Jack be nimble, Jack be quick.


There was Jack, who ran along the shallow walls of White Castle and the police who followed. I heard them a mile away, and in the modern world it was much scarier than swords and magical beasts. There was a gunshot, followed by a scream; but it wasn’t Jack’s and that made me angry.

Jack jump over the candlestick.

“Fire! Fire in the square!” Someone shouted.

There was chaos followed by the horrifying sounds of mischief from a fellow named Jack, which really was his name. And Jack stood there beside a fire hydrant, grinning with a sinister and bellowing chuckle.

I stood before him with a mouth open widely. He came forward with a knife.

“Jack be nimble,” I mumbled under my breath, and he was puzzled by my blasé reaction. He took one more step before he was inches from my face. “Jack be quick.” I said to him fiercely.

Jack seemed confused, but he raised the knife no less.

“Jack caught fire on the candlestick,” I spat and in no less than a few seconds, the lantern in my hand exploded with ferocity as it slammed against his clothing and tarnished every thread he wore. Jack screamed in horror and fell to the ground while attempting to taut the fire with his hands.

I simple watched in relief as he slowly calloused with burns.