*Chapter 3: A New Home*

The doorbell rang throughout the lab. Dr. Finkelstein stopped what he was doing at his table and turn his head back to face the door. Sally was still out in town to get some things.

"The door is open!" Dr. Finkelstein called. The door opens and revealed Emily. "Ah, Emily! Come in, my dear. What can I do for you?"

"Hello, doctor. I have a friend with me. And I think he should stay with you." Emily said, walking over to the doctor. Jack took a step inside the lab and look around. Zero glides inside and sniff around the floors. Jack looked up to see a rail stairway. Dr. Finkelstein wheeled over to him with interest.

"A skeleton man with scissorhands, eh? How unique." He said, studying the silent skeleton. "And you've been living up in that old castle by yourself?"

"Y-yes sir." Jack replied.

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to let you stay for a while." Dr. Finkelstein said. "But be careful with those hands of yours. No one has ever seen anyone to have scissors as hands."

"Like when someone asks for a handshake, don't take them." Emily said. Jack tilts his head to the side. "Oh. You don't know what a handshake is? Well, let us show you. This is how we meet each other for a first time." Emily and Dr. Finkelstein face each other and shook hands. Jack was intrigued. Emily smiled at him. "See?" Jack nodded and wanted to reach for Emily's hand to have a turn, but a corpse bride let out a soft gasp as she brought her hands back. Jack realized his error and lower his hands. He didn't want to hurt anyone by accident.

"Seems to me you have much to learn, my boy." Dr. Finkelstein said. "Come along, Jack. Let me take you to the guest room. You can sleep there. Unless you don't sleep." He wheeled up to the railing as Emily and Jack followed him.

"I sleep." Jack told him. "In a coffin."

"Oh. Well, I understand. Yet, I suggest you would be more comfortable with a bed." Dr. Finkelstein said.
The door opened and revealed a guest room. Jack walked inside as Zero barks in excitement. There is a bed, a bookshelf, a window to show the view of the town. The skeleton man pokes a pillow with his scissors. Emily smiled at him.
Jack was given a tour around the lab. He spotted a wall with portraits. But there is one that caught his eye sockets. A rag doll with long red hair and stitches. If Jack had a heart, it would be beating so fast. He smiled at the portrait.

"Oh, that is my daughter." Dr. Finkelstein said. "She should be back from town anytime soon, so you two would meet."

"You will like Sally. She is such a nice one." Emily told the skeleton man.

"Sally." Jack spoke. They hear the door open and a voice. Emily looked over the railing and see Sally coming in.

"I'm home!" Sally called.

"Welcome home, Sally!" Emily greeted. The rag doll looked up to see the corpse bride. "We have a guest." Sally walked up the rail stairway. Zero barked excited and flew around Sally's legs. Sally gasped in surprise and look up to see the group. Her eyes are now on Jack.

"Sally, this is our new member who will be staying with us." Dr. Finkelstein said. "Jack Skellington." Jack approached Sally, smiling at her, but the rag doll stared down at his hands. Jack noticed her fright. Instead, he made a bow to her. Sally blinked at him, but made a curtsy in return. "He is from that castle up on a hill, and he has never set a foot down in Burton Town." Dr. Finkelstein told his daughter. "We must feel him welcome, make him part of the family." Jack blinked and turn to him.

"Family?" He wondered.

"Yes. Family." Dr. Finkelstein said with a nod. The phone started to ring, making Jack and Zero flinch. "Oh, now who could that be?" Dr. Finkelstein said with a sigh, wheeling himself over to the phone. Emily continued to give Jack the tour as Sally followed, wondering about him. "How do you know about him already? You saw him with Emily in town?" Dr. Finkelstein asked on the phone. "Well, yes, he will be living here with me."

The citizens stare up at the lab outside the gates where Emily took Jack. They are very curious about the stranger with scissorhands. They have to meet him. A voice is heard from behind the crowd. The Mayor of Burton Town climbed on his vehicle and grab his megaphone.

"What is going on?! Did something happen with Dr. Finkelstein?" He asked.

"There is a new guy in town!" A werewolf claimed.

"A skeleton man with scissors!"

"Scissorhands!

"A tall skeleton with a dog!" Everyone started talking at once. The Mayor was confused, yet he is also curious about a new arrival. The ladies started to think the skeleton man is handsome, which confused the men. From the other side of the wall, Oogie was overhearing the undead. His raised a brow in wonder. He fiddles with his dice, thinking he should pay a visit to the new skeleton man.

"We should come here tomorrow." Miss Spider said with a smile. "Not all at once."

"We don't want to frighten him." One corpse woman said. "He may never seen a crowd before."

"Alright, calm down everyone!" Mayor said. "Don't approach this lab first. Allow me to come up there tomorrow morning and I will find out who this mysterious guest is." Some people argued, but they know that their Mayor was right. Besides, they don't want Dr. Finkelstein to be annoyed with too many guests coming over and be very nosy.

"You sure you don't need anything?" Sally asked Jack who is in bed that night. "An extra blanket, another pillow?"

"I am fine with everything, Sally. And...thank you again." Jack said. He rests his scissorhands over his chest. "I hope my scissors don't frighten you." Sally placed her hand over one of the hands. "Careful. They are sharp." Jack told her.

"I never seen anyone with such hands." Sally said. "I find it...unique." Jack smiled a bit. Zero rests on the floor beside the bed. Sally promised to get Zero his own doggie bed one day. "I am worried that you never ate dinner." Sally said.

"I don't eat." Jack said.

"You are unlike the others." Sally giggled. "But...can you try to eat?"

"Of course I can taste the food." Jack told her. "I don't eat. I am only incomplete." Sally wanted to know the full story about him. He lived in that castle alone. The inventor was gone for years. Jack and Zero lived up there alone.

"I will let you rest." Sally said. "Good night, Jack." She got up and walk out of the room.

"Good night, Sally." Jack whispered. He let out a yawn and close his eyes. It had been quite a day for him. But, he may meet some new friends tomorrow.