Jack needed one day.
One day without insanity. One day where she wasn't pounding down alcohol, and the drifting smell of drugs didn't reach her nostrils. Jack needed one day without a wound she needed to address. Jack needed one day where helping someone did not hurt them, or did not soil her good intentions. Jack needed one day where she wasn't a part of a game, a challenge, an intricate dance.
For ONE day, Jack needed to run away.
She pondered in her office. When had been a time of peace? She remembered the first battle she had ever fought, and how she had unwound in the safety of Andrew Thompson's apartment in New York City. She locked up her office and packed up her knapsack. After sending one last memo, Jack turned on her heels.
She arrived in the big city and started walking- she did not know where to go, so she just went forward. She walked and walked, stopping at a corner store to buy a bottle of Pepsi. She continued on and began crossing a bridge. Foot traffic here diminished to a mere trickle, with only the occasional pedestrian stepping across. Jack pushed herself up and sat on the bridge's railing, her feet dangling as she opened her Pepsi.
A small bird settled next to her and she held out a finger. It fluttered away and landed on a nearby branch, intently watching her. She smiled and closed her eyes. The smile disappeared as the weight of the world returned on her with the burden of thought.
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