Chapter 10: A Familiar Foe
Jack heard a piercing scream in the wisping wind. He thought it sounded like...
He raced down his stairs, blowing past Zero, nearly running straight through him as
he headed out his door. The whole of Halloween had heard it as well, as all of the citizens
stood outside, turning this way and that looking for the source of such a wonderful sound.
Jack was the only one worried. While the others all chatted about Halloweens past and where
the cream could have come from, Jack called out to Catherine. Drowned out by the crowd, he
sought a better place to call from. In the graveyard, most of the noise was deafened. He
stood atop Spiral Hill and called frantically for her. His only reply was a dead silence.
Not even the wind hinted at any sound, muted by the hum of the crowd in town. Rushing back
to town, he caught a whisper about a certain mischievous trio.
"I saw them carrying a great big sack full of something, heading back towards the
woods. I thought it was rather odd..."
"It was probably a load of leftover candy..."
Jack felt a distinct sinking feeling in his chest. Just as he turned to find them,
Finklestein stopped him.
"I know they've got her, Jack."
"Then you know why I must go." But his grip held firm.
"I'm sorry, but that's precisely the reason you cannot. Jack... He must know you
two are so close. He is most likely setting up a trap."
"But... Catherine. Who knows what he'll do to her..."
"You'll get your chance Jack. Just wait a little while longer."
He knew that his friend was right. He just wished there was something he could do.
He slowly sulked back to his home.
For the next several nights, it seemed that sleep could not find Jack. And when it
did, his dreams were filled with terrible thoughts of what Oogie could be doing to his
friend. Zero became wary for his master's health, skeleton or not. The rest of the town
soon started to worry as well. Jack's magic was fading. How can the holiday live on
without the magic of the Pumpkin King?
Finally, Dr. Finklestein decided that the town had waited long enough. Now we would
attack. At hearing the news, Jack seemed much more lively than before, ready to take back
his holiday, and rescue his friend, however his magic had still not fully returned. In a
slow procession, similar to that of a hideous funeral, the townsfolk followed Jack into the
human world. A loud gasp escaped the mouths of all the town as they saw how terrible things
had become. Jack could see the hospital, disintegrating and twisted. In the distance, he
could see Catherine's house, the tree twisted and growling. /He's gone too far./ The town
divided, one to take the castle in the front, and one to infiltrate once the others had all
attention. The first team was led by Finklestein, and included one witch, the harlequin
demon, the Mayor, and two vampires. Jack led the second team, which included the other
witch, the other two vampires, and the clown with the tearaway face.
The first team launched the attack as the other crept around. Most of the demons
focused on the attackers, leaving the castle mostly deserted. Jack and the others carefully
crept around the filthy hallways. The pictures of Oogie seemed to watch them as they
traveled deeper and deeper, searching for any signs of Catherine or Oogie. They all froze
as they heard a resounding laugh coming from a tremendous doorway. Upon sneaking into the
pitch black room, Jack had a sudden feeling that they were not alone...
Without any warning, the team was captured and put into cages and bags. Jack was
the only one slender and flexible enough to escape. Bright colorful lights began to glow in
the shapes of skeletons and bats. Various gambling symbols lit up on the walls of the vast
chamber. The all too familiar laughter rang out, louder than ever.
"OOGIE!" Jack chimed out, "What have you done with Catherine?!"
But he only laughed. "Catherine isn't here... By the way, Jack, I don't believe
you've met my newest servant."
A dark figure appeared in the glow. It seemed like...
"Catherine?!"
"No..." She stepped forward revealing a completely different creature, having
skeletal bat wings for arms with thin, tattered membranes, skeletal talons, dark grey
feathers all mottled and broken, and a single visible eye which glowed fiercely as a yellow
harvest moon. "My name is Syren."