Jack In The Box novel Chapter 20

I was feeling drowsy, and every part of my body was aching. I opened my eyes slowly to find myself in unfamiliar surroundings. It took me a while to realize where I was until the scent of disinfectant and medicines permeated the air.The walls were painted sky blue, an IV was attached to me. I was wearing a hospital gown. I hadn’t even realized back then that I’d been injured too.

There were flashes of the accident. We survived the accident and I was saved from being badly injured when Jack has wrapped his arms around me, cushioning me from the impact and taking the hit himself.

“Riley!”

“Jack, you’re injured. We have to get you to the hospital immediately!”

I hurried to the car that was now lodged into a tree and pulled out the First Aid kit and a shirt from my bag. I disinfected his wound as much as I could, tore the fabric and wrapped it tightly around his wound to stop the bleeding.

As a nurse, I knew how to disinfect a wound and stop the wound from further damage but he still needed to be seen by a doctor.

“You need urgent medical attention.” I said frantically wiping the blood seeping through his denim. “You’re loosing blood, oh god!”

“Listen to me, love. Take this phone, and call Mark Bowen...” Jack said holding his bleeding leg. “Code word ‘Jack & the Beanstalk’. If he answers with ‘The Boy who cried Wolf’ only then tell him the address of this area and ask him to come asap.”

“Jackson! Are you even listening to yourself? You could die out here waiting for this person. We need to take you to a doctor.”

“Mark is a doctor! He’s the only person I trust!” Jack said, even though he was injured he was still arguing with me. “Besides, if I visit any hospital, I’ll be arrested and I can’t take that risk.”

He pointed towards the forest. “Take me there.”

I’d helped him up, he’d staggered all the way to the forest, drops of blood trailing on the road. When I placed him on the ground, his back against the tree, I saw that he had another wound near his waist.

“It’s still not too late. Let me call an ambulance.” I insisted, my vision blurred as the moisture pooled in my eyes.

Jack’s once vibrant face was now turning gloomy, like he was battling to remain conscious. His brown eyes looked topaz in the sunlight as he stared at me. “Nurse Riley, you’ve hurt yourself too. Sometimes you need to put yourself before others. Now’s that time.”

I stared at him, was he joking?

“I can’t leave you alone here. You’re stupid if you think I would do that.” I snapped, unable to keep the fury out of my voice.

“Call Mark right now. Please.” He said in a barely audible voice.

I ran back to the car and in a few minutes I located the phone. I called the number and waited, the line rang for a few minutes until a man answered the call.

“Jack & The Beanstalk.” I said

A few seconds later, the man responded. “The Boy who cried Wolf.”

“This is urgent. We met with an accident and he needs urgent medical attention. You need to come here as soon as you can. The address is...”

Jack’s eyes were closing. I slapped his cheeks softly a few times to keep him from slipping into unconsciousness. “Please stay with me...”

He opened his eyes enough to look at me, he raised his blood matted hand to my face and touched my cheek. “Leave Riley.”

I shook my head, taking his hand in mine. “I’ll stay with you until he’s here.”

“The person who threw us off the road, he...” Jack coughed. “He could be out here somewhere...” he winced from the pain, “...waiting to attack you too. He wants me dead and I can’t put your life in danger. One of us needs to be alive. He can’t win this. You need to leave, Riley. Right away.”

“But...”

“Just leave, Cotton-Candy.” He said. “I can’t protect you like this. Mark will help me. There’s some money in my wallet in the car, take a cab home. Don’t worry about me.”

He squeezed my hand, “I want you to remember two things.”

“What’s that?”

“Do not trust Aaron Shaw and stay away from Paul Bennet.” He said their names with such disgust, you’d think they were some terrorists. “Stay vigilant at all times.”

I gave him a nod and pulled his head close to my face and kissed his forehead and then his lips before I climbed to my feet reluctantly.

I started to leave, my heart breaking with every step because I knew that I’d never have such powerful desire for anyone else.