Jamie watched his friends leave; dejected and looking to all the world as though theirs had come to a crashing end with all their dreams burning just for good measure. He stared down at his booted feet with a frown of concentration. He knew he'd seen Santa, Sandman, the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny. It wasn't just a dream…was it?
Jamie finally looked up, eyes sad and confused, as his friends walked away—their shoulders slouching as they trudged away. He didn't understand, he supposed, why they were so upset by some nightmares—why they were letting it ruin Easter for them. He remembered that occasionally they would come into school; complaining about a nightmare they'd had the previous night, disturbing their sleep, waking with a cold sweat or even waking up screaming to the embarrassment of some. Even Sophie had had a nightmare before; his poor mom was up for hours comforting his sister.
But he'd never had a nightmare. Not in all the memory of his short life.
Jamie sat heavily on the porch steps, thinking, trying to understand. He could remember a few strange dreams—he could even remember a few that by all rights should have been nightmares and woken him up screaming, but he didn't. He never felt afraid of them, not truly—he always felt in control no matter what happened in them.
He shook his head and walked inside, head hung low in disappointment. In his friends, though he couldn't truly blame them, and in himself. He glanced at the yard one last time. What happened to the Easter Bunny? Did I do something wrong by spotting him?
They are real! Jamie couldn't help but mentally cheer as the Guardians had tried leading him away from the growing storm overhead, but they couldn't seem to escape it. He didn't hear who it was that was attacking them, nor did he know why, but if the Guardians were afraid of it, he most certainly would be as well.
Jack Frost tumbled down from the sky, startling him and the Guardians in the alleyway.
"Jack!" He cried and ran over to the fallen spirit's side, the others following.
Jack groaned and pushed himself off the concrete with a groan. The Tooth Fairy's hand hovered over him but hesitated, not wanting to hurt him more. Santa lumbered over and grinned, trying to cheer them all up. "That waz good try Jack. 'A' for effort."
Jack looked up at them, concern dominant in his once cheerful features. "He's stronger than before…I can't beat him."
Jamie's eyes widened. Wasn't Jack supposed to be stronger than the others? He seemed fine before while the others all looked hurt…not to mention how the Easter Bunny looked now. All cute instead of his awesome kangaroo form. Fear seized him as a cruel and sinister laugh echoed throughout the alley, the shadow of a hand passing over them.
"All this fuss over one, little boy. And still he refuses to stop believing." Shadows danced and darted around the meager street lights, no pattern or method to tell where the shadowed man would show next. All eyes darted around, trying to find the source of the voice.
"Very well. There are other ways to snuff out a light." A large, shadowy hand raked the wall and as the fingers touched the lights, they burst.
Jamie jumped and Jack put his hand in front of Jamie protectively. Is this what his friends felt during a nightmare? Did they feel trapped, like they were in reality and had no control, only able to watch as everything spiraled out of control and fear plagued every thought? If so, he understood now. Dreams, nightmares and reality were now so mixed they were threatening and absolutely terrifying.
He must have blanked out in his fear because the Easter Bunny, who had been in front of them, was now on Santa's hand snarling—as well as a critter his size could snarl—a threat at the veiled voice.
"I can't tell you how happy it makes me feel to see you all like this." A man finally emerged from the darkness, barely discernible from it—riding a sandy, black, wispy horse. His golden eyes glimmering with twisted pleasure. "You look awful."
"Jack." Jamie whispered as the horses prodded closer, his heart hammering, and the Guardians pressing closing around him.
Jack looked back and down, trying to keep his own worry from showing too much.
"I'm scared." He whispered.
"I know, I know but…" Jack knelt down and gripped his shoulder, eyes softening as he tried to smile but his face pinching for a moment as his eyes grew distant. Finally, Jack muttered, "We're gonna have a little fun instead."
Jamie was now very confused. Have fun? Was he crazy? This wasn't a dream. This was real life, real life where they could die! Where they most certainly didn't have any control of what was about to happen.
"That's it, that's my center!" Jack whispered excitedly.
Jamie could only look at him in pure confusion, his fear at least temporarily gone…until the creepy man's laugh echoed again. Another dark chuckle echoed through the alley. "So what do you think, Jamie? Do you believe in the Boogeymen—a-uh!"
Something white hit him in the face and he nearly fell off his horse.
Jamie was so startled by it but found it so hysterical that someone, Jack, would throw a snowball at the personification of fear that a giggle escaped him. Somehow, it made the situation a bit surreal—a bit less lifelike and a bit more dreamlike.
The other laughed as well and Jack smiled at him. "Now, let's go get your friends."
*O*
Jamie and his friends all stood on the street, the Guardians in a half circle around them while the Bogeyman's black sands created a tidal wave beyond them. He drew in a sharp breath of fear, the previous thrill of escaping the Bogeyman fading at the show of his true power.
Jack turned to look at him, concern, care and worry mixing to form his dominant expression. But he still looked confident as he turned from the hurt Santa Claus to comfort him. "They're just bad dreams, Jamie."
Something about that resonated in him. Bad dreams, nightmares…they're not real.
"We'll protect ya, mate." The Easter Bunny said reassuringly—though it wasn't very considering his current stature.
"Awe, you'll protect them?" The Bogeyman laughed, somehow it always echoed. "But who'll protect you!?"
They're just bad dreams…I don't get bad dreams. I control them, bad and good. Jamie's eyes widened then hardened as he stepped out in front of the Guardians. I know what I can do; they've been protecting me all this time—but I can protect them from this. "I will."
A moment later, Cupcake joined him—her face angry. No doubt wanting to get some payback on the spirit that's been plaguing her dreams. "I will."
All his friends joined him; some looking determined, others fearful, but all still willing to try. Even if they had no idea how.
Jack nodded at him and they returned their attention to the Bogeyman, who was grinning triumphantly before he sneered. "Still think there's no such thing as the Bogeyman?"
The black sand, nightmares, swept through the town towards them—causing the lights to flicker then shatter.
His friends all shrank in on themselves a bit and glanced in his direction, but Jamie squared his shoulders and looked straight at the Bogeyman. They're just bad dreams. I decide if I'm scared by them or not, not him! I've never been afraid of dreams before, so I won't be now. "I do believe in you. I'm just not afraid of you."
The wave rose up to an impossible height before it fell upon them; the Guardians drawing in sharp breaths from the nightmare's impossible numbers. The sand sped towards them, aiming for Jamie first—for the stubborn believer who refused to quit.
Jamie raised a hand to meet the hoard and closed his eyes. These are my dreams! And I'm not scared of them!
Cold sand hit his fingers for just a moment before it burst and, instead of consuming them, golden tendrils of light burst forth and danced around them before shooting back into the nightmare ranks. He shouted, surprised by the change, eyes wide in wonder. "Whoa!"
A couple of strands zipped and wrapped around him and he could hear his own dreams from the past couple nights singing in his ears. He could feel the terror but exhilaration in them before they darted off.
The other kids laughed, hearing their own forgotten dreams, and the Guardians beamed and sighed in relief—surprised that anything except gruesome deaths had occurred. Only seconds later, the Guardians started gaining strength again as the good dreams flew into nearby houses and returned pleasant dreams to the children there.
"No!" The Bogeyman yelled, furious his attack was failing, and shouted to his nightmares. "Get them! Do your job!"
Jamie watched in wonder as nightmares charged, but Santa brought out two orbs—are those snow globes?—and threw them on the ground. From them, blue-green portals appeared and two lines of Big Foots ran through! They are real! Stone eggs joined the fight as well, sprouting from the earth, and elves poured out of the portals like ants on a stomped nest.
"Let's get 'em!" Cupcake shouted as she and the other kids ran to a nightmare and touched it, turning it to golden sand instantly.
Jamie smiled as the Guardians took off after the Bogeyman. His eyes widening a bit as several nightmares charged at him but he was ready, he could and would take back control of his own dreams and return the others to their owners.
As more blackened horses turned to streams of golden sand that turned into numerous streams and strands of golden sand, many streaking through windows to the young occupants within—the battle seemed won. Horses came few and far between, now fearing for their lives. His friends played in the golden sand that now littered the ground, all nightmares in their vicinity reverted.
"Look at that!" One cried as the sand shifted to form a swirling clump that moved funny.
A thought struck Jamie at that moment. The creator of the good dreams, the one who encouraged all kids to have them! "I got it!" He turned to his friends and waved for them to follow. "I know what we have to do. Guys, come on!"
They ran after him as he followed the golden sand to where several strands were trying to converge. He placed his hands on the sand and focused. "Think of all your dreams! All the good ones and think of the Sandman."
They nodded and copied his actions; the sand growing brighter and more numerous. Soon, it was a massive oblong vortex, and they had to step back and shield their eyes as it pulsed. Moments later, a whip-like thread of golden sand shot out and into the shadows, dragging back the Bogeyman.
The Bogeyman looked terrified while the newly formed Sandman simply grinned and silently wagged his finger before punching the Bogeyman up into the sky—the whip still attached, making it look like the Sandman was holding a balloon before the dark man eventually fell back to earth.
"The Sandman!" One of his friends cried and the others cheered.
The Sandman grinned and looked at Jamie, forming a hat out of the sand and tipping it to him. Jamie beamed while the Guardians convened around their once lost friend. Sandman then formed a golden sand cloud and rose into the black sky, sending out tendrils of light into all the houses. Minutes later, the sky was filled with all manner of dreams while others walked the earth—filling the cold and dark night with bright and warm dreams.
Jamie saw a school of fish approach him and reached out to touch them when a snowball hit his head. He grinned and turned to playfully glare at Jack who smirked. He ran from an elf and Cupcake as they threw snowballs at the others and prepared to throw one at him. He ran, forming a snowball, when something cold washed over him. He blinked, looking back to see the Bogeyman's eyes wide with terror. A second later, the spirit took off running, away from the laughing group and into the shadows.
Months passed and it was now summer. Jamie slept soundlessly on the warm night but not still. His eyes moved quickly under their lids as he tossed and turned.
Golden sand seeped through his window and wound around his head, like it did every night before and would continue to do. The sand swirled as it began to form an image; him on a sled and a laughing boy with white hair and a staff flying overhead. Jack shot out more ice and he turned, laughing the entire time as they weaved effortlessly through the woods. Suddenly, a large black and sandy horse tackled Jack and Jamie, crashing them into a tree.
The golden sand above his head began to darken, swirling around more quickly as his dream darkened
Fright filled him as he dug himself out of the snow and ran towards Jack, calling his name.
Several more nightmares sprung out of the shadows and began attacking the spirit.
Jamie desperately wanted to help Jack. Before he could, the nightmares swarmed Jack and blocked him from his view, Jack's cries of pain piercing his heart.
No, this isn't right—it isn't supposed to happen like this!
The nightmares stopped and everything paused, then began to rewind, stopping again just before the nightmares swarmed Jack and it started again.
He needed to help Jack, but he was too far away to help still. Something filled his veins and he shouted at them, stretching out his arm. "No! Leave him alone!"
Before he could reach the nightmare, white-blue light shot out of his fingers and struck the nightmare, freezing it solid.
Jamie froze for a second before he grinned, looking at his hands then beaming at Jack who also grinned and shouted in joy, throwing his hand in the air with such force that he jumped a bit. "Yeah!"
Together, the two of them dispatched most of the nightmares before the wind snagged them and carried them both up into the air. The battle now becoming more a game of tag than anything dangerous.
Both he and Jack laughed as they danced and weaved between the nightmares, occasionally getting nipped or bashed towards the ground but never getting very far in their attacks before they were frozen.
The sand above Jamie's head continued to spin madly as the dream played out. Sometimes becoming lighter and sometimes becoming quite dark. As the dream progressed, it finally settled on a mixed coloration of light grey and pale yellow, the colors further mixing to form a swirl of perfect grey and cream as they poked, danced and spun around each other. As the mass grew, it began to take shape. Though still quite small, like how all dreams and nightmares began, it grew as the dream continued—forming a wolf.
It stepped away from where it had resided before above Jamie's head and looked around. It sniffed the air before running down the air like it was running down a grassy slope to Jamie's face and sniffed it.
After a few good sniffs, it ran around the room once before darting under the pillow.
If anyone who believed had looked in, they would have seen two pale yellow eyes unblinkingly looking out from under the pillow.
I always wondered what might happen to me if Pitch was real because I am a lucid dreamer; I either lucid dream or I don't dream at all and as I was watching RotG again, I really took notice of Jamie's face during several moments when either nightmares or dreams were mentioned versus the other kids and began wondering if he was a lucid dreamer well. To me it made more sense why he could fight off the nightmares far easier than his friends and why he believed so long because (when I lucid dream) I'm always playing with my dreams, good and bad, and wouldn't have been as affected by Sandy's death.
More of character study than story but hope you enjoyed it!