Jack sighed, continuing, "Well Linda and I turned out to have a bit of a friendship, bein' so close in the preparations for winter celebration. She was haughty, just as I first thought upon lookin' at her. I remember she was a titch off. Somethin' 'bout her was different. She walked around and people payed attention. If she wanted something, she got it. If she said somethin' everyone agreed. Well, everyone 'cept me. I liked her well, but she wasn't that interesting. No less interesting than the pendant dangling over her neck.

"Bein' around her was alright, but things started happenin'. It was odd. I remember takin' her around to a neighbor's place to pick up some wool and suddenly the animals got real distraught. And I remember one time she walked into the one room chapel near the village square and suddenly all o' the candles went out. I don't know... Perhaps, I was just oddly superstitious, or my eyes were playin' tricks on me. But it seemed awful coincidental that situations like that followed her like li'l ducklings. The girl was still nice, nonetheless. I guess she took a shining to me.

"Things got a bit... hazy. Um..." Jack faltered, his demeanor shrinking from amiable to anxious. Jay raised an eyebrow, more bothered by Mr. Winter's sudden fade in cheer than the fact that he was in an unknown cabin in east bajesus, nowhere in the middle of the night with some random strange man who had silver skin and eyes the color of the clear sky. Not that, you know, Jay ever made those kinds of observations.

"They don't get hazy, do they?" the human boy asked, "You... don't want to talk about this." Jack scratched the back of his head, not wanting to say anything. Jay's steely eyes burned into Jack's ice ones.

It was unlike the playful spirit to be so bashful,"I just... It's a bit..."

"What? Are you seriously embarrassed? You of all people?" Jay asked in disbelief. Jack sighed, his nose scrunching at the slight hint of challenge laced in Jay's words.

"Fine, fine. You want to hear what happens, you can have it your way you... you... I honestly don't even know what I was going to call you when I started that sentence..." Jack said, noting Jay's satisfied smirk.

The older man continued, "Well... I'm a bit vague on this part, anyways. But I, uh, I had a secret. Now, before you go jumping on the couch like an insane and overjoyed small dog of some type, I don't remember the secret so don't bother asking. But it had to be something... Something bad. Terrible. I remember that when I thought about it, dread filled me. I felt... Hopeless... I felt ashamed. But, I don't know what it rightly was... But I remember vaguely... That's when Linda, that witch, she cornered me one day.

'You're rather skilled at decorating.' she said to me. No matter what she said, I always felt like there was some underlying... patronizing tone in her voice. It bothered me. But nonetheless I accepted the compliment.

'So tell me, where were you last night. You proved evasive after the work was done. I was hoping to have words with you.' she said to me. I... I don't remember where I was, but... I think it involved my secret. It had to. I got defensive.

'Most likely I high tailed it to bed.' I told her. Then the oddest thing, she giggled.

'Really? I recall differently. I swear I saw you going behind the chapel for something.' she said. Thats when I knew. I'm not rightly sure what she knew or why I panicked, but I tried not to show it.

'You must've been seeing things. Cold winter air does that sometimes.' I said.

She laughed again, 'Oh, does it. Well, I guess those mistakes happen. So, do you have anyone accompanying you to the dance after mass? If not would you like to go with me?' she asked. I scoffed a bit. Not intentionally, but it happens. I felt bad, I thought maybe I'd hurt her, but she seemed... happy? I can't describe it.

I simply stated, 'Well... That's quite bold of you, Linda. I've never heard of a girl pursuing a boy, but... I can't say I'm interested. I'm so-'

Suddenly, her finger came to my lips. Linda crossed the boundaries of decency. 'Now, now, Jack. You don't need to be like that...' She took my face in her hands and leaned closer, 'Just kiss me...' Of course my first reaction was to, as kindly as possible, pry her wringing little hands off of me.

'What are yo-'

She cut me off, she started screaming. And oddly enough it seemed like that pendant she always wore gleamed more brightly than before. I remember her, she was crazed, 'I suppose you would! And don't play coy! I know where you were. You were with your friend, weren't you? You did unspeakable things, Jack. Things that could break you. Things that could end you.' at this point, I kind of started freaking out a little.

'Of what are you spe-'

'Why does it have to be like this, Jack? You're so kind, sweet, gentle. I hate that I have to do this to you. I've hated it since before you even knew my face.' she said. Things started getting weirder. I felt like somehow everything around me was distorted. I... I don't know. She just got so angry and that stone... So bright. But she wasn't done.

'You could have been perfect. Beautiful. Sweet. You would make a perfect companion, but... Well I suppose you'll have to do.' then things got really odd. That pendant o' hers... It just... I felt blinded. I couldn't see, just hear.

It seemed like Linda made less and less sense. Despite how little sense it made at the time, I remember every word of this part, 'I'm perfect. Irresistible, even! Yet you obviously have some kind of aversion to my beauty. Your heart is cold, Jack. Ice cold. But alas, I think this will suit you in your future. They say the two ways to get rid of this curse are... Yes. I think this will do...

'Thou shalt remain obscured by mystic realm

Only those who summon you may see thy face

You shall remain as you are until the end of time

Only when someone shall thaw your cold heart

Can you return to the world of the beating hearts

Until then your are bound to the duty of famine

The most troublesome season

A consuming task

Eternity awaits your job be done

Say your goodbyes.'

Then... then there was black."

Jack's speaking ceased. Only the soft crackling of the fire filled the silence for a stagnant few minutes. The story entranced Jay, who couldn't manage to say any words. Instead he stared, his lips parted slightly, in wonder. Jack looked at Jay and decided he ought finished before the boy's jaw fall off or something ridiculous like that.

"So... Well, I woke up after that. I looked down and saw myself. My peachy skin, blonde hair... That wasn't me anymore. Now I'm..." he gestured to himself and continued, "At first I was confused. It wasn't until moments later I saw the people crowded around me that I realized... They couldn't see me.

"At first I tried speaking. But then, when that didn't work, I screamed.

"They couldn't hear me.

"And now, I don't even know how many years later, here I am... I've just been... Summoning up winter, watching the word pass by before me. Upon occasion, people see me. Usually animals notice me, or small, small children. But older folk, they're too busy, too absorbed, too stubborn. But you... You called for me. And so I come." Jack finished. Jay still didn't know what to say. He felt pity initially. Jack had been thrust with whatever the hell happened to him.

Then, the silver man reached down the collar of his shirt and pulled out a luminous pendant. It looked just how he described it, almost pulsing with deep light.

Jay licked his lips not sure what to say. He felt welded onto his seat, his head heavy. He wanted so desperately to comfort him or tell him it was okay or something, but he knew that nothing he said or did could possible help. He felt useless.

"Well, enough of that now! Don't need the evening to be dragging, we've got much to do!" he said, his cheerful tone returning as if it hadn't left in the first place. The taller boy extended a hand for Jay. The brunette felt as if someone just roused him from a deep sleep, like he needed to de-fog his mind. Blinking, Jay took Jack's hand and was swept away once again.