Anara POV

Halloween seemed to approach faster than normal, and I was thrilled to see that this was something Pitch and I could enjoy together. Pitch liked the rush of fear that surrounded him whenever a child nearby got scared by something mundane, and the fact that I had a love for scary movies anyway led to us watching one almost every evening when I finished homework. On nights when I watched these films with my mother, Pitch joined us downstairs, though my mom couldn't see him because she did not believe in him. It worked out well, although I could only ever answer anything Pitch asked me with a nod or shake of my head until I could explain further at the end of the night. His favorite one seemed to be The Conjuring 2, since it was frightening without being gory. He thought that overtly bloody horror films were cheesy and over rated.

Watching the first Saw and Final Destination films with him had proven such a point, when I ended up listening to him rant about the idiocy of it all for nearly an hour after each. Though his commentary was entertaining, he made it clear he wished to watch nothing of that sort again. I didn't mind that though, because I felt the same in some regard. I had only chosen those movies since they were on television at the time. I had plenty of other better DVDs and films on my streaming service that we were sure to enjoy.

Also, I liked reading horror novels and creepy stories online, which I would sometimes read to Pitch while he was there with me. And of course, I needed to attend to the chore of picking out my costume and makeup for the upcoming holiday party Jade would be hosting at her house that night. I was debating between a fallen angel and a siren, both costumes equally beautiful and dark. Pitch was actually helpful in my decision making, pointing out that the gothic fallen angel costume would stand out in a crowd over the subtle sparkly mermaid. Besides, I needed something kind of cool since I would be singing with Jade and another one of her friends at the party.

It was nice to spend this time with Pitch, and I noticed that as the days passed by, he had started to relax even more in my presence. Granted, we had moments and stories that we did not discuss yet, the biggest being how Pitch became who he was. Whenever I tried to bring the subject up, Pitch would go silent and give me a warning look. Though I knew he wouldn't ever hurt me, I didn't want to anger my friend by pressing for details. I could tell it hurt him to think about his past, and I didn't want to cause him any unnecessary pain. Even still, I felt a strong urge to discover Pitch's secrets, though I knew I needed to give him time.

Soon the day of Jade's party came, the chilly autumn air preparing us for a classic Halloween night. The sky was dark, with silver clouds swirling around the sky and an orange harvest moon glowing high above. Children dressed as goblins, ghosts, princesses, fairies, and an array of other mythical creatures were running through the neighborhood in an effort to fill their trick-or-treat bags. Parents stood at the doorways, handing out candy and small toys to the kids enjoying the holiday. Meanwhile, I watched out my window as I finished lacing up my knee-high boots, the leather tight against my calves. Pitch was sure to arrive soon, but I was sure he was sneaking in some last minute scares before our rendezvous.

My reflection caught my eye, and I paused to look over my shape in the mirror. My dress was made of a light satin fabric, dark grey in color with twisted black vines decorating the bodice and skirt. A black fishnet overlay laced up the front of my dress, tied with a black satin ribbon. The fishnet sleeves were jagged and hung loosely on my arms. Onyx angel wings and a fluffy halo completed the costume, and I finished the look with straightened hair and smokey eye makeup using black and silver. Red lipstick outlined in black lip liner was my final touch, enhancing my lips.

Golden eyes appeared over my shoulder, and crooked white teeth stood out against a charcoal set of lips. Pitch had arrived. "Well, well dear Anara. You look wonderfully frightful tonight." The Guardian complimented me with a devious smirk on his face. I turned to look at him, my hands resting on my hips as I glanced over him. Nothing about him had really changed, even for the holiday. "Thank you, Pitch. I'm glad to have the approval of the Nightmare King." I teased him, crossing my ankles and curtseying. He rolled his eyes at me before extending his arm and offering me his elbow. "Oh look, chivalry is not dead after all." I accepted his arm and smiled up at him. "Don't be ridiculous, my dear. Chivalry is not dead; it's simply going extinct. Now, let us attend this dreadful celebration of yours. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get back," Pitch murmured with a tone exemplifying utter and complete disinterest in the evening's events. Shaking my head in amusement, I nodded my agreement as I tugged on his arm in an effort to encourage him to walk out my door.

Instead, Pitch stayed still, tutting at me softly. "Allow me to show you a faster way to travel; it will save time." He offered. Tilting my head in interest, waiting for him to continue. The Nightmare King covered my hand with his own, squeezing my fingers firmly. "Hold on tight, my dear. You wouldn't want to get lost in the shadows..." His voice became the strangest combination of a whisper and hiss, as if a snake were speaking. Before I could utter a sound to signal my sudden trepidation, the floor under my feet disappeared and I found myself shrouded in complete darkness. There was no light, no warmth, only the pressure of Pitch's palm covering my fingers, my nails digging into his heavy robe, though I could not see him. There was only darkness, cold and unfeeling, but it felt familiar. Whether it was because I was with Pitch or simply too surprised to do anything about my situation, for some reason or another I was not frightened.

And just as quickly as I had slipped into nothingness, I found myself back on my feet, a dull nauseous feeling swirling in my lower stomach. Stumbling a bit, I nearly collapsed as the earth under me felt solid once more, and I attempted to regain my bearings. Two large palms rested on my hips, gripping me tightly in an effort to keep me upright. "Steady there, dear Anara. The first time travelling through the shadows is always the worst." Pitch's cool breath grazed my ear while I breathed in and out, trying to get a hold of my upset stomach. Instinctually, I leaned back against Pitch's chest, feeling him suddenly tense behind me. I paused, briefly wondering why he had reacted that way to me simply using him as a support for a moment. Still, the Nightmare King allowed me to rest against his long, lean body, his hands still on my hips, my head against his chest.

After I gave myself a moment to collect myself, I stood up straight again, quietly thanking Pitch. He dipped his head in acknowledgement. I looked around, realizing that we were in the alley behind Jade's house. "How did we get here?" I asked Pitch, starting to walk toward the end of the street. Pitch followed close behind. "We slipped through the shadows. When I touched you, I envisioned where you wished to go, and then we ended up here. Teleportation is one of my powers, my dear." He explained. The literal ebony abyss I had been floating through with Pitch made sense. We had actually travelled through the realm of shadows. I wondered if that was where Pitch had spent much of his time, if he was lonely living in the darkness, if that was another reason why he had started to visit me so often. There were so many unanswered questions, and I had no idea where to start. Glancing at him over my shoulder, I sighed and allowed myself to calm my mind. There would be time for answers. For now, it was time to celebrate Pitch's favorite holiday, and I knew just what to do.

Arriving on Jade's front porch, I knocked on the door and waited for her to answer. Pitch paced back and forth, playing with the gruesome decorations that littered the front steps and lawn. Fake graves held "rotten" plastic corpses, giant purple and russet spiders lay in massive sticky webs on the roof, bloody handprints shined on the windows and wooden railing. Pitch examined each one carefully, chuckling when something seemed too cheesy or cliche. I could see the multi-colored strobe lights dancing on the windows, and hear the music blaring through the walls of my friend's home. Jade finally opened the door, welcoming me inside. "Hey, girl! Come on in. We're getting ready for karaoke." She announced, gesturing at the guests that had already arrived. When she glanced at me again, I noticed her curious expression as her eyes landed over my shoulder. "Who's this tall drink of poison?" Jade asked me, still looking behind me. My eyes widened as I turned back, thinking maybe someone else had arrived for the party. However, only Pitch accompanied me on the porch.

The Nightmare King and I exchanged a glance, both shocked that my friend could see him. "Um..he's a friend..." I offered, and Pitch nodded slowly. "I am Pitch Black." He introduced himself. Jade lifted an eyebrow, before cackling in humor. "Oh! Pitch Black! I get it! Good one, bro!" She said, turning away and leading us inside her home. Pitch rolled his eyes, making me laugh. "How can she see you?" I asked under my breath. Pitch's gaze flicked over to the window, where the harvest moon was glowing exceptionally brightly. "I do not know. No child over the age of fourteen has been able to see me on All Hallow's Eve for the last few hundred years. Except you. Until tonight that is...Perhaps the Man in the Moon did this...a cruel joke maybe?" I could hear Pitch's confusion matched my own.

Jade's house was already very full, most being people from school searching for a reason to party, even if they didn't like Jade. People around us were staring at Pitch, everyone murmuring amongst themselves. Pitch sneered at them all, his eyes glowing like a cat's in the dimly lit room. Jade reached back and grabbed my hand, pulling me down the staircase to her basement.

Before I knew what to expect, Jade and I were standing in the center of the room, and she handed me a microphone. One of her other friends, Ashlyn, a petite blonde girl from the school's art club, was already in place. Ashlyn was wearing a dark charcoal colored one piece with an electric blue skeleton covering her body from her neck to her toes. Her hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail, and her makeup was painted on to look like a neon colored skull. "It's showtime!" Jade yelled. My eyes widened. "I just got here!" I exclaimed, searching for Pitch once again. I feared him getting lost in the crowd and being annoyed by some idiot.

To my relief, he appeared at the far corner of the room to my right. One of the kids near us turned on Jade's fog machine, filling the basement with a spooky fog. Jade took her place between Ashlyn and I, her sassy red and white pirate's costume contrasting with our darker outfits. A black skirt hung from her hips, partially hidden under her leather corset, and her white sleeves billowed as she moved her arms in order to push her long curly hair over her shoulder.

The music began to fill the room and I instantly recognized the song from one of my favorite Halloween movies, Hocus Pocus. Jade smiled at me, raising the mic to her lips. "I put a spell on you,

and now you're mine..." She sang softly, looking around the hushed room. Ashlyn pointed at a tall male who I assumed was her boyfriend, "You can't stop the things I do, I ain't lyyyyyin'..." Both girls glanced at me expectantly, so I took that as my cue to begin. "It's been 300 years right down to the day, now the witch is back and there's hell to pay..." I continued. The two other girls joined me in harmony for the next line of the song. "I put a spell on you and now you're miiiiiine!" "I put a spell on you and now you're gone." Jade stepped forward, waving her hand as if motioning for someone to leave. "My whammy fell on you and it was strong." Ashlyn posed like a strong man, following Jade's lead. My eyes scanned the room as I recited the words that came next, and I couldn't help but notice the corner of Pitch's lip raising in a half smile as my friends and I sang. "Your wretched little lives have all been cursed, 'cause of all the witches working baby, I'm the worst!" I winked at him cheekily, continuing the song with Ashlyn and Jade. "I put a spell on you and now you're mine! Watch out! Watch out! Watch out! Watch out! She ain't lying!" Jade twirled her prop pirate sword, still following along with the lyrics perfectly. "If you don't believe, you'd better get superstitious. Ask my sisters!" She exclaimed. Ashlyn and I suppressed giggles as we added, "Ooh, she's vicious!"

As we repeated the chorus, I noticed Priscilla standing in the middle of the crowd, looking nothing short of disgruntled. She murmured something to one of her friends, before letting out what appeared to be a minor scream of fright. "I put a spell on you! I put a spell on you!" The microphone and speaker were turned up so loud I could not make out what her problem was, but she suddenly started shoving through people to leave the basement. The three of us that were singing exchanged concerned glances, clearly thinking the same thing. What was wrong with her? Returning to our task at hand, we went on. "Ah say ento pi alpha mabi upendi! Ah say ento pi alpha mabi upendi!" We chanted, and the crowd repeated us a few times. I looked up at Pitch to find that his smile had been replaced with a self-satisfied smirk once more, and I wondered if he had anything to do with what happened to Priscilla. This obviously would not be his first interference, but that is not to say I was ungrateful for it. "In comma coriyama! In comma coriyama! Ay, ay, aye, aye, say bye-byyyyyyyyyyye! Bye bye!" I finished with Ashlyn and Jade, all of us waving at the crowd. Ironically, the fog in the room thickened as if to shield us from the view of our audience.

A warm hand rested on my shoulder, and I spun around to find myself face to face with my brooding friend, his ghostly gray skin hard to see in the midst of the dense gray clouds. "That was a...splendid performance my dear...you must sing more often. Do not waste such a gift." Pitch murmured. I smiled up at him, before suddenly stumbling forward as someone accidentally ran into me in the misty room. Two large hands grasped my frame as I nearly nose dived into Pitch's chest, causing me to gasp as I came to an unforeseen stop. Frozen in shock, I allowed the Nightmare King to gently push me back upright, his knit eyebrows exemplifying his worried expression. "Thank you, Pitch. For the compliment...and for catching me..." I whispered, my words almost inaudible through the blaring music. Pitch tilted his head, clearly having missed what I had told him. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward so that I was toe to toe with the lithe figure, and I wrapped my arms around his frame tightly, hugging the man. He tensed, unresponsive to my gesture. Then, he tentatively patted my back, reciprocating the sentiment.

This was the first time I had hugged the Boogeyman, and if I was being completely honest with myself, I didn't want to let go of him. His body was neither too hot or too cold, but the way he stood made me feel safe. Traces of earthy scents like cedar, amber, and patchouli, as well as the faint smell of smoke seemed to cling to his dark velvet cloak. These warm, natural scents fit him. Though he was clearly uneasy, Pitch did not push me away, and instead allowed me to be the one to break our embrace. "What was that for?" The Nightmare King asked slowly, not meeting me eyes. "It was a hug. I hugged you because of everything you have done for me tonight." I responded. "I have not been...embraced...in years." He admitted, and I glimpsed his eyes flashing, the golden and silver irises glowing warmly. "Well, you better get used to it, Mr. Boogeyman." I nudged him with my shoulder, and the Guardian of Fear chuckled.

And so the party wore on, the pair of us mingling with Jade's guests. Many of them were very nice to speak with, asking about my costume and Pitch's (they did not recognize him as the terror of their childhood), and others complimenting my performance with Ashlyn and Jade. Those two were busy pranking some of their guests, the mood of the home lightened now that Priscilla had run off.

Again, I returned my attention to my male friend. "By the way, what did you do to Priscilla?" I questioned him. His devious expression returned, and he let out a gleeful laugh. "I just had a bit of fun with her, dear Anara!" He told me. I waited for him to elaborate. "She thought it would be funny to openly degrade you in the crowd. I taught her another lesson. Miss Priscilla has a deathly fear of spiders, so I simply released my nightmare spiders. She saw them in her hair and decided to make a scene..." Pitch's smile widened as he explained what had transpired while I had been singing. I couldn't help my own giggles as I realized what he had done for me. "Thank you, Pitch. You're the best!" I complimented him this time, looping my arm through his once more. Pitch covered my fingers with his other palm just as he did before, and together we moved through the crowd to mingle with everyone, Pitch making attempts to scare people every now and then. I had always loved Halloween, but having Pitch there to enjoy the holiday with Jade and I, it was nothing short of frightfully perfect.