AN: Sorry for those who've already read this, but after watching the movie I noticed some errors I need to attend to, otherwise I'll kick myself for messing them up. So, please don't be mad, just blame it on my need to stick as close to the story and detail as possible.

Chapter 11: Rescue

(Will's POV)

I followed Sally through the graveyard and part of the woods until we came to our destination: Lock, Shock, and Barrel's tree house. I was glad I'd left Mogwai back at Jack's house. When I had told Sally where the tricksters had taken Santa, she became very nervous.

~Flashback~

"I told you that you wouldn't like it."

"I guessed they'd bring him there. It's just, I never thought I'd ever have to go back."

"You've been here before?"

"Yes," Sally explained. "It was my first Halloween and the first time I'd ever snuck away from Doctor Finklestein. I was coming out of an alleyway when Boogie's Boys suddenly bagged me. They'd thought I was Jack and Oogie locked me away. I was frightened until Jack found me. He was so kind to me. He even returned my foot that had gotten torn off when Lock, Shock, and Barrel took me."

"Aww, that's sweet."

"Well, I just wish I hadn't been so nervous at the time. I think I even called him Mr. Pumpkin King." We both laughed.

~Flashback~

"So," Sally said, interrupting my thoughts, "how are we going to get inside."

"I'm thinking since you have the ladder you should get Santa. I'll distract the Three Stooges long enough for you to sneak inside and find out where they're keeping him."

"How are you going to distract them?" she asked.

I smiled and instead of telling her, I showed her. I took off the backpack I was carrying and began pulling out a rope, Al's birthday present, and a red container. I took of my sweater and tied it around my waist before tying the rope to my belt.

Meanwhile Sally had picked up my container and asked, "What's this?"

"Just a little concoction I learned how to my in my Movie Editing class," I explained. "It's a mixture of Corn syrup, red food coloring, and cocoa mix. Combined with my acting skills and knowledge of almost every horror movie I've ever seen, I should put on quite the show. This is either going to scare the pants off those kids, or at least get them to chase me far away from the tree house."

"Oh," Sally said. She looked unsure about my plan.

I looked back at her and smiled. "Don't worry Sally. I promise, Jack will be just fine. Right now Santa needs our help." I put my hand on her shoulder. "So, are ya with me?"

Sally didn't seem confident at first, but after thinking it over, she looked me in the eye and gave me an uneasy smile.

"Alright, lets go."

I removed my hand from her shoulder and took the container she was holding. I opened it to reveal the sticky red goo inside. Truth be told, I was just as nervous as Sally was. I had no way of knowing if my plan would work. Sure I was pretty good when it came to a drama performance, but to manage what I wanted to pull off? It would take a miracle. But I didn't want to worry Sally any further than she already was.

I just hope this works, I thought to myself, Otherwise I might put us in more danger than originally planned.

XXX

(Sally's POV)

I waited behind a nearby tree while waiting for my cue. Will had entered the tree house a few minutes ago and everything still seemed to be very quiet. Suddenly there was a loud sound I had never heard before, followed by the screams of little children. I turned around to see Lock, Shock, and Barrel running out of their tree house toward the woods. The sound I'd heard got louder and then Will came crashing onto the bridge in front of the tree house.

She looked so strange than from the Will I knew her as. Her eyes were wide with a wild look about them, and her hair and clothes were matted with dirt. She was covered, head to torso and along her arms and hands, in what looked like thick, red blood. Her lips were curved into a wicked smile that displayed her teeth. She held in her hands a portable mechanical saw with teeth set on a chain that moved around the edge of the blade. All together, she looked very frightening.

"KIIIIDDDSS! Come out and PLAY!" she hissed. She rose the saw above her head and ran off into the woods after Lock, Shock, and Barrel, screaming, "CHAINSAW TIME! Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

When I could no longer hear the sound of the "chainsaw," I arose from my hiding spot and went toward the tree house. I took hold of the rope and lowered the elevator down. I climbed in and it brought me inside the tree house. I opened the elevator door and began my search for Santa Claus. So far all I could find were toys, candy, dirty clothes, and a closet full of weapons. Then I saw a strange shoot surrounded by horrible masks and candles. I assumed this must lead down to Oogie's lair.

"That must be were they took Santa."

I ran back to the elevator and once I stepped inside it lowered my down. At first, I thought I would be taken all the way down to Oogie's lair. Instead I was brought to a small alcove with bars over it. I peered inside and gasped at the sight below. I instantly recognized Oogie's casino style lair and all its torture devices. And there was Santa Claus, hanging by his wrists on a metal hook suspended in the air. Oogie was laughing and taunting the poor elderly man. I needed to get him out of there and fast. But how? Looking around I saw the shoot I'd seen in the upper level. That would work if it weren't on the ceiling. I looked again and spotted a set of doors that looked like two stacked dice towers, and part of it was cracked open.

Suddenly I had an idea. I placed the ladder near the alcove and slipped away from the elevator to search for the right door. When I came to the door, I peeked out the crack just to make sure it was the right one. Making sure I was alone, I raised the hem of my dress until I found the stitching the connecting my leg to my upper thigh. I undid the thread and placed my leg near the door. Once I was sure it wouldn't fall, I rushed back to the elevator and positioned myself at the alcove. That being done I quickly undid the stitching around both my wrists. That's when I heard Oogie speaking again.

"Are you a gamblin' man Sandy?" Oogie asked. "Let's play."

He was interrupted by a knocking sound. He looked toward the door to see my leg peek through. It struck a very saucy pose, giving the effect I wanted.

"My, my! What have we here?" Oogie nudged Santa's side. He spit bug juice into his hand and ran it over his head. He walked over to my leg and started touching it. "My. Lovely." He took off my shoe and started tickling my foot. "Tickle tickle ...tickle tickle..."

I shuddered. I could even feel my stitches crawling along with my skin. I distracted myself by focusing on freeing Santa. I turned to my detached hands and watched them pass through the bars. They slid down the rope onto Santa's shoulders. He looked scared seeing two disembodied hands and started to scream. One hand covered his mouth to prevent him from drawing Oogie's attention, while the other pointed upward. I leaned out the bars and meet Santa's startled eyes.

"I'll get you out of here," I whispered. My hands made quick work of the rope and once Santa was freed, my hands grabbed the hook to keep it from making noise. Quickly, I grabbed the ladder as best as I could and dropped it down to him. He was just about to climb up when…

"WHAT!? You trying to make a dup out of ME!?"

I looked up to see Oogie holding my detached leg in his hand, glaring at us. Apparently my leg had slipped through the crack in the door, revealing my masquerade.

I tried to pull Mr. Claus up but it was nearly impossible without my hands. My hands raced to climb up the rope to my aid, but Oogie Boogie had taken in a large breath and roared. Only the roar had a suction effect and I could feel myself being pulled into the room. I hung on as hard as I could but he was just too strong. I fell through the bars and onto the ground next to Santa. It was difficult for me to get up without my hands and other leg, but Santa help me to sit up.

Oogie Boogie lumbered over to us, a wicked scowl on his face. "Well, well, if it isn't that little rag doll. Come back for more punishment?"

"How dare you treat this poor woman so cruelly!" Santa shouted. "Release us now, you fiend!"

"Oh I don't think so, Sandy. I got a score to settle with this one. Nobody escapes Oogie Boogie!" He then turned his gaze on me. "Too bad though Doll, you sure got some shapely legs."

He still held my leg in his burlap hands and began stroking it. I shuddered as my leg twitched under his touch. I never even noticed my hands had decided to reattach themselves. Then Oogie Boogie started walking toward up, laughing the closer he got.

Suddenly the shoot started rattling again. We all looked in that direction. Santa and I remained where we were while Oogie walked over to the shoot. He looked up and muttered, "What the…" but was cut off as a pair of shoes propelled into his face. He stumbled back and dropped my leg. I looked back and saw what had hit Oogie Boogie. It was Will.

XXX

(Will's POV)

I landed on the ground and rolled on the floor. I turned over to see Oogie had dropped Sally's leg. I quickly grabbed it, and yelled, "RUN!"

Not wasting time, Santa helped Sally stand up and ran from the room.

"Oh no you don't!" Oogie had gotten his head clear and he wasn't too happy his captives were getting away. He looked like he was going to go after them. Quickly I took off my pack and rummaged through it until I found my hairbrush. I grabbed it and threw it at the boogieman's head. It hit him exactly where I aimed (inside I was amazed that it hit him at all) and turned his angry glare on me.

"Hey Pervert! Leave them alone!" I yelled. I stood up and readied myself in case he came at me. "Just back off bug-sack, unless you wanna get hurt

He laughed. "You? What's a little runt like you gonna do?"

"Why don't you come here and find out?" I braced myself as Oogie began walking towards me. Luckily he was still laughing and didn't notice what I held behind my back. When he was less then a foot away, mouth wide open, I sprung my trap. I took my hand out from behind my back and revealed my open can of Bug Fogger. I pressed down on the nozzle and sprayed the bug killer into his mouth. A thick white mist spread through the room and caused Oogie to gag. He stepped back coughing while I grabbed my pack and ran down the corridor after Sally and Santa. I ran until I found them stopped just before the opening to the elevator.

"Are you guys okay?" I asked once I caught my breath.

"We are alright, but the young lady here needs assistance," Santa answered. I looked down at Sally and remembered I still had her leg in my hand.

"Here you go, Sally. Got this back for you."

"Thank you Will." She took her leg and then grabbed her needle and thread. Santa turned around to offer Sally some privacy. Once her leg was attached we headed toward the exit. Unfortunately we had run into a trap and the next thing I knew everything went black.

When I opened my eyes, I wished I hadn't. The back of my head was throbbing as I tried to remember what had happened. Sally, Santa, and I were just about to escape when something hit me in the back of my head. Just before I blacked out I heard the sound of laughter behind us. Obviously Lock, Shock, and Barrel had returned and knocked the three of us out with something really heavy.

When the pain subsided I looked around to see I was back in Oogie Boogie's casino lair. Only, why was everything on the ceiling? I got my answer when I heard the boogieman's laughter.

"Well, well. Look who decided to drop in. What are you gonna do now?"

"Make sure that once I get home I send a complaint to the pest control company," I replied. "That was a waist of five bucks."

"Oh shut up," Oogie snarled. "Face it twerp, I've got you and you're friends in my possession and there's no escape."

"I'm sorry, is that supposed to scare me?" I asked sarcastically.

"You dare challenge me? Do you know who I am? I am Oogie Boogie, King of Bugs! I am the reason men fear the night. And now you and you're friends are at my mercy, not that I have any. Ha, ha, ha."

"Ooh look, it's the scariest wet blanket in all of Halloween Town," I retorted. I wished I hadn't said that. Oogie growled but then smiled, and suddenly I found myself being spun around and around. It felt like I had been put on the Tilt-a-Whirl at the carnival in turbo mode.

"Nobody disrespects me. NOBODY!" Oogie yelled and walked away while my spinning ride slowly came to a stop and rose into the air. Great. I'm upside-down again, the blood rushing to my head, I'm going into the ceiling, and I think I'm gonna puke!