Prompt 

A lonely man develops the ability to see through walls.

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“What was I thinking? I am dumb. I am just plain dumb s**t,” Jack had the innate ability to beat himself down just by slightly triggering his mind to shower him with the unholiest of words and phrases. With Jack, “loser” had a whole new dimension and meaning. 

A lonely man, having lost his father when he was a kid and his mother just a couple of years ago, Jack never found himself confident enough to even hold a conversation with someone. He was a slow learner in school and had to drop out and got whatever education his mother could afford. His mother was his only strength and shield and with her gone, he felt absolutely exposed to the odd-bad world. 

People, the unkind ones, called him Forrest Gump the Dumb. It was as if he had an invisible power to kindle the worst in a human being and make them direct those nefarious thoughts and actions at him. No doubt, his self-esteem was at the lowest, that assuming it was still there in some corner of his being. It was obvious that he never tried exploring that part of his being, anyway. 

But Sarah was different. She was the neighborhood kid who was the only one who did not make him feel uncomfortable. It was as if she carried an air of morphine around her which deadened his senses even before it could react. With the senses out of the way, happiness was all that remained and he was so glad at the feeling; a feeling which he never had any part in common.  

Sarah soon joined NASA and was one of the popular scientists on Astrophysics. Jack loved seeing her on television every now and then. She inspired him to do things unimaginable which, of course, normal beings would consider mundane. But this inspiration took him just a bit overboard to do something even the bravest of man would think twice. He proposed to Sarah. 

The response was obvious and he could not stop beating himself since that day. The problem was not the event itself but the fact that Jack couldn’t stop beating himself even after a month of the incident. 

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It was a bright and sunny Sunday. Jack woke up to the chime of the chirping birds and the cool breeze swaying the trees and its luscious and glistening leaves. The aroma of freshly baked bread was captivating the senses and was enough to trigger the salivary glands. The warm feeling of the sun being stoked aside by the cool breeze led to goose pimples on his skin and the magic in the wind was more than enough to take any human to euphoric levels. This could be Jack’s day! 

Only Jack saw it differently. It was quite hot so early in the morning, he thought, and the rustling and bustling of the trees could be signs of an incoming storm. The goose pimples were asking him to be careful or he might have to pay dearly. He had to have his guard up more than ever. Clearly, this was not his day! 

But Sunday was still church day, a habit which his mom had formed. As usual he took his moped to church and as usual no one even noticed him. Sarah was there but she turned away from him. He was used to such reactions and did not find anything out of place. 

“Sonny are you alright.. Sonny.. Sonny!” the kind old lady’s words were sounding far-off as Jack lay horizontal on the ground oozing blood from his right temple and growing intolerant to the stench of the liquid. He had never seen so many people coming towards him and Sarah was one of them. That was the nicest thing to happen to him and that was the last of the things he saw and remembered.

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“Thank God, you are alright,” the nurse who was checking his pulse was happy to see him open his eyes for the first time in five days. She rushed to inform the doctor. Soon the doctor arrived while Jack was still staring at the ceiling. 

“Why is that chair not falling on me?” Jack asked.

The doctor was puzzled, “Look Jack, you were hit on your head so expect to be a bit disoriented. That is absolutely alright.” 

Jack didn’t have the energy to argue so he just followed instructions. “What happened to me? Why am I here?” 

“Do you remember anything Jack?” 

“Yes, I fell outside the church. That’s all I remember.” Jack was a bit surprised with himself. He was actually conversing with someone. It must be the disorientation he thought. 

“There were a couple of gunmen on a bike. They shot you. Nobody knows why. Do you see any reason why?” 

“No.” Jack was a bit amused. He thought only important people were shot at. He had no clue that he was important. He laughed at the thought and immediately cringed in pain. He was not sure what hurt, the head or the almost non-existent smile muscles of his cheek. With that thought he drifted into sleep.

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The next day, the Sheriff arrived. He was told that Jack came to his senses the previous night. He had to complete his investigations. 

“Jack, my boy, how are you?” 

“I am fine, Sir. Thank you!” Jack couldn’t hide his surprise on the conversation part. At least, today he was not feeling disoriented but he still did not understand why the chair above his head was not falling on him. 

“Where’s Melloway?” Sheriff looked at the door. 

“Is that the lady cop with you?” 

“Yes. How do you know?” 

“There she is. Talking to the doctor,” Jack pointed towards the lady cop but others could only see the wall. 

“Don’t kid me,” the Sheriff laughed. 

“No, there she is. Can’t you see her?” Jack was surprised.

The Sheriff was feeling teased but the good old nurse was kind enough to check. She opened the door and saw the cop outside. “Well, there she is. You were right. How did you see through the wall?” 

“The wall? What wall?” 

“Come on now, don’t play with me son,” the Sheriff was far from amused. But that’s when it became apparent to Jack. He could see through the walls. The chair was not falling on him because it was in the room above his. The flood of information was too much to cope with and Jack passed out.

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Couple of weeks since he came to his senses, Jack was back to his normal routine, only now his routine was similar to what normal people do. The gunmen probably took out part of his brain which taught him self-pity and misery. Good riddance, he thought. But this new thing of seeing through walls baffled him the most, second only to the mystery of the gunmen. 

“I am going in now,” the vehicle siren was still blaring as the cop spoke into his walkie-talkie. 

“No, wait. He has a gun. He is standing right behind the door. He will shoot you even before you can react.” Jack said. 

The officer was baffled. “Are you with him?” 

“No. Tell you what, you go close to the door but don’t open the door. Stand behind that wall and talk to him. I think I can enter through that window and get him from behind.” 

“No, wait. Are you nuts?” the officer protested but Jack was already running towards the window.  

“I need backup. And... and an ambulance. Hurry,” the officer said and moved towards the door. He started engaging the thief without knowing if there was anyone really standing there. There was no response. He continued. Just then he heard a loud noise and two shots were fired. 

“Shots fired. Shots fired. I am going in,” the officer said and moved in. He saw Jack holding the thief from behind and the gun pointed to the ceiling. “You move and you are dead. Let the gun fall to the ground,” the officer meant business. It was all over in five minutes. 

The officer came out first along with the thief and Jack followed. The people gathered around immediately got applauding. At first Jack joined in but only when he saw the officer clapping as well, did he realize that it was for him. That was an experience he never had. The officer removed the mask and it triggered something in Jack. Some faint memory. 

“Wait, weren’t you the one who fired at me at the church?”

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“Sarah, I need to speak to you,” Jack called out Sarah from behind. 

“Jack,” Sarah moved back uncomfortably, “how are you now?” 

“I am fine, Sarah. Look I need to talk to you. Your place, my place or a coffee shop?”

"Look Jack, I really don’t have time for this. You are a nice man b…” 

“I know I am, but this is not about me. It is about you. Remember the gunmen? They had come to kill you. I was accidentally shot at. The cops will be talking to you too. Let’s get some coffee shall we?” 

“Yes,” Sarah was baffled. She was not sure if it was the gunmen or Jack. It was not like Jack at all. Full of confidence, full of purpose… 

Jack had the fries and burger while Sarah just had coffee. The nervousness was showing as much as she tried hiding it. “So, that’s all I know. I think you should take police protection. They will anyway offer…..” Jack suddenly broke off. He was looking at the wall and it kind of spooked Sarah. 

“What’s it?"

"It’s them. The black GMC. That’s the other shooter. Oh, he has company,” Jack got up and pulled Sarah along. 

“What? Where? What’s going on?” Sarah half-heartedly protested. 

“Long story. Just come with me.” Jack took Sarah’s phone and dialed the Sheriff. “Sheriff, they are here. Sarah is with me. There are four of them.” 

“Stay put. I will be there," the Sheriff said.

Just then shots were fired. Sarah and Jack ran into the kitchen. 

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Epilogue 

“Your discovery of quantum teleporting is what got all of them interested. If you were eliminated then that would have set us back by at least fifteen years. Enough time to create an advantage for themselves,” the Sheriff explained to Sarah. 

“Hmm..” 

“I suggest, if you can, move out of here. There is no fear anymore but still it will give you peace of mind. Of course, it is your call,” the Sheriff advised sipping coffee. 

“I think I will remain here, Sheriff, besides, you have saved me once. I think you can do it again.” They all smiled. 

“It wasn’t me but this lad here,” the Sheriff said pointing to Jack. “What’s gotten into you?”  

“A bullet, the last I remember,” Jack said and all laughed. 

“Well, I better be going,” the Sheriff said and excused himself. 

“Well, I better be going too,” Jack said and walked towards the door. Two steps and he found himself pinned to the wall and gasping for breath.  

“I have never been manhandled this way before,” Jack said as their lips parted.  

“You haven’t yet seen manhandling at all,” Sarah growled.  

That was part of Sarah that Jack never knew existed. He didn’t know whom to thank. The shooter was the one who came to mind! 

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This story in written in response to @mctiller's short story contest which can be found here. 

Image Courtesy: Pixabay