Jack stalked forward through the swirling, hypnotic forest that surrounded Halloween Town. He was in no particular hurry to get where he was going, but he also wanted to get it over with. His mind was focused on one question: How did Bodach get in?
The magic that pulsed through the Hinterlands was just as strong as ever, and that should have meant that Bodach was locked out. In order to get in, a person would need the most arcane, specific knowledge of the Ancients that existed. Not only that, but they would also require specific items from Halloween Town that grew only within the ever-shifting edges of the Realm. That meant that they had access to one of the Holiday Realms at least, and since Halloween Town was the least explored Realm by those who inhabited the seven Holidays, that left only Halloween Town residents as culprits. But only one person in the Realm, besides himself and Oogie, even knew of Jack's relation to Bodach, and that was the doctor.
"Oh, Riker, please," Jack hissed between his teeth. "Please tell me you didn't…"
Jack was still scrambling for somebody else, anybody else, who could be behind Bodach's sudden reappearance in his life—or death, whatever—when he reached the edge of the Hinterlands. He took several deep breaths in the fresh, cool air of the magic forest then knelt down behind a tree and scanned the cemetery for any sign of movement.
The graveyard was still and quiet. Though it should have been sunny, a thick bank of dreary clouds covered the land, and wisps of fog were rolling in. Nothing moved, but Jack knew better than to trust the stillness; still, he couldn't just stay in the safety of the Hinterlands forever. He had to move. So he slowly crept out, slinking through the headstones as he moved as silently as a ghost through the misty fog, pausing every few feet to peer anxiously around for any sudden movement.
In this way, he made it to the edge of the cemetery, and instead of going through the creaky gate, he slithered over the wall and dropped down onto the dirt. The fog was already creeping up from the low spots in the land, and it wouldn't be long until the whole area would be blanketed. Carefully, meticulously, he made his way across the land until he saw his goal. The Treehouse towered above the fog, which seemed to roll over the edge of the gully surrounding the roots like an eerie, silent waterfall tumbling into the void. The stillness that surrounded him was far scarier than a sudden attack would have been, and by the time he made it to the Treehouse, he was so tense that he thought he'd scream. But that's what Bodach would want.
Jack refused to even consider using the front door. With Bodach, it was unwise to trust anything too obvious. So instead he climbed down a root ladder into the ditch and wriggled his way into a long, low tunnel. He crawled on his belly through the smooth dirt until he reached a door, then he pushed his way in. The door made no noise as it opened. The three children no doubt kept it well oiled for mischief. Peeking his head in, he took in the sight of a wrecked living room. Bodach must have gotten angry. He could be extremely violent when provoked.
Jack crept up out of the tunnel and gingerly shut the door then headed for the hidden door that led to Oogie's lair. The silence was deafening as he made his way down, so much so that he caught the steady dripping of water halfway down the stairs. He came around the corner into the large study that made up a part of the Lair, and he stopped as he took in the scene before him.
Oogie's deflated form lay in several inches of water that spread out across the stone floor. Hundreds of bugs floated lifelessly around the burlap that had housed the soul of his best friend. Tears welled in Jack's eyeholes and fell silently down his cheeks. They weren't tears of grief, but of anger. Even when Jack was supposed to be safe and sound, untouchable by most creatures, Bodach had been a haunting nightmare. And now that nightmare had become reality. Why couldn't he just leave Jack alone? Hadn't he done enough to ruin his life when he was alive? He was like a dog with a bone, worrying it until it cracked open. For thousands of years, Jack had been that bone. Apparently, he still was. Would the nightmare never end?
Stepping down into the water, Jack's anger ignited into flames, and the water began to hiss and steam, evaporating into thin air as scorching heat erupted outward into the room. By the time he got to Oogie's lifeless form, the floor was cleared of almost all water. The stones were damp, except for where Jack's feet had trod. He stared at the waterlogged burlap and gritted his teeth then he knelt down and touched it. Flames came from his fingertips, and the thick cloth caught fire. Within a minute, all that was left was ash and the corpses of the bugs littered across the floor. That done, Jack stood up, prepared to set to work.
He walked over to a cabinet and opened it. Several gunnysacks lay folded neatly, and Jack grabbed two then reached for another shelf where spools of thick thread sat beside a pin cushion full of large needles. He grabbed a spool and plucked out a needle then picked up a pair of scissors and closed the cabinet. Sitting on the floor, he took a deep breath and began to work. With practiced ease, he cut open the gunnysacks and layered them against each other. Taking the scissors in hand, he cut out the familiar outline of his friend. When he was satisfied, he grabbed the spool of thread and began to stitch, starting just under what would be Oogie's right arm and working around.
He stitched quickly and neatly, his fingers flying up and around Oogie's head as the silence pressed on his ears, broken only by the steady drip, drip, drip of water out of the broken pipe. Just as he was finishing Oogie's left arm, a scraping noise from above made him freeze. He stopped moving, stopped breathing, and listened. After a pause, the scraping noise repeated, and Jack panicked. He was in no position to face Bodach, so he grabbed the needle and gathered the burlap into his arms before he stood up, hurried silently across the room, and slipped into another passageway out of the Treehouse.
Once he had crawled out of the gully, he crouched and skittered out into the dim day, heading for the cemetery. When he was safely over the fence, he found a valley full of thick fog and knelt there amongst the headstones to finish his task. Already, he could hear insects crawling around, heading toward him, following the strange call of magic that Jack gave out that allowed Oogie to exist. His fingers continued to fly as he meticulously stitched down Oogie's left side and down his leg. Bugs were already working their way into the partially completed burlap form, settling in. But as Jack finished Oogie's left leg, a soft, reedy laugh came to him out of the fog. It was a laugh that promised pain, any and every form of pain imaginable, and it was a sound Jack had hoped to never hear again outside of his night terrors. He had come to associate with agony, and terror swept over him, prompting an unconscious urge to protect himself.
Long, thin whips of flame erupted out of him and wrapped around him, forming a cage of white-hot fire around him and Oogie. In the heat of the flames, the fog dissipated quickly in a hundred foot radius around the Pumpkin King. Standing ten feet away with a blindingly white, sharp smile was Bodach. His eyes were red coals set in a pale, skull-like face, and his tall, thin frame, so much like Jack's, was relaxed as he leaned on a cane. He had no reason to fear like Jack did.
"Hello, Jackie," Bodach purred, his eyes smoldering with predatory glee. "Long time, no see."
Jack arched himself protectively over Oogie's partially completed form, terror etched in every line of his face, thrown into sharp relief by the white flames.
Hidden behind a large tombstone, the three children watched the proceedings, horrified by the look of abject terror on the face of their Pumpkin King. They were frozen with the knowledge that they had done this, and they had done it on purpose. This was not what they had intended. They had only wanted to scare him away from Oogie, not drive him to the brink of insanity. Because at that moment, Jack looked so scared that they were sure he was a centimeter away from losing his mind.
Barrel felt especially horrible as he stared at Jack's stricken face. His heart ached and his eyes burned with unshed tears. He could have stopped this. He should have fought Lock and Shock on this idea. Jack didn't deserve their mischief this time, and especially not like this. He had to do something to help. It looked like Jack was stitching Oogie back together, and if the boss was there, he could help. Tons of bugs were circling around the cage of white fire, trying to get in so they could pour into the burlap. If he could distract Bodach so that Jack had the opportunity to lower the shield, things would be better. He knew they would. So he poked the other two, whispering just loud enough to be heard.
"I'm going to distract Bodach. Go help Jack finish sewing up Oogie."
"What?" Lock gasped.
"Barrel, no!" Shock hissed.
But Barrel had already started to run across the cemetery to another tombstone. He dove behind it then looked out to see Bodach's back. He picked up a good sized rock and gripped it tightly. Taking aim, he steadied his breathing and heaved it then began to run to another tombstone before it could hit.
"Come on out to play, Jackie," Bodach was wheedling. Then he yelped in surprise as something struck the back of his head. Turning around, he scanned the cemetery with his thin lips pressed together. Nothing moved. He turned back around, and Jack saw a flash of movement then a rushing shadow.
"As I was saying— OW!" Bodach spun around again and glared out at the cemetery, his coal-like eyes staring intently for any sign of movement. He began to turn around to face Jack again, but before he could even speak, something else struck him and he roared in frustration, stalking off to find out what was hitting him.
Jack watched him, his body still frozen, protectively hunched over Oogie's form. If he'd had a heart, it would have been beating a tattoo against his rib cage. And he nearly jumped out of his suit (since he had no skin) when a voice whispered from behind him.
"Open the cage."
Jack turned to see Lock and Shock behind him, looking so very dead because of the white fire. The orange glow of the Jack-o'-lantern sunshine often made the citizens of Halloween Town look somewhat alive, but in white light, their ashen skin revealed the truth of their deceased status. Jack realized after a moment that Shock was speaking, and he blinked.
"What?" he asked dumbly.
"The fire. Make it go away. The bugs are trying to get in," Shock whispered.
"We need to finish Oogie, Jack," Lock said.
Jack looked back into the cemetery, and he saw Bodach hunting among the headstones. His gaze settled on the children, dashed to Oogie's form, then back to the children. He let out a breath and the fire died. At once, the bugs scurried over each other, rushing into the outline of Oogie. Jack's trembling fingers fumbled for the needle that he'd dropped and he began to stitch again, but after only a few passes, there was a scream from behind him. A child's scream. Jack realized belatedly that there were only two children standing with him.
Jack swore and shoved the needle into Shock's grasp. "Finish him!" he ordered, then he surged to his feet and bolted toward the figure of Bodach, holding up Barrel's writhing form. "Let him go, you beast!" he roared, fire erupting in his eyeholes.
It was this chaotic scene that the Holiday leaders and Sally saw as they stopped at the edge of the Hinterlands. They took in what was going on with wide eyes. Jack charged over to Bodach and grabbed him, wrenching him so hard that he released Barrel. Jack caught Barrel and began to back away, cradling the child protectively in his arms as he glared at Bodach. Bodach staggered then regained his balance and turned his own blazing eyes on Jack. With a snarl like an enraged beast, Bodach lunged forward and grabbed Jack's arm.
At once, Jack's face twisted into an expression of pain, and he dropped Barrel as an unearthly howl left him. Barrel hit the dirt and scrambled away on his hands and knees, desperate to find a hiding place. But he froze when he looked back and saw something fantastical and terrifying at the same time. Flesh was ballooning around Jack's bones, first tendons, then muscle and blood vessels, then skin. Jack was frozen in a rigid pose, his skull-like face morphing into a human mask of agony. He gasped in a breath, shuddered from head to foot, then dropped like a stone to the ground.
Jack got to his hands and knees and drew in another breath. Barrel knew something was terribly wrong as the air wheezed and rattled something in his lungs. Then he let out a deep, throaty cough and blood spewed out of his mouth, dribbling down his chin and over his clothes. Once he started coughing, he couldn't stop, blood spraying out with every contraction of his diaphragm.
Bodach grinned down at Jack and then threw his head back and laughed. "Such fun, Jackie! Just like old times!"
The Holiday leaders and Sally were absolutely horrified as Jack struggled to breathe through the stream of blood. Bodach stood over him, laughing as if they were having the time of their lives. But Shock was not frozen. She was still stitching as quickly and neatly as she could up Oogie's right side. She was almost done, and Lock was egging her on, his eyes looking, not at Jack, but out at the cemetery, trying to find Barrel.
Suddenly the burlap form shuddered and morphed into a living being, and Oogie shot bolt upright, blinking rapidly. His eyes landed first on Shock, and he automatically lifted his arm up to let her finish the last couple inches of stitching, then he looked at Lock, staring at him with wide eyes, then he looked up and took in the scene. As he stared, his last conscious memory erupted across his mind, and horror crossed his face. He stayed still for Shock as his mind registered what was going on.
He saw Jack in human form on his hands and knees, red staining his face and clothes as he continued to cough up copious amounts of blood. Sally and the Holiday leaders were standing frozen just inside the Hinterlands, too horrified to move. And standing above Jack, laughing and hooting, was Bodach. He twirled around and tapped his cane on the ground as he watched Jack try to crawl away, spitting blood out as he struggled to breathe.
"Done!" Shock gasped, knotting the thread and tucking in the end.
"Get to the Hinterlands!" Oogie ordered then surged to his feet and barreled toward Bodach and Jack.
A stream of curses in multiple languages came out of his mouth as he moved faster than his round form seemed capable of, covering the fifty feet in three seconds. The Holiday Leaders jerked their heads around as Oogie shouted, and Bodach's gaze leapt up to meet Oogie's flaming eyes. As Oogie threw out his point, a whip of white fire lashed out and caught Bodach's face. Bodach howled, sounding almost exactly like Jack had when he'd morphed into a human, and he jerked back with an ugly red weal across his cheek. His hand clutched at his face as he staggered back, blinded by pain. While Bodach was distracted, Oogie scooped up Jack's wheezing form and clutched him close.
"Oogie," Jack rasped then coughed hard and spit blood all over his friend.
Oogie didn't even flinch, turning and bounding toward the Hinterlands and safety as Jack continued to hack and cough. As Oogie ran, the others, standing in the Hinterlands, saw Bodach's face twist with rage. He turned to face the town, took a deep breath, and let out a noise unlike any they'd ever heard. It was debilitating, paralyzing, and it sent a chill up their spines as all their worst fears and darkest thoughts came up from the deepest recesses of their minds. Jack shuddered as he threw his head back and let out a broken scream then turned to spew blood out of his mouth as he began to cough again.
Oogie passed through the barrier into the safety of the Hinterlands and turned back, his breathing quick and shallow. It wasn't from the run though. He knew what Bodach had just done, and he had to see the result. It was terrifying to hear the silence after the yell faded into nothing. It was the promise of something awful, the calm before the storm, the quiet before the shrieks. But those watching couldn't tell where the tempest would come from. The only sound for a few moments was Jack's coughing. Then the gates to the cemetery slowly creaked open.
The first out was the Mayor, limping through the gate with a blank look on his face. He moved awkwardly toward them, followed by the rest of the citizens. Oogie shuddered and took a step back.
"We need to leave," Oogie said. "Come on."
But as he turned, Shock grabbed him and Lock shouted. "No!"
"What?" Oogie asked, looking down at the two children. Wait… two?! "Where's Barrel?" he demanded.
Lock and Shock turned and pointed at their friend then froze when they caught sight of him. Something was very wrong. Barrel's face was blank of all expression and his eyes were glowing like red coals. He moved awkwardly toward them, a limping half step through what appeared to be a swamp. As he walked, the ground seemed to melt into marshland and it solidified into earth again once he had passed. The worst part was the creatures that swam around him. Popping their heads up to look around every few steps, two alligators circled him, and Lock and Shock knew that they were hungry. Besides them, only Oogie understood why this was so bad.
"No!" Oogie spat with a curse. He turned to size up the Holiday leaders then stepped toward Squanto, shoving Jack into his arms. "Hold him upright. I'll be back, Jack."
"No…" Jack moaned weakly then spasmed as another coughing fit hit him.
Blood splattered across Squanto's chest, and everybody else jumped back, looking disgusted and frightened. Squanto didn't flinch any more than Oogie had. He simply held Jack and watched as the burlap man bolted out of the forest toward the boy. He couldn't figure out what was wrong with him and the other citizens. It had to be the yell, but how was that possible? Was it magic?
Oogie slid to a stop several feet in front of Barrel, just outside the swamp. Barrel stopped and his face twisted into a snarl as the gators leaped up and snapped at Oogie. With a burst of fire, the gators fell back, and Oogie focused entirely on Barrel.
"Barrel, come on," Oogie said coaxingly. "We gotta go. I need you to fight it. Listen to me. Have I ever steered you wrong?" Barrel still scowled with red eyes. So Oogie leaned forward and hit him with his best shot. "Lock and Shock need you, Barrel. Come back to them."
The red eyes blinked once. Twice. Then the red faded and there stood Barrel with his big brown eyes, looking dazed and confused. He shifted and saw Oogie before him and smiled.
"Boss!" he exclaimed happily but before he could say anything else, there was a splash at his feet.
Barrel stiffened as a sickeningly familiar smell registered in his brain. In a horrified daze, he slowly looked down to see marshland. And his eyes were drawn inevitably to the alligators rising up to stare at him. Barrel let out a petrified screech and leaped for Oogie's arms, his face a ghastly mask of terror. Bodach's attention switched over from the citizens to them. He had been admiring his handiwork, thinking they'd already left since it was so quiet, and when he saw Oogie and Barrel, he yelled again, and the citizens came alive, their faces filling with hellish rage. They shrieked and sprinted for them. But Oogie was already moving, taking great, leaping bounds across the cemetery to the Hinterlands. He passed under the trees as the Mayor made a lunging grab for him.
Oogie spun around to shove him off, grasping Barrel tightly to his side, but he stopped as the Mayor stood there, dazed and confused. He looked at Oogie, his entire front drenched in blood, and frowned.
"What's going on, Oogie?" the Mayor asked as he stepped backward, looking frightened.
"No!" Oogie shouted, reaching forward. But it was too late.
As soon as the Mayor's tailcoats we're out from under the tree line, Bodach snagged them and jerked as hard as he could. The Mayor tumbled backward and was dragged out from the trees. At once, the Mayor slumped as his face went blank. Then rage flooded back and he joined the ranks behind Bodach, who stood just out from under the tree line, glaring at Oogie and the others. His eyes landed on Jack, still coughing up blood and taking rattling breaths, and he roared. Fire erupted off of him, and they all watched the fire wrap around the trees in a warping wall.
"He can't get through," Oogie said. "We need to go."
He turned, gently set Barrel beside Lock and Shock, and then held out his points. Squanto stepped forward and settled the shuddering Jack into his arms. Oogie cradled Jack against him, and Jack sobbed and spit up more blood as they began to head toward the Holiday doors.
"'S'okay, Jack," Oogie murmured then spoke in a rough language.
Jack nodded then spasmed and hacked up more blood.
"What's wrong?" Oogie asked.
"Metal," Jack rasped. "Lungs." He began to cough again.
"Can we get to the doors or do you want to do it now?" Oogie asked.
"Doors… Don't want… to bother them…" Jack wheezed. "Bloody mess…"
"Jack, are you sure?" Sally asked.
Jack nodded then groaned. His entire suit was drenched with blood. Both Squanto and Oogie were also covered, but neither seemed to care. Squanto'a eyes were bright as he stared at Jack, easily keeping up with Oogie's long strides.
"What does he mean, metal?" the Thanksgiving Day leader asked.
"Bodach put metal shavings in Jack's lungs when he reformed his human flesh," Oogie replied.
"And this is something he can just do?"
"What do you want me to say, Injun?" Oogie asked gruffly, glancing irritably at the lean man.
"Is it magic?"
"Deepest kind," Oogie replied.
They got to the clearing with the six magic doors, and Oogie looked around then turned to face Sandy.
"Can we stay in your Realm?"
"Of course," Sandy replied.
"Good. Fix up his house and run a hot bath. I need a place to stay with the kids, too. I'll deal with Jack then he'll need to rinse off. We'll talk after that."
They nodded, and Squanto looked down. "I too should wash."
"You think?" Eros asked blandly.
"I think it would be a good idea," Squanto deadpanned.
"Rag doll, take the kids and watch them for me. Give them some food. Take special care of Barrel. Now get outta here."
Lock and Shock scrambled for the door, eager to get as far away from Bodach as possible. They jumped through without hesitation, followed one by one by the Holiday leaders. Oogie settled Jack gently on the ground, murmuring in the rough language. Then he noticed Barrel standing beside him, shivering as he stared blankly around. Oogie looked up to see that Sally was the only one remaining besides Barrel. She walked over and held out her hand. Barrel looked at it then looked at Oogie.
"Go on, Barrel," Oogie coaxed. "I'll be right there. Just gotta help Jack. Okay?"
Barrel blinked and nodded then took Sally's hand and let her help him into the portal. Sally looked back at Oogie and Jack, her brows drawn together, and when Jack gave a weak smile and Oogie nodded reassuringly, she turned and stepped into the swirling, snowy void.
Jack turned and coughed up more blood then drew in a rattling breath as the door clicked close. Oogie sat back and frowned at him as he spat out red.
"I hate him," Oogie muttered. "Hold still, Jack. Let's do this."
"How?" Jack wheezed. "How… get… in…?" He was desperate for any answer besides the one he was afraid was true.
Oogie paused then stood up and looked away as he responded. "The doctor sends his regards," he murmured.
Jack's face twisted and he let out a ragged sob as his worst fears were confirmed. Oogie had nothing to say, so he split his seams and his hungry bugs swarmed over Jack. The Pumpkin King closed his eyes and relaxed into the physical pain, desperate to escape the tear in his soul from the doctor's betrayal.