4

      There was silence between the two of us. Jack’s smile fell. “Everything alright?”

      “Yeah, just – I’m not really supposed to talk to strangers.” Oh, now the truth comes out. Great job, Sam.

      Jack leaned back on the bench with a wry half-smile on his lips. “How old are you, Sam? Twelve? Thirteen?”

      “Fourteen.”

      “Aha. So, wouldn’t you say that you’re, I dunno… old enough to be talkin’ to strangers?” When I didn’t respond, Jack squinted his eyes. “Never crossed your mind, did it?”

      It hadn’t, but I wasn’t about to tell him that. I looked down, crossing my arms. “I better go.” I turned back down the path, but before I’d taken a few steps I stopped in my tracks as if something were in my way. I turned back to look at Jack; he still had a smile on his face, but the way he was looking at me… it reminded me of a kid named Lenny in my science class. It wasn’t a secret that he found chemistry fascinating, but he was just so eager to learn that he always had this curious and amazed look on his face. That’s how Jack looked to me now – curious and amazed.

      “What?” I asked him. This time, he was the one that didn’t respond aside from shaking his head and whispering to the bird on his shoulder. I took a step towards him, crossing my arms again. “What?” I asked again. This time Jack looked up, right eye twitching.

      “Why are you here, Sam? Something you want? Something I could help you with?”

      Weird question. “No.”

      Jack laughed and shook his head again. “Right.”

      “I don’t. Want anything, that is.”

      Jack glanced back at me and his grin faded. “Everyone wants something, Sam. Money, for the most part. Power’s also a runner-up. Others want to find love… others simply want to act out on hate.” He leaned forward, an unreadable expression on his face. “I ask you again, Sam – is there something I can help you with?”

      I bit my lip. “No.”

      A confused look crossed Jack’s face for a split second and then disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. I thought maybe I’d imagined it. Jack smiled at me, raising an eyebrow. “Interesting… That’s very interesting.”