Creation
Hello people. This is a one shot I wrote one night after watching The Nightmare Before Christmas. Enjoy!
Jack had been reorganising his library shelves when a scream resounded throughout the house, indicating that someone (most likely the Mayor, he thought) had rung the doorbell.
Muttering to himself absentmindedly about something he'd got to do and carrying a stack of books haphazardly, he made his way down the stairs to the bottom.
'One moment,' he said loudly, placing all books but one onto the cupboard in the hall.
Jack answered the door and found Dr Finkelstein grinning up at him in a disconcerting way from his wheelchair.
'Good morning Dr Finkelstein,' Jack greeted him cheerily. 'What can I do for you?'
'Jack,' said Dr Finkelstein, brushing aside the pleasantries, 'I was hoping I could borrow some material from your Halloween stores in the basement?'
He wheeled himself into the lobby without waiting for an invitation and pulled out a pair of ominous looking scissors from his coat.
'Well... yes of course. Do you know what you need?'
Dr Finkelstein grinned evilly. Jack took this as a 'yes' and walked towards the kitchen, the Doctor following eagerly.
Jack pulled up a hatch in the floor, pulled a lever that converted the stairs to a ramp and gestured gallantly for the Doctor to make his way down.
The Doctor slid down the ramp and a loud crash was heard from somewhere near the bottom.
'Oh dear... sorry about that Doctor! I meant to move the cauldrons last month but haven't gotten around to it.'
'No matter Jack, though I can't imagine why,' the Doctor added, though he certainly could; Jack was currently reading a page of a book he hadn't put down since answering the door.
'Jack! The lights!' the Doctor said irritably after a minute passed.
'Ah, right you are Doctor!' Jack threw a large switch in the kitchen and the basement lights flickered into life.
'Now then...' Jack heard the Doctor say as he rubbed his hands, 'what can I find...'
Jack shook his head and returned to the pages of his book distractedly.
After what seemed like an hour, Dr Finkelstein shouted from the basement to be helped back upstairs.
Jack, who had long since finished the page and was now beginning to wonder what was taking so long, walked down the ramp and pushed the Doctor back up.
The Doctor was carrying an assortment of coloured materials and glanced shiftily at Jack once they reached the front door.
'So my dear Doctor, did you find what you need?'
'Yes Jack, these are going to be just perfect,' he mused, but elaborated no further.
'Well then unless I can offer you a drink?' Jack asked politely.
'No I must be returning to the lab. This will take some time.'
'Well then, goodbye for now!' Jack bowed him out of the door and curiously watched him roll away.
What was the Doctor up to now?
Two days later, Jack was in the garden about to take Zero for a walk when he heard singing. Jack had never heard singing like it; it certainly wasn't the usual Halloween residents who from experience, sounded more like a bag of trapped parrots in a state of advanced disagreement.
Curiosity overcame him, and instead of the usual route he took Zero, he decided to walk towards the sound of the voice. This route took him closer to Dr Finkelstein's home.
As he neared the observatory, it became apparent that this was where the voice was emanating from and he could see specifically who was singing.
Jack, who normally would have approached someone in a friendly manner, could not even move. He felt thunderstruck staring at the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
'Oh...'
A young woman was sitting on a window ledge of the upper floor, her long red hair blowing in the breeze.
'Hel...'
Jack tried to speak but struggled and began coughing.
The sound alerted the young woman to his presence and she blushed and jumped back into the room, away from the window.
'I'm awfully sorry!' Jack shouted; his voice regained. 'I didn't mean to make you jump! I normally do mean to make people jump but not... you... er...'
He was rambling and he stopped talking, rather embarrassed. What the devil was wrong with him?
Hearing his verbal struggle, the woman's face appeared at the window and looked down at him tentatively. She was timid and fiddled with her fingers as she stared.
Jack stared for a moment, unable to help himself then he gave a small laugh.
'Er... let's try this again shall we? Pleased to make your acquaintance, I am Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King!' He bowed impressively.
Zero barked, his nose happily glowing red; Jack laughed.
'And this is Zero, my dog.'
'Hello,' said the woman, who gave a small smile at the scene before her. 'I am Sally.'
'Sally...' Jack pondered. 'Why have I never seen you before?'
'I was only created yesterday by my master, Dr Finkelstein.'
'My word, the man certainly has his hobbies doesn't he? And there was I thinking the material he needed was for Halloween!'
For Jack had recognised the material with which Sally was made; he had seen it in the arms of Dr Finkelstein only two days ago.
'Would you like me to get him for you?' Sally asked with her hands clasped in front of her shyly.
'No Sally, do not trouble yourself! I'm merely out for a stroll with Zero! I hope to meet you again...' Jack tried to appear nonchalant, and hoped to leave without further incident.
'Jack?' Sally asked as he turned to walk away. 'Will you come this way again?'
'Everyday Sally,' Jack said, knowing full well he would have done so without her asking.
End. Please review!