The Child of Frost

The longing

Jack's P.O.V.

It has been years since the last time I had had any conversation with a human. It made me sad as I continued to bring joy to the kids, but they didn't know I was the one who brought it. Parents had stopped telling all of my stories, so none of the kids can see or hear me.

"Father Winter, please. I want to be seen again." I asked as I turned back to him. "I don't like this feeling. It's like I don't exist anymore."

Father Winter shook his head no as his staff tapped the floor with each step the man took. "You haven't even lasted a century with your punishment, Jack. How do I know you have learned your lesson?"

I looked away from him and sighed. "Can I at least go see Father Time soon? I've been stuck in a seven year old body for decades. Can he make me look older?"

"Maybe. But first, you need to start laying down the snow." I rolled my eyes before walking away. I waited until I was outside before letting the wind drag me everywhere I needed to be. When I got back to the village, I walked through the village, letting people walk through me. Of course, it made me sad that no one could see or hear me. If I were to try anything on anyone, I would pass right through them.

Eventually, I saw a familiar face in the distance. Every year for the past nine years, I have watched over her in the distance. I avoided her line of sight as I noticed her father was with her.

A couple years ago, when she had turned nine, that man came searching for me. He had wanted me to leave his daughter alone. I was sitting in a tree as I shook my head no.

"How could you see me? More importantly, how did you find me?" I remembered asking. "No one has been able to find me before except for Father Winter."

He replied, "my daughter told me to follow the direction of the snow. That's how I found you, but why are you so surprised that I could see you?"

"No reason. So you want me to leave Fawn alone, is that right?" I asked him. He nodded, "then what would you do for me in return?"

"What could you possibly want?" he had asked.

I answered with the one thing I have asked for for years. I wanted a friend. I just wanted someone to stay with me so maybe I wouldn't feel so alone. We spent hours talking after that. He asked me if I knew how I became Jack Frost, but I only shook my head no.

That man, Matthew, if I recalled correctly, was a kind man. He didn't seem to be angry with me then, so I helped him get home as much as I could, but he still couldn't keep himself warm.

I followed them back to their house and watched through the window as Fawn asked her father about my story. I didn't bother to stick around to here the story, so I decided to sneak into her room. It wasn't hard to open the window, but I already knew how to get in. I decided to leave another crystallized rabbit for her, hoping she could remember.

As soon as I heard footsteps, I panicked and hid myself outside, by the window as she realized the snow on the ground. I had forgotten about that completely.

"Matthew, what are we going to do about it? I don't want to loose my daughter," the wife whispered back. "You can't expect for him to stop coming."

"I know. I'll start searching for him again," Matthew replied. "This needs to stop."

It needs to stop? This is the first time I had actually left evidence that I was there. He must understand why I came back.

The wind didn't let me hang around to see what would happen; instead it took me to see Father Time. Father Time was sitting down in a large chair, looking down on me with a smile.

"Jack, I'm surprised. This is the first request I have ever received from you," Father Time said as I stood in front of him. "What can I do for you?"

He picked me up and placed me on his knee, making me feel awkward. "Father Time, I don't want to look seven anymore. Please, can you make me look a little bit older. I don't want to be stuck in a little kid body for all eternity."

"But you look adorable, Jack. Why would you want to change?" he asked as I looked away.

"I don't want to look adorable. I want to be a teenager," I complained. "Can you do it?"

He shrugged, "of course I can. I'm the master of time, so just tell me how old you want to look."

"Seventeen."

He nodded, "alright, maybe when you grow, that sweater will fit you better. But just in case..." He put me back on the ground before going through his things. He pulled out a small red pouch and smiled.

I watched as he sprinkled something over me, and suddenly, my body grew taller. My clothes had suddenly become too small and, as I looked at my reflection off the ground, I realized that this is what I would have looked like if I was still human.

"Thanks, Father Time," I said, unable to contain the happiness I felt. I was surprised with how my voice had changed too. It didn't sound like a little boy's voice anymore.

"Not at all, Jack. You look like a handsome young lad." He laughed as he looked me over, "ask Winter for some new clothes. Those child sized clothes can go to the next youngest child of Frost."

"I will!" I ran out of Time's domain and shouted out excitedly, hoping that the next time I see Fawn, she could see me.