Protecting Genie

Chapter 2

Judging from his reaction, I could tell that Jack was a bit shocked that I could see him. He disregarded this fact for the moment, he had something bigger to handle.

I'm shocked as well though. I couldn't believe what I was seeing before me. The Jack Frost from the song and The Boogeyman from all of those legends I've heard and read of.

They weren't at all of what I imagined.

I always picture Jack Frost to be a tall gangly man with a large nose with frost dripping off the end of it; not a young boy with cutie good looks and a frozen wooden staff. He looked a bit like someone Sophie would have a crush on.

And when I pictured the Boogeyman, I pictured him as a hunchback character with skin that looked like it had been burned by acid; along with long thin creepy fingers. Not a tall dark figure with piercing gold-like eyes. I have to admit, they are very pretty to look at.

"Weren't you dragged away by your own fears?" Jack walked towards us, his staff pointed at Pitch; the tip of it was glowing a bright white color.

"Surely you didn't think I'd be gone long."

"Not gonna lie. I was hoping you wouldn't come back at all." I couldn't help but gasp. No matter who the person is, they don't deserve to be by themselves. Being alone causes nothing but despair and a deep desperation to be wanted. It can get so bad to the point that a person will let themselves be controlled over just to feel that they have a purpose to belong to the other.

I know how that feels; then again, just about every teenager alive knows how that feels.

Pitch brought his palm up, letting Jack see the black whip forming from his black sand. I knew what was getting ready to happen: they were going to battle. In my house where my parents are...Oh shit, my parents are still here. And Jamie and Sophie are still asleep in bed.

Man, those two are some heavy sleepers.

"No please, not here." I moved to where I was now standing in between the two. My back was turned to Pitch. "My parents will hear you and those two may get hurt." Jack glanced over at Jamie before slightly nodding his head.

"I promise that Jamie won't..." Jack's eyes widened. "GENIE, LOOK OUT!" Jack wrapped his arms around me and pushed me down onto the floor. He was lying right on top of me. "You ok?" He pushed himself up slightly onto his elbows to give me a bit of space to breath.

Before I could answer, a black whip wrapped around Jack's waist and hoisted him off me. It proceeded to fling Jack out the window of the room.

"Now now Jack, I saw her first." Pitch was standing over me, his eyes still fixed on the window. I started to feel around on the floor, trying to find something to use as a weapon. Using my peripheral vision, I was able to locate a plastic toy sword that Jamie had left out. Sure, it may just be plastic but it's better than nothing.

"Well Genie, shall we go?" I rolled off my back onto my knees, the plastic sword now in my hand.

"Get out now." I tried my hardest to sound threatening but it didn't seem to work. He instead seemed amused by my actions.

"Do you really think you'll be able to hit and cause damage with a plastic sword?"

"Better than nothing. I'm not going without a fight."

I pushed off my knees to where I was now standing, my weapon still pointed at Pitch. We stood in the same position for what seemed like hours, waiting for the other to make the first move. With each passing second, my heart rate was getting faster. I couldn't tell if it was from the adrenaline rush or from the fact that I'm terrified.

"You're scared of me." Well, that answered my question.

"What? No, no I'm not." I didn't really sound that convincing when I said that.

"I can feel myself getting stronger. You are the only one around here right now. Your fear is giving me power and I'm loving it." Mentally, I cussed myself out. I really needed to calm myself down.

I glanced over at the window, wondering where Jack had disappeared. No way would he have left with just that one attack, seriously, I could use a bit of help right now.

"Put down the toy, Genie."

"Not until you promise you'll leave."

"I'll leave once you agree to go with me."

"Well, I'm not going with you."

"Then I'm not leaving."

"Then I'm not putting down my weapon." This sounded a lot like an argument I would have with a four year old.

It was then Pitch started to chuckle. It was getting louder and louder. Eventually, he held a hand over his mouth, trying to keep in the laughter. I really don't know why he's laughing at me right now.

"You really do amuse me." He said once he had gotten his laughter under control. He brought his hand up with the whip and flung the tip at me.

I was able to hit it away with my 'sword'. He did it again and again, and I was able to block it each and every one.

Unfortunately, I had anticipated his next move too early, leaving me wide open. I was expected his whip to strike me; instead, it wrapped around my wrists, binding them together. I dropped the sword in shock.

Pitch pulled on the whip, bringing me closer to him.

"Caught you. Now let's get going."

"Let go, let go, let go." I was trying to pull my wrist out of Pitch's hands with a boomerang suddenly came flying towards us. It hit the whip, causing it to snap in half. It turned back into sand and fell from my wrist.

"Sorry I left; I thought I'd get a bit of help." The boomerang flew back into the hands of its owners...actually, the paw of its owner. I now had a good look at my new 'savior'. It was a bunny...a very tall bunny. This had to be...

"Let me guess, the Easter Bunny?"

"That is what the little ankle bitters call me, but it's actually Bunnymund. You all right there lass?"

"Physically, yes. Mentally, not so much." I ran over the list of the Guardians in my head, trying to remember everybody that Jamie told me about. "Now all we need is the Tooth Fairy, Sandman, and Santa Claus. Then I'll be loony enough to be admitted into the 'Fun House'."