I really need to continue to make these chapters in advance! My reviewers are catching up quickly; I'll fall behind at this rate! I'm so utterly thankful to everyone who is reviewing and staying with this. Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Thanks to all who reviewed! Halloween29, XxYo-YoxX, and Silent Witness!
Reminder: I have the preview chapter of the sequel . . . Will it be posted? I don't know how soon . . .
A note . . . The mysterious piano music is supposed to be set to Bella's Lullaby from the Twilight soundtrack. Just another thing I don't own, I suppose. But the lyrics in italics (and stanzas) are mine; I created that song, and yes, it is a song. I don't own The Nightmare Before Christmas or the story of Jack O'Lantern, and I had to do some research on the subject, too . . .
Shade's Hollow
Summary: In the town of Shade's Hollow, every day is spent preparing for All Hallow's Eve, on which the legend of Skeleton Jack comes alive. However, this year, the Hallow's Eve festival takes a startling turn and a young girl is spirited away to the realm of the Pumpkin King of Hallow's Eve, where her loyalty to her hometown and her love for the legend are put to the test.
Chapter 7: Nightmare
The road, if it could even be called a road, stretched on endlessly from one bare horizon to the next. It wasn't so much a road as it was a wide dirt path, a shade lighter than the surrounding ground. This place was barren, completely boring in appearance, with no distinguishing marks or signs indicating that any ground had been covered as Bella moved forth. Unable to explain why she was here in the first place, she just kept moving, never tiring as her legs pushed her on of their own accord.
She blinked and suddenly darkness descended upon her, great columns barring her path. She placed her hand upon one great pillar only to discover that it was made of wood. She slowly spun in a circle to allow her sight to encompass the surrounding forest that had not been there seconds before.
The beautiful music of a piano floated over her, and as she looked off into the distance, she could see a white figure ahead, seated at a grand piano. Dark hair spilled over her back, contrasting with the bright paleness of the woman's skin and dress. The music called to her, enveloping her heart and tugging at her body until she was forced to move. Bella found herself moving towards that woman, yet no matter how many steps she took, she never seemed to get any closer to her desired destination. When the music stopped and the figure lifted her head to glance behind her, towards Bella, a great darkness swept over her and made her disappear.
Suddenly, she was running, dodging tree after tree as each one seemed to abruptly and unexpectedly spring forth from the ground before her, jarring her and causing her path to become jagged and winding. She wove in and out of the taller ones, until low-hanging branches began to snag and snatch at her clothing, grasping, clawing, clutching. She kicked and fought her way through the brambles until they suddenly gave way, sending her sprawling forward.
A hauntingly familiar melody floated on the breeze as a flickering light approached. As she regained her footing, Bella found herself staring up into the leering face of a pumpkin-headed scarecrow. A candle flame flickered within the hollow interior of the head and the ragged purple shirt upon its thin frame fluttered in a light breeze. The figure's stick arms resembled real hands in an eerie, unsettling way, and it seemed as though the scarecrow could jump to life at any moment and grab her.
As a matter of fact, that's exactly what it did, yet somehow the fact that this being that was supposed to have been inanimate had indeed grasped hold of her did not frighten her. For some strange reason that Bella could not comprehend in this bizarre haze of a world, the scarecrow's enthusiastic animation was actually comforting.
The scarecrow jumped away, perching on one long, hay-covered leg and twisting its body only slightly away. It turned its grinning pumpkin face to her and gently bobbed its body up and down to help keep balance. "The soul of Jack O'Lantern was barred from entering neither Heaven nor Hell, condemned to wander the mortal realm with only his lantern to guide him." the scarecrow stated in a sing-song voice. It lifted its limbs gracefully, then leapt over Bella and balanced in the same position on the other side of her.
"As All Hallow's Eve came 'round, he set out to find a place to rest, yet the people put upon their windowsills and doorsteps carved pumpkins to guard them against Jack's soul and any evil spirits that came 'round. The magical totems cast spells of protection over those who resided inside and fought off the fiends of Hallowe'en!" The scarecrow cackled wildly, promptly bursting into flames and flailing about in a bizarre, entrancing dance.
"Stingy Jack
Was bold and shrewd;
A prankster he,
With plot so grand,
Trick'd the Devil
To keep his soul
And ensure His seat
At th' good Lord's hand.
"Stingy Jack
Lived good and long,
A fool for tricks
With Liquor breath.
'Twas no surprise
When hard he fell
In drunken stupor,
Still as Death.
"Dear Olde Jack
Was banned from Heav'n
And could not enter
Those Pearly Gates.
Shunnéd and lost,
He turned back 'round
To inquire th' Host
Of th' Darker Fates.
"Dear Olde Jack
Was barred from Hell.
Not even th' Devil
Desir'd His Soul.
Weary and spent,
He turn'd to th' Land
Where mortals doze
As Death bells toll.
"Poor Olde Jack,
In Darkness bleak,
Afraid to walk
For fear of Fay.
A root from God,
Th' Devil's coal,
Combin'd as One
To light His way.
"Poor Olde Jack,
Condemn'd to walk
A lonely Road
Where none may tread.
And where did He
With Lantern bright
Steal off to Guide
And Light th' Dead?
"'Tis said He wanders
On and Gone,
His Spirit a most
Unwelcome guest.
Fay and demons
Flock to taunt
And ne'er bring
His soul to Rest.
"'Tis said He wears
A Pumpkin's head
To frighten off
Those ghoulish fiends.
'Tis said He rides
A wicked mount
And slays th' Vile
With Sacred means.
"'Tis said He wears
A crown of thorns,
A King of Sins
And Evil's brew.
'Tis said He stalks
And preys on maids,
Beauty rare and
Ripe in Virtue.
"If thou hast found
That Cryptic wood
Where roads diverge
At Crosséd paths,
Be wary,
Yonder traveler, Hark!
Thou shan't be spared
Th' Devil's Wrath.
"If some gloomy
Hallow's Eve,
Finds thee Lost
With no way back,
Seek out th' Light
To guide thee Home,
And bear in mind
Th' Tale of Jack."
The flames danced higher and higher until the scarecrow became a vague outline through the conflagration, still swaying and jumping in some native dance. Bella held up a hand to guard against the intensity of the fire, until a strong wind blew through, making her fall back. The flames dimmed as the scarecrow cackled madly.
Bella's back end hit hard against the ground and her arms scraped against cobblestones that had not previously been there. A dull throb began in her ears, her brain sorting through the sound until she could hear the thrum of a crowd. From what she could hear, they did not sound pleased or jovial in any way, but highly incensed and choleric. She slowly picked herself up off the ground, allowing herself to adjust to the darkness around her. Dim firelight illuminated the path before her. She could make out the outlines, shadowy with the fire before them, of bodies crowded around, voices ringing out harsh and unforgiving.
Bella squeezed her way through to see what the spectacle was that drove so many people into a frenzy. She stopped before the familiar sight of the raised platform of Shade's Hollow's town square. She glanced around at the faces of the crowd, but they were all darkened, as she tried to ask one what was happening, he or she, for Bella could not tell by the vagueness of his or her appearance, did not respond, as though she weren't there. Turning her attention to the platform, where the cause of the commotion seemed to be, Bella found a wave of nausea overcome her, sweeping over her body until she shook, fighting for control and relief.
Tears sprung to her eyes as she saw her two aunts and her uncle lined up upon the platform, dressed in dark ceremonial robes with their arms bound behind them. Bella tried to run forward, but an arm yanked her back. She glanced at the unwanted distraction, seeing Troy's smiling face clear, his spiked blonde hair glowing white from some mysterious inner light. "Troy?" Bella attempted to pull away, but he held fast. She turned back to her family, watching the Mayor approaching, a scroll in his hands.
"Elle and Emily Wraith, William Spectre, you stand here before the town, awaiting judgement for the crimes you have committed, crimes heinous and devious in nature. Long had we believed the stories of your bloodline to be just that; stories, myths, fables. Long had we believed you to be friends to our sacred settlement of Shade's Hollow. Never had we expected such betrayal. You have dappled in the dark arts, arts long misunderstood and unknown to mankind. Your use of unholy magic has come to its end!"
The crowd began to get more rowdy, throwing things at Bella's aunts. They stood, stone-faced, braving the town's cries of disgust and hatred, grave understanding and denial in their gaze. Obviously, previous arguments made on their behalf had been dejected and ignored.
Bella wanted to know why. Why was this happening? Her mind was screaming in confusion. What had been done? Why was the Mayor being so cruel, so unfair? What had her family done? Nothing made sense. Dark arts, devious crimes against the town, unholy magic . . . What did they think they were, witches?
"You have been charged with the aided kidnaping of your niece, Isabella Andrea Wraith, and are convicted of the crimes of the use of witchcraft and summoning a demonic being from the Other World," the Mayor stated once the throng had quieted somewhat, "We long believed Him to be a saint! We now realize that He is Sin incarnate! And we have Him finally bound in earthly form, facing judgement's unforgiving stare." He stepped to one side, away from a shadowed area alongside the platform, torches began to light, their fires casting a glow on a great stone wall and a tall, dark figure chained to it.
"Behold the nightmare that has plagued our town and stolen away two of our dearest friends, Skeleton Jack!"
The crowd gasped in awe and fear. Bella stared, mouth agape, as the firelight illuminated the form of Jack. He slumped against the great chains holding him, binding him to the stone wall and the pillars beside him, restricting his movement. Jack lifted his head, casting a dark gaze over the crowd, a harsh glare at the Mayor. The throng began to grow frenzied again, but the Mayor held up his hands.
"Be not alarmed, friends! He is well confined!" He turned to Jack while still speaking to the crowd. "He cannot escape our judgement."
"No!" Bella cried, thrashing against Troy, but the other teen held fast. She struggled and fought to free herself, her gaze intent on the bound skeleton. "Jack!"
Jack lifted his gaze to her and he seemed to be the only one who could see her. His gaze shifted to Troy, who glared down the Hallow's Eve King with a triumphant smirk on his face. Jack's gaze grew dark, heated, furious. He attempted to move forward, but the chains hindered his progress. He stopped, turning to glance at the shackles binding his bony wrists, then continued to thrash and push forward in an effort to reach Bella. He stopped and gave out an unearthly shriek that vibrated in the air around her and made the ground tremble with its intensity.
The crowd screamed in hatred and condemnation, throwing their torches at Jack and at the platform, where the Mayor had vanished from sight; his voice, however, rang out, clear and penetrating.
"Elle and Emily Wraith, William Spectre, for the crimes you have committed, you are hereby sentenced to death by incineration. May the fiend you have called forth join you in Hell's scorching flames!"
Bella could not see any more. The flames had sprung forth and filled her vision, and arms had shot out to clasp her around the arms, legs, waist, and anywhere else. She screamed her denial, her fear choking her until the world around her faded to a dark abyss where she felt weighed down by an entire ocean, pressing down on top of her.
A voice, the voice of the scarecrow, the strange, familiar voice, rang out inside her head, again in that sing-song voice, taunting, mocking, enticing.
"Jack O'Lantern was barred from Heaven and Hell with only his lantern to guide him . . ."
Long, but not as long as the last chapter . . . I liked this . . . I liked the imagery, the idea of the scarecrow's song . . . I'm happy.
Did anybody notice the jealousy between Jack and Troy? I hope you caught that. If you didn't . . . well, read what I just wrote. Who or what do you think the scarecrow is? Please, tell me what you think. He'll be making many more appearances soon, I promise you that.
Next chapter: Awakening, a pumpkin patch, a strange hill and a ghost dog . . . Bella confides in Jack her nightmare, but just what does it mean? Is it just spooky nonsense, or is it a premonition? Bella wants answers, but is unsure of where to find them. Jack wants to do his best to make her feel at home, but how can he when she left her home behind to follow him? More JackBella fluff is ahead, so stay tuned!
Please review!! The sequel preview is coming soon!
