Before All the Nightmares

"This is Halloween,

this is Halloween,

pumpkins scream in the dead of night.

This is Halloween

Everybody make a scene,

trick or treat

Til' the neighbor's die of fright!"

"Jack you know all the words to that song!" a little werewolf cried.

"Yes, yes I do." smiled a small gangly skeleton boy.

This boy is known as Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin Prince of Halloween Town. A mere skeleton is all Jack appears to be, but he has the boldness of a lion and the cunning moves and curiosity of a cat. He is tall for his age, but he is not singled out for this. He wears a baggy ragged pinstripe suit. He has hollow, empty black eye sockets the size of tennis balls and a wide skeleton grin.

"Oh Jack you are so terrible!" squealed a few kid-witches.

"Thank you." Jack beamed.

"Children, it is time to go home!" Mrs. Ghoul, their teacher chimed.

The children dispersed and collected their belongings.

"Bye Jack!" several kids called as Jack separated himself from the group.

"Bye!" he called back.

When he thought he was alone, he headed towards the graveyard. However, he was not aware that someone was following him. Jack stopped at a doghouse shaped tombstone and clapped his bony hands together. A few moments passed and then a small ghost dog with a shiny red nose appeared. It began barking happily and zooming around Jack.

"I'm glad to see you too Zero!" Jack chuckled while stroking the dog.

Jack heard giggling behind him. He swerved around but saw no one.

"I could have sworn I heard…" Jack muttered.

Zero began barking frantically and zoomed forward to a group of headstones.

"What's gottin' into you Zero?" Jack questioned while moving forward "Oh!"

Lying behind the tombstone was his fellow classmate, Sally Ragdoll.

"H-hi," Jack stammered "you need help?"

Jack reached out his hand to help her up. Sally hesitantly grabbed it. Jack gently pulled her up onto her feet.

"You come here too?" Jack grinned trying to start a conversation.

Sally nodded and then quietly added "I thought no one else came here."

"Me too," Jack exclaimed "most times I come to visit Zero, other times I come her to uhhh… think."

Jack, expecting Sally to giggle and tell him that was a dumb thing to do, averted his eyes upwards. He waited for a moment and then looked at her. Instead of hilarity, an understanding look was on her face. Jack smiled at her.

"You know maybe tomorrow you could…" Jack began awkwardly.

"Yea?" Sally questioned hopefully.

"You know hang out with…." Jack stuttered.

"Sally!" a croaky voice called.

"Oh, that's the Professor…. I better go." Sally said with hints of disappointment on her face.

"Oh...okay," Jack said trying to hide his own disappointment "see you tomorrow."

Once he had said goodbye to Zero and Sally had long since gone, he headed home. At the gate of the Graveyard, he found a small hand with a thread dangling from it.

"Sally," he happily murmured "I'll return it to her tomorrow before everyone gets to school."

A/N: Ok, so I am not that good at intro chapters… but hey! Just to let you know Jack, Sally and their friends are 13 and 14. PLEASE review. Now I won't hold it against you if you don't, but it will give me inspiration.