Run Jackie Run

Hey guys and girl. This story was actually a little thought bubble where I told myself I would write a story about a boy running. And then it progressed into this. I am not planning on adding more to it. But I will be writing other short stories. And i'm undecided on if I just add them together or just give them their own special places. Let me know what you think about this. And enjoy enjoy enjoy.

Run Jackie Run. Lift those legs. Pump those arms. Faster. Harder. You can do it. You can go faster. Run Jackie Run.

Jackie listened to the song the bullies had come up with after the first time he had run from them. After the first time he had decided he wasn't going to put up with them anymore. After he had decided that his life was going to change. Only problem was, he should have shared that fact with the bullies.

He should have told them that since this was a new year of high school he was going to do things differently. He should have told them that he no longer wanted to deal with getting punched and kicked until his body was numb. That he no longer wanted to give them his lunch money at the beginning of the week. He should have told them that he was tired of being hungry everyday, and that he hated not being able to concentrate in class because of that hunger.

But he didn't tell them those things and he didn't tell them that instead of meekly complying to their demands he was going to run every time he saw them. And since he didn't tell them all of these things the first time he ran from them came as a surprise. He could still remember the scene clearly. How he had come out of the school and there they were. Standing in front of the school. Leaning against the wall. Smoking. Talking. And being all around jerks to everyone who passed. But he knew and they knew that the bullies didn't really care about them.

The fact was well known among the student body that the bullies had one victim that they liked to torment the most. One victim whom they had relentlessly pursued for years. One victim whom it seemed they were determined to pursue again this year. And so the student body endured the insults and harassment. Knowing that once they passed the line of sight of the bullies it would be ok. Knowing the relief of now being the victim. Knowing the pity. And the shame. And the hatred for the victim. But knowing none the less that none of it mattered once they were off school grounds.

And Jackie seeing this, taking it in, and understanding all of the spoken and unspoken messages understood one thing. That he was alone in this. That no one was going to step out and help him. That they were going to pretend it wasn't happening as long as it didn't affect their lives. And in understanding this he felt a swelling of despair and desperation. Desperation to get out of the situation he was in. Desperation to stop this ongoing cycle of torment he had to endure every day. And it seemed as he stood there, watching his tormentor, the desperation inside him reached such a level that he began to move.

First his legs. Then his arms. Soon his whole body was moving. A burst of air hitting his face. His chest. His arms. His legs. Pushing against him. Holding him up. And then egging him on. Giving him speed. Making him go faster. Telling him he could do it.

Rushing. Running. Rushing. Gasping. Running. Pumping. Beating. Thumping. Pounding. RUNNING.

He looked. Saw. Watched the bullies. Watched as they turned at his sound. Watch how they watched him with mouths open and wide eyes of surprise. Watched how their faces contorted in anger. But ignored it for the moment. Ignored the fear filling him at the faces they made. Ignored the fact that he was running out of air. Ignored the fact that his body was getting tired. Ignored the looks of betrayal and hatred he received from the student body. And above all he ignored the pounding sound he heard behind him that was an echo. An accompaniment. A clash. To his own running. Pounding. Beating. Thumping. Noise. Music.

Just run. Run like he's never run before. Run to show he could. Run Jackie Run. Run Jackie Run.

He heard those words. Saw them. Understood them. Knew what they were telling him. Telling him to get away. Telling him that he could do it. Encouraging him like nothing else could. Being his friend. Helping him. Supporting him. Run Jackie Run. A mantra for him. About him. To him. Run Jackie Run.

Jackie didn't know when it happened but soon another sound began to enter his ears, "…" Silently. Quietly. "…" A slight hum at first. "…" That started to get louder. "..." As he paid more attention to it. "…" No words yet. Hard to understand. But…he could hear his name. ". Jackie ." Yes. He could hear his name. And if he strained he could hear the first word, too. ".un Jackie ." Un? Un Jackie? And suddenly he knew. What the sound was saying. " Run, Jackie, Run." Over the sounds of his heart beating. Over the thumping sounds of his shoes hitting the pavement. Over the gasping wheezing breathes coming out of his mouth. And above all over the sounds of pursuit. Masking the footsteps. The curses. The threats. And all the sounds associated with the bullies behind him. "RUN. JACKIE. RUN."

Over and over. The sound came. Louder and louder. Until all Jackie heard was, "RUN. JACKIE. RUN." All Jackie breathed and felt and saw was, "RUN. JACKIE. RUN."

And run he did. He ran. And he ran and ran. He ran even when he felt he would collapse. He ran even when he no longer heard the bullies. He ran and he ran and he ran. Until. Home. Big white house on the left. And only when he saw that did he stop. Did he crouch down. Clutch at his chest. Suck in deep breaths. And then start to cry. For the first time in two years he got away from the bullies. He had succeeded. It was his victory.

So what did you think of it? Let me know in a review. And thank you for taking the time to read this.