Escape

Jack jerked out of sleep. Thump, gibe, thump, gibe. Gibe, thump, gibe. Gibe, gibe! his heart was racing wildly! His heartbeat was audible to him. It almost deafened him. He clenched his heart and widened his heart in terror with the exception of his small bedside clock's modest tick-tock. It was completely dark and quiet. He was unable to leave his bed. His terror had rendered him absolutely helpless. What had startled him throughout the night, he was awakened by something but he was unable to touch it. It is what? A Nightmare?  No! He was unable to recall ever having any. He lay motionless for a while, thinking he heard a faint movement appear out of nowhere. He observed a figure as he stared into the pitch black. Nevertheless, figures, not more than one figure, sneak in through the room's now open windows. His mouth opened in a heartbeat. He was so frightened that he was unable to move or scream. He was trembling from head to toe as he laid there and watched as the figures crept toward the bed where he was lying. His hands froze when he turned on the nightstand switch after his hand suddenly moved as though on its own. He was facing four masked individuals brandishing firearms unbelievable! The worst, he attempted to yell but nothing came out as he moved forward and growled, asked one of the asked guys. "You only need to make one sound to be rendered useless.  Jack was unable to speak, so the warning was unnecessary at this crucial time. His vocal cords had just failed him.  "Now take everything out of your pocket swiftly and be snappy about it." Man,  "You believe we have all day to spend with you? Take everything away. He let forth a piercing scream that might wake the dead as his vocal cords were abruptly released.  The other two turned their guns on him, but they were afraid to shoot for fear of hurting their partner. The man was entangled in his pants more and more as they struggled. They could hear shouting and doors slamming during the conflict. "Who are you?" "Jack, Jack, what is wrong? The friends of Jack, Mark and Paul, inquired, "Are you okay? Simultaneously?  The liberated masked men made a break for the window, fell outside into the garden, and vanished, leaving their companion still battling Jack. The felled man struck Jack in the head hard as soon as he realized what was going on. Mike, Jack's brother, and Mark, the man's buddy, barged into the room brandishing weapons as the man was attempting to stand up. Mike quickly assessed the situation and used his revolver to strike the man fumbling with his trousers, causing him to fall on the ground unconscious with blood dripping from his nostrils. While Mark kept an unnecessary vigil over the now-unconscious man, Mike lifted a sobbing Jack and held him close.  "Jack, jack, "Jack, Jack, how are you doing? What took place? Have they injured you?" Jack was unable to do anything, rather than nod in response to the queries. To sit up straight, the thief's mask came off in the process, and he fled, but Jack and his pals were unable to see his face.