Jackson Overland did not like school. School was always boring and the teachers never laughed at his pranks, jokes or games. In fact they were always sending home notes to his parents, most of which were mysteriously lost on the way home. However Jack did enjoy reading. History books were alright, but when he could get his hands on fiction books, those were the best. It was a rainy spring morning and Jack was, once again, not paying any attention to what Mrs. Philips was saying. The one room building that was Burgess's schoolhouse was filled with the few children that the village had. Jack was near the oldest. Only two boys were older than him, and Jack didn't like them. Maybe it had something to do with the way they treated the younger children of the village. Or perhaps it was the fact that they did their best to make Jack's life hell. Matt and Andrew were always together, so it made sense that they were both sitting in the back corner whispering, their next plot to cause Jack grief.
Jack being sixteen was in his last year of full school or as his father put it old enough to work in the forge. However Jack most wanted to never touch that hot and smoke filled building. Jack was pulled out of his reverie as the class was dismissed for the day. Pippa, Jack's younger sister bounced across the room. Taking his hand she pulled him from his chair. Being pulled away from the table he just vacated, jack quickly reached for his bag and tunic. Pippa once assured that her brother was following drop his hand so he could clip the brass hooks together that secured the brown tunic into place.
"Can we go play?" Pippa asked the tall brown haired boy.
Jack flashed his famous sly smile. "Do you have to ask?"
With that the two took of the trail through Burgess, weaving in between the town's folk as they passed by. Pippa chased her brother round trees and houses. Jack was fast; his small frame that gave him a twigs appearance was perfect in combination with his long legs for running. However Jack always seemed to stay just out of Pippa's reach. At least that was until jack ran head long into a tree. Flat on his back Pippa came into focus above him.
"You're it." She poked him in the chest then scampered the other direction. Jack Overland smiled as he watched his sister begin the game again with just as much energy as before.