Chapter 5, at last. I added a bit to the previous chapter as well. Thanks to Kaitlynn for offering to beta! ^_^
Guy shuffled into bed, the night before Halloween. His bony feet were covered by too long pajama pants, which had previously belonged to one of his older brothers. His mother stood by the wardrobe in his room, hanging pressed suit pants.
"There now." she said. "You'll be ready for tomorrow."
Kissing his skull, she folded back a corner of the quilt as he climbed under the covers. "I can't believe it's already your first time out for Halloween, Guy." she said. "Your father is so proud. He's excited to finally have you with him."
"He is?" Guy asked. His mother's face saddened, and Guy realized he hadn't intended to sound quite so surprised.
"He is!" she insisted. "Very much so! He's been terribly busy... I suppose he hasn't had much time to talk to you about this, but you must know how important your first Halloween night is to him."
"I know." said Guy, relieved to see his mother's smile return. She kissed him again, resting her palm against his cheek. He leaned into her hand, yawning.
"You need to sleep." she said firmly. "You've looked exhausted lately, Guy." He forced a smile. He was exhausted. Despite his brothers' assurance that The Beldam was no worry, he couldn't help but keep a wary socket on the hearth as he lay in bed each night. It was as if a hornets' nest hung ominously over his head. His mother turned to leave. A step from the doorway – she stopped. To Guy's puzzlement, she paused there for a long moment, as if she were trying to remember where she'd mislaid something.
"Mom?" he said.
She frowned, folding her arms over her chest.
"What is it, mom?" he asked. She shook her head.
"Ah. Nothing. I was only trying to remember what I have left to finish before bed. Good night, Guy."
She walked from the room. Guy couldn't be certain, but he thought he saw her eyes flick to the hearth as she stepped out.
At a desk in his tower, Jack Skellington sat in deep concentration. A Mercator map of the world spread before him, surrounded by teetering stacks of notebooks, lists, and memos. His wife ascended from the spiral stair landing. She padded to his side and gently rubbed his shoulder blades.
"Is Guy in bed?" asked Jack. His wife nodded against his skull, prompting him to continue: "Can you imagine that tomorrow night will be his first Halloween out with his brothers and I, Sally?", Jack bubbled. "Time is an astounding thing! One never gets used to it!"
"I know, Jack." said Sally. "It is hard to believe he's so big already. But... Jack? Did you ever find the time to do that thing I asked you to?"
Jack scowled at lines of haphazard script on a piece of lined paper. He scratched his skull.
"Jack?" Sally repeated.
"What? Oh! I am sorry, darling. I haven't had a moment! Did you see The Mayor's fear projections for this year? I haven't say anything to him, because I appreciate optimism, but I certainly have my work cut out for me. And I haven't yet done my final checks with the werewolf, or the leeches. I know they'll probably do a variant of last year's approach, since that went so well for them, but it never hurts to expand one's repertoire. And -"
"Jack..." said Sally, reeling him back once more. He laughed.
"I'm sorry. You know how I go on, and on, this time of year... But, I promise you, I will attend to it! No worries, Sally!"
"Thank you, Jack." she said. "Now, do you remember what it was I asked you to do?"
The Pumpkin King opened his mouth to answer, then slipped into a sheepish chuckle.
Smiling, Sally rolled her eyes at him.
"Guy's room, Jack. It may be nothing, but...there's something strange there. I-I don't know... It's as if...as if..."
"As if what, Sally?" said Jack. He swiveled his chair to face her. She bit her lip, resting her hands on his shoulders.
"I wish I could say..." she murmured with a shrug.