At one time in my life, or afterlife rather, I knew four wonderful people. I maybe didn't get along with some of them, and others I just had little in common with, but regardless for a short while I was their equal and things were good..

Heck, they were better than good! They were great! However, like most good things...eventually...

"Jack?" I shuddered at the soft voice that called to me. The young boy ran up and grinned, his one tooth still missing since that one time.

"Jack! Look at this huge turtle I found! It's so massive!" He whispered loudly, eyes bulging with disbelief. I sighed and got up from my moping and flew over head to follow him.

Truly, it was a pretty impressive sized tortoise. I corrected him.

"Turtles live in the ocean, Jamie, you knuckle head!" I nudged him in the shoulder and he stuck out his tongue in response.

"Well whatever, they look the same anyway." He said.

He squatted down and rested his face near the turtle... and concentrated. His eyes furrowed up and he pursed his lips, waiting for the creature to make its way past him.

It hobbled and crawled bout a few inches from his face, and that was in a sudden burst of mischief I decided to nudge Jamie over, causing him to phase through the turtle.

"HEY! NOT FUNNY, JACK!" He rebounded off the ground and flew up to scowl at me, "Knuckle head..." he called me, placing his hands on his hips.

I was still laughing too much to really care, and I spared the 'you look like an angry mom' comment. Eventually he started laughing too and we sat down on the roof top together, flying up from the back yard.

"Sorry, kid, I just couldn't help it." I said.

He sighed and looked away, shrugging, "It's okay... I'm just..." he paused and looked at his hand. It seemed to real, and to solid. He looked over at the lowering sun as the afternoon began to fade.

"I'm just not used to being..."

I wrapped an arm around his shoulder and drew him closer, resting my head on his, "I know buddy, I'm not really used to it either." He closed his eyes and a small tear formed as Sophie and his mother pulled up in the car down below us, the now twelve year old girl rapidly chatting about her day at school.

I held Jamie closer to me and swallowed my grief, knowing his well being was more important than mine. "It's okay, Jamie. I'm here for you." I whispered.

The gloomy, murky darkness of the night would fall soon, and the cries of hundreds of children would fill the air, with no escape. By day the children were gradually becoming less and less interested in life, and more irritable and depressed.

And who could blame them, when every time the sun went down... the second dark age would begin?

The guardians had been defeated, and the last believer, Jamie, had been snuffed out by force. I couldn't help but feel like it was my duty therefore, as a survivor of the war to protect him. As for the other kids... as much as I wish I could do something, no one ever sees me still, and no one ever will from the looks of things. All my snow does is bring further depression and sorrow these days, because all the fun was gone.

But at least for this one special boy, I could be a companion. I could be a hero. I could maybe even make up for what I did...

"Jack, let's go. I don't want to hear them again..." Jamie quivered, snapping me out of my thoughts before they could get too bleak and grey, like the skies before us.

"Okay." I responded, taking his hand. "Let's fly." I said, and we sped off and away from the night.