Shock sighed in absolute boredom. She was strewn across her dark purple bed with her head dangling off the edge. She stared at the dusty wall in a daze. In the last seven years, Oogie's lair had become exceedingly dull. At sixteen, Shock found no pleasure in simply teasing her cohorts anymore. She sighed and blinked for the fifth time in the last minute.
Instead of being a short shapeless girl, Shock had gotten a great deal taller (leveling out with Sally Skellington) and gained slight curves in her thin body. Her skin had lost its odd green tint and was now simply pasty. Her once stringy hair was now thick and black, curling down to the middle of her back. She'd abandoned her baggy purple dress for a fitted knee length one that Sally had stitched for her.
Halloween Town had grown almost comfy with the lack of pranks from the troublesome trio. They hadn't even bothered pranking anyone in months. It just wasn't fun anymore. Shock rolled onto her stomach and groaned as the doorbell screamed in every room of the house. Someone was outside. She furrowed her brow and frowned. No one ever came to the house unless one of the teens living within had done something wrong. The door rang again.
"Barrel," she yelled up at the ceiling, "get the door!"
"You get it!" came the muffled, deep voice.
"Lock?" she called, switching her approach. There was a loud curse from down the hall and she sat up in bed.
"Get it yourself!" the devil yelled angrily. The door bell screamed again and Shock growled in anger. Jumping from her bed she stomped out of her room and down the dark hall.
She had just passed Lock's door when she back tracked angrily and kicked the door open. The seventeen year old devil jumped up in surprise and turned to Shock. He wore red pajama pants but no shirt. Shock frowned as she noticed he was sweating and the tips of his fingers were burnt.
"What're you doing that's so important you cant answer the door?" she sneered, crossing her arms haughtily.
Lock had grown even taller than Shock, with his horns giving him another inch and a half to boot. His bright yellow eyes had darkened slightly and he'd grown muscles in his arm and legs. His teeth weren't as sharp anymore and flashed beside his white skin. He narrowed his eyes at Shock now, his long tale switching angrily.
"Nothing," he growled, "now get out of my room!" The door bell sounded again and Shock rolled her eyes.
"Whatever," she mumbled turning away. She jogged quickly through the dirty house towards the door. She slipped on her long black socks as she reached the door, wrenching it open. It was high noon and the jack-o-lantern sun flashed in her eyes. Stepping out onto the ledge she looked down towards the forest floor and saw a tall skeleton looking back up at her.
"Jack Skellington," she called, stepping onto the old cage brim. The three of them had out grown it years ago. Tugging slightly she lowered down till she was standing before the Pumpkin King.
"Shock," Jack greeted with a polite nod. "I came here to speak with you personally."
"What about?" Shock asked suspiciously, crossing her arms once more. Jack smirked at her stance and motioned for her to walk beside him. The two strolled away from the house and into the surrounding trees.
"Well, you passed your sixteenth birthday quite a few months ago," he started slowly.
"Yeah, so?" Shock snapped. Jack held up a hand to silence her.
"So, it has come to the attention to the town witches that you're of age to move into their mansion and further your training."
Shock had frozen a few steps behind the skeleton. He turned to her, arms folded behind his back and waited for her to speak. She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly like a fish and let her eyes wonder towards the town.
"What training?" she squeaked finally.
"Well you cant expect to live in Oogie's old hide out forever can you?" Jack reasoned, gesturing towards the decaying house. Shock frowned and stared at her home. She'd never planned to live anywhere else. Jack continued on when she turned back to him.
"You're a young witch, and being as such, you must learn from the older witches so that one day you'll be ready to go to the human world on Halloween night."
Shock nodded in understanding, still feeling surprised. "Well…" she murmured lowly, "can I have some time to think about it?"
Jack's eye holes widened before he scratched the vertebrate on his neck nervously. "I'm sorry, Shock…but it's not really an option."
Shock took the words as if they were a blow and staggered back a step. She'd never expected or wanted to live anywhere else but with her cohorts inside the old hide out. And now suddenly she was being forced to move into town with the witches. She glared at Jack, clenching her fists, and turned on her heal.
"It's my life," she yelled back over her shoulder, "I'll live where I want and not you or anyone else can change that!" She broke into a run and made it back to the tiny cage. Stepping onto it, she was yanked upwards quickly and stumbled onto the ledge.
Moving into the house, she slammed the front door behind her with all her might. The walls shook and she was sure part of the door had splintered. She ran up the stairs and walked briskly down the hallway. Lock stepped out from his room, into her path, glaring at her.
"Why the hell did you slam the-"
"Get out of my way!" she snapped, pushing him roughly to the side. Her eyes stung oddly and when she touched them, her fingers came back wet. Lock ran after her, enraged at being pushed aside. They reached Shock's room and she turned to slam the door in his face, but he stuck his hand out and stopped it.
"What's your problem?" he hissed, his horns growing from his anger. Shock glued her eyes to his feet and struggled against the door.
"Just leave me alone," she grumbled. Lock frowned at her as a tear splashed onto the wood floors, not unheard by his sensitive ears. He released the door and Shock stood back with a loud sniff. He tilted his head to one side in utter confusion. Shock had ever cried about anything.
"What's wrong?" he asked, teeth bared. He would rip apart whoever upset Shock like this. She shook her head and glared up at him finally.
"I said leave me alone!" she all but screamed hysterically before slamming the door in his face.