Christmas time for a lonely spirit.
Hey guys- I'm sorry I haven't updated lately but Christmas is a busy time for my family...and I'm forced to help...;-)
This story has a happy ending (*cheer*)...but a sad beginning...
I don't own rotg...and...Enjoy!
Jack tended to stay away from houses at Christmas time. Not having anyone to spend it with, he felt a rush of mixed feelings when he saw everybody celebrating with friend and family, but the main one was loneliness. Jack was lonely a lot, but he didn't let it bother him. A little. However at Christmas...well...no one could see him and he always ended up huddled in a bush or a tree all day and tried to stay out of the way. Being on the naughty list didn't help matters either. Jack told himself he didn't care but he was never sure if he was telling the truth. So Jack never had really celebrated Christmas properly. He once got a tiny tree, no bigger than his hand, and decorated it with ice snowflakes but he immediately destroyed it in sadness.
Jack thought about Christmas whilst he flew and couldn't help tearing up. Hey! He didn't want to cry over one stupid holiday! He was passed that now! That bit was true. At first, he was sad when the holiday came. He used to look into windows longingly at the people smiling happily. He wished that someone could see him. But no one did. He tried so hard- he made it snow everywhere in hope someone would think and believe in him. In fact, he still did, even though it usually left him exhausted at the end of the day. But his efforts didn't work.
After a hundred years roughly, the sadness in Jack turned into hatred. He got angry at all the people who moaned when he made it snow. He couldn't stand the sight of families grouped together like sheep. This rage resulted in huge snowstorms in some places which lasted a couple of hours, and caused miles of destruction. He didn't get how people could be so happy on Christmas and not think of anything else. The hate just grew over the years the more people passed through him without a care.
Yet, each year, he would still find himself longing to get a gift or looking into houses finding tears in his eyes. Then all his depressing thoughts would come back and Jack would shake his head. He couldn't have any gifts- he was on the naughty list, he told himself, who wants to go in a crowded house anyway?
Jack caught sight of Jamie's house and lowered himself to the window. He looked in before knocking, and blinked at what he saw.
"Come on! I want to show you how my room looks now!" Jamie said and pulled in some people Jack had never seen before. They were all old, and there was four of them. Grandparents. Why was Jamie with them? They looked around and gasped at what they saw. Jack rolled his eyes.
"It's very different from when I last saw it...I like this design better." One of them said.
"It seems like only yesterday that you wanted trains over your walls..." another said. Jack thought Jamie would groan, but he didn't. He smiled. Strange. Jack groaned for him.
"Come on! I want you to watch this new movie with me!" Jamie said and rushed out the room with the grandparents following, chuckling. Jack backed away from the window. He didn't notice him... Jack sighed and dark thoughts plagued his mind again. He flew off, away from Burgess. He wanted to get away from Christmas.
Jack found himself somewhere in Europe. He didn't really bother to check where- he was just somewhere in it. Jack was sitting on a rooftop. He didn't know which one- he was just on one. He looked at the town and all it's Christmas decorations. He looked till his eyesight blurred and tears started falling from his face. No! Why was he crying? Christmas was just a wasted day! But more tears fell. He scrubbed his eyes viciously and curled into a ball. He was suddenly aware of someone behind him. He turned and found Sandy looking concerned. Looking sorry for him. Jack didn't want anybody feeling sorry for him. He turned away and ignored him. Sandy sat down next to him and dangled his legs over the edge of the roof. And waited. Sandy may not speak, but he was a very good listener. Sandy could see something was wrong, but instead of asking, he waited. And waited.
"I don't need your company, you know..." Jack said. Sandy stayed where he was. Jack sighed and looked at the Christmas decorations again.
"I just want to be alone..." he said. No chance of that. Sandy shuffled closer and put his hand on Jack's shoulder. The spirit finally looked at him. You can tell me was the look Sandy gave him.
"No, I can't." Jack said, "you won't understand..." so Sandy waited. He gathered some things already- that Jack was lonely, he was upset about something and that was also was angry about that same thing.
"Why do people celebrate Christmas?" Jack asked. He was finally opening up. Even if it was a little. Sandy didn't answer the question but studied Jack's face. He was staring down at the decorations and he could see pain in his eyes as he said it. That's when it clicked. Jack...he had never celebrated Christmas...he was alone. That's why he was upset and angry. He probably never had been given a gift. Sandy flew in front of the spirit's face. Jack looked up and saw that Sandy understood. The next thing he did was grab a pile of sand and make something from it. A dolphin. Then he touched it, which made it wooden. Finally, he gave it to Jack.
"Really?" Jack said. Sandy nodded. The spirit stroked it fondly. "Thank you." He said and smiled. A real smile. Sandy made an arrow above his head.
"Where?" Jack said. Sandy made an image of the workshop then he spelt party underneath. Oh. North had mentioned this to him a thousand times. He wasn't sure. He didn't know what to do and he hadn't ever celebrated with anyone. Sandy held out his hand as if to say are you coming? Jack took it, shyly. No words needed to be said.