Everything Comes Out at 3am
Everything comes out at 3am, he thought, once upon a time when he awoke and it was dead early in the morning. He feared coming out of his room and resisted the urge to pee in the bathroom. He once heard foot steps coming from the other side of his room.
Although he was well aware that his siblings are working at a night shift and it isn't uncommon for them to come home or leave home at that time. They all sleep in one room after all but somehow he couldn't find himself thinking differently. Something about the hour seem odd and enticing to him at the same time.
He was an odd kid, that he was. He believed in many things, most especially the existence of other beings.
This could be because he grew up with superstitions and was told stories about ghosts and spirits. Sometimes, he could never really find the difference between fantasy and reality. So the witching hour which began as a childhood fear, suddenly became a source of curiosity.
And so, he waited for 3am.
On the first night he attempted this, he immediately felt a deep sleep and didn't make it pass a minute after three. It was a dreamful night, one that was filled with good dreams and not a nightmare at sight.
On the second night he attempted this, he had a lose tooth. He hid it under his pillow, waiting for 3am. By the hour, he had the urge to pee. He found the courage to leave the room and take a small trip to answer nature's call. By the time he got back, he suddenly thought of his tooth. He lies down and slips a hand underneath his pillow and by his surprise, he found a shiny coin replacing the piece of bone
On the third night he attempted this it was a day before Easter. As he stayed up until three, he could hear feet from outside of his lawn. He looks out of his window and barely saw anything. Then there was a rustling in the bush. He caught a glimpse of something...cottony. Like the tail of a rabbit. He rubbed his eyes, thinking that it might've been the said animal. He shrugged it off and fell asleep. It wasn't until morning that he realized that a rabbit that small couldn't produce those kind of loud footsteps.
On the fourth night he attempted, it was Christmas Eve. He stayed for as long as he could at 3am. Although, it was another night that he found himself drifting off to sleep. Though, before he could hit the hay, he could hear a faint sound of his father laughing in a booming voice. He didn't actually think that the grown ups would stay up that late. He could hear a large thump coming from downstairs, they're probably getting rough. But he didn't care anymore, presents were awaiting him tomorrow so he decided to turn in.
On the fifth night he attempted, it was a chilly night. He shivered and looked out of his window. Frost forming in it. He came out of bed and smiled a little, tracing the linings that the frost made. Somehow, it found itself to shape in an artful elephant. He loved elephants. It must be night to play in the snow at this hour, he thought before walking into his bed and laying down. He stared at the beautiful frost forming on his window and he smiled. He couldn't help but feel that there was a friend in his presence and that helped him fall into a peaceful sleep.
The night after, he had a nightmare and so, he couldn't fall asleep. He walked up to his window and stared out to look at the moon. It shone so brightly at 3am. He stared at it, his eyes glimmering in awe as he sees how the silver ring of light illuminates the sky.
It was the most beautiful thing that he saw.
He noticed his window was starting to have frost forming on it. The boy's finger traced the outline of frost forming distinctly into a rabbit. He stared at for a while, feeling that same presence from before.
"Jack Frost?" The boy called out, pulling up his window. There came the wind and a boy whose skin was pale and his hair as white as snow appeared. He smiled at the sight of the child. "Hey. Couldn't sleep?"
He nodded, Jack pulled out his hand and tipped his head to the rooftop. The expression on his face saying: "C'mon, you gotta see this."
The boy complied and went up to the rooftop along with Jack. The boy found himself gaping in awe. "Wow." He said looking at his neighborhood covered in frost and snow. The scenery was complete with the moon in full set. He sat down and took it all in, Jack came along lying on the snow with his hands at the back of his head. "Cool, huh? Made it myself. Manny said it looks great."
"Manny?" The boy asked in a questioning tone his brow raising. Jack looked at him. "He's the Man in the Moon. He's the one that lights up the sky every night."
"Woah." The boy said, pulling his legs up to his chest. "Neat, ain't it?" Jack said, flashing a set of nice white teeth.
"I didn't think the moon would look great at 3 in the morning." The boy said with wonder as he kept looking at the scene, taken by it with every glance. "I used to be scared of getting out of my room at 3. My friends told me that monsters would come out at those time."
Jack scoffed at the thought. "Yeah well, your friends are wrong. It's great getting up at this time." He said, looking back at the scene. "Everything comes out at 3am."
The boy looked at him and smiled. He turned his head at the moon which seems to smile at his presence. "Yeah..." he muttered to himself with a yawn. Jack sat up and looked at him. "You sleepy kiddo?"
"No...I'm..." The young boy was drifting off to sleep. He let out another yawn. "I'm not...sleepy..." His eyes were feeling heavy. Jack Frost shook his head lightly with a smile. "Nah, looks to me that you are. Welp, alley woop!" He carried the boy in his arms and brought him to his room. Laid him down and pulled up the sheets. "Jack. The nightmares...they'll get me... I'm scared..."
Jack gave him a reassuring smirk. "Nightmares?" He scoffed. "Don't worry 'bout it. Good ol' Jack's here to keep you safe."
"Promise, you will?"
"As a guardian, I'm bound to my oath." The little boy let out a sleepy smile and Jack smiled back. "Now get to sleep, Mike."
"Okay..." The young man said, snuggling in his covers and closing his eyes. "Thanks Jack."
There was a woosh in the air and the sound of the window closing and little Mike finds himself falling into a deep sleep. It was filled with dreams and promises that calls for another hopeful day. Not a nightmare in sight, not a tinge of fear in his heart. For he knows in that moment, Jack Frost is keeping him safe in the chilly night. He and others like himself.
He smiles in his sleep and vaguely mutters in his sleep. "Everything comes out at 3am."