I'm sooooooorry I never get anything on thse stories done, I've only just gotten back into writing mode and I don't know how long it will last Thank you for your patience and enjoy!

Chapter 11: Alarm

"What's that?' Autumn had looked up at the sound of the siren, and Trigger frowned.

"It's an alarm," he responded, "something must be wrong. C'mon, Jack'll be there." Autumn nodded reluctantly, pulling her hood back over her head. She had deemed it dry enough to wear again a few minutes before, and looked like a purple ghost with all of her face obscured except – as what seemed to be the norm – her eyes. The two ran towards the town, and before long they had found the approaching crowd and immersed themselves in it, monsters of all kinds flooding into the town hall.

Trigger felt Autumn squeeze his hand, and he glanced back to see her looking around and shaking slightly.

'Trigger…" she whispered, voice tinged with alarm.

"Shush," he responded as they took their seats in the middle, "don't call attention to yourself just yet." She nodded, and looked up, biting her lip as Jack Skellington stepped onto the podium.

"Listen, everyone," he began, "I have important news for all of you. We have a new problem coming, and I fear there may be trouble for Halloween." The room filled with whispers until he cleared his – cleared his throat? – and began again. "There are two creatures running amok around the town, and they could be very dangerous. The first I have seen with my own eyes – a great orange creature covered in matted hair, with six large black eyes and eight long, brown legs that grow vines all over. This is the one we need to worry less about, because from what I have been told it will not attack without reason. "They all sighed with relief. "Now, the bad news." They all tensed up. "The other creature," he continued, "is it partner, and we don't know what to look for. All I know is that its flesh is whiter that a spider's thread," they all nodded, "and it has stringy hair the color of tar, and large eyes that see everything. And it's smart." There were more whispers and hushed tones. "Now now, we just need to be more careful, that's all. Keep your eye out, and report any sightings immediately, and we should be able to handle it."

Autumn looked at Trigger, worry brimming in her eyes. "Monster?" She whispered. "I mean, a real monster, that hurts people?"

"Beats me," Trigger whispered back. "Look, he's waving both his hands. That means everyone's dismissed. Wait a moment." She nodded as everyone filed out, leaving them alone with the skeleton king. "Jack?"

Jack looked up as Trigger stood and walked over. "Ah, Trigger, the most loyal of the trick-or-treaters. How have you been?" He smiled at the boy, who nodded.

"Pretty good. Actually… there's somebody who wanted to talk to you." He turned to look at Autumn, who was peeking behind the bench. "He's not gonna bite you, come on." She nodded, and slowly stepped out and walked over, hands holding her hood over her face. Jack bent down, and gently took her hands from her face.

"Now, no reason to be shy, little ghoul. Let me get a look at you." She reluctantly let him pull her hood back enough for him to see her eyes, wide and scared. Jack looked at her for a moment, and a perplexed look crossed his face. "And what are you, if I may ask? A ghost?"

"No," she shook her head, and his eye sockets widened, "I'm Autumn."