Hello, my name is Jack.\u00a0 Sometimes I\u2019ve wondered what that means.\u00a0 Who am I?\u00a0 I\u2019ve never fully answered that question to myself, beyond the obvious answer of course.\u00a0 I am who I choose to be.\u00a0 I was born Jack, and I took to the name with a passion.\u00a0 I was given the name Hart, and after some griping I chose to accept it.\u00a0 I am Jack Hart.\u00a0 People have taken to calling me Jack of Harts.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
A chill east wind blew across the beach from Rainy Lake, cooling the heat of the sand that had been baked by the sun all day long.\u00a0 Waves rippled across the lake, reflecting the light of a full moon across the beach and the double decker pontoon boat anchored a mere ten meters from shore.\u00a0 A bonfire six meters high crackled on the beach, licking the sky with fire, warming the people dancing next to it, and bringing the smell of burning pinecones to their noses.\u00a0 Another one snapped, crackled, and shot out of the fire, causing one young man to jump out of its way.<\/p>\n
Jack frowned.\u00a0 Maybe the pinecones hadn\u2019t been the best idea he\u2019d ever had.\u00a0 They smelled good.\u00a0 They sounded good too.\u00a0 But they might not be entirely safe.<\/p>\n
He shrugged and continued to blow into his harmonica, playing whatever notes sounded good with Jennifer\u2019s guitar.\u00a0 She sang a song about love and water as Taylor sang harmony, jingling her tambourine against a leg with one arm.\u00a0 The other hand tapped her other leg in time with the music, and their friends danced next to the bonfire.<\/p>\n
The song came to an end and it was time to go.\u00a0 Jack wrapped the old harmonica up, slipped it in his pocket, and hugged Taylor and Jennifer.\u00a0 Then he stepped away and walked towards beach.\u00a0 He pulled his shirt off, wadded it up, and tossed it towards his lounge chair.<\/p>\n
The harmonica safe, he waded out into the waves, splashing water at the boys and girls in the lake.\u00a0 Well, mostly the girls.\u00a0 They shrieked and splashed back at him and others, and soon everybody was splashing water at everybody.\u00a0 An outraged female form pulled him down from behind, and Jack did not fight.\u00a0 They slipped under the water and he struggled enough to keep her fighting for control, but not enough to escape her grasp.\u00a0 He did manage to spin around to face her though, and quickly recognized Jenna.\u00a0 The name was short for something, but he couldn\u2019t remember what at the moment.<\/p>\n
His back sank into the sand and he began to tickle her.\u00a0 She writhed under the assault and he elbows and knees impacted all over his body until she laughed, expelling the air from her lungs.\u00a0 She pushed hard against him, driving him deeper into the sand, and shot up to bring her face above water.\u00a0 She planted her feet in his chest and stood up, forcing him to fight to keep the air in his lungs.<\/p>\n
Well, he couldn\u2019t allow that to stand.\u00a0 He waited for Jenna to get one good breath before sweeping her legs out from under her.\u00a0 She fell with an outraged shriek Jack could hear even under water as he maneuvered, pushing himself off the sandy bottom and bringing his feet under him.\u00a0 His legs pushed against the soft ground and he rose up out of the water, arms reaching out to bringing a spluttering Jenna out with him.<\/p>\n
A quick scan for open water near someone else in the water fight brought up three possibilities.\u00a0 Jack smiled, hefted the shouting Jenna up into the air, and threw her out over the fight.\u00a0 She splashed into the water, drenching his target that had so far avoided the fight to the bone, and came up spluttering for air and shouting scurrilous condemnations of his moral character.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh if your mother could hear you talk!\u201d Jack shouted towards her.\u00a0 \u201cShe would tan your hide!\u201d<\/p>\n
She stomped her feet into the sand.\u00a0 \u201cWell that\u2019s just fine, because you<\/em> are never coming home to see my mother so she won\u2019t have to hear it!\u201d she shouted back.<\/p>\n He laughed at the verbal assault, brought a hand up to cover his heart, and fell back into the water as if mortally wounded.\u00a0 Then under water, he swam back to the pontoon boat before surfacing to use its bulk as protection against anybody else coming up from behind him.<\/p>\n \u201cNice job,\u201d a voice said and he looked up to see Kelly draped over the edge of the pontoon wearing a smile.\u00a0 \u201cDo you want protection from the fight?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Jack answered with a smirk.\u00a0 \u201cFavors from you usually come with strings attached.\u201d<\/p>\n She laughed and jumped to her feet.\u00a0 Her arms spread out wide and she turned in a circle so he could see her every curve.\u00a0 \u201cTake a close look, Jack.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have a single<\/em> string attached.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack laughed and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cI think you\u2019re confusing strings with stitches.\u201d<\/p>\n Kelly looked down at her body, cocked her head to the side in thought, and then shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cNo, I\u2019m pretty sure I mean strings.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Jack said as he sent a wave of water into a man getting a little too close to him.\u00a0 The man spluttered for breath and turned away.\u00a0 \u201cCan I trust you not to take advantage of me?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cToday you can,\u201d she returned with a waggle of her eyebrows.\u00a0 \u201cI like today.\u00a0 I want to see how today works out.\u00a0 Pinky promise,\u201d she finished, going down on her knees to wiggle her pinkies in front of his face.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, if it\u2019s a pinky<\/em> promise,\u201d Jack said and turned to grab her pinkies.<\/p>\n She lifted him onto the pontoon without effort to deposit him on the deck in front of her, their noses nearly touching.\u00a0 A number of partiers danced to the sound of the music from the beach around him, and he breathed in the scent of sweet jasmine.\u00a0 She winked, knowing exactly what that smell meant to him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou really like this, don\u2019t you?\u201d he asked with a rueful shake of his head, releasing her hands.<\/p>\n \u201cI love this!\u201d she answered, jumping up and down and clapping her hands above her head.\u00a0 \u201cYou put on the best<\/em> parties!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, what else should I use my imagination for?\u201d Jack whispered and stepped back to turn towards the beach where all of his friends from back home, and a few more from now, danced and had fun.\u00a0 They really were all just a part of his imagination if he was right.\u00a0 A way for him to cope with losing them.\u00a0 But every time he met the Kelly and Betty who most assuredly were not<\/em> the Kelly and Betty he knew he wondered just how much of it really was<\/em> his imagination.<\/p>\n \u201cWell you should exercise it more often,\u201d Kelly whispered into his ear, dancing to the music close enough that the hairs on this back felt her.<\/p>\n He saw Betty sitting on the beach and sighed.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe next time,\u201d he said to Kelly as Betty looked up from the magazine she was reading to stare at him.\u00a0 \u201cI think she\u2019s waiting for me.\u201d<\/p>\n Kelly sniffed in disapproval.<\/p>\n He aimed a raised eyebrow at her.\u00a0 \u201cReally?\u00a0 Is that<\/em> all you have?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, she\u2019s always trying to hold you back.\u00a0 The only reason you listen to her is because I<\/em> picked the wrong look.\u201d\u00a0 She waved her hands at her body and sighed loud enough to make him laugh.\u00a0 \u201cAnd to think I had first choice.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack laughed.\u00a0 \u201cYou never<\/em> could have pulled off Betty well enough to fool me,\u201d he said before poking Kelly in the arm.\u00a0 \u201cBut you<\/em> almost had me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe can fix that any day you want,\u201d Kelly\u2019s said with a sly smile.<\/p>\n Jack laughed again.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ll pass for today.\u201d<\/p>\n She leaned in close to him and he felt every curve of her body as she whispered into his ear.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t know what you\u2019re missing.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack smiled, pulled in a long breath, and realized he was completely at peace with his decision not to stay here, wherever here was, forever.\u00a0 \u201cI know.\u201d\u00a0 He leaned into her and whispered into her ear.\u00a0 \u201cBut one day I think we\u2019ll agree on my future,\u201d he said with a poke of his finger into her the ribs.<\/p>\n Kelly squealed and spun away, waving her arms at him in disgust.\u00a0 \u201cOh, you are impossible<\/em>!\u201d she shouted in an angry tone, but he could see the playfulness in her smile putting the lie to her act.\u00a0 He had no idea who she was, but he was certain she wanted the best for him.\u00a0 And one day he had a feeling they really would<\/em> agree on what that was.\u00a0 But not today.\u00a0 It was far too early for either of them to budge a centimeter.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, Ma\u2019am,\u201d he answered, raised a finger to his temple in a mock salute, and dived off the pontoon into much shallower water than any expert ever recommended.\u00a0 He arched his back, splayed his hands and feet out, and felt the water rush by as he sank towards the sand.\u00a0 He finally pulled out of the dive, low enough in the water that he felt the hairs on his chest rubbing against the sand, and shot through the water fight.\u00a0 He kicked his legs, keeping his speed up, and arched his body and arms to steer around the legs of the fighters splashing water on each other above the surface.<\/p>\n Two bodies fell into the water in front of him and he banked to the side, passing by their writhing forms with millimeters to spare.\u00a0 A foot brushed the hair on his arm and he tucked it in close as he turned back towards the beach, legs driving him forward until the water was too shallow to swim in.\u00a0 He raised himself to his feet then, pulled in a long breath, and walked out onto the sand.\u00a0 He bent down and grabbed his shirt, shaking the sand out of it before slipping it on.\u00a0 Then the lounge chair protested as he plopped down next to Betty.<\/p>\n Betty remained seated in her lounge chair, legs crossed and reading a magazine.\u00a0 \u201cYou know, you really should wake up soon.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack turned his head to her and just smiled.\u00a0 \u201cYou think I\u2019ve had enough of a rest?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do,\u201d she answered, exaggerating each word so he could not possibly mistake her meaning.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know time goes faster in dreamtime than in real life, right?\u201d he answered with a playful smile.<\/p>\n Betty rolled her eyes.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m aware.\u00a0 And you\u2019re<\/em> stalling.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack breathed in deep, considering her charge.\u00a0 He really didn\u2019t feel any worry about waking up anymore.\u00a0 He knew what he wanted.\u00a0 But he was<\/em> worried about what he would find when he woke up today<\/em>.\u00a0 \u201cGuilty.\u201d<\/p>\n Her eyes softened at his admission.\u00a0 \u201cAre you afraid?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNot really.\u201d<\/p>\n Betty raised an eyebrow at him.<\/p>\n He shrugged, trying to come up with the best way to describe how he felt.\u00a0 That was always the hard part. \u00a0Putting words to the feelings.\u00a0 \u201cJust\u2026I don\u2019t know.\u00a0 I suppose now that it comes to it, I\u2019m worried.\u201d<\/p>\n Betty laughed at him, but it was one of the gentle ones he couldn\u2019t possibly take the wrong way.\u00a0 \u201cSo now that you\u2019ve gone and done it, you\u2019re afraid you\u2019ve made the wrong decision?\u201d she asked with a compassionate look.<\/p>\n Jack frowned.\u00a0 \u201cNot exactly.\u00a0 Knowing what I know, I wouldn\u2019t do anything different.\u00a0 I\u2019m just worried that they\u2019re right and it won\u2019t work out.\u201d<\/p>\n Betty returned to reading her magazine and clicked her tongue several times, chiding him.\u00a0 \u201cThey wouldn\u2019t have agreed if they didn\u2019t think it was worth a shot.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack sighed.\u00a0 \u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHave you thought of anything specific that would stop you?\u201d she asked, still scanning her magazine.<\/p>\n Jack gave that question serious consideration, running it through all of his thoughts, everything that made him worried.\u00a0 He finally shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n Betty looked up from the magazine and looked him directly in the eyes.\u00a0 \u201cAnd can you tell me that you have any feelings at all that tell you not to do it?\u201d<\/p>\n Her gaze froze him for a second and he licked his lips.\u00a0 He gauged his feelings, the ones that told him to run or fight when the time came, and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n Betty smiled and flipped another page.\u00a0 \u201cSo it\u2019s just nerves then?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack grunted.\u00a0 \u201cI guess so.\u201d\u00a0 He pulled in a long, cleansing breath.<\/p>\n Betty shifted in her seat in a pleased manner.\u00a0 \u201cThat\u2019s settled then?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack swung his feet off the lounge chair, leaned over, and kissed her cheek.\u00a0 \u201cThank you.\u00a0 Whoever you are.\u201d\u00a0 That said, he pushed himself up onto his feet and walked away.<\/p>\n \u201cJack?\u201d\u00a0 Her single word brought him to a stop and he turned to look at her.\u00a0 \u201cIf you don\u2019t know who I am, why do you listen to me?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack let out a long breath as he considered his thoughts on that.\u00a0 \u201cA few months ago, I would have listened to her every time,\u201d he began with a wave towards Kelly. \u201cWho knows?\u00a0 Maybe I was<\/em>.\u201d\u00a0 Kelly turned to look at him with a smile that suggested she\u2019d heard every word.\u00a0 Jack shrugged towards her.\u00a0 \u201cBut now I have something to do that is more important than all this party and fun,\u201d he said with a wave towards the bonfire.\u00a0 \u201cAnd what you say feels right for that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJust for that?\u201d Betty asked with a knowing smile.<\/p>\n \u201cThat and so many other things,\u201d Jack answered with a chuckle.\u00a0 \u201cSee you tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n Betty smiled.\u00a0 \u201cWhere else would I be?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I don\u2019t know.\u00a0 I\u2019m certain there\u2019s all kinds of lost guys out there in need of a good conscience.\u201d<\/p>\n Her smile softened.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I\u2019m certain they have one.\u00a0 Whether or not they choose to listen is the question.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I suppose I\u2019m one that listens?\u201d<\/p>\n Betty released the magazine with one hand and held the hand a few centimeters above her chair, waving it back and forth.\u00a0 \u201cFair to middling.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh.\u00a0 That good?\u201d<\/p>\n Betty gave him a long look.\u00a0 \u201cYes.\u00a0 And you<\/em> are still stalling<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack chewed his lip and sighed.\u00a0 \u201cMaybe.\u201d<\/p>\n She put the magazine down and placed her hands in her lap.\u00a0 \u201cNo maybe about it, Jack.\u00a0 You.\u201d\u00a0 She pointed at him with one hand.\u00a0 \u201cAre.\u00a0 Stalling.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack licked his lips, blinked, and let out a long breath.\u00a0 \u201cYes,\u201d he whispered and just stared at her.<\/p>\n She caught his pensive mood and shifted, shifting her arms to cover herself up.\u00a0 \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll go in a bit.\u00a0 But before I go, I wanted you to know that I understand why you picked the form you did.\u201d\u00a0 He waved at Kelly.\u00a0 \u201cAnd her too.\u201d\u00a0 The redhead aimed a quizzical eyebrow at him.\u00a0 \u201cI understand, but I think we can dispense with it.\u00a0 We all know you aren\u2019t who you appear to be.\u201d\u00a0 He looked back at Betty.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019d like to know who the real you is.\u201d<\/p>\n Betty examined him for a long time before answering.\u00a0 \u201cAnd what if I\u2019m one of the tentacled sea beasts of Ragoom III?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack chuckled and waved at the party.\u00a0 \u201cThen all those schoolgirls will be rightfully afraid of losing their virtue.\u201d<\/p>\n Betty laughed and shook her head.\u00a0 \u201cJack, are you really ready for that?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cI have no idea, but when has that ever stopped me?\u201d<\/p>\n He had the pleasure of seeing her eyes open wide in surprise for a moment, before squinting to examine him carefully.\u00a0 \u201cVery well.\u00a0 I\u2019ll keep it under advisement.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d Jack whispered and turned to where Kelly sat.\u00a0 She nodded, letting him know that she would too.<\/p>\n \u201cCatch yah on the flip side,\u201d Jack whispered and shut his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cEnjoy your Brave New World, Jack,\u201d Betty\u2019s voice echoed as the bonfire faded.<\/p>\n Jack\u2019s eyes opened to the interior of his cabin on the Guardian Light<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cHello, Jack,\u201d a voice he recognized said in a calm but amused tone.<\/p>\n Jack scanned over to see\u2026himself, sitting in the chair with a wry expression.\u00a0 He pushed himself up off the bed and swung his legs over the edge to plant bare feet on the warm deck.\u00a0 \u201cHello, Jack.\u00a0 I gather it worked?\u201d<\/p>\n The other Jack smiled and shrugged.\u00a0 \u201cAs far as I can tell.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack frowned and chewed his lip, wondering if the cyber sitting before him really was a true copy of himself or \u201cgood enough for government work\u201d as the old saying went.\u00a0 \u201cSo, are you really me?\u201d he asked, one hand rubbing his chin.\u00a0 \u201cOr just some real good simulation?\u201d<\/p>\n The other Jack laughed.\u00a0 \u201cOh, that question is so far<\/em> outside my pay grade.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack frowned, clicked his tongue in thought, and considered another question.\u00a0 It might work.\u00a0 \u201cYou have my memories?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh yes,\u201d the other Jack returned with a waggle of his eyebrows.\u00a0 \u201cAnd I love every moment of them.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack chuckled.\u00a0 \u201cI do have some good ones don\u2019t I.\u00a0 Or is it more accurate to say we<\/em> do now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat am I?\u00a0 An English major now?\u201d the other Jack returned with a snort.<\/p>\n \u201cTrue,\u201d Jack said with a nod.\u00a0 The other Jack seemed to have his mannerisms down very well.\u00a0 Jack furrowed his brow in thought and considered the other Jack again, wondering if the man knew why<\/em> he acted like that.\u00a0 \u201cDo you remember Kimberly, the pianist?\u201d<\/p>\n The other Jack gave him a doubtful look and a raised eyebrow.\u00a0 \u201cYou mean Katrina?\u00a0 The gymnast?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack smiled.\u00a0 \u201cOops.\u00a0 My bad.\u201d<\/p>\n The cyber Jack aimed a knowing expression at him.\u00a0 \u201cWell, if we\u2019re talking about those<\/em> memories, what about Trina, the water ballerina?\u201d<\/p>\n Jack laughed and shook his head, his mind twisting through memories to find the girl he was certain the cyber meant.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t recognize her.\u00a0 But there was<\/em> Trixie<\/em> from water polo<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh yes.\u00a0 Of course.\u00a0 Silly me.\u201d\u00a0 The other Jack winked at him.<\/p>\n Jack sighed and nodded.\u00a0 The other man seemed to have his memories and mannerisms.\u00a0 That was good enough for him.\u00a0 But would it be good enough for others?\u00a0 \u201cBetty?\u00a0 Jasmine?\u201d<\/p>\n Betty and Jasmine flickered into existence on either side of his bed.\u00a0 \u201cYes, Jack?\u201d they asked in unison.<\/p>\n Jack smirked at the other Jack, who quickly gave him an amused wink.<\/p>\n The other two cybers rolled their eyes.\u00a0 \u201cReally?\u201d Betty asked.<\/p>\n Jack aimed an innocent shrug her way.\u00a0 \u201cI was just wondering what you thought.\u00a0 I assume you\u2019ve both talked with\u2026um\u2026me?\u201d<\/p>\n The other Jack chuckled as Jasmine and Betty looked at each other before nodding.\u00a0 \u201cI couldn\u2019t tell the difference,\u201d Betty said.<\/p>\n \u201cMe neither,\u201d Jasmine added before looking at the other Jack.\u00a0 \u201cPut you in a cloned body and we wouldn\u2019t be able to differentiate you.\u201d<\/p>\n The other Jack smiled and spread his arms out wide.\u00a0 \u201cSee Jack?\u00a0 Now<\/em> you\u2019ve got some competition worth competing<\/em> with.\u201d<\/p>\n Jack snorted and shook his head.\u00a0 \u201cBring it on, Mini Me.\u201d<\/p>\n Betty sighed and rolled her eyes again.\u00a0 \u201cOh Brave New World, that has such people in it,\u201d she whispered, and Jack could have sworn he heard the echoes of the redhead that made him audition for a part in that Shakespearean play.\u00a0 He looked at the cyber version of himself and the other man winked at him, obviously having made the same connection.\u00a0 Good.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hello, my name is Jack.\u00a0 Sometimes I\u2019ve wondered what that means.\u00a0 Who am I?\u00a0 I\u2019ve never fully answered that question to myself, beyond the obvious answer of course.\u00a0 I am who I choose to be.\u00a0 I was born Jack, and[…]↓ Read the rest of this entry…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1188","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-2304-forge-of-war-1stdraft","uentry","postonpage-1","odd","post-author-jack"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1188","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1188"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1188\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1860,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1188\/revisions\/1860"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1188"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1188"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jackofharts.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1188"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}