***
It was now Saturday and Todd, Chris, and Cassie were sitting in H’our Burgers when Jack walked in. Actually he strutted in, thinking everything was set for the next day.
“Well, if it isn’t the bridegroom himself,” Chris greeted him.
“Yeah, congratulations! Are you getting nervous?” Todd asked.
“Heck, no, I’m ready to settle down. I’ve had my eye on Pam for a long time now.”
“Gosh, he’s not feeling any guilt at all,” Cassie whispered.
“That makes it even better,” Chris whispered back.
“Hey, man, come over and sit with us.” Todd scooted over to make room in the booth.
“Me?” Jack asked, surprised.
“Yeah, why not? It’s your special night . . . right?” Chris said with a smile.
“Well, okay, that’s really great of you guys.” Jack sat down as close as he could next to Cassie.
Just then Chad and Joshua walked in and grabbed the next booth to them.
“Hey, Jackson! Oh, I mean Jack. How’s it going?” Joshua asked.
“Oh, hey, you probably don’t know Chad here. He and his family are moving to Parkerville soon. Chad, this is Jackson, the guy I was telling you about.”
“I hear you’re getting married tomorrow. How’s it feel?” Chad asked.
“Oh, not bad. I’m pretty lucky to be getting a girl like Pam. She’s pretty easy to boss around, if you know what I mean,” he said, leaning against Cassie, a little too close.
Cassie narrowed her eyes at him. “Good thing it’s not me, because no one bosses me around.”
“Well, you’re not the type I’d choose, anyway,” Jack answered back.
Both Joshua and Chris glared at one another. It was all they could do, not to pick Jack up and throttle him right there.
“Okay, look, this is supposed to be a celebration. So, let’s get some cokes and burgers . . . and celebrate,” Todd offered.
“Do you mind getting up, Jack?” Cassie asked, as she left the crowded booth and sat across from them in a different booth.
Jack sat back down and laughed, looking over at her.
“I pity the guy who gets her,” Jack laughed. “I think she’ll be a real hell cat when someone finally tames her down.”
“She’s our friend, Jack, and we treat our women with respect. Now, if I were you, boy, I’d keep that nasty mouth of yours shut, if you want to be around for your wedding tomorrow,” Joshua warned.
“Yeah, you can count on that,” Chris and Todd agreed.
“And by the way, you don’t sound like the Jackson we know. He wouldn’t insult anyone, let alone Cassie, or any girl in this town. What’s up with you?” Joshua stared into his eyes.
“Just kidding around, Josh, don’t you have a sense of humor? Okay, let’s eat to my big day tomorrow.” Jack held up a coke to everyone.
Todd leaned close to Chris and whispered, “Now, are you sure we can do this?”
“Yes, I keep telling you. I know how to do it,” Chris whispered.
Joshua and Chad went to join Cassie in her booth, and looked over at the three eating.
“What’s up?” Joshua asked Cassie.
“Nothing.” Cassie sipped her root beer.
“And where’s your notorious other tonight?” Chad asked.
“Oh, she’s really busy tonight, she couldn’t make it.”
“Okay, something is definitely up,” Joshua, whispered. “I’m gonna to find out, anyway, so come on darlin’, what gives?”
“Please, I’m begging you both to leave it alone, at least for now,” she pleaded.
“It’s okay. I’ll hear it all from Skye later,” Chad said confidently.
Jack got up, taking his burger with him, and turned back toward Chris and Todd.
“Well, that was great, guys, but I’ve got lot’s to do now. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Jack was about to stroll out the door when Chris and Todd joined him.
“Oh, I’ve gotta go, too,” Cassie jumped up from the booth and hurried out the door.
Chris and Todd got on either side of Jack as soon as he was out of the burger bar. Chris looked around, before he hit Jack on the back of his head, with a hard rubber hammer. Jack collapsed, and Chris and Todd dragged him to Jake’s truck.
“See? I told you I could do it.” Chris held on to one of Jack’s arms.
“He’s not dead is he?” Todd said, holding up Jack’s other arm.
“No, but he’ll wake up soon, so let’s get him over to the cafeteria pretty fast.” Chris and Todd stuck him in Jake’s truck and took off.
Cassie took a short cut across town to meet Skye and the others at the school cafeteria. The guys pulled the truck around to the back of the school and parked next to the trash receptacle. They got Jack out of the truck and into the school without any trouble. The tiresome part was dragging him all the way down hallways until they reached the kitchen of the cafeteria.
Cassie and Skye were waiting with Jackson, as the boys dragged him in and laid his body up on the table.
“Okay,” Chris said. “Do your stuff, Jackson, it’s the only chance you’re gonna get, man.”
A ghostly Jackson got up on the table next to Jack and closed his eyes. Very slowly he seemed to be pulled back into his body. Even though the body’s eyes were closed, a scream emitted from his mouth.
“Noooooooo,” Jack screamed. “Get out, get out now!”
“You get out! This is my body, you jerk.”
“No, it’s my body now,” Jack challenged. “I swear I’ll kill you, if I get the chance.”
“You won’t get the chance and you won’t get the chance to hurt Pam anymore,” Jackson growled.
The four of them watched as a battle took place inside Jackson’s body. Finally a worn down astral Norman appeared outside Jackson’s body.
“No!” He screamed over and over. He whirled around and tried to get back into the body he had stolen for two years.
“Norman’s out! Get Jackson off the table, quick!” Skye yelled.
Chris and Todd grabbed Jackson and yanked him off the table. Chris slapped him across the cheeks and shook him to wake him up.
“Okay, okay, I’m awake,” he yelled. “Back off.”
“Well, that’s the thanks we get?” Todd said, backing away.
“Hey, that’s my voice. I haven’t heard it in two years. “It’s me! It’s really me. I have a voice and I have a body . . . my body,” Jackson said, with tears in his eyes.
Skye walked over to him and hugged him. “You sure do, Jackson.” Skye started to cry.
“Oh, Skye, if it weren’t for you and Cassie, I would have died, or wanted to. It’s no fun not having flesh and blood. It’s awful.”
“Well, now, Norman will know what you went through for two whole years. So, what do we do about him?” Cassie asked, looking at a shaking Norman, standing back from them.
“You tricked me, you monsters!” he yelled.
“Oh, I heard that,” Todd yelled back. “You’re the monster, Norman, and you’re still a jerk.”
“We could leave you here forever, Norman, or until your real body wears out and dies. How would you like that?” Chris yelled.
“Please, no,” Norman said quietly.
“He said he wouldn’t like that,” Cassie said, knowing the others couldn’t hear him.
“By the way, Jackson, can you hear anything Norman is saying?”
“Not a word,” Jackson said.
He had to learn to walk again for a few moments, within his body, but it didn’t take him long to get used to his dense, heavy body.
“Are you okay, Jackson?” Todd asked.
“Yeah, and thanks to everyone for helping me, I’ll never forget you,” he smiled as he finally felt he was ready to leave. He hugged Skye and Cassie, and then shook hands with his friends, then, he finally started to walk out of the cafeteria kitchen.
“Yes, not a word,” he said and laughed, as he walked down the hallwa
y and out the back door, into the cold night air. He stopped for a moment, looking up at the dark blue sky with all the stars out sparkling and shining. Something he only saw out the window of the cafeteria kitchen.
“I’m sorry, Lord, I won’t experiment with my body like that ever again and I’ll never try to leave my body again. I don’t need to know what’s in that world that we can’t see. From what I saw and felt, it was lonely and cold.” Jackson continued to look up into the sky with tears of gratitude, running down his cheeks.