Tonight was another normal night in Halloween Town. The residents were busy preparing for the next Halloween in any way that they could, whether it was practice their scaring techniques or making masks with ghastly designs. It always thrilled me to see new ideas to make Halloween more terrifying.
Of course, since I have lived for over 9,000 days doing nothing but prepare for one day a year, I'd sometimes get a bit bored. So far it's only happened twice, and both times something terrible happened. The first time I nearly ruined Christmas over an obsession I had with it. Sandy Claus really didn't like that. The second time, I went out of town to look for different ways the town could improve Halloween, and Oogie-Boogie ended up causing mayhem across the holidays! It was a very endearing adventure, and was also the first time that I ever had to fight with my powers, which was a very…. New, experience.
The point is that I learned my lesson about leaving Halloween Town and disrupting the other holidays. I fully committed myself to the safety and well being of my holiday. And for the next year I was on my best behavior! I was again for the next year as well!
And the next year!
And the next year.
And the year after that….
Time passed without delay, always going forward. Nothing had changed throughout all that time. The residents of Halloween Town lived happily, and though it filled me with joy to see everyone happy, I was slowly losing my grip on reality. Each day seemed to pass within a blink of an eye socket, too fast for me to comprehend. The spot where my heart should be ached, and nothing I seemed to do took that pain away. Only the sweet voice of Sally could numb the pain I felt each day.
But that was never a permanent solution. The hollow hole in my chest would always grow, bit by bit. Always there, haunting me when I least expected it. Tonight was a night the pain became too much for me to handle. I didn't feel like doing anything related to Halloween, and I knew that if the townsfolk found that out, they would go into a panic. So instead of making my rounds around the town as usual, I decide to take a walk with Zero through the graveyard. I quickly walk through the gate that contained the gravestones of the residents of Halloween-Town. I arrive at my companion's grave and whistle for him, and in less than a second he came to me. I say thankfully to him, "Good boy Zero," and he barks a happy reply.
As we walk through the graveyard, I remember when I first sung about my sorrows. Sally told me that she heard my words, which inspired her to help soothe my pains. Thinking about it put a smile on my face. Forgive me Sally. I know that I should follow my duties, but it's getting so hard…. I'm not sure how long I can keep going like this.
Zero suddenly barked at me, making me realize that I had unknowingly walked to the entrance to the forest where the holiday doors were, which I tried to avoid going to. After the tangle I had with Oogie-Boogie and his henchmen, I vowed to never disrupt another holiday. I knew that if I went there, I would be tempted to enter into another holiday. Still, I remembered that the same experience helped invigorate me to put all my effort into making Halloween scarier and better every year. Maybe visiting there again will help put the spring back in my step.
Despite my better judgement, I start to walk to where the other holidays were, Zero following me every step of the way. Soon we arrive at the familiar trees. I take in the sight of the Christmas door, remembering when I first came here. Even after all this time I'm still fascinated with the Christmas door. I've never seen such bright colors decorated around a tree before. Perhaps that's why that door drew me in the most rather than the other holidays.
Looking around, I wonder what would've happened if I had chosen to go into another holiday. Would I still be as fascinated with it as I was with Christmas? Would I have actually understood the meaning behind it the first time? It made me curious to see what it was like in the other holidays, but I knew better than to sneak a peek. Curiosity killed the cat. If I were to go into one of these holidays, who knows what I would do? My judgement would get clouded again and I'd do something stupid. This thought dejected me, and my skull droops in sadness.
Zero whimpered and snuggled up against me. I had to admit, it made me smile. "Good 'ol Zero. You know exactly what to do to cheer me up." He barks in reply, his ghostly mouth raised in a smile. I pet him, and while I did so I look at the holiday doors again. This time I look at the Halloween door, it's black eyes staring back at me. As much as I'd like to see the other holidays, I can't give up Halloween. It's my entire life. I love it more than…. Anything…. Looking at the Halloween door made me think of a curious thought. I came here through the forest, which is a part of Halloween Town. If that was the case, then I should still be in the Halloween holiday….
So why is the Halloween door there?
Every thought disappeared from my mind as I stepped towards the Halloween door. I mean…. Going through my own holiday door wouldn't cause any trouble, right? It could be a shortcut back to Halloween Town and nothing more. I stared at the door, my bony fingers itching to open it. On one hand, I knew that I shouldn't do anything that might disrupt a holiday, even if it was my own. On the other hand though, I knew how much I craved for excitement.
Oh who was I kidding, I already knew what I was going to do.
I grab the door and throw it open, desperate to know what lied beyond it. At first nothing happened. I decide to look a bit deeper, and as I stick my skull in, a force suddenly sucked me into the tree. The last thing I heard before everything went black was a cry from Zero.
(While Zero may have been a dog, his intelligence was much more than any normal dog. He could understand sentences and communicate with the citizens of Halloween-Town. That's why when Jack was pulled into the Halloween door, he knew that he needed to go get Sally. With a loud cry from his ghostly snout, he flew as fast as he could back to Halloween Town.)
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Unlike when I went to Christmas Town, I didn't feel my skeleton move in the slightest. I had no words to describe the sensation that I was feeling, only the fact that I knew that I was going somewhere. It felt as if days could have passed and I wouldn't know. I was a bit worried…. And incredibly fascinated. Out of all the things that I loved, the unknown was something that would always make me excited.
As I kept thinking, I noticed that I could feel myself standing. I looked down to see if I could, well, see myself, and was surprised to see my feet planted on utter darkness. Did I make it to whatever destination I was heading to? It was hard to say, since everything around me was still as black as my eye sockets. Maybe I should try calling out to someone…. Yes, that might work! I cup my skeletal hands around my stitched mouth and call out loudly, "Hello? Is anyone here?" My voice echoes as if I was in a cave.
Suddenly a voice that sounded similar to mine rang out, "Jack…. So you've finally arrived."
My skeleton jolts in surprise by the sudden reply. The voice clearly came from somewhere, but everywhere I looked was occupied by nothing. I call out again, "Who's there?"
"Jack…." Suddenly there was a figure in the midst of a black fog. It's silhouette made a shape of…. A scarecrow with a pumpkin for a head!
My Pumpkin King outfit!
The mysterious figure replied to my thoughts, "No, not quite. This is just my normal appearance."
I stare in awe at the figure. "You…. Can read my mind?"
It chuckled. "I cannot read minds, but I am aware of your thoughts, and yours alone. You're the one I share a connection with, and no one else."
"Connection….? What do you mean?"
The figure's now standing face to face with me. Slowly, the black fog melts away from him as fire starts to burst from his body. Soon he was now standing in front of me: A creature that was nearly identical to my Pumpkin King outfit. "I am the spirit of Halloween: Skellington.""The spirit of Halloween….? Skellington….?" Why was his name the same as my last name? What did he mean that he was the spirit of Halloween? And what was this 'connection' between us? My skull was filled to the brim with these questions. All I knew for certain was one thing:
I needed to introduce myself!
I put out my bony arm and say excitedly, "Why hello Mr. Skellington, spirit of Halloween! I'm Jack Skellington!"
He chuckled and shook my bony hand. His hand felt just like straw, but I felt that if I squeezed his hand the straw wouldn't crunch. "Still as gentlemanly as ever I see. It suits you.""Why thank you! You have some good manners as well!"
Somehow his mouth moved upwards into a smile, even though his head was of a pumpkin. "It's no wonder why you get along with the residents of Halloween Town. I'm glad you're the one to rule over this holiday."
My smile grows even wider from his compliment. "I do the best I can! Speaking of Halloween, you said you're it's spirit?"
"Yes, I am indeed the spirit of Halloween. Curious about it, aren't you?" I nod in reply. "Well, I believe I can inform you of a few things. However, it's up to you if you want to hear it."
"It's my choice? Why wouldn't I want to hear about you?!"
I said it in a rhetorical manner, but Skellington answers with a heavy tone, "Because this knowledge will change your life forever. The story about me holds secrets about this world, other worlds…. And how you became the ruler of Halloween."
His sentence throws me into disarray. He knows about me before I Pumpkin King? Was I alive? Truth be told, I didn't know anything about me beyond my personality, and the fact that I was dead. I didn't really think about it all that much before, but hearing it from Skellington sparked something inside me. A feeling of curiosity. I undoubtedly knew that I wanted to hear his story, but I also knew that it could lead me to trouble. I didn't want to disturb the peace of Halloween Town anymore than I already have. However, I knew that if I didn't accept his offer, then all I would think about was what he would have said to me. If I couldn't focus on Halloween, then the town would be in chaos anyways. I couldn't do that.
Content with my decision, I answer Skellington, "Mr. Skellington, I would like to hear what you have to say."
Skellington nods to me. "Very well. Come. I will show you your life before you were dubbed the name Skellington." He then starts to walk into the darkness, and I walk with him.