I'm not even going to say anything. -_-" Enjoy Chapter 8!
"Things get better now, right Jack?" Tooth asks.
Jack pondered it for a moment before nodding. "Yea I guess. We hit a rough spot in money, but I got a job and it helped a lot."
"But you were child, Jack,' North says confused. 'Children don't get jobs."
"Back then they could and normally did.' Jack shrugs. 'Times were hard and families needed money."
"But children shouldn't have to work, Frostbite." Bunny frowns.
Jack just shrugs again. "No point lecturing me now, it was 300 years ago."
The others wanted to argue more, but like Jack had pointed out, it was point less. There was an awkward weight to the air before the next memory began.
Jack and his ducklings were lying on the grass a little ways from their house. They had been playing for hours and were finally tired. Edith suddenly gasped.
"Look!" She squeals pointing up to the trees.
A little squirrel was running across the branches before disappearing back into the leaves.
"Cool." Edmund says, looking for where the small mammal had disappeared.
"Makes you wonder how they get up there." Sarah smiles.
"Oh that's easy." Jack laughs.
"Really?' Edith gasps in awe. 'Do it!"
Jack grinned and run over to a tree. Scaling it easily he crouched on a branch hanging a few feet in the air.
Edith's blonde hair bounced as she and Edmund cheered him on.
Sarah laughed, she had a small trace of worry to her voice as she called to Jack. "Jack get down from there!"
Jack laughed and hung up-side down from his knees, swinging back and forth. "Come on, don't worry I'm fine!"
Sarah sighed and laughed along with them. Jack pranked them a few times by making it look like he would fall before coming down. They chased him after that till it was dinner time.
(Am I on the Line Break? Am I on the Line Break? Am I on the Line Break)
Jack had books in his hands as he walked toward a reasonably sized building. He was grinning but there was a hint of nervousness to it.
"Where are you going, Frostbite?" Bunny asks.
"School." Jack says in a 'duh' voice.
"You went to school?" Bunny asks in surprised.
"Yes.' Jack say, insulted. 'I may not have gotten to go long because of money and being alone most of the time but that doesn't make me dumb. I can read, sort of, and write."
Bunny held his hands up. "I didn't mean it like that, Mate."
Before they could continue Bunny was hit by Tooth and Jack by Sandy and decided to drop it till later.
His bare feet shuffled slightly as he waited outside the building. He was earlier then he had wanted to be and debated coming back later.
Suddenly to other boys came around the corner holding a bucket with water and string. They were both laughing, and mischievous looks were on their faces.
The one on the right had tan skin with light hazel eyes and dark blond hair cut short. His teeth were slightly crooked and his hands, which were holding the string, fidgeted a lot. "This is going to be great, James!"
The other boy, James, had paler skin with tons of freckles. His eyes were a blue-ish gray color and a mop of dark brown hair sat on his head. Excitement danced in his eyes. "You said it I can't wait to see her face!"
They suddenly noticed Jack's presence and froze. "Uhhhhhh."
Jack laughed awkwardly, ruffling his hair. "Hehe, I take it you're planning a prank?"
The blond seemed about to answer but James covered his mouth. He gave Jack a weary look. "Maybe we are…are you going to tell?"
Jack laughed again, less awkwardly this time. "No, I love pranks. Who are you pranking, maybe I can help."
James mumbled something to the blond who nodded back with a grin.
James walked forward and held his hand out for Jack to shake. "James Granger. This is my friend and partner in pranking William Cozart."
Jack gave his crooked grin and shook it happily. "Jack. Jackson Overlander, nice to meet you."
"Alright so we were planning on pranking the teacher, . Think you're up for it?" William says excitedly.
Jack pondered it for a moment. "As long as we don't get caught, sure."
James and William puffed up their chests. "Please we are the prank kings. We never get caught."
Jack laughed. "I'll hold you to that."
They got everything set and got back outside before the teacher and the rest of the students showed up.
Mrs. Kilzack was in her early 50s. She was thin as a twig, with a constant scold on her wrinkled face. Her black hair was thinning and had silver streaks and pulled up in a bun. Half framed glasses sat on her pointed nose and a ruler was held in her hands.
Jack sat alone with William and James sitting in the next aisle. They gave a secretive wink as they waited for the trap to be sprung.
As Mrs. Kilzack walked up to the front of the class she didn't notice the thin string that played as a trip-wire. As it was pulled the bucket fell…
…Right on her head, soaking her completely.
The students and teacher froze, before an up roar of laughter came from the students. Mrs. Kilzack sputtered as water dripped from her face and dress.
The bucket clanked to the ground. Mrs. Kilzack's face turned red as she picked it up. She slapped the ruler on the bucket and all the kids instantly silenced.
She frowned darkly at the students. "Who did this?"
They stayed quiet.
Her face turned darker red as her thin lips pulled back into a sneer. "If no one speaks up you all will have detention for a month washing the boards."
Jack stood and looked at Mrs. Kilzack calmly. "I did it."
The other kids gasped and began whispering. William and James gave him shocked looks, not believe he would take the blame for them, two guys he just met.
"Well then young man you will-" She begins before William cuts her off.
"I did it!" He shouts throwing his hand in the air.
James gives the surprised Jack a smile and raises his hand too. "I helped as well."
Mrs. Kilzack almost turned purple. "Fine! All of you will have detention! Class dismissed!"
The other kids cheered and ran out of the room as fast as they could while Jack and the others returned to their seats.
"Thanks for trying to keep us out of trouble." James says.
Jack chuckled lightly. "Yea it didn't go that well."
William hooked an arm around Jack's neck and rubbed his knuckles on his head. "We couldn't let you get in trouble for us, Jack. What kind of friends would we be if we did?"
Jack was shocked but didn't show it. They were his friends? He grinned as he man hugged William back. "Terrible ones." He teases.
James snorts and shoves Jack slightly. "Well get use to us, we're going to be seeing each other a lot more in detention."
The boys talked for a while as they waited for the teacher to contact their parents.
"Jackson Richard Overlander!" A voice yells, making Jack wince.
"You're/I'm in trouble." The boys mutter with grimaces.
They stood up and walked outside. Jack's mom, Mrs. Kilzack and two other ladies stood waiting patiently. One of the ladies had blond hair and brown eyes, likely William's mom, and the other had light brown hair with dark blue eyes, James's mom. All three boys gulped and walked over to their respective mothers.
James's mom mutter something to him, he nodded reluctantly, and they walked away. William's fused over him for a moment, scolding and worrying about him, before leaving as well.
went back inside the school to clean up. Jack stood uneasily next to his mom, not sure what to say.
Elizabeth sighed and motioned for him to follow, leading the way back home. When he started walking beside her, she saw a smile on his face. "What are you happy about, Jack."
Jack turned his smile to her and it widened. "I made friends."
The memory blurred for a moment before clearing. Sarah and Jack were sitting by the lake, or at least Sarah was, Jack was behind her.
Sarah put her toes in the water and wiggled them around a bit. "Why don't you like water, Jack?"
Jack froze slightly at the sudden question before sighing. "Because I'm afraid of it."
Sarah turned to him, looking confused. "Why are you afraid of it?"
Jack didn't want to tell her, but he knew she wouldn't stop asking till he did. "Because me and my old brother almost died in it."
Sarah gasped and moved away from the water to sit next to Jack, hugging him. "You have a brother?"
Jack winced. "Had, Sarah. He isn't here anymore, he went somewhere better."
Sarah smiled slightly. "Like daddy did?"
Jack looked shock, that was right he never learned anything about Mr. Overlander. "What happened to him?"
Sarah frowned and played with her dress. "Daddy was an ice carver. He would cut it from the river a few miles away and bring it back. One of the times though, one of his younger men had stepped on the ice…and it cracked. Daddy didn't want him to get hurt so he pushed him off, but fell in him self."
Jack shivered slightly at the thought of drowning. He put a comforting arm around Sarah and gave her a sincere smile. "Well don't you ever worry, Sarah. I promise I'll never let anything happen to you."
Jack held out his pinky and intertwined it with Sarah's. Sarah smiled and lends her head on Jack's shoulder.
Tooth cooed at the blushing Jack while the other's snickered. Jack grumbled slightly, but it was good natured. "Just get on with it."
Elizabeth and the three 6 year olds were sitting in their house. Jack had told them he would be home later and had left after that. The kids were bored without Jack and had decided to just wait inside for him.
Elizabeth was sewing, humming as she rocked in a chair.
Jack came in and was attacked in a big hug by his ducklings. "JACK!"
"Hey guys!" Jack laughs, he ruffled their hair before walking fully in the house. A Shepard's staff was held in his hand, it was about a foot taller then him and had a big hook at the end.
Elizabeth put her sewing down and walked over to Jack. "Why do you have that Jack?"
Jack had his ducklings let go over him and steered her into another room. "I know we are running low on money."
Elizabeth looked surprised and about to deny it, but slumped slightly and sighed. "How did you find out?"
"I heard you talking with Mr. Stewart." Jack says, frowning distastefully at the name of the tax collector.
Elizabeth sighed again. "You didn't answer my question, why do you have that staff?"
Jack smiled. "I got a job as a herder under Mr. Crouse. He is even letting me take the afternoons off so I can still go to school!"
Elizabeth frowned. "You shouldn't have to work, Jack, I can take up another job."
"No you can't.' Jack says dismissively. 'You are already working nearly three jobs, I'm not letting you take on a fourth."
Elizabeth stared at Jack intently before smiling and pulling him into a hug. "Thank you Jack."
Jack smiled and hugged her back. "You're welcome, Mom."
Jack grinned and ran out of the room, telling his ducklings that it was finally time to have a little fun.
They cheered and raced after him out of the door. Elizabeth giggled and sat back down, returning to her sewing.
Hope you liked! R&R plz! Ta.
GWDG