Jack and Jill

WORD COUNT: 752

    It was a warm, dry spring day that Mother asked Jack and Jill to fetch some water at the well. The well was near the park, and the urge to play tag was too great to resist. They were fun-loving, eleven year old twins, both dark haired and pale, despite the many hours playing outdoors. Jack and Jill were very close siblings, as there were no other desirable children to play with in their small town. After what was more than enough time to go to the well twice, Jill decided that they should finally get the water for Mother, who was not strict but didn't appreciate slacking.
    The well sat on top of the only hill in the park: a very tall, dark green hill with grass badly in need of a cut. The twins ran up the hill happily, full of energy even after their game of tag. Jack pumped the water into their pail until it was overflowing.
    "Race you down the hill!" he said, and started running before Jill could answer.
    "Hey!" Jill ran after him crossly. She was soon right behind him.
    "You stupid cheater!" She gave him a small shove, meaning to make him stumble so she could take the lead, but Jack fell forward, rolling down the hill. He was stopped by a large, jagged rock that he hit his head on. Blood poured from his skull, and the water bucket had spilled onto Jack's chest.
    "Jack!" Jill cried, horrified. She ran down to help him, but was so frantic at the sight of the blood gushing from his crown that she stumbled and fell too. It was too much for a small girl unused to anything unpleasant, and she passed out, looking as pale and lifeless as Jack.
    There was an old, busybody widow in town named Mary Jane whose house was right next to the park. She was the sort of aged, stiff, formal woman who watched everything the children in the town did so she could report it back to their parents and watch with self satisfaction when they were chastised. She was hanging her laundry on a line as she kept an eye on Jack and Jill. When Jack fell she was sent into a pleasurable panic, thrilled that there was something to shout about.
    "Nell! Nell!" She shouted, and ran to the house of the children. Their father, Nell, answered the door.
    "Mary Jane, what's all this abou-"
    "Jack and Jill fell going down that hill! I watched them with my own two eyes! Jill pushed-" But Nell wasn't listening to her anymore. He ran out the door, pushing past the old woman, and rushed to the hill to collect his children.

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    When Jill awoke, she was alone in bed. Her head hurt terribly, and she had a few bruises, but was otherwise unharmed. She slowly got out of bed and went to Jack's room, forgetting the crimson pools that had surrounded him earlier. What she saw terrified her. Jack was in bed with his eyes open, staring dully into the world. His head was covered in a bandage soaked with blood, and Mother was standing by his side crying. Jill looked at him and simply couldn't help it.
    She went into a fit of laughter. It was the bandage on Jack—it seemed so silly.
    Mother was at first shocked, then angry.
    "How could you laugh at your brother like that, you little beast? You did push him!" She shouted at Jill, who laughed yet more at this. Mother smacked Jill in the face, and when the laughter persisted she hit the young girl until her laughter turned to tears.
    When Jill began to cry, Jack made a gagging noise with short little breaths. He was trying to laugh.
    "What is wrong with you children?" Mother cried, and stormed out of the room.
    Jill sniffled and the tears stopped.
    "Thanks, Jack…Do you want to go play on the see-saw?"
    Jack continued to laugh, not even looking at Jill anymore.   
      "Jack! I asked you a question! Do you want to go play on the see-saw with me or not?" The little girl was becoming more and more frustrated with her brother, who was becoming paler and paler.
    "Stop laughing and answer!"
    Jack stopped laughing, stopped blinking, stopped growing paler. He just looked out with blank eyes, mouth slightly open.
    "All right, Jack, meet me there later when you stop being such a weirdo." Jill skipped happily to the see-saw.