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Are You Ready? Charlotte "Lottie" La Bouff tossed and turned in her bed, fitfully sleeping. Waking up with a moan, she sat up and pulled off her sleep mask. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she got out of bed and found her coat hanging on her closet door. She put it on as she slipped on her shoes. Since I can't sleep, a little walk wouldn't hurt, right? Maybe it'll help me get some sleep, she thought with a shrug. Making sure to keep quiet so she didn't accidentally wake Big Daddy up, she silently and quickly slipped out of the front door as best as she could. Lottie walked around town, deeply lost in thought. She was happy. She was happy with her life as it currently was. She may not have gotten her prince, but she had something better: She had family. She had Big Daddy. She had Tia, who was like a sister to Lottie ever since childhood. And she had Eudora, Tia's mama. Eudora was a wonderful surrogate mother. Lottie never knew her own mother. She had died when Lottie was still a baby and Big Daddy always told her stories about her. She always sounded like an amazing woman and Lottie wished she could've gotten to know her. But she was also grateful for Eudora being a surrogate mother and always being there for her and Tia. She even had Tia's and Naveen's new friend from the bayou, Louis. She had everyone and everything she cared about and could ever wish or hope for. So why did Lottie still feel so empty and lost? Why did it feel like she was missing something or someone she didn't want but never knew she needed? She didn't care that she didn't get to marry a prince. She was truly happy for Tia and Naveen. So what was missing? Why was she feeling so empty? Lost in thought as she was, she'd been looking down at her feet as she walked and walked. But something caught her eye and it made Charlotte stop in surprise. She almost gasped out loud as her eyes widened. Oh, my! She was in the graveyard, right in front of the tombstone of the Shadow Man himself. Dr. Facilier. Silver moonlight illuminated the familiar name upon the tombstone. Lottie was shocked, surprised and confused. Why had she ended up here, of all the places in New Orleans?
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Never Knew I Needed Suddenly, Charlotte let out a little scream as a mysterious fog rose up and covered the whole graveyard.
And were those drums she heard? Where was the sound of drums coming from?
Lottie let out another small scream as Voodoo dolls and drums arose from the underground. The dolls began banging the drums and chanting: "Bum, bum, bum! Are ya ready?! Are ya reeeaaaaddddyyyy?" Lottie was getting scared now. Cheese and crackers! What on Earth was going on?! But before she could speak or run, the ground began to shake as a giant mask appeared. Its mouth opened up wide and spat out a human male. But it wasn't just any human male. It was Dr. Facilier, the Shadow Man. And his living shadow. Dr. Facilier - the Shadow Man - blinked in surprise and coughed a little but then startled when he noticed Lottie. His surprise didn't last long. He and his shadow leered at her as they laughed. "Well, well, well," Facilier crowed. "Look who it is, showing up here of all places! It's Big Daddy's little princess, Miss Charlotte "Lottie" La Bouff!" He dramatically sprung up from the ground, taking off his hat and tipping it to her. He bowed theatrically. "Enchante, darlin'! A tip of the hat from Dr. Facilier. How y'all doin'?" "I - Hello, Shadow Man," Lottie stuttered in shock. She was frozen in surprise. She was in complete disbelief that she ended up at the Shadow Man's tombstone. She felt shaken up from witnessing him coming back to life. "Aw, c'mon now, cher," Facilier chuckled. "I ain't gonna hurt ya or do nothin' to ya. And it's Facilier, by the way." "Oh, uh, Lottie, then," Lottie replied slowly. "Please call me Lottie. Or Charlotte."
"Lottie it is then, doll," Facilier grinned kindly.
Charlotte shyly smiled back. And suddenly, she felt whole again. She felt like she found something she never wanted but never knew she needed.