A Cure for Hiccups

Chapter 12: Seraphina

"Be careful. Father is past saving and is now... savage, through and through." (Joyce, William. The Sandman and the War of Dreams. Atheneum Books, 2013.)

~🌟~

Pitch let go of Sanderson's hand. The other he had the map. Quickly he got upon Onyx and left the guardian of dreams alone.

***

Pitch entered the massive palace that was marked on the map. The building was made out of trees that had grown into each other creating a luscious building that was too grade to call a but. The sound of life could be heard from inside. A sudden nervousness seems to take control of Pitch. Something in his heart was hurting.

Pitch entered Mother Nature's Empire. Right as he entered, there she was. Seraphina herself. She had her back turned to him, but Pitch could tell. A father never forgets. Her black hair reached down to the small of her back and her long, green dress was made out of different types of leaves. She looked just like the little girl in his dreams. That's who she was.

"Seraphina," he called out. It was his turn, but this was no dream or nightmare. This was real life.

Seraphina's shoulders perked up as if they were pulled by two strings. Red flowers exploded out her oxyn hair and fell to the floor with grace. It was obvious that she was surprised. Pitch reached out, but when she didn't turn around he didn't know what to do. Had he made a mistake? How long had it been since they had seen each other?

Pitch retracted his outstretched arm. Maybe she didn't want to see him. It had probably been years since the two had been in the same room. She was much taller than before, probably a teenager at this point. Pitch looked downwards and started to turn towards the door.

"You kept your promise," Seraphina said when she pulled towards him to include him in her arms. Her grasp was so tight that Pitch was a bit afraid that he might vacate but he didn't mind a bit. Seraphina held onto his father for a while, not letting go. It was as if she was afraid if she did, he would leave her again.

Finally, she let her arms fall to her sides. "Father, it's been so long," she started. It was obvious that she had a bigger question on her mind. "Why come back now?"

Seraphina's question struck him like an arrow to the heart. He had been searching for Seraphina ever since he could remember. "I couldn't find you," was all that he said.

"Then how did you?" Seraphina asked.

Pitch replied, "Sandman."

Mother Nature's eyes lit up and so did a sunflower near the two. "Sanderson Mansnoozie?" she said using his actual name; it made it more real. "Where is he?" Seraphina looked around Pitch as if the tall man was binding the shorter one. A smile spread across her face.

"He's not here," Pitch said, a little confused.

"Oh." Seraphina stood straight and returned to her position in front of her father. "Then why would he help you? We might be friends, but you two aren't. You are more of an enemy."

"You're friends?" Pitch asked.

"It's a long story," Seraphina said. "What about you? How did Sandy give you the location of my ever-moving empire?"

"It's a long story," repeated what his daughter previously said.

"Care to sum it up in a sentence?" Seraphina said. She seemed to care a lot about Sandman.

"His magic has faulted because of a case of hiccups." Saying it out loud sounded pretty stupid, but Seraphine seemed convinced nonetheless. She moved her mouth in shock.

"We must help him!" Mother Nature declared.

"Help him?" Pitch questioned the phrase. "How? I've been trying to scare away his hiccups all night."

"You can help him in a different way," Seraphina said. "Your Black Sand, I've seen it. You've used it to create nightmares, why not try to make it more useful instead." Seraphina stepped closer to her father. "Fear is a very powerful tool. It can help and it can hinder. Children are the next generation. If you want this world to stay as good as it is, you must help the newer generation, for they will be the new future."

Pitch grabbed his daughter's hand. "You're right," and with that. The two Pitchiner's set off to make works right again.