Jack needed one day.
One day without insanity. One day where she wasn't pounding down alcohol to compensate for the fact that Nemo wasn't there to drink. Jack needed one day where she wasn't stuck among the reminders of everything she dearly missed. Jack needed one day where she wasn't a part of a game, a challenge, an intricate dance. Jack need one day where she was not the mighty, cursed Jaquellene Dyllan.
For ONE day, Jack needed to run away.
She just set off, without much of a plan. She apparated and appeared at the gates of Hogwarts. She passed the Garden of Solace, ignoring the tears and memories that belonged there, and she began down the path that would lead her straight into Hogsmeade.
She arrived in the quaint village 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 continued on, trying to leave the village he had just entered. Foot traffic diminished to a mere trickle as she neared her destination, with only the occasional pedestrian walking the opposite direction.
Jack walked into the clearing that led to the Shrieking Shack. She walked over to the wooden fence and sat atop the top slat, balancing herself and opening her soda, taking a drink. Sweet. No bitter bite, no change in mindset. 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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