I should have put this in the author's note in the last chapter and I apologize for that. There's not going to be a lot of Oogie's Revenge stuff. I'll include the Soul Robber later and some lyrics from the game. But when I do, I'll say that it's from Oogie's Revenge. It is a video game sequel. I apologize again. I'm still getting used to this. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter! I do not own Nightmare Before Christmas.
Someone or something popped up from the taller bush behind me. I'm not sure what happened, but it made the Willow Tree Gang run.
"We'll get you for this, freak!" I heard Robbie shout while running away. "Yeah, we'll make sure that you'll never forget it, Spider-Dork!" Puncher guy said. I'm sure I'll never forget this night even if the Willow Tree Gang is out to get me.
Whoever it was scaring them stood there puzzled. "Spider-Dork?" Said a voice I know all too well. "What are they- oh!" The master of fright himself was looking at me.
"Now, what is your name?" He asked with an extended hand. "Abby," I said, taking his hand. He helped me up. My hood fell as I made eye contact. "And yours?" I'm not sure if he knows he's in a movie or a video game and you can't just ask someone that, so I decided to play it out.
"I'm Jack. Jack Skellington," he said with a grin. I couldn't help but to smile. "Well, Jack Skellington it's great to meet you."
"Hey!" Someone yelled. A gun fired. Seriously, is everyone trying to kill me tonight?! "Run!" I yelled, but I didn't see Jack anywhere. I ran for the space in between the house and the woods, so I can follow that back home. Someone pulled me to the back of the house when I ran past.
"Shhhhh!" Jack told me with his hand over my mouth so my scream would be muffled. I'm so relieved to see him. The strangers were coming closer. Even if I did make a run for it, I don't think I'll make it. There's nowhere to go or hide. If Jack scared them, they would just come back to try to kill me again. Why couldn't I live somewhere in Kentucky, England, or France? I bet if Jack scares someone who lives there once, they wouldn't walk anywhere near that place again.
"Do you trust me?" Jack asked. I nodded. Jack held out his hand. I looked at it. "What's he doing?" I thought. "Oh well, I told him that I trust him and I don't want to hurt his feelings, so here it goes."
I took his hand. He cackled then we both lit up on fire. I was panicking on the inside yet amazed. It didn't hurt at all. I wasn't sure what to think.
Once the flames died down I looked at my surroundings. We're in the Graveyard outside of Halloween Town.
I looked at my outfit. It's completely different. It's a black dress with white pinstripes on it that went down to just above my knees. It has matching pants. The dress has long sleeves and an orange and black zig zag design around my waist.
I looked at my skeletal hands. "Woa," I thought. "This is awesome. What do I look like?" I never care about how I look. But I would like to know.
Jack led me to the entrance gate. "Jack, you're home early," the gatekeeper said, surprised. He leaned over a little and noticed me. He grabbed a notepad and a pen. "What is your name?" He asked with a smile. "Abby," I answered. He wrote it down and opened the gate. "Happy Halloween, Abby," he said as I walked through the gate. "Happy Halloween," I said.
"Welcome to Halloween Town!" Jack exclaimed. "It's- it's amazing," I stammered, lost for words. I just can't believe I'm here!
I ran to the fountain to look at my appearance. I basically looked like Jack with eyelashes; especially with the outfit. I almost couldn't believe my eyes, er eye sockets. "Wow," I thought in shock and disbelief. "Ok, this is freaky. But I'm stuck like this, so I'm gonna make the best of it! Hey, I wonder if I have a forked tongue just like Jack?" I stuck out my tongue. Yep.
"Would you like a quick tour?" Jack asked. "I would like that very much," I replied. It took everything to not go a little fan crazy during the tour. It's so exciting! Ok, I think I'm taking waaay too much pleasure in being dead.
Jack showed me everything around town square. I knew mostly everything he showed me. I know the way to Dr. Finkelstein's house from Jack's, then to Town Hall, then to the Graveyard, then to the Holiday Doors, all just by watching the movie. I just realized that I watched that too many times. I lost track to be honest.
"Jack! Jack!" Two kids called, running up to us. I recognized them as Corpse Kid and Mummy Boy. "Is everything alright?" Corpse Kid asked. "You're home so early," Mummy Boy added. "Everything is just fine," Jack responded. "I'd like to introduce someone to the two of you." He turned to me. "This is Abby. Abby, this is Corpse Kid and Mummy Boy."
The two kids suddenly became very excited. I don't know why. "Is this how they always react when there's a new kid in town?" I thought. "Would you like to play with the guillotine?" Corpse Kid asked. Regular me would say, "Who in their right mind would play with a guillotine?" But new, dead me is up for anything. Besides it's just smashing pumpkins, right?
"Sure, why not," I said. Corpse Kid, Mummy Boy, and I went to the guillotine. "We alternate between who gets into the basket and who sets the pumpkin up and pulls the lever," Corpse Kid explained. "You can set the pumpkins in place right here." He put his hand on the board where the blade would smash the pumpkin.
I set the pumpkin on the board. Corpse Kid climbed into the basket. Mummy Boy pulled the lever then I learned an important lesson about guillotines.
Apparently you have to stand somewhat far back or else you will get covered with pumpkin shreds and guts. "That's awesome!" Mummy Boy excitedly said. "It's disgusting," I said pulling a string of pumpkin guts off my arm. "I know," Corpse Kid said. "Isn't it great!" Sometimes I don't think I'll ever understand this place.
After I cleaned myself up we got back to playing. "What time does Jack usually come home?" I asked setting another pumpkin on the board. Mummy Boy pulled the lever. "He usually comes home around 11:45."
"What time is it?" Corpse Kid asked. "11:50," Mummy Boy answered. "Everyone's going to come home in five minutes. I'd better go in case Mayor comes back and needs me." With that he walked off.
"Abby, is something wrong?" Corpse Kid asked. "Hmm? Oh, no. Everything's fine," I lied. Really it's the complete opposite. I told Mom that I would have been home by now, but look. I'm a skeleton, I'm dead, and I never get to go home again. I don't like lying to anyone, but I don't want to drag him into this.
The next five minutes was a blur. I was hiding from everyone, so they wouldn't get distracted by me (the new kid). I know how easily distracted the citizens can get and I don't want to mess up the song (This Is Halloween).
I came out of my hiding spot when everyone surrounded the fountain. I could barely see anything, but I know what's going on. Jack emerged from the fountain then everybody cheered.
"I believe it was our most horrible yet! Thank you, everyone!" Jack announced a few minutes later. "Why does he say that every year?" I thought. "How has no one noticed?"
"Before we celebrate I'd like to announce that we have a new resident joining us tonight." Jack lifted his arm up in my direction. I don't know how he saw me. Even as a skeleton I'm shorter than he is. I'm also standing behind some of the tallest people in Halloween Town.
Everyone immediately turned their heads towards me. I tried not to freeze up. I hate being the center of attention. It's like everyone's judging me; waiting for me to mess up just to laugh. "But that's not how people are in Halloween Town," I thought, trying to reassure myself. "What's the worst that could happen? This is my chance to get rid of my stagefright."
"I'm Abby. It's a pleasure to meet you all."
The townspeople became interested in me. They all came over talking at once. It was hard to understand what they were saying.
"Hold it!" Someone said in a megaphone. We looked at Mayor next to his hearse. "We haven't given out prizes yet!" The crowd surrounded the fountain again and I stood next to Jack.
"Abby, come over here!" Corpse Kid and Mummy Boy called after all the prizes were handed out. I went over to them. "We're having a scaring contest. Do you want to join?" Corpse Kid asked.
"I would love to, but I just died tonight. I don't know any scares."
"Scaring comes naturally to some people. Maybe it will come naturally to you."
Corpse Kid, Mummy Boy, and Winged Demon showed me their scares. They're pretty good. "Are you guys sure you want me to go? I mean mine might be a little too scary," I warned. "It wouldn't be a contest if there's no competition," Mummy Boy encouraged. I smiled. "Ok, but don't say I didn't warn you." I made the same face and roar that Jack made when he was intimidating Lock, Shock, and Barrel. The three children slowly looked at each other. "Winner!" They announced at the same time.
"Abby," Jack called. We stopped our mini celebration and I went to Jack. I saw Sally standing next to him. "Hello Abby. My name is Sally. It's a pleasure to meet you too." I smiled.
"You can stay with us in Skellington Manor if you want to," she offered. I was completely speechless for a moment. "Thank you so much! I don't know what to say! … But I don't want to intrude on anything." Sally chuckled softly. "Don't be silly. I wouldn't have offered it if we weren't ok with it." "Really?" I questioned, giving her a last chance to change her mind for any reason.
"Really."
"Let's get you a nightgown," Jack said. We went into a clothing store. "Jack, what can I do for you this fine evening?" Harlequin asked. (He's the one who made a rat into a hat in the song, Making Christmas).
"Abby needs a nightgown."
"They say that it's good luck to die on Halloween," Harlequin said while taking my measurements. "Why is that?" I curiously asked, holding up my arm. He thought for a minute then shrugged. "I guess because Halloween is the greatest holiday of all. And there's nothing like new experiences of Halloween happening right in front of you."
Harlequin went to the back of the store. "This one ought to do it," he said when he came back. It's a long beige nightgown with long sleeves. It has no design to it. Jack bought it.
"Before we go home, I'd like you to meet Zero," Jack said. Sally and I followed him to the Graveyard. We stopped once we got to a doghouse tombstone. Jack patted his leg then a ghost dog appeared. The ghost dog barked happily and circled around his master.
"Down, boy," Jack said. "Zero, this is Abby. She's going to be staying with us from now on." Zero looked at me for a moment then came over. "Hi, Zero," I said. "May I pet him?"
"Of course."
I let Zero sniff my hand before I rubbed his head.
A little while later Jack, Sally, Zero, and I went up the first flight of stairs inside the Manor. "This is the room where you'll be staying," Jack said while opening the door.
It's a regular sized room with a twin bed. There's a nightstand beside the bed with a lamp on it. On the right side of the room there's a small dresser and mirror and a window next to it. On the other side there's a table and chair.
"Thank you both very much," I said. "I love it!" Jack and Sally smiled. "We're glad you like it so much," Sally said. "Try to get some sleep. We're just down the hall if you need us." "Unpleasant dreams," Jack said before closing the door.
I put my nightgown on and climbed into bed. I can't fall asleep for some reason. I'm wide awake. I turned on the lamp and got out of bed. I went to the mirror to make a few scary faces just to see what I can do.
After that I sat on the edge of the bed. Jack's Lament got stuck in my head for some reason. I get a lot of Nightmare Before Christmas songs stuck in my head. I don't know why. They just pop in there out of nowhere and stay.
"And since I am dead, I can take off my head to recite Shakespearean quotations." I got an idea from that line. I walked to the door and listened for Jack and Sally. The door creaks when it moves and I don't want to wake them up, so I listened. I heard nothing.
I went to the mirror and looked at my reflection. I took off my head. That's the weirdest thing I've ever seen in my life. "To be, or not to be, that is the question," I quietly recited from Shakespeare's Hamlet. I put my head back on.
I tried so hard not to laugh too loud. After I calmed down I thought about other parts of the song. "I wonder if I could do that demon of light stuff?" I focused on the lamp waiting for something to happen. Maybe a flicker or something. Nothing happened.
I decided that was enough Nightmare Before Christmas fun for one night. I climbed back into bed and turned off the lamp. I still wasn't tired, so I thought about what happened before I died.
"That had to have been the Willow Tree Gang who was trying to kill me; it just had to. Robbie did say, 'we'll get you for this, freak!' Even though he did mistake Jack for me. But how did they find me? Oh well, that's something I'll never find out. It's not worth worrying about. Especially when everyone here is dead too."
As I drifted off to sleep I couldn't help but to think about what sounded like snickers from three children while I was burning.
Author's Note:
What do you guys think so far? Do you like it? If there's a flaw, tell me and I'll try my best to fix it. This is my first fanfic, so it may not be the best.
Since it's Halloween I have some treats: some Nightmare Before Christmas related stories that actually happened to me. I thought these were funny and wanted to share them with you.
I went into a room to get something. I glanced at the floor for one second. Something was moving then I sat on the floor to get a better look. It was a little bug. I thought to myself, "huh, that looks exactly like the bug in Nightmare Before Christmas that screamed 'my bugs! My bugs!'" Except it was plain old brown. While killing it, it was accidentally stepped on. Even though it was an accident that really reminded me of the movie! (No bugs fell into a pit of lava or screamed during this little guy's escape attempt. ;))
There's just something about the Halloween decorations at Target that my sister and I like so much. We were looking around then I saw a Terminator skull mask. I held it in front of my face, making it look like I had it on. I "took it off" and said, "Kidnap Mr. Sandy Claws?"
One day I was humming Hail to Mr. Oogie from Oogie's Revenge. It's a remix of Kidnap the Sandy Claws. So that's what my sister thought I was humming. "Kidnap the Santa Claus," she sang high pitched and mockingly I told her it isn't "Kidnap the Santa Claus." It's "Kidnap the Sandy Claws." She still called me an idiot. I let her go on about how I should shut up and not be obsessed. I just kept thinking, "Do not tell her she's acting like Shock." In a loop until she left. She will retaliate like Shock. Well, maybe not quite as violent. She did sound a little bit like her while she sang it.
One time when my sister and I were talking about Santa Claus I accidentally said Sandy. Oops. Thankfully she didn't notice.
That's all the treats that I have. This year there's going to be a full moon on Halloween! I've always wanted to see that! Happy Halloween to all and to all a frightful night!
P.S. I really do know the way to Dr. Finkelstein's house from Jack's, then to Town Hall, then to the Graveyard, then to the Holiday Doors all by watching the movie. ^-^