The Difference Between Real and Pretend

JACKS POV

As an immortal, I don't get headaches. Ever.

Yet, my head pounding, and my limbs feel sore and achey. I feel like I just got struck with lightening, run over with North's sleigh, and maybe got chucked down a cliff.

What the hell happened?

I open my eyes, to find myself laying down in the grass, on my back, staring at an open, blue, cloudless sky. The aroma of the grass tickles my nose, as my memories come flooding back.

Going to Scotland with Tooth. Getting Tooth mad at me (whoops!). Finding the old, batty woman. Realizing the old, batty woman was actually a witch. Her thunderous snapping. And my favourite part, the finale, getting swallowed alive by the ground.

I stand up, relieved when I see my staff on the ground beside me. I pick it up quickly.

"Alright, witch!" I yell out. "Come out! You got me!"

Silence.

"Seriously, joke's over!" I call out more sternly. I was all for pranking, but this is rapidly getting out of hand.

Silence.

"Alright, that's it!" I mumble to myself. I begin to sprint forward, so I can fly upwards.

I jump into the air, getting ready to soar into the open air...!

BAM!

My face hits the ground, and I spit out grass. Seriously? I still can't fly? Whatever trick the witch has put on me still won't let me fly.

Oh, crap. What if I can't even make frost appear anymore?

Almost scared now, I flex my fingers, and sigh in relief when I conjure up snow in my palm.

Next time I see that witch, she'll get it. Oh, she'll get it so hard!

So now I'm by myself, in an open field of grass, nothing nearby, and unable to fly. With my luck, if I find anyone, they probably won't see me. I angrily drive my foot in the ground, but pull it quickly back up.

Not that it hurt, obviously. I'm tougher than that.

My foot is bleeding.

Bleeding.

Bleeding.

Holy snowballs.

I AM BLEEDING.

Not once since being turned into an immortal winter spirit have I ever bled in my whole existence! Sure, I've been in pain, but I've never bled.

How did kicking the ground, such a simple act, make me bleed? Maybe there are rocks on the ground. It's not like I wear shoes. I'm usually in the air. But still!

I glance in both amazement and terror at the red liquid dripping down from my foot into the grass. This is so weird. I wish I can just fly to the North Pole, and ask the other Guardians what they think of this.

Wait, slow down Jack. First, I've gotta get out of the middle of nowhere. Maybe I can steal a scooter or something. I'll give it back, I swear!

In the mean time, I can't be walking around bare-footed if I'm gonna keep bleeding. This whole bleeding thing is getting annoying.

I put a layer of snow in front of me, sighing in relief as my bleeding foot makes contact with the cold, wet snow.

Cold.

I can feel how cold it is.

"Well, this is new," I mumble, before blacking out.

***