Sleep twisted and swirled the child's skull, behaving like cream poured into dark coffee. It was close to morning when Nicholas fluttered his eye sockets and squirmed out of his parents' bed. He crossed the hall into the bathroom, a dungeon-like chamber trimmed with black marble and rough walls of granite. Scowling gargoyles perched upon posts in the corners of the room. Nicholas stood before the vanity and blinked at his reflection in a jagged edged mirror. His usual round face peered amiably back at him. It was strikingly similar to his father's, with only the proportions of youth as a measurable difference. That, and tiny furrows under his large eye sockets. He was still tired.
Two little pottery cups sat against the backsplash of the vanity. One with a spider painted under the glaze, one with a small bat. Nicholas stared at the pair of cups. He slowly reached out and took hold of the one with the spider. His brother's cup. As if controlled by some force outside of his bones, Nicholas lifted the cup from the vanity and held it before him. He grasped it carefully, but despite this it suddenly slipped from his fingers, crashing upon the stone floor. Shards of pottery flew outward from the impact. Nicholas gasped. Why had that happened? He was sure he had had a good hold on it. Why had he touched Jacky's cup in the first place? He slowly crouched down over the shattered remains. He chewed his lower lip nervously.
"Nicholas? Are you okay?"
He looked up. His father stood in the bathroom doorway in his pajamas and cap.
"Are you feeling sick pumpkin seed? Your mama could make something for you if you want."
Sally padded softly across the hall after hearing her husband's voice. She rested her head against his shoulder, looking at their son.
Nicky motioned to the floor around his little feet.
"I broke Jacky's cup."
The king and queen followed their son's gaze. There was nothing on the floor except for a small black and white spider walking carefully on the stone.
"What Nicky?", Jack asked. Nicholas frowned and looked to where moments before he had seen pieces of pottery scattered like eggshells. The floor was clean, bare. He scratched his skull. Was it a dream? If so, why was he here in the bathroom? Sleepwalking? He stood up. Both cups sat undisturbed in their usual place.
"Come back to bed little one.", Jack said gently. He touched his son's shoulder. Nicholas hesitated, then began to cry. He wiped his eye sockets with tiny skelleton fists. Jack lifted the boy and carried him back to the bedroom. Nicholas felt grateful that his brother was asleep. He didn't want to be seen crying, being carried like an infant. He didn't want to be seen, but was glad for the comfort. Why was all of this strange stuff happening?

"Jack, let's go downstairs for cup of tea.", Sally whispered to her husband. They sat side by side in their bed after easing their son back to sleep. Jack looked at her in the darkness.
"What is it Sally?"
"I want to talk to you about Nicholas. I think I know why he's sick, and what happened tonight. I'm certain that I do.", she said with a resolute nod.
Jack looked again at the sleeping prince before taking his wife's hand. They left the boy and went downstairs to the kitchen.

A skeletal rooster ushered in dawn as the jack o'lantern sun rose. All over Halloweentown monsters and ghouls (at least those who kept diurnal hours) climbed from their beds. Another day of preparing scares and terror, one less day until Halloween.
The Skellington twins ate their breakfasts of oatmeal and blood oranges. Jack sr. sipped his morning tea while browsing the town newspaper. Sally made some extra porridge for Zero, then settled at the table beside her sons. Nicholas glanced about the table at his family. His skull felt fine at the moment, never better. This morning felt like a thousand others in his haunted home. His brother had apparently heard nothing of the previous night's puzzlements, no one said a word. Maybe it was just a strange dream after all, pondered Nicholas.
The old clock in the hallway chimed. Jack folded his newspaper. He motioned to his namesake.
"Come on. You're with me today."
Jack jr. gaped in surprise, then grinned.
"Really? Neat! What're we doing dad?"
"Work as usual my son, work as usual!", the Pumpkin King called as he put on his suit jacket. Jack jr. beamed. He hopped out of his seat and trotted after his father. Nicholas sighed and started to follow. He was stopped by his mother's hand on his.
"You're with me today Nicky."