Chapter 10
The school day went on without incident for Grace as Megan was nowhere to be seen. "Maybe she's ill!" Lizzy exclaimed in a hopeful tone.
"Yeah, if she didn't hear about the contest, maybe she won't enter!" Grace replied, but Lizzy's face slumped, as if realization came to her.
"Unless her father spoke with the headmistress in private," Lizzy said and that killed the good mood for both of them.
"I have yet to see Megan's drawings, have you seen them?" Grace asked.
"I have," Lizzy replied, "And I have to admit, they were quite ugly, but that was a year ago. Maybe she improved, at least I hope not. If she didn't, then she won't be this year's winner in the contest," Lizzy said. "To be honest, I hope you win," she added.
Grace's mother picked her daughter up from school and Grace told her about the contest.
"That sounds splendid, what do you plan to sketch?" her mother asked.
"That I want to keep secret, I want to surprise you and daddy," Grace replied.
When they arrived home, Grace checked outside to see if Pitch was anywhere on the property, but he wasn't.
The boogeyman and his escort, Erebos were flying over the skyline of London. It was bigger than Blackpool with bright lights, loud noises, and people everywhere. Pitch was looking for the University of Art, but London was a huge city that he might not find it tonight.
Then, Erebos took a downward fall, straight towards earth, and Pitch held onto his mane. "You are one crazy animal!" the nightmare king shouted, but the Pegasus ignored him.
Erebos landed in some kind of courtyard that was surrounded by white marble buildings, which suggests that this place was built recently.
Pitch walked around the courtyard and took a peek through the glass windows. On the walls were paintings made of oil or watercolor and they were amazing to look at. He looked in more rooms, finding one that had marble statues that were very detailed with human features.
Pitch looked around to see if he could find the charcoal drawings. He did find the gallery and was amazed by the drawings. Some pictures were of people, while others had landscapes, and there were a few that had still life or animals.
"Grace will fit in here, I know she will," Pitch said to Erebos, who nodded. Pitch came upon a charcoal piece that featured human hands, they were elegantly drawn, and he stared at the piece for awhile.
The two decided to leave and Erebos flew above the city of London. Pitch formed some black sand and created some nightmares. "Listen very carefully, I want you to haunt the dreams of those who have been bad. Do not intervene with those who have been good, understand?" the nightmares' master asked and the creatures nodded and they went away.
Unfortunately, some of the nightmares disobeyed their master and Pitch had to stop them. It took him all night to led the nightmares to the bad children and the sun was beginning to rise.
"I should've been at Grace's hours ago," he said to Erebos and the black Pegasus took him to Blackpool.
When they arrived at the Dawson house, Pitch entered in Grace's room, hoping to not scare her when she woke up. However, something did not feel right and Pitch took a peek under the blankets. Instead of Grace, there were pillows under the sheets.
"Grace? Grace?" he called out, but no sight of the girl.
Suddenly, something grabbed him by the ankles and he gasped in surprised and looked down. At his feet, the girl crawled out from under the bed and started to laugh.
"I scared you, didn't I?" Grace asked and Pitch had to chuckle.
"You sure did. I almost got a heart attack. Listen, you won't believe where I went last night," he said and Grace decided to listen. "I went to the university that you mentioned and it is an artist's paradise," Pitch explained.
"Pitch," Grace replied, her face showed sadness, "I thought it be best that I don't enter the contest."
"What? But you seemed so excited, why give up?" Pitch asked.
"What if the other people don't like my drawing of you and Erebos? What if they say I am not good enough?" Grace replied, but Pitch shook his head.
"Is that what you believe? People letting you down in the end? I don't think so," the boogeyman said and gently moved a strain of her hair behind her ear. "Grace, don't let that fear eat at you, otherwise you won't be able to see what the ultimate reward will be in the end. Now, I know people will love your drawings as much as I do," Pitch added.
"You love my drawings?" Grace asked.
"Of course I do, I did say that you surprise me every time," he answered and Grace nods with a smile.
"All right, I'll do it," she replied and Pitch smiled.
Awhile later, Grace got dressed in her uniform and left the house to go to school and Pitch hoped that she would have a good day.