Ending with Satisfaction

Submitted into Contest #102 in response to: Write about a character with an unassailable moral compass.... view prompt

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Adventure Inspirational Romance

Jack made sure to let his boss know he was going on a mission through North Africa and the Middle East to preserve peace and provide resources. That was who he was. His boss told him he wasn’t guaranteed a spot when he came back but Jack didn’t care. He’d been saving up for this, so he can make his mark on the world. His wife decided not to come which inevitably ended their relationship. Jack had fought hard for her and their son but this was something he always dreamed of. The moment he arrived in Somalia he placed himself in a homeless shelter that the U.S. had built years ago. He made friends with a 17 year old orphan named Azibo. Azibo never had more than $5 U.S. money at one time. Jack decided to start there. He spent much of his money he already had on building a home near the Genale River. The two lived together and started a farm in which Azibo would learn to run by himself. He was always a shy kid but Jack learned that once he felt comfortable he was quite outgoing and talented. The non-profit organization they ran turned into international news within 3 years and it was largely due to the donations Jack was able to bring in from former clients back in America. Once 5 years had passed Jack decided it was time to move on. The Middle East conflicts had been grabbing his attention. Azibo stayed while Jack continued his quest. The quest however began to lose its magic. Jack was in a fruitless battle within himself. It materialized once he knew he couldn’t solve all the world’s issues. He also understood what he’d already given up. Jack started in politics only to learn that an American without a gun had little say in running a political organization. The truth was that they were lost. Most people would’ve given up. Jack decided he needed to be selfish in his own pursuit of happiness. At first this meant having the satisfaction of feeding or sheltering individuals who were caught in between the wars. Jack had been used as a hostage twice. He got nowhere in the grand scheme of things but felt it was his duty to bring his luck wherever he went. Somehow he always managed to rescue whoever needed it and found new places for them to go. A Muslim woman named Bahija was locked in a basement with her child because she lived near an oil field that quickly turned into a tiny warzone. She was scared to leave. Jack convinced an officer of the rebellion that if they let him search the area for lost civilians that he would keep America out of the area. For the first time in his life not only was he lying intensely but he also was using a gun to push his point across. He earned the right to search and he did it fast. After he found Bahija he still had to sneak his way back out to safety in case the rebellion decided he was just some other white western that needed to be killed. This was a stroke of luck. One that became his final straw. He had been doing this for 5 years. He blinked and 10 years had gone by. He had nothing left to do here. Unfortunately for him, that wasn’t what ate him up inside. If this was the only 10 years of his life and he left now he would feel good about his choice. But that wasn’t the case. The most hurtful thing for him was that after 10 years he still woke up every morning thinking about his ex-wife. He and many powerful men, determined men, had something in common. His love. He had completely neglected his love. Like a selfish tyrant. It was gone. He moved to Europe in search of a hidden treasure. Somehow this made him feel better. His moral compass was still strong as an ox but at least then he wasn’t helping others as a way of ignoring the issues in his life. Now he was just doing something he thought was cool. Something that motivated him. He found a famous crown online that tickled his fancy. He searched many different countries for this crown. Backpacking at his age became really hard. He moved back to America for a bit to make money again. He was giving up on his dream. It had finally beaten him. Somehow though, Jack’s luck still hadn’t run out. Everything Jack touched turned to gold, just like his new haunted house. It was a peculiar business for him to get into but the sensation of horror had always intrigued him. He used the business to get back in touch with his son. Jack forgotten how important family was and how much he loved his son. He always wrote little Hayden letters but it was never the same. Hayden resented his father at first but began to accept Jack once again and even loved what he was willing to do. The forgiving and loving gene ran deep in their family. Jack decided just like with Azibo that it was time to hand Hayden the keys to his business. It was his gift to him. Jack used his newfound money to go after the crown once again. He didn’t lose track of the family he had built this time. He kept in touch with every country, every business, and every important memory. He hadn’t however been lucky enough to find love again. His ex-wife re-married. She was happy. So was he. He convinced himself this was good. Jack had managed to be full of love but never learn how to use it. Then he found his hidden treasure. While looking for the crown he met a lovely lady named Amethyst. She was truly gorgeous. The kind of pretty that finds itself commanding every room. She was a resident of the country that Jack believed held the crown. Amethyst said she’d help. After all, her life was full of bad decisions and Jack seemed like the right one. He was sweet. She was lovable. Jack had finally gotten what he deserved. 

July 13, 2021 17:34

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1 comment

Driss Boutat
12:13 Sep 26, 2021

A lovely story 👍

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