Chapter 11
The month of September endured some days of hot weather, but it grew chilly by the end. There were some days that Blackpool was plagued by rainstorms.
Grace went to school every day, learning about the history of art and had the opportunity, along with everyone else to draw in one class.
However, there was tension between Grace and Megan. One day, Megan saw a charcoal drawing of a tree that was so detailed and it was done by Grace. When no one was looking, she licked her hand with spit and smeared the drawing, ruining it.
Grace discovered her damaged art work the next day and showed it to Pitch. He was angry and he knew that Megan did the deed.
"I'll pay her another visit tonight," he said to her during her lunch break.
That evening, Pitch and Erebos flew to the Honeycutt house and waited for the girl to fall asleep.
When he took a peek inside the girl's room, Pitch saw Megan with her father. "Daddy, everyone will know that you did it," the girl said.
"Nonsense, no one will ever know," Mr. Honeycutt replied.
Pitch saw in the man's hand a piece of paper and on the paper was a charcoal drawing of a fairy with butterfly wings. He then realized that Mr. Honeycutt did the drawing, not Megan, and they plan to send it into the contest.
"So, they want to cheat?" Pitch said to Erebos, who gave a snort.
"I know, I know, but we need to expose them, and I believe Jack Frost will be just the one to do so," the Shadow Man replied.
Once Megan was asleep, Pitch sent in a nightmare to haunt her and he and Erebos flew away to find the mischievous spirit of winter.
In the city of Iqaluit, in Nunavut, Canada, Jack Frost was his old self; playing with the ice cold wind and throwing snowballs at the children.
Erebos and Pitch were greeted by a very icy wind. "Oh, that is cold!" the boogeyman exclaimed, rubbing his shoulders.
Then, Jack Frost flew passed them and Erebos followed him. "Jack!" Pitch called out.
The winter spirit saw him and he pointed to the roof of a building. Erebos landed and Pitch got off the saddle and Jack landed on the edge of the roof.
"Well now, if it ain't the nightmare crew," Jack said.
"Jack, I came here to tell you something and ask for a favor," Pitch replied and he went on to explain about Megan Honeycutt and that she planned to cheat in the contest.
"And what is the favor?" Jack asked.
"Your snowflakes, they are like a truth serum?" Pitch replied and Jack nodded.
"Sort of," the winter spirit said.
"Well, on the night of the contest, I want you to use your snowflakes to expose Mr. Honeycutt's secret," the boogeyman explained.
"I'll be there, but I want to ask you a favor," Jack replied and Pitch looked at him. "I want to have the first dance with Grace on the night of the Christmas party."
"What?" Pitch asked, he was quite surprised and irritated. He really did not want Jack to ruin Grace's night with the other Guardians, as Jack liked to cause trouble. "No," Pitch added.
"Well then, I suppose I will not show up on the night of the contest. Then Megan will win and no one will know she cheated and poor Grace will-" "Alright, alright, I'll let you dance with Grace, but I need your word that you won't cause mischief that night," Pitch cut in and looked deep into Jack's winter blue/gray eyes.
"Okay, I will behave," the winter spirit said.
"You swear?" Pitch asked, folding his arms over his chest.
"I cross my heart and hope to be snuffed out of existence," Jack replied and then the wind picked him up and he flew away.
Pitch shook his head; Jack had the heart and mind of a child, but he did put up a good fight when Pitch rebelled against the other Guardians.
The boogeyman and Erebos left the Arctic city and headed back to Blackpool. Along the way, Pitch released some nightmares and gave them orders to plague the bad children with bad dreams.
When he got back to the Dawson house, it was still dark and Grace was asleep.
Pitch shook her awake, "Grace? I'm sorry to disturb you, but I have to tell you something," he said when she woke up.
"Can it wait until later?" she asked and struggled to hold back a yawn.
"I'm sorry it can't," Pitch replied and says, "I visited Megan's house and I heard her and her father. They plan to cheat in the contest with a drawing Mr. Honeycutt made."
"What? Why would he do that?" Grace asked, now wide awake.
"I don't know, but from what I understand, Mr. Honeycutt likes to spoil his daughter," Pitch answered.
"What is there to do?" Grace asked, again.
"We need to expose them. I had a talk with Jack Frost and he said he will help out," the nightmare king replied and tells her of the conversation he had with Jack, leaving out the Christmas party.
"By the way, when are you going to do the sketch of me and Erebos?" Pitch asked.
"Saturday, meet me in the woods in the morning," Grace replied.
Pitch let her go back to sleep and he headed on out to do his duty. While Pitch was riding on Erebos, he looked up at the moon.
"Old friend, I hope you have been watching me, but please, watch over Grace," he said as he released a cloud of black sand over the country of England and the nightmares headed out to find more bad children.