1: Lenordinary I flopped down on my four-poster bed, draped in black lace, and groaned quietly. Not only did I have no customers all day, but I was starting to doubt that anyone in the whole town liked me at all. When I took my nightly stroll around Town Square, all anyone did was stare and whisper about the "new girl". I wouldn't have minded, but in fact I WASN'T new; I had lived in Halloween Town all my life. They just never noticed me, untill now for some reason. I didn't know anything about my family at all. I didn't know from whom I got my long blonde hair, or my pale skin, or my short, small build, or even my keen fashion sense (at the moment I was wearing a short, black dress with a layer of purple gauze on the skirt, as well as purple and black striped tights, along with the black ribbon I always wore around my neck). I didn't really worry about my family, though. I just wanted to fit in. Suddenly, I heared a sharp knock on the door. I burst out the door that separated the shop from my living quarters, and peeked out the keyhole. My eyes encountered two large, pinstriped sticks. Upon closer inspection, I realized that I was staring at the legs of Jack Skellington. I quickly opened the door, and Jack stepped inside, followed by Sally, who looked very worried. I invited them to sit at the large ebony table with me. "I would say good evening, but to you, it doesn't seem that good," I said, "What's wrong?" Sally sighed, and I saw deep bags under her eyes. I wondered what could poosibly have happened. "Lenore, we have a bit of a problem," Jack said plaintively, "A great evil is brewing here in Halloween Town. Just yesterday, Lock, Shock and Barrel dissapeared." I gasped, "Do you know who did it?" "Yes, I'm afraid. She left a rather gruesome calling card." Jack fished inside his ribs and came out with a small buisiness card. I took it from him and studied it. It WAS gruesome. All it was was a splatter of dark blood on the card, now faded and brownish. "Luckily the doctor was able to do a blood test and figure out who it was." Jack said, "It belongs to a woman called Malicia la Tresca. Malicia was a renowned villain, known for her acts of torture upon her victims..." I cried out softly, "...and she once proclaimed there was an art to it; an art of torture. We don't know where she is now, but we think you can help us with that." He took the card back, and this time pulled a small circular locket out of his ribs. This he handed to me. I looked at the locket for a moment, then clasped it tightly. I would have done anything to prevent what happened next. A horrible, deep kind of pain filled me, running through my body like you might scan a bar code, forcing my eyes shut; forcing me to see what I then did... A castle, made of what looked like solid fire, hidden inside a deep underground tunnel. Mind's eye took me inside the castle, to a great dungeon; all the cages made of the same substance. A woman who looked about twenty years old was standing in front of one of the cages. She was wearing a very revealing red dress and knee high boots. She was also carrying a whip. Then she unlocked one of the cage, and dragged out a small figure, using what seemed like an enourmous, snowy wind, but somehow under control. I noticed that she could do anything with that wind. That's when the whip came down, and I could watch no more. I woke to the sound of Jack's voice: "Lenore! What did you see? Lenore? LENORE!" I slit one eyelid open, just a bit. Jack asked again, "What did you see?" I told him everything. Sally gasped here nd there, but Jack remained silent. After what seemed like hours, I finished my tale and Sally and I both looked expectantly at Jack. he shook his head. "We have to find that castle," he said quietly, "What you saw, Lenore; that can't happen again." Suddenly, Sally spoke up, "Lenore! You have to help us!" Jack and I said it at the same time: "WHAT?" "You were such a great help! And I'm sure you can do something great to help us find Malicia's castle." Sally said hopefully. Had I heard right? Sally wanted me, plain, ordinary ME to help them fight unspeakable evil? I had to take a moment to pinch myself. I wasn't dreaming. "B-but,Malicia looked so horrible, and how do you know I can help?" "I have a feeling." Jack said, smining at me warmly. I finally had friends! I finally belonged in Halloween Town.