The Storm As White as Ice, The Storm to Tame a Thousand Wars and Cure a Thousand Hearts
Welcome everyone to my newest story that has been a month in the works… I had plans to get this out to you before the movie came out, sadly I'm doing it on the night of, but no matters I am posting it before I see the movie myself so I hope you all enjoy.
Quick Summary:
~A Guardian is never planned but grows to become one. A young girl changes all that when she is targeted by Pitch to be killed for his Fearlings, only she survived, and lived a life. Now upon womanhood, did she truly escape the changes? A new guardian rises from the ashes of a human soul, but can she let go of the life she left behind and those in it? Or will the aid of the Frozen hero who saved her before change all that, and help her let go what she lost and should have let go so long ago~
-A Guardian is never planned, but grows to become one. Except one, a girl human by the least become an exception to that rule when she is targeted by Pitch to become one of his new Fearlings and in hopes of gaining an apprentice who will call him "master". Things seem to go his way till the Guardian of Fun gets once again in his way.
Having survived, her memories of that day all but dim if not faded and murky for that fateful day, it all but seemed the girl had escaped with ease. No Pitch did not stalk her, for she had failed to become his, she was average as a human could be, and that's all that could be said.
However some of the wisest Guardians knew better, the Moon and Sun watched her day and night carefully just waiting for the day they all predicted would come, the reason her heart still beat irregularly the reason she was white as snow, she was death alive inside the human she all but should have been before pitch had taken her alive. Years pass, time fades but the affects will have their say.
On the bank of no return, she wakes after a sudden fall in the darkness, finding her body alone in the cold weather she walks to find a weapon given to her in the rarest ways, a sudden sense of magic and it's realm confronts her. A sense of things she could not understand before, as if all life became clear she now had knowledge of. Now follow the journey of the newest Guardian the Guardian of Imagination and Intelligence, with powers she cannot believe.
Only problem for this lone female spirit amongst the spirits of men who can't understand, being a woman makes her life more difficult. Not only the lone female but her human memories the ones she knew for so long she lived with when she should not have been living at all still corrode her, and hold her captive. It's her refusal to let go of them, against the advice of the others. But can she give up those she loved for a life of protecting the children of the world till Kingdom come? Is it all enough to forget who she is at the price that she will live forever on earth like she only could have dreamed? Or will the help of a man who saved her, save her again from her personal war, and help her let go of the single possession she clings to, that of the love for those she loved and regrettably left behind forever.-
Now I hope I can excite everyone for this story, I'm excited to bring it to you. To tell the truth this is a story that is going to hopefully going to lead way for being updating more, it's been a while I need to update a lot of stories. I'm just glad I've gotten things in my life all in order and suddenly calmer than before.
I hope this story interests you, and don't worry I was careful in the Summary to ruin any part of this story, it's far from clear on what this story is really about.
Alright I'll love reviews if you are able to take the time; I'm always open and will try my best to respond in whatever way possible.
Thank you…
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters of Rise of the Guardians, Jack included.
However everyone else in this story I do own, that Means the following prologue I own George, Josh, Jacee Rovair, Hansel Johnny Lillian, Darleen Paulina Lillian, Elizabeth 'Lizzie; Liz' Heathera Lillian, Blairisa 'Blitz' Maggie Boman, Sandra 'Sandie' Lindsey Boman, Lizzard 'Lizar' and Natty 'Nate' (both named after two real dogs from my own childhood Lizzie B. and Nate the Great of Wallingford (don't blame me my mother named him that, she called him a prince she adored that guy)
About Prologue:
I do wish to mention before I begin that this prologue is entirely my own creation. I own this and will admit with a blush on my cheeks that the events following that Lizzie and Blairisa venture to their mother's digressions into the swamp and woods behind the house, are based on actual events. The characters of Young Lizzie and Young Blairisa are in fact based off of my best friend at the time Lil' and myself Bre', we both would sneak past our mothers warnings behind her house having hid behind a old playhouse her father built that looked almost like their house miniaturized. We'd sneak out past the swampy area towards the man-made pond where many of use neighborhood kids would play. There was a lake no one would travel to which I still remember scary stories being said that people died there. Only trouble was it was on someone's property across the street so I only saw it a few times with family having taken hikes when we knew the owners towards that more than lovely lake.
In fact the idea of Blair losing her boot came from a event that occurred between Li' and I when we were young I still own those boots because I might keep them just to tell my kids one day about what happened. We were sneaky back then like the characters Lizzie and Blair, though one day we were caught, the mud of the swamp was too thick and muddy after the snow day we had, trying to evade our folks did not help as we were trapped on an island and swore we saw things moving. We laugh knowing we were two freaked out eight year olds for all we know it could have been anything. Though it did not keep us from screaming that our mothers ran down to find to their anger that we disobeyed them went over the fence and I was stuck on that island in tears having my brand new boots I was all excited for stuck in the mud, while the two of us were soaked in mud from falling in it when she tried to help me out.
There you go the story that inspired the following prologue. In all being said I used an actual experience to help me write the prologue because I was trying hard to picture what seven-year olds might do. In the end it came down to causing mayhem and disobeying parents. Then the idea or memory hit me. I took that and wrote it into my story bored trying to picture what my older characters Lizzie and Blitz might have been like when they were children. I changed certain things that Lil and I were like and then created the following scene.
Will all that said I hope you enjoy, I tried to write it to the best of my degree trying to think like a child, and that made it all the more fun to do.
Enjoy…
Disclaimer continued: I do not own The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe, that is entirely different work not my own… But it fits the meaning of the prologue and the darkness of the following chapters, if not entailing parts of the story. After all Poe was where my early inspirations came from to begin writing, and I still am writing to this day. Also I do not own We Like to Party by Vengaboys, boy do I feel old still liking them or even remembering them. It's a bummer to think the only way kids know any bit of this awesome song is by only the sound of it from Six Flags commercials. I used to dance around my room like pop star with friends or on my own having fun with this song…. Huh the troubles with being twenty.
End Authors Long Note: I hope you enjoy the rest of this story, I hope it will fit to your likings
Prologue: Part 1, The Raven and the Icy Lake; Snow Day Turned Wrong!
…Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"—
Merely this and nothing more…
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil—prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."…
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore!
-Stanza's 5, 16, & 18 of Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven-
Fall 1999'
The snow was amazing this early storm November. Kids grew excited at they had fallen asleep to the possible forecast of snow, a sure sign that in the suburban areas of Kitsap County school would surely be closed even for a minimal amount of snow and ice. It did not matter how closely these kids lived to their schools with all the marshes, forests and wet terrain driving alone on many of the back roads where half the children lived were dangerous, and due to the fact that most schools in the northern most area being built on the steepest hills possible.
Just as the children of the residence around Richard Gordon Elementary had anticipated, they woke up that morning some being gently awoken by their tender loving parents, with smiles all about their faces kissing their young ones awake to tell them school had been canceled for the rest of the week, not wanting their children to sleep away the time they could have enjoyment for a while fill their day. An unexpected joy to most of the area grew by the time it had reach half past ten, the usual time elementary schools would open.
That is all but those who worked to feed their families or were forced to commute across the ferries towards the big cities for work. Nothing disdainful in thought could be said for mild oblivious minds of children, to damper their spirits of the fond memories about to occur.
In fact for several of the Suburban neighborhoods only a short distance from the school, where many children of all ages lived, their hearts could not hold back the excitement of the teams and many activities they might pull off together. Some looked forward to the traditional meals and beverages their parents would form, the warm hot coco that most mothers served at the end of the day, and if they were masters in the kitchen could make heavenly to their children's delight from scratch.
Giggles were all around the neighborhood of Kingston Meadows Hills as many children felt the shiver and bite that morning of Jack Frost nipping at their nose. Each one of them no matter the age jumped out of bed upon the realization and ran outside to their parent's discrepancies. Most of these wild young, in bare feet to catch the glimpse of the gray bright and gloomy over cast skies, and the ability to feel a nipping wind that chilled their bones as they bear witness to the small clumps of snowflakes falling from the sky down upon their noses little red sometimes freckled noses.
Most mothers rushed their children in scolding them upon how they could catch their death by neglecting to go out warm.
The morning could not be any better, nor brighter, especially for two young girls in the early morning that day.
Sitting at her usual stool slurping her mother's milky homemade bliss of homemade from the pot oatmeal that she loved so much, delightfully cooled by her mother's touch with a thick layer of milk had made the oatmeal a delectable soupy mess, was more than what any child would enjoy. Wearing thick cotton PJ's that fit tightly to her body, the usual order in which her mother obliged she wear on such days, and a nice long top over the matching pj top, both of long sleeves to keep her warm she anxiously sat twirling in her mother's oak stools watching the clock tick buy. Just waiting for her to be excused from breakfast, though she had barley even touched her bowel, not unusual when she was pressed with excitement as such a day could hold. She was almost too overjoyed to even eat a thing, though her stomach seemed to argue with that, she did her best to ignore it, knowing it would be satisfied later.
Her mother gazed over at her daughter, as the little girl with short bangs curling in front of her face, obscuring most of her forehead, looked over the calendar on their fridge taping her fingers annoyingly with impatience. She could just see the anxiety ridden over her child's face as if she needed to use the restroom and was resisting the urge to use her usual method of the potty dance.
Though she herself grew up most of her life in the warm northern parts of California, the days of snow had not been lost in Santa Rosa, she knew how snow could be, for it was rarest to occur, nevertheless, and all the same a blessing in the days of her own childhood to have. Even if Sandie spent most of those very days ridden in bed for most of her young life, due to her horrible case of asthma she was not about to spoil anyone of them for her own daughter.
Biting her lip, Sandie only looked at her daughter watching the clock as if she could magically pass the time. Her daughter had just gotten off their landline talking excitedly with her friend Lizzie the neighbor girl across the street. The two were and inseparable pair, it was only sad that Jacey was visiting family in Massachusetts, for she was the finishing touch to their little close group of neighbor girls. The group of young girls mothers and the other children nicknamed the 'Girly Musketeers' It brought a slight frown to her face, just to think one of her daughters best friends would have to miss out on all the fun here at home.
A heavy sigh, as her daughter leaned dramatically into her hand resting her head into it, slouched sliding herself along the kitchen counter as she looked out the window at their now white blanketed back yard, disgruntled that she had not been excused as of yet.
With a sly knowing smirk towards her daughter, Sandie knew she had few ideas the mayhem and mischief the two girls might be up to just as much as Mrs. Darleen Lillian was. There was no way they could hinder the simple fun of the two young spirits their daughters were, especially on the second snow fall of the current school year.
Looking to the cabinet as she prayed to God that she did not regret momentarily allowing her daughter to go play with the neighbor girl unsupervised for a few moments, she bit her lip till it ached once more and looked down, her curly black hair just shimmering in the dim light of the kitchen.
"Alright…" She sighed in defeated looking down at her feet lying on the soft kitchen mat in front of the white magnet covered fridge. "You may get dressed and… Go!"
The spoon immediately hit the bowel before she could even add the exceptions. Blitz was pushing herself off the stool ready to bolt, as she already on a regular bases famous for doing, rushing in the quickest sprint to her room to finish getting ready teeth and all in more than a single instant. Though her mother chuckled to herself 'More like a single bound, that girl can fly.'
"But…" her mother raised her finger, just for the better of her, knowing just the kind of troublemaker her daughter tended to be or even get herself in since as far back as Sandie could remember.
Blairisa stopped dead in her tracks frozen in her position she landed in from more than hoping her mother wasn't going to bring up the rules that could just as well ruin their own planed fun.
She did not dare look for a few moments to her mother and her raised finger. Her gentle brown eyes were working towards sombering up, so she might look like a miserable puppy in hopes that she would gain some sympathy to which her mother might surrender into listing lighter rules. Although, part of her took note of the many failed attempts at succeeding with the pity look, she had to try, regardless if it never worked in the past it never hurt trying as she always thought.
"I advise till Mrs. Lillian or I come out, neither of you are to step a foot off her property or if you choose to come home and play on our yard, you will stay within the house boarders… No going past that fence or behind that thicket behind their house, or running off to play with the other neighbor kids till we are notified do I make myself clear?… Blitz do you understand me?"
Toying her foot along the ground behind her, the medium long brunet with cheeks painted like those on a doll peered carefully towards her mother. Shuffling her feet all the more she carefully looked up her lower lip sticking over the other, as she attempted all the more to look as innocent as could be. "Yes mommy."
Sandie watched her short little first grader, her eyebrow raising as she peered down at her unconvinced by the act her girl was playing, huffing slightly as she watched her daughter aimlessly sway back and forth anxious to be released.
Defeatedly sighing, she finally relinquished her daughter, knowing if anything the worst harm they could do in half an hour back in the swamp was not half as bad as what her daughter could do by running aimlessly into the streets.
"Oh and Kevy will be down shortly to play with you two and take you two up with his brothers… That is if we're not out by then you are free to go up with them… But be sure to stay with them… I don't want you or the Endsly girls running off because that boy Chase was chasing the rest of you with squirt guns or the like… Oh and no screaming unless someone is hurt or anything of the sort."
"Yes mom… Sure thing… thanks" with the dash almost like lightning she was gone running down the short hall to the bathroom to brush her teeth, slamming the door shut. Before rushing out and running to her bedroom slamming the door all the same.
Smirking Sandie shook her head as she walked forward grabbing her daughters bowel of unfinished oatmeal and taking it to the trash under the sink laughing as she shook her head "Was I ever that young?" she asked herself with a quirky expression striking her California sun kissed warm blissful face.
Upon seeing her grab the bowel, the larger than life Sheltie with all the right markings for a show dog, quickly scrambled his feet along the tiled floor making a gruff sound as she moved the bowel over the trash.
Smirking once again, this time in laughter, Sandie looked up at the old dog. "Aren't you supposed to be watching the girl?" Smiling she stopped the fork halfway through pouring the contents "I don't suppose your wanting what she did not finish?" Raising her dark black eyebrow suggestively to the old dogs delight "Cause I hate to burst your bubble Natty but you know you can't have it."
Sitting on the rug right outside the dining room, their orange and white Pembroke Welsh Corgi perked her head up, ears facing the mother looking with an eager plea. "That goes all the same for you Lizzard…." Groaning of disappointment the small most feminine in her elegant qualities Corgi, crossed her paws over the other like she was a lady in the court, and rested her head upon them looking away from the mother who denied the both of them a fine heaping of leftover oatmeal unfinished by their girl.
...
I got something to tell you
I've got some news for you
Going to put some wheels in motion
Get ready 'cause we're coming through'
Hey now, Hey now, here what I say now
Happiness is just around the corner
Hey now, hey now, here what I say now
Will be there for you
The latest song by the Vengaboys played loudly on Blitz small radio, as she charismatically danced around the room like no one was watching holding a toy purple and light pink oversized plastic microphone in one hand as she danced, kicked and closed her eyes like a rock star raising her hands above her head as she sang along. However, it did not matter if someone saw her; she enjoyed audiences, even the criticizing type. Besides it would not matter, today was going to be an awesome day, and today she would not have to think about that crazy teacher who hated her and thought of her as lazy just because she did not finish the other assignments like the other kids. She was just different that way so she told herself every other day but today, because that teacher could suck eggs, she wasn't bringing her down today.
Pulling her old navy hair band over her ears, she quickly grabbed her snow suit putting it over her feet with ease not having to fix the straps since the last snow was in October and were already adjusted back then. Quickly she zipped the back portion as much as she could before running for her mother to help aid her with her troubles. Finally her mother slipped the jacket over her arms as she placed them through, wrapping her up snuggly, she bent to zip her daughters jacket tickling her all till she giggled and screeched and kissing her cheeks with sweet thoughts of only love. She looked her daughter over happy that she would have more than a fun day with her friends.
Looking up she noticed her mother's smile soon turned to a frown. Clearing her throat she smirked as her hazel eyes looked down at her with light laughter "Did we forget something Boo Boo bear?"
"Huh?"
"Your boots' Sandie added trying to contain her laughter that her daughter could be so silly, or would think she might let her out without her shoes, it wasn't the first time she tried pulling the wool out from under her eyes, and certainly not the last.
"Oh!" Running hurriedly back to her room she returned sporting her pink Barbie snow shoes and a smile on her face, as she began to look towards her mother, anxious that something else might be wrong.
Smiling she nodded in approval warmly thinking just how much seven years had gone by so quickly and her daughter was just staring to grow up so fast. "You may go."
She didn't need to be excused twice, like a gust of wind she flew down the stairs, to her mother's dislike as she watched her daughter anxiously ready to tell her to slow down or catch her if she might trip and fall. But all to soon she was out the door waving goodbye with joy as she yelled "Bye mom!" with childish excitement slamming the door.
Stopping for a moment she sneaked like a spy towards their garage running past it, diving into the bushes, and pausing to make sure no one had scene or heard her, in the case they might tell her mother of any sort of mischief she was getting into. When she figured all was clear, just as quickly she lept out in a single bound with something hidden behind her back, quietly snearking behind the two cars as the branches scraped against the side of the house so she wouldn't be caught. Quickly getting out of her spying mindset, Blairisa nearly flew down the steep downwards hill of their tall steep driveway, crossed the street and met the girl dressed all in blue with straight sandy blond hair and light blue eyes playing in the backyard trying to build a snowman all on her own.
"Hey Liz wait up… for me!" she giggled bounding towards one of her best friends. Liz looked up excitedly hearing the high pitched voice of her friend. Smiling as brightly as the sun she two jumped to her feet rushing to her friend as they both hugged each other ready to have fun in the snow.
...
Jack Frost on the other hand had been around Washington for the last couple of days, it was time Northern Kitsap being the between area of both mountain ranges got its fair share of snow this November.
Smiling that night he heard all the children pray to God that he might bring them snow even if just a little and they could enjoy it even for a short time without school closures anything would work for them. It brought joy to his face, just to think that the children all over still enjoyed snow, would so pray to God for it, yet none would ever let it go to waste.
Watching as each and every child in northern Kitsap woke up to find it had snow and most schools were canceled he was more than pleased with the initial crowd of young ones, some he could mess with and make their day all the more better. He watched as all children gathered with friends, playing games rough housing, having neighborhood wars that consisted mostly of snow balls. All the foolish childness he could only laugh at, smile and enjoy his own time in. Sledding along with the many children, he forgot at times that they could not see him; it was only the hazard of the job.
But finally it was mid-morning and Jack found himself venturing off towards the woods feeling gloomy as he occasionally did on the job. Slumping against his staff as he walked, he began to think more and more of how lonely he was, how sometimes he wished he could just talk to someone more than just other guardians, but could just be seen and noticed by someone other than a guardian or mystical creature but by people.
He heard laughing; it was that of a woman. Following it he circled towards a small lake in the middle of the woods. Their three teenage women spun and gracefully maneuvered along the ice skating to their hearts delight.
Smirking as one appeared to look his way; Jack attempted to fix his hair forgetting that he was invisible to them, all the more being a hormonal eighteen year old man at heart. Part of him wondered why God put him in this world, at least put him as a spirit mind and body of a eighteen year old but no one around his age to understand him as a teenager; at least that he got along with in the Guardian's realm.
Sighing he walked away as the girls seemed to fall into the arms of men he had yet to notice and walk away off the ice, heading back into the woods.
He himself felt he could do little to folly in the woods. Looking towards the small river that lead away from the lake, Jack began to follow it, letting himself give way to thought, to his loneliness of just wishing sometimes he would be noticed, noticed by children and not just imagined to be there in their heads. If he was the Guardian of fun, shouldn't he to have fun, fun with others instead of alone?
...
The girls had begun a short snowball fight, knowing that Mrs. Lillian could be watching them from any window facing her back yard as she took care of Lizzie's kid brother Hansel Johnny Lillian.
Diving behind the small play house Lizzie looked both ways to make sure no one had yet caught them before running and diving behind right after her friend.
"Shhh…" Liz hushed as her friend continued to lightly giggle, having to cover her mouth to stop herself before someone inevitably caught them.
"Do you have the stuff?" Blitz asked looking at her friend quizzically begging to God that her friend did not forget this time.
"You kidding, one time forget is enough…"
"You think!" She raised her eyebrows leaning towards her friend, scolding her as her eyebrows raised in a no-kidding fashion, towards her friend's previous mistakes.
"Yeah... course… I hid them right next to the bush here, knowing this would be the randevú point."
"Nice call."
"What about you?"
Smirking slyly she looked to the corner of her eye craftily "Well I snuck into the garage just before our call when mom thought I was getting dressed well for snow and grabbed the skates daddy bought me, then rushed outside and put them next to those bushy trees at the front porch."
"Where are they now? I didn't see them when you came out."
"Cause I hid them behind my back… no duh!... I put them back here moments after we ran back down your backyard."
"And am I glad" she chuckled smiling at her friend as she wrapped her mittens along the strings of her figure skates, as Blitz equally pilled hers out from beneath the snow.
"Then let's go!" Blitz motioned with glee, looking up as the both of them were startled for a moment by the large raven peering straight at them and cawing just when they shook hands in excitement. Though the start soon drained from both girls as it flew away at their movements, the shock just as quickly flew from their own minds and memories.
"Race you there… Last one behind the bushes is a rotten egg!"
"Well sorry that you'll lose" Blitz chirped as both girls dove past the split rail fence engulfed in laughter, neither caring as they rushed past the brush as they soon begin to tread on the usually muddy marsh, that now appeared just as beautiful and indistinctable as the rest of the neighborhood was covered in snow. No one filthy spot or dirty area seen so easily on the average day could not be spotted as beautiful as the snow came covering it like a radiant sparkling blanket of delight.
Laughing the girls grabbed hands as they raced forward looking for the pond that was not far away, that many children their age would sneak out to skate on. Seeing that the water was never that deep it was the most favorite hangout of those in close proximity to their little neighborhood, seeing as the shallower it was the less of a risk they took playing on it, especially in large numbers all at once.
They ran to their hearts content along the old unpaved path they had taken only a few times, before stopping having lost their breaths.
Leaning against tree's and stumps trying to catch the air in their lungs, both girls felt more exhausted then they ever could, not having enough experience to realize just how snow could weigh one down like a beach of sand.
"Hey you know we should probably get going if… well we want to be there for a decent amount of time before we get in trouble." Smiling refusing to give into her sudden exhaustion from the playful race, Blitz agreed as she stood up.
When she turned her head however, there laid the same black raven staring at them with his pearl black eyes blinking as he threateningly cawed at them as if to get off his territory. Curious she crooked her head, her smile fading as her more than troublesome curiosity plastered along her uncertain face.
"What are you doing here?" she asked quietly to herself as she stepped forward reaching out her small outstretched arm towards him.
The raven cawed leaning forward and hissing as he backed up jumping occasional to retreat from her touch. Threatening with his beak to bite if she came nearer, for a moment it seemed he just might clamp on and refuse to let go. Yet it was so strange she never saw a bird except those horrendous killdeer on the school grounds act like this except when protecting a nest.
Something snapped in the distance, startling her from looking at the bird who the moment she looked up back towards a grove of tree's she usually paid little attention to, did the bird fly towards that grove of plants, cawing his way there, when she saw it. Like the bird had been trying to tell them, or trying to warn them, she saw it. She noticed something dark and tall move along the opposite path a figure of sorts, though they alone were on the path, or so it seemed.
"Hey did you see that?"
"NO what?" Liz asked as she looked skeptically out to the path they all were warned not to go without adult supervision on. Seeing as it led to the lake that they both were warned not to skate on ever just for how dangerous it was. Seeing how parents could never predict if the lake would freeze over all the way, or note, there were stories every year of some random person who fell through that ice and was never seen again. It was tradition every year for kids around Halloween or the dark nights it snowed to tell stories of the lost souls out there haunting it, and the killer who takes those who skates on the lake killing all till he could have his revenge. Or so the campfire summer ghost stories would usual go.
Suddenly he tall obscured shadowed figure moved with great speed once more, catching her curiosity as she took a step forward towards the forbidden path. "There…" She pointed towards a distant bush "There I saw it again" she echoed with great gusto of enthusiasm.
"Blitz… I-I don't see..."
"Common let's check it out-maybe it's a dear or-or- or something cool." Blitz did not take a moment to allow her friend and opportunity to say no, grabbing her wrist she pulled her quickly along the opposite path they had never been on alone, more obscured by weeds and plants then any of the other paths behind their old neighborhood. The more they raced the more the roots, thorns and vine plants pricked upon their snow thick warm outfits, as if determined to make the very blood protected by all their closes to bleed with and prick for days to come.
"Do you see it over there by that oak…? It-it just moved over… there."
"Blitz I honestly…" suddenly she heard the brush looking up ahead, her eyes widened while her face nearly paralyzed in place. There she caught glimmer of the dark shadowed figure moving quickly in the distance equally attracting her curiosity just as much as it had captured her friends. "Yes I-I saw it… What is it?" She excitedly screamed jumping as she caught it pointing with glee that she saw the mysterious shadow. Raising a curious light blonde brow as she watched it disappear like a doe at a sudden sound, she wondered more like her friend what it was that made such a mysterious skittish thing around these parts.
Though both girls equal put away the thoughts that Gabe, his brothers, James and a few of the other reckless neighbor boys were trying to trick whatever neighbor girl they could. Both hid that thought deep inside themselves not wanting to know what sort of game or trick those boys would do if it was them. Partly both of them had not wish to believe it was the 'boys', they wanted something fresh, something new and mysterious like a mystery that was only for them to solve, just like any child would wish for fantasy to be real inside reality.
Raising an eyebrow Blitz rested her hands on her hips as she smirked "Well Miss Attentive, what are you waiting for… lets go find out... Common, let's see what it is for ourselves..."
"What's keeping you slowpoke…? I'll race you there!" Her friend had already taken a few giant steps ahead as she began to race once more; laughing as she looked back to her mildly angered friend she left in the dust.
"Hey no fair... you… y-y-you cheated!"
"Nah uh… nah nah nah nah nah! Neener neener neener!" teasing Liz ran on, certain more than anything her friend would kill her when she caught up, just for that sort of foolish mockery.
"I'll get you good for that Lizzie-Izzy-Stinkies…"
"You gotta' catch me first!" She giggled grabbing a small tree and using it to spin her around the bend in the more tattered grown over path.
Racing forwards the girls sped with all their might, not stopping as they caught up with each other distracted as the shadow moved again. Having a blast as they raced along the unknown territory they took very little notice to the snow where they stepped.
They raced all to jubilantly laughing as they wonder farther and farther following such a strange dark figure deep within the woods along the paths in front of them. Partly having forgotten as they neared another twist in the road that it had disappeared, the duo continued their gala of a race. Blitz was certain she was only inches from gaining full ground and the lead, till something with gusto pulled her back to a stop.
The force of the sudden hault nearly tripped her; she steadily looked back to see her shoe, or foot as it were stuck directly in the snow and mud bellow. Oddly to her confusion it felt like a hand had grabbed her or even a root had caught her boot in a strange way. The only problem was no obscurities or natural trappers could be seen in the folds of the snow. In a way, she refused to admit for it was to strange for her to convey, it felt like somehow magic had trapped her foot in its sudden place.
Lizzie had only rushed a few paces ahead to harder ground when she noticed her friend having oddly fallen behind.
Breathing heavily as she slowed turning all the more with the radiant smile glowing along her face she asked, "Hey… Blitz… What's up why did you stop?"
Blitz looked down feeling her shoes was cemented in the ground. "It's my… my-my foot." she groaned trying to yank it out. "It's stuck!"
"What's wrong? You hurt it or sometin'?"
"No…" she groaned once more yanking it out. "It's…." suddenly she pulled feeling like an balloon air rushing out of the plastic from a sudden pop, as her foot and socks in all fell right out, forcing her to tumble to the dirty ground below.
Tumbling forward on top of her friend, just as she was about to help her; as if they had become dominos they knocked each other over one after the other, landing on the snow covering the muddy bearings of the ground below.
Sticking their noses up in disgust they swatted the mud off their gloves and mittens; shaking the soupy mess and filthy disgust off as much as they could, both appeared utterly displeased by the sudden unpleasant outcome.
"Maybe we can get your boot out together?" Liz insisted as she rose to her feat, brushing off the little mud she could trying to push back her disgust or any thoughts on just how her mother might kill her if this mud did not come off easily or soon.
Helping the brunet up, as Blitz huffed in disgust at the mess all over her suit she whined like a picky brat. "Mommies going to kill me for getting this all dirty!" Even if that was the least of their problems, she still managed to pout her lips and groan with displeasure for the anger her mother would have later of the mess she made on some new clothes.
"Common let's get your shoe unstuck."
"Lets!" Blitz agreed as the two seven year olds walked over to the mud locked boot, standing right over it, when suddenly it began to vibrate strangely holding more to their skepticisms.
It began to shake and jiggle as if a miniature bumble ball, they often liked playing with sat within it. Liz looked towards her friend narrowing her eyebrows, ready for her friend to explode in laughter over her latest prank; she was met unsatisfyingly with a shrug of the shoulders as Blitz deep dark brown eyes starring altogether more curious could not look away from the vibrating shoe. They both watched it for several moments quizzically uncertain what to do.
Unafraid but curious all the same, as she usually was, Blitz bent down reaching her hand hesitantly unsure what to expect towards her boot ready for it to jump out at her and kick her or for George and his brothers to jump out and spook them having been the latest prank him and her friend Jack would have played on the girls of the neighborhood. Her finger only lightly taped the rims, when suddenly the vibrating stopped and surprisingly it was still, adding to both their skepticism.
The blond seven year old tiled her head as she puckered her lips un-amused and frankly very well annoyed. "Now that was un-" Liz could not finish her statement for she was interupted when suddenly both of them jumped back as the shoe itself jumped to life in a way, it suddenly jumped out of the mud like it was a toy race car. Turning away from them leading towards the path that they knew was the cut off towards the lake they were all forbidden to attend without an adult.
"Hey boot!" They called scavenging to their feet as they slowly leapt forward.
"Booty come back...!"
"Come here boot… come here booty… come here boy…"
"Liz" Blitz looked towards her friend nearly as if she were questioning the girls' young intelligence. "It's girl shoes, I'm more then certain a girl shoe would not be a boy."
"Well how do you know, you've never tested the sex of them."
"You've never tested the sex of them" Blitz mocked as she annoying mimicked her voice in the most irritating way.
Whistling and calling it as if it were a runaway dog, the girl did everything they could to get it to come towards them. They had fallen behind several paces that they began to pant heavily, as they came upon a clearing, a clearing that forced their bones to freeze stiff as if they had suddenly been turned to stone.
There in front of their eyes was what looked to them as a vast lake, though naturally it was smaller than most in Washington. It appeared to be frozen solid with layers of snow upon it, but that did not matter when compared to the vastness.
Gasping, their breaths taken from them, their eyes resonated in utter terror. Taking in the foreboding nature of all that surrounded them, the crow, the shadow, the boots to the now present lake, and they were all but taken aback.
Slowly watching their surroundings as if to expect the worst, expect something horrible to happen any second, and the ghost of those murder or those damned to this lake and the connecting river to jump out and drag them down to come, they awaited an ultimate fearful fate. Both girls took a slight step back as they knew where they were, they stood frozen looking out at the vast landscape they had only scene during the summer months when families would venture out here to picnic. Theirs eyes stiff in shock neither girl knew what to do, nor knew how to explain the sudden cold sensation that nipped at their hands and at their spines.
There was only one thing they both held near, the sudden gut wrenching feeling that they should never have come here. Both caught the sudden shiver as they could sense just how bad coming here was.
Liz took a few more paces back as she gripped her stomach feeling more than sick. But only Blitz did not leave room for sickness to completely take over. After her initial shock began to vanish, a new shock took its place, one that plastered her eyes, as she watched their only a few square feet in front of them was her boots sitting their conspicuously not moving, not animated, just sitting like it had been mysteriously placed there by someone who took them off their own feet.
Blitz was smart, sometimes smarter than the average bear when it came to knowledge or knowing just what to do at least for her age Even now she knew going out on the ice would the worst possible thing someone like her could do. Yet, she had a determination to get her boots back, and the only problem with her intuition to her craftiness was the mindset that once she set her mind to something and she really put her mind to something all the more filled with determination to do it, there was no going back and no stopping her, even if it meant on someone's grave.
Taking a step forward, and another her friend had barely noticed what she had been doing, until her eyes suddenly froze in fright at the realization that her friend had both her feet now on the ice.
"Blitz, are you crazy?! What are you doing…? Do you wish to kill yourself…? Get back over here…! are you crazy?!'
"No" she answered unfolding her arms out in front of her as she carefully maneuvered herself without skates along the ice trying her best to maintain her balance. "No not at all… I'm just getting my shoes… besides it's not that far."
Lizzie had no clue what to say as her breaths became shallow with fear her eyes drained of all thought looking as glazed as a dear within the headlights. All was caused as she was forced to watch her friend walk across the ice even only a few square yards it all was too much. She feared something was going to happen, that her friend would be that next big story to be told at summer campfires the next ghosts that they all discussed being taken by a ghost on this very lake.
Fear surrounded Blitz as she carefully did her best to be distracted to feel anything or at least show anything then her simple fear, she knew panicking would make it worst. She only was a few feet away; the boot was just in front of her, just within her reach. Gently she leaned forward careful not to make more than a small easy move at a time, distilling her weight evenly, when suddenly she felt it the plastic outside with the inner wool and cotton padding within her grip.
Sighing with relief she sat on the ice, shaking out any mud off her sock, taking it off and flapping it in the wind, before putting it back on, turning her attention to the dirt along her boot checking both inside and outside for any excess mud as she shook it. Soon enough she had her shoe back on her, to her own relief, and smiled carefully getting up taking a few moments to stand her ground.
Her smile radiating towards her friend with a sudden warm happiness, maybe it wasn't as bad as they were told. She wasn't keen to test the limits of the ice anytime soon that was for sure.
Liz could not help but extinguish a large giant sigh of relief as she whipped the sweat from her forehead and sighed over contently to the fact that her friend was safe and soon to be sound upon the sturdy packed ground.
She was so overjoyed just as her friend was as they watched each other, Blitz carefully once again maneuvering along the ice, neither of them could take a moment to think anything else could go wrong, other than their mothers grounding them. The only thing they feared now would be if their mothers ever found out about this endeavor. They prayed this would be a secret they would take to their graves.
Nearing the shore, both girls looked at each other having the glare in their eyes meet, both looking as if they were still in shock, almost as if neither could yet believe that Blitz got out of this safely that her retrieval of her boot went on without a hitch.
Chuckling nearly trying to convince each other that everything was alright, Lizzie stepped forward lending Blitz her own hand as she helped her back onto the snow covered shore.
Neither of them spoke, the only sound between them was broken overjoyed laughter. Both girls touched their own faces fixed their hair brushing the strands out of habit behind their ears, nearly unable to contain the thought that everything was alright within them.
Sighing with relief a simple glare of ease telling each other with happiness of the temporary foreboding nature they just eased passed like it was less than a blooming flower, was all their eyes could say as they stared at each other stars sparkling like jewels in their very eyes. Without a single word was enough for both of them to agree that they should get out of here immediately. Silently without even a giggle both girls began to walk back the way they came.
Only a few feet had been recovered before Blitz noticed a familiar tug, it felt once more familiar to a hand, similar to the hand she swore grabed her shoe before; but what was it? How?
She was curious and confused, not wanting to face this nightmare again, she was too proud to admit she was scared to look down at her own front foot. Yet somehow she convinced herself to look down, easing herself for the moment of any petrifying fears till she knew what was real. Once again she saw nothing.
Smirking and shaking her head at her own foolishness, she moved her back foot in front, only to be caught that instant when she met that innocuous tug again. This time she knew it could not be her imagination playing tricks, it was too much like before and all the more stronger, more resistant to let her go.
Looking up tensely to her friend who was walking slowly in front of her, she tried not to start her with any alarms. Raising her now front foot she tried to rub off her folly. Nevertheless, her foot felt as if it was cemented on the ground, as if suddenly both feet had frozen to the point they were cement statues of her own feet, meant to stay still unless another man moved them. Staying planted on the ground as she moved her feet or tried, they continued to be attached and cemented on the ground unable to move except within the shoe.
Her breath began to stager, she carefully and slowly looked down to see what it was beneath the snow that clamped her to the ground. To her horror, what she found was something that made her whole world feel as if it had stopped. For there it was something she could never have imagined or even predicted in even her wildest dreams.
There was a nightmare waiting to happen, and now she was the living hostage to its dastardly deeds.
...
Lizzie had just turned to see what was keeping her from following. The very same seconds Blitz had mere seconds in which she looked down at her feet only to find to her dread hands formed from roots others from mud holding her feet down, moving over her shoes like molten lave and forcing them to be weighted into the ground as if she now were part of a ground, a tree with roots beneath the ground.
Fear had overtaken her, her skin drained of color, and in only seconds she remembered her best friend was right in front of her oblivious to the monstrosities they both had walked themselves into.
To her fright, her best friend had stopped, she knew Liz noticed her absence and was just turning around a few feet in front of her to see what the hold up was. Blitz knew she couldn't touch her from her position, but she knew if she tried hard enough she just might be able to keep her away from these monsters of nature.
Looking to the ground something caught her attention, something that took the rest of her breath away and sent her into a mild manor shock. There was a hand like those that currently held her prisoner planted to the ground, reaching its palms right towards her best friend.
"Lizzie no!" Lunging forward as quick as a whip, with all her might, she let herself fall until she could feel part of her body land against the side of her friends and she heaved her with all her strength she had into the bushes where she hoped the nightmarish hands formed of earth and rock would leave her and let her best friend be.
Though Blitz lay upon the ground coughing from the force at which she fell and the dust that got into her chest. She looked towards her friend who angrily watched her from out of the bushes, cheeks and neck cut with scrapes from the prickly branches of spiked plants she was pushed into. No doubt Lizzie was about ready to defend herself if not pick a fight with her best friend; until she saw exactly what had her friend hostage and the hands reaching from the ground coming towards her direction.
Petrified her eyes were frozen, plastered with terror of things there parents told them were only of stories not real, now she knew how wrong parents were.
"Liz-Liz-Liz-Iz-Izzy… Lizzie!" Blitz coughed like a ill child caught by pneumonia in the winter. "R-r-r-run- Run! Run, get momma… Get mommy…Get anyone… RUN AND GET HELP NOW!" She nodded, nevertheless did not move as she continued to look in her horror towards her defenseless neighborhood friend struggling against demonic hands that held her prisoner. Captured like the stories thieves who took little girls and never would be seen again that she could recall in a timely manner such as this.
With all the surety she could muster to gather and mask her fright while she watched her friend frightened and stiff unable to run lay hostage to the dark unknown.
However, no matter the cost, Blitz promised to herself she would not let her friend get to her even if it meant to help, she would not let her friend suffer from her own mistake suffer this same imprisonment, her idiocy to follow a dark shadow was her mistake, hers alone and it was hers to pay. It was not Liz's, not hers at all, she was the smart one for once, she one speaking sense.
Liz was the one she dragged into this till she followed. It was her own fault, she knew it all the more true. The truth was they should never have come here, ghost or acts of supernatural entity, no matter what they had seen that came over their eeger minds of adventure. Her friend should not fall victim like her, she told herself once again 'No matter what I'll fight for her freedom, so she doesn't pay, I'll fight so she doesn't have to, I'll fight so she doesn't have to end up like me.' Her stiff dark brown eyes glistened as they glossed over shimmering in the blanket of fresh liquid layer steadying upon them. Though she sniffled, feeling all the more helpless and scared, she acted brave looking up at her friend with all her might to plead and be successful for once in pleading that Liz would do what was smart and right to do.
To God above did she plead her friend would listen to her would not folly here and would run, run from here and never look back no matter what became of herself.
Shaking, Liz clutched the branches behind her, her breath was as uneven as a frightened hair hiding from its enemies would cower from the stalking predators around it. Her eyes were wide stricken with unrelenting terror, as she watched the real nightmare unfolding before her hurting her best friend, her friend who sang to her who held her hand when she was sick, when she nearly died from leukemia. Her best friend who knew her and never once gave up on her no matter what idiocy she brought around. Her best friend who now could be soon to die, and all she could do was lay on the ground stiff as a statue watching and letting it happen before her very own crisp icy blue eyes.
Her light blue eyes ventured towards those hands pinning her friends legs downs, pinning her like a tent to the ground. How could she leave her, how could she ask? Never had she been given a chance to repay Blits for staying with her when they were four when she could have died, never had she been given it. But now that she had, she could not except that her friend didn't want her to help, didn't want her to get her out of this, that her friend wanted her to run that she wanted her to leave her to die. How could she? Especially after all they had been through together. A tear began to soak her eyes as she sniffled falling into the hardship of her own dreaded tears.
Blitz felt regretful as she saw her friend turn her head away as if she had just betrayed her, betrayed what the brave girl she did not tell enough was brave, braver then her no matter how she never said it. A girl braver then her indeed, for she faced what no one their age could or should face she faced nearly dying giving up her life while they were young. Yet Blitz could not let herself sympathizes, she knew her friend felt she was giving up on her, she did not have to step into Lizzie's shoes to know the betrayal she asked of her best friend was like questioning her own ability to help. It wouldn't help to try reassuring her friend this was not a question of her ability or friendship, but a matter of her safety, of not letting her friend pay for her own mistake. Her friend was as stubborn if not more than she was, if any time there was in their lives to reassure her of anything, it was not now.
Looking down towards her feat, accepting the bitter end that there was no escaping this fate, she relinquished her ideal to fight it, to grow up in her own way and abandon the fear in her eyes. It was that moment she sighed, that moment she felt the daunting's of the uncomfortable air surrounding her, swallow her that she knew she had given, grown and scarified her adolescence like an adult.
Biting her lip till it felt like it was going to bleed, there was no time to waist. Though she could not find the courage to look her friend in the eyes, she knew the only way to get through this would be to relinquish her dearest possession, something she might always regret, she had to let go. Sighing she looked at the ground in front of her as she clung to the roots still keeping her forward, her arms aching she knew this was her cut, her final chapter. If there was anything to be left unsaid she would leave it there, but make sure the last pages were all the more worth their while.
"Liz… Liz… Just… just go!" her voice cracked as she began to surrender herself to the whims of the day.
"But-"Liz sounded quiet frightened as a door mouse, nevertheless she was cut off.
"Liz just go! I don't need you; I don't need anyone… I can do this on my own... I don't need anyone's help… And especially don't need yours!"
"Bu-"
Growling Blitz shook her head, wondering what it might take for Liz to understand. Trying her hardest, trying not to show the tears forming in her eyes the tears falling on the ground "Don't you get it?! Don't you worry about me… Don't waste your time on me… Just- Go! Go! LIZZIE GO!" Liz leaped to her feet startled by the bite in her best friends voice. Backing against the trunk, shaking her head refusing what her friend was saying as tears like a rain storm broke from her eyes she refused to allow those venomous words to soak into her skin.
Disbelief radiated off her like the sun radiates on skin, unstably she fell back against the tree hands clutching the wood, while she tried convincing herself she had to help her friend her friend who was acting rash; who was trying to just convince her to leave, who wasn't hard in reality, like she was acting.
Looking once more towards her friend, she finally saw the foreboding shadow hanging over her like a cloud, she was giving up, and she was not fighting this anymore. It terrorized shocked her that this very friend that acted so brave like she could rule the world, this friend before her was giving up when the patches got rough, relinquishing all power as if she were a wounded soldier.
Hearing a branch snap, in horror she saw her friend trying to walk past the bushes, even in her own disbelief still trying to help her, no matter how she refused her. Blitz quickly looked up, not afraid to show her friend her eyes were pouring faucets of water like a water fountain not afraid to show her she was still scared. She had no fear now, she could never more be afraid to let her best friend know that on the inside this was killing her slowly.
With all the strength she had left, her misty eyes looked straight at her friend pleading one last time with all she had just one word she could muster "Go!" Her voice was small like a whisper from the trees as quiet as mourner at a grave and still as the wind.
All the same the pain was too much, the attempts on her friends part was too much. Her head rattled unsure what to do, unsure what to think. Till she knew, there was no more of this pain she could take, and so she turned taking one quick look back at her defeated friend and ran from the scene, hurt and distraught, determined no matter what it took to find all the help she could. "I'll be back" she promised her voice carring hurtfuly towards her lost friend, as she was swept away by the waves of bushes behind the tree, not caring how scratched and tattered she now became.
Turning away she was afraid to look afraid to watch her friend captured to, she heard a branch break, as others spread away crackling as they were moved. Blitz was sure it sounded like she was stepping closer. But sudden as the brush swiped together, others brushed away everything went still, as quiet as a summer morn. Now she knew she was alone on this one, she was alone with horror and it's child to take her away.
Thank you for reading Part 1 of the Prologue.
I'd start by apologizing for this being so long or having a large authors note, I promise to shorten them up as I go.
What do you think will happen next to Blitz? Find out when the next chapter continues.
For those of you who like Lizzie's character, I will inform you she's a reoccurring character and will be seen throughout the story and as it progresses.
I hope you all enjoyed, and do hope you will review, message me if you have any questions of suggestions I always take them, read and reply as soon as I can.
What did you think? I won't update till I have two reviews so please do review, besides that I hope you enjoyed for this will be a fun adventure I'm having more than fun writing before even seeing the film
I forgot to mention earlier that I was seven in 99' so that's one reason my characters are, I'm able to easily identify things that were iconic back then and I still remember the when the Vengaboys were all the rage. Well those were the days.
Next chapter:
Blitz finds out just what is in store for her
Jack on the other hand is nearby when he hears a call for help. Will he get there in time?
Something occurs that disrupts the magical world once again, a feeling of death and destruction of a child they all can feel, like a piece of sand has died. They all rush to know what happened, knowing one time in the past when they all felt this before, none could believe it was real again.
Next chapter begins the race of time, as more than one thing is unraveled, and it all leads towards the beginning of my story. You'll find out exactly why the storm is as white as snow in the end.