What Once Was

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I'm sure you all know Pitch, yes? Maybe not by that name but perhaps The Nightmare King? Or maybe the Boogeyman? Yes? Good.

If you know him then you must know his story, correct?

No?

Well then, I must tell you.

You see, once upon a time, Pitch Black was a human known as Dr. Kozmotis Pitchiner, a loving husband and father with brown hair and eyes. Maria was his wife, a woman with hair as yellow as the sun and eyes as blue as the ocean; and then there was their daughter, Katherine Pitchiner, who had he father's brown hair and her mother's curious, wondering, blue eyes. Kozmotis had everything a man could wish for: a loving wife, a beautiful daughter, and an angel on the way.

It was a cold winter one year when Kozmotis and Maria went to bed together, sharing words of endearment to each other and then to the young one on the way…

Kozmotis never got to see his wife's beautiful eyes again…

They would not stop looking at him, and his daughter would not stop crying. Kozmotis did not want to worry his daughter or the others so he tied himself in and made sure the knot was tight. On the outside, he was cheerful and loving, on the inside however, he was broken, corrupt.

Everyone was sure, the only thing that kept him going- kept Kozmotis sane- was his Katherine.

"Papi, I'm scared. What if the Boogeyman comes to get me and gives me nightmares?"

Kozmotis would smile, pulling his daughter into his lap with a chuckle. "Well, if he scares you then I'll scare him back! –Rawr!"

Katherine would always break into giggles, making her father laugh with her. This would be one of many nights they'd sleep together, Katherine content to know her Papi would keep the evil things away.

Too bad she couldn't do the same for him…

In one of his theory circles, made of local scientist and doctors, a colleague brought up that his son was having nightmares; another agreed and another. Kozmotis's already sad mind came up with many questions and no answers.

What are nightmares really? Where do they come from? What creates them? How do they function? Do they need power to live? How do you get rid of them for good?

Kozmotis began to study, trying to find the answers he wanted and when he did, more questions arose. His intentions had been good at first but then he became obsessed, forgetting the world around him as his vision became clouded.

One day, Kozmotis forgot to pick up Katherine from the school house and she was forced to walk him. The sun was hidden, and the wind was strong; the snow was blowing, so thick it was hard to see. A horse carriage was coming from the other direction, the horse was spooked by something dashing through its line of sight, it ran…

Katherine never made it home…

Kozmotis lost it, throwing everything in his path, burning his research, breaking all of his beaker and test tubes, he wasn't just broken, he was shattered. He was more corrupt now…

And they knew it…

The nightmares. Ever since he'd begun his research, the nightmares had been watching him. The nightmares wanted Kozmotis Pitchiner, and they were willing to do anything to get him… they surrounded him.

- Pitchiner - Pitchiner. -

"What? Who's there?!"

/ Pitchiner. / Pitch! /

"Who are you?! Where are you?!"

\\/ Everywhere Pitch. \\/

We're your creations. We're your nightmares.

# Join us Pitch! #

"What? No! Never!"

:… Not ever for her, for your Katherine? …:

"Katherine…?"

*& Of course, if you feed use fear, we'll give you your Katherine back. &*

"My Katherine…? Katherine… Feed you… I will… feed you…"

vVv Good Pitch. vVv

Kozmotis was locked away as the black sand entered his body wherever it could; filling it with lies and promises not possible. Kozmotis was lost with the thought of Katherine and Pitch was born. Kozmotis once again thought he was doing good, getting his daughter back, but what he failed to realize was… he became exactly what his daughter feared most…

"Papi…? Ahhhh!"