Jack Manifold Novels & Stories

“Yeah.” Jack’s tone is almost gentle. “In your name?” “Yes.” I feel relief coming down my back. Maybe they’re finally dialing it back. Sanity is winning. Jack reaches into his pocket. Pulls out a small folding knife. The blade snaps open with a dry snick. I watch him, my brain slowing as it tries to understand what’s about to happen. He steps close to the rear of the car, drops to one knee, and drives the knife straight into the back left tire.

“Jason, can you hear Ben?” “Yeah,” Jason said. “Ben… Ben…” “Hold on,” Ben said. He laughed nervously. “You stubborn son of a—hold on.” They worked like animals. People shouted short words. Hands grabbed, pushed, levered. The blue panel came free a little, then got stuck. “Jack here!” Ben said, and he jammed a small car jack under a chunk of beam and pumped. Metal complained. “Jason,” Leah said. “Listen to me. You breathe for me. In and out. In and out.”

Everything that happened last night actually happened. Jack stood up from the old chair he had slept in. He glanced over at Jill and confirmed she was still asleep. He quickly dressed in a t-shirt and jeans. He quickly brushed his teeth and ran his hand through his hair. Once he put his shoes on, he checked on Jill one more time before stepping out of the small room. Jack left the bar and hailed a taxi. "Omene Bank, please."

"But I can help you carry that moose home. And I can fix your snowmobile." Jack frowned. "How do you know my snowmobile is broken?" "Because I can hear the piston misfiring from two miles away," Sebastian tapped his ear. "Two-stroke engine. Polaris model. Right?" Jack stared at him. His snowmobile was broken. He had been skiing for three hours because the damn thing died. Jack lowered his rifle. He looked at the poster. Then he crumpled it up and threw it in the snow. "Syndicate owes me for the last job anyway," Jack grunted. "Can you really fix a carburetor?"

"You have to learn how to do work on cars, I don't want to be the only one that knows about cars." "I know about cars! I just don't do work on them, I drive them, and damn good too!" I yelled, which got a laugh out of Jay so I guess I did that right. Jade ignored me and continued showing Jay what different parts of the car were, what they did, and how to tell if they were broken or needed to be repaired. Jack had stayed in the alley, so I walked to where he was and leaned against the wall. "You gettin' a bad vibe?"

Jack gestured and said, "It's okay. It's simply that my stomach harms a bit. Try not to drive excessively quick." "OK! OK! I'll drive consistently!" The old driver went on his way. As the vehicle was passing the crossing point of Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, Jack nonchalantly took out a cigarette and discarded the vacant cigarette case. "May I smoke?" Jack inquired. "Go on. It's alright." Jack lit a cigarette and put his right hand through of the window. There was a steel ball the size of a nut between his little finger. Subsequent to enjoying a couple of drags, Jack flicked the debris off the cigarette and delivered his little finger. The steel ball tumbled to the ground and moved back.

Jack explained as he turned his car off after pulling into a vacant parking space. Jack gets out of the car before jogging over to my side and opening the door for me once again. I softly thank him before grabbing his hand and stepping out of the vehicle. Jack closes the door behind me before wrapping his arm over my shoulder, keeping our hands locked within each other's in the process. We walk through the glass doors before being given access to the very spacious building.