Jack

The first house I remember living in was white and across the street from a cemetary. I used to play in the cemetary as a child. I remember hearing a spirit tell me not to step on the headstones. I remember walking down a path and seeing about 30 ravens and hearing them talk to me. They flew around me in a whirlwind.

My first friend was a spirit named Jack. My older brother was scared of him and so were the other children we played with down there. These children were all around my age or my both of my brother's ages. I'd guess between age 3 and 7. We'd play for hours with them down in the basement. I, however, would always go down there alone and lock myself in this closet that had nothing in it. I'd take my white Pound Kitty (which had a grape juice stain on its belly) and play house with Jack.

Jack was tall. He wore a black suit and a black hat. When we moved the summer I would turn six, my Pound Kitty disappeared. I'd left it in my closet and when I returned for it, it was gone.

Growing up, Jack was always there. As a quasi-adult into my adulthood, he began scaring me. He was aggressive and snide and taught me "lessons" and behaved in a very unfriendly manner to other people. He wore a ruby ring and he always showed me the image of a black snake with red and yellow speckles on it. He always came to teach me lessons. Lessons.

I used to cover my mirrors because I didn't like to see him. I tried numerous times to send him away from me. He'd leave for a few months but would always return. I became hopeless that he would never leave. The last lesson he taught me was the lesson of Jacks. He told me three jacks were to come: diamonds, spades and clubs.

I found those cards everywhere, to the point where it was drivin me insane. I did run into two of the jacks (clubs and spades). But somewhere towards then end, he merged with me. Merely an aspect of myself or maybe I burned him up by consuming him, I don't really know. He's not around anymore and I think that he was a part of myself and THAT was the lesson he was ultimately trying to teach me.

I used to love and hate him so very very much. Maybe I am the diamond.