Subway Jack

By Cameron Neilson




"Hi Karl."

No..not him again! The fear rises like foul bile in my throat.

"Whatcha doing Karl?"

Go away! Just go away and leave me in peace!

"You know what you have to do Karl-boy. You know what has to be done for me to go away."

I won't do it. I won't do it this time!

"Listen Karly Karl, I promise to leave you alone for a long, long time if you just do it again today. I promise."

I stop for a moment and think. The wave of the crowd surging into the subway flows around me. I have to do something quick.I have to think quick. Pushing my hands deep into my pockets I feel two cold plastic pill bottles. That's it...the pill bottles.

"Don't even think about it, Karl old chap. You know the Zyprexa doesn't effect me. I'm Subway Jack and I'm much, much stronger than Zyprexa."

Holding the pill bottles up closer to the phosphorous glow of the neon subway lights I read the labels. Zyprexa and Clozaril. Clozaril! That's it! That's what stopped Subway Jack last time!

"Hah, your not quite as smart as I thought you to be, Karl. Sure the Clozaril stopped me that once, but don't you remember the following week. Don't you remember the little girl in the red raincoat, Karly-Karl?"

I remembered. I remembered her scream as she fell into the darkness of the subway tracks. I remember her scream cut short by the impact of the speeding train. I remember fading back into the crowd as the confusion set in, before anyone even thought of looking for a pusher.

"That's right Karl. The Clozaril only worked once. You really have forgotten who your dealing with, haven't you Karl?"

Oh, I knew all right who I was dealing with. Subway Jack was the worst of the worst. He was stronger than Streaking Bill, who only visited me about once a month, and he was sicker than Dead Dog Donny, who had a taste for torturing small puppies.

"Do you want the head-pains to start again, Karl? You know I can make it happen."

No! Anything but the head-pains! With Subway Jack they felt like red-hot spikes being driven inch by inch into the back of my skull. I would do anything to prevent the head-pains!

"Then you know what must be done, Karl-meister. You know what the Karl-inator must do."

At that point he had me. Subway Jack had won again. The problem with Jack was he could read my mind. He knew my answers before I could give them. Anything I could think of to fight Jack with, he would have the answer for before I could put anything into motion. He was always one step ahead.

"There Karl. Move closer to track number 12 and see the old lady with the blue hair. That's the one. That's the one I want this time."

"Do you promise you'll leave me alone, Jack? Do you promise this will be the last one?" The distant light of a plan flickered in the recesses of my subconscious. It would have to be quick and desperate. I couldn't think about it anymore if it was going to work against Jack.

"I promise, Karly-Karl. I promise this will be the last one."

Ok, then. I'll do it, Jack." Pushing my way through the crowd ahead of me I kept my eyes lowered to the ground as not to meet anyone's glance. Years of being under Subway Jack's thumb had taught me to look down as to remain as unnoticeable as possible. Finally I was right behind her in the crowd. A businessman to my right was reading his paper oblivious to his surroundings. A woman to the left scolded her young daughter. The little old lady with the blue hair held a birthday present under her arm. I could read the label. It was addressed to her grandson...Jimmy.

Soon I could hear the thundering of a train roaring down the tracks. Subway Jack was giggling in glee...he sounded like a little girl getting tickled by her father.

The train was getting closer...50 yards...30 yards...20 yards, the plan in my subconscious flickered out again. I knew what I had to do. Rushing forward I put my hands out. My left hand pressed firmly on the old lady's shoulder. Jack laughed with pleasure.

I pushed.

The old lady fell sideways and I continued forward. Subway Jack screamed in disbelief and rage.

I jumped.

As I floated downwards into the darkness a peaceful feeling spread through my tortured soul.

"I can't believe it, Karl. I didn't think you had it in you. You beat me."

That's right, Jack. I beat you.

The End

Copyright © 2002 by Cameron Neilson

Bio:Cameron Neilson, 28, lives with his wife and two dogs in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He studied psychology at the University of Oklahoma and served four years in the Marine Corps. Cameron learned German so he could read the work of Herman Hesse in the original language.

E-mail: Cameron_Neilson1@hotmail.com

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