And I, Jack, the Pumpkin King

/Oh, somewhere deep inside of these bones
An emptiness began to grow
There's something out there, far from my home
A longing that I've never known/

- Jack's Lament

Once upon a time, a long time ago (preferably before you might have been born) there was a place called Halloweenland. This was a place were everyday was Halloween – witches, vampires, ghosts, goblins, and other creatures that hide under your bed and dance with delight in every mortal's nightmare.

Halloweenland was in trouble – their beloved King had disappeared, gone far away from the town that he had so long ruled over. He had become bored with the holiday and he wanted to move on – so, the town had to find a new King.

It took them some time, but eventually they found him.

He was an orphan, and his name was Jack…

The thunder and the lightening cackled as it lashed out across the sky on the night of Halloween. Despite the dark weather, the heads of Fulhum Street Orphanage had agreed to take the children out to trick or treat and receive their candy. Some of the older orphans had agreed to take the children around in groups. All of them – except for one.

Jack was a skinny, tall seventeen year – old boy with long dark hair and dull blue – gray eyes. He was the oldest of all the orphans in the orphanage, and he had also been there the longest. He sat on his bed in the orphanage, twiddling his thumbs as he bent his head down lower until his eyes were almost touching his fingers. Jack sighed loudly as the thunder and lightening cackled again. He looked up at the window, the blinds shut tight. Jack sighed and went to open the blinds. The dark weather poured in and turned the room an eerie color. Jack smiled satisfactorily and he went to sit back on his bed, but suddenly he was interrupted.

"Are you coming, Jack?" the voice of Bessie, a fellow orphan, asked as she stood in the doorway.

Jack looked up at her. "No," he replied.

Bessie crossed her shoulders. "But you used to love Halloween, Jack," she replied. "I remember from back when we were younger. Every year you would be a skeleton – though I still don't know why."

Jack hung his head and shrugged his slim shoulders. "So?" he questioned. "Bessie, can't you just leave with the other orphans so I can sit here in the darkness and waste away in my own silence?"

Bessie looked at Jack strangely for a moment before sighing and walking away. Jack remained standing until the footsteps faded away. Then he walked to the closet and retrieved his black cloak. He slung the hood over his head and tied the strings tightly among himself. Then he slunk into the hallway.

In truth, Jack still loved Halloween. He had just attacking like he cared about it. Every time Jack thought of Halloween, he felt a longing for the holiday. He wasn't sure what that feeling was, because he couldn't even describe it, but he wanted more from the holiday. Jack would have loved it if Halloween could be celebrated everyday of the year, not just once. But that would never happen.

Jack slinked slowly down the hallway, the darkness blending in with his cloak. He crept quickly by the main offices and then out the door into the misty air. The thunder and lightening struck once more, and a little girl walking by with her parents shrieked and jumped for her father. Jack laughed sadistically in his low voice. The girl shrieked again.

Jack turned into the darkened alleyway in between Fulhum Street Orphanage and the neighboring tailor shop. He walked down to the end of it, stopping by an old and rusty garbage can that lay on its side. Jack knelt down and tapped gently on it.

"Zero," he whispered quietly. "Come here, boy."

A small, homeless dog stuck its head outside of the garbage can and looked around. Once it had spotted Jack it barked happily and almost jumped on the boy. Jack produced a thin – lipped smile for his only companion and he patted the dog on its back. Then he stood up and began to walk, Zero following him faithfully.

"I'm going to run away again, Zero," Jack said to his companion once they had walked down a few streets into a mainly dead section of town. "I can't stay at that orphanage any longer. I'm seventeen years – old. No one will want me. So I decided that this time I might as well go away for good."

Jack sighed as he shoved his hands into his cloak pocket, and Zero gazed up at him as he trotted by his side. Jack's mind drifted slowly back to his parents. They had died when he was two, so Jack barely remembered them. Sometimes, during dark and lonely nights when Jack remained awake and restless, a clear image of them came to him. His mother was tall, with pale skin and dark hair. His father had been shorter then his mother, but very skinny and also with dark hair. If only they hadn't gone out that night. Maybe then things would be different.

Jack suddenly started to shake his head. No, he knew it wasn't a good idea to dwell on memories of things once lost. He hated aching for things, which was why he was so confused on his feelings for Halloween. He wanted to satisfy that hunger, that desperate want for the holiday. But how?

As Jack's thoughts on Halloween began to twist within each other, he was vaguely aware that the path that he was taking had changed. No longer was he walking by houses. No, he had come upon a forest. A dark forest, filled with tall trees and muddy ground. Zero began to shake as he yipped quietly, trying to get Jack's attention. But Jack didn't respond. When Jack was in thought he was very hard to get through to.

Zero yipped again, louder then before. Jack stopped walking and looked down at his dog. "What's wrong, boy?" he asked, bending down to scratch Zero's ears. Zero began to shake. Jack looked around.

"Oh," he said after a moment. "I believe we're lost." Zero gave a small glare at Jack. Jack stood up to look at his surroundings. Mostly he saw trees. Suddenly, he gasped. It was not because of the trees. It was because of what was found on the trees.

"What is this?" Jack asked, wonder blossoming onto his face.

There was a small circle of trees that Jack and Zero found themselves standing amongst. Upon each tree was what looked like to be a door, and that door was carved into a shape of something from a holiday. Jack began to pace around, pointing out each and every holiday.

"This is Christmas," Jack said, pointing to a tree with a Christmas tree door. "And this is St. Patrick's Day. And that's Valentine's Day. And that's Thanksgiving. And that's…" He stopped talking as he began to smile.

The final tree had a door with a pumpkin carved on it. "Halloween," Jack gasped. He reached for the knob of the door, when Zero began barking wildly and jumping up and down in front of Jack.

"Easy Zero," Jack assured his dog. "I'm just going to open the door and see what I can find, that's all. It won't be long." Zero barked sadly.

Jack reached a shaking hand and grabbed the knob. He turned it and pulled open the door. At first he saw darkness, but then he felt himself being pulled inside…

Jack landed flat on his back. He got up onto his knees and looked around. The place was dark and dreary, with an orange moon that resembled a pumpkin supplying natural light to the land. There were old and rotting brick buildings in the distance, all shaped to be distorted. The air smelt of horrible things, and yet they were slightly comforting. Wondering where he was, Jack stood up and looked around. Jack gasped as he saw a sign hanging above his head.

"Halloweentown," he read out loud. He smiled and began to feel something odd inside. "Halloweentown," he repeated, scarcely believing what he was reading. The words tasted so foreign on his tongue and yet, they were so wonderful.

"Goodness gracious! Who do we have here?" a voice of a male cried out. Jack looked over to see a short man driving a hearse pull up to him. He jumped out, a frown on his face. "Are you alright? Are you alright?" he asked twice, helping to pull Jack to his feet.

"I think I am," Jack responded. He stood up straight.

"My, you're tall," the short man repeated, his face suddenly changing from a frown into a smile. "And skinny too. Almost like a skeleton."

Jack gave off his thin – lipped smile. "Yes, a skeleton," he repeated. "Sir, could you please tell me what this Halloweentown is?"

The short man looked at him curiously. "Halloweentown?" he repeated. "Why, this is the place were we plan Halloween. I am the Mayor."

"Hello, Mayor," Jack greeted him. The Mayor's face switched back into a frown.

"Oh, but I don't have time for talking," the Mayor said as he began to fumble within his pockets. "I have to find another King. I need to find another King. Halloween is almost over and we need a new King!"

"A new King?" Jack asked curiously, blocking the Mayor's way into his car.

"Yes, yes, a new King!" the Mayor exclaimed. "Once who can rule over Halloweentown, make decisions on how to celebrate the holiday each year, and who is very good at scaring people!"

Jack paused as he thought of the young girl who had shrieked at his sadistic laughter. "I could be your King," he suggested.

The Mayor stopped moving. He looked at Jack long and hard. "No, you can't," he said suddenly. "You're not dead."

"Dead?" Jack asked. "You need to be dead?"

"Yes," the Mayor answered as he tried to get past Jack. "Dead, dead, dead."

Jack thought quickly. "Can't you change me?" he suggested suddenly. "Make me dead? Turn me into some type of Halloween character? At least until you can find a more permanent King?"

The Mayor paused again. His frown switched into a smile. "Well, I suppose so," he said carefully. "But it will have to be something scary."

"How about…a skeleton?" Jack suggested.

"Yes, a skeleton," the Mayor said joyfully. "Yes, yes! That's good."

"Jack Skellington," Jack added on.

The Mayor stopped suddenly. "However, there is a consequence," he began. "You won't be able to remember your past after your transformation. You need to be willing to forget everything about your old self."

Jack's mind drifted back to his parents. The orphanage. His old life. "No, there's nothing that I need to remember," he replied quietly. He stood up to his full height.

"Well, shall we begin?"

The monsters of Halloweentown stood excitedly in the town square. The Mayor found a new King! A new one, supposedly better then the old! Their chatter began to quiet down as the Mayor stepped up to the podium and coughed into his megaphone.

"Monsters of Halloweentown!" the Mayor began. "I present you your new King of Halloweentown, Jack Skellington!"

The crowd began to cheer as a tall, skinny skeleton rose from behind the Mayor.

He was Jack Skellington.

Jack the Orphan was no more.

Fin.

Alright, readers! I hope that you enjoyed this special Halloween treat! This story a prequel to my second Nightmare Before Christmas story, 'Two Worlds Apart, Two Hearts Broken'. Please check back for that story which I shall try to have up as soon as possible!

In the mean time...

Review!