Being a guardian is busy work. Every second of every day, there is always some place in the world that's supposed to be cold, or someplace where it's winter, or someplace that's just far overdue for a snow day. Jack Frost hardly has a moment to breathe. Whenever he does, though, he goes straight to Burgess. It's a small town in Pennsylvania with peeling paint and rusted trashcans, nothing spectacular. But to Jack this is the most important place in the world. This is the town he spent his life, and his afterlife, in. This is also the home of a boy. A boy named Jamie Bennett.
Jamie was ten years old when he first saw Jack. He was a unique child, with a strange affinity for the improbable and fantastic. Maybe this natural inclination is what laid the foundation for his belief in popular mythical creatures and people. Jamie saw the pale boy when nobody else in the world had, and he defended him with his belief. Now it's been one year since that first encounter. Jamie is a sixth grader at his local middle school, and he has two "C"s on his report card. His mom is not happy with this.
Jack could not fly to his home fast enough. For the first time in a long time he had finished his duties early and had a moment of free time. He chose to spend this moment the way he had before defeated Pitch Black and became a guardian: in his home town, playing with the local children. He touched down near the Bennett household and peeked through the window of the family room. This was the room where Jamie watched TV with his younger sister Sophie, put together puzzles, and normally was when he wasn't outside playing. When Jack looked through the window, there was Jamie. He sat at the desk in the corner, and had just closed a heavy looking book. Jack knocked on the window, excited to visit his first believer.
Jamie's head whipped around at the sharp sound and grinned at Jack. The tooth he lost from a freak sledding incident had grown back in a long time ago. He scuttled to the window and slid it open, letting in the cold air and the cold boy. "Jack!" He exclaimed gleefully, extending his arms for a hug.
"Hey, Jamie!" Jack responded, kneeling down to embrace his young friend. He noticed that he didn't have to stoop as much as he normally did to reach his first believer. "You've gotten so much taller, kid! When did that happen?"
"Have I?" Jamie asked, looking down at himself. "I actually didn't notice!"
"You're still a bit of a pipsqueak, though. Still shorter than that Pippa girl?"
Jamie groaned. "Don't remind me. Every time I gain a centimeter, she gets two! It's really not even funny."
Jack laughed. "So, hey, do you want to go grab the gang and have some fun outside?" He asked. He had missed Jamie and his friends since he had last visited.
Jamie's smile brightened. "Sure!" He said, grabbing his coat from the back of his chair. "Let's go get everyone!" He showed his mother his completed homework and ran out the door, zipping his coat as he went. Jack flew along beside him, easily keeping up with Jamie's steady pace.
The rest of the day was spent the same day that Jack's visits always were: filled with fun, laughter, and snowball fights. At the end of the day, Jamie returned home, exhausted and told his mom and sister about the wonderful day he had. Then he went to bed and Jack stayed with him, telling stories until he fell asleep. These were the times that Jack loved the most. He loved watching the golden sand slowly stream into the room and circle above Jamie's head until he finally dozed off. He left that night with a smile, and a heart full of joy.