It got lonely sometimes in the Arctic.
In the first century Jack, when there was no need for snow, managed to occupy his time by building his palace. It took him a decade to get the plan down and several more to finish the structure. The ice took on an aqua blue sheen, glistening under the bright sun rays that fell from the sky. He had a solid image in his head when starting the project; he could remember vaguely describing the same monolithic castle to another, someone younger… a small girl. But the memory hovered on the edge of his mind and the context was unreachable to him. The palace itself however was exact in everyway. It had turrets and a court yard and a wrought gate/draw bridge with a moat to keep out unwanted guests.
Not that he needed that defence; there was no reason for anyone to come here after all. There were no settlements this far into the arctic circle so there was no need for any spirit to venture here, no job that needed fulfilling. Jack was the only one there. Well, the moon was hanging over him of course, silently judging his every action and giving no hint as to his real purpose.
So in the first one hundred years of his existence, he threw himself into building and once the last room was constructed he decorated it with the most detailed frost designs he'd ever imagined. A mural of a winter wonderland forest cover the wall of the entry hall whilst in the dining room a large slab of thick ice was suspended by icicles that looked deceivingly fragile and was surrounded by chairs resembling snowflakes, each slightly different from the last but not so asymmetrical to take away from the beauty of the room. There were two hundred and eighteen rooms in all and none were the same although they all had one recurring theme; ice.
It was in one of the many rooms that Jack had dedicated to fun that he was located in. Admittedly the room was not living up to it purpose as Jack was feeling quite bored and alone. Making a fort by yourself inside a fortress you built by yourself just seemed so pointless. Maybe if he had friends, believers then he'd be more enthralled but he was just an expression, a story made up to explain the now scientifically explainable weather. Sighing, he reined in his melancholy. It wasn't long until he could be out causing blizzards and snow days. He just had to keep himself from going insane until then. He made his way over to the opposite side of the room. Making a quick but adequate snowman from summoned snow, Jack set to work preparing it for target practice.
He stuck on the usual ornaments: a corn cob pipe, a few bits of coal to form a smiling face, a scarf and a carrot nose. He had no sticks for arms though, an oversight on his part, so he settled for icicles which splintered and branched at the end to create the illusion of fingers. The winter spirit stood back to admire his work. It was a good snowman, capable of supporting itself but decoration wise something was missing… Jack snapped his fingers, the sound like cracking ice and he darted from the room. He wasn't gone long, soon returning with a top hat clutched in his hands.
"50 points if I can knock this off!" He exclaimed to no one, gesturing with his staff to create an impromptu score board across the wall. It held only his name as no one else was there to join in the fun. Jack faltered as he took this in, his expression shifting into something more vulnerable before regaining its smiling mask. But he couldn't stop that hopeless wish from ghosting across his mind as he placed the top hat on the snowman; 'I wish I had a friend'.
As the hat touched the top of the snowman's head Jack felt a jolt tide through his body, like an electric shock. He was about to dismiss it when he received another shock, this one not so physical.
The snowman he'd made from lumps of frozen water and tat he'd snatched from mortals was moving. Its frozen arms were jerking and the whole figure was trembling. Jack took a couple steps back, wary of this sudden turn of events. As the snowman turned its supposedly unseeing eyes in his direction the modest smile jack had fixed to its face grew into a grin. It hopped over waving its arms, frantically signalling something. Jack raised his staff threateningly to halt its advance unsure as to what the creature's goal was.
It paused, the stretched smile falling once again into a small one; an expression of confusion. But it soon brightened and it turned to the side to madly gesture at the ground. The winter spirit tensed and felt an acute sense of betrayal when the snow adhered to its command. The snow was his domain, the one thing the man in the moon had given him. And now there was a usurper in his ice palace, messing with his snow… he wouldn't stand for it.
But just as he went to freeze his creation, the swirling snow turned into an image which turned into a series of images not unlike those Jack had caught sight of when he came across the Sandman making his nightly rounds. The images played out: first one of the moon, then to one of a sad figure Jack could only just make out as himself, the next one of the snowman and Jack together and the pair featured in the next several clips acting out each of the activities he'd dreamt of attempting with friends one day. The last one was of a happy Jack before the snow fell to the ground, inanimate once more.
Jack stood stock still for a few moments, trying to digest the information that had just been shoved at him. The moon had sent him a… friend? His mouth twitched and that was the warning the snowman got before he was crushed in a tight hug. Jack danced away before the figure had a chance to reciprocate, talking a mile a minute about all the fun they would have and how it was going to be the best day ever. All the while the snowman smile indulgently at his creator.
"What's your name?" The winter spirit suddenly struck, focussing excited eyes on the snowman. He gestured to his pipe and his hat, then to his eyes and smiled a wide smile, waiting for the immortal boy to catch on but the expression never changed to comprehension. The snowman harrumphed although the black, coal eyes took on a teasing glint. He waved casually at the snow from his earlier illusion and it formed the word 'FROSTY'.
"Oh," Jack exclaimed, feeling slightly guilty for not recognising the spirit, something that always rankled Jack. Frosty just shook his head before motioning to the fort on the other side of the room. Jack flushed blue as he remembered the original purpose of his new friend. Deciding not to mention it he quickly suggested a snow ball fight, something he'd started up a few times but it was hardly fun to never be targeted. This time though it was a given and as the two took up their posts Jack allowed his heart to thaw for once in a long time. This spirit was his friend, he wasn't going anywhere.
It was a vicious fight. Despite not having limbs, muscles or optical organs Frosty's aim was strong and true, gaining quite a few headshots on Jack. After calling a cease fire the two raced through the castle from top to bottom, Jack allowing the snowman a thirty second head start because he had neglected to give him legs resulting in the poor spirit having to jump everywhere. Jack was also grounded without the help of his staff. He still won though and gave the other a tour of the his home, giving funny anecdotes as they walked, like the time when he had made the ice flooring in his bed room too thin and when giving his bed a test jump he had cracked the floor and ended up falling through four others.
It was tiring though which surprised Jack. He was spirit and could usually go months before needing a nap but he brushed it off as an earlier adrenaline rush. He noticed how Frosty glanced sadly in his direction whenever Jack yawned but dismissed it as disappointment that the day was already over. That was okay though, because while nothing would compare to those first few hours when their new friendship had chased away the loneliness entrenched deep in his heart they had all of tomorrow to play more, and the day after that, and the day after that… they had eternity.
So when night fell upon them and the sun rays no longer shined through the translucent walls, Jack didn't hesitate in leading Frosty to the bedroom nearest to his own. He for once didn't curse the ironically named family wing, accepting it with ease for his new icy sibling. And when Frosty pulled Jack into a strong hug, not unlike the one Jack had given earlier, the spirit thought nothing of it. He wished the other goodnight and returned to his own room. He flopped down on the bed and closed his eyes, hoping for a swift slip into sleep. For once he slept not for a reprieve but because truthfully he wished that this day could never end. However, he was too tired to go on now so he entreated the Sandman to come quickly so that another day could take its place.
Eyes flashed open, feeling refreshed. Jack wasted no time in preparing for the coming day. He pulled on his clothes in record time, barely pausing to comb through his hair. He ran the small distance to the other's room. He didn't know if Frosty had to sleep and hoped he hadn't been too bored waiting for him to recover. He knocked but received no answer. He knocked again… and again. After the fourth time he shouted his apologies before opening the door. There was no sign of the snowman. Was he wandering the palace? Had he left? The thought sent a wave of intense grief through Jack but it was a pin prick compared to what he felt at his next sight.
In the ice sculpture armchair was a pile of snow. He thought he could make out part of a corn cob pipe and a few pieces of coal here and there. But there was no mistaking the black, suave top hat that rested innocently atop the mound.
An agony swept through him like molten lava but in contrast to that fiery pain he felt his heart ice over, the barrier thicker than ever before.
He was still alone. He looked up. The moon was hidden from him.
AN: Hi, this is my first posted story and it wasn't supposed to be sad but it just kinda happened… Still I'm glad I finally got this out there I had the base done before Christmas but had been putting off posting.
I hope you enjoyed reading it, despite the tragic ending of dear ol' Frosty I had fun writing it
Oh btw, don't you think it's sad Jack doesn't get a fancy home like the others (apart from Sandy)? I always pictured him in an ice fortress, having got the idea after one too many snow forts.