Chapter 2: The Voice
Where am I? Am I dreaming?... She looked around, surrounded by a bright light that seemed endless. She was aware of a cold, smooth object in her hands... What... She looked down into the sockets of a grinning skull. You... The light enveloped her and absorbed her body. When her eyes opened, she was slowly aware of a bed beneath her body. Like a developing picture, the room around her began to take shape. She became aware that she was in a brightly-lit room, a hospital room. She struggled to sit up, only succeeding in achieving light-headedness. A doctor reviewing a chart as he walked through the hall took notice and walked briskly in.
"Hello there. I'm Doctor Brendt." She squinted and shook her head slightly to snap herself into reality. He smiled and held her up and began to ask, "How do you feel?"
"I'll tell you when you stop spinning this room."
He smiled and waited patiently for her to regain control. His deep brown eyes were glistening in the light, setting of his dark brown hair. "What happened to you?"
"I remember..." She paused. What did she remember? "I was in my car, in the rain... I saw-" She felt her skin chill and the hairs raise in her pores.
"What did you see? What happened?"
"I- I saw a deer. I saw a deer. I saw a deer and I swerved and slammed on the breaks."
"Hm. Well, you banged your head pretty hard. You had a concussion. We'll keep you under our watch for 24 hours, just to be sure that there aren't any lasting problems."
"Like what? What kind of problems?"
"Oh, don't worry. It's just the protocol. There's probably more to worry about for that deer than for you. Now get some rest. I'll have a nurse check on you in an hour." He turned and left her as she turned over, a slight look of concern on her face.
"Jack, you know it's forbidden." All of Halloweentown was abuzz with Jack's new obsession.
"You don't understand, it's-"
"It's still wrong." Dr. Finklestein had caught Jack at the water's edge, peering into the mortal world.
"Listen to me! I just wanted to make sure she was alright. I accidently hurt her last night."
"What?" Everyone that had crowded around started to whisper in thunderous supply. The scientist wheeled over and peered into the ripples, seeing Catherine calmly asleep. "She's fine. Now forget her and never look for her again. We can't meddle into the world of mortals. Who knows what damage it could do."
Jack sloshed his bony fingers through the water, causing the image to distort and disappear. His face distorted into something of the one that you might find on a child that just lost a best friend. He returned to his tower and began to pace feverishly. He seemed confused and his brow deepened in frustration. What does he mean "damage"? He doesn't know, in fact, no one does. And they certainly don't know her! She tried to put me back together. What harm could it do just to watch? She didn't even tell the doctor... He can't be right, not about this. He can't tell me what to do, anyway. I'm the Pumpkin King, am I not? Not even the Mayor tells me what to do... He stopped pacing and with a wide, rebellious grin, he spoke to the air, "I'll go to her tonight. I won't do anything, just watch. What harm could that do?" And just like that, he made up his mind and as soon as it got dark, he effortlessly snuck out of the town, blending with it's many shadows.
He arrived in a graveyard in the city. The moon was covered in the cool grey clouds, leaving a smudge of white in the sea of dark fluff. He crouched low behind a tombstone, peering about. There appeared to be no one outside to see him there. Now he only needed to find the building in which she was sleeping. He stood up to his full height, taking in the landscape of concrete. To his great luck, the familiar building was right behind him. He ducked down as a shadowy figure closed the curtains of a 3rd floor window. He had no idea what room she was in. And without risking capture, he couldn't climb up or walk in to find out. Dismayed by his foolishness, he began to hum a tune as he sat down. It soon turned into a familiar melody, and the hum morphed into words. "There are few who deny at what I do I am the best..."
Catherine was dreaming again, this time of the doctor. He smiled pleasantly at her as she told the deer story again, until she finished. Then he became the skeleton man she had seen that night. He opened his mouth to speak, but she awoke, in fear. A nurse had awakened her. "You were having a bad dream?" Catherine nodded. The nurse was alerted by the change in the speed of her heart rate. The nurse checked her over to be sure and then allowed her to continue sleeping. Just as Catherine was shutting her eyes, a smooth voice caught her attention. She slowly sat up, not willing to stand and risk dizziness. The voice was decidedly calm and almost playful, yet sent a chill through her spine. She sat up and listened for as long as he sang, and once all was silent, she finally lied back down. She didn't fear for dreams she may have, as long as she heard the echo of that voice in her mind.