The next day at work Jack got a call to the office...
'This is the third day in a row where you have worked six hours of unpaid overtime...' said his boss, Rick.
'I am happy to work for free,' Jack explained.
'It's not a good look,' said Rick.
'Why not? I am working for free! I am not asking for money!'
'Right I get it, Jack. But to HR it looks like we are taking advantage of you. Slave labour and all that. You do understand?' said Rick.
Jack heard this and returned saying this:
'I just need to be out of my bedroom and to be around people. I like being with people. So I will continue to work overtime for free if that is okay?'
'Is there something wrong in your life Jack? It's just sounds to me like you don't want to go home anymore?' said Rick.
'No. I like it at home. I just want to be around more people that's all...' Jack replied speaking in a sad and sloppy voice that was not endearing to listen to at all.
'I find that a bit odd, mate,' Rick returned harshly. 'I have known you a few years and you strike me as a bit of a loner if you know what I mean?'
'I don't know what you mean, sir,' Jack replied humbly and honestly.
'You are a loner! You haven't got any mates and you have never tried to make mates not as long as you have been working here,' said Rick. 'I just don't understand why you want to be so social all of a sudden that's all.'
'Is there anything wrong with wanting to be social, sir?'
'No. It's just we did invite you to join us for a tea break last week. You were offered the chance to socialise and you weren't interested at all. If I remember you just walked away. Again, like I just said, it all seems a bit odd if you get my meaning?'
'I am a changed man I swear...'
'A changed man after just one week, Jack?'
'I promise! I am not like what I was before!'
'You sound tired, Jack. I think you need to have some holiday time!'
'I beg you! Don't send me away...'
'Take the rest of the week off Jack!'
'Please Rick! Don't do this to me!'
'There is the door behind you! Turn around and walk through it please Jack! And do not come back not until the week is done! Now go!'
'Rick! You don't understand! If I walk through that door it is over for me!'
'LEAVE the office - NOW!'
So there was Jack out on the street and all alone... AGAIN.
'You are not doing a very good job at making new friends are you Jack?' said Sir Kreep appearing out of a nasty wet corner from somewhere. 'Never mind! You have still got me!'
'I beg you to leave me alone!' Jack cried in return.
'I am never leaving you Jack boy, you have got me like you have got your shadow!'
Jack turned and ran screaming across the road and down an alleyway. Jack needed to find human company and fast!
Jack heard voices up on the road ahead... Finally fellow human beings! Thank goodness he was saved!
Jack found a real rowdy group of students out for drinks and laughs - a proper group of hooray Harrys!
Jack dashed over to them at once waving his hands in the air he called out to them in his loudest voice:
'Please! Stop! I am your friend!'
The students didn't stop. Instead they looked at Jack with worried expressions - was this a madman trying to attack them? The students were all very much afraid of Jack because he was acting in such a frantic and wild way!
One of the lads in the group stepped up to protect his friends - he drew a dagger from out of his left pocket and ordered Jack to take a step back.
'What do you want?' said the armed lad to Jack. 'Take a step closer and I will slash you I swear I have done it before to weird men like you!'
'I just want to go with you,' said Jack to the lad. 'I just want to have a drink with you guys and to have a laugh. Please let me join you! I beg you let me join you please!'
'You are obviously mad!' said the armed lad. 'Get any closer and I will defend myself and my friends. I swear! If you continue to follow us I will take action against you, do you hear me? Now go away!' Then the lad with the knife rallied his friends and then off they flew leaving Jack all on his own. AGAIN.
Sir Kreep re-emerged.
Looking for company, eh, Jack? Well here is company for you - you can look at my lovely leering face all day if you like! I don't mind...
Jack screamed and ran away.
He ran this way and that desperate to find people to spend company with!
But there was no one who would have him... Anyone he found would brush him off or shoe him away!
It was hopeless!
And then Jack found the local Fenwick Church!
A sermon was going on. Jack could hear the local preacher reading a prayer!
At last Jack was saved!
Jack made for the Church! He burst through the front door glad to be in the company of people at last!
The nightmare is over!
He was going to find a seat and sit down and listen to the preachers prayer when a random man suddenly stepped up and ordered Jack to go back towards the door.
Jack had unintentionally caused a commotion and the whole Church fell deathly silent...
'You do not live on our street,' the man explained to Jack. 'You are not welcome here. Leave now!'
Jack explained that he just wanted to listen to the prayer, but the man standing against him was not having any of it. 'You are not one of us!' said the man to Jack. 'See that door behind you! Turn around and leave through it please. You heard me! Head out and head on! DO NOT return!'
Jack wouldn't move. Actually he was too scared to lift a single foot!
So the man lost his patience and with the help of two other people who were standing nearby he had Jack thrown out of the building.
When Jack returned to his feet he found the door into the Church to be bolted against him!
And so there was Jack alone AGAIN.
Mr Kreep had been watching the scene from a shady corner somewhere...
When Jack saw the fiend he turned around and started running again!
And as Jack ran a haunting voice whispered beside him and inside him and all around him:
'Run run Jack! But I will be back!' said the creeper, Mr Kreep, watching from the back...
No matter where Jack ran, no matter how many corners he turned Sir Kreep was always there waiting either in front or stalking close from behind...
And so the nightmare went on!
(Remember! All spelling errors and grammatical mistakes are intentional - the author 😆)
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