Hellow! Corona Pax here! There were no takers for speculation on where this story is going to go. That's alright! I enjoyed writing this chapter. I really like writing Jack by the way. Random thought of the day: how feasible is it for me to attempt a web comic of this? Rhetorical question by the way.

Chapter 9

Personal Space

Laughter reached her senses.

"Auntie, you're so silly!"

"Ooh, Anna! I got a question! What was it like when you first came the Halloween?"

"That was a very long time ago Sweets," I said as I helped Sally set the table, using my tongue to pick the candy corn off my teeth distractedly, "I'm a lot different now."

"How?"

"I was scared of everything, for one thing…"

"You?! No way!"

Sally snickered.

"Oh shut up," I snapped at her playfully. "I didn't really know what fear was at the time. I was pretty unstable…"

"She really was. Irrational and rational mixed up all over the place. It was a wonder she didn't snap earlier or worse than she did, especially knowing what we know now."

Helgamine woke to find the skeleton sitting alone at the kitchen table. It was early morning, an ungodly hour for monsters. They usually stayed awake for days at a time and slept very little. When they did, it was often during morning hours with the afternoon onward being the busy times of the day.

"Hello. Horrid morning is it?"

Anna jumped, hitting her knee on the table. She winced and looked up. "Oh, it's morning?"

One thing she learned from the party the previous night was that the creatures in this world spoke oddly. It was English, mostly, but they twisted it around with strange figures of speech and an odd bit of Latin here and there.

How long had she been sitting there? She had been unable to fall back asleep when the witches had guided her back to their house. She tried for maybe an hour before giving up and exploring her room. There was really nothing exciting there. Then she went downstairs as quietly as she could and sat at the table studying her bones. While trying to figure out how to get home…

The witch cackled at the lost expression on the skeleton's features. Poor girl still had a ridiculous amount of fear floating around her like a dark cloud. Surely the party should have dispelled most of it.

Anna crossed her arms insulted at the laughter.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Anna!" Helga giggled, she reached far up to pat Anna on the shoulder. "I should have expected you couldn't sleep, what with being unconscious almost all day yesterday. I hope you kept yourself busy."

Anna flinched at the touch and edged away, but forced a smile, "I would have, but I wasn't sure if it was okay for me to touch anything…" she gestured to the books on a nearby shelf.

"So, you've been sitting here idle all night?" the witch withdrew her hand upon noticing Anna's reaction.

"Well nooo," Anna admitted, "I was trying to take apart my hand and put it back together. I got the fingers off before it hurt too much…."

"Practice makes perfect."

"I don't see how that kind of pain just….goes away."

"Oh, it won't. Not really. You'll just get used to it."

"You're not going to…do something like rip me apart are you?"

Helgamine chuckled, "Not unless you ask someone too. But accidents happen, especially with a body such as yours. I'm sure you'll have more than a few mishaps. Jack probably could help you more than I could. What else did you do last night?"

"… I may have annoyed the eyeballs?" Anna cringed as she looked at the jar of eyeballs next to her. They followed her movements eerily.

"I meant to remind Zelda to put those up… And for future reference, if something is locked away—actually locked up, mind you, and not just in a cupboard—you shouldn't touch it. Otherwise, I doubt anything in here could harm you."

Anna raised a brow ridge, "L-like?" Lovely. Her stupid stutter was back.

Helga handed her a sprig of a dried plant that was on the table, which Anna took hesitantly. She was shaking slightly, to her annoyance.

It was like she had two minds. One that seemed scared of everything (what a bizarre feeling) and another that recognized the fear as irrational.

But was it? Irrational?

"This is Clotburn. It doesn't exist in the Real World anymore and went extinct before a proper name could be given. My mentor named it. It's extremely deadly to humans. A single touch and they could fall into a coma in ten days and die. If they know they've been poisoned before then, there's a chance of survival, though slim."

The girl dropped the plant with a gasp and pulled her hand away as if it burned.

"But it's perfectly safe to you and has a delightful ginger-like flavoring. I put it in my cider to add a little spice."

Anna stared at her for a moment. "I don't know how to respond to that." She frowned, "I'm usually not emotionless like this. Normally, I'm a loud person. But I'm having a hard time processing…everything…"

"I sense that about you," Helgamine agreed wholeheartedly, "You've got a bright aura around you. You seemed caught up in the excitement last night at least. Regardless, I suspect it will be a couple days before you feel more like 'yourself.' A fair number of newcomers come across as emotionless until everything sinks in."

"Death you mean," Anna scoffed, "Until death sinks in."

"Yes dear."

"I don't like the idea of being dead. I feel different…but not…dead. This isn't what I was expecting."

"Give it a bit. It'll grow on you."

"Like mold…" Anna muttered. She looked up in confusion at the chortling.

Helga's weird colored skin was flushed as she laughed. "That was a good one!"

"I hear laughter. It's giving me a headache," a rather angry voice snapped from down the hall. "Oogie's lair! It's too early for this!"

Helga grinned as Zelda poked her unbecoming nose into the room. "Oh, there you are! Zelda, listen to this. I told Anna here that being dead will grow on her and she said 'like mold.'"

Zelda snorted.

Anna's frown deepened. It really wasn't that funny…

Helga wiped a tear away, "Heehee! Oh, enough of that! We have a lot to do today."

Zelda groaned, "Harlequin's probably already up and about. Shame. I needed an excuse to sleep in."

"Which one is Harlequin again?" Anna asked, embarrassed. She could barely remember anyone's name from the previous night.

"He's got those moving horns and a mouth that goes all the way around his face."

"Oh, he seems…passionate."

"Dear, you have no idea."

"WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?!" Harlequin fussed the moment the three females walked into his tailor's shop. Sally wasn't in yet, which was rather disappointing, if expected. He couldn't see how anyone could rest with such excitement in town.

Anna stopped and stifled a scream.

Seriously?

She hadn't seen him when first walking in. She had to clap a hand over her mouth to keep from letting out the scream. Yet the witches merely pushed her forward with their brooms.

She still wasn't quite steady on her feet and stumbled.

"Um…sorry?"

The monster sighed and glared at her. About screaming or coming in late? One of those was fashionable and flattering. The other not so much. "I suppose it couldn't be helped. I was almost late opening. Even a genius like myself needs a little beauty rest."

Anna looked down at the witches. Was this guy for real?

"Genius?" Zeldabourne said without a moment's thought.

"Beauty?" Helgamine rolled her eyes.

Harlequin scoffed, "Uncultured swine."

Anna snickered.

"Just how old are you all?" she prodded at their childishness.

"Not old enough to appreciate Harly's sense of humility," Zelda sighed.

"What humility? I think you mean humor," Helga added.

"Hmmph. What can I do for you, Anna?"

Anna glanced around the shop filled with disproportionately designed creepy mannequins and bolts of fabric of various dull colors.

"Heh…I think I need clothes."

"Well of course you do! It would be a crime to have to walk around in a nightgown all day! Although, I suppose you could pull it off if you tried. Samara certainly pulled off a similar look. And you have the form for it."

"Uh, thanks…I think?"

The monster stepped back to look her up and down. "Hold your arms out and give us a turn, miss."

Anna did as instructed, a small grimace growing.

"Do you like dresses or shirts and pants, Anna?" the much shorter monster asked.

"I actually didn't wear dresses that often," she said, "I always expected to do something strenuous every day. Not against them, though."

Harlequin and the Witches all shared a glance.

"And, pray tell, when did you wear dresses?" Zelda asked, an odd look on her face as she recalled that moment from the previous night when Anna mentioned being from the US.

Anna tilted her head in confusion, not quite grasping what they were so worried about. "Church. Formal events. Whenever I felt like looking nice?"

"Ah. Well, have a look around the shop for the fabric you like while I work on some designs for you." Harlequin picked up a poorly bound sketchbook and pencil.

She looked around, not sure where to start before wandering to a table with many different shades of oranges.

She tripped on a table leg as she turned.

The adults tried not to laugh…. actually, they didn't care.

They laughed. Loudly. Shrieking like banshees with their weird laughs.

Anna hopped up swiftly and shrugged in embarrassment as they laughed at her clumsiness.

Harlequin watched her, still laughing, and quickly drew a likeness of the skeleton girl in different poses as she walked away. Once he had enough, he started drawing a rough sketch of possible suit and dress ideas over the figures.

"We going to say anything?" Helgamine groused once Anna was out of hearing.

"Not my problem," Harlequin said in sing-song without looking up. His horns were tightly curled, which usually meant he was anxious.

"Do you think she remembers? Perhaps it is simply a habit to speak as such?"

"I don't know. Like I said, not my problem," Harlequin muttered.

"Does she know she's not supposed to remember anything?" said Zelda.

"Someone forgot to tell her that," said Helga, "It's not like it's dangerous that she seems to remember. Right? Just…uncommon."

They were quiet for a moment.

"I'm going to ask her," Zelda said bluntly.

"What?" both Harlequin and Helgamine said.

"How much she remembers."

"Zelda, no."

"Yes," with that she called across the room, "Anna dear?"

Anna jumped, though she didn't yelp this time, "Sorry, yes?"

"Do you remember much of being alive?"

Anna froze and shifted a bit, realizing that they wouldn't ask if she was supposed to.

"…"

"You're not in trouble, skelly!"

Anna let the spool of ribbon she was holding (not very well) slip from her fingers. She then came over, "Yes. I didn't at first. But I had a terrible headache when I woke up yesterday and…things…came back. The cat was there."

"What?!" the witches shrieked.

"He didn't say anything," Helga snapped.

"Hmmph, Jasper is getting Trouble's fish tonight."

Anna pursed her bony lips. "Should I be concerned?" She consciously decided not to question how they talked to the cats. Or why she only saw one.

"We'll see," Zelda sighed harshly. She really wasn't sure if interviewing the girl was a good idea at the moment. Best to tell Jack first.

The little witch's response didn't relieve the lanky teenager's concern.

Harlequin didn't like the conversation.

Even Anna, who was still not used to their body language, could tell he wanted to just change the subject.

"Ladies, let's not worry about that now," Harlequin stressed, "Now, let's get a few of your measurements Anna."

Anna's eyes widened. She stepped back and put her hands up, "Uh…I've always made my own Halloween costumes when I was alive…"

The monsters seemed a little giddy at those words. They loved it when humans made their own costumes. Such creativity! It was a sure sign that they enjoyed the holiday enough to put such effort into their guise. It was entirely unsurprising that a Halloween Citizen would do so while alive.

"I can take my own measurements," Anna suggested nervously.

Harlequin's horns twitched as he wordlessly picked up an old, black, scuffed-up measuring tape and handed it to the girl.

Anna tried to take it, careful to not let their fingers touch, but she didn't have the dexterity necessary and it slipped from her weak fingers.

Helgamine caught the ribbon-like tape before it hit the ground, "It's alright, dearie. Harlequin's a professional. He wouldn't do anything inappropriate."

Harlequin looked incredible miffed at the implication, but bit his tongue (a feat in itself) and gave Anna a strict nod.

"If it's because he's male, then we can wait until Sally gets in," Zeldabourne suggested cautiously.

You never know with newcomers…

Violent deaths and all…

Anna was about to agree. That would buy her some time at least. Yet the bell above the door rang.

"Oh, hello," Jack and Sally said at the same time.

Anna's eyes locked on Jack again. She realized it was probably because he looked familiar to her skeleton mind, but she felt a little more comfortable with him standing just in the doorway. That and well…she could remember those dreams she had. The ones about how Jack died... It was Jack in those visions right? Of course…

She may be taking a while to adjust to the oddness of being a skeleton, but she was no idiot. It didn't take much to realize the dreams she had before she died weren't a coincidence.

The quince tree and the Devil. Jack being kicked out of Heaven. Did this mean that legend was true? That her dreams were real.

He left his son Jamie?

She didn't want to ask. She wasn't sure it was alright to trust any of them. She just had to play along for now… and deal with the recently acquired fear. She had their perception of her being a naive monster going for her. Probably.

It really wasn't much of an act, though. She really was trying to figure out how this world worked.

"Is something wrong?" the rag doll lady Anna met last night asked, tilting her head in a similar way to Anna, though her version made her look a little… lopsided?

"I…er…um…" Anna stuttered.

"Anna seems a little nervous about letting someone take her measurements," Helgamine said.

"Oh."

"We thought it be more comfortable for her if you did it," Harlequin said.

"Of course," Sally nodded, "Would that be okay, Anna?"

Anna ground her teeth together.

They seemed to take her silence as an affirmation.

Sally walked up while Jack closed the door behind him. The rag doll took the measuring tape and gestured to a curtained off room toward the back.

"We'll just go back-." Sally reached out to guide Anna.

"No."

The monsters blinked at her if they had eyelids. Or didn't.

Sally smiled kindly, "Alright then, we can just-."

Anna let out a sharp, very monster-like hiss and slapped Sally's hand away as it brushed her arm. "DoN't tOucH mE."

Sally winced at the tug on her stitches as Anna backed up, looking at them distrustfully.

Jack straightened and immediately came forward, checking Sally for tears.

"And we were doing so well," Helgamine groaned.

"Anna, please calm down," Zeldabourne sighed, coming forward.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

Jack stepped over Zeldabourne, putting himself between the skeleton and the witch. He stood like a gentleman, hands behind his back and a smile on his skull, apparently unconcerned with Anna's display of aggression.

Anna hissed again, briefly looking surprised at the sound before shaking her head. She didn't notice the first one. She crouched defensively, her spindly form conflicting with the nightgown.

What was she doing?! She couldn't help it. One moment she's trying to get out of an awkward situation, the next she was rattling her bones desperate to not let anyone touch her. It was beyond her usual personal space concerns.

Jack couldn't help but chuckle at the light clanking sounds. He found the rattling rather endearing. He stepped closer.

She barely noticed her canine teeth growing longer as she glared at him.

"I want to go home," she snapped without thinking, slinking back.

Jack crouched as if speaking to a child. "I'm afraid that's not possible, Miss Anna."

"I don't care. I want to go now!"

"You seem to not grasp the meaning of 'not possible' young lady."

"I need to go."

"Why?"

She froze, glancing away for a moment. She probably just ruined her only chance at escaping. Would they help? They wanted her here. Of course they wouldn't.

"You're not a prisoner here Anna," Jack assured with a light accent. "You can decide not to stay here. But the REAL world is a very dangerous place for a wandering soul. It's not possible for you to go back to what you're calling home simply because it can't exist as your home anymore. So do you still have a reason to leave?"

Anna flinched. That lost memory that she knew was there was bugging her. She couldn't open it up, she just knew that was the memory of how she died. Details were nonexistent. There were only feelings. Everything else was blocked out.

She moved out of her crouching position, sitting back until she was underneath a worktable, her back against a corner. She hugged her knees and stared stubbornly ahead.

"I see. Would you all mind giving us a moment?" Jack asked, understanding of the skeleton teens sudden display of immaturity.

"You sure Jack?" Sally asked as she tightened her shoulder stitching.

Jack just nodded.

"Kicked out of my own shop. Disgraceful," Harlequin muttered as the witches dragged the peeved monster out with them, Sally following.

Jack noticed the faint purple glow that flashed from within her sockets and steeled himself. This was going to be a poor choice on his part. He needed to distance himself from her, not this!

Damn it, Jack!

He couldn't just refuse to not help calm her down. What kind of King would he be if he didn't look out for the well-being of all his subjects? Even those not yet official.

Even her.

"How much do you remember?" Jack asked. Straightforwardness was probably the best bet.

"Everything," Anna admitted with a mumble.

"Hmm. My condolences."

Anna looked out at him from the shadows, "What? Why?"

"Most who come here came because they were meant for a second chance. But I've noticed that, while their souls were destined for Halloween, their lives don't tend to be the happiest. And even if they weren't human, their stories likely aren't the happiest either."

Anna didn't understand that last sentence. Stories?

"No. You got it wrong this time. My life wasn't bad. Far from it," she said, eyeing the taller skeleton with a little clearer head. "That's why this isn't fair."

"Life doesn't seem to be fair often. I fail to see why death should," Jack said dryly.

"I had my family. A fi…a boyfriend. And what scares me is that I don't know if they're safe," Anna put her head on her knees and covered her eyes. "I don't know what happened to me. But I know my younger brother and sister were there, and they were in danger. I can't remember if they're safe."

Jack glanced around to see if anyone could see him. The other adults were still outside.

He sat down entirely and crossed his legs, sitting directly across from Anna.

They sat in silence for at least five minutes while Jack considered something. It was risky, but this was a somewhat unique situation.

"Anna, if you could find whether they're safe without having to leave, would you consider staying, if only for a while at least?

Anna looked up. Her new eyeless sockets were more dead looking than the rest of her.

A part of her was curious. It wanted to stay here and explore this world so badly. It wanted to play and make friends with these interesting creatures she knew almost nothing about. It felt comfortable. Alive if the case were. Like a piece of a hard-worked puzzle was lost for years only for the final piece to be found under the couch.

But another part protested. Anna didn't belong here. Something was wrong. Something was robbed from her. She couldn't stay.

"…When could I leave?"

"Ideally a year from now at next Halloween. However, I would have to ask for a few favors, but you could leave on any of the other Holidays if they let you go to the Real World with them."

"Other Holidays?" Anna said, sockets wide as the implications hit her.

"Oh yes! Halloween is but one holiday it appears. There are many others. Though I've found we only have direct access to a few neighbors. My second favorite is very exciting. A good friend of mine travels the sky on the 25th of December bringing toys and other gifts…"

"Christmas?"

"Why yes! You know it?"

"Of course I do," Anna looked at him oddly, "Why wouldn't I?"

Jack grinned a little uncomfortably, "That ties to a story for later perhaps. But I'm sure Sandy Claws would be willing to let you use his holiday to go where you need to. Maybe. He's…ah…rather cross with me presently."

Anna blinked, the bone around her sockets clicking. Sandy Claws? If that's what Jack called Santa (who's real too evidently), then she wasn't surprised that Christmas was at odds with Halloween.

"And the other Holidays?" Anna asked curiously.

"Hmm. Well, their leaders may need a little more convincing. The other Holidays don't seem to like us for some reason," Jack frowned. Then he smiled optimistically. "We have a plan to work on that. But if leaving is what you really decide you want, I'm sure I can work something out."

Anna was quiet for a long moment.

Jack sat patiently. She certainly wasn't the worst newcomer he dealt with.

Ironically, her next words were, "Is this…a deal?"

Jack shook his skull sharply. "No. I never make deals of this sort. I don't wish to trick you."

Anna noticed his eyes glanced away for a moment.

"It's completely up to you if or when you leave. I'm requesting that you at least give us a chance."

Anna brought her hand up and stared at the fleshless fingers. Several emotions flickered within her dark circles of eyes. Curiosity. Sorrow. Fear.

She clenched her hand and looked at the Pumpkin King. "I think I can do that…"

"Excellent!" Jack said with a wide grin. "Now, I know why you want to leave, but I'm still not sure why you shied away from contact. Sally certainly isn't in the habit of biting people."

Anna flinched, "Eh…I-I don't know."

"Hmmm. You're a bad liar, Miss Anna."

Anna looked at him embarrassed. "I'm not completely sure. I kept getting weird…surges…of…of…"

"Fear?"

"I…I…am not used to fear…."

"I'm not quite sure I understand."

"When I was alive. I couldn't feel fear. It was physically impossible for me to do so."

"Fascinating," Jack said, sockets wide with interest.

"If you…say so Mr. Skellington," Anna said. "I never panicked. Never gasped in surprise. Never jumped. Never was startled. It…is not pleasant to be doing so all the time now!" She looked away, "I use to want to feel fear. I wanted to know what I was missing. But…it's scarier than I thought it'd be…"

"That's fantastic news! It's about time that was fixed!"

Anna sputtered. "What?"

Jack cackled gleefully, "Anna, I can't imagine being in such a world where fear doesn't exist to me. What a sparkless existence!" Before she could protest, he took her hand and pulled her out from under the table. "Here, every single one of us is a personification of fear. How can we be something without feeling it?"

Anna frowned as she steadied herself and pulled her hand away, "I don't understand. I don't know how people live like this. I kept thinking everything could be dangerous. It's just getting in the way."

Jack looked…well, not pleased, but like he had a clearer perception of her. "You'll understand eventually."

She didn't like that smug grin of his.

Jack turned to the door, and she hurried to keep up.

"How will you let me see my family?"

"We can use the witches' cauldron to have a peek," Jack explained as he opened the door for her, "Ah, Helgamine we…."

The witches were glaring at Jack while Harlequin took a step back and Sally sighed with a sharp "I told you so" tone. Clearly, they were trying to eavesdrop.

"Have a peek at what, Jack?" Helgamine asked.

Hmm. Guess they didn't hear much.

"He said I could see if my brother, sister, and uh…boyfriend are all right," said Anna quickly.

Sally was very curious all the sudden.

The witches looked surprised and perplexed.

Harlequin didn't have it any better.

"Ah. Well… anything for you, Jack," Zeldabourne frowned.

As the others walked away toward the center of town, whispering to one another, Jack stopped Anna.

"Anna wait."

Sally looked up questioning at him from his side while Anna stopped short and turned.

"Yes?"

"We usually have strict rules concerning our past lives," Jack said seriously, raising a bony finger for emphasis. "We never go searching for what happened to us if we don't already know. It's dangerous and can lead to too much unnecessary grief. Do you understand?"

"I think so."

"I hope you do. I'm only allowing this because you already claim to remember everything else about your life. Thus, I suspect having such a serious gap in your memory would do more harm than good at this point. But hear me and understand what I say right now."

Anna nervously fixed her sockets on his own, holding her skeletal hands defensively grasped at her sternum.

Jack leaned forward a little, making the younger dead creature shrink back and cringe. "This is an exception, a one-time exception at that. I will not tolerate attempting to influence events in the Real World through any means. I will not tolerate you hurting yourself by concerning yourself with matters you are no longer a part of. Even if you decide to leave, while in Halloween you shall reasonably keep matters and responsibilities of the Real World separate from this one. Finally, I will not tolerate any harm coming to my people through your direct actions. Am I clear?"

Anna shrunk back further and gulped. "Y-yes sir."

She stood frozen and stared at him like an animal trapped in a cage as he walked past her without another word, having said what he needed to.

It took her a moment to realize it was okay to move before she quick-stepped to pass him and catch up to the witches.

Sally sighed. "Oh, Jack…Maybe you were a bit harsh on her?"

He didn't answer.

"Jack?"

"Hm? What?"

"...You didn't hear a word I said, did you?"

"Hehe. My apologies, my dear. I'm rather distracted."

"We've noticed," Sally pointed out sweetly.

"Oh my, is it really that obvious?"

"You've acted strangely since Anna came. And she's only been here a day," Sally worried.

"A simple explanation! I'm utterly surprised about another skeleton," Jack lied through his crooked teeth with a silly grin, "How is your arm, Sally?" His voice took on a concerned tone.

"She just tugged the stitches. I'm fine…and even if she had torn it off we both know it's not a big deal."

"She didn't know that."

"Exactly. So I'll say again. Maybe you were a bit harsh on her."

Jack didn't answer again, though Sally could see he was looking for something to say as he slowed his pace.

"Jack…you would tell me if something was wrong. Right?"

"Of course."

Sally frowned as they walked together behind the small group as they approached Anna's answers.