Chapter 6: Experiments and Premonitions
(Narrator's POV)
Jack started to make his way up the stairs to his house. His trip to the doctor's lab had been a complete success. When he had first arrived the doctor had seemed irritated, but his attitude lightened when Jack walked through the door.
~Flashback~
"The door is open!" Finklestein had shouted. Jack walked in, but didn't see anyone.
"Hello?"
"Jack Skellington. Up here my boy," the doctor called from the top of the ramp.
"Doctor, I need to borrow some equipment," Jack said as he proceeded up the ramp.
"Is that so. Whatever for?" Finklestein asked.
"I'm conducting a series of experiments." When he arrived at the top he noticed Doctor Finklestein had an icepack firmly placed against his temple, but decided not to mention it.
"How perfectly marvelous. Curiosity killed the cat you know."
"I know."
"Come on into the lab and we'll get you all fixed up."
From there Jack followed Doctor Finklestein into his lab. The mad scientist gave him a variety of lab materials for Jack to conduct a multitude of experiments. When he had all he needed Jack thanked the doctor, and was about to leave, when he remembered his promise to Will.
"Doctor Finklestein, I was wondering if you could tell me where Sally is?"
The doctor growled. "She's not seeing anyone."
"Oh, why is that?" Jack asked.
"The good-for-nothing girl! Don't know why I bothered creating her. I don't know what you wish to see her about, but I cannot allow it. She's not to come out of her room until she can behave."
Jack was surprised to hear this. Sally was such a charming soul. He couldn't even picture the sweet rag doll doing anything to upset anyone, especially her creator. But Finklestein, in a sense, was her father and only wanted what was best for her. He thought it best not to pry into family matters.
"Well I just wanted to pass along a message," Jack said, "but I guess another time. Good day Doctor."
Jack left the laboratory and started to make his way down the drive when he noticed the upstairs window. From where he stood he could just barley see Sally staring out at him. He smiled and waved to her. She seemed surprised, and a little bashful, at being seen but Sally smiled and returned the gesture. Looking back to make sure he wasn't seen, Jack slipped over to Sally's window.
From in her bedroom/prison Sally watched Jack. Already feeling guilty for being caught staring at him, Sally was even more surprised when Jack started coming toward her window. Looking back to make sure the doctor wasn't coming to check on her, she undid the latch and opened the widow.
"Hello Sally," he called up to her.
"Hello Jack, what are you up to?" she called back softly. "I heard you asking Doctor Finklestein about experiments."
"It's all apart of my plan. I just needed to borrow some of the doctor's equipment to see how Christmas works. By the way, Will wanted me to say 'hello' for her."
"Oh, well, that was thoughtful. Thank you Jack."
~Flashback~
It had been wonderful seeing Sally, and he hoped Dr. Finklestein would allow her out of her room soon. He missed his conversations with his dear little friend. He had chatted with Sally a bit more before he had to get back to his house. As Jack got inside his home he wanted to get to work immediately. He walked into his house and was making his way to his study when he found a note stuck to the wall:
Jack, if you're reading this then I'm still out. Had to take Mogwai for a walk. Should be back soon. ~ Will
P.S. The Mayor stopped by looking for you. Wanted to go over Halloween plans.
Jack put the note down then continued upstairs. "Zero, I'm home," he called out as he walked up the stairs to his tower. The little ghost dog woke from his nap at the sound of his master's voice.
Jack walked into his study and set his bag on the table. He took out all the equipment from the lab and decided to start with the microscope. The first thing he would examine was a holly berry. Using a pair of tweezers, Jack plucked one berry and placed it on an examination glass. He then placed it under the microscope and started to examine the berry. Unfortunately, Jack got too close and not only did he smash the holly berry, but he also broke the glass in two.
"Uh oh." He picked up the broken glass and was about to throw them away when he heard the front door open.
"Is that you Will?"
"Yeah it's me," she called from downstairs. "Sorry I didn't knock but Mogwai was getting antsy."
"Quite alright. Come on up here, I want show you something." In a few moments Will joined him in the study. She looked over the materials before her eyes spotted the microscope.
"Let me guess, you broke some glass." Jack was amazed that she had figured out what he'd been up to. That is, until he saw that he was still holding the broken glass in his hand.
"Yes…" he said nervously. "I was trying to examine one of these holly berries and it kinda broke."
Will sighed and shook her head before offering to help him clean up. Once the glass was disposed of, Jack and Will set to work performing different experiments. Jack performed the experiments while Will took notes.
First Jack tried an experiment with a candy cane he borrowed from Zero's bowl. He made up a chemical solution and attached a couple of wires to it. Then taking the candy cane in a pair of tongs (and giving it a quick lick), he placed it in the solution. He left it in there for about four seconds, but when he took it about he was puzzled. The candy cane had gone from hard and striped with white and red to a limp white piece of dough.
Next Jack tried making a snowflake out of paper. Using one of the patterns in a Christmas book, he folded and cut the paper. When he unfolded it, instead of a snowflake, Jack got a spider. However, when Will tried it she got a snowflake. This went down in her notebook.
Then Jack took a stuffed toy bear and a scalpel and cut open the bear's stomach. Then he used tweezers to remove a small piece of stuffing and examined it with a magnifying glass. After that, Jack wanted to figure out how Sandy Claws hid his claws from prying eyes. He didn't even notice Will rolling her eyes at the thought. Jack took a two-sided chalkboard and drew two pictures: one of Sandy Claws as he'd seen in pictures and the other was Sandy with large claws. He set the board a rotating platform and dimmed the lights. He set the picture in motion and watched as the pictures became a motion animation, the claws appearing to come out from under Sandy Claws' coat.
There were many more experiments, and Will started to lose track of time. While Jack prepared yet another experiment, Will was asleep in a chair with her notebook on the floor. Even Zero and Mogwai had gotten bored and were falling asleep. The two dogs watched as Jack took an ornament from the Christmas tree to his worktable, and crushed it into a solution. The mixture started to glow a bright green and flickered on and off. Jack was amazed.
"Interesting reaction! But what does it mean!?" He balled his hands to his fist and pressed them to the sides of his skull. If he had hair Jack would've pulled it out in frustration. He wasn't getting anywhere with his experiments. They either provided no answers or more questions.
While Jack was puzzling over his dilemma, across town in Dr. Finklestein's laboratory, Sally was busy with her own concoction. She had prepared a little basket with a fish bone and some salt and pepper. At that moment she was putting together a special drink for the basket. Her plan was to sneak out and deliver it to Jack. He had hardly come out of his house for days, and Sally had only seen glimpses of him through her window if Jack passed by his tower window. She was getting really worried about him.
Putting on the finishing touches, Sally corked the bottle and placed it in a basket. Making last minute tucks here and there, Sally attached a string from her sewing machine to the handle and brought it over to her window. She placed the basket on the floor while she opened the window latch. Once she had the window open Sally took the basket and slowly lowered it down to the ground below. When the basket was on the ground Sally took one last look at Skellington Manor. As she saw the flickering green glow from Jack's window her doubts about sneaking out disappeared and a smile spread across her face. Taking a deep breath, Sally jumped from her window and landed with a large thud.
The impact from the drop caused several of Sally's stitches to become undone. She lost both her legs, and her left arm, the hand unattached from her limb. For a few moments the rag doll lay motionless on the ground. Then she opened her eyes and smiled. Rising on her elbow, Sally looked back at her room before grabbing her dislocated limbs. Once she had them, Sally removed a needle she had hidden behind her right ear and took out a spool of thread from her dress pocket. She skillfully thread the needle one handed and reattached her limbs. Once she was repaired Sally returned her needle and thread. Then she got up to take her basket to Jack.
XXX
(Will's POV)
I slowly woke up and felt a crick in my neck. When did I pass out? The experiments weren't that boring. Then again I wasn't entirely sure how long we'd actually been working. Seeing my phone on the desk I grabbed it, and checked the time. At first I groaned because it was about midnight, but then I noticed the date.
How in the halibut had we been experimenting for days? I thought. I sat up in the chair and cracked my spin. Looking around I saw the mess of Christmas experiments Jack and I had performed.
Speaking of Jack, I spotted him by a large chalkboard working on a math problem. Only the "math" problem was actually a bunch of Christmas items converted into an overcomplicated equation. He had just written a question mark on the board and was scratching his skull when...
Tap tap.
I watched as Jack walked over to the window and opened it to find a basket hanging from a rope. I perked up and watched in anticipation. This was only one of the cutest scenes in the movie: where Jack looks down and spots Sally as his midnight basket deliverer. It felt so weird watching this scene in real life as opposed to in a TV screen.
Jack waved down at Sally and brought the basket inside. He placed it on the table and took out the large corked bottle. He removed the cork and a smoke butterfly appeared from the bottle. Both Jack and I stared in awe until the butterfly disappeared. Jack then turned to the window but stopped. He looked around and then came back inside.
"So... who's the basket from?" As if I had to ask.
Jack grinned as he replied, "It was from Sally. She sent it up to my window."
I smirked. "That sure was sweet. I hope you thanked her for such a thoughtful gift, Mister."
"I didn't get a chance." His face fell. "She disappeared before I could."
"Well, why don't you go after her? She couldn't have gotten far, plus you really should thank her. After all she did come all this way; alone; at night; in the cold." I hoped he would pick up on my hints.
Sadly this did not happen. "She's probably half way home by now. And I wouldn't want to disturb her." He looked over just as I was giving him the are-you-kidding-me stare. "I promise I will thank her the next time I see her."
And with that he went back to work. I on the other hand knew that Sally had in fact not gone home, but instead was sitting right outside Jack's front gate. So I decided it was time for a break. I made that I was going to take the dogs for a walk. Mogwai was excited, but Zero decided to stay with Jack (that and the ghost pup was fast asleep).
Once I had Mogwai's harness on I snuck down to the front door and made my way outside. Mogwai was excited to be outside, but I wasn't out here for playtime. I walked us over toward the gate and there was Sally sitting on the ground staring at a dead twig. She didn't seem to notice my presence, that is, until Mogwai spotted her and pulled so hard on the leash that it slipped from my hands. Mogwai jumped up on Sally and she gasped from the shock.
"Oh Sally, I'm so sorry. Mogwai get down!" I dropped to her side and tried my best to grab the squirming pup. He was very intent on sniffing her hair. I finally got him and held him tightly while Sally recovered.
"Sally, I really am sorry. He just gets so excited meeting new people and forgets his manners, if he had any." I directed the last part at Mogwai.
"Oh, don't worry about it," Sally replied. "I've never seen a creature like him before. Is he yours?"
"Yeah the little spaz is mine. Sally, I'd like you to properly met Mogwai." I held him out for her to see. He sniffed her hand and gave it a small lick, prompting a giggle from Sally.
"So what are you doing out so late?" I asked. "It wouldn't have anything to do with a certain, special delivery, would it?"
Sally blushed and began twiddling the twig between her fingers. I chuckled and sat down beside her.
"Sally you are just too cute!"
"W-what do you mean?"
"Oh nothing... Just how you're completely twitterpated with Jack like some school girl with her first love."
Sally bowed her head and hugged her knees to her chest. "Is it that obvious?"
"Like an open book. But I guess I'm the first to point it out. Although the basket was a dead give away," I explained.
Then Sally started to whimper. It didn't sound like she was crying, but more like something was really bothering her. I quickly put Mogwai to the side and put my hands on her shoulders.
"Ah Sally, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. Sometimes I just open my mouth and blurt what's on my mind. Please don't be mad."
She sniffled a bit before she answered. "It's not that. It's just... I care about him so much, but I feel something terrible is going to happen."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
She picked up the twig in her hands and told me. "I had a premonition tonight. At first it was beautiful and reminded me of the tree Jack presented at the Town Meeting. But when I tried to touch it, it burst into flames. Will, I don't know what it means and it frightens me. What if something happens to Halloween Town, or to Jack?"
I felt like I could kick myself. I knew her premonition meant that Jack was going to try and take over time Christmas, only to have the military blow him up with missiles. But if I told Sally that... Okay now I'm just repeating myself. But I couldn't let Sally feel this way. I just had to cheer her up, but how?
"Sally," I said making her finally look at me. "I believe you; something bad may be coming. While you may not be able to stop what's to come, you can try and prepare yourself and be ready when it happens."
"You think so?"
"Yes I do and I'll be right there to help you. That's what friends are for, right?"
She smiled and nodded her head. We talked for a bit until Mogwai bugged me about going back inside. I excused myself long enough to head back into Skellington Manner and got Mogwai settled. Then I grabbed a throw blanket off the couch and rushed back to Sally. She was falling asleep when I placed the blanket around her shoulders. Sally mumbled a thank you before falling into a deep sleep. Had she not gone to sleep I would've insisted she come inside. Instead I smiled and slipped back into the house.
XXX
GodlyJewel: Little Kingdom Hearts thrown in that Finklestein conversation. I hope I did justice to Sally. She really is a sweet character, but I don't want to make her seem like Fluttershy or anything. Also, in case any of you are wondering, yes the real Mogwai (aka Momo) likes to sniff people's hair. Don't ask me why, he just does.