In the quiet and the calm of the school lunch hour, Katherine walked the school's hall. This was her hour, an hour to reflect on what she could do to help the kids here, to find the main problem with whatever this towns dilemma may be. But she was confused, more confused then she ever had been in a town like this.
These Children were unnaturally happy and friendly, parents were more than attentive. In fact, when she researched the town, she found divorce rates were extremely low, even nonexistent.
"Why on earth would he send me here?"
She ran a hand over the lockers, feeling the hand painted metal. It was cold and worn, well used. Each one was different, decorated to match the child who owned them. She marveled at each one. Then she heard something, like weeping. Her hands dropped from the metal frame, and she turned to the sound.
Around the corner, kneeling on the brick was a little redhead child, her hair a mess and her head bowed. She couldn't be no more than seven. "Are you okay?"
The girl startled at her voice and turned. "What—Who—"
Katherine knelt before the girl so that she wasn't so afraid. "Are you hurt?"
The girl stared for a long time then turned away.
"It's okay, I won't hurt you." She said, sitting down cross-legged. "Look, my name is Katherine, I'm a teacher. What's your name?"
The girl blinked back tears, "Rosie." She murmured.
"That's a lovely name, your hair looks like a rose."
The girl wiped her nose still not looking up to her.
"Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"
Rosie brought her knees to her chin, "I was s-supposed to read in front of the class, but I'm a ter-terrible reader!" She said, "And they all make fun of how I s-s-stutter."
Katherine sighed, sitting down next to her. "You know, you aren't the first person to have a speech problem. Lots of people do, one of England's most famous Kings stuttered!"
The girl looked up, "B-but I'm no king." She put her head in her hands, "I'm an n-n-"
"Don't you dare say that word!" Katherine ordered, "I hate that word."
The girl clamped her mouth shut and looked up.
The woman frowned leaning against the wall, "What you need is some confidence." She murmured. Then a small smile played on her lips. "Come with me to the library."
"W-what!"
Katherine stood up, holding out her hand, "Don't worry, just trust me."
The girl looked at the hand for a moment then took it.
***
"There is something wrong with Jack Frost!"
The giant egg-shaped mirror he was shouting into buzzed with static. But a voice, young but wise drifted through with amazing control. "Calm yourself Aster."
Bunnymond threw a hand to his hairy chest before he turned around grabbing his green robe. "How dare you ask that!" He shouted. "Jack's eyes have never glowed before!"
He grabbed some scrolls, each ending in egg shape knobs which he carefully unrolled.
"Because he never awakened himself before you."
"You idiot!" Aster put on egg-shaped glasses with a frustrated flair trying to peer through them at the scroll. "His own powers, even his memories could kill him! Imagine his human mind trying to contain all that!"
"But he isn't human," Tsar sad softly, " He never was."
Bunny pushed down his glasses staring silently at the scroll. "I worked hard to maintain this facade, I didn't want to see him--" he grimaced turning from the manuscript. His old office was a mess. Hand painted maps of the different lands he had created, blueprints of his construction were pinned to the wall untouched. Star maps with words no human could decipher were laden over tables, chocolate and paint staining their once flawless images. Robes and Tools and even his egg tipped staff leaned against a wall covered in dust.
There was nothing but static for a long time. "I know what you have been trying to do. But it has been over three hundred years. I think it's time."
The Pooka dropped his arm. Then the static came, and it stayed, leaving the old alien in silence. He stared for a long time at his former staff and put down his scroll. He walked over, lifting the solid gold rod easily, dust and webs coming off as he did. "Is it truly time...for an awakening?"
***
"So you think she's not normal?" Cupcake asked, leaning against a bookshelf.
Jamie turned to the larger girl, dressed in all pink. He and she had become close friends over the last few months, which was something he never thought he would say. Despite her size and appearance, she had a real passion and a firm belief in the impossible. This made her one of the few kids he could trust, even though he did like the other kids.
"Think of it!" He says, looking down the ladder at her, "Jack knows her, but he doesn't remember how she knows when kids have problems and what they are without any doctors."
"I guess that is a little strange," She grabbed another book and Jamie slid down. "So what do you think she is?"
Jamie opened a book, "I don't know, maybe one of these books--"
"Why are we in the library?" A young girl whispered.
"I want to show you something." Katherine searched the shelves with relative ease.
Cupcake and Jamie turned to each other before turning to peek through the bookshelves. In the center of the library, there was a quiet area generally meant for little kids. It was full of bean bags and stuffed animals and was surrounded by a wall of low bookshelves filled with kids books. Jamie pushed aside some papers as he watched the little girl walk to one and Mrs. Guse walk to the center.
"What are they doing here?" Cupcake whispered, so low that she was sure Jamie couldn't here.
The girl tried to peek over her shoulder, but suddenly Mrs. Guse turned around holding a small book titled, 'The Little Engine that Could' by Watty Piper.
She smiled, "This is one of my favorites. Have you heard it?"
"When I was in kindergarten." The girl almost snickered, "I am too old for a book like that now."
"Oh, but this book is special. Do you remember what it was about?"
The girl swirled her red hair around a finger, "The little blue engine had to take all these toys and candies to kids."
Mrs. Guse pulled out the feather in hair as she talked, tapping lightly on the page. "That's true, but do you remember how hard it was?" She traced the feather in the air. Jamie and Cupcakes eyes widening.
Appearing in the air, right in front of their teacher was a bright blue train engine. The girl gasped in awe, as the light faded and the train began to move, chugging down an invisible track.
Jamie and Cupcake gasped from behind the shelf each turning to each other.
Their teacher spun around, creating a massive circular track, and an enormous hill, one much too large for such a tiny train and all its cargo. It was as though Mrs. Guse was painting with the wind, her eyes bright her feather glowing like a pastel rainbow. She continued to draw around the girl until the entire quiet area was filled with the scenes from the book, perfect in almost every detail. Despite the fact that she had painted all this around them it still was slightly transparent, leaving a soft sheen like a fog over the two. Katherine smiled, kneeling before the girl as she did, "Would you like to help the Little Engine?"
Jamie turned to Cupcake, pushing the books back in place, "Now do you believe me!"
She nodded.
***
"Okay," Katherine clapped her hands, "Have a good day, don't forget to tell Kailash goodbye."
All the children got up from their seats walking from the classroom in a cheerful chatter. Kailash soaked up the praise through the cage while Katherine collected her paperwork for the day. Before she could leave though, the boy she remembered as Jamie walked up. "Mrs. Guse, can I talk to you?"
Katherine smiled at him warmly, "I would love to talk to you, but you'll miss the bus if you don't leave."
"I can walk." He grumbled.
But she shook her head, "There's a storm coming, and you don't want to get caught in it. You can talk to me at Lunch Monday."
He opened his mouth to protest but realized that it would do no good. Scowling he turned away, "Okay."
Katherine raised an eyebrow as he walked out. She wondered for a moment if she should have talked to him but that thought was quickly erased by the strong wind outside her window. She straightened her papers and grabbed her bag. She buttoned her jacket and with a deep breath prepared for her hike into the snowy air.
Of course, the weatherman had been wrong. He usually was, and she tightened her scarf around herself in a vain attempt to stop the wind. There had to be more to this town, the way it was situated, the way it was laid out. It was no coincidence the fight that took place here, nor was it a coincidence that this was the same location that one of the entranced to Pitch's cave was.
Yet this place held an almost unsettling happiness about it. The children hardly fought, the parents seemed one hundred percent devoted. So why send her here? Why the battle, why the cave? She was sure this town was holding some secret. And there was only one way to uncover it.
And as she walked down the empty streets and snow began to fall she saw something. It was small, and bug-like, and skirted around the walkway fast and jerky. It was roughly the size of a cat, but the clouds were making it too dark to see clearly. "What on earth." She murmured running to where the creature had run. But as she rounded the corner, she found it had disappeared. A strange feeling of foreboding fell over her, the hairs on her neck prickling like the air was charged with electricity. "Who's there?"
The wind blew harder than before and she back away, reaching for her feather. She swirled around, and there right behind her was Jack. His white hair rose in the wind and his cold hand wrapped around her wrist in a gentle but firm way. "I need to talk to you." He stated firmly.
Why did everyone want to talk to her today? "Now isn't the time Mr. Bennet."
"Can you not--" He stopped and sucked in a deep breath, "Listen, it's important. It's going to sound crazy though."
"We can talk later." Trying to turn in the direction the creature had disappeared to. She could see it again, better than before as the street lights had come on. Katherine's stomach lurched as she recognized the monster.
He only held her firmer, "Please, you have to trust me, I don't think I can--" His eyes widened trained on something behind her, "What was that!"
She swirled to him, "What did you see?"
Instead of answering he swung her behind him and for the first time ever she notices his staff, long and thin, seemingly pulled from thin air. He aimed it at the creatures colossal buggy eyes and a shot of light zoomed from the crooks tip. "No!"
But it was too late, the creature was struck. It let out a squeal, of pain and vanished.
Katherine grabbed his arm, swirling him around, "You idiot! Do you even know what that was!"
"You saw it?" He asked, his eyes wide with wonder rather than horror.
She ignored his awe and grabbed his arm, "That was a Weeper! Weepers never come out alone, they always travel in--"
Jack's eyes widened to the size of saucers, he looked at her, his mouth agape in horror.
She turned around, following his gaze to a writhing mass of black goop. "Packs." She breathed.
It was huge, all of them clinging together. She could smell sorrow wafting off them like sour milk. Jack squeezed her arm, his eyes wide in horror. Neither of them daring to move. It didn't either, seeming almost bling to their presence.
"What do we do?" Jack hissed.
Katherine looked around, trying to think, trying to breathe but her mind had gone blank. All she could think was "Run." Then the collaborating creatures reared up, their bodies transforming into the shape of a massive bear. Large black eyes, slime dripping from their form link oil. They opened their mouths, and let out a collective screech, the sound shook the concrete.
Katherine grabbed his hoodie, "RUN!"
Both of them turned around and ran. Behind them, Katherine and Jack heard the creatures and their screams. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her, the sound of blooding rushing through her ears. It couldn't be possible, how were their so many? How did they know how to create that form? She wrapped her arm tighter around her bag like it was a lifeline.
Jack suddenly grabbed her hand, his touch as cold as ice. "Don't let go!" A gust of wind filled her mouth stealing her voice. It swirled around them, sweeping her feet out from under her and lifting them into the air. But they had only flown a few feet before the wind stopped and they toppled to the concrete. "Stupid wind!"
She shook her head and turned, the creature got closer, it slammed into a car and grabbed a light post. It's body oozing and writhing climbed some of the concrete walls. She turned around and found a turn in the block that lead down a lit ally where a green garbage can stood in plain view. Katherine stumbled to her feet, grabbing Jack by his hoodie as she did.
"What are you--"
He never got to finish the shout as a large crack split the concrete from behind him.
She dragged him along, even though he soon was ahead of her, his long legs making strides she couldn't dream of reaching. She rounded the corner of the block and just as Jack was about to run past she grabbed his sleeve and pulled him so that they were both behind the garbage can.
The two of them panted, each trying to catch their breath as they heard the pack around the corner. It was hard to control her breathing, her heart was racing at a million miles per hour, and she put a hand to her chest. Jack didn't dare make a sound until everything was completely silent. "Y-you saw them--No normal human sees--"
"Now's not the time for this Jack!" She whispered, her voice coming out broken and harsh. He could see little puffs air with every pant. She slowly sat up, peering around the corner of the trash bin. Her eyes soon met with the back of the creature, deathly silent and scanning the empty alley.
She dropped back down, "It's still there, we have to figure out a way out of here."
"Hold on!" Jack said, "How are you taking this so calmly, who are you?"
She was about to answer if only to get him to be quiet. When suddenly the truck was brushed aside. Jack and Katherine put their hands over their heads, the sound of cracking metal and glass filling the night air. They both turned to see it, it gave them a dripping inky grin. Jack swore, and Katherine grabbed his arm again, pulling him away from the creature and further down the alley.
It was like a maze of boxes and garbage and concrete walls. How was the city such a mess like this? She turned and saw the creature, using the wall as leverage to drag it's self across. Then she turned back around only to find herself facing a concrete wall. She screeched to a halt, her hands pressing against it.
He backed up against the wall she stood in front of. The 'Weepers' swarmed the walls, crawling and scratching and some even flying. Jack blasted some, freezing them solid, but more swarmed the more he exploded. "Any bright ideas?"
Katherine grimaced, pressing her hands to the brick wall. She pulled out her feather and began to draw a large box.
"This is not the time to draw Kat!" He said blasting the pack of monsters only yards away. The walls and ground had become black with these creatures. He turned to face her only to meet glaring eyes. He swallowed and turned away. "Right, do what you do."
She drew a small circle, and the box glowed. Jack wasn't sure what was happening to them, he was too caught up in the screaming swarm as he backed her up into the wall. She grabbed his hand suddenly and swung open the wall like a door. He didn't stop to think how this was possible but stumbled through the portal and into a dark room. Katherine slammed the door closed, rubbing a line with her feathered pen as she did. The opening vanished, but outside they could hear the creatures scratching and screaming.
Katherine's heart pounded, her back pressed to the wall, hand clutching her chest. Jack stood, fist clenched his staff so tightly his knuckles could be seen clearly. The scratches proceeded for an eternity. Then...it stopped. Complete silence fell in the dark space, and the wails faded to nothing but echoes.
Katherine slid to the ground, running a hand over her face and pushing some hair behind her ear.
"Dear Lord," Jack dropped his staff to his side, arm hanging as limp as a rag doll.
Katherine closed her eyes, leaning her head against the wall.
Jack still couldn't make a coherent sentence, "What the--How did they--where did they--"
"Their called Weepers Jack. Their Joy suckers." She opened her eyes again, but didn't look at him, "I swear, I've never seen a Sob that big." She got up, stretching a little as she did. "I'll have to write this down," She reached into her bag pulling out a dark brown book with the caterpillar on the spine. Anything else she was going to say to him was lost in the absorption of her writing. She walked past him writing in the strange old book, with her signature feathered pen.
It took Jack a moment to process this as she walked away. He looked at the wall, and her and the feather in her hand. With a final leap of realization, he flew in front of her and snapped, "You're a Guardian!"
She leaped back, clutching her book to her chest, "W-what?"
He narrowed his eyes, "You're a Guardian aren't you!"
She stared at him for a moment then murmured, "Now isn't the time for this?"
"You keep saying that!" He waved his arms at the brick wall behind them, "But you don't think I have the right to ask you questions after that!"
She slammed the book closed and swirled around to him, "Fine, I am a Guardian," She pointed it at him, "But so are you!"
He staggered back, staring at the book, something he found only threatening in her hands. She looked ready to chuck it at his head. But instead, she spun back around pushing aside a thick black curtain
A fireplace stood against a painted backdrop of a living room. A fake Christmas tree hung with the beginning's of decorations and some present all probably nothing, but empty boxes were scattered all over the wooden floor. To her right was a light room full of red chairs lined in black wood and a balcony for those wealthy enough to afford it. Katherine brushed back her hair, turning from the place and instead tried to focus on the book in her hand. She flipped through the pages tirelessly searching for the section on Weepers.
"Where are we?" She heard Jack ask her.
"Burgess Town Theater. They're preparing a Christmas play based off of Charles Dickens--A Christmas Carol." She said it in a mind-numbing way like she had repeated it two billion times even though this could only be the first.
He looked around the messy stage, "Of course they are..." He turned back to her, pushing aside an ornament. She hadn't once looked up from her book, her eyes so glued to the pages that he wondered if he could even get her to say anything else. He finally asked, "How long?"
"What do you mean?"
"You know what I mean."
She stopped, standing in the middle of the stage. "I was one of the first..."
He sucked in a breath, "One of the first?" He breathed staring at her, that meant she had to be over three hundred years old. He ran a hand over his head, "But the Guardians, they never talk about you. They never even mentioned you!"
She slammed her book again, "This is none of your business Jackson!"
"Of course it's my business!" He raised his hands to the side, "Every since I saw you I thought I knew you, now I find out you were a Guardian? How could you even keep that a secret?"
"It's better if mortals think I'm mortal." Katherine answered, "It was nothing against you, I did it for your safety, I didn't know you were...well..."
"How could you not know!" He said marching closer to her. "How could you be a guardian for so long and not know who I am? Or that I exist!"
She nodded vigorously, "You know what? Maybe you're right, maybe I should've known. But you know what else?" She said jabbing a finger at him, "You didn't know either!"
"Ahem..."
She and Jack turned to see a man standing there, he had a broom in his hand and was staring at the both of them, or rather, just Katherine, as he couldn't see Jack. Katherine's face reddened as she stared at the janitor. "Um...I'm practicing for a play."
He raised an eyebrow but continued sweeping. Katherine let out a breath and stomped down the steps. She kept her book closed as she tried to race Jack out of the theater he flew in front of her. "Why don't you talk about them, Kat?" He pushed.
"If he hears me, he will think I'm crazy!" She hissed, nodding to the janitor.
He jumped in front of her, shouting even louder. "Why won't you tell me anything? Why keep all this a secret? Why haven't they ever mentioned you?"
She tried to shove past him, but he fought back.
"What are you so afraid of?" He pressed.
"It's none of your business!" Her voice echoed through the theater.
He stared at her, her eyes ancient and tortured. She dropped her head, moving past him into the ticket room. He gripped his staff, staring at the reedy shaft.
She disappeared down the hall, brushing back stray hair as she ducked into the bathroom. She stood there in front of the mirror, trying to breathe. Her face had been cut up, and her hair was a mess. She pulled out her feather, letting the messy locks fall down her back.
"You don't have to go keep secrets from me."
She jumped, turning to see Jack standing there. "This is the girl's bathroom, Jackson!"
He was stoick, standing tight-lipped as he looked at her. "No one else is here Kat, except for that poor janitor." He leaned against the wall. "He may think your crazy after that little performance."
She scowled, "Why do you care so much about all this." She waved her hands at him.
He grabbed one of them and squeezed them gently. He locked eyes with her, gently but firmly lowering her raised hand. "Because I care about you, I know you. Even though I don't know why or how."
She stared at him again for a long time, his eyes unblinking, his hands cold, but now she knew why. "Not tonight," She said, "It's getting too late, come to the apartment tomorrow."
He nodded, just looking pleased that she was willing to talk. "Do you want me to walk you home?"
She opened her mouth to say no, but then remember the Weepers. Sighing deeply she bobbed her head yes.
***
The door to the house was closed and locked, but Katherine pulled out the key. She struggled to control her shaking, thinking of Kailash on the top floor waiting for her.
"There is going to be a massive snow storm tomorrow."
Katherine turned to Jack her eyes narrowed.
"Hey, I have to do something with my spare time!" He held up his hands defensively.
The door clicked open, and she pushed in. "Come anytime in the morning, I doubt the snow will stop you."
Jack chuckled.
"And this way, we won't have anyone...listening in." She nodded up to the sky.
He didn't look up, understanding all too well her intentions. She went inside and closed the door. She put a hand to her chest and let out a breath leaning against the door in relief. She wondered for a brief second if Jack had left, then realized it didn't matter. Her chest was fluttering, whether from the excitement of the day or from sheer adrenaline she didn't know. But she hoped it wouldn't stop.
***
Jack leaned his head against the door silently breathing deeply. He didn't realize this had happened, how he had met someone like her, but he knew that lots of things were about the change very soon. He only hoped they were for the better.
***
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