Trying something new for the holidays. It's going to be Christmas in five more days so I planned to have a chapter a day until then. Depending on how long it gets it may even pass it but I plan to just have five. Anyway, happy holidays, and enjoy!
{You've probably wondered where holidays come from. If you haven't, I'd say it's time you begun}
It was almost that time of year again. My favorite time of year. The one I worked hard for during the other three hundred and sixty four days. Halloween. A time when I could escape Halloween Town and explore, adventure into the wide world beyond my own, doing what I was born to do, scare the living daylights out of mortals. Children were the most fun to scare. Even I had to admit that I didn't look the least bit scary until I really wanted to. But that was the trick, and their fear when I revealed myself, the treat. I learned from the best after all. Jack Skellington. Today I had to make sure to stop by the Doc's lab and reminded him to attend the Town Hall meeting, since I knew he was forgetful while lost in his experiments. Jack would most likely send me anyway. I momentarily stopped by the center of town to talk to my mother's long-time friend Nadine, the underwater gal.
She hung out there to socialize but she lived in the lake which was connected by underground tunnels to the fountain for her convenience. She rambled and I listened. Not that I didn't want to talk, I just wasn't able to. It was my fault. I fought with mother one too many times. She was tired of hearing my sarcastic responses so I had been punished with needle and thread, as usual. It sucked but she promised they would be removed before I had to head out. It was my job to bring the joys of Halloween to the mortal world and I wasn't going to miss out on it. I also wasn't going to go without the ability to roar. I was good, so that wouldn't be a problem should I not be able to, but then it would be less fun for me. I eventually left Nadine with a wave and hurried along Manny, a mummy boy, and his friend Dina, a withered wing demon. She leaned on one wing to wave at me and he greeted me with his routine praise before they ran off together, promising to get there on time.
"Wait up guys!" Ethan, a corpse kid, piped up while waddling past me. His mother and father followed at a leisurely pace.
"You sure know how to get them moving," Ned, Ethan's father, said with a smile.
"You're a good influence," Bertha, Ethan's mother, added on. I didn't really consider myself a model student or a role model of any kind but the smaller monsters looked up to me so I had no choice but to make sure they didn't turn out like a certain three I wasn't going to ruin my mood by mentioning right now. I shrugged and offered them my charming smile then raised a hand in farewell before passing them to meet up with our king and my mentor. I found him on his way out of his house, Zero flying circles around him as he descended the stairs.
"Hello Skirra, my favorite pupil," he greeted when he saw me. I smiled crookedly at the nickname and acknowledgment, the stitches sealing my black lips together pulling at my skin.
"Is it time for the meeting yet?" he continued, striding past me. I jogged to keep up with his long legs and broad steps. I looked up at him and nodded.
"Good, good. Can you please remind Dr. Finkelstein to be there?" he requested. I gave him the thumbs up and he grinned. See, I already knew the drill.
"Excellent! Then I'll see you there!" he said in farewell, rushing off to arrive on time. Zero's bark echoed as he playfully floated a circle around me in his way of greeting before following along after Jack. The whole town was heading to the Town Hall now but I knew I had some time to spare so I decided to wander a little. I left through the main gate, gesturing to the Gatekeeper who often let me come and go as long as I brought him a shiny trinket or something to snack on every once in a while. I traveled through the safe side of the woods and found my special spot out by the lake that was as still as glass and reflected the sky. Stars stood out on the water as well as the moon. I looked up at it and remembered when Oogie Boogie was still around. I was a young imp then, barely old enough for my first time out to scare children. I sighed through my nose and then leaped to fly to a rock that jutted out of the water. I landed, my black wings letting me down gently, barely disturbing the water with small ripples that quickly dispersed. I sat with one leg tucked under the other, my tail curled around me. The arrow shaped point at the end swayed like an agitated cat's tail.
I looked at my reflection and brought a hand up to brush at the perpetual ink marks underlining my vivid eyes, sharp black nails drifting over my skin. The inky trail streaked down my face, forever marking me with sorrow. When I cried my tears were pitch black and seemed to stain my ghostly pale skin. They left smudges along the sides of the bridge of my nose. I shifted, my clawed feet gripping the rock under me so I could reach the water and upset it, disfiguring my face in anger. I might be one of The Pumpkin King's best students but it didn't make me happy. I needed something more. I couldn't help but think of Jack. Fearless Jack who threw himself into a new world just to find something to fill his emptiness. I needed to do that. I needed something new. I sighed and ran a hand through my wavy sable hair, mindful of the black horns curving out from my skull. The siren of a cat yowling made my pointed ears perk. I almost lost track of time. I had to get going. I pushed off the rock and flew back to town. I landed outside the gates and entered when they parted to allow me in, but I had only gotten as far as the fountain in the center of town before I was forced to stop.
"Well look who it is. Late again, Jade?" a voice questioned me. It belonged to someone who I barely considered a mature wolfman. He would never live up to his father but at least they both favored wearing torn plaid button up shirts. That was something, right? I scoffed and crossed my arms.
"What was that? Oh, right, you can't spit your snark at us anymore can you?" he taunted. I hated Beck. He was a wazzbag, and his posse of equally annoying below average monsters where a nuisance.
"Yeah, she's practically a mute!" his banshee of a girlfriend shrieked with a cackle. No really, Alyssa was a banshee, and boy did she do her job too well. She was well-known for her high pitched screams that spelled doom for any mortal who happened to hear it. She was perfect for the role. Beck laughed and traded a high five with the vampire pretty boy, Ryder. He was such a loser. He was the youngest of four older brothers who constantly picked on him. I approved of that and was greatly entertained when they did it when I was around. I got along with them, but their youngest brother? Not at all.
Anyway, these three were practically the new mischief makers, like Oogie's boys; Lock, Shock, and Barrel. Except they weren't nearly as clever. While the three master trick-or-treaters were experts going door to door gathering treats and maybe pulling a scare by way of pranks, these three only believed they could do the same. They were pathetic and never worth my time, or anyone else's for that matter. Unfortunately, the original trio had toned down after Oogie's defeat, only showing up once in a while but mostly spending their time at their clubhouse in the outskirts of town. These three still didn't have anything on them despite acting like they were the next best thing. I rolled my eyes and moved to walk away but Ryder blocked me.
"Not so fast, human-lover," he growled. I wished I could bare my teeth at him. I always had fangs but I could easily grow rows of serrated teeth, trumping his measly elongated canines. He could poke holes but I could tear chunks. I was tired of them thinking I wanted to be human. I might like their clothes, and even stole the ones I frequently wear, but that didn't mean I wanted to be like them. Besides, plaid ripped at the knees skintight pants and a black shirt ripped at the sleeves with a white skull bearing blood on its sharp teeth was just too perfect to pass up. I would have taken a pair of combat boots but the shape of my feet were far from human and would never fit. We stared each other down, seconds from breaking into a fight, when we were interrupted.
"Now children, I thought I taught you better than that! No monster fights their brethren! You duel, pulling your most fearsome face, showing your true colors!" our crazy old zombie scare high school instructor, Sikowitz, scolded out of nowhere. At least it wasn't that witch I had in junior scare school. What was her name, Helgamine? Oh, and her assistant Zeldaborne. Geez, both were nuts and always went on and on about how great Jack was. They were obsessed. At least Sikowitz was entertaining. I glared at him and motioned to my face, silently reminding him that I couldn't do much with my mouth sealed shut.
"Make due, Jade," he responded, unconcerned. Ryder smirked, preparing himself, but I only scoffed. The exhaled air escaped through my nose. I flipped him off before turning on my heel. Before any of them could say or do anything I took off towards Town Hall. I couldn't be late for Jack's speech. I landed at the door and slipped inside just in time. I leaned against the Hanging Tree in the back of the room where Sally also stood. She placed her hand on my shoulder and offered me a smile which I returned. We both looked to the stage where Jack stepped into the spotlight that shone from the balcony above.
"Attention everyone! This year I have decided to allow a few graduates to take the spots of our senior monsters," Jack stated. The audience instantly complained but he waved his long arms for silence. I stood at attention, interested in what this could mean for me.
"Yes, I know, but we need new monsters. A thousand years is, after all, the limit to entering the mortal world. Only a few have successfully graduated my courses and only the very oldest of you will have to step down if you haven't already. I'm sorry," he continued. The crowd was in an uproar again and I didn't like the disrespect they displayed as well as the worry on Sally's face. I scowled to the best of my ability and then climbed the Hanging Tree, careful not to knock down any of the resident skeletal hangmen on the branches. I jumped from the top most branch to the balcony and then climbed up to take the spotlight from the Mayor. I waved the light over the crowd until they were shielding their eyes from the glare of light, effectively shutting them up. Jack noticed me and waved. I raised my hand and nodded for him to go on.
"I understand that this is a big change for some of you, but don't worry, you're still needed here even if you can't go out for Halloween anymore," he explained. The crowd grumbled but eventually accepted it. I remembered when my grandparents told me the same chizz happened all the time. They were unhappy when their children would step up to lead and now it was the next generation's turn. I started to wonder just how long we had been doing this, and how old The Pumpkin King himself was. He had to have been around long enough to feel bored over the ruling of his holiday. Who wouldn't? Jack started calling names after that, pulling out seniors and assigning their younger counterparts. I left by then, only stopping when Sally caught me on the way out.
"You aren't going to stay?" she asked. I shook my head.
"But you're on the list," she told me, smiling at my shocked reaction. I pointed to myself and tilted my head, incredulous. She just nodded and smiled bigger, clasping her small hands together. I couldn't believe it. I was going to be roaming the mortal world full time every year unlike my heavily monitored and curfew laden 'studies' which only lasted half the night. Jack put me on that list because he thought I could do it. I couldn't let him down. I just wished I had someone I could share my celebration with, but sadly, it was only me. My mother lost interest in me after remarrying a dirt-bag who did nothing but provide her with too many mouths to feed. He was insatiable.
A true high level demon who I felt didn't belong in our simple town. He belonged in the Underworld, but my mother disagreed. Her patience was always worn thin and she was tired of me telling her that I wanted my own father back. Because of that we never got along. That didn't matter though. I was rarely home and stayed busy to avoid all the drama. She could continue to take care of those little preturds all she wanted but I wasn't going to help. They weren't my problem. I had better things to do, better things to live up to. My father was a greatly respected imp and I was going to live up to his legacy no matter what. Sally must have seen the desolate look in my eyes and the furrow of my brow, perceptive as she was, and took me by the hand. She rested the other on top.
"I'm so happy for you. You've worked really hard for this. I know you'll be the best. Maybe as great as Jack," she told me. I shook my head and gave her a sad smile.
"Ok, if not as good as Jack then just as good as your father," she amended. Those words seemed to hit me harder with pride. Dammit. The ink stains had been refreshed. I looked away but didn't even bother trying to wipe them away. Sally pulled me into a hug, which I returned, and then stepped back. I motioned that I was going to go and she nodded, concern in her big eyes, but she let me leave this time. I ran straight into the graveyard. The Gatekeeper allowed me passage without a fuss for once and sat at the top of Curly Hill, gazing at the huge moon in the sky. It felt so close sitting here, like I could reach out and touch it. Jack came here once, lamenting over Halloween feeling so repetitive. I remembered hearing the stories. He left Halloween Town and entered the Hinterlands. It was a part of the gray and barren forest that none dared wander into because it led to other worlds, to other holidays. Heck, even Oogie's boys got to see it up close and personal with Jack's orders. I always wanted to go there, just to see. My curious nature couldn't ever give up on one day seeing it for myself. The whole town acted like no one knew the path to get there but I wasn't stupid. This very hill took anyone who knew how to make it work right to the Hinterlands. That's it! I could go right now! Who would stop me? I stood abruptly and rushed to the small tombstone off to the left of the hill. Let's see if I still remembered this. I stuck my index and middle finger into the warn eye sockets of a skull and then hooked them into a crevice that then allowed me to pull the whole design out a little. I watched as the hill began to unwind, giving me a temporary path I had to be fast to travel across. I was halfway across when I had a moment of doubt. Jack didn't impart the knowledge of how the hill worked to me if he hadn't trusted me with it. So should I really be doing this? The hill creaked under me, the mechanical gears within turning back into place. No, I wanted it too much to back out now. I could only hope Jack would forgive me. I ran across, jumping the short space over the fence and landing crouched over on my hands and feet on the other side. Now I just had to cross Pumpkin Field and I would be on the home stretch.
"Jade, what are you doing young imp? Hasn't Jack warned everyone not to enter the Hinterlands?" a ghost, Sofia, I recognized by her alto tone of voice, questioned as she took form from the mouth of a jack-o-lantern. I rolled my eyes, trying to look uncaring so she would give up and go away, but she tailed me.
"But…Skirra," she implored. I growled and spun around, warning her with a glare not to use Jack's nickname for me. Another ghost took shape from a particularly tall and skinny jack-o-lantern.
"Let her go. We can always warn Jack," Alberto remarked in his low bass tone of voice. I turned my glare on him next but he was unaffected.
"Don't try to stare me down, young one. I've made more humans tremble in fear than you could ever imagine. I won't be intimidated by you. If you want to cause trouble, then fine, we won't stop you," he stated. Sofia glanced at me before floating away, Alberto beginning to follow.
"Just keep in mind that Halloween is just a couple of days away and it would be unfortunate if you couldn't go," he warned before vanishing. I was sobered by that but it wasn't enough to slow me down. With renewed confidence I strode into the Hinterlands, ignoring the rest of my ghostly friends; Pietro, Luciano, and Maria who each tried to stop me too. It was dead quiet once I made it. Nothing moved and trees surrounded me on all sides. I walked straight, and in minutes, I could see the ring of tall, large, trees marked by each holiday. I could also see that I wasn't the first to get there. I let out an agitated huff through my nose and stomped toward the troublemakers, only slowing when I realized that the door marked with a triangular tree was wide open and white flakes floated out of the abyss within. A trail of the stuff led to the group of nitwits who were surrounding something on the ground. I ran the rest of the way and stopped when I was close enough. I gathered what I could of my muted ability and growled low, gaining their attention instantly. They looked scared at first, probably for being caught, but when they saw who it was they all fell into their act of supposed superiority.
"You just can't keep your nose out of things that don't concern you, can you?" Ryder taunted, moving to circle me. Now that he had moved there was a gap in their line. I could see someone on the ground behind them, shaking in what I guessed was fear. The figure's arms were over their head as if to block out sight and their body was curled up defensively. I didn't recognize who it was but we were never allowed to frighten anything or anyone like this. One scare and then we moved on. We weren't allowed to torture the victim. I narrowed my eyes at them. Beck noticed where I was looking and laughed.
"Gonna tattle-tale on us, teacher's pet? I bet you are," he sneered.
"I bet you she'll go crying to Jack the next chance she gets," Alyssa spoke up.
"True. So then let's teach her a lesson before she can," Ryder snarled, suddenly grabbing me around the middle, pinning my arms down. Without my now sharpening nails I couldn't get at him. My clawed feet kicked and thrashed, my tail whipped about, but after carrying me closer to the figure on the ground he forced me to my knees, crouching down to hold my arms behind my back.
"If you haven't already figured it out by our little guest then you might have noticed she isn't from around here. If you get what I mean," Beck began, pacing with his hands behind his back. I took a good look at the cowering figure with red hair, an innocent face, and pointed ears. She clenched a green hat in her hands and was dressed in more green with shoes pointed at the toe. I had never seen clothes like that on any mortal before.
"Tell her, Beck! Tell her!" Alyssa screamed excitedly, making me cringe at the volume level. Beck smirked, his sharp jaws twisting.
"We snuck into that door. You know, the one Jack went into all those years ago, and captured this little cutie," he explained, ending with a snap of his jaws at the girl. She whimpered and flinched, shaking harder. I wanted to tell him to stop but all I could manage was a frown and futile attempts to get loose.
"I see how much you want to cuss me out, Jade. I really do. I have no clue why you even care. What? Is it 'not right'? Maybe you think she 'doesn't deserve this'? Well, maybe I think she does. Or maybe I just like to scare the very soul from anything that even looks human," he ranted, leaning over her with his claws extended. That was enough. I broke free of Ryder and surged at Beck, tackling him to the ground. He scratched my side and my tail whipped at his face before he head butted me. While I was dazed he picked me up to slam me onto the ground, winding me. I couldn't catch my breath, having only my nose to regulate air through, so I was helpless when Ryder dragged me to the open door. Alyssa followed, towing the trembling girl.
"How disappointed would Jack be to find out his star pupil disobeyed him and put someone from another holiday in danger? Tsk, tsk," Beck said with a laugh. The others laughed too as they tossed in the girl first then threw me in after. I flailed through the void, free falling, until something swept me away. White specks flew past, carrying me on what felt like a gust of wind that swirled. With a flash of bluish white light I was dumped in this cold, wet stuff head first. Ugh, I think it's what Jack referred to as snow. I heard it fell in Halloween Town the year he tried to take over but I hadn't gotten to experience it because I was bed bound for fighting at school and getting my butt handed to me. I fought loose of the slush and then fell back on my hands to look around with wide eyes at all the bright, colorful lights and splendor.
"Please don't hurt me," a small voice begged. I turned in the soft white stuff to see the girl. She looked afraid, but it was the first time I wasn't proud to see someone look at me in such a way. I actually felt, well, guilty. I held up my hands to show her I meant no harm. I even tucked back my wings. I tried to smile but when she didn't seem reassured I knew it came out as more of a grimace. I shook my head, worried I would further frighten her, and then tried again. This time she seemed to understand.
"You won't hurt me?" she questioned. I nodded confirmation and sat back on my haunches, hoping we would get out of this stuff soon. It was so cold. She carefully stood and came closer. I stayed where I was on the ground to remain harmless. She ran a few fingers over my horns and then wiped at my cheek, examining the ink smudge left on her skin. Her fear slowly morphed into a kind of concerned sadness only Sally ever directed at me. It made my whole frame sag, my wings drooping, at the thought of what Sally would think of my disobedience. I wasn't so much worried over Jack's reaction as I was of her's. She was like the mother I was never able to have while Jack was very much like a father figure. Except I knew my own father would never be as spirited as him, which distinguished them from each other. She then offered me a hesitant yet hopeful smile and took my cold hand in her warm one.
"You tried to help me so I guess you can't be like them," she mentioned. I nodded, relieved she was trusting me a little.
"Since you helped me, I'll help you! Let's go ask Santa if you can rest here before you back," she proposed. Wait, Santa. As in Santa Claus? The man Jack met and called Sandy Claws? Was I in…Christmas Town? Really? So I didn't imagine seeing the shape of the door as a triangular looking tree? I wanted to talk so badly now and ask all kinds of questions. I was in another holiday's world! But I couldn't, so I just jumped to my feet, upsetting the snow we stood in and making the girl scurry back in surprise. She looked scared again, but then sharp pain stung my side and I fell to my knees. My hand pressed at the wound and lifted to show red painting my pale skin.
"You're hurt!" she exclaimed. I looked up at her and then down at my hand, finally feeling the blow done to me now that the adrenaline had passed and I was aware of the damage. I swayed on the spot and then fell forward. All I remembered was feeling the press of the cold on my face and hearing a shocked gasp before I fell under.