Chapter Sixteen
Death can be painful, or you could go without even realizing it. What happens after you die? Does anyone truly know? Those were questions running through Jamie's mind. The headlights were approaching faster now and Jamie was like a frozen deer in the middle of an interstate.
"Jamie, move!" someone screamed.
Jamie wasn't for sure who it was screaming his name. It could have been anyone.
Why am I not moving? he thought to himself.
His body was sprawled across the road and his limbs ached. Did he break something? Badly bruised?
Jamie could hear tires screeching across the road, like the car was trying to stop and the driver slammed down on the brakes. The squealing of the tires was loud and Jamie wasn't sure it'd stop in time. The loud noises soon stopped and Jamie felt a strong push on his side. He was flung forward across the road and his head hit against the pavement, hard.
Jamie's vision blurred and everything was becoming fuzzy and difficult to remember. The screaming of people were getting louder but soon was fainting off into the distance.
Dark...but also bright. What kind of place is that? Jamie's eyes were slowly adjusting as he observed his surroundings. He thought he saw Earth in the distance. That'd be absurd though. Jamie is on Earth. He couldn't live without oxygen. Right?
"Oh I see you're awake," a voice echoed.
Jamie looked around in utter confusion.
"Where am I?" he asked.
"Oh? Don't you know? You're on the moon dear boy."
"That's impossible."
"After what you've seen, do you really think that?"
"I don't know anymore."
"Well, whether you believe it or not. You're on the moon. Well not technically. Only in spirit."
"What do you mean?" Jamie asked quickly, sitting up now.
He didn't see anyone around. Whom could possibly be talking to him.
"Well, your body rests in a local hospital in the town where your school sits."
"Am...Am I dead?"
"Not yet."
Jamie's eyes widened and he stood up now.
"I'm tired of looking like I'm talking to myself. Show yourself," Jamie demanded.
"I am showing myself."
"Well I don't see you."
"Do you really need to see something to believe it's real?" the voice questioned.
"I... I guess not..." Jamie whispered, knowing that what the voice said made sense. He had gone a lot of his childhood not ever seeing the sandman, Santa Claus, the Easter bunny, or the tooth fairy; but he still believed in their existence. "Well, can you at least tell me who you are?"
"I am the man in moon. Mostly referred to as MiM by my friends. You can call me that if you wish."
Jamie's eyes widened. This was the Guardian who picked Jamie to be the new addition and had helped out the others before.
"Okay, MiM... If I'm almost dead. Then what am I doing here?" he asked.
"Well, we have much to discuss," MiM stated.
"Like what?"
"You becoming a Guardian."
Jamie opened his mouth, but closed it again.
"I don't think I can do it," he said blankly.
"Well Jamie Bennett, think of it this way... You're in the hospital now, dying. Becoming a Guardian could possibly save you. You'd be able to continue living on Earth and help others in need. Plus, you'd never grow older than Jack Frost."
Jamie's eyes widened in shock.
"That's right. I know about your relationship with him," MiM said with a slight chuckle.
"What about my family and friends?"
"They will always believe you exist, won't they? They'll be able to see you. Of course, you'll outlive them, but... You'll be see all of the new family members that go throughtout your family line. Your friends still believe in the Guardians after you guys helped as children. I'm sure they'll believe your story," the moon man further explained.
Jamie sighed deeply. "You'll be heartbroken to see I died."
"Of course. That's only natural. Yet, they'll always continue to see you, as long as they believe."
Jamie just nodded. He would end up dying in the hospital anyways, and then never ever seeing anyone he cared about ever again. He knew what he needed to do.
"Okay. I understand now. I'll be a Guardian," Jamie proclaimed, staring up at the star covered universe.
"Excellent. Jamie, you are a very loving boy. Even if you don't realize that yet. You are the Guardian of love."
"What? Like Cupid?" Jamie asked, raising a brow.
"Very funny," MiM chuckled. "While you will be equipped with arrows for a weapon... You will not be Cupid."
"Good. You won't catch me in a diaper and a sash."
"Of course. Well, I guess this is goodbye for now. Good luck to you."
"Thank you," Jamie replied.
He shut his eyes and his spirit was soon drifting away from the moon.
The machine showed a steady heart rate. Yet, that was all about to change. Well, Jamie thought it would change. When he awoke he saw he was not even in a hospital. His body was positioned comfortably into a coffin.
"What? They buried me already!? How long have I been out?" he groaned.
Jamie put his hands on top of the coffin lid and as soon as he did, he floated out from the ground, body and all, onto Earth's surface. His feet were firmly planted on a patch of grass and he looked at his own tombstone. He read his name, the dates across it, and the little message about how we was "a great boy."
Jamie thought he was going to tear up, but nothing came. He didn't want to cry anymore. Jamie noticed he was dressed in a black suit, but he was wearing one fingerless, red glove that had a little pink heart on the palm.
Surely his parents didn't have him buried in the glove. It must have been some magic Guardian work? Jamie sighed, not even caring anymore, and walked away. He walked through the graveyard, passing many tombstones of unfamiliar names.
Jamie walked along, passing by an electronic clock with the date on it. Two weeks had passed. Time sure did fly when you were hanging out on the moon. Jamie laughed to himself and kept on walking. He wasn't for sure where to go. He didn't even know how to get back to the North Pole, or if they were still there.
He walked past a shop when he caught his reflection in the window. His hair was it's usual self, but his eyes had turned an orange yellow. He squinted his eyes at his reflection, trying to see if he hadn't just imagined it. But sure enough, his new eye colour was real.
Jamie just shook it off and he broke off into a run now. He ran past shops, ignoring detection from any people just in case, and headed towards the lake where he once saw Jack leave in Santa's sled.
When he arrived at the lake, he saw it was completely frozen. Jamie walked through the snow covered ground and approached the frozen water. He gently placed his foot on it and slid along the ice. He scooted himself to the middle of the lake and then looked up at the sky, viewing the trees above him.
"I thought you'd never wake," a familiar voice said.
Jamie almost jumped, having been completely startled. He spun around and saw none other, than Jack Frost.