Rise of the Guardians 2: Return of the Nightmare King

An Encounter With Pitch Black

Black clouds covered the sky, bathing everything in darkness. A chill wind blew through the small town, making goosebumps appear on my flesh. I wrapped my arms around myself and shivered. My dog whimpered and cuddled near my leg. I petted her white fur and shushed her. I continued to stare out of the window, watching for any signs of movement. I put my coat on and stuffed some supplies in my pockets. I grabbed a baseball bat and gripped it tightly. I carried a bag with me and took a deep breath. I opened the door quietly and stepped outside.

I looked around me warily, making sure the enemy wasn't around. I kept to the shadows, so as not to startle any Nightmares. Yes, that's right Nightmares. The giant, black horses were always patrolling the area, making sure everyone was inside their houses. They were made entirely of black sand and had yellow eyes that could pierce your heart with fear. You're probably wondering why they're wandering around Burgess. Well, that's a long story, but I guess I have time.

Burgess used to be a town full of happiness and joy. Children used to play outside almost every day. But what made the town so full of joy was a certain white-haired spirit. His name was Jack Frost. He brought the snow and blizzards and he gave us snow days a lot. I saw him once in a while, but I rarely ever had a conversation with him. I was just too shy to talk to him. Anyway, until one day, everything was perfect. I remember seeing Jack playing with Jamie and his friends. He suddenly saw something in the sky and rushed off without a goodbye. We never saw him for weeks after that.

When he came back, he looked pretty worse for wear. Jamie approached him and I hid behind a tree to eavesdrop. It turns out, Pitch had come back with even stronger Nightmares than before. I covered my mouth in shock. I was terrified of the Boogeyman! Why did he have to come back now? Jack and the rest of the Guardians fought him for three weeks straight. Now, they were taking a break and regrouping. Then I heard something that made my whole body go numb. Jack Frost was leaving Burgess!

He told Jamie that Pitch had threatened them and struck a deal. Pitch and the Guardians would have a battle somewhere in the U.S. If the Guardians won, Pitch would go willingly with them and stay in his underground lair forever. But if Pitch won, the Guardians would have to go willingly and Pitch would then do whatever he wanted to the world around him. It was a hard decision with much bickering, but the Guardians eventually agreed. I heard Jamie cry and beg Jack to stay in Burgess, but Jack didn't listen. He was confident that his team would win and Pitch would never come back.

However, everything went wrong. The Guardians did almost defeat the Boogeyman, but his Nightmares grew stronger. The Guardians ended up losing and Pitch captured them all. I remember the sky growing dark and the wind becomes cold. I saw Pitch in the sky, on a cloud of black sand. He set his Nightmares loose on the town, shrouding everything in black. Even the adults were terrified! They didn't know what was going on, but they tried protecting their kids. My parents told me to stay in the house while they went to help others. I waited for them anxiously, but they never returned.

I grabbed my dog, Daisy, and went upstairs to my room. I hid in my closet, crying for my parents. Ever since then, Pitch had ruled the whole of the United States. His Nightmares roam around every night, making sure no one is out past curfew. By now, all the adults believe in the Boogeyman and are terrified of him. As for me, I live by myself with Daisy. I'm still in the same house before all of this chaos happened. I am only 14 years old, but I can take care of myself. I blame the Guardians for this mess. If they had not taken the deal, none of this would've happened.

Every night, I go out to scavenge for anything I might need. Right now, I needed food, so I am going to go to various grocery stores. I glanced around one more time and then continued my journey. Walmart was not that far away, but it was still nerve-wracking to travel there. I checked my watch; it read 9:30 p.m. The Nightmares would be out in 5 minutes. If I could get there before that, I would be safe. I pressed my back against a small house. I didn't want anyone to see me. Daisy knew she had to keep quiet, so she just followed me.