Author's Note: Here it is once again. What started out as a suspense-building story trailer turned out to be pretty neat in my book. It also introduced a certain dead man by the name of Henry. He'll get more time to show his stuff in another story of mine, but here he serves as your guide. Have fun getting reacquainted with him and eight other characters from The Nightmare Before Christmas. And remember, folks, you never know where you're going until you know where you've been.

Origins

Every person lives. Every life has a purpose. Sometimes, that purpose isn't found out until a person passes from one world to the next. In the case of eight people, that proved very true. All of them died on October thirty-first only to be reborn into a realm where the magic and wonder of that day reigned supreme every day of the year-

Glenn Ross was a beloved politician of a small Southern American town in the early 1920's. He was far ahead of his time when he was elected mayor of his town. The changes he tried to bring were too much for some residents. They made sure he would not be alive to see them made.

Later in that same decade, Oscar Bogart was a double-crossing poker master in the speakeasies of Chicago. He was above the law and no one could do a thing about it except watch. That is, until Oscar double-crossed the wrong people and got into more trouble than he could ever hope to handle.

Frederick Finkel was a doctor and esteemed German scientist as his country was falling under a new government in the late 1930's. He was a good man who was planning to leave his home when he realized what troubles were to come. He almost escaped, until he opened his heart and home to a young woman in danger. In exchange for his compassion, Frederick lost his own life.

Louis, Shirley, and Barry were three of many children residing in an orphanage in the 1950's. They were mischievous children who loved nothing more than to play tricks on their guardians. The three were supposed to be adopted by different homes, but that all changed one fateful Halloween night. They lived together, and they died together.

Jake Skelly was an ace gymnast who lived in Manhattan with a troupe of entertainers and bohemians in the 1960's. However, Jake wanted so much more, like a chance to sing and dance on Broadway and become a real star. One Halloween, he was on his way to the audition of his lifetime. He never made it.

Sarah Anderson was a college student in the 1970's. She was a quiet girl, a good girl whose life was centered around her family and her studies. Sarah had never thought about breaking any rules until she fell in love with the class ladies' man. The one night she decided to be rebellious would be her very last: October thirty-first.

A mayor wronged by his community, a conniving gambler who got his just desserts, an man of science whose compassion lead to sacrifice, three friends with only each other to rely on, a gymnast who dreamt of stardom, and a college girl taken before her time all have three things in common despite their various backgrounds. First of all, they all died on Halloween. Secondly, they were all meant for greater things than what only life had in store for them. Third, and most important of all, they were all born once more and given new identities to go with their fates.

Most of you know of a two-faced mayor who cannot make his own decisions or of a villainous bug-filled sack with a penchant for gambling. Surely you recognize the mad scientist and his lovely creation or remember the best trick-or-treaters Halloween has ever had. Who can forget the King of Halloween himself, the skeletal master of fright?

They were all marked beings. They were meant to come to the town of Halloween. Some were good, some were bad, and some I am not quite sure of what they have inside. All I know was that they were supposed to join this little community of the strange and that was that. Why am I the one telling you all of this? I'm the one who brought each and every one of them. I am the one passing their stories on to you.

– Henry Cadaver, the former Pumpkin King.

That's it for now readers. I hate to let you guys hang like this, but I just had to get this plot line out there. Think of this as a trailer for an upcoming movie. I promise to continue this as soon as Raising Takoda is done, so until then, this is all you're getting.