, deep lungful of air and
breathed out, heavily, as he stood
up. The shock of the pain made him
groan so hard that he scratched his
throat.
He reached a hand up to feel
the damage to his face and
immediately cried out.
Although he couldnt see it, he
felt that his face was swollen
several sizes larger than normal.
His legs worked, painfully, and
he barely made it to the rickety thin
door of the room.
When he opened the door,
bright blue sky made him squint. He
limped outside and saw that he
wasnt in Nevada anymore, or at
least, he couldnt have been.
Instead of desert, he found himself

standing in a low land bald spot of a

mountainous region.
There appeared to be nothing
man made, aside from the house in
which he stood, for many miles.
As Jackos vision adjusted, he
noticed several strange things
about his location. The first was the
quality of the air that he could see
too clearly. He noticed how the little
particles moved about in little
convection like patterns.
When Jacko refocused his eyes,
to examine the air more closely, he
thought it looked like transparent
little bubbles. The bubbles left little
speed tails behind their movement,
which left a million little traces all
across the air and sky.
Next, Jacko noticed the
thousands of conifer type trees that
surrounded the area, yet they
werent typical conifers of any
species hed ever seen. They were
extremely bright green with
fluorescent auras that made

convection patterns around them.

The trees appeared to go on for
many miles into the sky, which was
impossible thought Jacko.
Even stranger was the grass
that wasnt grass at all, but seemed
to be patches of moss.
He slowly lowered to the
ground and extended a bit of it for
closer examination.
The moss extended from the
ground in massive amounts of coil.
It felt slimier than moss would and,
up close, looked more like grated
zest all stuck together. The color
was green, like spirulina, and with a
similarly funky smell. It expanded
and contracted in his hand, as if it
were breathing.
He was fascinated. He ripped
some of the moss from the ground
to see what it would do.
Immediately, he regretted this
because a high pitched squeal
emitted from the ground. His hand

started to get really hot as the moss

turned a fiery red.
He dropped it and jumped
back, in alarm. His eyes stayed on
the squealing moss that had begun
to slowly disappear, diminishing in
size.
What is going on here? he
asked aloud.
The red cells expanded and
contracted even faster as it died.
Jacko watched a few moments, and
then it was completely gone.
It occurred to him that he
should probably feel bad for what
hed done; that he might have killed
the grass, but as he looked up at
the trees, he forgot his guilt.
He walked a hundred feet to
the edge of the bald spot, up to the
closest cluster of trees.
Up close, he could see the
needles had strange qualities, too.
They were hard, like plastic, and

extremely long. In fact, they were

all exactly, approximately, ten
inches in length and they matched
each other exactly in girth, which
was very thin.
Like the moss, they expanded
and contracted, too.
Now Jacko shouldve learned
his lesson the first time, but he
didnt. He pulled a needle out.
There came a loud hissing noise
from the pore where the needle no
longer occupied. A smoky scent,
sort of like sewage exhaled.
Jacko felt really bad at that
point because he didnt want to hurt
living things. But the funny bark and
twigs were of the strangest color
hed ever seen. They were brown
but very red, too. When Jacko
touched it, it turned redder.
He tried to pull a little twig off
to see what it would do, but the tree
drew back its branch and punched
him in the head.

Jacko stumbled backward and

fell, rolling on the ground and
holding his throbbing face. He
wasnt angry, though, because he
knew he deserved it.
When the pain subsided, he
pushed himself up and walked back
toward the house.
As he got closer, he noticed
there was a little body of water on
the other side.

The pond gurgled and bubbled

in the center.
At first, Jacko was scared
because he didnt want to get hurt,
again. Nevertheless, he got nearer,
anyway.
He jumped back when the
water boiled upward like a geyser
and fell back to the pond. After a
moment, he determined that the
water was going to continue to rise,
repeatedly, in the same manner.

He inched closer to the bank of

the pond and was fascinated to see
how the water fell back in the shape
of various animals: mostly fish, but
also cows, cats, and birds.
Jacko was amazed! Was the
water putting on a show for him?
What was this pond?

Well, come and look.

Huuh? he said dreamily.

The water was putting some

sort of spell on him and he couldnt
resist.
Sedated, he moved closer to
the edge. When liquid hands
grabbed him and pulled him in, he
didnt even scream.
Jacko was sleepily submerged
in the pond, which became bigger

once under the surface. Under

wasnt so bad, he thought to
himself. He noticed he felt free from
pain there. In fact, he felt great,
giddy, and happy!
When two big, green, gold fish
swam up to him with greetings,
Jacko shook their fins
enthusiastically.

Lets swim! they said.

Jacko nodded and smiled.

Under the water was a whole

new world. He looked down and saw
his body had shrunk, but he was
unfazed by the sight!
They swam so fast! Jacko
couldnt believe their speed. They
went worling for miles under the
water.
Jackos head spun and he
grinned because it was fun to get

dizzy, there. The fish wanted to

teach him tricks, and Jacko grinned
and swam little figure eights.
He hadnt had as much fun in a
long time, so when they invited him
to a goldfish tea party, he was so
happy that he did a flip out of water
for joy.
It was all fun until there was a
loud splash, and then knives cut
into his ankle.
Jacko turned to see it was a big
yellow dog. He tried to swim away,
but its grip was firm.
His legs slid through the
muddy, mossy bank. The green fish
grabbed his hands and tried to help
pull him back into the water.
Their efforts were useless
because the dog was too strong for
them all. The fish were clearly
angry, as was Jacko. They jumped
up and down through the surface,
waving their fins, in the shapes of
fists, at the dog.

Finally, the big yellow dog

pulled Jacko completely away from
the water. His front and face
smeared in the mud of the bank. He
turned and yelled, Get off me, you
mutt!
Excuse me, but I am not a
mutt.
Okay, said Jacko, realizing the
dog demonstrated intelligence. Is
this a dream?
Yes and no, but that doesnt
matter because Ive come to help
you.
Help me with what?
Help you stay safe on your trip
east.
Sent by whom?
I cant tell you that.

I was having fun! Why did you

have to pull me out? he asked
angrily.
If you stay too long, you
become a fish. Look at your hands!
Jacko looked and saw that they
had a funny greenish tinge.
Theyll take you away from
reality. The pond goes a lot further
than just the ground.
Jacko didnt know what the
dog meant, and he didnt bother to
ask because he was too busy taking
in its size, which was like small
horse.
Were you licking my face a
moment ago? Why dont I hurt
anymore?
Jackos wounds felt stiff but
were no longer open and bloody.
The water is healing, I
suppose.
This cant be real.

Oh, yeah? Well, then, whats

that? said the dog looking down at
his feet.
Whats what?
He looked down and saw that
his ankle bled through his jeans.
Pain like knives stabbed at them
again.
What the heck?
He felt queasy at seeing his
bleeding ankles. Oh my, he said
swayed.
Feeling dizzy, Jacko closed his
eyes and almost passed out.

When he reopened them, he

was startled. No longer did he see a
yellow dog and bright blue sky, but
instead, just a night sky with stars
gleaming.
Still feeling nauseous, he closed
his eyes again, and when he opened
them, he gasped. No longer did he

see just a night sky, but he saw the

dog again, and the bright blue sky.
He was extremely confused,
but before he could ask the dog any
questions, he screamed.
His legs wobbled.
He closed his eyes one more
time.
Once again, he opened them
and saw the night sky.
AAAAHHH!
The pain from his ankles shot
up his legs. He looked down his legs
and saw he was flat on the ground.
Two large, slimy, grey skinned dogs
were pulling Jacko away by the
ankles, one in each mouth.
Suddenly, a loud, powerful bark
came from above his head. He
looked up and saw the yellow dog,
only he was smaller than a moment
ago.

To counterweight the mangy

dogs, the big yellow one sunk its
teeth into his shoulder, causing
Jacko to scream louder.
One of the dogs dropped his
leg so that it could bark at the
yellow dog.
Jacko swung his free leg and
kicked the mouth of the dog that
held his other ankle.
Upon force of contact, the dogs
eyes turned red and his bark to a
loud screeching noise, like a dragon.
Jacko almost wet himself, but
the yellow dog yelled,
Chupacabras! We gotta go!
When Jacko remained still on
the ground, transfixed by the sight
of the mangy animals whose eyes
turned red, the dog yelled, COME
ON! and nipped him on the
shoulder.
The nip brought Jacko back to
awareness. Just in time, too,

because one of the dogs erupted in

scales along the spine of its back,
and breathed out a long forked
tongue.

Behind them, he saw two more

dogs were coming from the rocks a
mile out.
When he stood, Jacko was
astounded to see that they nearly
carried him off while he was passed
out. He looked around for his bike,
but couldnt see anything in the
darkness because there was no
traffic on that desolate stretch of
road.

Follow me, said the dog once

more.
The yellow dog led him to his
scooter, which was some 200 feet
back toward the road.

When he got close enough, he

stopped.
The bike was no longer his little
250cc. Instead it was a full no name
bike with a side car that the yellow
dog leapt into.
This isnt my bike! I dont
know how to ride it.
Just get on, it works the same
way; its just bigger.
And then the dog pulled out a
helmet and goggles with its paws. It
pulled the visor down as the straps
magically buckled themselves.
Stop gawking, Jacko! We gotta
go!

He jumped onto the seat just as

one of the dogs leapt at him. He
turned the key and they sped off
down the road as the yellow dog
turned his head around and barked
behind them.

He managed a look in his side

mirror and gasped. They had
changed from dogs into little scaly,
dragon-like animals. They barked
and screeched as they tried to catch
up to the bike.
Jacko put on more speed and
the dragon-dogs were lost.
His heart pounded in his chest
for a few minutes as he tried to
understand what had happened. He
realized the yellow dog could have
answers for him but was afraid to
stop too soon.
Every few minutes, he would
look at the bike and dog to remind
himself that they were both real.
After another 40 miles east of
Reno, Jacko began to wind down. At
which point, he pulled over into a
deserted gas station for a rest.
He parked behind an empty gas
stand and took off his helmet, as did
the dog. Reaching in the back, he

pulled out a bottle of water and

took a few sips.
Jacko wondered to himself if the
dog would want water. It must have
heard his thoughts because he
looked into Jackos eyes with
comprehension, jumped out of the
side car, and ran to him.

Okay, he said and poured

water out in a thin stream to the
ground.
The dog stuck out its tongue
and tried to lick up as much of the
liquid as it could.
After another sip, he put the
bottle back in his luggage and sat
on the bike and said Okay, talk.
But the dog said nothing. He just
sat there breathing, dully, with his
tongue hanging long, down his
neck.

Where did this bike come

from, huh?
The dog just looked at him with
a blank stare.
Jacko sighed and pulled out his
bag of jerky, which he shared with
the dog. Finally he sighed again and
said Alright, dog, dont talk.

He dug in the luggage area of

the bike and pulled out his sleeping
bag and tarp. He kicked all the little
rocks out of the way of his intended
spot.
Then he took off his shoes and
climbed inside his bag. The dog
walked to the bag and lay down
next to him. He stared up at the
stars as the dog leaned his head
back for Jacko to scratch him behind
the ears.

Red Skies, Blue Skies

Chapter 3
Hours later, Jacko woke to the sound
of cars riding fast along the road.
For a moment, he refused to open
his eyes. He laid there thinking
about the dream hed had of the
funny blue sky, and some green fish
hed made friends with, in a pond;
how hed nearly ran over a dog, and
instead, wound up hurting himself.
Eyes still closed, he felt his ribs and
then his face: there was no pain.
He opened his eyes, yawned
deeply and looked around. There
was no yellow dog anywhere to be
seen. Turning over, he looked up
and his jaw dropped: there was the
black motorcycle with a sidecar.
Jacko got up to inspect the bike.
Slowly, he walked around it,
looking it up and down. Carefully,
he reached out a hand and touched
the bike with the tip of his fingers. It
was a lovely, dangerous looking

bike that gleamed under the sun. It

had large red lights in back that
looked like devil eyes.

Well, if this is a dream, it aint

bad, he thought.

But wheres the dog? he

said aloud.
He continued to think about the
dog as he packed his items. He liked
the idea of having a companion with
him.
Then, just as he was about to
turn the ignition of the bike, he
heard a barking from behind. He
turned and smiled happily. The dog
ran from between tall yellow grass
and leapt into the sidecar.
He got off his bike, reached
into his luggage compartment and
pulled out a bag of jerky and a
bottle of water.

After the dog finished, Jacko got

on his bike and the dog leapt back
into the side car. He was about to
turn on the bike and go when he
realized the dog needed to be
strapped in.

Well, alright. Go ahead, strap

yourself in, he said.
Unlike last night, when the dog
was so full of life, he, now, sat there
breathing, dully.
Jacko slid off his seat and
strapped in the dog.
He looked into its eyes to see if
there was any recognition of what
happened between them the prior
night. When he saw that he was not
going to be satisfied, he decided to
forget about it.
Just a dog, he told himself.

They stopped in Lovelock,

Nevada, for breakfast at another
little no-name diner.
Outside, in the parking lot, he
told the dog to wait. As Jacko spoke
the simple words, he had a strong
feeling that the dog was only
pretending to be simple. Somehow,
he knew the dog knew exactly what
he was saying to him.

Why are you pretending?

Jacko asked.
The dog said nothing.

Inside, he was seated at a table

behind a family of four.
Jacko watched the Mother and
father trying to get a hold of their
two kids. The older girl was
laughing, obnoxiously, as she did
something, under the table, to the
younger boy.

Stop kicking me, the little boy

cried.
When she didnt, he, then,
threw a handful of scrambled eggs
at her, which made her cry.
Jacko laughed as he watched
them because it reminded him of
when he and Sissy used to tease
each other, before his father ruined
their lives. He thought about his
conflicted feelings: jealousy and
anger yet envy that she could leave
while he stayed home. At the
moment, though, he was glad she
left because if she hadnt, she
wouldnt be able to help him, now.
After a plateful of pancakes,
eggs, and sausages, he left the
restaurant satisfied.
Outside the diner, upon
smelling the half dozen sausages
Jacko ordered for him, the dog got
extremely excited.

He jumped up and down while

squealing, barking, and running
around him in circles. A few feet
away, a couple and their children
frightfully froze. Not only was the
dog jumping around Jacko, but he
was jumping five feet up in the air.
Jacko hurried to his bike, where
he set down the foam container of
sausages. To Jackos relief, the dog
immediately stopped its leaping. A
few yards away, the couple and
their children continued to stare at
them for a few seconds before
going inside.
After the dog ate the
sausages, they went next door to
the small grocery store, but this
time, it was even worse.
Okay, wait here, Dog.
That had become the dogs
unofficial name.
Dog nodded at Jacko who was
suspicious, once more, of Dogs

intelligence; nevertheless, he
continued inside.
He didnt dwell because his
main concern was getting back on
the road.
Jacko strolled up and down the
aisles, looking for the section of
bottled water. When he found it, he
grabbed two six packs, and then
walked over to the animal foods
section.
A moment later, he was in line
behind two cute girls who looked
like they might have been twins.
Both were holding sodas and some
candy.
One was slightly shorter than
the other but they, both, were
skinny with long brown hair, all the
way down to their waists. When
they turned around, it was hard to
ignore the way their green eyes
glowed against their tan skin.
Both of the girls were trashy
looking in their dirty jeans, sandals,

and stained tee shirts. After

observing them a moment, Jacko
noticed the slightly taller one had a
longer, feminine face while the
shorter had a perfect jaw and full
lips. They looked to be about his
age. He couldnt help noticing how
cute they were, together; they must
have been sisters.
Meanwhile, at the electronic
sliding doors exit, Dog stood,
watching Jacko. He wagged his tail
ferociously and sniffed at the air.
Jacko saw Dogs eyes shift to the
girls in front of him, and wondered if
he knew that Jacko was attracted to
them.

Just as long as he doesnt start

showing off again.

The two kept looking behind, at

him, and giggling. Their behavior

made him feel especially dumb. He

figured it must have been his hair
that made them act as they did.
Sometimes, he got helmet head
after a long ride, and he selfconsciously moved his hand to run
it through his hair, but he dropped
the packs of water. The bottles
slammed to the floor and went
rolling in every direction.
In response to the loud
thudding noise, everyone in line
snapped their heads in his direction.
Jackos face turned deep red with
embarrassment.

Sorry, Jacko mumbled.

A few moments later, he

struggled through the doors of the
store with his items. Dog must have
wandered off because he was no
longer near the exit.

As he was about to head

through the lot, he caught
something out of the corner of his
eye. Jacko snapped his head to the
right and saw the big 60lb ball of
yellowish white hair doing
continuous cartwheels.
Dog looked ridiculous with the
way he landed on his legs, and his
ears flopped about. Jacko panicked
when he looked around and saw
people stop and stare at Dog.
His mind raced with ideas
about how to leave unnoticed; he
even contemplated leaving him
behind.
Jacko felt like he could have
died, right there on the spot.
Fortunately, Dog stopped doing
cartwheels, but only to start
dancing on his hind legs in circles
around the girls who laughed,
hysterically. They tried to go but
Dog continued to block their way
by, next, walking on his back legs
and shaking its top in a shimmy.

Quickly, he looked left and right

at both entrances of the parking lot.
Beyond the girls, at the other end of
the parking lot, a police car stopped
to watch.
He was prompted to action
when a man, behind him, said
Move it! Youre blocking the exit!
The old man rammed him in
the back with his shopping cart.
Jacko stumbled in the direction of
Dog and the girls. He looked at the
dog and said, Stop it!
The dog immediately sat on its
rear. He looked around to see about
a dozen eyes still staring at them.
Some children were running over to
get a closer look, which Jacko knew
wasnt good. He glanced back at
the other end of the parking lot, and
to his relief, saw that the cop had
gone.
Cute dog, said the slightly
taller girl with the green eyes, and
they both walked off.

Jacko didnt say anything.

He watched them walk away,
and then he saw two more kids
running in his direction, Hey! Is
that your dog?
Not waiting for an answer, they
pet Dog.
Stay! said Jacko. And dont
do anymore tricks!
He walked back to his bike and
stowed away his items. Then he
mounted and rode over to where
the kids were still playing with Dog.
Get in, he said through
gritted teeth.

As he went to strap in Dog, at

the far end of the little plaza, he
saw the girls looking at him. He put
on his helmet and rode the bike,
slowly, toward the end of the lot
where the girls waved him down. He

really wanted to stop and talk to the

cute girls, but he rode on.

Many hours later, they reached

the outskirts of Salt Lake City where
Jacko managed to check into
another Motel 6.
Wearily, he stumbled into the
room, fell on the bed, and didnt
move for twelve hours.
In his dream, he visited the
place he saw when he was passed
out on the road. Again, he stood on
the funky green moss that burned
his hand, except he wasnt in the
bald spot. This time, some things
were very different; like the sky that
was lined with a red horizon, and
the way it stretched across the sky,
and then turned into a crisp,
blinding, blue horizon.
As his eyes traced the horizon
a 100 feet to his right, he saw that

the exact point, where the color

changed from red to blue, served as
a division between a land bathed in
red, and the land, that he stood on,
which was bathed in blue.
Jacko could see into the red
land as though looking through a
stained glass window. The red tinted
land reminded him of the pictures
hed seen of Mars atmosphere.
Curious, he walked toward the
land bathed in red, and as he got
closer, an ill feeling came over him.
The trees, plants, and mossgrass were all black, there.
A feeling that he should not
continue to that side overwhelmed
him, but he could never fight his
curiosity.
Instinct told him that he could
be making a big mistake, but he
stuck his hand through the division,
anyway. When he felt nothing,
except extreme cold, he decided to
walk through to the red side.

Wow, he thought to himself.

Jacko wished he could see more

of the strange, red world. He wished
he were bigger so he could run
through it and see it faster.
Then he looked down and
realized that he was bigger. No
longer was he looking at a barrage
of black shrubs, but instead, he saw
numerous mountain peaks.
Despite an increased feeling of
foreboding, as he saw nothing but
blackness and red sky for miles, he
walked toward the mountain direct
in his path, and when he felt it was
taking too long to get there, he ran.
The ground trembled, like an
Earthquake, as he trampled shrubs
into dust; trees snapped, like
toothpicks, into halves.

When he approached the

mountain, he leapt onto its peak,
sending massive quakes through
the ground for many miles.
Atop the peak, he was not too
pleased at what he saw of the cold,
dreary, red world.
At the base was a black-as-coal
lake. When he jumped onto the
peak, he landed just in time to see
waves of black sludge move slowly
across the still surface.
He turned 45 degrees to his left
where he saw a small forest below
him. He looked up and, in the
distance, saw a huge black castle
with lights on inside.
Suddenly, a question occurred
to him: If everything was red, cold
and black on that side, what kind of
creatures could possibly live in that
castle?
Jacko didnt want to meet any
dark creatures from that cold, cold
world. He leapt off the mountain

peak and ran back to the land that

was bathed in blue. Immediately, he
felt better, almost as if a wet
blanket had been lifted off his
shoulders.
The blue skied land was much
warmer, and much more beautiful.
At Jackos height, he noticed
there was one thing missing from
this sky. He did a slow 360 degree
turn to confirm what he didnt see:
the sun.

There was no sun.

As Jacko continued to search

the sky, he realized that there were,
also, no clouds.
After a few moments of
contemplation, he decided to forget
about it, and go explore.
In the vast distance, he saw
oceans that gleamed, in a strange

way, under the light of the red

horizon. Behind the ocean, there
were mountains with trees that held
enormous round, red berries. He
wanted to swim in the water and
pick one of the fruits.
Jacko picked up, fast, running
for miles and miles, breathing in the
funny molecule air that tickled his
stomach while giving him energy.
With every touchdown of his
foot, the ground quaked and the
trees quivered. He leapt over hills
and skipped over small ponds; he
didnt stop until he fell into the cool
ocean.
Some of the water leaked into
his mouth, and Jacko tasted that it
was fresh water. He swallowed a
gulp, and it coated his insides,
making him feel quenched in a way
hed never felt before; almost as
though hed never be thirsty again.
Jacko used his humungous
arms to swim back to land, and as

he crawled back onto the shore, he

saw that he was normal sized again.

What is wrong with you?

asked an angry voice.

He looked to his left and

suffered a shock.
Apparently, the man, who stood
there, was mad at him. That was
okay, but his appearance scared
him because he didnt look like any
man from Earth.
What spoke to him was a face
as white and glossed as carved
marble. His eyes were even more
disturbing to look at, with their
shiny, black onyx texture to
contrast. His marbled hair looked
just as solid as the rest of his skin,
and came down in perfect, shiny,
brown waves around his body,
which was adorned in a toga with a
gold buckle.

Jacko stared at the man, but

said nothing.

Youre not from here, so we

dont have to tolerate you. Best you
behave, or youll not be allowed
back!
His marble cheeks fired a rosy
red across his white artificial skin,
like touching a mood ring.
Where am I? What have I done
wrong? Jacko asked defiantly.
He sat up and noticed that his
clothes were dry.
Youre in the heaven of the
gods, and youre running about like
a fool, disturbing those who rest.
Youre God?
I see you dont pay attention.

Why are you angry? Im just

having fun.
Youll show respect, or youll
be returned to Earth. Also, I
recommend staying away from the
red lands, for theyre very
dangerous.
How do you know where Ive
been?
I know youre from Earth
because your flesh is rotting with
age, and it reeks. I can smell your
filth from over here. I know youve
been in the red lands because I was
told.
Jacko opened his mouth to
reply, but thought better of it. The
man scared him.
Dont worry, I wont harm
you. You can come home with me
and wash up, and then youll return
to your room.

My room? How does he know?

He motioned, with his hand,

that Jacko should rise and follow
him.
Im Althenio. Once I was a
god of good fortune, and I would
give good fortune to men who
deserved it.
Jacko hardly believed him, but
he asked, anyway, How long ago
was that?
To me, it seems like
yesterday. For you, it would be tens
of thousands of years ago. Now
there is no work for me, or beings
like me, so were retired, here. Man
wants to do things on his own and
in his own way. Weve done what
you wished: left Earth alone.
But what am I doing here?

Youre not the first to come

here, accidentally. Youre a gifted
boy, I presume.
What do you mean by gifted?
I still hardly believe this is real.
Althenio seemed to tire of the
conversation and merely said, Just
watch yourself as you come and go
because there are demons out there
that will get you, he said. Demons
are hunters. Once a demon gets
your scent, its for life.
What would they do with me,
demons?
If youre lucky, theyll
torture, kill, and maybe eat your
flesh; if you are unlucky, they may
swallow your soul or worse, such as
enslavement or possession.
Haha. Yeah, right, haha.
Ouch! Althenio grabbed Jacko, with
his marble grip, by the arm and
yanked him back so that they saw
each other eye-to-eye.

He let go of his arm and

continued to walk; Jacko followed.
Demons really possess
humans?
In your body, they walk
amongst the living where they can
hunt and wreak terror on a massive
scale. Do you want to be
responsible for that, arrogant boy?
Jacko said nothing, and he
continued, The last time a
possession took place, it took 100 of
us to bring the demon back. Then
there are other things they could do
that would be equally as bad.
Like what?
Do you really want to hear
this?
Yes.
They could keep you alive for
centuries, and use you to their
purpose, or recycle you into the
volcano of life.

Whats that?
But Althenio remained silent.
Oh boy, I hope I never meet a
demon.
Yes, well, then stay out of the
red lands.

Jacko flashed back to the

scene on the side of the road with
the scaly dogs and he shivered.
Youre nearly correct, Jacko.
The dogs that attacked you were, in
fact, demon hounds.
Althenio, apparently, could
read minds.
They are equally as vicious,
he continued. Id run if I saw them,
and if I were you.
Jacko felt panic and said, But
what did they want with me?

They walked up a dirt road.

Jacko looked down and noticed the
gravel was moving in convection
like patterns under his feet.

Im sorry, Jacko. I dont know

why demon hounds were trying to
carry you off. Have you ever
dreamed of the red lands before?
Dreamed of the red lands?
No, never, I dont think.
He was suddenly distracted by
the gravel that formed a pattern of
his and Althenios, footsteps, and
then made impressions ahead of
them, as if a ghost walked in front
of them.
Why is the gravel doing that?
Heaven knows where we want
to go; its showing us the way.
What do you mean?
If you should want, ask heaven
and it will provide.

Yeah, but, how does it know

where we want to go?
Heaven knows where I want us
to go, and its leading us there, not
that I need directions. Its only
doing these patterns so you know
how to come back.
Are you saying the gravel is
heaven? And that heaven is alive?
Everything, here, is heaven
and, yes, it lives. The living needs
something alive to live off of, in
order to live. If heaven were to die,
then so would we.
Completely confused, Jacko
decided not to ask any more
questions. Instead he watched as
the gravel continued to predict his
steps. He thought how great it must
be to never get lost, and to never
need maps.
He reached down and ran his
fingers through the gravel, but
instead of a rough, hard grain, he
felt a soft porridge-like consistency.

Jacko grabbed a handful and it

jiggled its way around his palm and
fingers, back down to the ground.
When the gravel pulled up from the
ground in the shape of a large
finger and started to poke his hand,
he laughed.
You see, innocent one, heaven
lives.
Frighteningly, Althenio smiled,
broadly, revealing two rows of
perfect white teeth, of which Jacko
couldnt help but imagine that to be
bitten by them would surely mean
losing a hunk of flesh.
Why do you call me
innocent?
I always admire the young
whose appeal is genuine. Its men
that I cant stand, for they are,
mostly, arrogant beyond logic.
Does that mean you wont like
me in a couple years?

Althenio laughed a powerful

roar that echoed to the very heart
of Jackos body. He did not answer
Jacko, and he said no more.
He put his arm around his
shoulders and led him up the path
to his house which looked like a few
sticks of wood glued, scrappily,
together. Once inside, however, it
was a huge, cozy, wood cabin with
an enormous armchair, a tall
fireplace, and a fluffy, white, hearth
rug.
The fireplace stood five and a
half feet tall, and when the fire
suddenly shot up, Jacko jumped
back. When the suddenness of the
fire wore off, he became
mesmerized by the color of the
fluorescent orange flames.
He leaned in a bit so that he
could see each particle of the blaze
bounce. Then, he noticed how the
fireplace didnt have a chimney, and
leaned in closer to see how the
flames licked at the walls without
scorching them.

Just as he reached a hand to

test the flame, Althenio warned him
that in heaven, he could burn
eternally and never die.
Althenio sat in the large arm
chair and Jacko on a large pouf. He
put his hands together and
appeared to pray.
Right before his eyes, particles,
in their convection like patterns,
sped up so fast that they became
hard to see. Then, they molded
together and turned a steady shade
of brown.
A few seconds, he realized the
particles were being made into a
table by Althenio, who was still in a
prayer position. Jacko kept quiet
and continued to watch, amazed.
As the table finished coming
together, a pot of tea, a loaf of
bread, and a block of cheese
appeared, too. After it was all done,
Althenio handed him a basket of
meat.

Venison?
Jacko used the humungous
knife and three pronged fork that,
also, magically appeared, to help
some venison onto his plate, with
bread and cheese.

How did you do that?

Here, mind rules matter. We
simply will it and it comes.
I wish I could do that.
You can.
How?
How did you get big? How did
you get small?
Oh, haha. Can I stay here?
All in due time, Jacko, or when
youre ready.
Ready for what? You mean
when I die?

Althenio said no more and

poured some tea into their cups.
Although plain, the food was
the best hed ever had. The venison
meat was actually tender, and the
wholesome bread made him smile
so big.
All of the sudden, he felt so
good and so happy because heaven
was such a wonderful place! He was
light like a feather.
He looked down and saw that
he floated a few inches off his pouf.
Althenio smiled as he watched
him enjoy himself.
Jacko felt urgent, like he
couldnt enough food into his
mouth. He shoveled bread and
venison in, jam packing his mouth
as tightly as he could, but the food
never ran out.
It occurred to him that he was
acting strange, but he couldnt stop!

He reached for a goblet that

appeared by the side of his plate.
Deeply, he drank and drank
and drank. He couldnt drink fast
enough.

Suddenly, right in the middle

of a gulp, Althenio grabbed his cup
and said, Im sorry, but you must
go now.
Jacko was chewing a huge
bite of the venison and gulping tea
straight from the pot, and it
dribbled down his clothes. He
choked and sputtered what? as he
wiped himself with a tea cozy.
Im so sorry, Jacko, but you
were spotted. You may come and
visit me again, but you must be
more careful next time. I cant have
them coming here.
Jacko didnt know what
Althenio was talking about but he
didnt want to leave. The food made

him extremely happy, and

Althenios news made him very sad.

He started crying, although he

didnt know why. There was
something strange about the food.
Trying to break through the
irrational he was experiencing, he
was just able to mutter, Whos
them?
Take this, said Althenio. The
food bundled itself. Come later and
visit.
He tossed the bundle at Jacko
and with the snap of Althenios
finger...
Jacko was running through
the sky, toward the bright red
horizon. He didnt know how, but he
knew he needed to make it over
that red line.
He heard a loud, honking wail,
like the sound of an elephant, and

looked behind him. He breathed in

fast at the sight of the black,
leathery skin, enormous horns
poking out of its head, and red,
leering, eyes. Looking down, at the
lower half of its body made Jacko
gag, for the demon had the legs
and hoofed feet of a goat.
In its hand, it held a silver
trident. Jacko flinched at the sight of
the demon raising its black fleshy
arm. He ran faster because the
demon sent red bolts at him.
He was getting closer to the sky
line. A few more feet, and he
jumped, as high as he could, over
the red horizon, and as he came
down
He woke, and shot up in bed.
His heart pounded; sweat
leaked down his face and rolled off
his chin.
The sun was blazing through a
crack in the curtains. He looked at
the alarm clock; it was almost four

p.m. Right next to him was a white

bundle that Dog was sniffing,
eagerly.
He opened the bundle and saw
food inside: bread, cheese, and
meat. Only, the food was not
irresistible, but it was small, puny,
and barely appetizing to the eye.
The meat was shriveled and dry
while the bread smelled strongly of
yeast. Dog, however, was sniffing
hungrily at it, so he let him eat it.
Jacko paced up and down the
room.
What the heck was going on?
Was he in danger? Even the dog
was strange. How did he get here?
Hey, Dog! Talk to me!
He just stared.
Jacko decided to wash up and
worry about it later. Whatever was
going on, he was just going to go
with it, as it seemed that he had no
choice anyhow. He only needed to

make it to Sissys and everything

would be fine.
Jacko made to pack his
belongings, but he lagged. He was
so tired; almost as though he didnt
get an ounce of sleep. He stood and
waivered there, next to the bed,
and fell back down.
Before he did anything, Jacko
needed to rest more because he
couldnt ride that way. What if he
had another accident? Strange,
though. Hed been in that bed many
hours.
Sluggishly, he pulled himself
back under the covers. Concord
was, still, thirty-four hours away,
without stopping. He needed to be
going, but he just couldnt move.
Sleep came undisturbed until
there was a knock at the door. The
motel manager told him he needed
to pay another day, if he was going
to stay.