Everyone is surprised when the Band walks through the front gates wearing new suits. They are a similar color to their usual red, but a little more orange this time around. They fit the members snugly and mimic the design of spiderwebs with their thin pinstripes. Their shoes and instruments are nicely polished as they stroll down the streets. Every monster in town is curious with this new change. They are met with many questions, and the musicians are more than happy to enlighten their customers about Sally's Sewing Shop - the newest tailor in Halloween Town!
Once word gets out about Sally Finklestein's new service, almost every Resident lines up to seek her work. She receives many in need of patches and clothes, and she is happy to provide. Even Jack's previous friends, such as the Harlequin, Wolfman, and Clown, come into her shop seeking assistance and looking at her displays. They compliment her work and she thanks them kindly each time. The Hanging Tree and his Men occasionally stop by, and the two of them knit for an hour or two, politely discussing how their days went.
Over the next few months, it becomes a regular part of Halloween Town. Sally finds herself busy with all of her new orders and services for the town - but she is far from overwhelmed. She's happy to be doing something she loves without being belittled for it, and she is getting paid for her time! Even the children sometimes come around for a cup of lemonade on the hotter days, playing around her shop while waiting for their grownups.
The best part of her days is when Jack Skellington decides to pay a visit - checking up on her and ensuring she has everything she needs. He stays and talks with her during this time, ranting about Halloween plans while she informs him of what pants need hemmed or what holes to fix. This helps the two of them wind down from their work, and becomes an integral part of her experience entirely!
She is learning more of the townspeople, her home, and their song. She feels grateful being treated just like any other citizen, even with respect this time around! The grateful look in her customers' eyes as she fixes their clothes gives her a sense of belonging, and a purpose .
Sally is in the middle of mending a button when she hears the bell of the front door opening and closing. The ragdoll eagerly jumps out from her seat and meets with this visitor - only for her jaw to drop open in surprise. She's met with the two figures who look around her shop curiously. They notice the ragdoll's appearance and approach her without any hesitation. She remains where she is, frozen as a statue behind the counter.
She finds herself inches away from her mother and father figure. She blinks a few times in astonishment. "Doctor..? Jewel..?"
The tall woman is the one to greet her. "We heard about your new seamstress shop and just had to see it for ourselves!"
Her black eyes drop to Doctor Finklestein right away, who is avoiding eye contact with her. He is observing the sewing machines around the room without a word. He doesn't look particularly interested, as a frown is settled on his lips. Her lips fall before directing her attention back to Jewel, giving her a warm smile and offering her hand.
"It's been awhile since we've seen each other..! I know we've called a few times, but-"
"-Don't worry about it. Calling you has meant a lot to us. Isn't that right, Doctor..?"
He looks surprised at the sound of his name and finally glances up. He looks between the two fidgetly before nodding and looking away again. "Yes, yes, just fine…"
He looks uneasy in here. She's never seen him so uncomfortable, beyond the times when he was in the presence of the Pumpkin King. He seems to be looking around a lot, examining the shop as much as he can. She starts worrying about what's through his head - if the place isn't up to his standards or if he doesn't approve of any of this. She scolds herself for even thinking such a thing and attempts to get his attention.
"Is something the matter..?"
He finally snaps out of it and properly addresses her. He fixes his glasses and clears his throat. "I'm just surprised you have a business of your own like this…with a building this great as well..."
"This was the old seamstress' shop. Jack had it rebuilt for me." She explains while looking around with uncertainty. "Surely you remember her..?"
"The Beldam? Why, yes, a little bit. I never needed her services, so we never properly talked."
Jewel thinks for a moment before nodding. "I don't seem to remember her, either."
The ragdoll realizes their formalities before ducking her head and motioning around. "Please, get uncomfortable! My shop is open to anyone in town...including my... parents… " She mutters the last word quietly. "-Is there anything you two might need..?"
The other woman's face lights up at the suggestion. "We wanted to know if you could make us something... matching ? Now that we're married, I'd like to start complimenting with Finky. Anything can work - coats, gloves, or maybe a hat..."
Sally looks over to the Doctor again. He's quieted down and hangs his head low, staring at his lap without a word. He doesn't look as excited for the idea as Jewel is. Then again. She rarely sees him worked up about anything except science. She offers her mother figure a patient smile as she reaches for a pencil and paper, scribbling down some ideas right away. The two of them discuss further on this small project. Jewel eventually agrees with a pair of matching hats, saying they'll compliment their bracelets. It's only now she realizes the two of them are wearing a set - small, orange beads on a thin string. Knowing the color should make this process easy, and she agrees to begin on it right away.
As their business is finished, Dr. Finklestein finally speaks up. "Wait for me outside, my dearest. I have something to talk about with Sally."
She exchanges goodbyes with her daughter, leaving the two of them alone in the building. The ragdoll is curious as to what he wants to say to her alone. The two of them have reconciled, so it can't be anything hurtful. She sits down so the two of them can properly talk, attempting to appear as comfortable and polite as possible.
"What is it, Doctor?"
"I just wanted to congratulate you. Properly, that is." He waves his hand. "I...have never seen you this happy before."
She blinks at his words, then brushes her hair to the side. "I've always loved sewing. I know you taught me only so I could make you clothes, but now...I have the freedom to do it the way I want to."
He hands his head low. "You know how sorry I am for that…"
"If anything, I should thank you for teaching me how to do it. I never would have found my passion otherwise."
She gets out of her seat and hugs him again. It's just as comforting as the first time. His small hands rest on her back as he cherishes this contact. Jewel has given him plenty of affection by now, but this is a different experience entirely. He's not sure if he'll ever get used to it - the gesture is still as surprising as it was the first day. When she pulls away, he finally finds it within himself to smile.
"You must forgive Jewel. She's been crazy about clothes and colors lately; I just can't understand it. She wants to try... new things ." He wrings his gloved hands together. "This means a lot to me, girl. Thank you for wanting to make something for us."
She grins. "Anything for my parents."
The word feels more natural, this time. There no longer is an anxious swelling in her chest as she says it. Finklestein offers her another smile, and finally departs. When she is alone again, she begins thinking of designs and how she can make Jewel and the Doctor happy. As she brings out her knitting needles, Sally hums to herself and thinks about her creator and his new creation.
"Knock knock!"
A lighthearted voice comes from the other side of her opened door. Sally Finklestein grins as she recognizes the sound, her phantom heart leaping when she finds a tall skeleton waiting outside. He could've just walked in like the rest of her customers - but something about seeing her face before he ever comes in delights him. She allows him in, naturally, and watches as he makes his way around her shop. He kneels down to pet Ophelia and the cat purrs in response. He's as accustomed to this building as she is, with how often he comes around to check in on her.
"Is there a reason my Pumpkin King has come to visit today?" She asks him, moving her needle easily to form stitches. Jack stops and soon joins her side, pulling up a chair and sitting across from her. Judging by his straight posture, it seems something important is on his mind.
"To check on the love of my death, of course." He responds coyly. He shifts his legs as he continues his words. "-And I have brought an offer for you."
She pauses in her movements, looking up from her work curiously. "What is it?"
"What is the date today, Sally?"
Most citizens would know such a thing by heart - how many days until their beloved holiday and the months counting to it. But the seamstress has been busy with her work and her mind is too overwhelmed to remember it. Once she knows the lyrics to their song, she'll remember the countdown from the clock on the Town Hall as well. She glances up at the calendar she has sitting on the wall, and her eyes widen realizing what day it is.
"October first." She sets down the cloth in her hands. "The busiest month of the year…"
"Precisely! I bear the unfortunate news I won't be around lately…" He tsks sadly under his breath. "-But I have a job to offer you!"
She was looking gloomily at him until his last few words, now perking up in her seat attentively. He leans forward and grins, elaborating on the sudden news. "Since you're not living with the Doctor anymore, there's no need for you to have such a small role! The Mayor and I have been talking about it, and we think we have the perfect job for you to help with this year's Halloween."
"Me? Really?" She asks, the excitement growing in her leaves.
"How would you like to make some new, horrifying outfits for Halloween? We've been in desperate need for something new in the clothing department - and I think you can come up with something terrifying!"
"This year's costumes?" She feels so numb she believes she's dreaming for a moment. "You...really want to trust me with that responsibility?"
"We need to replace our old ones; holes, scratches and whatnot. Everyone in town has been talking about you and the work you've done for them - I'm sure they'd be excited to hear you're taking over this year!"
"Jack, I….I love the opportunity, really, but….I'm not sure I can come up with anything scary enough." She slumps in her seat sadly. "I don't have the expertise like you."
"That brings me to my next suggestion." He leans closer to her, their knees touching. "Why don't we work on these costumes together ? We can come up with the designs, and you can make them afterwards!"
Her eyes shine in delight at his suggestion. Working together...with her Jack ? She couldn't imagine anything better. It certainly relieves some of the stress of the job, as she'd have been fussing with perfecting it for him otherwise. With the skeleton at her side, he'll ensure what she's making is perfect for the town. If anyone knows what the creatures of Halloween Town like - it would be him.
"Of course! With your help, they're sure to be horrifying."
"I was hoping you'd agree." He brings his hands into her own, squeezing them tightly. "I really wanted an excuse to work with you this year. I can't stand being away from you planning all the time…"
He puffs his lip out at that last sentence. She giggles. "-I suppose my King is going to have to come around more often, then?" '
His sockets widen in pleasure as he nods insistently to the idea. He pauses to lean in towards her, and she takes the message to return the gesture. Her lips passionately press against his own. When they pull back from their kiss, he holds his other skeletal hand on top of hers and rubs her fingers soothingly.
"I'm positive you'll do a wonderful job." He assures her. "I'm very confident in you."
Those words will stay by her forever.
October is spent hastily between Jack Skellington and Sally. The moment she accepts the job, the two of them get down to work designing as many Halloween costumes and outfits as they can. They successfully create costumes for the witches, trick-or-treaters, scarers, and other various creatures with other jobs. The process is pleasant for Sally, as she never feels ashamed for not knowing what to do. Anytime she falls short of designs, he's there to suggest several to her. He's helpful in coming up with ideas, while she's more than happy to execute them by her own hand. He repeatedly encourages her and compliments her work, and she can't help but admire his own ideas and talents as well.
...
The costumes for the year are finally finished, merely 2 days from Halloween. The two of them are excited to bring them to the Town Hall for inspection - collecting what they have and carrying the clothes in their respective boxes. The Mayor of Halloween Town grins in anticipation when he finds them marching into the room. He steps down from his tall desk to inspect what they've brought. They happily present their work to the politician, who carefully goes through the piles with a bright grin plastered on his face.
"These are horrible!" He compliments as he admires a robe. "And terrifying, too!"
"I'm happy to hear that, Mr. Mayor…" Sally sheepishly accepts the compliment. Jack gives her a proud smile of his own, patting her back gently.
"You two work marvelous together, I must say! You've brought more than enough to last us for years to come!"
The skeleton finds the proud look on his girlfriend's face and relaxes his shoulders. "Yes, Sally is very talented with her work! I'm sure we can use her help every year, with the constant demand for more terrifying costumes…"
She squeaks at the idea. "Really?"
"Agreed! She can help out as much as she wants. Thank you again, Sally. And wonderful work, Jack!"
With that, the shorter man takes the boxes and scurries off to organize them right away. She watches him walk away in awe, still comprehending what just happened. She's... finally helped out with Halloween ! Something she's desperately wanted to do for so long now, to feel like part of the celebrations and help out Jack in any way she can….she holds her hands together and sighs in bliss. A great weight is lifted off her shoulders. She feels excited to see everyone wearing her creations this year.
A skeletal hand comes around her waist, snapping her back into reality. Jack Skellington pulls her in for another kiss, and she's swept off her feet while she closes her eyes and returns the affection. He removes himself and smiles at her, winking flirtatiously with his next sentence:
"We make a great team, don't we?"
She blushes before nodding. "That we do…"
He stands up straight and motions for her to follow him. She trails behind the tall man as he leads her to his desk, gesturing for her to take a seat. She's all too happy to sit down and watch while he gets situated, pulling out a few papers and getting his feather and ink ready. Once all is done, he looks at her with a bright smile.
"Now that we're done with our little project, I think now's the time for me to ask…" She tilts her head curiously as he hesitates. "-Would you like to celebrate Halloween with me?"
"With you?" She blinks confusedly. "Don't I already do that? I watch you perform for the town."
"Yes, but there's this certain celebration we have after our song. On certain years, we like to visit the Human World and practice our scaring there - on unsuspecting mortals, that is. It's planned for this Halloween, and I'd like for you to come with me."
Her jaw drops in surprise. Humans ? She hasn't heard that word in a very long time. Back when she was still learning about Halloween Town, the Doctor had books on things like 'human' anatomy and 'human' skeletons. She has never seen one in person nor really understands what they are, so visiting this…. 'world' sounds very intriguing to her.
At her thoughtful silence, his smile slightly falters. "I promise you'll be safe when you come with me. I know it's an unpredictable place, but-"
"I've….never heard of it before. What is a 'human' , Jack?" She finally asks. He returns his feathered pen with a smile, appreciating her curiosity.
"Humans are people that are still alive - mortals who are not creatures like us. They are not vampires or werewolves, or even a doll like you. They have skin and they breathe...they're the sole purpose of our existence - we create Halloween for them. We bring the screams, the chills, the terror!"
She leans forward curiously, absorbing this knowledge.
"On Halloween, I bring my people to their world so we can observe and scare them. I'm always fascinated by how they celebrate - humans eat candy and wear costumes. They scare others, but it's nowhere near our professionalism, of course."
"And you'd like me to...see them? For myself?"
"Of course! You asked me to teach you everything about this holiday. Humans are incredibly important to Halloween." His smile widens at the curious look in her eyes. "I want to bring you with me so you can watch, and experience what we do. Normally, only scarers are allowed to come - but I'm willing to make an exception for you."
"Does that mean you're going to scare?"
He leans back in his seat, rubbing his fingers on his shirt. "I AM the master of fright. It's only appropriate that I do."
"I don't think I've ever seen you scare. I've heard how horrifying you are every year, but…" Her words race when she gets excited and she quiets down. She admits timidly, "I'd love to see what you can do…"
"Wonderful! You can come with us, then. I can't wait to bring you with me - there's so much I want to show and tell you!" His own excitement rises as he sits up in his seat. "I'm positive you're going to love it!"
As Sally sits there, she gets a tingly feeling in her chest. A strange sensation that makes her feel peculiar. Is she excited? Nervous ? She can't identify these feelings and swallows them down to grin at Jack. The idea sounds nerve-wracking to her, but as long as she's by the Pumpkin King's side - the most terrifying man, who undoubtedly will protect her against anything...what does she have to worry about?
When the fateful night comes, she spends her time singing and dancing with the citizens - mostly with the Halloween Town band, who provide the instrumentals and allow Sally to join in. She feels honored to see them wearing their new uniforms. Her jaw drops when she finds the rest of the Town wearing her creations as well. She's flattered when they compliment how comfortable they are and how scary they look. She has quite the attention this time around, and when the time comes to sing their song, she's able to chant a few lines. No one even judges her for being quiet throughout most of the song.
This Halloween has to be her favorite, by far!
Eventually, the King of Halloween himself surfaces and joins in on the celebrations, his fiery pumpkin silhouette dancing alongside Sally. Everyone allows them to have a moment to themselves, where she finds herself skipping next to a tall scarecrow man across the town's plaza. Monsters circle around the King and his girlfriend - screaming in delight when he shrieks and sends flames in their direction.
After some time, Jack stops and jumps into the fountain, cooling his skeleton form as he hops out of the water and grins wickedly. His people cheer and surround him instantly. Sally joins the crowds, no longer caring if other people see her. She feels like she belongs with them. And they embrace her presence - even stepping out of the way when Jack climbs down and meets with her at the bottom, grabbing her sides and letting out a high pitched scream, which is soon joined by fellow creatures.
"Now for the prizes!" The Mayor happily announces, grabbing their attention away from their King.
Everyone patiently waits for this part to be done - the trophies and awards being respectfully handed out to their achievers. The vampires are awarded for how much blood they've drained, the werewolf is congratulated for howling at the full moons, and the witches are recognized for their new potions and spells. She doesn't anticipate hearing her name for the last award handed out, however.
"And to someone who has helped this Halloween become more frightful than the last- our beloved town seamstress, Sally Finklestein!"
They all erupt into applause as she's singled out in the crowd. Her ruby lips fall open in surprise as she feels claws and hands start pushing her forward. She feels awestruck as she stands there in front of the Mayor, weakly bringing her hand out and grabbing the small trophy. She holds it in her hands as she reads the label, smiling when she sees it's dedicated to her name. This must be the first time she's been awarded for... anything , really! She falls silent as she holds the shiny object, trying to think of what to tell them.
"I don't know what to say." She feels a lot of things stirring in her at that moment. "Thank you all…"
The Mayor thanks her in return. She returns to Jack and shyly shows him the trophy in her hands. He leans down and brushes the strands of yarn hair from her face, whispering in her ear, " -Congratulations ."
"Did you have something to do with this?"
"I might have known." He replies with a wide, stitched smile. "It was everyone else's idea. You have to be nominated for an award, of course - and you were in popular demand this year!"
"They like what I do that much?" She looks around at their content faces and blushes. "I don't deserve this, really, all I did was sew some clothes together…"
"I told you we needed you. What more proof do we have to give you?" He gently takes it from her hands. "This will look lovely in the manor, or perhaps, your shop…"
She hums thoughtfully to herself, wondering where she could put it. She doesn't have to fuss over such a thing, as Jack promises to hold onto it for her while they prepare to leave for the Human World. She feels curious as she watches the citizens loading up in the Mayor's hearse, who guides them with a finger and reads something off from his long list of papers. She isn't even sure if it can fit everyone - but they manage to shuffle into the close quarters, not phased in the slightest. Eventually, the skeleton returns and leads them to the vehicle - the Mayor is excited to allow them in and tips his hat to Sally as she joins him in the passenger seat. She's surprised to find Jack holding on from the outside.
He smiles nervously when she looks at him. "I'm a little too tall to join you inside…"
She forgives him, getting comfortable beside the Mayor, who grins at her politely. They begin their way to the world of humans. Many creatures and monsters are hollering from the back, moving around and hissing in excitement. Her charcoal eyes look at her surroundings while they drive through the graveyard, emerging into a place that looks….. different . The sky appears to be lighter despite it still being night, the moon now a white glow instead of Halloween Town's familiar yellow. It's then she realizes they're somewhere new - a place that fascinates her as they drive further, soon arriving at a graveyard that looks nothing like the one she knows.
"We're here! Everyone can get out, now!"
The Mayor announces their presence as he shuts off the hearse. She looks around before hearing the door opening, finding her beloved skeleton on the other side, offering her his hand. She allows him to assist her out, and her jaw falls open at what she sees. This graveyard doesn't have the same layer of thick fog or a spiral hill - it, instead, is filled with graves and fresh grass and dirt. She hears many sounds as they stand there - strange music from the distance, and the sound of bats and birds flying above their heads…
"This is exciting!" She hears Harlequin comment from beside her. "Your first year, huh? You're going to love it!"
She smiles at his enthusiasm and watches the Mayor get all of their attention, snapping his fingers. "-Everyone knows the rules, yes? No hurting anyone, no scaring the young children, and no staying past curfew! Got it?"
The creatures nod their heads in reply. Sally attempts to memorize his words as the Mayor dismisses them. Jack Skellington excitedly takes her hand and starts leading them out from the graveyard. She's surprised to find monsters rushing past them, giggling hysterically as they pour out onto the streets. The surface they're walking on looks peculiar to her as well - black in color, with strange stripes painted a certain way….Jack keeps to the side as they approach a cul de sac several feet away from them.
The buildings look strange. They are straight in shape and have bright colors, compared to the unique, dark towers in Halloween Town. She is especially confused at the appearances of the figures that walk by - people that almost look like her, except they do not have blue skin or yarn hair. Most of them are wearing poorly-made costumes and are substantially shorter than both her and Jack. She can only see these 'humans' from a distance - as the skeleton leads her far away from them as possible.
She notices the smallest ones, presumably children, are approaching the strange houses and ringing a loud bell with the push of a button. The door on the other side soon opens, and they are rewarded with colorful wrappers dropped in the buckets they hold. Sally recognizes this - trick-or-treating . She's studied all about Halloween before and understands what is happening. But it is a different experience seeing it in person.
"Isn't it strange for them to see us?" She suddenly inquires. "We are not from their world...wouldn't they be confused?"
"We blend in quite well, considering everything." He points out. "Only this night of the year would our appearances not be questioned. Everyone dresses up like something - to them, we just look like a skeleton and a doll in costume."
"They don't know we're real?"
"It's best they don't." He replies sternly. "The Mayor didn't mention it, but that's another rule...we do not disclose what we are or where we're from. It's just better that way."
She doesn't question this, trusting he knows what he's talking about. A little force is brought on her wrist as he then leads them in the shadows, near the trees as humans cross their paths. They don't even notice the tall figures as they walk right by. Sally marvels at one up close. A woman looks like one of those princesses she's seen in her picture books, dressed in such bright colors...The ragdoll stops her staring once she's out of sight. She tries to bring her attention back to what they're doing.
"When do you start scaring?" She asks him.
"When I find the right person in the right place, at the right time." He replies devilishly.
She holds onto his hand tighter. He gives her an assuring squeeze - his gaze locked on something in front of him. She turns her head and finds a young man sitting on a bench alone, staring at a bucket full of bright wrappers that she can only assume is candy. Judging by the look on his skull, this appears to be Jack Skellington's first victim. She feels his grip tense as they lock closer, and quickly conceal themselves behind a nearby hedge.
"Are you ready?" He asks her, adjusting his bowtie eagerly. There's a childish excitement in his features that she adores.
It's then she feels that peculiar sensation again….a numb, cold feeling in her leaves that makes her feel like something bad is coming. That she is in potential danger - although she can't understand why. A frown falls on her lips when she feels this, but she quickly hides it with a smile and a firm nod. With that, the skeleton takes her permission to start advancing on the man from afar, like a hunter approaching its prey…
Her eyes glisten in anticipation.
The silence from the scene is deafening, as he virtually makes no sound moving on the ground. He moves like a spider, quickly and quietly, towards the unsuspecting man. His long limbs remain close to the ground so as to not get spotted too early. She holds her breath when he's only a few inches away, clenching her teeth as Jack slowly sits upwards, still impressively silent. She notices he taps a finger on the armrest of the bench - a notion done to get the man's attention, who hurriedly whips around. In that second, the skeleton lets out an inhumane shriek, baring his sharp teeth as he hunches over the smaller figure.
A scream follows after as the human flails in his seat. He hastily grabs for his bucket and runs off as fast as he can, not casting a second glance in the demon's direction. The Pumpkin King lets out a hearty laugh at the sight. Sally takes this time to remove herself from the background and join his side. Her eyes are still wide, amazed at what she has just experienced, and how quickly it all went down…what is this feeling? Fear? Excitement?
"-It's as easy as that!" He triumphantly exclaims, pressing a bony hand against his hip. He returns to his full height now - looking down expectantly at his ragdoll.
"You were scary!" She tells him. "He had no chance to see or hear you...how do you do that?"
"Years of practice. Many, many years…" He mutters to himself as he takes her hand and resumes their search. "That was an easy trick, though. I have plenty more up my sleeve."
"Like what?"
"There's plenty I can do! After practicing for so many years, you learn a lot of methods."
She holds a small hand to her chest, feeling a hammering sensation from there. She has no heartbeat, yet...there's a strange exhilaration she's experiencing. It makes her mind fuzzy as she suddenly feels a little dizzy. Was it disorienting watching him? She still doesn't have a clue what it is, so she carries on with an elated look, excited to see what else he has to show.
She follows him around as they stalk teenagers and young adults, all blissfully unaware of the presence in the shadows. Jack does a fantastic job creeping up and scaring them out of their wits - he does impressive stunts like using the bat from his bow tie to scream and spin his head around while he moves his limbs in an unsettling way. Sometimes his quick movements are what scares them, other times it's his shrieks or simply his appearance. No matter what it is - he manages to terrify many unfortunate souls, each screaming and running away in a frenzy.
The feeling in her leaves worsen the longer she watches Jack do these tricks. Her chest feels cold as a feeling of anxiety has now washed over her. She was expecting to feel thrills and pleasant chills watching the Pumpkin King perform in action, and while she certainly felt it at first, now it's...a terribly overwhelming feeling. She doesn't protest Jack's next scare despite these confusing experiences.
"Would you like to see what I can truly do?" He asks her, his breath shortened.
She feels hesitant to agree, but she does. In that moment, he takes a few seconds to form into the pumpkin scarecrow she saw and danced with earlier in the night. It smiles fiercely at her, the fire burning brightly inside the pumpkin. Her breath hitches in her throat as she finds herself frozen in place. She found the sight exciting back in Halloween Town, but now it feels unsettling to her. As if she's anticipating something unpleasant from this form alone. He removes himself from her side and begins stalking his target, while Sally watches with uncertainty.
He focuses on his actions. He's at his target, practically breathing down the human's neck with how closely he's following. Yet his steps remain unheard, taken with such careful precision that the older man in front of him thinks nothing is amiss. The Pumpkin King feels pleasure at the false sense of security he's feeling, and gently places a wooden hand on the shoulder in front of him. This is when the human stiffens - and slowly turns on his heel to look at the towering being behind him.
The scarecrow lets out a burst of fire, coming close to igniting his hair but missing it by an inch. The man yelps in fear as he trips over his own feet, falling harshly onto the ground. He attempts to back away but is soon encumbered when the being crouches and hovers over him. The pumpkin's mouth opens once more, releasing a gush of hot air accompanied by the sound of a strange screech. Tears have formed in his eyes at this point, he opens his mouth to scream before a noise beats him to it.
It is a feminine shriek. The scarecrow's frame freezes entirely. The man takes this opportunity to carefully lift himself to his feet and run away. Jack Skellington quickly stands where he is, frantically turning his head towards the noise. He recognized it, as much as he hated that fact. And it is not a pleasant scream he wanted to hear.
He finds the area completely desolate, a strange pounding now coming from his ribcage.
"Sally?"
