Have you ever heard of the Easter Bunny? I have; in fact, I know the guy. He's a big bugger, but he's about as lovable as any big stuffed bear in the store. I know you're probably saying, 'But he isn't real! He doesn't exist.' Well, that's where you're wrong. He does exist, very much in fact that I get an insult by him every day. But I'm cool with it, he's my best friend.
Oh, who am I? Well, that's kind of a hard question. You see… Yeah, I think I'm just gonna have to tell you the story.
It started about… Okay, so now time is irrelevant and I am just gonna say it was "Once upon a time" when it all started. Actually, it started "Once upon a time when I died."
Yeah, I died once. It was pretty epic…-ly bad. Well, you see, I don't really remember much about dying. But what I do remember is that every who becomes a Guardian died once a long time ago, and came back to life as a Guardian. And yes, this does bring up another thing: I am a Guardian. A very special one in fact, one who everyone knows. Or, at least, I wish everyone did.
Anyways, back to the real point. Have to stay focused, I've got to breath… Okay, so, this is the story of how I died, and became a Guardian who saved the entire human race even though they didn't know it.
"Sophie, could you get the garage door for me please? I'll be right there once I finish this phone call." In the back of the house, I can hear my mother calling to me.
In reply, I simply do as she says and race to the back of the houses on light toes. I'm excited today, it's the first day of college and my mom is driving me there… Okay, so it sounded better in my head. Anyways, I'm getting to go to the big JTU, or Jamestown University, fresh out of Jamestown High School. My older brother, Jamie, already graduated from there 3 years back, and now I'm following him to JTU as well. I'm really excited, which is probably why I run so fast that I trip over my own shoelaces and land straight on my face into the carpet.
I stand myself quickly, brush myself off, and hurry to get the garage opener pushed. Once I've done that, I quickly jump into the car and tie my shoelaces. As my mother gets in as well, she looks me up and down and sighs.
"This is it," Her face is red with tears. "Your first day of college. Oh how you and Jamie have grown so much!"
She quickly buries her head into me, and I let in a deep breath of annoyances as I struggle to hold myself back against my seat. After a minute of hugging, she finally lets go and turns the car into reverse, letting it go down the driveway and out onto the street. Once done, we are finally off and on our way to the freeway.
Trees, lights and shadows fall over my face as I watch the drive from my passenger seat. My body is racing so quickly that I can barely keep myself from squealing. But I'm a proper lady, and will keep myself as such, even in the car. My mind races through all my classes, and every single minute that I will be moving in and out of classrooms with my brother.
My brother, Jamie, went into the JYU for a degree in Publishing. I'm going in for a degree in writing. Yes, I know, that sounds like a puny degree, but it really isn't. I love writing, always have, especially when I was younger and had the most amazing dreams about the Easter Bunny. I would stay up at night, with my notebook, and write for hours about him, and the fun adventures we would have. In the end, the Easter Bunny is really the inspiration for my future.
As I grew up, my development in writing has helped me get to college. My very first book published made the New York Best Seller's list under Children's books, and made me enough money for my first semester at JYU.
My thoughts suddenly disappear as my eyes set forth on the exit for Jamestown University. It's green sign swishes past as we go around the turn and enter in the actual sights of the buildings on campus. I can see it, my future, my dream. My heart barely skips a beat as we begin to pull into the parking lot, the blinker going much slower than my body's thumping.
That's when it happened, when everything stopped. In my eyes, I see a large white truck swing around the corner, it's wheels turning in a sharp movement. The moment is silenced and frozen before me, set so I am paralyzed, unable to do anything. The pounding in my chest is set still for this very scene, just so I can continue staring at my demise.
And… That's it. That's when I died. The two cars collided and I died in the crash. My mom survived, thankfully, but I didn't. I know, most people would say 'Oh no, I'm so sorry for your loss!" I'd agree with them, but wouldn't say that I really lost anything.
See… When you become a Guardian, you normally don't remember anything from your past. But, with me, it's a bit different. I remember everything, didn't have to be told by the Man in the Moon. He did help me, yes, but he didn't help me in realizing my name or who I am. I kinda just… Knew.
Okay, fast forward about 5 minutes later- My eyes slowly open, and lights blind me. When I sit up, I realize I'm in the middle of the street, a street light right above me shining down upon me. My memory, still intact, creates a sort of petrified atmosphere for me as I breath in a few steady breaths. Questions flash in my mind, but one big one shouts itself right into my head- "How am I still alive?"
Quickly, I stand up, brushing myself off. In that moment, I realize something- I feel strange, almost light headed. And my arms and legs don't feel right either; something is definitely wrong. In that moment, I look down and gasp. All my former questions go right out the window and a new set take their place. "What the heck?!" I stifle a scream.
Where my shoes should be on my feet, a pair of long, furry paws have taken their place, and up from there is all as though I was looking down from the top of a rabbit. My legs are curved to create arches in my thighs, and tuffs of fur cover my chest and flatten out as they reach my shoulders. I stretch out my arms to find rabbit arms, with cute little paws.
As suddenly as I had found this, I felt something twitch on my behind and jump, terrified someone had found me and was gonna catch me. But, instead, the feeling continued, and sure enough, there was a short, stubby white tail behind me. I bend over, and find I can stand like a rabbit, and power flows through me like never before.
All of my senses have been heightened, from my pink nose to my now-tall ears. I can feel a light breeze brush through the tendrils of my thick white and black fur. My eyes are focused on just about anything they can see, which is a lot. Every twitch of every leaf is in my earshot, and every flower with scent catches my nose.
That's when I realize someone, or something, is watching me. I stand on my hind legs instinctively, feeling every muscle in my new body twitch with power, energy. In a dash, I'm off, feeling my legs move quickly beneath me. It feels good, to be able to run, or hop, so far so fast. I see trees and buildings flash by in seconds, and I'm able to hop off every car within a quarter mile. And my speed is unbelievable; it's almost as though I'm flying through the air, barely touching the ground. It's an amazing feeling, but in a second I'm stopping, standing again on my hind legs and sniffing the air.
Whatever was following me before is still following, right on my tail. I flip around and see it, a flash of white and blue flying through the air and landing from telephone pole to telephone pole. When it finally stops, it's right in front of me, illuminated by a shadowy light from one of the light posts.
It's a young boy, around 18, 19. His skin is a pale as snow, and his hair is almost the same color. His eyes are a wondrously sparkling blue, giving on both cold and warmth at once. A jacket covers his chest and brown jeans go down to his mid-shin and stop there. He's barefoot, which makes me a little surprised in such cold winter days. In his left hand, he holds a staff, tall and crooked, like a shepherd's.
In a sudden, I remember everything, every moment of that night when I was 5. It was 14 years ago, but at this very moment I remember it like it was yesterday. That cold, snowy day in February with Jamie. The fact of this young man comes down and hugs my brother, then me, and then every other kid on the ice. No parent seemed to notice that day, which was fine with me. It was too much fun for anyone else to understand.
"Jack Frost." My words are soft as I speak, and his eyes raise in surprise.
"You remember me?" His own voice hasn't changed a bit, and I blush slightly. (Although, I think. Let's just go with my ear tips were hot with embarrassment.)
My tail twitches- 'Gosh, I will never get use to that', I think to myself. "Yes, from all those years ago. You… haven't changed at all."
The edges of his mouth twitch in a smile. "Not a bit. But you… Here, turn around."
I stare at him for a moment, thinking he's joking, but when he waves his hands for me to turn, I realize he's wanting me to turn around. Slowly, I do, twitching my tail slightly in embarrassment until I have made a full circle. When I return to my former state, I notice a grin taking hold of his face.
My eyes widen. "What, is there something wrong? Is there a big yellow spot in my fur?"
That's when laughter exhales from his mouth, and my entire body is filled with chills just from that.
"No, you're just so much like the Easter Bunny." He smiles, but in a flash the smile disappears. "But… Why?"
His eyes turn upward, and as his do, I follow, seeing that he is gazing at the wide moon in the sky. That's when I understand something, as though a memory I never knew I had resurfaced; The Man in the Moon had sent me here for a reason. One that very few will ever understand, including myself.
And that's how my story starts.