Hi everybody! Hey, I'm so glad that this story is getting supporters. I think that, with school coming up and me falling into an actual routine instead of getting off my lazy ass and writing whenever I want, I'll be able to stick to some reasonable facsimile of a schedule. Not that I'm promising anything, mind.
Anyway, thank you for the reviews, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
"NOW DO YOU BELIEVE ME?" Jamie yelled, throwing his hand up over his eyes to shield them from the light. Sophie was still in his arms and he had to turn her head against him to keep her from being blinded. Of course, she was awake now and crying.
"Jamie!" she wailed. "No lights!"
Kozmotis was too shocked to speak. The light, the sounds, it was all so beautiful. Like angels and snow, singing and dancing in the room. The door was wide-open now and he could see a figure laying in the center of the room, being consumed by white fire. Icicles hung from the rafters and snow whirled around the room. It was terribly beautiful and Kozmotis found himself wanting to step through and touch the white fire.
"MR. PITCHNER!" Jamie yelled, tugging on his sleeve.
Kozmotis snapped out of his revere and looked down at the boy. The brilliant white light was reflected in his eyes and he looked scared. Sophie was sobbing.
"Mr. Pitchner, I know what this is!" Jamie shouted over the deafening singing. It was so wonderful, yet so terrible.
"What?" he yelled over the noise. "What is it?"
Jamie grabbed into his hand and tried to pull him through the doorway, but Kozmotis was a fully-grown mad and at least two feet taller than Jamie. He wanted to go in, god did he want to- to touch those icicles and feel the white fire, but his common sense smacked him upside the head and he blinked, trying to come back to the situation at hand. Sophie was crying and wailing about no lights. Jamie held her against him and was trying to shout something, but his voice was muffled over the noise and he only caught fragments here and there.
"We can't- him in there! He's- need to get in there!"
Kozmotis shook his head. "No, we can't go in there. I need to get you and Sophie away from here before you freeze to death!" he said, grabbing Jamie's arm and pulled him away from the door.
"It's just Jack!" Jamie said, yanking his arm away from Kozmotis. The child was strong, but he was stronger and he grabbed on to his hand again, pulled the boy back. "Please!" Jamie begged, fighting and trying to slip out of his grasp. "I know what's happening! Jack's going into hibernation and he needs to find a safe place with snow and ice to recuperate NOW, otherwise he'll turn your house into an igloo and he won't wake up for another year! You have to believe me!"
"We can't stay here!" Kozmotis yelled, pulling him down the hall. "It's too dangerous!"
Jamie dug his heels into the carpet and screamed, "There's no time! Jack's about to turn this place into an ice cube and we need to get him out of here, right now! Please, you've got to believe me!"
Sophie screamed, "NO LIGHTS!"
And Kozmotis automatically plucked her from Jamie- who didn't fight, and held her close. "Shush child," He said. "I know the light is uncomfortable." Sophie continued to wail about no lights and Kozmotis knew he would have to get both children away from here, before something worse happened.
Jamie, however, had other ideas and, when Kozmotis picked up his sister the boy broke free of his grasp and ran into the room.
"JAMIE NO!" Kozmotis yelled, but he couldn't go after him while he was holding Sophie. The cold emanating from that room was already chilling him and he had to get her away from here, before she froze. "JAMIE!" he called again, trying to see past the white light and singing, but the boy had completely disappeared into the white light and mist that hung in the open doorway.
Kozmotis briefly thought about running, but he shook his head, disgusted with himself. I can't just leave the boy! He thought angrily. But I can't leave Sophie either. he looked down at the little girl in his arms. She was crying and he gently rocked her, whispering calming words. "Sophie, shh. It's OK. Listen, There's something I need you to do for me, please?"
Sophie looked up at him and he smiled. Her fern-green eyes were red with tears. "I need you to stay here, right here, and don't move, OK? I have to go get your brother."
He gently set her down and she began to cry. "No, Boogeyman! Don't leave me!" she wrapped her arms around his neck and he had to unhook her as gently as he could.
"I'm not leaving." he said, trying to sound sure. "I need to go help your brother, OK? Just don't move, don't cry, and whatever you do, don't go into that room, alright?" he said, pointing to the room that Jamie had disappeared into.
She sniffed and nodded. "OK."
"OK. I'll be back, you hear?" he said, patting her head gently, the same way he did with his own daughter when he had to go to work when she was younger. "I'll just be gone for a minute."
She nodded again and he turned, braced himself, and pushed through the open door and into the room.
Immediately he felt the cold, clammy touch of the temperature effecting him. He moved sluggishly from the moment he crossed the threshold and hen purposeful run turned into a slow trudge. He braced himself against the whirling, biting wind that seemed to come from nowhere and tried to ignore the singing, but that wasn't the only thing speaking in this room.
Lie down man. There seemed to be a voice on the frigid air, whispering into his ears. It's a fine old bed, ice is. Nothing like snow for a blanket either. Kozmotis had to pinch his arm to keep himself awake. He could not faint or go to sleep! Two children's lives depended on him! Yet the sound of the enticing voice, mingled with the angelic voices of the snow and ice were almost intoxicating. He wanted to lie down! He needed to lie down!
"JAMIE!" Kozmotis yelled. He couldn't see the boy. It was too bright. the white fire consuming Jack was straight ahead and against it's radiant light, Kozmotis could make out the barest hint of a figure. The snow wrestled with him and he forced himself onward. Icicles hung from the ceiling and the floor was covered in patches. Kozmotis stepped lightly around the patches and felt himself shiver. The ice was creeping up his shoes and he had to keep moving to stop his feet from sticking to the floor.
Kozmotis looked up again and for a second, he lost sight of Jamie. The brilliant light was blinding him and he wanted to run far away from the hated light, but the ice stopped him from moving and the only thing that he could do to keep himself awake was to shout the boy's name at the top of his lungs!
"JAMIE!"
There! There he was, standing over Jack's bed, still as a statue.
"JAMIE!"
Jamie didn't respond. He just stood there, staring at Jack and, for an awful moment, Kozmotis thought that Jamie had been frozen solid. Then, as he made his way closer, he saw that the boy was still breathing.
"JAMIE!" he called a third time, hoping against all hope that the boy was still alive. He could feel the ice creeping up his feet and he stomped as hard as he could to break it off. The stop, rather than the calling of his name, seemed to jolt Jamie and he jerked his head, almost turning to look at him, then he turned his head back towards Jack before they could make eye contact.
"Jamie! Blast you boy, look at me!" Kozmotis ordered, wading through the snow that had piled up around Jamie and Jack. He couldn't see the boy's legs and he worried they were frozen.
Jamie only continued to stare down at Jack.
When Kozmotis finally reached the boy, he grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him as hard as he dared, in case the boy really was made of ice and might shatter in his fingertips. "Jamie, speak to me!" he ordered. The boy's eyes were glassy and he didn't respond. "JAMIE!" Kozmotis yelled over the singing, which seemed to have gotten louder. "Jamie, wake up!"
Jamie's eyes, glassy and unresponsive, blinked and slowly, ever so slowly, ever so slowly that it was agonizing to watch cleared. When they did, Kozmotis did not like the look that was on them. the boy's eyes were wide with fear. Fear? Kozmotis thought. Of what? Him?
"P- Pitch?" he asked shakily, staring into Kozmotis's face with the look of a petrified small animal.
Kozmotis rolled his eyes. "Jamie, for the last time-" he began, then he saw the fear in the boy's eyes, the terror. He was staring at Kozmotis like he really was the Boogeyman. "Jamie," he began again, more gently that before. "I'm not Pitch Black. It's me, Kozmotis Pitchner. My daughter is Seraphina, Coal," he added, using the nick-name he would probably remember more that her real name, which everybody tried to shorten but he liked it long. "She's in your class and Burgess elementary school. Your sister Sophie is outside, waiting for you. Jack Frost needs your help. You have to come back to me, alright?"
Before Jamie could say a thing, however, the room suddenly shuddered violently and Kozmotis was knocked to the ground. Jamie stayed perfectly upright and staring straight ahead. Kozmotis groaned and pressed his hand to his side. Just my luck! He thought. As if I didn't have to deal with enough trouble! He'd landed on the exact spot in his side that the horse had kicked him. Horses, technically, and it took him a while to get up.
Hid body ached, his mind was whirling, and he felt like a ten thousand year old though, the strange voiced whispering and the singing had all but stopped. Kozmotis raised his head and found himself wishing he could hear their melodious voices once more. Then he looked up at Jamie and saw, where the bed of white fire had been moments before, a glowing boy laying on the bed.
Kozmotis groaned as he stood, one hand on his side. That might need stitches. Now that the light was gone, he could see more easily now. The room looked like an indoor rink with ice crystals jutting up from the floor and down from the ceiling. It was a beautiful winter wonderland that Kozmotis wished he could explore.
Then he shook his head. What am I, six? he thought angrily. I have other things to worry about now. More important things than a child's icy playground. Right now, I need to wake Jamie up from whatever weird trance he's in.
Jamie.
Kozmotis felt a twinge of guilt as he looked at the young boy. He was still in the same position, his eyes glassy and staring down at the boy who was slowly radiating mist and cold. His skin glowed white gently and his hair alone could have lit up the entire house. The boy radiated power and Kozmotis found himself in awe. I had no idea he was so powerful. He thought, wishing he could see Jack in action. he would probably be ten times stronger while fighting.
Then Kozmotis shook his head again. He could be in awe of the winter-boy later. Right now, Jamie was the one who needed help!
He turned to the boy, tearing his eyes away from the white pulsating boy in the bed."Jamie?" he asked hesitantly.
Jamie didn't respond for a few seconds and Kozmotis was about to say his name again, when the boy's face underwent a sudden and perplexing transformation. First the fear in Jamie's eyes completely evaporated, then his mouth- which had been trembling as he stared down at Jack, split into a wide grin. Jamie sighed in relief. "Whew! Thanks Mr. Pitchner. They almost had me." he said.
Kozmotis, taken aback by this sudden mood-swing, took a small step back and stared at the boy. "Um, who almost had you Jamie?" he asked uncertainly.
"The Jotuns." Jamie replied, still grinning. "They are the dark entities that used to control winter before the moon created Jack Frost and now they're stuck inside him. They were temporarily released when Jack was starting his hibernation process, but he got them back under control. He's fine now, but we need to get him to some ice, like, right now, or else he'll start to melt. Do you have an ice maker?"
Kozmotis was too stunned to answer. What the heck-
"Mr. Pitchner, seriously, we don't have time to stand around gawking! Jack needs ice and snow to continue his hibernation cycle and once this room starts to melt, well..." he paused, looking around at the room. "It won't be pretty. So come on! We've got to get him out of here and I can't carry him."
Kozmotis didn't move. "What just happened?" he demanded, staring from Jamie to the glowing boy on the bed next to them. Jack Frost, for of course Kozmotis believed that was who he was now, was lying there peacefully. He had a small smile on his face and his hands were laying at his sides. There was a light dusting of frost covering him and Kozmotis resisted the urge to lean down and brush it away. Ice coated the boy's clothes, his hair, his eye lashes and his face. The blanket that Kozmotis had put over him was stiff with ice.
"Oh, the Jotuns tried to make a bid for power. They do that when he's in a weakened state. But Jack repelled them and now he's in his hibernation cycle. He should come out of it in a week. Maybe more."
"No no," Jamie said quickly. "That was the result of Jack internally fighting with the Jotuns. The magical fallout froze this room, but it'll melt in a few hours. It'll even evaporate, so your house won't have mold. Isn't that cool?"
Kozmotis felt like his head was going to explode. Jack Frost, magic, Jotuns, ice, mold, it was all whirling together in his mind and he wanted it just to stop! He clenched his fists and closed his eyes, trying to keep calm. It was a lot for a man to take in so shortly. Heck, it would be a lot for any human to take in this quickly!
"OK," he said slowly. "OK. So, you're telling me that we need to get him into some ice right now."
Jamie nodded.
"Or what?"
"Or he's going to start to melt and it'll take him forever to regain his corporeal body and he'll go around the world as a Jack Frost-shaped whirl of snow." Jamie replied matter of factly.
Fair enough. "OK. I'll get him into my bath tub and run the cold water-"
"No!" Jamie shouted. "Not water!"
Kozmotis winced as the boy's voice echoed around the room. "Why not?" he demanded.
"Because Jack will freeze it and then we'll have to chip away at it with a ice pick and a blow dryer." Jamie said sternly.
Kozmotis rolled his eyes. Of course. "How do you know all this?" he demanded, giving Jamie a puzzled look.
Jamie smiled. "When Jack was fighting with the Jotuns, his memories were on the blink and I got there at just the right time to catch what was, in this time, a glimpse but in Jack's memories was dang-near his entire life. All three hundred years. So I know now everything about Jack Frost, including some things he probably didn't want me to know." Jamie added, smirking like a child about to play a prank.
"Like what?" Kozmotis asked, interested in spite of himself.
"Like his secret crushes on the Tooth Fairy and Halle, the spirit of Halloween." Jamie replied. "Anyway, come on. Jack's not getting any solider!"
Kozmotis rolled his eyes again and bent down to pick the winter spirit up.
Or, at least, he tried to. It seemed the boy was frozen to the bed and, after several failed attempts to lift the boy, he decided just to take the mattress too. Luckily, Jack was incredibly light for his size and the mattress he was frozen to was light too. Jamie tried to help by lifting one end, but he dropped it on his toes and Kozmotis told him to go take care of his sister instead. Jamie agreed and headed off to the living room with Sophie in his arms. She was overjoyed to see her brother again.
"JAMIE!" she squealed when he came out of the room, flinging herself at him and hugging his knees tightly. "Why'd you go?"
"I had to, Soph." he said, hugging her back. "But I'm back now."
"Ahem!" Kozmotis said from behind Jamie. He was holding Jack and the mattress in his abnormally long and thin arms and he really didn't want to stand there any longer than he had to.
"Oh, right. Come on Soph." Jamie said, picking her up and heading towards the living room. "Mr. Pitchner has something to do really quick."
"Bye bye Boogeyman." Sophie said, waving to Kozmotis over her brother's shoulder.
Kozmotis rolled his eyes and made his way sideways down the hall in the opposite direction, heading towards his bathroom. Luckily, the tub he'd installed was a big one and he laid the narrow mattress on the bottom of the tub with no problem. Jack hadn't moved the entire time and he didn't move when Kozmotis left him to get that bucket of ice.
When he passed the living room he peeked in to check that the children were safe. They were. Jamie was sitting on the black couch and was holding Sophie close, singing gently to her.
Kozmotis smiled and listened to the words as he headed into the kitchen that adjoined the living room.
"Sweet fairy maiden, harken to me. A ring of golden daisies, there shall be for thee. If you go to sleep and dreamland you see, and bring back some dreamsand from the Sandman for me."
It was a strange little ditty and Kozmotis wondered where Jamie learned it. It sounded old, will all those thees and harkens, and he made a mental note to ask the boy when this Jack Frost affair was over.
He picked up a bucket from beneath the sink and crossed the black and purple checkerboard-tiled floor to the big black fridge. He opened the freezer part and was glad to see a full ice-maker. He scooped all there was into the bucket and then set the dial for extra, then he shut it and allowed the ice maker to do it's work. When he got back to Jack, he was dismayed to see the frost had already melted and soaked into the boy's clothes and the mattress
"Oh crap," he swore, dumping the ice on the boy's body. Jack didn't react to it. Kozmotis didn't know if he should spread it around or not, but after debating for a few seconds he decided against it and left the boy, intent on grilling Jamie about what the heck had just happened.
When he reached the living room, Sophie was curled up in the big black armchair by the cold fireplace that him and his daughter used to sit in and read. Jamie was sitting on the couch with his hands in his lap, looking at them intently.
"Jamie." Kozmotis said softly, trying not to startle the boy.
Jamie looked up and smiled. "Oh. Hey." he said, sitting up straighter.
"Jamie, we need to talk." Kozmotis said, trying not to sound angry, even though he was slightly. What had the boy been thinking, running in there regardless of the danger? What if his friend hadn't helped him? What if-
"I know. You want to know about Jack, don't you?" Jamie asked.
Kozmotis nodded.
"And I suppose you'll believe me, in light of what just happened?" he asked, staring at him.
Kozmotis nodded. "After that, not believing would be very foolish." he said.
"True." Jamie said.
They sat in silence for a bit, then Jamie said, "So, you already know he's a three hundred-year-old winter spirit. You know his family is dead and that almost no one can see him, and you know that he needs frigid conditions to survive. Anything else?"
Kozmotis blinked. The boy sounded different that when he'd first met him. Older, somehow. He sounded like a teenager already, and not just a kid.
"Um, well," he said, frowning. What else was there to know? "How did you meet this Jack Frost?" he finally said.
Jamie smiled. "Oh. Well, he started a snowball fight three days before Easter with me and my friends. Of course we couldn't see him because we didn't believe in him, so we all thought it was each other and that started a massive snowball fight. Then Jack hit Cupcake, one of the older kids, and she started laughing and chasing us around with a snowman head. See, that's Jack's thing. Fun. He's the spirit of winter and fun."
Kozmotis nodded thoughtfully. "Interesting."
"Yeah, and it's cool too!" Jamie said, laughing at his lame pun. "Anyway, after several instances involving a wild sled ride, the Boogeyman raiding the Tooth Palace, killing the Sandman temporarily and the Easter Bunny shrinking to the size of a normal bunny-" here Jamie snickered. "Oh man, you should've seen him. He was so cute and fluffy! And he still had the big bunny voice and the accent. It was adorable!"
Kozmotis gave him a strange look and Jamie coughed. "Ahem. Anyway, Jack and I go way back."
Kozmotis laughed. "If I had been a different man, I probably would've thought you were crazy, regardless of what I've seen." he said, smiling. "Not that I do," he added quickly. "In fact, I completely believe you."
Jamie sighed with relief. "Whew." he said.
"But," Kozmotis said, raising a finger. "I also don't know anything about this Jack Frost's personality. Is he a good person?"
"Oh yeah." Jamie said. "A little mischievous, but he's a really good guy. Trustworthy too. Besides Bunny, he's the one person I absolutely trust with Sophie."
Kozmotis frowned. "You trust the Easter Bunny with your younger sister?" he asked dubiously.
"Yeah." Jamie said. "But whatever you're picturing when I say Easter Bunny, it's wrong. He's much cooler than whatever you're thinking of. He's actually six feet tall with an extra foot long ears and wooden boomerangs. His fur has tattoos dyed into it and he's freaking awesome!"
Kozmotis raised his eyebrow. "Interesting. I would certainly like to meet this Easter Bunny."
"Bunnymund." Jamie corrected. "E. Aster Bunnymund is his name, but we all call him Bunny."
Kozmotis nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm. Interesting."
"Yeah. They're all pretty cool." Jamie said.
Kozmotis raised his eyebrows again. "All?" he repeated.
Jamie coughed and looked sideways. He seemed suddenly nervous.
Kozmotis frowned. "Jamie, are you alright?" he asked, looking at the boy.
"I'm fine." Jamie said a bit too quickly.
Kozmotis gave him another look. "Jamie," he said warningly.
"Jamie." said another voice. A quiet, female one from across the room. Both Jamie and Kozmotis looked up. Sophie was sitting up in her chair and rubbing her eyes. "I saw the lights." she said in a sleepy, yet scared voice.
Jamie stood up and headed over to his little sister. "Hey Soph." he said, sitting down in the big chair. "Did you have a dream about the white light?"
Sophie nodded. "No lights." she murmured, snuggling up against her big brother. "Pitch stopped them."
"Shhh. Shhhh." he said gently, choosing to ignore the the Pitch comment. "It's alright. There are no lights."
Sophie yawned and closed her eyes. "No lights." she murmured again.
"I know Soph, there are no lights now. Calm down. It was..." Jamie paused and, for some unknown reason, shot Kozmotis a look across the room. "It was a bad dream."
Kozmotis raised an eyebrow but didn't reply.
Sophie, who was almost asleep, raised her head and blinked sleepily at Kozmotis. She screwed up her mouth in a small frown. "No more bad dreams Boogeyman." she ordered, raising her little first finger and pointing at him. Then she allowed her head to flop back down on Jamie's shoulder and closed her eyes.
Kozmotis was too shocked to reply. Why did the child persist with calling him the Boogeyman? It was irritating at most and disturbing as well.
When Jamie was sure his sister was asleep, he stood up and looked at Kozmotis. "I need to take her home." he said. "Before my mother gets there."
Kozmotis frowned. "I thought your house was locked. You left the key."
Jamie nodded. "You're right. Drat." he said, sitting down on the couch. He seemed to be thinking deep thoughts about something.
Kozmotis and Jamie sat there in silence for a little bit, then Jamie spoke. "What if I stayed here?" he asked, turning to Kozmotis.
Kozmotis was taken aback. "What?" he asked incredulously.
"Me and Sophie." Jamie said. "What if we stayed here?"
Kozmotis blinked. "Jamie," he began.
"I know, I know," Jamie said, raising his hands. "But it would only be for a day. Besides, you haven't a clue how to take care of Jack. I have his memories, so I know what to do if he starts to melt."
Kozmotis sighed. "Jamie." he began again.
"Listen, if you're worried about my mother, don't." Jamie interrupted again. "She won't be back until nine tomorrow morning."
"Jamie," Kozmotis began a third time with a note of steel in his voice.
"Really, if you're worried I can text her or write a note and stick it to the front door. I'll tell her that I'm hanging out with Coal- er, Seraphina." he said apologetically. "And that I've been given the permission of her parents to spend the night. That should take care of it. Sophie will love to sleep over-"
"Jamie!" Kozmotis interrupted, raising his hand. "I'm sorry, but I can't allow you and your sister to stay here. It would be irresponsible on my part and I can't allow you to lie to your mother."
Jamie sighed. "Please, Mr. Pitchner?" he begged. "I swear we won't be a bother. We'll sleep out here and I promise we'll be back home in the morning. Please?"
Kozmotis sighed. "Jamie, it's just not practical. My wife and daughter won't be back until tomorrow as well and personally, I don't want to get a talking-to from your mother when she comes home and realizes that her son and daughter are at the house of a man she's never met." he said firmly and he expected Jamie to look dejected, but- surprisingly, the boy smiled.
"Well, Mr. Pitchner, I really didn't want to do this..." the boy said, sighing as if he was about to do something morally questionable. "But I'm afraid I don't have a choice."
Kozmotis's eyes narrowed. "What?" he asked suspiciously.
Jamie raised his head and his eyes twinkled with mischief. "Well, the door to my house is locked and I don't have a key. That means I can't get home." he said coolly. "Anyway, I don't know which would be worse. Allowing us to stay here, or leaving us at the door of our house to freeze to death."
Kozmotis's eyes widened. "You-" he said, then he glared at the boy. "You planned this, didn't you?" he asked, trying not to smile.
"Did I plan to stay here to keep an eye on my best friend because it was the smartest idea that I could think of, and because I wanted to get out of that boring old house?" Jamie asked, smiling. "Yes. Yes I did."
Kozmotis openly laughed. "You're a smart boy, Jamie." he said, standing up and giving the boy a smile. "Alright, you win. I do need your help with Jack and I might as well let you stay over. But only tonight, mind you." he said, pointing a stern finger at Jamie. "Tomorrow morning, you'll be back in your own house. You can come over later, if you want, but I do want you to text your mother and tell her you're staying over. Alright?"
"Alright." Jamie agreed. "Do you have a phone?"
Kozmotis blinked. "You don't?"
Jamie shrugged. "Mom never bought me one. I'm just a kid, after all." he said, giving Kozmotis a wink.
"I see." Kozmotis said, resisting the urge to grin. "Yes, you may use mine." he said, digging into the pocket of his black jeans for his cell phone. It was a black flip-screen and quite worn, but he liked it. "There." he said, handing Jamie the phone. "Pray, don't drop it."
Jamie nodded and gently took the phone, sliding it open and typing in the number for his mother's phone. He spent about five minutes typing, then he pressed the send button and handed it back to Kozmotis. "There. She knows now. We're good."
Kozmotis nodded and took the phone. He briefly checked the sent box and saw that Jamie had indeed sent a short message.
Mom, staying over at friend's. Don't panic if you come home and find me and Soph gone. Be back around noon. Love, Jame.
Kozmotis blinked. Noon?
"Something wrong?" Jamie asked.
"Oh no." Kozmotis said, quickly putting his phone away. "Just checking something." he smiled. "Now, where do you suppose you and your sister are to sleep?" he asked, gesturing to Jamie's sister.
Jamie shrugged. "I was thinking the couch for me and the chair for Soph. She seems comfortable."
Kozmotis pursed his lips. "Hmm. I think a regular bed would be more suited to you, young man. I have a small spare room with a bed down the hall."
Jamie didn't look convinced. "Um... thanks, but I prefer to be nearer to Sophie. If she wakes up and finds me not there..." he trailed off.
Kozmotis nodded. "I understand completely." he said. "Now, it's quite late, and I think we should follow your sister's example and go to sleep. I'll get you a blanket and one for your sister."
"Thank you Mr. Pitchner." Jamie said, smiling.
"Oh please," Kozmotis said over his shoulder as he headed down the hall to the closet where the spare blankets were kept. "Call me Kozmotis."
Jamie nodded. "OK, Kozmotis." he said, smiling.
Kozmotis came back carrying a pair of blankets, both purple. "There. That should keep you warm." he said, handing Jamie one and laying the other over Sophie's curled up body.
Jamie smiled again. Kozmotis wasn't that bad.
"Are you quite sure you're going to be alright?" Kozmotis asked as Jamie shook the blanket out and laid down on the couch.
"Yes, I'll be alright." Jamie said. "Thank you so much Kozmotis."
Kozmotis smiled in return. "It's no trouble at all, Jamie. I'll see you in the morning."
Jamie nodded and closed his eyes. Kozmotis lingered in the living room for another few seconds, then he walked to his own bedroom and closed the door. The blissful darkness after that traumatizing light was so welcome and he let out an "Ahhhh," of ecstasy. He quickly changed into his normal black silk pajamas and crawled under the covers, relishing the thought of sleep. After such a long day and hardly any sleep the night before, he figured he deserved a visit from the Sandman.
As his head hit the black pillow and he closed his eyes, he found himself missing his wife terribly and touching the side she normally occupied. She will be home soon, he thought. Tomorrow they'll be home. And then Jamie's mother will be home, and then I'll have to explain to my wife how there's a hibernating winter spirit occupying her bath tub.
Somehow, that did not seem fun, yet the idea of saying that straight-out to his wife seemed to ridiculous that he actually laughed. Then he sighed and dug his face into the pillow. "Whatever will be will be." he muttered, quoting a famous song he was too tired to remember right now, and as the albino winter child slept in the room across the hall and the two Bennett siblings drifted off, Kozmotis Pitchner felt himself finally slipping away into dreamland.
"Whatever will be will be."
It's amazing how a few small words can mean so much in the days to come.