Author's Note: Thank you guys dearly for the reviews! All feedback is very much coveted and appreciated. I love when someone points out a pun or innuendo, and I'm so glad you guys are eating up all of the drama and suspense. I apologize for the long gaps in between updates…I try to squeeze out at least one chapter per week. Thank you for remaining faithful to this tale, I promise there's much more excitement to come before we reach our conclusion!
p.s. I just found out the other day that there is a character in Batman named Harley Quinn. Which, coincidentally, is the same name I gave to the harlequin demon in this story – I promise, that was a freak accident! I chose that name because it is essentially the word 'harlequin' split in two. Guess I'm not the first 'punny' writer, am I?
p.s.s. If you happen to want to be friends on Facebook, feel free to send me a message via Fanfiction and we can work something out. :]
"Truth breeds hatred."
- Bias of Priene, Maxims
The sun rose and fell over Halloween Town three more times following that regretful weekend, and the days passed just the same for everybody…sad, quiet and lonely. Many of the local shops experienced so little business during that time that they were forced to close early and cut some of their employees. However coffee houses seemed to remain popular hotspots, mostly because they served as bins of marinade for juicy gossip. And as the date of the second trial grew nearer, more and more citizens displayed anticipation and became increasingly steadfast to their personal opinions.
As far as Jack was concerned, there was no point in leaving his house or doing anything productive now that Sally was gone from his life. It seemed the only times he set foot outside the front door was to make trips to the liquor store or to recycle another bin full of wine and whiskey bottles. At first he was very ashamed of his behavior mostly because it reminded him of his father, but the pain of his loss was so overwhelming he felt nothing could temporarily sooth his aching heart better than the warm, numbing sensation of alcohol.
The Mayor became so fed up with Jack's hermit-like behavior that on Wednesday evening he arrived uninvited at Jack's doorstep and dragged the Pumpkin King out to Grimm's Grill for karaoke night. But while the Mayor was up on stage belting out the lyrics to Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You," a drunken fight broke out in the middle of the bar between Chucky McClown and Hanging Tree. Chucky took a swing at one of the tree's branches and injured Bert, the eldest hanging man, so he was briskly escorted out of the building by the Grimm's Grill security team. The paramedics were called to assist Bert and the Hanging Tree, and after they arrived the Mayor reluctantly agreed to walk a drunk and distraught Jack home.
Down in the Halloween Town dungeon, the same humdrum solitude enshrouded our inmates like a thick, musty fog. Sally didn't do much but sleep all day, while Lock, who had given up trying to coax the ragdoll out of her comatose state, just sat in his cell and smoked weed until he was caught and given seven lashes. Unfortunately Boris, the friendly night guard, had gone out of town on vacation that week and was replaced by Lars, a not-so-friendly devil who was normally employed on the second floor of the dungeon. Lars' deplorable presence sucked up any last shred of pleasantry that existed for Lock in this stone-gated hell.
Meanwhile, back in the tree house, Barrel and Oogie went about their usual businesses while Shock embarked on three more futile murder missions. Still she was unable to actually kill anyone, but at least she didn't have to worry about Anastasia finding out about Darla Corpsechild because that woman never left the house anyways. On the other hand, when the time arrived to dispose of Sasha, a small bat demon as well as Lexi, a young sorceress, Shock was forced to give them the same warning as she did the witch sisters. She never stayed around long enough to confirm that her "victim" actually did leave town as instructed, but she remained hopeful that the trial would arrive soon enough to cast off her shackles and put the real criminal in her place.
As dusk befell Halloween Town on Friday, the eve of the second trial, Jack sat alone in his study, anxiously tracing the rim of his half-empty wine glass with his finger. Tomorrow morning, a decision was to be made. Whether the accused was truly guilty or not, someone would have to pay, and Jack hoped to God it wasn't going to be Sally.
Throughout Jack's ten-year reign he had never executed anybody. The worst punishment he'd ever issued was a fifteen-year jail sentence along with four-hundred hours of community service, and that was for a ghoul who had accidentally pushed his young friend into the Dark River (the victim had drowned in the rapids). But then again, he'd also never experienced a case of first-degree murder. And in the town declaration it was distinctly written that "any resident of Halloween Town found guilty of manslaughter shall promptly be put to death at the stake regardless of atonement."
Saturday morning. September 14th, 1961. The Finklestein Case, Day 2.
"Rise and shine, kiddos, we gotta get going!"
Lock rolled over in his cot, squinting at the sudden burst of bright light. He noticed Boris approaching from down the corridor holding a lantern in one hand and his keys in the other. Beside him trekked Lars, looking gruff and unpleasant as usual, who carried two sets of iron shackles.
Sitting upright, Lock rubbed the sleep from his eyes and murmured, "Geeze, Boris. What time is it?"
"Seven o'clock in the a.m.," answered Boris. "We gotta hurry, the trial starts at seven-thirty!"
Lock's heart jumped into his throat. Today is the day, he thought. Somebody is going to be sentenced to die. Suddenly petrified, he remained seated on his bed, spine erect, as Boris unlocked the cell and approached him with one of Lars' shackles. The abrupt iciness of the iron sent a shock through his wrists, but without resistance he stood up and followed Boris out into the corridor.
Across the way, Lars stormed into Sally's cell, shook her awake and chained her up without a word. Lock watched pitifully as her face turned pale with dread; she looked both frightened and disoriented as Lars hauled her out into the hallway like a helpless animal. Then Boris nodded the signal to Lars, and the four ghouls began their march, silent and unwavering, out of the dungeon.
At last they reached the rear entrance to the Town Hall. Muffled mutterings could be heard from within, and Lock cast Sally a nervous glance. The ragdoll's facial expression was unreadable, though Lock interpreted her calm, quiet composure as a prospect of downfall. On the other hand, Lock's own tremors caused his chains to rattle audibly. Boris patted the devil child supportively on the shoulder before he turned the handle on the large back door and then motioned for the incriminated crew to step inside.
The Town Hall was packed to the brim with what appeared to be every resident along with his or her entire family. Even the people who hadn't been at Jack's party had come just to observe this humiliating spectacle. I mean, who wasn't a basket case for drama in this town? And besides, Lock figured the public would be satisfied either way: the termination of one of Boogie's Boys would certainly be a cause for celebration, and if it ended up being Sally who was convicted then there would be a hundred desperate women looking to get with Jack. Why should anyone show any mercy? Lock pondered this for a moment. Hmm. Spite, perhaps?
Dutifully Lock and Sally followed the guards to center stage where a large, horizontal beam now hung from the ceiling. Lars and Boris each chained their prisoners to the beam so that Lock and Sally stood helplessly with their shackled arms suspended above their heads.
Now utterly humiliated, Lock searched through the scathing faces in the crowd until he spotted the giant burlap sack seated in the far right corner. It was Oogie, and he was gazing upon Lock with an emotion he rarely ever displayed: compassion. Next to him sat Barrel, whose features were equally distorted, periodically taking swigs from a small metal flask. But where was Shock?
At that moment Lock's vision flashed to the furthermost row of the crowd, and it was back near the door that he saw Anastasia sitting quietly, her tailfin grazing the floor beneath her seat. Of course! Shock was supposed to come to the rescue today! Lock mentally slapped himself. But why wasn't she here? Lock hoped she was alright…
Suddenly a harsh pounding interrupted the crowd's chatter and Lock's silent quandaries and everyone glanced up at the Mayor's podium, where said official sat holding a wooden gavel.
"Order, order!" he shouted, tapping the gavel a few more times. Once the Town Hall was completely hushed, he continued, "Let us begin. I ask everyone in this building to remain silent throughout the duration of this trial unless you are called upon by the council to testify. Now, without further adieu, please welcome Jack Skellington and the two witnesses to the crime."
With that, the back door opened and onto the stage stepped Jack with the witch sisters, Helgamine and Zeldaborne.
Lock returned his gaze to the crowd and he suddenly noticed Anastasia looking extremely disconcerted. Her tailfin flashed angrily and she immediately whipped out her cell phone, madly and rather conspicuously texting.
Before Lock could give it a second thought, Jack declared, "As the first order of business, I want to ask if anybody has any more suspects to be nominated. If you want to speak up, please do so now, otherwise I'd like to report a follow-up incident that might help us reach a decision." He glanced at Helgamine and Zeldaborne, and then at Lock. "The witch sisters brought something important to my attention."
He waited but the Town Hall remained silent; in fact it was so silent that you could hear a pin drop from across the room.
"Is there anyone else who would like to make an accusation?" repeated the Mayor.
Silence.
"Going once, going twice…?"
Someone coughed, though still not a word was uttered.
"Alright then. Jack, please continue."
The Pumpkin King stepped up to his own podium on the other side of the stage and cleared his throat nervously. "The other day, Helgamine approached me to report something crucial that happened in the Witch's Shop last Tuesday morning. Apparently, she and Zeldaborne were held at gunpoint while processing a membership certificate at the register. The culprit was confirmed to be Shock Dionowitch; she entered the shop unaccompanied that morning and proceeded to withdraw a loaded crossbow from her knapsack, positioning it in a threatening manner towards the shop owners."
The crowd gasped, and Lock noticed Oogie and Barrel staring at each other in disbelief. Their expressions seemed to read something like, 'Did she tell you about this?'
"However it is important to note," Jack continued loudly, "that nobody was actually harmed at the scene of the crime. It appears that Shock neglected to pull the trigger and even half-heartedly apologized for her actions."
"But she did mention something awfully peculiar and worth examining," added Helgamine, stepping forward so that she was right in between Jack at his podium and Lock chained to the beam. "She said that she was sent by someone else to kill me and my sister. And thus I have concluded that whoever that may be must also be the same person who killed Dr. Finklestein during the Labor Day celebration."
Anxious mutterings swept through the audience, and then someone blurted out, "Then it must be Lock! After all, he did poison Stephen Wolfe and I heard that he's been in close contact with Shock ever since he was incarcerated."
"Yeah!" shouted somebody else. "He also does a lot of drugs. What if he's turned into a serial killer?"
"If I do recall," said Boris somewhat hesitantly. "Shock came to the dungeon one day to visit him, and when she left I noticed she was looking rather distressed. And that could explain why she accused him in the first place!"
"It's gotta be Lock, then."
"It has to be!"
"He's probably a psychopath."
"Away with him, before he kills anyone else!"
"Let that devil burn in hell, where he belongs!"
"Guilty! Guilty!"
All of this steadfast taunting blared in Lock's ears like a deafening siren. Sweat poured in rivers down his face and neck, and his heart was beating so rapidly he thought it might burst from his chest. Where was Shock with that tainted weed? She was his only hope at this point. And as the citizens became increasingly resolute towards their decision, the minutes he had left for any chance of salvation were rapidly ticking away.
"It seems the jury has reached a verdict," the Mayor announced at last, tapping his gavel to silence the crowd. Then he turned to face the two convicts, who stared back up at him with helpless, pleading eyes. Taking a deep breath and loosening his collar, he finally said, "Lock Deville, you have been found guilty of the murder of one of our most respected citizens, along with the attempt of killing two others. Under the Halloween Town constitution I hereby sentence you to –"
"Wait!" a shrill voice suddenly echoed through the hall. Everyone turned around to face the front entrance, and there stood Shock, breathing heavily and holding up a bag of something green. "Lock is innocent! I know who the real killer is, and I have proof!"