Jack didn't know why all of the children crowded around the old woman, but he joined them to find out. She sat on the edge of the well, her shawl wrapped around her against the cool spring air. The children settled in a semicircle in front of her with eager smiles on their faces. Curious, Jack crouched on his staff, or tried to. As light as he was, he couldn't quite manage that feat. He ended up sprawled on the frosted yellow grass instead. He rested his chin on his hand, lounging on the ground like this was exactly what he meant to do. He felt a little absurd for the pretense. It was not like anyone had seen that.

The old lady cleared her throat and the children fell completely silent, inching forward to better hear her words. Jack had never seen them this focused on anything before. He couldn't help but sit up and lean forward, waiting expectantly for whatever it was she had to tell them.

"Once upon a time, when the land was magic and wishes still came true..."

Jack listened with rapt attention to the old lady's tales of fairies, princesses, evil sorcerers dragons and mermaids. He was fascinated with these stories where normal humans encountered those creatures and could actually see them, talk to them, touch them. And, according to the old lady, these hadn't happened in some magical other world but right here, once upon a time.

The magic was still there, Jack knew. He had seen fairies before. And he himself might as well have come out of one of those tales. But they weren't seen anymore. And wishes certainly didn't come true. Jack knew that very well. Otherwise, the children would see him. He wasn't sure he wanted the adults to see him. They might start to tell him what to do.

Jack wondered if, once upon a time, he could have walked the land like a real person, meeting princesses and sparking tales that would still be told centuries from now. If, once upon a time, the Moon would have answered him when he begged to know why he was there. If, once upon a time, his own wishes would have come true.

"Granny, where are they, now? The fairies and the mermaids?"

"They retreated to the land of dreams. They still visit us when we sleep"

"No," Jack said, but no one heard. "We're still here. You just can't see us anymore. You just don't... believe in us anymore."

It was getting late and the children started to return home. Jack just sat there for a long time, watching the Moon rise, asking him what happened, why the world changed, why the people didn't believe anymore, why wishes no longer came true. The Moon didn't answer. He never did. Jack sighed. From the corner of his eyes, he saw movement. A little fairy, pulling open a window to get her precious prize hidden under the pillow. In the sky, swirling streams of golden sand brought dreams to the sleeping children. Dreams of fairies and mermaids. He wondered if any of them would ever dream of Jack Frost, or if he couldn't exist even in the land of dreams.


Pretty short chapter this time, since I'm procrastinating on writing my longer ones.