Cobwebs Tend to Vanish on Halloween
I don't own anything but my OC's.
Chapter 1
The crowd were all cheering and singing as their Pumpkin King was being pulled along on the wooden horse, clad in his scarecrow costume. Everyone parted as they let the horse come through.
Skeleton Jack might catch you in the back,
And scream like a banshee,
Make you jump out of your skin!
This is Halloween
Everybody scream!
The Pumpkin King reached out and plucked a lit torch from a rag doll's hand.
Won't you please make way for a very special guy?
The Pumpkin King lowered the torch into his mouth and swallowed the flame. He seemed fine, despite being on fire. In fact, he was dancing upon the horse.
Our man Jack is king of the Pumpkin Patch
Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King now!
The Pumpkin King lowered himself and breathed fire upon some of the town's people, making them recoil and scream in fright. The horse made its way towards the town's fountain, where the Pumpkin King jumped, did a flip in mid air and landed in the water while everyone sang.
A young, skeleton boy with black and white hair ran over to the fountain. He was clad in his black suit with grey pinstripes. Small, frayed bat wings poked out from the slits in the fabric of his clothes. His bow tie was shaped like a spider, its legs just touching his shoulders. An orange, pumpkin mask covered one eye socket. A circle with a star inside was tattooed onto the back and palm of his right hand.
In this town, we call home
Everyone hail to the Pumpkin Song
Jack Skellington rose out from the green water. As he rose, his tie straightened itself. He turned during his rising and picked the skeleton boy up, his son.
He held Cobweb Skellington up as the boy gave a frightening grin.
The crowd cheered as Jack and Cobweb stood on the brim of the town's fountain.
"What a horrifying Halloween!" The Mayor exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air.
"And a terrible birthday for Cobweb!" Jack added. "His fourteenth!"
Cobweb smiled up at his father.
Presents were delivered. From Shadow, Cobweb had received a new suit, one for special occasions. It was striped with black and orange, coming with a long, black cape. He had thanked her, instantly falling in love with his suit. From his father, the Pumpkin King, Cobweb had received a special-made snow globe. Ever since Cobweb had visited Christmas Town, he had been fascinated with snow globes and had decided to collect them. In this one, a small model of Jack Skellington and Cobweb Skellington could be seen, rising out of a plastic fountain. Cobweb had smiled, saying he would add it to his collection.
"Cobweb," He heard a sweet voice say and turned.
Sally stood behind him, clutching a long piece of fabric to her chest.
"Sally," Cobweb nodded to her in greeting. "Wonderful to see you!"
Sally smiled. "Happy birthday." She handed the piece of fabric to him. "Sorry, I didn't have any wrapping paper."
Cobweb examined it. It was a black and finely-made scarf. It was soft against his fingers. He smiled at her. "Thank you, Sally."
"I thought you might be a bit cold when you visit Christmas Town, so I thought I'd make you a scarf." Sally explained.
Cobweb smiled and wrapped the scarf around his neck. "Ah, lovely."
Sally smiled and walked off to talk to another citizen.
Jack smiled. "It looks good on you."
Cobweb smiled up at him. "Thank you."
They heard loud clapping and turned to the man approaching them.
The man's eyes were a brilliant blue. His hair was long and shaggy, some of it pulled back into a slim pony tail. His hat was pirate-styled and oversized, so was his midnight blue coat. His white shirt was puffy, as were his black trousers. His brown boots reached his knees. His lips were set in a straight line. "Wonderful job, both of you."
Jack's smile was wide. "Thank you, Maverick."
Maverick Skellington's eyes were happy.
Not long ago, Jack had caught Maverick lamenting in the graveyard about not having a body that he could feel with. So, Jack had gone to the doctor and, with a little help from Shadow, they had made Maverick a body that resembled the body he used to have. Jack had confronted Maverick, explaining that he overheard his lamenting and had created him a body. Maverick was halfway between happy and sad. Jack had reassured him that everything was going to be ok. And Maverick had inhabited the new body. It took a few days for Maverick to awaken in his new body, but, when he did, he was overjoyed and had burst into town, saying how new it looked through his new eyes. But Maverick inhabited his body as though it were armour, he was allowed to come out of it and go into it when he pleased.
Maverick's eyes narrowed and his lips became a frown.
"What's wrong, Maverick?" Cobweb asked.
"Nothing. Why?" Maverick questioned.
"You're frowning." Jack replied, pointing at Maverick's face.
"I am?" Maverick shouted. "No! I was trying to smile!" His face saddened. "Jack, show me how to smile again."
Jack lips flicked up in a smile and he pointed at his face.
Maverick's lips twitched slightly, but made no smile. He groaned. "Why can't I do this? I'm a relatively happy fellow, yet I can't smile?"
Jack put a reassuring hand on Maverick's shoulder. "Maverick, you haven't smiled in over one hundred years. You'll get it."
Maverick's shoulders sagged. "Yeah, I guess."
Jack and his friends had to teach Maverick how to 'act alive'. Jack had taught Maverick how to walk again, considering, while a ghost, Maverick floated above the ground. He had to teach Maverick how to eat and drink again. Though he didn't need to eat or drink, Maverick said he wanted to feel as alive as possible. But most of all, he had to teach Maverick facial expressions.
While the two men talked, Cobweb slipped off from the crowd. He hid behind the stone wall and sighed, rubbing his head before walking away.
The musicians played their music.
As he walked passed, Cobweb flicked a coin into their hat.
"Nice work tonight, Bone Sonny." One of the musicians said, calling Cobweb by his nickname.
"Yeah, I guess so. Like last year, and the year before that." Cobweb sighed as he walked into the graveyard.
Cobweb placed a hand on his hip, the other on his chin. He walked among the graves. He tapped his leg and his family's pet dog, Zero, floated out of his grave. The ribbon-like-eared ghost dog smiled the best a dog could and followed his master's son.
Cobweb leaned against a gravestone.
There're lots who would say that being royalty is the best,
For we get everything we wish for,
He ducked behind a tombstone, popping out in an attempt to scare an imaginary mortal.
When it comes to surprises on Halloween night,
We always get cries for an encore.
He leapt onto a tombstone, stepping from one to the other.
With the slightest little effort of out scaring skills,
We've even seen Oogie Boogie give out a shriek,
He landed, bent down on the ground. He waved his hand out slowly in front of him.
With the wave of our hand, and before we can speak,
We've created a show that literally kills.
He stood and walked over to a tombstone, leaning against it.
Yet year after year, it's the same routine,
And I grow so weary of the sound of screams,
Cobweb stopped leaning on the tombstone and held out a fist.
And I, Cobweb, the Pumpkin Prince,
Have grown so tired of the same old thing.
Zero watched him as Cobweb climbed the Twisted Hill, hands to his chest.
Oh, somewhere deep inside of these bones,
An emptiness began to grow,
He reached the top of the Twisted Hill.
There's something out there, far from my home,
A longing that I've never known.
He reached down to Zero, who sniffed his hand sympathetically.
I rule fear and all that jazz,
I'm a demon of pizzazz,
And I'll scare you right out of your pants
As he gestured to the pumpkins beneath him, ghosts rose out of them and moaned eerily.
To a guy in Kentucky,
I'm Mister Unlucky,
And I'm known throughout England and France.
And since I'm undead,
I may take off my head,
And he did with a slight 'pop'.
To recite Shakespearean quotations,
He placed his head back onto his neck.
No animal nor man,
Can scream like Dad can,
But I get better with my recitations.
Cobweb gestured back to Halloween Town sadly.
But who, here, could ever understand,
That the Pumpkin Prince,
With the hobby to make things wince,
He placed his fist near his mouth and straightened his fingers.
Would tire of his crown, if they only understood,
He'd give it all up if he only could…
Cobweb turned, hearing a noise like a gasp. The Twisted Hill began to uncurl as Cobweb walked down it, singing sadly.
Oh, there's an empty place in my bones,
That calls out for something unknown,
He gestured to different directions as he walked down the path to the Hinterlands.
The fame and praise come year after year,
Does nothing for these empty tears…
Zero watched him sadly as he left.
Unbeknownst to Cobweb, Maverick Skellington came out from behind the tombstone he had been hiding behind. He sighed. "Kid, ya should've told us how you feel…"
…
Author's notes:
Behold! The first chapter of Cobwebs Tend to Vanish on Halloween!
Now, this story will include more songs then its prequels. And a new villain comes into the story! Oooh!
As you can see, Maverick now has the body he and Jack were talking about in Cobwebs Tend to Make Friends on Halloween. I'm planning on writing a story about how Maverick gets his body, if you'd like me too.
I hope you enjoyed Cobweb's Lament. I had a bit of trouble writing it, but it was worth it, right?
So, Cobweb's sick of being royalty. What will happen to our Skellington family? Find out next time…
