A Light In The Dark - Episode 7.

- Episode 7 -

Normally lunchtime was one of Jack's favorite parts of school cause he got to pick his own lunch. The lunch ladies were always nice to him and sometimes they would even let him get a little extra on his tray. He could always look forward to lunch, especially when they were serving one of his favorite things - hamburgers. Jack loved hamburgers, he could even eat the big ones like his Dad liked to have.

"Something the matter?" asked one of the lunch ladies. Her name tag said Kelly in squiggly letters and had a little rainbow flower drawn around it. "Normally you jump at the chance for one of my burgers, even ask for seconds," Kelly explained. Jack hadn't even realized he was already in the line for food, everything had just been so blurry after the bell rang. He had even almost picked up something that dangerously resembled spinach - yuck.

"I'm not having a very good day," Jack whispered as he reached for a burger, careful to avoid the mysterious green stuff. Kelly smiled at him and her face seemed to brighten. "Well, don't you worry none, it'll get better," she promised as he moved on down the line. Maybe she was right, I mean at least he had managed to get his burger.

As usual Ben had saved him a seat at they're favorite table and even though Kim was already setting there too Jack didn't mind. It seemed Kim was the least of his worries today, he just hoped they weren't going to turn the lights off anymore today. "You okay Jack?" Kim asked while making the same face his Mom did. It was the face girls must all be born knowing, you know the one where they already know what is wrong but they want you to say it anyways. Jack was sure they must practice it or something.

Ben leaned over the table and whispered, "it's cause Mr. Graves turned the lights out in class isn't it?" Jack couldn't bring himself to say it so he just nodded. Sometimes, even big kids don't like having to admit their still scared of something - even if it is the dark.

"Well," Kim interrupted, "you still are going to have do the homework tonight." Jack didn't need her to remind him, instead he wished she'd offer some brilliant way to get out of having to do it. "So what you going to do," she added. "I don't know," he managed in between mouthfuls of hamburger. Maybe he could ask Dad.