Love and Fear
By, Megan Standley
As she ran away from Mr. Ling Lao's Monastery, she felt her tattoo burning, which only meant Mr. Ling Lao's Monastery is on fire. Only one person could've done this, Pitch. Pitch, better known as the boogeyman, has one thing on his mind, to destroy the world and fill it with fear. She wanted to turn around and fight him, but she had little experience, she needed to find another monastery and quick.
She stopped; she could feel his presence closing in, if he caught her, he would force her into telling him her fear, so that he could use it against her. She would do anything in her power to stop him. She looked around to find a clearing; she found one and made a run for it. "I grow weary of this chase, Lacy!" Pitch screamed. Her eyes widened. How did he know my name?' she thought. I've never told him my name.' she knew if she hid, Pitch would find her in a matter of minutes.
She stepped out to meet him. His evil yellow eyes fixed on her, "About time, I thought you left me." Pitch said. "Why are you hunting me?" She demanded. Pitch grinned, "Lacy, dear, if you were to kill me, I wouldn't fulfill what I planned. I'm here to kill you. First though, I would like to hear what you fear!" He answered. She looked at him and said, "I will never tell you my fear, for you would never understand mine."
"We shall see about that, Lacy. Another reason I came was to make a delivery." He laughed and showed her Mr. Ling Lao's dead body. She couldn't believe it, Mr. Ling Lao is dead. She stared at the old man wide-eyed. "Yes, I did. He didn't put up much of a fight to tell you the truth." She had no words to say, while staring at her mentor's dead body. "I know you let him kill you on purpose." She said to Mr. Ling Lao quietly.
"But Lacy, think how free you are, you have no responsibilities." Pitch said. She couldn't believe he was telling her this, but he was right, she was free. But Pitch was wrong on one part, she did have a responsibility. She, Lacy, had to kill Pitch before he would destroy the world. She needed to go to his brother, the Sandman, to help her and other monks to fight against Pitch's army.
She remembered the time she first met her mentor: "You need to be prepared for anything. Pitch will show no mercy." Mr. Ling Lao told her. She was about four when she met him, and so far he was impressed. "If you ever encounter Pitch, you need to outsmart him, if you succeed, run and go to his brother, the Sandman, and have him take you to another monastery." He instructed. "What about you, Mr. Ling Lao?" She asked in her little four year-old voice. Mr. Ling Lao smiled, "You need not worry about that right now little Lacy." He assured. "I wonder if he knew his own death." She thought. "I need to find a way to outsmart Pitch and fast." She continued.
She continued to think of a way she could outsmart Pitch. "What are you thinking about, Lacy?" Pitch asked. She looked at him. His yellow eyes gleamed of curiosity. She noticed there was dark rings on his eyes, she looked more closely and found out they showed other kids' nightmares. "I was just thinking of how one may think of such ridiculous things of nightmares." She knew that if she pushed him long enough, he'll be to busy ranting to notice she ran away. "Lacy, nightmares are not ridiculous, I could simply attack you with Mr. Ling Lao's fear right now and you would be paralyzed with fear!" Pitch beamed.
She thought about what he just said. "That may work, however, nightmares don't exist, they are only just a consciousness of the human brain." She told him. Pitch sneered, "Well then, Miss Lacy, I might just show you a taste of my power and then you can tell me nightmares don't exist!" Pitch ranted. "Secondly, how do you know my name?" She asked. "I know a lot of things." Pitch answered and smiled. "Not that you'll be there to find out."
"Find out about what?" She asked. "To know how my victory will happen, dear!" Pitch said while charging up his power. She looked behind her; there was her chance to get away. She ran fast enough to dodge Pitch's energy bolt. "Next time we meet Lacy, and you'll wish you'd never met me!" Pitch screamed behind her.
Lacy had no idea on where to go. She prayed for a sign of where to go, when she opened her eyes she saw a light in the distance. She thought of home, and ran towards the light. She stopped in midrun. This campsite could well be a trap. She walked stealthily towards the campsite to see a man with yellow hair. He was making figures out of sand. She sighed quietly; she reached the Sandman at last.
She walked towards him, "Excuse me, I'm Lacy, from Mr. Ling Lao's Monastery. Mr. Ling Lao was murdered tonight and he instructed me to come to you if anything were to happen to him." She told him. He nodded and gestured her to sit with him. He had begun to make a figure of her out of sand. He looked at her and then began to make another figure out of sand. The figure was Pitch.
"What are you trying to tell me, Sandman?" She asked. He looked at her and began thinking. He then dressed Lacy in a beautiful masquerade gown, and Pitch wore his cape and masquerade tuxedo. Pitch and Lacy were dancing. "I think you have this wrong, I have….I have to kill your brother. If I don't, he'll destroy the world." She told him. He looked sad. "I'm sorry, but I have to." She said. He made the figures again and made them kiss. "You want me to….change his mind?" She asked. Sandman shook his head. "Then what do you want me to do?" She asked. He sighed and made the figurines again. Only this time, Lacy was carrying a sword and stabbing his brother.
"You looked sad when I told you I had to kill him. Why do you want me to kill him now?" Lacy asked. Sandman got up and gestured fro Lacy to follow him. "Hey, Sandman?" Lacy asked. He looked at her. "Why can't you speak?" The Sandman gestured to his throat and shook his head. "You have no vocal chords?" She guessed. He nodded. Suddenly, a laugh came behind her. She turned around to see Pitch. "So, you actually found my brother." He said.
The Sandman soared in front of her. "Please, brother, don't interfere with this." Pitch said. The Sandman thought for a long time, and finally he moved away. "So Lacy, I think it's time for you to tell me your fear. Believe me; it's been bugging me to know." He demanded. "Like I said, you'll never understand." She replied. "Try me." He challenged. The Sandman looked at her and shook his head. She looked back at Pitch. "Not this time." She said, grabbed Sandman and ran off.
"You have to take me to another monastery!" Lacy told the Sandman. He nodded and made a two-seat plane out of sand. He climbed aboard and gestured to Lacy to sit in the plane. She climbed in on the plan, "Which monastery are we going to?" She asked. Sandman made a building of a monastery. She recognized the building as Mr. Shang Lao's Monastery.
"You're taking me to Mr. Ling Lao's brother's monastery?" She asked. He nodded and began to take flight. I wonder what I'm going to tell Mr. Shang Lao. Or if he already knows his older brother is dead. She thought. In about an hour, they arrived at Mr. Shang Lao's Monastery. Lacy noticed that Mr. Shang Lao was waiting at the door step. When Lacy got off the plane, she ran straight to Mr. Shang Lao.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Shang Lao. Your brother, Mr. Ling Lao is dead, he sent me here in hope that you could finish my training." She told him while she knelt. "So, Pitch got to my brother." Mr. Shang Lao said. "He's in a better place. I will help you finish your training." Mr. Shang Lao told Lacy. Lacy thought over the recent events. Should she tell him what happened? Or does he already know? She thought.
The next morning, Lacy woke early for her training. When she arrived in the arena, Mr. Shang Lao was standing there waiting for her. "Are you ready, Lacy?" He asked. She nodded. Lacy looked around and saw no other monks. "Where are the other monks, mentor?" She asked. Mr. Shang Lao looked at her annoyed. "That doesn't matter, now let's train."
She looked at him confused. "O.k." She agreed and posed herself in fighting mode. He did the same, only Mr. Shang Lao attacked her wit ha sword. "What are you dong, Mr. Shang Lao?" Lacy asked. "I told you before, dear, I need to kill you before you kill me." He said. She looked at him in fear. Mr. Shang Lao's eyes turned yellow, his skin turned grey as death, and his black hair cropped short.
Pitch disguised himself to look like Mr. Shang Lao. That could only mean that Mr. Shang Lao is dead, Lacy thought. "Before I kill you, I want you to come to my masquerade. You will dance with me, and only me. Then, you will tell me your fear." He instructed and then, he disappeared. She couldn't believe she was tricked. She ran out of the monastery hoping Sandman was somewhere near.
She looked around. The Sandman was no where to be found. Lacy sat down and thought of what to do. She had no way to complete her training. Another monastery was another country away; she is being forced to go to a masquerade. She stopped thinking and remembered the Sandman's figures of her and Pitch. "Sandman was giving me a foreshadow." Lacy said out loud. Lacy ran back into the monastery to find a beautiful masquerade gown on a stand. There was a note that said; "See you there." Signed by Pitch. She grabbed the gown and mask. When she got ready, she found a note on her bed. The note read; "Here are the directions to the masquerade. Don't be late, dear." Signed by Pitch.
Lacy read the note carefully, she then went outside and walked to the masquerade. When she got there, a guard was at the door. She walked to the guard and told him her name. "Have fun, Miss Lacy." He said while she entered the door. She saw millions of people waltzing in circles, but there in the middle, was Pitch. He was wearing his masquerade gown, like in the Sandman's figurines.
Lacy blinked and noticed that Pitch disappeared. This was fine by her. Lacy walked to see if anyone was free to dance, besides Pitch. "you were one minute late, dear." A voice came behind her. She turned around and saw Pitch. "Why does it matter?" She asked. "Because, I specifically wrote to you not to be late." He said. Pitch then grabbed her waist and started to lead.
They waltzed for an hour or so, and then Pitch led her to the balcony. "Shame that both of us want to kill each other, isn't it?" Pitch said. "Not really. The world doesn't need any more fear than it already has." Lacy replied. She looked back to find Pitch with his arms crossed. "Lacy, you have no idea how tiring it is to be told how fear isn't needed. Take happiness for example, people are always happy, there's more than enough. Maybe the world doesn't need anymore happiness."
Lacy thought about what he said. Could it be that the world doesn't need anymore happiness? She shook her head. No, the world needs happiness, fear is a negative emotion that the world needs little of. She walked towards Pitch to notice his yellow eyes were filled with water. She didn't realize or know that such an evil person like him could cry. Wait a minute, it could be a trap. She thought.
Lacy came up with a plan. She put her arms around him and he lifted her head to meet his. Pitch leaned in and kissed her. Lacy grabbed her knife that she was hiding in her dress and stabbed him. He grunted and backed away from her. "You….you tricked me." He observed. Blood spurted out of his wound, Pitch took one look at her, then collapsed, and the boogeyman was no more.
"Good-bye, Pitch." Lacy said and walked away. She walked away from the palace with heavy thoughts. She actually done it, Lacy actually killed Pitch. She thought she'd feel happy about it, about saving the world. Then why was lacy feeling grief for saving the world? Her heart was telling that she killed the man she loved and feared. Her mind was telling her different.
Which one should I listen to? My heart, or my brain? Lacy thought. She didn't know what to do. She kept on walking. Finally, Lacy couldn't take anymore of it. She tumbled down and started crying, "Why am I crying over him? He tried to kill me!" Lacy said out loud. A figure came. It was the Sandman, he had a gloomy expression.
"I'm sorry, I had no choice." She sobbed. He shook his head and made two figurines of Pitch and her. Only this time, Pitch and Lacy were in wedding gowns. "Pitch can't be alive! I killed him." Lacy exclaimed. Sandman looked at her and shook his head.
"I don't know what you mean." She told him. The Sandman looked at her sadly and went away. Lacy had never felt so alone. What had the Sandman meant? Could Pitch still be alive? No, she made sure she pierced him directly at the heart. She got back up and started walking again. She then felt a familiar feeling. His presence was closing in.
Lacy was confused. Pitch couldn't be alive! Lacy turned around to see no one there. "Did you miss me?" Came a voice behind her. Lacy sighed and turned and saw Pitch there, without any injuries at all. "How are you still alive?" She asked. "Lacy, dear, that was a clone; I knew you were going to make your move."
This didn't surprise her. "But you also had your chance to kill me. So, why didn't you?" Lacy asked. "I have two choices for you. One, you can accept defeat and die. Or, you could become my queen." He said. "Why give me those choices? I don't want any of those." Pitch looked sad, which hurt Lacy a little. "I can't believe I'm going to do this, Pitch, I will be your queen, but you have to stop this dream of filling the world of fear!" She told him. "I will, but you could tell me your fear now." He said. "Oh no, that wasn't part of the agreement."
"I would still like to hear it." Pitch said. Lacy sighed. "Fine, I fear the man I love." He looked at her thoughtfully. "You fear the man you love. Who is he?" Pitch asked. "I think you know who it is." Lacy replied. Pitch smiled and said, "It's me, isn't it?"
Lacy nodded. Then, Pitch started to laugh. "What's so funny?" She asked. "It was so obvious and I didn't guess that!" Pitch answered. Lacy felt her face turn red; "Let's just get this day over with already." Lacy said as she walked off. Pitch caught up with her and replied, "You're going the wrong direction. My palace is on the east side."
Lacy looked at him and scowled. Then she walked toward the right direction. "First, we have to get everything ready." Pitch said. "What do you mean?" Lacy asked. "Well, I have to invite my relatives, you, dear need to call orders for the cake and a waiter. If you want to, you can call your relatives." He explained.
"My mother is deceased. My father is deceased. I have no siblings. Mr. Ling Lao was the only person I considered my family." Lacy said. Pitch had no expression, "Mr. Ling Lao was dying anyways." Pitch explained. Lacy eyes widened. Mr. Ling Lao wad dying anyway? She thought. "How?" lacy asked. "Mr. Ling Lao had terminal cancer." He replied.
Tears began to form in Lacy's eyes. Pitch moved in front of her and wiped her tears away. "His request was to tell you when the time was right." Pitch told her. "So you figured that now was the right time?" Lacy asked. Pitch nodded. Lacy kept quiet until she reached Pitch's palace. His palace was huge and black with guards around every corner. "If you try to attempt on escaping, my guards will catch you no matter how you escape." Pitch warned. Lacy looked at him and kept on walking.
The inside of the palace was huge as it is outside. Red carpet lined the white marble floor. Candle lights outlined the place. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to call my relatives. You can go ahead and place the orders." Pitch said and walked off. "Like I know the palace from floor to floor." She muttered and walked toward the stairs. There she found a guard. "Excuse me, sir, could you tell me where the phone is? Lacy asked.
The guard nodded and led her to the phone. Lacy entered the room where the phone was and grabbed the head. She found a list of phone numbers on a sheet of paper. She dialed the numbers and placed all the orders. After that, she explored the area. "Did you place the orders?" Pitch asked. Behind her. "Yes, I did. I had to ask one of your guards to show me where your phone was." Lacy said.
"Sorry about that. It was rude of me to not show you where everything is." He apologized. "It's alright." She said. Pitch then led her to the dining area. There they had lunch, which to Lacy's surprise was really good. When dinner was over, Lacy went to the room Pitch told her to go in. She got ready for bed and fell asleep. "Good-night, Lacy." Pitch said. "Are you going to keep popping out of nowhere?" Lacy asked. "Just get some sleep; we have a big and long day tomorrow." Pitch said and a minute she was sleeping.
Lacy fell asleep around a minute after Pitch. When she woke she found a wedding dress on her bed. She figured that she would have to put the dress on so she did. Lacy was amazed that the dress fit perfectly. After that, she went downstairs to find about a thousand people there. Lacy walked around to find Pitch, but instead she found the Sandman. "Hey, what are you doing here, Sandman?" She asked. Sandman made a sand figure of him and Pitch with his parents and Pitch's parents. Lacy took a closer look to see that Sandman and Pitch had the same parents.
"You and Pitch are brothers?" She asked. Sandman nodded and pointed towards the west side, where she saw Pitch talking to two people. Pitch caught her staring and gestured for her to come. Lacy went to Pitch's direction and took a good look at the two people he was talking to. The woman looked like the Sandman while the man looked like Pitch. "Lacy, these are my parents." Pitch greeted. His parents looked at her with full interest.
"We'll see you two at the wedding and the coronation." His mom said and walked off. His father was still looking at Lacy. "You killed my son." He noted and walked off. "I don't think your parents like me." Lacy said. "They'll get use to you, I promise." He said and grabbed her hand and led her to the wedding hall.
"I'll see you at the alter." Pitch promised and walked off. "See you there, too." She muttered and headed towards the girl's area. Lacy sat down and wondered how the day was going to work. After a while, Lacy heard a knock on the door. "Who is it?" Lacy asked. "Your helper, dear!" A woman's voice sang. Lacy opened the door and found a woman in her late thirties. "Hello, my name's Madeline and I'll be helping you on this big, big, big, big, day!" She said.
She led Lacy to a chair and immediately started on Lacy's makeup and hair. In about an hour, Madeline made Lacy look like a goddess. "Pitch will never know it's you." Madeline sighed and led Lacy to the wedding hall. "Here are your flowers, and now all you have to do is wait for the music to start and start walking." Madeline instructed.
Lacy nodded and Madeline smiled, patted Lacy on the head and skipped to her seat. I can do this. I can do this. Lacy thought over and over. Finally, music started and the doors in front of her opened. Lacy's legs felt like they've been turned to stone but Lacy took a deep breath and started to walk to the alter.
Her little maid took her flowers and looked at Pitch. He then lifted the veil from her face and gasped. "Lacy, you look like a goddess." He said in amazement. "Thank you." Lacy said and the minister started to begin. Lacy kissed Pitch to seal their vows and they both walked off from the alter while everyone was clapping. Lacy noticed Pitch's parents weren't clapping. They weren't smiling either, and that bothered Lacy. "Pitch, I don't think your parents are going to get used to me." She said. Pitch looked at her, "Lacy, they will! Don't worry."
Pitch then led her to the coronation room, where she and Pitch would be crowned King and Queen of Nightmares. Madeline was on the right staircase checking her makeup. While Pitch's mother and father was sitting on the left side. Madeline looked up and ran to Lacy. "Lacy! We have to get you ready for the coronation!" She sang and started to drag her to the dressing room.
"Stop, Madeline. I'll do it." Said Pitch's mom. Lacy groaned silently, why couldn't Madeline do it? She thought. Then Pitch's mother grabbed her arm and led her to another ladies room. "I don't think you deserve my son." Pitch's mom said coldly." "I'm sorry." Lacy apologized. "To late for that, once Pitch sets his heart for a girl, he never lets go." She said.
"But what if I'm not like the past ones?" Lacy asked. "That's the thing, there are no past ones. Everyone hates him for bringing fear into their dreams." She said coldly. Lacy replied, "Well I'm married to him, aren't I?" She looked at lacy coldly. "Yes, you are. But you also tried to kill him. And you did." She said. "He tried to kill me as well." Lacy said. Pitch's mom sighed. "My name is Sunlight. My husband's name is Darkness. It matches. But Lacy and Pitch?"
Lacy was confused. "What do you mean by that?" She asked. Sunlight replied, "Each soul mate must match, doesn't matter what. But you and my son don't match. Well, except for your determination and stubbornness. With that, it's enough. As I said it has to be more in order for it to work out. Sunlight sat Lacy down and started to redo Lacy's hair. "I know you killed him to save the world. So, I thank you just for htat. I still don't like you much. But as Pitch said, we're pretty much going to like you in time."
After that, Sunlight picked a long train dress that looked way to big for Lacy. "Sunlight, I don't think that's going to fit me." Lacy said. "Don't worry, it doesn't matter, the dress is enchanted, so once you put it on, it will fit you like a glove." And with those words, Sunlight walked off. Lacy put on the dress and just like Sunlight had said, it fitted like a glove. Lacy stepped out of the ladies room and saw Pitch on the far left side of her.
Pitch was dressed very much like his father. Even looked like him as well. Lacy began to think if she looked like Sunlight. Trumpets began to blow and Darkness began his speech, "Today, my son wed a fierce young lady that saved the world from him. He will now be forever with this lady forever. I'm proud to say that this coronation will be a success among past coronations. I know humbly present my son, Pitch, the ruler of nightmares!" claps filled the room while Pitch headed downstairs.
Darkness gave his son a hug and put a crown upon his head. Then came Sunlight wither her speech, "My son, fell in lover with a young lady that killed him in order to save the world. Why he would do this, I don't know. But now I'm thinking that maybe Lacy is just what Pitch needs. Lacy, I'm sure will make Pitch see reason if his ideas is nonsense." She said and claps filled the room once again.
Lacy began to walked own the stairs to meet Darkness and Sunlight holding both a scepter r and a crown. They put the crown on her head and handed her the scepter. "Ladies and gentlemen! I know give you, your King and Queen of Nightmares! King Pitch and Queen Lacy!" Darkness and Sunlight yelled in unison. Once again, claps and cheering ran in the room. Pitch grabbed Lacy's hand and lifted their hands in the air, smiling at their people.