Author's Note:

This chapter is slightly longer than the last. I hope that appeases people. Also, I'm finishing this chapter very late at night, so please forgive me if there are a plethora of grammatical errors.

Criticism is welcomed and greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

STS

Chapter 2

I got home finally at two in the morning and slept till eleven o'clock. My body hurt from all the activities from yesterday, especially my foot, so I planned to stay at home instead of going out. If someone were to tell you that taking care of kids were easy, they'd be lying. Kids, or at least Jamie and Sophie, were very rambunctious. They were so full of imagination, wonder…

"—and Nate said he wanted to hang out with us this weekend. I thought you were 'interested' in him, you know?"

I shook my head to shake myself from my reverie. "I'm sorry, Peggy, can you repeat that?"

"Were you even paying attention, Anna?" Peggy asked me, sounding slightly annoyed. I could almost hear her condescending lip twitch that she always did through the telephone.

"I'm sorry, I just got distracted." I admitted, combing my fingers through my hair. Twisting one of my awkward curls in front of my face, I asked again. "Now can you please repeat what you just said?"

"I said that Austin is having his party tonight and it's Halloween themed! I figured you would want to come because everyone's going to be there. So, are you coming?"

I grimaced. "I don't think so, Peggy. You know I—."

"Anna, seriously? All you do is babysit those kids down the street go to school! You should do something else with your free time other than sit at home."

"But this is the time I get to relax! I was with you every weekend last month and I need some alone time." I argued.

She sighed. I could sense her frustration. "Alright. I'll see you at school on Monday, okay?"

"Sure thing, Peggy."

I pulled my cellphone away from my ear and tossed it on my desk after I heard the 'click' of her disconnection. Shuffling over to my bed, I flopped down onto my comforters and sighed. I wasn't being antisocial. It was the truth; I was tired and I spent time with her a great deal. Then again, Peggy was right too. I did have a lot on my plate. Between babysitting and school, my days were filled up usually. This day off was something I really needed.

RING RING RING. RING RING RING.

Great.

I groaned and walked back over to my desk to my spazzing phone. It was Jamie's mother. She never calls on the weekends. Cocking an eyebrow, I answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello, Anna! I'm sorry I'm calling you on your day off." She chuckled a bit.

"Oh, it's totally fine!" I responded, trying to mask any sign of fatigue. "What can I help you with?"

After a ten minute conversation, I finally hung up with my neighbor. Instead of being frustrated like I thought I'd be, I was ecstatic. She had just asked me to babysit Jamie and Sophie for an entire week! Not only was she going to pay me a rather large sum of money, but I would also get to spend time with the kids I loved the most. Jamie and Sophie were the two siblings that I wish I had (unfortunately, my parents only wanted one child), and apparently they were just as excited about the news as I was.

I flopped back down on my bed, grabbing a handful of blankets and pulling them close. Closing my eyes, I snuggled into them and sighed. It was time for a long, deserved, and much needed nap. It didn't take me long to drift off…

I opened my eyes. This isn't my room. I thought to myself as I looked around. After my eyes adjusted to the lack of light, I noticed there was a nightlight in the corner of the room. Bending over, I inspected it. It was Sophie's. Turning around, I finally noticed where I was. Sure enough, I was in Sophie's room. She was sleeping soundly, smiling in her sleep while golden eggs—wait, what?

Sure enough, there were golden eggs dancing in circles above her head. The eggs appeared to be made up of golden sand. She's so obsessed with Easter that she dreams about it! I thought to myself with a smile.

I was about to leave the room when I noticed the room get darker. There was a tingling in my spine. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. Panic suddenly filled me. Spinning around, I turned face to face with a tall figure. He was so pale it looked grey. Dressed entirely in black, he was dark and slim. His amber yellow eyes burned with some unknown anger. I thought he was going to attack me as he advanced forward, not even walking but gliding, but when I almost screamed he walked right through me. Confused, I turned around. He was headed straight for Sophie! Looming over her sleeping form, he chuckled.

"Such a wonderful dream." He commented to himself. With a simple touch to one of the eggs, he turned them all into black, monstrous forms. She started writhing in her sleep, mumbling and whimpering.

A sudden rage consumed me. "Leave her alone!" I screamed at him. He never turned around. Panicking, I looked down at myself. Why can't I do anything? I stopped myself. Who was I kidding? It was a dream, especially my own. There was nothing I could do. They couldn't hear me. I was forced to sit back and watch as my nightmare continued.

Suddenly, Jamie burst into the room. "Sophie!" He exclaimed as he jumped onto the bed and woke her up. The tall man grinned from ear to ear with devilish delight. Sophie awakened and looked from Jamie to the figure. Her eyes grew as round as saucers as she hid her face in Jamie's shirt. "It's okay, Soph." Jamie said defiantly. "Pitch can't hurt us. The Guardians will come!"

"You think your Guardians will always be there for you, Jamie?" The figured mocked. "Where's Jack now? Where's your beloved Easter Bunny?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. Guardians? What Guardians? Did they mean the parents?

Jamie quickly picked up Sophie and rushed to the corner of the room. He looked with hope to the nightlight on the wall. Sophie's nightlight was the one chance of keeping Sophie from fearing him. The boy leapt towards it, but the figure in black shot something dark and sand-like towards the socket. When the sand reached it, the bulb exploded.

The room immediately darkened. The figure began to laugh and Jamie panicked. As soon as he reached Sophie, she screamed.

"ANNA!"

I froze. Oh my God. There's no way. What I was thinking seemed too radical. Was this possibly what happened the night before? Was this some kind of sick and twisted explanation for Sophie and Jamie's belief in….what was his name?

Lo and behold, a projection of me burst through the door. The figure transformed into a shadow and slunk under the bed.

"Jamie!" My projection exclaimed. "What—?"

"It was Pitch!" Jamie whispered frantically.

I couldn't take it anymore. It all seemed too real. Sinking down to the floor, I hugged my knees as I watched myself comfort the kids. All the while, a set of yellow eyes watched us from under the bed. I was mortified. Terrified. Scared. Was that under the bed the entire time I was with the kids? I should've checked. I'm so stupid! I mentally chastised myself.

After my projection left the room, I expected to wake up. However, I didn't. I stayed in the room for a bit longer, wondering when I'd wake up, until something flew by the window. Immediately, I rose.

It was a boy, about my age. But he was flying. His pants were torn and frayed; his blue sweatshirt was covered in frost and dirt. Piercing blue eyes searched the room, framed by brilliant white hair. A pale hand grasped a long, wooden staff. I was mesmerized. What was I seeing?

I looked back down under the bed. The eyes were gone. The figure had to of snuck out when I was panicking. Thank the Lord he left.

The boy opened the window carefully. Jamie, who had always been a light sleeper, immediately woke up and smiled in relief.

"Jack!" He exclaimed quietly as he hopped out of bed and ran to the boy.

The boy, Jack, smiled and embraced him. "Hey there, kid. Everything okay?"

He shook his head. "Pitch was here!"

Jack's expression darkened. He looked around the room skeptically. "Jamie, are you absolutely sure?"

Jamie nodded enthusiastically. "He gave Sophie a nightmare and was about to attack us!"

"What happened?" Jack asked as he knelt down on one knee and leaned against his staff. Jamie definitely had Jack's full attention.

"Pitch came in here and gave Sophie a nightmare, but then I came in and he threatened us, but then Anna showed up and saved us so Pitch left!"

Jack cocked his head to the side. "Anna? Who's that?"

"Our babysitter." Jamie responded. "She scared Pitch away!"

Jack pressed his lips together and frowned as if he were deep in thought. "I'll have to talk to the Guardians." He turned back to Jamie. "Now this is serious business. If Pitch comes again, you call for me or the others, understood?" Jamie nodded, then Jack added. "Or you can call for the babysitter. She obviously does something to scare Pitch off." Jamie nodded again. Jack chuckled and ruffled the young boy's hair. "Now you get some sleep, okay?"

"Okay." Jamie agreed, yawning. He slipped back into bed as Jack exited through the window, flying off into the night.

It was then that I woke up. Never had I been so confused and slightly freaked out by a dream…nightmare…whatever someone could consider that. It seemed so implausible, having two people not visible while I was there. Then again, Jamie and Sophie talked about them all the time. Was it possible that I was missing something?

One thing was for certain: I would ask Jamie and Sophie exactly what happened that night.