Author's Notes:
Okay, this is my first story in a very long time. (Old account has stories) I apologize for the rustiness. This is my first Rise of the Guardians story too.
Important! I wrote Pitch the way I did because this is how I see him. Ruthless to accomplish his goals.
I hope you enjoy! I don't own anything except my ideas, and even they are on loan.
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The night was unusually quiet in the town of Burgess. Almost eerily silent.
This stillness was not only felt in the small town, but was a current global phenomenon. A left over unsettled peace from the epic battle of The Guardians and their Nemesis.
The wind took this moment to blow through the rusty swing set of a school playground causing the metal to creak loudly to any who heard the noise. But it was late, and all the children were in bed asleep, in fact most adults where unconscious as well.
Alyssa Walters was no different. At age twenty two, there was nothing about her that set her apart from anyone else in the town of Burgess, except that on this night, she was about to be a unwilling host to a nightmare.
Early in the morning on a Tuesday night, this particular women was asleep in bed, her black comforter both pulling and repelling shadows from the night that slowly crept across the floor at a normal pace.
Awhile later, well in the night, a large shadow crawled out from under the bed gathered into a corner of the room.
A dark chuckle echoed in the quiet room, and a silhouette could barely made out. Almost indistinguishable from the surrounding natural dark, two glowing golden eyes glinted with malicious intent that matched a villainous smirk gleaming with razor sharp teeth.
"Oh look at her, Alyssa Walters. I remember you."
The predator of fear looked with glee upon the sleeping occupant in the bed. He strolled out of his corner toward the mattress, the shadows curling around his cloak blending in seamlessly with the floor.
The Boogeyman stopped at the edge of the bed, clasping his hands behind his back as he leaned down slightly to get closer to his human prey.
"Your fears have remained the same most of your life." He spoke to the unaware body, "Spiders, of course. Sharks, mummies, open water, driving off a mountain... Me."
The master of shadows chuckled and the razor sharp smirk grew wider. "But none of those can compare to your biggest fear now that you have grown up. The fear that left you crying late into the night not too long ago,"
He trailed off, as he gaze became thoughtful, "a fear that I almost can relate too."
Beneath his cloak of shadows, a stirring was felt that pulled the intruder out of his thoughts. Reaching inside his pocket, he pulled out a handful of nightmare sand, which had reacted to his brief recollection of a past fear.
The bright eyes narrowed dangerously at the darkly colored sand now swirling in his palm. "Calm yourself," he hissed to his minion. "Remember who your master is, and tonight we shall both feed upon her fear."
The dark figure continued to swirl the sand lazily in the air with his long fingers, until it rose completely from The Boogeyman's grasp in the form of a small tornado.
"I don't know why I didn't think of this before." Another amused chuckle came from pale gray lips. "Feeding on the very realistic fears of adults, who are no longer qualified to be under The Guardians watch."
The sand floated through the air, before finding a home in the space above Alyssa's sleeping head. Her face cringed immediately as the sand began to slow its rapid circulation, and the picture of the nightmare within started to unfold.
"That never gets old." The insidious smile never dropped from the ashen face as the first tinges of fear and despair rose into the air.
The Boogeyman flinched at the sharp taste the grown up fear left in his mouth and sighed, shaking his head slightly.
"Not nearly as sweet as the fear of a child who still innocent to the world, but it shall have to do."
Pulling back away from the bed, The Boogeyman watched as the nightmare did its work and enjoyed the feeling of fear that permeated the air. The power it sent flooding into his frame was absolutely delectable despite the sharp taste.
After a few minutes his eyes slid shut as he enjoyed feeling a bit of strength return to his body, but what he wasn't expecting was the figure on the bed to jolt awake.
Alyssa Walters shot up in bed, the nightmare circling her head like a vulture gave a loud shriek as it ended abruptly and dissipated and fell apart over the woman.
She panted heavily, clutching the dark blanket to her chest as some sort of protection against the images still flashing through her mind. She blinked at the darkness in the room, willing for her eyes to become adjusted to the lack of light.
The Boogeyman watched all of this silently from his corner. Perhaps this night would hold something a little more interesting then just a nightmare scare?
He watches as Alyssa took a deep shaking breath, and dropped her hands to her lap before running a trembling hand through her tussled hair.
"You've got to let that go." She whispered quietly to the room. She shifted her position in the bed to lean over towards the lamp on the stand when her audience made his presence known.
"Alyssa..." The girl jolted at the sound of a whisper in room and fear flickered across her face at realization dawned that she wasn't alone.
"Who's there?" She rasped, her hand seemingly stuck an inch away from blessed light that would chase away the shadows that were growing by the minute in the corner opposite of her bed while her body was tense; stretched out and reaching...
A dark chuckle grated against her ears, sending another bolt of adrenaline through her system as her eyes shot wide open.
"My dear child, have you forgotten me already?"
Every shadow in the room was suddenly pulled in the far corner, and with her adjusted eyes Alyssa could only watch in frozen horror as the form of a man stepped out wreathed in darkness.
Alyssa whimpered and reached for the lamp, only to cry out when a small shadow shot out and the sound of broken glass startled her.
The man spoke again, "I am every terror that has haunted your dreams." Another amused chuckle.
"I am what kept you awake at night when you were a child, I am what made you afraid of your closet, and what kept you from touching the floor after dark."
The woman scrambled backwards towards her headboard as the shadows continued to advance forward, gathering in strength and swirling around the man like snakes.
"I am Pitch Black."
Alyssa could only stare into the cruel golden eyes and razor sharp smirk that suddenly became distinguishable from the shadows.
"I am The Boogeyman, the keeper of nightmares and fears."
Alyssa's throat felt as dry as sandpaper. "You're not the Boogeyman, he doesn't exist."
Alyssa didn't dare move as Pitch leaned down closer to her and his smile grew wider. "Oh, I'm not real am I? I know everything that you have ever been afraid of, my dear. And I know what you fear the most," his gaze intensified. "Even now."
The shadows stilled and the silence that followed was stifling.
The human didn't dare to breath with the strong fear pressing around her.
"You fear the crushing oblivion of abandonment and the despair of loneliness."
Pitch smirked as her breathing hitched and the odor of a fear permeated the air so sweet yet sour to his senses, sending a euphoric tremor through his system. His shadows flared around him, reaching toward the girl as she coward.
"Oh yes, you fear being used by those people closest to you until nothing is left of your heart but a dried up husk of emotions which no one could ever love."
The Boogeyman's voice dropped an octave as he hissed; a small pitiless smile contorting his features. He was close enough now, he reach out a gray skinned hand and trail his fingertips over the trembling cheek.
"You fear the hurt and loss of losing those you once trusted." Pitch paused, curling his lips into a cruel smirk as he continued. "You fear your past."
Her breathing again became erratic.
"Please stop..."
"He left you for her." A sob broke free from the woman's throat. "The one who held your heart betrayed you with the your closest friend."
Pitch watched in morbid fascination as tears began to trail down the smooth skin. He lifted his knee up onto the bed, and placed a hand on the bed frame next to the frightened woman's head, effectively caging her in as she sat pressed to the metal. She stiffened and her fear increased dramatically.
His shadows crept along the bed to grasp at any exposed skin. He gripped her chin, forcing her to look into his golden eyes as he twisted the knife a bit more.
"And the worst part is," Pitch's voice was barely a whisper. "He never cared about you at all."
Her chest heaved in silent cries, as she attempted to hold in her tears.
Pitch shuddered as another wave of her fear hit his senses and dropped his head so his mouth was close to her ear.
"My dear, your fear is divine."
Pitch felt her swallow thickly under his hand. "What do you want with me?" Her frantic breath ghosted over his ear.
Pitch smirked again and raised his head to once again look into the terrified eyes of the human. "I want you to dream."
Confusion flittered through those tear filled eyes. "Dream about them." His spiteful smirk grew larger.
"Dream about how happy they are now that you are finally out of the way."
Pitch released the girl from his hold and stood, calling his nightmare sand to swirl over his palm once again as he gazed down at his prey with chilling eyes and a stony expression.
"Dream and relive the betrayal over and over again."
Extending his hand, Pitch watched almost sorrowfully as the sand rose into the air, seeking to find a home in the air above the human's head even as tears contributed to flow freely.
"And rest in knowing that you will never escape this fate of betrayal and loneliness as long as you live." He murmured.
The nightmare began its work, and Alyssa Walters was pulled into unconsciousness as the sand settled in a rotation. A world where her darkest fears created a temporary reality in her own mind, from which she could never escape. Not even waking would free her from her thoughts.
Pitch allowed another cruel smile to grace his features, showing sharpened teeth as proof of the predator that he was. "That never gets old."
He pulled the mess of blankets back over the still trembling form in a mockery of sentiment, smoothing the folds around her shoulders.
Straightening to his full height, he turned on his heel with his hands clasp behind his back, feeling better than he had in years.
Without a second glance, Pitch Black stepped into the darkened corner of the room where his shadows swallowed him. Behind him, he left only a trace of fear and bitterness in the air.
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Any feedback is appreciated!
Much love!
~ Tragically Humorous