Ah dang, I was going to critique your grammar but too many people beat me to it
I too collected magic cards and can relate to the excitement getting a new card can bring. I thought you captured that well, having Jack analyze the artwork and use his imagination to expand on it.
If I had to complain about something, which I do, I would say you spent too much time talking about the mom and her financial issues. Saying she was strapped for cash and dabbling riskily in stocks would have been enough. You should instead have developed the story of the card better. Make the picture on the card change... maybe Jack could see his own face appear on the severed head (I'm thinking along the lines of King's short story about the writer who buys the painting of a late and troubled teenager depicting a vampire in a sports car)?
Also, thanks for the message. It's good to be back
