I blacked out on the way down. By the time I came to, I could tell I wasn't in Kansas anymore, Toto.
I had landed on a pile of leaves. No surprise there. After all, it was a few dry leaves that had swept out of the tree and help to suck me in and down the cavity.
Of course, this was nothing compared to what I saw next. A skeleton!
Not just any normal one, but this one was dressed in a black suit and walking. SINGING! I caught faint snatches of words, but I couldn't concentrate. I was making sure I was still alive.
"Oh somewhere deep inside of these bones…
"I'm the master of fright, and a demon of light…
"Does nothing for these empty tears…"
This last line I understood came right before this skeleton walked sadly down a hill that uncurled under his feet and into the nearby forest.
I simply wouldn't believe my eyes. But I couldn't stay long. A seemingly sewn together woman was making her way towards the gate of the cemetery I had landed in the middle of. The gate was merely three feet away, so I hid myself under a pile of leaves. The thing passed by without seeing me, so I relaxed. Everything seemed so…familiar…
But I couldn't place it. It was a memory from years ago. Perhaps a theme park? No, it couldn't be. These creatures were too…fake…
Then it hit me. The Nightmare Before Christmas! The movie! Everything was just as the movie went! The trees, the cemetery, Sally the Ragdoll…and Jack.
I remembered, deep in my heart, that once I would have given anything to be where I was right now. To be on the same plane of existence with the clay skeleton.
But back then, obviously physics wouldn't allow me to actually meet Jack, much less be with him.
After all, back then, I hadn't just liked Jack.
I had loved him.