"Be careful!" Their mother said with a smile.
He just laughed as she tugged at his hand, pulling him away from the house.
"We will!" he reassured their mother, looking back one last time before slinging his and her skates over his shoulder as she led him away.
It didn't take them very long to get to the frozen lake and once they were there, they quickly slipped on their skates and wobbled their way onto the ice. The two of them laughed and skated. He showed off, flaunting his talent with a wide grin as he relished in the look of wonder and amazement on her face.
Whenever she tried to imitate him and his smooth skills, he'd cheer and clap, making her feel like she was on top of the world.
She was his little sister and she meant everything to him.
He twirled gracefully on his skates, gliding across the frozen lake as if it was where he belonged; he relished in the feeling of the cold wind in his brown hair.
'Crack!'
He looked down frantically and saw that the ice underneath him was still intact. He gulped at looked at his sister.
She was standing on thin ice.
Quickly he pulled off his skates and looked into her eyes.
She was so scared; she breathed fast and looked around in fright.
Their eyes locked.
"It's okay! It's okay!" he reassured her, reaching out slightly for her.
'I can't show her that I'm afraid! I need to be strong!' he thought inside.
"Don't look down, just…look at me." He soothed, putting his hand on his chest and holding her gaze with a forced smile.
He was more afraid for her life than his own.
"Jack, I'm scared!" she said, looking down sharply when she heard another crack emerge in the ice.
Jack's heart skipped a beat but he refused to let the fear show on his face.
"I know, I know." He said softly, taking a careful step forward, ice crackling with every ginger placing of his bare feet.
For a split second he thought that he was going to fall through and he looked down at the cracks in terror. Then he remembered his sister and he smiled at her.
"But you're gonna be alright!" he said.
"You're not gonna fall in," he looked down again, his mind racing.
'I need to save her, somehow!' he screamed in his mind.
"Uh…" he thought hard and then something popped into his head.
"We're gonna have a little fun instead!" he said enthusiastically, looking at her with an excited grin.
"No we're not!" she said, not believing him.
"Would I trick you?" he asked with another step forward.
He was getting desperate.
"Yes! You always play tricks!" she almost wailed, shaking uncontrollably.
"Oh…alright, well no-no-not this time." Jack cursed inwardly at himself for letting himself stutter in his fear.
"I promise, I promise…you're gonna be fine."
She looked into his bright brown eyes, searching them.
"You have to believe in me." He soothed, his smile almost too painful for him to keep on his face.
'I won't let you die.'
She gulped and let out a sharp breath.
Jack searched his mind frantically for the next thing to do.
Ah, that could work.
"You wanna play a game? We're gonna play hopscotch, like we play every day!" Jack said, straightening himself out and trying to look excited. His feet were numb and it was almost impossible to keep his body from shaking.
But he did it, for her.
"I-It's as easy as one," he took a step to the side and the ice cracked under his weight. His heart skipped a couple of beats and he looked at the ice in fright before smiling back up at her.
He almost lost his balance and let out a "Woooooah!", making her laugh.
"Two, Three!" he grunted as he leapt away from the thin ice, next to his walking stick.
"Alright."
He reached down for the stick without looking away from his little sister and he pointed the hooked end towards her.
"Now it's your turn." He said gently.
She took a slide of her skate-clade foot forward, causing the ice to crack again.
"One," he counted with bated breath.
"That's it! Two,"
The ice cracked again and she gasped; Jack's breathing quickened and he leaned the hooked end of his stick towards her. She looked from the ice to Jack.
"Three!" he said and hooked her off to the side with all of his strength, getting her off the thin ice for good before she fell through, throwing himself backward with the force.
She slid away and looked up at him, smiling.
Relief washed over him and he laughed with glee before he fell in and the icy sting of the frost-chilled water sent a shrill pain rocketing through his body.
"JACK!" his sister screamed.
'What do I do?' Jack's mind screamed.
His body was in shock from the cold and his legs wouldn't move; only his arms could fail weakly in the water.
He felt his body quickly become numbed and his lungs screamed for air.
Every inch of his body ached with cold and fear and he soon grew calm against his will.
In an attempt for air he swallowed freezing water.
'I don't want to die!' Jack thought frantically as he felt his body begin to be covered in a thin sheet of underwater frost.
'I don't want to…'
His body had no warmth left.
Jack's heart stopped.