The Story of Mr. Jack: Trial by Metal

By Nick Lacroix

This book takes place in a fictional time at a fictional place. The book is about a single body that follows under dual control. Shawn is a sweet and nearly innocent guy who only wants to be normal and not have to worry about someone else lurking around in the back of his mind. And then theres Jack, an angel of slaughter amongst the legions of demons that populate their planet. Jack is numb and has no problem doing whatever it is that he needs to do to get the job done. The book is about the snowball effect of hell that rains down on Jack and Shawn after a single night at what was supposed to be a party for the young and drunk.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 12, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524624422

Nick Lacroix

My name is Nicholas LaCroix, and this is the first book I have fully written. While growing up, I have attempted to write stories of all kinds but could never find a way to end them or how to make the plot roll off the pages. Now, or at least in my opinion, I have found the way to make that happen. I currently work at a circuit board factory and spend most of my free time on the weekdays writing and thinking of new stories to create for the future.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Hey! Uh Megan! I yelled as I flew through the halls of red and white lockers of the school trying to get Megan’s attention. She turned to me and I could feel my face start to scorch and my eyes light up like the fluorescents above us. What’s up? She was holding her books in crossed arms. When we made eye contact I almost forgot what I wanted to say in the first place. Sometimes I don’t even have anything prepared and I just want to get her attention.

Are you going to the party tonight? I already knew the answer. We made plans to go earlier this week but like I said; I enjoyed having her attention.

Heck yeah! What time do you want to pick me up? When should we get there? Will you be drinking? The excitement in her voice was bringing my level of morale to an all-time high.

Umm, I could pick you up at like nine, and we could get there at around nine thirty or ten. I may drink a little but I don’t think I’m going to get too drunk anymore. My smile shrank during the last syllable of my sentence. Shit, the last time I got drunk Jack was out and beat the piss out of two guys over a game of freaking beer pong.

Yeah that’s probably a good thing, we don’t need any more people going to the hospital tonight. The attention of her eyes fell to the floor. I just kind of smiled as she left for class. Jack had always enjoyed the drunken fights. People think I’m tough shit because of him. Pretty much whenever there’s fight and I’m drunk, Jack gets out and starts hitting people.

Yeah we are done with that, there is no way I’m getting drunk enough for that to happen again anytime soon. I said to myself, hoping it doesn’t happen tonight. But it was time for me to get to class, and I was going to be late as it was.

I walked into my sociology class, the students paying attention to the teacher presenting his lessons for the day. He looked at me as I slid into my seat. Giving me a careless stare. Mr. Meyers had an extremely dry sense of humor and often made fun of his students in a way that didn’t really bother anyone to the point of complaint. It was the last class of my day and I spent it thinking about Megan. Her long brown hair and big beautiful eyes. She was a lot shorter than me and probably only weighed about a buck fifteen. She is the girl of my dreams. Maybe tonight I can tell her how I really feel about her. I mean, we’ve been pretty good friends for a while now and I think it’s time that we take it to the next step.

Stuck in my dream world the bell rings and school is finally over with for the week. Now I can drop Megan off, go home, eat, let Jack work out for about an hour, do homework, shower, and then pick Megan back up and try to make tonight a memorable one.

As I dropped her off she gave me a large smile, one that looked like it had been stolen from an angel. Good bye Shawn, see you tonight. The way those words left her lips was subtle but yet almost erotic. She was as cheerful as ever and my emotions only fed off of it, reflecting them back.

I can’t wait! I waited until she was inside her house before I drove off in my little five-speed Tenebris. When I got home, my mom, step dad, and sister were packing their things for a weekend trip to visit our grandma. I will have the house to myself for a few days. Well, except for Jack, unfortunately.

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As I stepped out of the shower and into the steam it left behind in the bathroom, I used my left hand to wipe some of the water condensation off of the bath room mirror. I took some time to inspect the work that jack has been doing on my body. I was skinny, yes, maybe only about 150 to 160 pounds, But I was pretty toned. My muscles were becoming quite defined. Hopefully Megan will notice. If she hasn’t already. Tonight is going to be the night that I make a move and try to snatch a kiss from her. And I don’t mean the full on tongue stuff either. Just a simple kiss on the cheek or a cute kiss on the forehead would suffice to make my night complete.

I dressed in my usual: black T, black earrings, blue jeans, and my dark hair with its tapered sides and 3 inch long messy top. My blue eyes that seem to drive a lot of girls crazy, especially Megan. She loves these things. The clock told me it was 8:30. It will be time to pick her up momentarily.

When I left the house the orange sun was setting to the west and the rise of a big silver moon sprung from the east. As I turned the key into the ignition my nerves began trying to punch their way out my body. I’m not sure what is making this night seem so different from the billions of others that Megan and I have spent at parties, Having fun and hanging out. I jolted at the sound of my engine turning over, which is now only making me even more anxious.

Arriving at Megan’s address the clock in my car showed 8:50. I was early. I sent her a text and she said it would be another 15 minutes. That I should just wait inside the house.

As I opened the door to my car, a light fall breeze filled its interior. Rustling around the receipts, crumpled pieces of paper, and wrappers from burgers on the passenger seat floor.

Fuck! I should have cleaned this damn thing. There were the nerves again. She’s seen how dirty my car is a thousand times, why the hell am I only starting to care now?

Her place is clean. It was big, and it was a really nice house in general. Not like mansion big. But still big for a smaller township. Her parent’s Norm and Rita, were sitting on the couch watching some sort of sitcom on TV.

Would you like something to drink? Rita asked kindly. She was a sweet lady. She always seemed to enjoy it when I came over. She didn’t look too bad either for being in her fifties. I imagine that’s where Megan got it from. But, unlike her mother, Norm was aging like milk, I’m not sure if it was hereditary or if he had been smoking since the age of two because some higher power wasn’t looking out for his physical beauty. I just hope Megan gets her aging from her mom’s side.

Um, yes, please, I am a little thirsty. As I stepped into the kitchen to get a glass of water I saw Katelyn. Hey, Shawn. She seems happier to see me than usual. Katelyn was in my grade and at first I didn’t think she was comfortable with the fact that me and her little sister had become so close. I’ve spent a lot of time over here in the past few months. Hmm, maybe she was just excited to get to the party and let off some steam.

How’s it going Katelyn? I took a sip of water, then set it down on the bar they had in the middle of their kitchen. Ohh not much, just heading off to the cabin. What time are you two going to be there? technically there were three of us, but no one knew of Jack.

We should be there in about thirty-five to forty minutes. However long it takes Megan to finish getting ready that is. As she took a drink of her soda she just kind of gave me a weak little head nod and that was it for that conversation. Then she left.

When I walked back into the room with my glass of water Norm took an interested glance towards me. How’s the writing classes going? I could tell he was actually somewhat interested and not just saying that to break the frozen ice cream thick awkwardness levitating in the room.

It’s going pretty well, I’m in the top five of my class. -It’s a little hard to compete with all of the college kids. Jack and I may share the same body but we definitely do not share the same talents, or personalities for that matter at all. Jack could fight and protect himself from almost anybody. Outnumbered even. But me, I was a lover and a pretty decent writer. I’ve been taking college level writing classes to help me on my way to becoming a bestselling novelist one day.

I’m excited to start more classes next year at NWTU. (North West Titus University) it’s always a little awkward talking about what your plans and dreams are after high school. I always feel like I’m in front of a jury that’s trying to piece together whether or not my life will actually work out.

You know, that’s where Megan plans on going after she graduates. Rita had chimed in excitedly.

You better watch over her there too. Norm protested. It was sincere the way her parents looked at me. Of course I will, I’ll make sure she stays out of trouble. I said reassuringly. The loud thumping in the room next told me Megan was finally ready and on her way down.

Are you ready yet? I was anxious to get going. Yep! Let’s go! Her voice bounced happily off the stair walls. We said goodbye to Norm and Rita and went out on our way to the cabin. Megan was wearing a white v cut tee with yoga pants and pink nurse’s shoes. Her large round gold earrings fit her face almost perfectly. She looks gorgeous.

Leaving the house and escaping into my car she leaned over the armrest. Shawn. The sound her vocal cords made as they vibrated are as beautiful and well-orchestrated as the writings from my favorite writer. Nate Agares. One of the best descriptions that he uses in one of his books perfectly describes Megan. At least, to me anyways.

‘The last time I saw your smile my heart nearly exploded with an assortment of feelings. Both with the likes of which of sweet romantic harmony and the decay of my fractured heart.’

As much as I would love to tell her that, I’m not entirely sure she would take it as well as I’ve long hoped she might.

We arrived at the cabin at around 9:45. There were a lot of people there, which was odd for the parties in this area. Usually these things were pretty exclusive. At least half of the faces I didn’t recognize. Megan gave me a quick thanks and ran off into the cabin to get some drinks and talk with her friends. The area around the cabin was mostly forest. Thick, dark green pine trees with a large field area for us to park in. the cabin itself wasn’t too small. Big enough to hold our usual parties, which was about forty to sixty people, but not the seventy to a hundred like it was now. It was a simple cabin. Upstairs, living room, bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom. The outside had tons of people around it, like ants on an anthill. A bunch of faces whose names I had no idea. Cigarettes hanging from their lips. Drinks in hand. Jack liked to smoke, I usually try to keep a pack in the glove compartment or somewhere in case he’s out. The unfamiliar men are now yelling at each other and laughing. The inside was as busy as one could imagine it would be. Music blaring. Drunk people screaming, dancing, and having what looks like the time of their lives. Katlyn was the first person to walk up to me. Hey Shawn, you got a drink yet?

I couldn’t tell if she was offering one or if she was trying to make sure I would be sober enough to drive later. No, I won’t be having too much fun tonight I said with a little smirk.

That’s good, I won’t be either I have to wake up for work early tomorrow. She ran off to be with her friends. I was on a mission to find Megan, which wasn’t as hard of a task as I thought. She was over at the keg getting a cup. Trying to squeeze my way through an overcrowded cabin. MEGAN! I was waving my hands violently like an idiot. SHAWWNN! she yelled back, imitating the energy I sent out. She was with her usual posse, Anna and Lexi. Having a great time by the looks of it. I liked knowing the general area of where she was, I didn’t trust a lot of guys around here. Especially these unidentified ones. I know that in the past some of them liked to get handsy with the girls from my school. But Jack was able to put an end to it.

Next I found Charlie and Alex. Besides Megan, they were definitely my best friends. Duuuddeee!! Charlie was already drunk and antagonizing Alex to get on his level. I’m trying to take it slow tonight man, I’m done passing out at like one o clock. I watched them bicker for about another minute but Alex eventually gave in and slammed his cup. I laughed as I watched the some of the beer foam drool from the corners of his mouth. After the two began arguing again I decided to walk over to them and we started on the topic on how to make fried ice cream. It seemed like my night was coming into a perfect alignment. I was with my best friends, I was going to be spending time alone with Megan later tonight and the music was loud. It was.. nice.

Over the course of the night the music got louder, the people screamed more frequently, and as of expected they also got more stupid. The time was about 12:30 and I hadn’t seen Megan in a while. Charlie and Alex were still fighting about their usual things. With Megan not around I decided to take a little stroll through the cabin and the outside. Without any luck I walked into the kitchen where there weren’t as many bodies. I wanted to try to call her.

The ringing went on forever and there was no answer. She probably just didn’t feel it vibrate or it was on silent. She was infamous for that sort of thing. I can’t even begin to try and think of how many times she never returned my calls or texts. So, I decided I will give it another fifteen minutes or so and then if she doesn’t turn up, I can start asking people if they have seen her. As I turned to leave the kitchen I saw Katelyn. She looked worried and focused as if to find something or someone.

Shawn, have you seen Megan? The hesitance in her voice is what really got my attention. Like I’m the last good bit of shelter for miles in a windstorm. No. I haven’t seen her in over an hour, I just tried calling her but she didn’t pick up. Some of the unknown faces were staring at us suspiciously. I just ignored it. I’ll try calling her. Katelyn said as she whipped out her phone rapidly and quickly set it up on the side of her face. Her big beautiful eyes looking at me with desperate hope that if she doesn’t pick up that I will know what to do. I was only standing a few feet from her and I could hear it go straight to voice mail. Kate slowly put the phone back into her pocket and yelled at Anna to go look outside again. Her eyes where facing the broken beer bottle glass that covered the kitchen floor.

I heard a faint screaming from outside the kitchen window. As I looked, there are three men trying to get a girl into the back of their car. She was fighting back but would soon lose. It was Lexi. One of Megan’s good friends. I stepped closer to the window to get a better look. But as I did so one of the nameless men in the kitchen grabbed my shoulder.

I think it would be best for all parties involved if you just took a step back from the window. I this douchebags voice is the most threatening thing about his body. Two of his friends were behind him ready to back him up if something happened. I looked at Kate and she was shocked with disbelief that a fight was about to break out at a moment like this. These guys clearly had something to do with the disappearance of Megan and now with the possible attempt to abduct Lexi. I closed my eyes and had a brief moment alone. I took a deep breath and exhaled. I fell back inside my mind, everything caving on itself. It took Jack and me a while to learn how to transfer ourselves, but we’ve gotten pretty efficient at it. I’m asleep.

Chapter 2

What? Why am I in control? I looked to my left and I can see Katelyn. She looks uncomfortable. Something is definitely wrong with this picture.

In front of me are three very pissed off dudes. One asshole even had his hand forced into my shoulder. Did Shawn spill his fucking drink on someone again?

Where’s Megan! Katelyn exclaimed to the boys in front of me loud enough for the entire kitchen to hear. Megan? She’s missing? AAHHH a women was screaming outside. I cocked my head to the side just far enough to see two men running after Lexi, but not far enough that I lost sight of the possible threats standing in front of me.

I don’t know what’s going on, but I do know what needs to be done: Fuck these guys up, save Lexi, and then find Megan. This won’t be a beat down. This will be a slaughter. I looked to Kate, who is scared out of her pretty little mind by the looks of it. This is going to be a blood bath. I whisper over into her ear. She looked back at me confused, but that didn’t matter.

With the smile of a wolf about to dig into his prey, I grabbed a bread knife from the counter and slashed the bicep of the man whose hand was dug into my shoulder. A quick yelp from him and I struck a second time fast in an upward movement across his face. His friends stepped back and he covered his split cheek. Sweeping the legs out from under him, I slammed the knife into his trachea as he hit the floor in almost a single motion. The other two went for pocket knives on their person and I lunged forward at them. The first one was able to slit my right hip, but with a powerful elbow to nose I took him out of commission. The other man took a large step towards me, with his weapon at point. Clearly they weren’t trained very well. I reversed his attack and stabbed him in the heart with his own weapon. The broken nosed one stood up but Kate was quick with a lead pipe she found and knocked him out cold. I took another look out the window and a fight had broken out between people trying to save Lexi and the kidnappers.

GET THE CAR! I said, screaming, pointing my finger at Kate while taking the pipe from her and sprinted out to the brawl. My adrenaline pumped in my muscles forcing me to sprint and jump in and out of the huge areas of torn up mud and dirt. I planted the pipe right into the eye socket of the first man I didn’t recognize. Feeling the eyeball pop against my aggression. Some blood got into my hair. I turned and knelt down in one motion and slammed my weapon into another attacker’s hip cracking and crushing anything in that general area.

Willy, a big football player grabbed him and started beating him. This was useless, I can’t find Megan if they are all dead. Kate drove up in her car. I motioned to her to pop the trunk. I looked to my surroundings. A muddy ass field now full of muddy ass people wrestling in the wet soft dirt. I walked over to the one eyed guy in open dark space. I took hold of his throat, digging my thumb into the soft spot in between the trapezius muscle and the collar bone. Dragging the bastard over to the back of Kate’s vehicle, I smashed his head against her back bumper and threw him into the trunk. Meet me at my place, I’ll be there soon. I’m grabbing the other prick!! she just gave me a scared nod and was off.

I stormed into the kitchen to find him. He wasn’t on the floor, and I scanned the room for the bastard. Bamm! A beer bottle smashed against the corner of my left eye, followed by a fist to the cheek. Blood trickled down my face as I fell to the ground and looked up. He was pissed. He rushed over to stomp me out but I grabbed some broken glass and stabbed it into the side of his café. AHHHHH he screamed and I ripped the glass up to the back of his knee. I could feel more shards of it breaking as I went up. He only screamed louder and I slammed my fist into his already broken nose. As he fell, I grabbed his long curly hair and dragged him to my car. Struggling to open my trunk with my blood covered hands. Pop! It was open and I threw his ass in the back. He put a hand out to try to say something but I slammed the trunk door on it. Crushing the bones in his wrist. Hearing him scream in pain brought a smile to my face. If only he knew what was in store for him back at my place.

It was now about 12 o’clock, and I was sitting in my car smoking and waiting in the driveway for Kate. The man in my trunk was still banging on the ceiling of the rear. It was pretty muffled so I didn’t worry about anyone hearing him. Even though I lived in a pretty rural area, no one walked around at this time of night. I decided that it would be best to get them secured in my basement one at a time. I grabbed a pen from my center console and got out of the car. Walking over to the trunk I could feel the breeze turning into a stormy wind. There were no stars in sight and even though it was dark I could feel heavy rain coming. I could smell it.

Pop. The trunk opened and the enraged bleeding man lunged at me, mouth open and yelling. With the large amount of tissues Shawn had kept in our pocket (for whatever the fuck reason) I shoved the wad in his mouth and began to cover it with my hand at the same time and stuck the pen in his good eye. His muffled screams soon turned into a whimper. He was done struggling. I fastened a blind fold and lead him to my basement steps. I tied his hands together and threw him down the stairs. Watching his body tumble down like a rag doll was actually kind of entertaining.

I saw lights outside the living room window, it must have been Kate. I grabbed a machete from my parent’s room and made my way to the brisk, cool outside.

Shawn! What is going on?! What am I supposed to do with this guy? What if the cops find out? Kate was trembling at the knees and holding her arms together anxiously. Kinda like Megan the time the cops showed up at a party and were interrogating her. I ignored that she called me Shawn but I answered her questions.

Look, I’m going to throw him in my basement with the other one and the cops around this district are lazy and don’t do shit around here anyways… Now, open the trunk and stand back, he might try something. She did as she was told. I took another wad I made while waiting. As I expected he did the same as his partner. Tried to lunge and I stuffed the damn thing in his mouth. I separated his ear with my machete and placed it aggressively into his mouth with the paper. Grabbing him by the hair, I forced him into a face plant onto the asphalt. A few teeth broke and it did a number on the side of his head as well. I followed the same procedure as the other guy. Blind fold, hands tied, and his ass tossed down the stone steps. Which now I kinda regretted. I hope it didn’t kill him, I still need answers.

In the kitchen I fixed Kate a glass of water. Shawn, what the hell are you going to do with those guys? Kate was leaning up against the counter in my kitchen. I understand that no one really knows I exist but fuck. Get a damn clue people. Does anyone honestly think Shawn is capable of any of this shit? He’s a pussy!

I’m simply going to ask them were Megan is, and then I’m going to get her back. That was all I said. I left for a brief moment to grab some tools from the garage. Drills, screw drivers, hammer, nails, you name it. I didn’t plan on using all of it but I did plan on having some fun. As I opened the creaking screen door to get back into the kitchen I made my way through the basement door, almost tempted to ignore Kate was even here. I’ll be back in a little bit ok, I’ll explain then. She just gave me a timid head nod and that was it. Walking down the steps slowly, I could see them struggling to get out their bonds.

The basement isn’t much. Wet and dark with only two dim lights on each side to shed some light, and a ton of miscellaneous shit scattered about. When I got down I set them up into chairs and tied them around two pillars in the room. Removing the blind folds I realized that only one of them could see anyway. I took the wads out as well. LET ME OUT!!! the blind one highly pitched. I slammed my hammer into his knee cap, cracking the bone in two. Listen to me! I demanded. It doesn’t take much to piss me off. I’m the man in charge now! I ask the fucking questions and you answer the fucking questions! I paused for a few seconds. Nod if you understand me.

Fuck you. The man on the left, the one that still had the ability to indulge himself with sight, spit on my face. His blind friend tried to spit on me as well, but he was a few feet off.

That wasn’t the answer I wanted.

I grabbed a rusty nail out of a bucket full of stagnant brown water and impaled it in-between his finger and fingernail. AAAAHHHHHHHH FUCK!! Blood spit out of his finger and onto my hand. Now, I think I have their attention. They knew I wasn’t fucking around with them.

Over the course of the next few hours I took it slow. I listened for a pop every time I pulled out teeth, or the tearing sound ripping finger nails. I even cut the nose off of the blind one. The two screamed the whole time. Giving me a monstrous headache. I even tried to use the man’s nose as a gag but he just ended up swallowing it. Today was not a good day for this dude or his face. By about 2:30 I started getting some answers. I also noticed the tattoos they had.

Now, where and when does the drop off/pick up take place? And what do these tattoos mean? I figured they were part of some sort of sacrificial cult. There were a lot of those kinds of groups in Titus and all over the world really. The one whose face I didn’t reconstruct spoke. It was a little muffled from lack of teeth and being full of blood.

We are a group called Sons of Vual.- He started dry heaving and attempted to get his breath back- The meeting will take place at the old cement factory. During sunrise. He leaned forward, giving me one last cry for help. But I just looked at him, my hand on my chin, thinking.

Thank you I said with a grin stretching from ear to ear. But now I have to figure out what to do with you two. I looked down the pile of tools I had sitting about two feet from my left foot. I embarked on sifting through the pile of tools, picking up a flat head screw driver. I held it up to the dim light. Checked it for any deformities like a surgeon before performing.

Just let us go, please.. I have a.. I’m not exactly sure how one could describe the sound of a screw driver being implanted into someone’s temple, but it definitely should be on the bucket list.

The screw driver didn’t move. It was in all the way to the handle. Blood dripped out. It reminded me of changing the oil on a vehicle and after you place the oil plug back in there is still some oil left around the ring that keeps dripping. I didn’t plan on letting him live anyway, but the blind guy might be