CHAPTER 15

In The Nightmare

Jack put his bony hand on Sydney's head. The red flash under his palm streamed the nightmare, as well as Jack's mind, into Sydney's brain. The Pilgrim Jack that Sydney had just seen touch her head turned into Pumpkin King Jack. The sunny pioneer village wrinkled into a creepy, dark, and foggy town. She was even back in her black, punk clothes. After the transformation was complete, Sydney examined herself. She was delighted to be back in her own clothes, and even more so to have her old feet back. They were no longer hairy monkey feet, but her own human feet snug inside her black vans she had left back in Halloween Town.

"What just happened?" asked a confused Sydney, "Are we in the nightmare?"

"Small world," said Jack, "We're in Sleepy Hallow, my old home."

"But how are you here, Jack? Are you part of the nightmare?" Sydney started poking Jack in the chest; just to be sure he was there.

"Stop that," Jack said a little irritated, "Yes and no. I inserted my mind into your brain to guide you through the nightmare. If you get lost in a nightmare, there's no yellow brick road home."

"Hey, I didn't know that you knew about the Wizard of Oz!"

"The wizard of what?"

"I guess you don't. Never mind! On a different note," Sydney scanned Jack's attire, "Why are you…me…us dressed differently?"

"These are the physical representations of our mantel selves," Sydney stared at Jack blankly. He gave an annoyed sigh, "Look, just nod your head and pretend like you know what I'm talking about."

Sydney nodded with her still blank expression.

"Good," Jack added, "Now let's get going before we miss anything good."

Sydney walked next to Jack down the dark, foggy streets.

My god, thought Sydney, this place looks so gloomy, and…even a little scary.

Suddenly, a man jumped out from a dark ally with a deadly knife. He swung it around in random directions with a bloodthirsty smile.

"Eeeeekkk!" Sydney squeaked and she jumped into Jack's arms. He caught her like a large feather.

The crazed man used his long knife to slash through Sydney's body, "Yes! YES!" the man cried with every swing of his arm. A moment later he stopped to examine the knife. He ran his fingertips over the side of the knife, feeling the cold steel, "Yes! This should do nicely!" The stranger gave a low, thick, devious laugh and ran in the opposite of Jack and the trembling girl in his arms.

"Oh my god!" Sydney cried. She felt the places on her body where the knife had touched her, "it…it didn't cut me. Not a scratch. I didn't feel a thing."

"Dream fragments, such as everything you see around you, can't see, touch, or hear us. The dream runs through as it originally did, and we're just ghost here to watch. No one can hurt you," Jack tried to sound reassuring.

"That's good. That's good," Sydney was catching her breath, "Not that I was afraid or anything!"

"Ahem," Jack reminded Sydney that she was still cradled in his arms.

"Ahh…I was tired. And cold. Good thing you were here to catch me when my legs gave out."

"Real funny. I'm putting you down now."

"Please don't!" Sydney hugged Jack's neck, tighter. He smiled and sighed.

Jack started carrying Sydney through the dark streets of Sleepy Hallow. Sydney felt like no matter how spooky this little town was, and despite the fact that she couldn't be touched, she felt safe and secure in the arms of the Fright Master. She guessed that was way she liked him to carry her so much.

The streets were abandoned with a dead silence hanging in the air. Their only light was dim, and it was being emitted from a nearly ecliptic moon.

"Where is everybody?" asked Sydney, "There's not a soul in sight."

Jack stopped walking. They were stationed in front of a large, gray building with pillars. The plaque on the wall said: "Town Hall".

"They're in here," Jack responded. He carried Sydney literally through the large, wooden, double doors. Going into the building was like stepping out of a dark, depressing closet into the comfort of your brightly lit living room. Inside there was music, food, loud talking, and laughter. It looked relative to the scene in the movie Sleepy Hallow, when Icabod Crain first arrived into town. There was a festive party going on and every one was joyful. The people were dressed from colonial times, and wore elaborate porcelain, monster mask. All the residents of town must have been there.

"Trippy!" exclaimed Sydney. She jumped from Jack's arms onto the dance floor. Using her own unique, bad movements, her dancing stuck out like a pickle in a cookie jar. Lucky for her, only Jack could see.

"Sydney!" Jack called to her.

"What? Can't you see I'm trying to get my grove on?"

"It looks like you're having a seizure, while trying to kill a cat with your feet. You're just lucky no one can see you."

"Hey, I'm not trying to impress anyone."

Jack pointed to the front of the room, on the stage where the band was playing off to the side, "Now pay attention to this. It's an important part,"

A short, fat man shuffled onto center stage. The musicians stopped playing their instruments out of respect. The short man raised his hands for silence and attention. Everyone stopped dancing to watch, including Sydney. All was quite.

"Ladies and gents," the little man boomed. His loud voice projected around the room, "As mayor of Sleepy Hallow, I'm pleased to be hosting a very, very special birthday party."

"Is that the mayor from Halloween Town?" Sydney asked Jack.

"Pay attention, and all your questions will be answered. I know; I've already seen the nightmare."

Sydney tuned back into the mayor's speech, "-A birthday that bridges the final year of being a boy, and the crossing over into a man. This is the birthday of my two nephews I've raised since they were orphaned, so many years ago," there was a sad sigh that went through the audience, "Anyways, these boys are like sons to me. I love them both dearly. And this day of October 31st, I ask that everybody wish a happy birthday to the Skellington boys, Jack and Timothy!"