I was swimming in a sea of hazy existence. I was nothing and everything all at once. It was hard to tell if there was nothing to see, or if I was just unable to see. Either way, I had so many questions. If only I could keep a coherent thoug-
"Jack"
What was that? That voice... it sounded so far away, how could I reach it?
I started swimming faster toward something, or maybe away from it, I couldn't tell.
"Jack!"
The voice was louder now, and I started to notice my chest hurt, a lot. It was hard to keep going. I wonder if it would upset the voice if I just let go?
Letting go seemed so quiet... so peaceful. Why did it feel like a bad thing?
"Wake up, Jack!" The voice tugged at the thin edges of my conciousness one last time.
No, I couldn't let go. Whoever was calling for me sounded desperate. I can't give up on them.
Giving all my strength, I made my last attempt to get my head above the water.
****
My body arched upward as my lungs filled with air. They stung like they hadn't expanded in 30 minutes. I flung my eyes open to see Kate, Greg, and Pitch all standing around me.
What the actual shit.
"Oh thank God, you're alive!" Kate exclaimed as she threw her arms around me.
"You had us all worried, kid. You weren't breathing when I found you," Pitch explained.
"What the hell is going on?" I asked once Kate finally released me from her death grip.
The three looked at each other worriedly, which didn't help to ease my racing mind.
"We don't know, Jack. We were hoping you could tell us that," Kate said with her brow drawn.
"Yeah, all I know is that you passed out when we went to find Kate. You stopped breathing five minutes later. I panicked and ran to get Kate, and that's when Pitch showed up and we brought you here," Greg stated.
I looked around to see where 'here' was. We were in the same room Pitch had brought me to to bandage my arm; It was an infirmary of sorts.
"Wait, Pitch how did you know where I was and that I needed help?" I asked one of the many questions floating about my mind.
"Manny told me."
"And he didn't tell you what was wrong with me? I really have no ide-" My ignorance was short lived however, as a memory of the darker Jack flashed before my eyes. I shot out of the bed I was laying in and searched the room for a piece of paper and a pen. When I saw one, I lunged for it and started writing something so fast, even I couldn't tell what it was. When I finished, I turned around and saw my friends staring at me in bewilderment. "Sorry, I don't know what came over me. I just really felt like I had to write something down."
"Read it," Pitch said.
I looked down at the words as a shiver ran down my spine. I took a deep, shaking breath before I read, "The more you can see, the less of you there will be. When you're all gone, under the dawn I will be."
"What does that mean, Jack?" Greg, who had been mostly silent throughout the conversation, piped up.
"I... don't know." I remember everything now. The awful thing that looked like me and how it spoke so condescendingly. "I had a... vision, I think. When I passed out I saw something that looked like me, only not me. It was evil, that much I could tell. But, it gave me this riddle before it left me. I think I'm supposed to figure it out or something? I-"
"Jack what visited you was the Spirt Eater. It can make its self look like anyone or anything. If it came to you, that means it's attached itself to you. It makes people's minds sick, Jack. It makes you think awful things until you don't want to live anymore. I haven't told you this, but it's especially dangerous for you because you're a guardian. If you lose your center, you'll die," Pitch spilled everything he had been researching all at once. "I'm guessing that you passing out was the first sign of your sickness, and if that's the case then we only have about 48 hours until it's too late for you."
My jaw was on the floor. I had thoroughly started losing my shit. "I- I had no idea. What do I do? What can I do? Is there anyway to reverse t-"
I was cut off by a slap in the face. My hand flew to my cheek to ease the sting and when I had righted myself, I saw Kate.
"Get a hold of yourself. This douchebag left us a clue didn't he? The riddle, let me see it," Kate demanded.
"Remind me never to get on her bad side," Pitch said awkwardly.
Still in shock I handed her the riddle and thanked her for helping me regain my sanity.
"The part that says 'the less of you there will be' could be about his sickness right? Like him dying..." Kate trailed off. I could tell she was worried too just from the look in her eyes.
"Yeah, but what does 'the more you see' mean?" Asked Greg.
"Maybe..." I spoke up. I was hesitant because what I was about to say was hard to talk about, even if my life depended on it.
"Spit it out Jack, we haven't much time for insecurities," Pitch said.
I sighed, but I knew he was right. "Maybe it means the more that I hate about myself, the sicker I get. Y-you know because that's what's causing it and all..."
You know what I hate about myself right now? My stupid sounding stutter and utter lack of self confidence, I thought.
Pitch gave me a look that said, 'I heard that,' but it quickly morphed into a look of concern.
"What? Did I do something weird?" I asked Pitch, causing Greg and Kate to look at me.
Greg answered in Pitch's place, as he couldn't seem to find words. "No, Jack, your hair. It's turning... brown."
A/N Heyyy sorry for being gone so long! I really hope you like this chapter, but it might be terrible because I wrote it super fast and threw a lot at you lmao. Anyway, thanks for reading :)
