Halloween Night, a nightmare before christmas fanfic

Title: Halloween Night

Written By: Emerald Padparadscha

Sally had been through many a Halloween Night. The entire town would grow still and quiet, not a single soul anywhere in either the streets or the houses. Dr. Finklestein was always left, but he wasn't one to participate in such things. Sally, on the other hand...

She sighed, sitting on the fountain wall as she waited for the twon to fill once again. Jack was always the first toleave, and he would be the last to arrive. She smiled as she let her mind wander. He would always disappear as silently as a breeze of wind then return with an outstanding entrance! The town denizens would be in a celebratory uproar! The Wolfman would be howling, the banshees wailing, and every known witch would cackle and scream.

But, no, not Jack. He would sneak away to the graveyard where he could enjoy the solitude. And, since he'd been with Sally these past two years, he had snuck off with her. Sometimes they would even fall asleep in each other's arms, only the jack-o-lantern sun to awaken them in the morning. Nobody knew yet that they were seeing each other. She wasn't upset, though, and she knew Jack wasn't hiding her. Instead, it was Jack trying to keep her from the spotlight, something he knew she wouldn't enjoy.

Restless, the rag doll stood, slowly walking down the cobblestone street. IT would be at least another hour or so before anyone started to show. She had plenty of time for a walk.

Her route wasn't unplanned, as she had discovered many of Jack's walks to be. Her destination was the graveyard. More accurately, Spiral Hill. The one way, without a doubt, to get to the Real World or the other Holiday worlds. Only jack could make the hill unfurl itself and allow people to leave. It responded to him almost immediately, or he could hold it like a doorway for anyone entering or leaving on foot. Flying, though, allowed anyone to come and go.

The night breeze was so cool and soothing...

Sally fell asleep against a tombstone. There was the hint of a special song on the wind...

"Come with us and you will see..."

"This our town of Halloween..."

There was a man sitting on a long bench, resting with his back against the arm rest, one leg lying up on the bench itself. The bench was next to a mausoleum grown up with ivy, and he was absorbed completely in the book he held. He turned the pages slowly as he read them. And, though his skin was pale, he was definitely alive. She couldn't help but admit he was definitely handsome. His eyes were bright and wide, his jet black hair combed back neatly... He was tall, lithe, and handsome in so many ways. He was clad in a black suit that, if it were possible, made him look even thinner!

A little, solid white dog was under the bench, sleeping peacefully.

Something compelled Sally to approach him. She did. "...Hello?" He didn't seem to take notice, so she asked again. "H-hello?"

He looked up this time, his gaze meeting with her's. It gave her chills...but in a good way... "Oh, pardon me! I didn't see you there."

She clasped her hands in front of her. "I'm sorry. Am I bothering you?"

He smiled. There was something very familiar to her about the look in his eyes. "No, not at all. It's just that..." He seated himself correctly. "I haven't seen you around here before. Do you come here often?"

Sally shook her head. She'd had dreams before, but nothing like this! "I...don't think so..."

The stranger sighed as he stood. The dog under the bench looked up, giving a short bark before rising to its feet. Sally instantly felt very short standing next to this man. His stature was strong, and he must have stood at least 7 feet tall! His figure looked even more thin and rail like now than before. It reminded her of-

"It's unusual to see anyone else out here." He said, interrupting her train of thought. "I find the quiet of the graveyard nice and soothing. Most people don't. It gives them the creeps, you know."

She smiled at that. Actually, she didn't know, but she could imagine it. She'd heard stories from Jack about how the living people were afraid of death. That was how they were frightened so easily. "I think it's kind of nice."

A smile crossed his lips. She liked how he looked at her. "Really? Well, now, that's a nice change of pace." A bell in the distance, likely a church bell, sounded, and he looked toward it. Sally hadn't noticed before, but there was a town that way. "I'd better be going. Perhaps we could, I don't know..."

"Meet later?" She finished for him.

"Exactly! I'll be here tomorrow at the same time." The bell sounded again. He patted his leg, grabbing the dog's attention. "Come on, pup, or we'll be late."

"Sally?"

Sally awoke upon hearing the sound of her name, the soft touch of a bony hand on her shoulder. She smiled, her skeletal beau there beside her, kneeling on one knee. Jack smiled back, getting up and helping her to stand.

"Is Halloween already over?" She asked. "I didn't mean to miss it."

"You didn't miss anything." He assured her. "Believe me. If you've seen it once, you've seen it a thousand times."

"You know I still enjoy watching you."

He chuckled at that, kissing the back of her hand. She blushed softly, as he usually did whenever he did something sweet for her. That was part of her charm, he believed. She was so innocent of soul, nothing like anyone else he had ever met. He had known her before, since the first time she had snuck out of Dr. Finklestein's tower, but he felt like he had known her for so much longer than that. For the lack of another way to put it, she made him feel so alive!

Hand in hand, they began to walk. The town wouldn't quiet down for quite some time yet, and they both knew it. The moon was beautiful and full, shining down brightly upon them. So, to the top of Spiral Hill they started.

As though it had just entered his mind, Jack asked, "Dream of anything?"

"A little. Why?"

He replied with a wave of his hand. "I've heard some of the best dreams happen on Holiday nights." He grinned. "I can't say that I've ever slept on Halloween night, so I don't know if it's true."

Sally could remember the dream easily. To her, it was like gazing directly at the picture she was being asked to describe.

It wasn't long before they were at their destination at the top of Spiral Hill. A cool breeze blew through, toying with her hair until it died down. When they sat, Sally leaned comfortably up against Jack's side, his arm around her waist.

"I saw a man and his dog." She said. "They were in a graveyard, and he was reading a book. He kind of reminded me of you, Jack, only he was alive."

Jack looked surprised at first, but then smiled in that Skeleton King way of his. "Sometimes, Sally, dreams are the grandest things of all."

FIN

Restless, the rag doll stood, slowly walking down the cobblestone street. IT would be at least another hour or so before anyone started to show. She had plenty of time for a walk.

The night breeze was so cool and soothing...

Sally fell asleep against a tombstone. There was the hint of a special song on the wind...

"Come with us and you will see..."

"This our town of Halloween..."

A little, solid white dog was under the bench, sleeping peacefully.

Something compelled Sally to approach him. She did. "...Hello?" He didn't seem to take notice, so she asked again. "H-hello?"

He looked up this time, his gaze meeting with her's. It gave her chills...but in a good way... "Oh, pardon me! I didn't see you there."

She clasped her hands in front of her. "I'm sorry. Am I bothering you?"

Sally shook her head. She'd had dreams before, but nothing like this! "I...don't think so..."

"It's unusual to see anyone else out here." He said, interrupting her train of thought. "I find the quiet of the graveyard nice and soothing. Most people don't. It gives them the creeps, you know."

"Meet later?" She finished for him.

"Exactly! I'll be here tomorrow at the same time." The bell sounded again. He patted his leg, grabbing the dog's attention. "Come on, pup, or we'll be late."