5 Days

Chapter 1 One Week

"It's time."

Finally, it had taken a long time to get this far. Soon, all this pain will finally pay off. She will be all that closer to her dream, revenge. Sweet, sweet revenge. To see the one who did this to her in more pain than she was in herself. They will all suffer. But first she had to undo all that had been done.

She approached the book lying on the table. It had been all too easy to acquire the book. Left behind for anyone to take after the worlds came together. They didn't even know it was gone, or the power it contained. The book was plain, old, and squareish, the only thing interesting thing about it was the title. Guide to Voodoo: the Magic of Mortals.

Opening the book she turned to the page she had seen so many times before. The potion was written on the pages. This hadn't been simple. It called for ingredients that hadn't been easy to find and took tons of doses. But tonight was the final night. Belinda got the vial down from the shelf and moved towards the only source of light in the dark room, the small and only window in the place. Moonlight floated down onto the vile, giving it an unnatural glow. This was it.

Belinda took a final glance at the disgusting goo in her had. Then uncorked it and downed it in a big gulp, shuddering. Nothing would ever get her used to that taste. When the last drop had been swallowed the spasms started happening. Her whole skin rippled, form her feet to her distorted face. Her throat contracted, lungs screamed for breath, eyes watered. One blood-curling scream was let loose before, mercifully, she collapsed to the floor in a heap.

The little shadow that had spoken before moved from his perch and slithered to the girl. It had worked. His partner might still look the same, but now she could unlock the rest of the book with what the potion had given her. Slithering toward the shelves, the shadow pushed down a blanket and a pillow. Making sure that the girl was as comfortable as she could be lying on a basement floor, he retuned to his perch. Oh to sleep again, to escape what he had become. That would be the first ting he'll do when he had a brand new body, just lie there and sleep. Well maybe the second thing, the first would be revenge. He looked again at the girl on the floor, revenge was all that mattered. It was what tied them together.

He stood completely still and concentrated hard, envisioning his target destination. Soon he found himself in the Land of the Dead. Oh, he hated this place. It was where he was the most vulnerable. The laboratory he was in was filled with shelves stacked with potions and books. A corpse in a lab coat was watching a boiling beaker sitting on a table intently, taking no notice of the little visitor moving toward him.

"Is it done yet?" the little shadow said impatiently.

"You've been asking that question every night for weeks," the scientist said, "And every time I say the same thing, no. It needs to be perfect."

"Aren't you even remotely close to finishing?"

The scientist removed the beaker he was staring at and put it in an old fashioned bug sprayer, "Hard to say. My first test subject died instantly, I was more successful with the second but it still wasn't what we where looking for. I think I know what went wrong. All I need is two more tests, with two more test subjects."

"My friend will be happy to hear that. Now get going! You're burning moonlight."

"Take it back!" Kevin shouted, tackling Lock to the ground.

"Never!" Lock said putting Kevin in a head lock.

Barrel looked on intently. Kevin and Lock wrestled back and forth for ten minutes before the elevator came up, Shock inside. It was early in the morning; Barrel was making chocolate pancakes for breakfast. They were in the living room just hanging around when Kevin and Lock started going at it again. Lock, Shock, and Kevin were competitive while Barrel preferred just to watch and keep score. So when Shock stepped out of the elevator she went for both of their necks and wrestled them both to the ground. By the way they were pinned to the ground under her; neither of them could get up.

"Say it," Shock demanded.

Kevin and Lock struggled for a bit longer before saying in unison, "Uncle."

Barrel made a buzzer noise and used the spatula as a microphone, "And that's it folks. It's 47 Shock to Lock and Kevin zero, zip, nada, zilch-"

"Shut up Barrel," Kevin and Lock said in unison as Shock got off them.

Barrel pulled down the chalkboard from the ceiling, another of Locks gadgets, and added a tally mark to Shock's section. Which was starting to get full. He went back to his pancakes and rang the bronze dinner bell he got for Christmas.

"Breakfast!" he shouted, mostly for the sheer joy of yelling 'breakfast'.

Since there was really no need to do this because as soon as he rang the bell Kevin and Lock raced to the table. Barking came from upstairs. Shock pulled a rope hanging by the wall that opened a ceiling door. A small ramp unfolded and Klondike came down. Lock made the ramps for him when they got him. Klondike waited by the table too. Klondike had changed with his stay in Halloween Town. His coat was darker, his teeth looked a bit sharper and his eyes turned a strange emerald green. Chocolate pancakes were served all around except for Klondike. Being a dog made him highly allergic to chocolate. So he had chopped meat from last night and dog kibble. Everyone devoured their breakfasts except for Shock, who just poked at it a bit then excused herself from the table.

"Not hungry again?" Barrel asked.

"Yeah," Shock sighed as she got in the elevator again.

Lock, Barrel and Kevin looked at each other. She'd been like that for the past few days. It didn't take a genius to know that something was on her mind. She'd leave the house before sunset and come home from somewhere early in the morning and wouldn't tell them where she went. They had asked around town and they didn't see her in the morning. That left very few places she could go. Shock went down into the basement. At least that's what Kevin and Barrel thought, but Lock knew she was in the tower.

After breakfast was over, Shock's pancakes had been fought over and eventually eaten by Barrel, Lock headed down to the basement. He passed the potions and caldrons and went to the back wall. He pushed a stone directly above him; this rang a little bell at the top of the tower. The wall in front of him opened up, Shock allowed him to come up. Lock climbed the stairs to find Shock looking out the window towards Halloween Town. She looked so sad, the last time she looked like that was when they were walking into the hinterlands years ago. Multiple paintings and drawings littered the room, at a glance he could tell that they were all about the trio when they were little.

"Shock," Lock started, "I know something's on your mind. But I don't know what. Will you tell me?"

Shock was quiet for a few moments, "I guess I have to eventually. *sigh* I've been noticing things lately Lock. I looked out this window a week ago and noticed there was something missing."

"What was it?" Lock said, sitting down next to her.

"Kids," Shock said, "There aren't enough kids in Halloween Town. I checked around asked some people. Turns out the last time this happened, the three of us died. Lock, Halloween is in five days. In five days, kids are going to die."

It's Just A Dream

Chapter 2 It's Just a Dream

The sun on his face woke Lock up. He opened his eyes see huge trees around him. Where was he? He was definitely in the forest, but all the trees looked different, like they were dead. Looking around he saw the shapes of two other kids on the ground not far from him. They were getting up too. One of had a witch mask, the other had a skeleton mask. He found his own devil mask on the ground next to him. The witch was the first to speak up,

"Where am I?" She noticed the others, "Do you guys know where we are?"

"No," he said, he turned to the skeleton, "Hey, do you know where we are?"

The skeleton kid shook his head and groaned, "What day is it?"

"It's *gasp*" the witch said, "Oh no! It's the day after Halloween. I missed it!" The witch started crying. The other two felt bad for her and asked her what's wrong. "My mom grounded me and I didn't get to go trick-or-treating!"

"Its o.k." he said, "It looks like I lost all of my candy."

"I've got a lollipop," The skeleton kid said, holding up a black and orange lollipop, "But I already licked it. Sorry."

The witch still sobbed quietly. Still trying to cheer her up he said, "What's your name?"

"Samantha Shelton," she answered quietly.

"I'm Laurence, Laurence Simon. But you can call me Lock," Lock said, "I don't like my real name."

"Me either," Samantha said, Lock was happy to see she stopped crying, "I like the name Shock." Shock turned to the skeleton kid, "What's your name?"

The skeleton kid opened his mouth to say something but stopped, "I…I don't know."

"You don't know your own name?" Shock said surprised.

"I… I can't remember it," The skeleton said, almost to himself, "I can't remember anything. Who am I? How did I get here?"

"Right," Lock said, "I don't know how I got here either."

"Me either," Shock said again, "I remember going to bed last night. Is this a dream?"

"We can't share the same dream can we?" Lock said, "I remember going out, to get more candy. It got late, I started to go home. Some older kid stopped me, he was a mad scientist or something, and he dared me to go into the woods for five minutes. If I did it I got his candy, if I couldn't do it I was a scardy cat. He kept making fun of me until I said yes. I sat alone in the woods; I wasn't scared at all of course. But then I heard strange noises and something was coming. I finally ran away. I ran… I got lost… got cold… everything was wet… tripped… the tree branch…the mud… sinking…"

Lock stared off into space, Shock asked, "And then?"

Lock turned to her slowly, "I think I died."

"That can't be right, you're here right now aren't you?" she said taking off her mask, "And I don't think the skeleton and I are dead."

Lock stared at her without her mask, "That depends, were you wearing green makeup when you went to bed last night?"

Shock looked surprised and took a look at her hand, it was green. She rubbed her face but it wasn't makeup. Shock's skin was green. "B…but, no! This is all a dream! My mom's going to come wake me up any minute! I'm not dead!" After she finished yelling she started coughing hard. You could see her breath even tough it wasn't cold out. As each cough got worse they realized something, it wasn't her breath they where seeing. It was smoke. Shock stared as the last of it floated away, unable to say anything.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" a mysterious voice said, "New arrivals huh? Ooohh I'm really scared! Ha ha ha!"

"Who said that?" Lock demanded.

"A little punk huh?" The voice laughed again, "A crybaby and someone who can't remember his own name. Death must really have a sense of humor."

"Who you calling a crybaby?" Shock yelled.

The voice laughed again, "Oh got a little spunk do you? What about you skeleton? Do you do anything useful?"

"N…n I…I don't remember," Barrel stuttered, looking around to find out who was talking to them.

"Ha ha ha! Figures," the voice said coldly, "Skeletons can't do anything. Tough luck kid. You should have gone trick-or-treating as something cooler."

"Don't laugh at him!" Shock said, seeing how upset the voice was making the skeleton boy, "You sound tough but you won't stop hiding. Why don't you come out and say it to our faces?"

"Well," the voice chuckled, "if you insist."

There came a groan of a tree branch and the whooshing of air as something fell. The three looked up just in time to get out of the way of a huge bag falling from the sky. It landed with a loud thud. Looking a lot like a deformed sack of potatoes, it stood up right and laughed through a large rip at the top.

"Ha ha! Did I scare you?" it chuckled again.

"You think nearly dropping on someone's head is scary?" Shock yelled at it.

The sack moved to reveal two more rips that served as eyes, "No, I think this is."

It turned solely on Shock, Lock and the skeleton kid watched together. The sack sucked in a powerful breath and roared ferociously. Shock was afraid, terrified even. Lock was scared too, but something inside him started building up. The feeling boiled inside him until he saw a branch lying on the ground close by. Without really thinking about it he picked it up and charged at the sack, plunging the stick into it. The sack stopped roaring and turned on Lock, and laughed.

"Heroic little punk now? Ha ha!" The sack pulled the stick from his side, "Yes I can find some use for you."

"What are you talking about?" Lock demanded, as he helped Shock up.

"I'm talking henchmen!" the sack said, "I'm looking for my very own henchmen to help me in my plans. How about you two? Come on, It'll be a lot of fun! Lots of pranks and mischief. I can pay you in candy."

Lock and Shock looked at each other. They both liked mischief, and candy. Maybe this guy wasn't so bad after all. Shock looked over at the skeleton kid. He looked sad and lost, staring off into space trying to remember something about himself.

"Ok we'll be your henchmen," Shock said, "On one condition."

"Condition?" the sack said.

"Yeah, if we're your henchmen you have to make the skeleton kid a henchman too."

The sack looked over the skeleton kid, "Deal. Follow me henchmen! I'll show you your new home base!"

The sack walked off in one direction and the three followed. The skeleton kid ran up to Shock and said, "Thanks."

"No problem," Shock said, "Do you remember anything yet?"

"It's weird, when I try to think back all I think about is the word 'barrel'."

"Barrel?" Lock said, "Do you think that's what you called yourself before… you know."

"I guess so, it feels right," he said, "Ok from now on I'm Barrel."

"Hmmm, Lock, Shock, and Barrel," Shock said, "I like it, it sounds cool."

They were trilled to find that 'home base' was a tree house and that they could be in costume everyday. From then on they were the terrible trio that they were today, plus one more skeleton and a dog of course. Shock didn't like being called a crybaby, so form then on she was the toughest of the three. Until two years ago, she had never shed a single tear.

Stupid Mayor

Chapter 3 Stupid Mayor

"You're worried about Oogie?" Lock said.

"I'm worried about the kids," Shock said, "You remember how it was for me. I don't want those kids to go through that. And about Oogie, you and I both know he can get back without my help. If he gets to those kids first, were looking at the next generation of Oogie's Boys."

Lock looked at her, "So what's the plan?"

"When those kids wake up the day after Halloween, I'm going to be there for them. I already know the place where they'll show up. And… I thought… since we have the extra rooms and all… that we could…"

"Adopt them?" Lock finished.

"No!" Shock said blushing, "It's just that they don't have anywhere else to go and this place is big enough-"

"I get it," Lock said smiling, for a while he was quiet; "Your mind's already made up about this isn't it?" Shock nodded. "Then I guess we need to go shopping for more beds 'cause-"

He stopped short as Shock threw her arms around him in a hug, "Thank you Lock! You don't know how much this means to me."

"Y..Yeah, well…" Lock blushed.

There came a loud honking sound from downstairs. Shock released him from her hug and they both looked out the window. A black hearse was parked outside the house and a nervous-faced mayor was honking the horn.

"Stupid mayor," they said in unison. The mayor honked again.

Lock sighed, "There's my ride. Man, if he had knocked on the door he would have been pelted with water balloons."

"I've got a sling shot," Shock said, reaching for her ammo, "You'd think he's notice if I pop a tire or two?"

"He wouldn't, but I have to go. It's in my deal with Jack. Today's the first day of decorating the town," He had agreed to work for Jack during the Halloween and Christmas preparations for the rest of his life in exchange for building material for the mansion. Lock sighed, "Maybe I'll ask him about the spare beds today. Which brings up the question: What do we tell everyone?"

"I haven't really thought that one out yet. Give me today and I'll figure out what to do. Until then don't tell anyone."

Another honk came from downstairs and Lock left. Shock watched the hearse drive down the road, over the hill, and into town. Shock fingered the locket around her neck. Lock had worked really hard to make life good for them. Was she asking too much with this? Shock promised she would make it up to him someday. She walked over to her desk and opened a locked drawer. Inside were the profiles of kids in the Mortal world from ages six to eight. Sneaking off to the Mortal world every night wasn't easy but she had to narrow down the list. Shock had been surveying the possible targets for the new arrivals. Those who died were usually kids that were used to change, from a bad family, or where already decorating their houses. Even though she had been at it for a week there was still a long list of kids to go through. Maybe if Barrel and Kevin knew they could help her...

Shock opened the window and whistled. A large broom rocketed through the air and into her waiting hand. With a courageous smile she jumped out the window. The air swirled around her as she plummeted three stories. Keeping a personal record she didn't mount her broom until she was five feet from the ground. As the broom beneath her stopped her in midair she heard the sound of the elevator descending. Urging the broom higher she hid behind the roof of the mansion. The front door opened up and Barrel and Kevin came out, carrying empty trick-or-treat bags and walking towards the woods. There was only one explanation, candy raid.

"I'm telling you she has a secret boyfriend," she heard Barrel say, "Why else would she sneak out and not tell us about it?"

"I don't know Barrel," Kevin replied, "Shock likes Lock too much to date someone else. And Lock is too into Shock to let someone else date her without a fight."

"Shhhh! If either of them heard you say that they'd pound us to a pulp."

"Aw come on Barrel, you know I'm right. Remember last year when I was hitting on Shock?"

"How could I forget? She pushed you out the third story window. It took you two days to move again. When you finally recovered, both Lock and Shock pounded on you, setting you back another three days. What demon possessed you to do something so stupid?"

"Love makes us do crazy things brother, crazy things," Kevin said smiling stupidly.

They disappeared into the woods, Shock sighed and flew off into the woods, taking a different direction from Barrel and Kevin and headed straight for the place where it all started.


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Barrel and Kevin were hiding in the bushes near a path on the outskirts of Easter Town. The sun was pleasantly sunny and the flowers were in bloom. Sickening. Barrel and Kevin watched as the little bunnies and chickens went into town for Sunday brunch, right on schedule.

"Barrel is this legal?" Kevin said nervously.

"Everything is legal until you get caught," Barrel said smiling, "So the trick is not to get caught. Besides you didn't mind when we raided the Valentines Ville chocolate vault last year."

"That's because we were stealing it from annoying, diaper-wearing, arrow-shooting cupids and not from innocent little bunnies. Shouldn't we just wait five days for Halloween and get candy then? The candy vault isn't really all that empty."

"Are you kidding me? I can barely make the next two minutes without candy! Come on either we take a little of it now so they can grow it back by Easter or wait until we're out and in my candy-less state I will go berserk and take the whole field. Come on everyone's gone."

The two brothers stepped out of their hiding place and headed into a nearby field. Next to the carrot patch, corn fields, and other disgusting healthy food there was a grove of trees that grew candy. These trees were the envy of the other worlds, and the source of half of Barrel's yearly candy intake. Taffy, caramel, and peanut butter cups went into the empty candy bags along with a variety of other candy. Once they had stuffed the bags full they ran for the portal tree. Just in time to escape the sight of a frightened bunny that discovered the pillaged trees.

Barrel and Kevin lounged around the emerald trees and the shade of the Halloween door, stuffing themselves with their sugar-coated treasure. Barrel was dozing but Kevin was afraid to fall asleep. He had been having the weirdest dreams lately. No, not dreams, nightmares. He turned to Barrel.

"Hey bro, can I tell you something?"

"Hmmm?" Barrel murmured.

"I've been having the strangest dreams lately," Kevin started to explain, "They-"

Barrel shot straight up and put his hand over Kevin's mouth. Before Kevin could ask why the heck he did that, the ground started shaking. It wasn't like any earthquake Kevin had ever felt. Barrel was scared as the rumbling got more violent. A strange sound was coming their way from Easter Valley. Both brothers turned to see an entire army of little white bunnies thundering in a stampede towards them. None of them looked happy.

"What was that you were saying about innocent little bunnies?" Barrel said scornfully.

"Just shut up and run!" Kevin yelled over the noise.

They picked up their bags and fled screaming into the portal door.

Author's Note:

I Promise

Chapter 4 I Promise

Shock's heart soared as she rode the wind through the trees of the forest. Dodging through the trees at the speed she was going was downright insane. Maybe that's why she liked it so much. Like other witches she had a natural thrill of flying, though they weren't as extreme as she was. Shock felt all her stress fly away with her as she avoided trees with seconds to spare. Here more than anywhere, she felt absolutely free.

So when an ominous chill ran down her spine she almost crashed into an oncoming tree. Stopping immediately, Shock picked up an ominous feeling in the air. The clearing was not far away. The wind died away as she descended to the ground, leaving a dead silence in the woods. Something was seriously wrong. Running over the gnarled roots of the most ancient trees of the forest toward the small clearing, Shock prepared herself for the worst. But nothing could have prepared her for what she saw in that clearing. What she saw that day would change her forever.


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Jack and Sally were spending their morning together in the kitchen. They were talking about what to name their coming child. Being a rag doll, Sally's pregnancy had lasted for almost a year now. Despite Dr. Finkelstein's insistence, and enthusiasm, on a C-section, Sally wanted a natural delivery. She hadn't even asked for a gender. The baby could be born any day now; it was only a matter of time. Although they had all this time they could never find the right name if it was a boy or a girl. A scream pierced their debate over the name 'Claudia',

"I'll get it," Jack said, getting up to answer the door, "It's probably the mayor, today is the first day of decorating."

Jack pulled open the slim front door to see a tall thin being in a black robe. His very prsens screamed of death, for it was the grim reaper himself looking back at him. The grim reaper had been a resident of Halloween Town since it was founded. When it was founded no one could remember and Reaper wouldn't tell. If anyone were to look for him on Halloween night they wouldn't find him. It was the one of the only nights he worked. Reaper usually kept to himself during the rest of the year due to the fact that everyone felt nervous around him. Being alone didn't really bother him, he just wished that people wouldn't scream every other time they see him. So when he saw the look on Jack's face he had to hold back a groan.

"Relax Jack," Reaper said calmly, "I'm off duty."

Jack sighed slightly of relief, "Would you like to come in?"

"No need, what I have to tell you is urgent. There has been a major upset in this realm," Reaper turned and looked down the road. Two figures were running towards the house, "There come my informants now. They'll tell you the situation. I will meet you there."

Reaper disappeared in an instant, leaving Jack in the doorway watching the two figures get closer. On a second look he saw that they were Shock and Lock. Shock was running with fierce determination and, Jack was reluctant to think, fear. Lock was just being pulled along, looking very confused and still holding what looked like a roll of duck tape in his hand.

"Jack!" Shock shouted out, a little breathless, "Jack!"

Jack ran down the porch steps and out his front gate, "What's wrong?"

"There's a..a.. body in the woods," Shock stammered, "It was… was… Just follow me!"

Shock took off to the woods, dragging Lock behind her. Jack quickly went back inside and quickly explained what happened to Sally and said goodbye. He ran back outside and trailed after Shock and Lock. Jack knew where they were running in the direction of the woods where everyone woke up dead for the first time. Were they going to meet a new arrival? Then both Jack and Lock picked up the ominous feeling as the three slowed down. They climbed over the mass of tangled roots and into the little bowl-shaped clearing.

The jack-o-lantern sun sent rays smiling through the trees and illuminated the dead body of a little girl. Jack walked over to the small figure thinking why Shock would panic over a new arrival, even though the girl was a week early. But as he looked closer he discovered the horrifying truth. The girl was completely made of stone. Every strand of hair, her eyes, her skin, her clothes, even a tear running down her face had been turned to stone. Her face was distorted with pain and fear; her hands clutched her neck, as though something burned her throat. What made it even more horrifying was that the girl only looked six or seven years old. Jack thought for a small moment that he was being pranked, but then he heard it.

It was a heart beat.

The terrifying sound of a heartbeat, hesitantly beating at a steady pace. Like a heart that wonders why it's still beating. Jack thought of his own heart, the only piece of flesh he had to his name. His heart, like all other hearts in this realm, bound him to this world because it chose to beat every now and again. But that shaky continuous heartbeat coming from the little girl meant-

Reaper made his presence known then, stepping out of the shadows. He walked to the other side of the girl, "Yes Jack it is true. The girl is still alive. What's worse is that Death does not have a claim to her. She is a deathless, she is immortal."

Jack looked away from the horrifying sight, "But how?"

Reaper was silent for a moment, "That is the mystery. I have never encountered such a phenomenon before. Many have turned to stone yes, but I know none that have survived like this. Her heart still beats like it had a reason to, eyes still try to see, lungs still wish to breathe, yet not a single cell of her being dies." Reaper trailed off, "This is extremely unnatural. Who has the power to do such a cruel and heartless thing? And if there is such a power, why choose to inflict it upon this poor little soul? I'm afraid the answer to this problem does not lie in this realm, but in the one after."

"You mean in the Realm of the Dead itself?" Jack said getting up, "There are thousands of people down there, it could take weeks! My wife could have a baby any day now; I can't just leave her now."

"I'll go."

Jack and Reaper both turned to Shock. Her eyes had never left the little girl lying still on the ground. Shock's face was stony, but her eyes where filled with rage. Lock tried to place a hand on her shoulder but she pushed him away. Stepping closer to the body Jack thought he saw a tear run down her face, or had he just imagined it?

"I'll go," Shock said again, "I'll go to the Realm of the Dead, alone if I have to. I will hunt down the monster who did this to her." She crouched next to the little girl's side, "I swear on my slow beating heart that I will find out who did this to you. Violet, your big sister is going to save you. I promise."

A Sweet Little Memory

Chapter 5 A Sweet Little Memory


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Shock held on to her silver locket tightly as she walked through the grassy graveyard. She hated being human already. The makeup she was wearing mad her skin feel weird, she missed wearing her witches hat, and the sun was murder. Thankfully it was starting to set, that meant that Halloween was about to start. Stone plaques spaced in the grass began to turn to tombstones as she passed over the hill. If the graveyard records were right, she should reach her tombstone soon. She had always wondered what the graveyard of her hometown looked like. When she reached the top of the hill she was surprised to see a little girl in front of a small tombstone. The girl couldn't have been more than six years old. A few purple flowers lay on the ground in front of her, a kind that she never seen before, like small purple lilies. Shock wondered why she was out here all alone on Halloween. Stepping closer she saw the traces of tears on her face.

"Are you ok?" Shock asked.

The girl turned to her, rubbing her eyes, "Yeah."

There was a moment of silence, "Who was it?"

"Oh," the girl said, turning back to the tombstone, "She was my older sister."

"I'm sorry," Shock said sadly, though never had any siblings herself.

"Don't be, I never met her," The girl said, "She died before I was born. Eight years today."

Eight years today, that meant… Shock looked at the little tombstone. Etched in the stone was a ribbon design that bordered the edges. Printed over the curved top was the name she never thought she'd see again,

Samantha Shelton

October 31

Beloved daughter, we will miss you.

If that was her tombstone, then the girl was her… Shock stared at the little girl in front of her. Yes, she could see it now. Her father's eyes, her mother's hair, the girl even had the hawk nose Shock had when she was little, which she thankfully had grown out of. The girl looked thoughtfully at the tombstone in front of her.

"I always come up here when I want to be alone, since no one likes coming here. It's nice to bring flowers to put on the graves so they don't look so lonely. When the spring comes and I have more flowers I'll give one to everyone here," The girl continued, "Is it weird to love someone you never met?"

Shock was quiet for a moment, "No. I don't think it's weird at all… But I don't understand, if you weren't crying for her, why where you crying?"

The girl sighed, "I was fighting with my mom again. She won't come trick-or-treating with me and she wanted me to wear some stupid princess costume. She doesn't even like Halloween; she thinks it took Samantha away from her. But my dad doesn't think that. He thinks that she was meant to die on her favorite day of the year."

Mom. There was a word she hadn't used for a while. They hadn't left each other on the best of terms. Their last words to each other screamed through a closed door. If she could go back… Shock gave a quick smile and sat down.

"I wouldn't know anything about that, but I think that Samantha wouldn't have minded dying if she had had any fun that night."

The girl looked at her in surprise, "You knew my sister?"

"Yeah, I was her best friend. She called me that night, said that she couldn't come trick- or- treating with me 'cause she was grounded. I saved some candy for her…" Shock made her voice break; this was too easy, "When I heard the news, I couldn't believe it. I ran all the way to… to… where her house used to be. I… found this," she pulled out a little witch's hat, "She was a witch for every Halloween I knew her."

"That's the hat from the picture my dad showed me once," the girl stared in awe.

Shock offered it to her, "Take it. Samantha would want you to have it. You could hide it from your mom and put on when your dad takes you out."

"Really! You'll let me have it?"

"Of course, it's way too small for me anyway. I really came here to give it back," Shock handed the girl the hat and watched her put it on, "See? Perfect fit."

"It's amazing! Thank you!" The girl smiled one of the biggest similes that Shock had ever seen. Her heart melted.

Shock noticed that the sun was almost gone, "You should get home now. Angry or not, your mom will still worry about you."

"Your right," The girl started to get up and walk away, but turned around and said, "My name's Violet."

"Violet, that's a pretty name. Say Violet, could you do something for me?" Shock asked.

"Like what?"

"Could you apologize to your mom for me? The last time I saw her I said some pretty mean things, could you tell her I'm sorry? That I didn't mean them."

"Sure, but what's your name?"

Shock laughed, "Your mom used to call me Shock."

Violet giggled, "Ok, I'll tell her."

"Oh but tell her after Halloween is over, if she knows before she might know I gave you the hat."

"Got it, thank you again! Bye!"

Violet skipped down the hill and out the graveyard. Shock sighed, she hated deceiving her sweet little sister. But in the end they both got what they wanted. She quickly left the graveyard. No sense waiting around to meet her mom when she hears that Violet had been talking to her long dead sister.


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Shock folded the piece of paper with a drawing of Violet on it and put it in her pocket. It was time to leave. She picked up her traveling satchel and headed downstairs. The boys were already waiting. Barrel and Kevin were told about Violet when Lock Shock fond them gasping for breathe in the living room. They had changed from their regular costume clothes to torn and tattered human clothes to avoid suspicion on the trip. Lock had to style his hair and wear a hat to avoid anyone noticing his horns. Kevin and Lock already packed their backpacks and Barrel heaved a duffle bag filled with food to last them, with Barrel's appetite, two days tops. Klondike was chewing on his leash impatiently. Lock was setting up the last of the booby traps in front of the door. If any one even dared step on the front step they would trigger the hidden mouse traps.

Barrel and Kevin were told about Violet when Lock Shock fond them gasping for breath in the living room.

"Did Reaper say where we supposed to meet him to get to this Land of the Dead place?" Kevin asked as he helped Lock set up a hidden catapult.

"No," Shock said sullenly, "He said he'd come to us."

"Then we better get outside before he's dumb enough to knock," Barrel said, heading for the door.

"That won't be necessary," Reaper said stepping out of the shadows.

"How did you-!" Lock stammered nearly setting off the catapult.

"Don't ask," Reaper said smugly.

The boys dropped what they were doing and stood with Shock, who said, "Ok how dose this work?"

"We need to be underground," Reaper responded, "I'm aware that you have a basement?"

They all crowed into the elevator uncomfortably. Even though the elevator was pretty big, no one likes being in confined spaces with Death. When they were all in the basement Reaper walked toward an empty space of wall, pulling out his scythe from thin air. He plunged the blade into the stone, cutting it like butter, and carved a door shape in the wall.

"This doorway will lead you into the Land of the Dead. The realm where dead souls gather and live. Unlike us, when most die they find themselves in this realm. If my memory serves me right there is an old skeleton by the name of Elder Gutknecht. He might know the answer to this mystery. While you are there it would be wise that you keep your half-alive selves a secret. For if there is one wish that the dead share is to be alive again, and some will do anything to make this wish come true. Stay close together and trust no one. For if someone down there is really behind this crime then you may be in grave danger. Do you still wish to continue?"

"Yes," they answered in unison, Klondike barked once.

"Then it is time. When you are ready to return simply return to the door and knock three times. The door will open again and you'll be right back here. Be sure to block the door when you come back."

They nodded. Reaper opened Death's Door.

A Bad Feeling

Chapter 6 A Bad Feeling

Déjà Vu. The stone staircase was eerily like the one in the portal to the Mortal world. After a few minutes of going downward Shock finally saw an eerie green glow coming from below. When they emerged the gang found themselves in an alley, lined with open coffins. The green light came from a street light at the end of the road. They walked to the end and stared in fascinated awe at the town square. It looked almost exactly like Halloween Town. However, one thing was a clear; everything was fully and truly dead. The houses looked like they were condemned, like this is where they came when they were torn down. The buildings where a little more modern, they only looked half a century old compared to Halloween Town manors and town homes. The center of the square had a horse statue instead of a fountain. The shops looked like the ones back home except they sold things like spare arms and legs. Another thing different about this world was the sky. It wasn't even a sky at all, it was a ceiling. The so-called sky had roots falling from the dirt ceiling, making everything feel closed in and claustrophobic.

After gaping for a while they noticed something important, no one was there. The streets were empty, the shops were vacant, nothing moved. "Where is everyone?" Lock whispered, "Didn't Jack say this place had thousands of people in it?"

"There're supposed to be," Shock whispered back.

"Where should we go?" Barrel whispered.

"Why are we whispering?" Kevin asked normally.

Before Shock could think of a comeback, music started flowing their way from down the street. Klondike's ears picked up and he tugged on his leash. They exchanged glances then followed the music. Down two blocks and a corner turn the group came to the source of the music, a pub called The Ball and Socket. The place was so packed that they could barely fit through the door, it seemed like all of the dead had come to the show. Turns out the music was being made from a skeleton band up on stage. One of them, most likely the leader, stood out, he wore a bowler hat and had one eye that slid from socket to socket. Music died away and Shock heard the lead skeleton ask for one last request.

Over the crowd someone shouted, "Corpse Bride!" This sent a wave through the crowd who began chanting, "Corpse Bride! Corpse Bride! Corpse Bride!"

"Oh that old story, well it is one of my best songs!" The skeleton announced to the crowd, "A story of romance, passion, and a murder most foul. Hit it boys."

The band started playing again and the skeleton began to tell one of the best stories Shock's ever heard. From the guy's silence she could tell they liked it too. She even picked up a slight sob from Kevin at one part. There was no way she will ever let him forget that one. What really interested her was when Elder Gutknecht was mentioned; apparently most of the corpses here knew him. When the skeleton didn't mention where he was, Shock planned to talk to him after the show. Finally the song ended, the crowd cheered and began to leave. Shock told the others to hang back and pushed her way to the stage where the skeleton was sitting.

"Excuse me, sir?" Shock asked, the picture of innocence, "My friends and I where looking for Elder Gutknecht. Do you know where we can find him?"

"Ah, new arrivals huh?" the skeleton said, "The name's Bonejangles, head musician around these parts. And you guys?" They introduced themselves. "So young, all of you. Well we all got our stories. Care to share?"

They answered, "Fire." "Hypothermia." "Hit by a car." "Murdered." "Woof!"

"'Woof' huh? Haven't heard that one before," Bonejangles laughed, "You said you where looking for Elder? Well he lives in that old tower across the way, it's the biggest thing around, you can't miss it."

Shock thanked him and they left the pub along with a few other corpses and headed back to the square. Now that it was inhabited it looked livelier, in a manner of speaking. Things where louder now and they didn't have to whisper. Just over the line of rotten houses the top of a tower could be seen. Heading roughly in that direction, they started out. It was hard going, the streets were crisscrossed and crooked and the old dented street signs only go them lost. Hours passed before they finally they found they could see enough of the tower to be really close.

"Guys," Kevin spoke up, "I'm getting a bad feeling. Like something bad is about to happen."

"You're just tired," Lock said, "We're almost there."

They turned a corner and at the end of the street they where on they could see the base of the tower. "Finally!" Barrel yelled, dashing off in that direction with Klondike running alongside.

Suddenly an ear-splitting creak filled the air, followed by a sickening snap. Barrel stopped running long enough to see a whole section of wall coming down on him. He was frozen in place, but Klondike wasn't. The dog gave one quick yank of his leash and pulled Barrel away. Saving him from being crushed by the stone wall by inches. Panic followed along with a huge dust cloud. When the dust settled Shock, Lock, and Kevin found Barrel in a daze; sitting down in front of the pile of stone that would have killed him, again. He petted Klondike on the head absently. Klondike on the other hand looked very pleased with himself, smiling that doggy smile and wagging his tail like a boat propeller.

"Would now be a good time for 'I told you so' or should I wait?" Kevin asked. He received a punch to each shoulder.

They helped Barrel up and each of them patted Klondike on the head. When Barrel ensured them that he was ok they continued slowly. They had all come to the same conclusion; someone was out to get them. Reaper had said that if the answer was here then there would be danger. Shock didn't know what to say. She was getting so close to her sister's cure, but at what cost? Whoever the monster was meant business. Maybe it was safer if she had come alone; no one else needed to risk their lives.

There was no door in front of the staircase that lead up the strange square tower. After the long climb up the quartet found themselves in a dusty, disorganized library. Spider webs covered stacks of book. On the exposed beams supporting the roof, crows roosted, apprehensively eyeing the intruders. A large pedestal dominated the room. Sitting on the top of it was an old frail skeleton writing in a book with an old fashioned quill. At the group's arrival Elder Gutknecht looked up from his work, glancing at them through his ancient half moon spectacles.

"It seems you've made it here alive, good I'm too old to go out running around the town looking for you," he grunted as he got down from the pedestal, "Any trouble on the way here? This town can be dangerous to the likes of you."

"You know we're only half dead?" Barrel asked. Shock punched his arm for just admitting it.

Elder chuckled, "Yes dear boy. I had anticipated your arrival. But the details are still a bit foggy. Could you clarify them for me after you introduce yourselves?"

After introductions were made Shock told Elder what happened. From when she found her sister to when the wall had almost killed Barrel. Elder took the liberty of writing the whole story down while she spoke, not letting her forget one detail. When she was done Elder put aside the story and sighed.

"I know only one case where this has happened before. And I'm not at liberty to discuss it with you, but I know someone who can help you. For now though you should get some rest. When you wake up prepare to leave. My friend will be here by then."

Shock sighed in relief, at last they where getting somewhere. But then she remembered what almost happened to Barrel, someone knew they where here. "Are we safe here? If someone's out there's not much stopping them from getting us here."

"Oh contraire, I don't keep these crows around just for company," Elder said.

He had written something on a small piece of paper and tied it to a crow's leg. The crow took off out a big hole in the wall. As it flew Shock could see it get bigger and bigger, its wings thundered as it flew faster over the dead houses, becoming invisible against the black underground sky. That convinced her.

Elder had a few cots on a lower level of his tower so they finally had some time to sleep. With the cots being so close together, Shock couldn't help but remember the night before they where separated. Though it had happened two years ago she still saw that day in her nightmares. That night when all hope seemed lost, that she would never see her family again. Dread crept its way into her heart as she tried to sleep. What if something happened down here and one of them didn't come back. Could she ever live with herself if that happened? She listened to the comforting sound of the even breath of her family around her. Soon her waking dread slipped into sleeping nightmares.

"Who's this friend of yours anyway?" Barrel asked Elder Gutknecht.

It was morning, or at least that's what it felt like. No one really knew what time it was because there wasn't any sun to go by and no one really needed to know what time it was anyway. The gang had woken up a while a go and where hanging around the library. Elder had single-handedly collected every piece of information that the underworld had to offer. Most of the books where tattered Mortal World books, others Elder had written himself with every little piece of wisdom that the Realm of the Dead had to offer.

"Oh, you'll know her when you see her," Elder responded, "In fact I think that's her coming up the stairs."

No sooner than the words where out of his mouth did the gang hear someone coming up the stairs too. They gathered around in curiosity at the new visitor. She didn't look much older than they where, eighteen at best. Her skin was pale, her eyes were green, and she was wearing a black silk scarf, a very flattering short, red dress, and black heels. But her most prominent feature was what should have been her hair; which was a mass of hissing, slithering snakes.

"Everyone, I would like to introduce my friend and current Land of the Dead prison warden, Medusa."

Shock looked sidelong at the boys. Barrel was blushing, Lock's eye twitched, Kevin's jaw was so fat down that Shock had to close it for him. Even Klondike seemed very interested in the new snake-smelling woman.

"Hello again Elder. It's good to see you," Medusa said serenely, she turned to the quartet, "Are you the ones seeking my help?"

"That depends," Shock started, since the guys where too stunned to talk, "Can you reverse someone who's been turned to stone?"

"Of course I can, but from Elder's letter this isn't any ordinary stone case. Maybe you should tell me the whole story first." Shock did. Medusa kept a straight face through most of it, but that face fell when Shock described how serious her sister's condition was. After the story was over Medusa said, "I don't understand how this happened. There is only one case where this happened before, and it took him a hundred years to reach that state. Your sister was somehow inflicted overnight."

"Can you do something to cure her?" Lock asked.

Medusa sighed, "I don't know. That one case I talked about was never cured. But your sister isn't like him. I can let you try some of the potions we're cooking up at the prison. They might work but it can be risky."

"We'll take whatever we can get," Shock said.

"Then we should go," Medusa turned to the stairs but stopped and said, "But it's best if you stay here Shock. There's a hex around the prison and anyone who uses magic besides me can't enter."

"You mean I'm supposed to stay here and wait for you guys?" Shock incredulously.

"You can't stay outside the prison," Medusa continued, "The security gargoyles would chase you away. It's safer just to wait here."

Shock pouted, but agreed. Medusa continued down the stairs. Shock decided that she didn't like her much. While she was sulking the boys had managed to find their voices.

"I call leader!" Lock said to Kevin.

"Why are you in charge? I want to be in charge," Kevin complained.

"Fat chance, everyone knows I'm in charge,"

Kevin and Lock started going at it again. Shock groaned and went for their necks. Once she had slammed the boys' heads into the floor she stated loud and clear, "And that's why the dog is in charge." Klondike's ears perked up at that. Shock released the guys and went to pet Klondike, "Don't let them do anything stupid o.k.?" Klondike barked once, "Good, lead."

Klondike followed Medusa down the stairs. Barrel smiled at the looks on Lock and Kevin's faces and followed his dog. Kevin looked at Shock disdainfully and followed his brother, Lock just shrugged and followed in suit. Shock watched them go. This wasn't good, it was never good when they where apart. Things happened when they where apart.

Let's Go To Prison

Chapter 7 Let's go to Prison

It was a long walk to the prison. What made it harder was the fact that Medusa walked really fast. The boys almost had to jog to keep up with her. When Medusa finally stopped it was in front of a jagged cliff face. Movement came from boulders that dotted the bluffs. In fact it was the boulders themselves that where moving. One came loose and flew down, threatening to squash the party below. As the boulder got closer the boys realized it wasn't a boulder at all. It was a stone gargoyle. The gargoyle crashed down in front of them and roared fiercely. It looked a lot like a mutated deamon; almost human shaped but with large horns and hawk beak. Klondike barked at it frantically.

Before the boys could do anything Medusa walked closer and patted the monstrous creature on the beak, "It's ok Granite. I've invited them here. Now be a dear and open the door for me."

Granite growled at the boys but obeyed. He flew over to a large slab of stone and placed his claw on it. The slab spontaneously started moving out of the way. A tunnel mouth was revealed. Medusa was on the move again so the guys had no choice but to follow her. Torches lit their way as they traveled into the winding catacombs that inhabited the cliff. They occasionally came across whole groups of gargoyles patrolling the tunnels. From off in the distance roaring and cries could be heard. Klondike gave a soft wine. Noticing the guy's discomfort Medusa started explaining were they where.

"This is the Land of the Dead prison. It houses more of the unruly citizens of this realm. When my long life came to an end, you could say that my grim reaper had more than a few bones to pick with me. I had left all my stone victims in the mortal world. He told me they where my responsibility and my only chance of not being dammed to Hades. So throughout the next years of my afterlife I tracked down, collected, and reversed all of my former victims. But that wasn't enough. It got me out of Hades but it didn't grant me one step in Heaven. This place was founded for one purpose, my redemption.

"It isn't an easy job to round up the dead's toughest criminals. What makes it harder are immortals. A Grim Reaper is accountable for all immortals in his or her jurisdiction, leaving him the job of capturing the immortal and bringing them to the Land of the Dead. Most cases of immortality are caused by magic and in that way, reversible. They are brought here, reversed, and then either is sentenced to time here or is sent on their way. But there are a few that gained their immortality by science. They're annoyingly hard to fix them that way. We spend forever trying to find a 'cure' for it but it only works sometimes. Currently there is only one immortal here that hasn't been reversed. I doubt if he ever could."

"Who is it?" Lock asked.

"His name is Chadwick Moore, former resident of the 28th dimension."

"The what?" Kevin asked.

"The 28th dimension. What, did you think this was the one and only dimension? Next I supposed you think there's only one grim reaper;" when she was met with silence she groaned, "Ok let me explain. There are infinite dimensions and multiple reapers for each. The reapers are allowed to pass through the dimensions except for a few. Sometimes when a threat becomes too much to handle in one dimension they transport it to another dimension where it can't do any damage. When word got out among the reapers about my prison here I started getting immortals left and right.

"Chadwick came from the 28th dimension, a dimension showing one of earth's possible futures. A bleak and depressing one. His mother was a scientist, a brilliant one at that. She began working on a vaccine formula, what it was originally meant to do I'm not sure. In the end it turned out to grant immortality to the test subject. The subject would remain exactly the way it was no matter how you try to kill it. Of course Chadwick was very interested in the research and asked his mother to show him the lab one night. The lab was empty and after explaining exactly what it did, his mother told him that the formula was ready for human use. That was all Chadwick needed. He pushed his mother out the lab window and quickly injected the vaccine into himself before he too jumped. When the police found them Chadwick's mother was long dead and Chadwick claimed amnesia of the event.

"If you hadn't guessed, Chadwick didn't have the best intentions for his newfound immortality. Murdering his mother had left him riches beyond compare, riches he had great and terrible plans for. The grim reaper that had Chadwick under his jurisdiction knew that he couldn't let him live one full day as an immortal. When Chadwick visited a construction site of one of his inherited company's new buildings, he happened to fall into a pool of wet cement. He stayed there for one hundred years before a redeveloping plan threatened his exposure. I'm not sure how the reaper got him out of the concrete but he eventually made his way here."

After walking deeper into the caverns of the prison they finally came to a large steel door with no handle on it. Medusa mumbled a spell and the door groaned open. Inside there was a well lit laboratory with glowing with strange test tubes and even some old computers. In the center of the room was an examination table with a twisted statue on it.

"Vincent," Medusa called as she walked into the lab, "Vincent! *sigh* Where could he be now?"

"Who's Vincent?" Barrel asked.

"He's my apprentice. I'm teaching him all that I know about potions so he can help me with Chadwick's cure. It's not everyday when someone dies with the secret ambition of being a mad scientist. His only downfall is being a bit scatterbrained. Working on one thing one minute then on another the next. Sometimes he just gets up and leaves doing who knows what around town. I'd get rid of him, but he's a genius. We are more close to a cure than I've ever been alone. I guess I'll have to find the test potions without him."

She started to go to the door across the room from the examination table. When they passed it the boys got a good look at the one immortal who stumped the great Medusa. Chadwick's face was frozen in a frightening way, they way a person's face would look if they knew they were getting something worse than death. That the only one they could blame was them self. Other than that he didn't look like a murderous criminal. He was barely older than they were. Then again most people their age haven't gone on trial, been sentenced to banishment, kidnapped Santa Clause, and brought the Boogie Man back from the dead seven or eight times.

"Question," Kevin said to Medusa, "Why leave him in the concrete? Can't you just get him out then try and find the cure?"

Medusa turned and gave a malicious smile, giving her an eerie resemblance of Shock. With lighting speed Medusa produced a large sledge hammer from thin air and gave a loud hiss. She jumped high and brought down the hammer on Chadwick's hand. The concrete broke away into gravel and freed his hand. The hand didn't move; it looked perfectly healthy, like the potion meant to do. Suddenly the hand snapped to life, blindly feeling around. As the boys stared at the hand it started to change color, going from tan to gray almost instantly. The skin started to bubble and it got lumpy. The hand started panicking, scratching at the table and clawing at the open air as it continued to change. Almost half a minute after being released, the hand was encased in stone again.

"That's why," Medusa said nonchalantly, "In that hundred years he was sitting under a building, the stone chemically bonded with his DNA. Long lecture short, Chadwick here grows stone like we grow scabs."

"Oh," Kevin said timidly. You don't argue with a dangerous woman with a sledge hammer still in her hands.

Medusa hung up the hammer on the wall and pulled out a key (don't ask me from where) and unlocked the back door. It opened up to a warehouse full of potions and viles. From floor to ceiling there where different colored tonics and remedies. Some glowed by themselves while others where so dark you'd think you were looking at a shadow in a jar. There where also jars and pots filled with herbs and strange things they've never seen before. Kevin looked at the shelves oddly, they some how looked familiar. Medusa told them that the potion they where looking for where in the back. As they went deeper Kevin started to feel something weird, like the air had become thicker. The others didn't seem to notice so he walked on. But that feeling persisted until he realized it was exactly what he felt before Barrel had that incident with the wall.

Kevin grabbed Lock and Barrels shoulders and stopped them, "Guys, I'm getting that bad feeling again. Like before."

Before Lock or Barrel could say anything Medusa screamed, "NOOOOOOOOOO!" The boys caught up to her to see a completely empty shelf. "The potions! All of them, gone!"

"How could someone get in here?" Lock asked, "This place has more guards than Alcatraz."

"What if they didn't break in, maybe they broke out," Barrel said, looking around nervously.

"Impossible," Medusa said, her snake hair snapping angrily, "That door won't open for anything but the key… keys." Medusa eyes widened with realization, and then closed with anger, "That ungrateful little wretch! I'll have his head for this!"

Klondike gave a loud wine. Making all of them jump. He was looking down the way they had came. His ears were up like he was hearing something only he could hear. After a tense moment the wolf dog broke off into a run, howling madly.

"It's the same as before, first the bad feeling, then Klondike," Kevin said, as everyone ran after the dog.

"Klondike saved me then," Barrel said as they ran, "There's only one of us he could be running off to save now."

"We have to get to Shock!" Lock yelled, his voice echoing into the dark caverns.

Taken

Chapter 8 Taken

Shock put down the book of creatures she had been reading and stared out of a hole in the wall. The boys were taking too long. Something felt wrong. She looked down at the strange world. Mist rolled over the roof tops like clouds that had no home in the darkened sky. It reminded her of when she had been trapped between portals. Was this world one of the ones she saw then?

She turned to Elder Gutknecht, "Elder, do you know how portals work?"

"What do you want to know?" Elder asked putting down his quill.

"What would happen if they broke?"

"Are you referring to last year's incident?" Elder said wryly.

"You know about that?" Shock asked surprised.

"The effects of the breaking portal were even felt here. If that one portal had broken, catastrophe would have ensued. Halloween would not be so frightening, Christmas would not be so joyous, Easter eggs wouldn't be colorful, fireworks wouldn't sparkle, and in short the Mortal World would loose nearly everything good and cheerful about it. Without the world celebrating the holidays, the holiday worlds would disappear forever. We should thank our lucky stars that it was fixed it before it was too late."

"Whoa, I just considered myself lucky that I made it out of there alive."

"It was your bond with your friends that saved you."

"What?"

"The bond you share is the strongest that I've ever seen. This is because it was made when you are both alive and dead. So that nothing, not even death can break it. It was enough to withstand a year of separation and strong enough to bring you from the depths of darkness."

"How do you know that?"

"These glasses help me see more than what's in front of me," Elder chuckled, fingering his ancient glasses, "Like that book you where you just reading, a strange creatures golems are don't you think? And to me your friend Kevin looks like he has been previously fallen out a window. Am I right?"

"More like pushed, what else can your magical glasses see?"

"Let's see, Barrel has a small piece of caramel stuck up his nose. Lock's tail twitches slightly every time he looks at you. Finally you yourself are very protective of all three of them, especially Lock."

Shock blushed deeply. Did Lock's tail really twitch when he saw her? Had she raised her voice a little too much when they were leaving? How did Elder know about that piece of caramel? Elder chuckled again and picked up the book he was writing in and descended his large pedestal, shelving it randomly. He started to pick up another one,

"Another thing, y-" Elder promptly dropped the book, causing Shock to jump. Elder stared blankly for a moment. Then she realized he was really staring into his glasses. "Get out."

"What?"

"Get out! Run!" Elder started pushing her to the stairs.

Before Shock knew it there was a loud popping noise and the staircase started filling with green smoke. There were more popping sounds and the rest of the study started to fill with smoke. Shrill cries came from the rafters as crows scattered in panic and plummeted to the ground. Shock couldn't focus, the smoke was foul and choking, and the only thing she felt was Elder gripping her wrist.

"No! Whatever you do don't breathe!" Elder screamed at her.

It was too late; Shock had inhaled too much and was slipping into unconsciousness. The last thing she felt was the grip on her hand being released and something falling down. Before she slipped into darkness she had time for one last thought. What was Lock doing?

Lock was running for his life. Well not exactly. Since he wasn't running for his life, he was running for Shock's. Barrel, Kevin, even Medusa, couldn't keep up with him. They had lost sight of Klondike a long time ago but knew he was headed for Elder's tower. Lock had no problem with directions now; all he could think about was Shock. If a wall almost fell on Barrel what could happen to her?

Before he knew it he was scaling the tower stairs and into the study. What used to be a disorganized study was a scene of chaos. Crows flapped around in a panic, book were strewn across the floor; a bookshelf had been turned over and buried in a mountain of loose papers. Klondike was digging at the overturned shelf and whining. With Barrel and Kevin's help, Lock lifted it up, to find a motionless Elder Gutknecht.

Klondike came over and licked the old skeleton's face. Elder gave a groan and struggled to push the dog away from him. Medusa pulled out Elder and the boys dropped the shelf. They made a chair out of books for Elder to sit in. Lock searched the library frantically but found no trace of Shock. After a minute of groaning, Elder was finally able to talk.

"We were attacked," Elder groaned, "With some sort of gas. My birds couldn't stop that."

"Elder," Lock asked anxiously, "Where is Shock?"

Elder shook his head sadly, "Gone. She's been taken."

If Lock's face could get any paler, it did. Shock? Taken? The words didn't make sense together. Shock was the strongest person he knew. No one could just, take her. It was impossible. Barrel and Kevin didn't get it either. Shock was the one who saved them, not the other way around. They stared at Elder in blank disbelief. Meanwhile Medusa was examining Elder's arm bone closely.

"The gas has absorbed into his bones," Medusa said flatly, "I need to get it out of him before he is reduced to dust. It's going to take a while."

"We don't have a while!" Lock snapped. Then realized what a jerk he just made himself sound. His face fell and he said quietly, "Shock..."

"We get it, Kevin and I want to find her too," Barrel said, "But we have no idea where she is or who did this."

"You're wrong there," Medusa said, she had found an old trunk with herbs and was mixing the treatment for Elder. "There's only one person who could know about this kind of gas. Vincent."

"What would a lab assistant want with Shock?" Kevin questioned.

Medusa shook her head, "I wouldn't know. But something bad is happening and I don't like it. When I told him I was bringing visitors yesterday I didn't tell him who you were. Somehow he knew we would have to leave Shock behind. Vincent chose this gas in particular; it knocks a normal corpse out and poison Elder's fragile bones. Giving him the opportunity to kidnap Shock and delay us at the same time. Whatever he's doing, he just bought himself some time to do it. You have to find him fast. I'll stay here and take care of Elder."

"But we don't know where-" Barrel said.

Barrel was cut of by a loud bark from Klondike. The wolf dog had been sniffing around while they were talking. Now he was pacing in front of the stairs, going down then coming back. Like he wanted them to follow him. The boys looked at each other.

"Well it's worked so far," Kevin said.

"Then we follow the dog," Lock agreed.

"Wait," Elder said, "You must be very careful. If you die in this world then that's it. There are no more stops between here and what truly lies beyond. Either you fly or you fall."

The boys nodded with grim understanding. Without a second thought Lock and Kevin started running after Klondike. Barrel however, hesitated a second. Did Kevin and Lock just agree on something? Things must be serious. Perplexed, Barrel followed his fellow miscreants. Each of them thinking the same thing. Where was Shock?

Immortality:A Fools Dream

Chapter 9 Immortality: A Fool's Dream


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Shock was hiding in a closet. Any second now, any second, the sound of footsteps were coming closer. This was it! The footsteps slowed to a stop outside the closet. Slowly the closet door creaked open. Shock screamed and jumped out of the shadows. Her mother jumped back in fright.

"Ha ha! Shock strikes again!" Shock proclaimed proudly to her still stunned mother.

"Samantha how many times have I told you not to do that to me?" Her mother said, little breathless.

"Sorry, I thought you where dad," Shock said innocently.

"That's what you always say," her mother said, irritated, "Why don't you go to your room and play with your dolls like a good little girl?"

"Booooring," Shock said, "I'll be in the backyard!"

"Don't get your costume dirty!" Shock's mother called after her witch clad kid as she flew down the hallway and into their backyard.

Shock liked playing outside, mostly because her mom didn't. She would find little inch worms and caterpillars and put them in a line to march in. Her mom would see them and squeal while her dad would applaud her. Today Shock busied herself with some rocks and gravel next to the back porch. While she was looking at a rock that reminded her of a piece of peppermint she got a brilliant idea. When her mom wasn't looking she sneaked into the house to the front door. There sat the bowl of brightly wrapped candy for the trick-or-treaters, unguarded. Shock carefully picked up the bowl and headed outside. This was going to be tasty.

Later…

"Trick-or-treat!" The first trick-or-treaters said on the front porch.

Shock's mother reached over and picked up some of the candy and noticed something wrong. The candy weighed differently. She dropped all but one of them and opened it. It was a rock. After fishing some change from her purse to give to the trick-or-treaters. She came upstairs to confront her daughter. Who was in the bathroom bent over the toilet.

"Samantha Shelton did you eat all the candy?" Her mother asked angrily.

Shock threw up in response. Her mother opened the bathroom window and lit a scented candle. Once Shock was done barfing her mother started scolding her. Most of it was about how stealing was wrong and how much trouble she was in and so on. Shock, even though she was mad she got caught, didn't feel good enough to fight. So she just sat there as her mother read her the riot act. Until her mom got to the part about being like a regular girl. Shock hated when her mom brought this up. How her mom went on and on about how normal girls draw flowers and play with dolls while she played with bugs and drew little monsters.

"Well maybe I'm not normal!" Shock finally shouted.

"Of course you are," Her mom snapped back, "You're just not trying."

"Because I don't want to!" Shock said as she stomped down the hallway to her room, "I don't want to draw stupid flowers or braid my hair."

"You would have more friends if you did," Her mom said going after her.

"I don't want friends like that!" Shock slammed her door and screamed, "I hate you!"

Those where the last words Shock ever said to her mother. She slid into her bed and hid under the covers, unaware that these where her final hours. The winds of change were blowing in more than one way that night. They blew right through the bathroom window, lifting the shower curtain right onto the burning candle. It burst into flames and burned to the carpet, the floor, and into the walls. Fire crept and smoldered its way throughout the house silently, releasing its choking gas straight into the room of a sleeping child. It was the first time the darkness had a hold of her. Slithering like snakes into her mouth and crawled into her lungs. But even then there was an escape, a way the child broke free. It was called death.

People have a habit of blaming Death for a lot of things. Wars, plagues, natural disasters; all Death's doing. Worst of all Death has been accused of the heinous act of stealing our friends and loved ones away from us. But when you look at it, who suffers more? Those who survive the tragedies, or the ones that Death takes away? The few lucky ones that don't live to see the world they knew crumble to the ground. Or in this case, don't live to see the look on their parents faces when they find them in a smoke filled room. They don't see their tears at the funeral as a small coffin is put in the ground or hear that sad funeral music.


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Wait a minute. That music was too real to be a dream. Shock's head ached and pounded, angry that she had decided to wake up and spoil the hallucination it was having because of the gas. Once the ringing in her head stopped Shock could hear the soft notes of a recorder being played somewhere. Since she was already annoying herself she decided to open her eyes to a blinding light. She would have thrown her hands up to cover her eyes but realized she couldn't move them. After a minute of blinking she was able to look around.

She was in a laboratory, at least that's the first thing that came to her. There where shelves from the floor to ceiling filled with strange contraptions and potions. The ceiling was high but it was covered in support beams. Wherever she was, she was more underground than the rest of the city. Shock tried moving again, no luck. Her hands and feet had been strapped down to an autopsy table. After a minute of testing the restraints she gave up and looked around again. To her left was a big wooden door which supposedly led to stairs, to her right was her kidnapper.

He wasn't what she had expected; the guy wasn't any older than she was. Then again she had first kidnapped someone when she was much younger. He was average height, skinny, his head had a pointy chin and had unruly black hair on top. The lab coat he was wearing was white and his long gloves were black. Whoever he was wasn't paying attention to her right now, he was the source of the music. For a guy with small hands he played the recorder very well. Music flowed from the instrument in a sad melody, like the funeral music she had hallucinated. Before Shock could think of a way to escape while he was distracted, the music stopped. The kidnapper turned his insane yellow eyes to Shock.

"You're awake, excellent," the kidnapper said eagerly, "Can't experiment when the lab rat's out cold."

"Who are you calling a lab rat? You're the one who's going to be in a cage as soon as I get out of these restraints," Shock said darkly.

"I knew you would say that, Samantha," the kidnapper smiled.

Shock's face started for a second, then went back to furious, "Who are you? How do you know my name?"

He started walking to one of the many shelves, "My name is Vincent. As for your name, I assumed it was Samantha since the little girl was visiting that grave when she had an, accident."

"Liar! You're the one who turned my sister into stone! How could you do such a cruel thing to a little kid?"

"The way I tried to do it to your parents," Vincent said nonchalantly." Shock couldn't help but let out a small gasp. Vincent chuckled, "That's right you don't know. I started with you're dad, no luck, he died before the stone potion could take any effect. You're mom hung in long enough to start turning to stone, but she died before she became fully encased. Without a living body, the stone just turned to gravel. Not much evidence to the police. And finally your sweet little sister, all by herself in that graveyard, was the perfect target. At long last, my potion worked."

"How can you sound so proud knowing that you cursed a kid to a fate worse than death?" Shock said furiously.

"Don't you know? The best part of being a mad scientist is being mad. Any crazy person could create a potion like this. Only a mad person could create it, and use it effectively."

"Effectively?" Shock said, "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm not going to tell you," Vincent said maliciously, "Why deny you something to think about for all of eternity?" He spun around and sprayed a fine mist out of a bug sprayer into Shock's face.

She could feel it. The gas was starting to take effect. Shock tried to hold her breath but her skin was going numb. Coldness was creeping over her. She looked down at her feet; stone was beginning to crawl its way up her legs. Vincent looked on eagerly, Shock never wanted to punch someone in the mouth so much. Everything was spinning, colors blended, she felt dizzy. She tried to raise her arm but her whole body had gone limp. All the feeling was gone; she was a soul without a body. A soul that couldn't roam free, a soul that would be trapped in stone forever. The stone crept slowly onward. Why was it taking so long? Vincent started laughing.

"The delay is working perfectly. You see Shock; your sister was encased a little too fast. I wanted the process to be a little slower, especially for you." He played with a lock of her hair, Shock was almost grateful that she couldn't feel anything. He laughed again, "Your friends are going to get here eventually. Why don't you smile for them?" He fixed her mouth into a smile. "After all you will be stuck that way forever, might as well do it with a smile." He laughed again and reached for a syringe, "Before I forget there's something I need from you. You see, I have nothing out for you personally. I'm really out for blood."

Shock would have feinted when she saw that needle go into her arm. Ask her to take down someone twice her size, ask her to go extreme bungee jumping, defuse a bomb, walk in a mine field, no problem. But needles… would have rather done any of those things than to see that giant needle pull out her own blood. The dull crimson red blood filled the syringe before Vincent stopped. He left her staring at the tiny drops of blood slowly creeping out of the puncture wound, Shock felt sick.

Half of her was stone now; it had crept up to her waist while Vincent was talking to her. Shock didn't even have the satisfaction that it would be over. It would never be over. The cruelest part was that death would never come, she was a deathless. Death might have lost, but it didn't mean winning was better. Winning was torture, pure torture. Shock thought of Violet. The sweet little girl she knew that found it in her heart to love the dead, if Shock was feeling this way now. What was happening to her little sister? She had been stone for days. Was there even anything there left to save?

Save? Who was she kidding? Even if Lock, Barrel, and Kevin found her they couldn't stop what was happening to her. What was worse is that if they came they would end up like her. No, there wasn't any hope. Not for her, not for her sister, not for anybody who crossed Vincent's demented path. She could almost hear them, the boys thundering footsteps coming to her rescue. The large wooden door creaking as it was being beaten down. Glass beakers crashing to the floor as tables were turned over. The sounds seemed so close but still far away, like she was underwater. Yes, that was it, like drowning. That part when the light and safety of the air above gets farther and farther away. That part where your life flashes in front of your eyes just before the black bottom of the sea swallows you whole. "Lock would have made a great hero," she thought. Tearing down the door, smashing Vincent's head against the wall, coming to hold her hand, and finally realizing there was nothing he could do to save her. End of movie, roll the credits.

Reality started to blink away. She actually started seeing her hallucinations. Because all of a sudden Lock was there. Right in front of her, probably holding her hand even though it had already tuned to stone. Was he saying something? Sound meant nothing to her now. The look on his face, was it pain? She couldn't tell anymore, everything was going dark. Shock wanted to tell him to stop, that she didn't want the last thing she saw was him looking so sad. Oh, well. Maybe she could cling to this one picture for eternity. His face, his eyes, stunning even when filled with terror. That would bring her peace for a long time. The darkness welcomed her back with a vice grip, never wanting to loose its prize again.

Nothing Left To Lose

Chapter 10 Nothing Left to Lose

Klondike went slower this time. Mostly because he was following a scent rather than just returning to a place he had already been, the other reason was because he waited for his pack members to catch up. The scent of the person-he-did-not-know was hard to find among the other smells of the street. Alpha-member-Shock's scent was more familiar, but this was also bad because he sensed danger everywhere.

Danger meant that alpha member-Shock could get hurt. Klondike smelled no blood, that's good. He hoped that she was ok. It wasn't good for the pack when one went off alone and didn't come back. Pack-member-that-gives-food-Barrel and pack-member-who-often-gets-hit-Kevin felt very scared. Did they sense the danger too? Humans didn't always have the best senses. The smell of alpha member-Shock's scent got stronger, she was close.

Klondike picked up his pace and so did his pack. Alpha-Lock was enraged, his eyes where wild and he smelled of fight. Was the person-he-did-not-know going to challenge alpha-Lock for leadership? Luring him away from very-strong-snake-person and person-of-old-not-tasty-anymore-bones in case they try and stop him? No, that didn't make sense; human packs stuck together and wouldn't want this smelling-of-danger-person as alpha.

A thought struck Klondike so hard that he almost tripped on an uneven piece of the street. Did the person-smelling-of-danger want alpha-Shock as beta, his beta? That definitely wasn't good. Where Klondike came from wolves mated for life. If a wolf wanted another wolf's mate he or she would have to challenge and kill the competition. As far as he knew humans didn't do it that way, but with the way alpha-Lock was now, maybe he had thought wrong.

They rounded the corner into a narrow alleyway. A row of stairs led down to what they could only guess was where Shock was being held. It was then Klondike smelled it, the blood. The maddening, primal instinct inducing scent of blood shed. Not just any blood, alpha-Shock's blood. Klondike let one monstrous snarl rip through the air as he charged down the stairs. A simple wooden door stood in his path; darn it, he wasn't good with doors. Clawing and slamming himself against it didn't work much. But his masters where right behind him and joined in. One combined slam and the door was blown off its hinges. There he stood the one who emitted danger. Klondike didn't think twice and did what alpha-Shock would have done. He aimed for the neck.

Klondike was the first one in; the second was Lock who had time to see the wolf dog's teeth sink into the guy who he suspected was the kidnapper. That wasn't important now; Shock had to be here somewhere. There, in the center of the room, like some sort of sick trophy, Shock was tied to an observation table. Lock didn't waste time helping Barrel and Kevin try to wrestle Klondike away from the monster who did this to her and ran straight to Shock.

He was too late. Stone had already replaced her pale green skin, strands of hair grew layers of stone, and it crept onward to her face, covering her lips. Slowly devouring, mocking him for being too late, for being too useless to save its victim. He looked into her eyes, the only thing that the stone hadn't taken, she didn't look sad. She looked happy, why did she look so happy? Her mouth had been frozen into a smile. Didn't she understand what was happening to her? What this was doing to him?

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Lock said, his voice heavy.

Shock's eyes turned sad, could she still hear him? He took her hand, it was cold, stone cold. Lock stared into her dark eyes as the stone finally blinded her, taking Shock away from the world, from death, and from him.

"LOCK!"

A scream brought Lock back to the present; he turned around slowly to see what was left of a green smoke cloud fade. On the floor three statues laid unmoving, none of them were the psychotic lab assistant. The said psycho was holding an antique gas mask to his face; puncture wounds dotted his neck but didn't bleed. As the gas disappeared Vincent started laughing. Even from with the gas mask muffling it, a cold chill ran up Lock's spine, he had heard that laugh before.

"Well if it isn't the boyfriend," Vincent sneered as he removed the gas mask, "You-"

Vincent stopped cold. Lock looked him square in his yellow eyes.

Of all people, of all things that could have done this, it had to be him.

A tense second passed, then Vincent started laughing again, "Well, doesn't fate have an interesting sense of humor. It is you isn't it? I didn't believe it when I heard… but there you are."

Lock was right, it was him. That voice, that outfit, that insane look in his eyes. Before him stood the same mad scientist that had tricked him into the woods that fateful night almost ten years ago.

"You. You did this!" Lock screamed through his teeth. Rage filled every last inch of his being.

Vincent laughed manically, "Ooohh, gonna fight this time? Or will you end up running away screaming like you did the night I died? What she saw in you I'll never know, guess you won't either."

That did it.

Lock pounced with speed he didn't even know he possessed on top of the demented scientist. On collision the bug sprayer full of the stone potion fell from the psycho's hands. Somewhere at the back of his mind Lock heard the weapon clang against the far wall, but he didn't care. All he cared about was strangling the maniac under him. He wrapped his gloved hands around the mad man's scrawny neck.

Vincent was un-phased. Sure he couldn't breathe but who needed to breathe when you were dead? He was, however, effectively trapped. With Lock on top of him he had no hope of getting away. His only hope of escape was a small knife he kept in his pocket. Time for a little conversation.

"Well done devil," Vincent croaked. He still needed air to talk.

"You've doomed them," Lock growled, fury making his thoughts eerily clear, "WHY?"

Vincent gurgled a little and Lock relaxed his grip, but only a little.

"Revenge," the psycho answered.

"For what?" Lock roared. The others hadn't even known him!

Vincent's psychotic smile disappeared, "Why were you chosen to live in Halloween Town?"

"Halloween Town? That's why you did this to them! Because we died on Halloween but you didn't?" It didn't make any sense! None of this did!

"Three seconds!" Vincent screamed. His hand had found the knife and stabbed Lock's side the wound wasn't serious but it did catch Lock off guard. Lock's hands let go of Vincent's neck, that's when the tables began to turn.

Vincent kicked Lock off of him and dove for his precious bug sprayer. Lock had pulled the knife out of his side and had half a second to recover before he saw Vincent pointing the sprayer at him. Vincent had him; Lock could see that right away. Somehow they had fought their way to the corner of the room. The one and only exit blocked by a lunatic with an antique spray can full of a deathless fate. Four statues looked silently on, Lock had nothing left to lose.

But Vincent apparently wasn't done ranting, "Three seconds! That's all it takes to miss that all important dead-line of midnight! To miss the chance to have all your wonderful nightmares come true? I spent my entire life as the sweet little child that every parent longed to have; and you know what? I hated it! I would have sold my soul to die and live as a citizen of Halloween Town; to grow up as a mad scientist as I always dreamed to be. So when my time came what happens? My place was taken by some little brat that died before I did and I end up in this hell hole stuck the same way I was when I died."

"Blame yourself!" Lock shouted, "It was your fault I died!"

"You were dead either way. The candy that I stole from you was tainted, if you had eaten it you would die a lot sooner than I did. Either way you would end up with a perfect life with a home, a family, and a girlfriend for God's sake!"

Lock unconsciously cringed at the word girlfriend, a word that he would have denied had the circumstances been different.

The cringe was enough for Vincent to notice, a new round of laughter was followed by Vincent's mocking tone, "I wouldn't worry about her too much. Maybe after a year or two I'll let her out. By then she might be as crazy as I am. Especially when she hears that you abandoned her here with me. Imagine how hopelessly desperate she'll be."

It was too much for Lock, this sadistic perv had to die again, even if Lock had to drag him through the gates of hell himself.

Three things happened at once.

Lock charged.

Vincent fired.

And Medusa walked in the room.

A Tribute And Message

Chapter 11 A Tribute and Message

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." –William Shakespeare

Vincent was no exception. The moment he decided to betray her, he was doomed. Only a mad man would have thought of it. Medusa was going to enjoy making him pay for his mistake.

Vincent had the chance to fire less than half of the potion when both Lock and Medusa attacked him. Medusa with a powerful kick to his lower back and Lock with a punch to the face. Lock tried not to breathe in the toxic green cloud as Medusa forced Vincent against the wall. Lifting him by the neck until his feet didn't touch the floor. Somehow, maybe by some ancient power she possessed, Vincent felt the pain as though he was still alive.

"The antidote," Medusa commanded, "Where is it!"

Vincent managed a scared smile as he croaked, "N-no… antidote."

"Don't give me that bull, Vincent. Even someone as demented as you would make an antidote for himself, mad or not."

Vincent closed his eyes and tried to look away.

A primal snarl ripped through the air, "Don't make me do it Vincent. You know I still can, and unlike your quaint little potion, I can make it hurt worse than hell itself. I'll ask one more time, where is the antidote?"

Vincent's smile faltered, his eyes filled with mad panic, "B-bottom sh-shelf, next to the table." Medusa tightened her grip, "*wheeze* B-b-blue potion!"

Medusa glared at him before looking back at Lock. He had managed to escape the gas by breathing through his shirt. Having heard their whole conversation Lock sluggishly sauntered toward the table that Shock was strapped to. She still smiled up at him, encouraging him to try. Right where Vincent said was a large vial of shimmering blue potion.

Medusa turned back to Vincent and tightened her grip, "This wouldn't be a trick would it?"

Vincent struggled and gasped under her grip before she loosened her grip enough for him to squeak, "N-n-no! N-no trick!"

With a final snarl at Vincent, Medusa motioned Lock to continue.

Lock, with his gloved hands eerily calm uncorked the vial and let the first few drops fall onto Shock's stony smile.

The first thing Shock felt was warmth. Beautiful, enveloping, caressing warmth. In her cold absolute prison the warmth was pure heaven. Maybe that was it, the potion hadn't worked. It had really killed her. She was free. No, that wasn't it. Her body was still stiff and unmovable. She wasn't moving toward the warmth, it was coming toward her.

Somehow, impossibly, she opened her eyes.

First there was darkness, but it lightened, she was in a darkened room. The light slipping from under the door she was standing in front of. Shock still couldn't move. But light was on the other side, she wanted that light. There was only one thing she could think of, so with all her mind power she willed the door open with her thoughts. Slowly the door opened with a familiar and welcoming creak. Soft morning light filled her eyes.

When Shock's eyes adjusted, she found herself in a very small and very familiar kitchen. A low hum emitted from the refrigerator on the far wall next to the shelf full of spices stuffed in the corner. Above the shelf was mounted a tiny television, off right now but on when the Spanish novelas came on later. Just in front of that entire wall was a wooden table with only room for three chairs since one end of the table was squashed against the other wall and buried under a pile of kitchen stuff like napkins, condiments, and an odd looking glass and water thermometer. In front of Shock herself stood the water cooler and counter top with the ancient and seldom used microwave. On the wall hung one of the eighteen clocks in the house, her favorite one too, the one that played a little tune every hour. Next to her was the corner counter top with the small sink with freshly washed dishes drying on the left half. Above both the counter tops white cabinets, Shock knew, contained all the dishes, glasses and assortment of sippy-cups. The smell of bacon and beans wafted through the air from the small stove.

In front of that stove was her grandmother.

Who had died before Shock did.

Grandma was a short, unassuming woman with laugh lines creasing her face. Her hair was the reddish color that only comes from dye. She wore generic clothes with plain unnoticeable colors, a t-shirt with kapris that went well past her knees, and an old and lovingly worn down red checkered apron. As Shock stood there in awe her grandma had been paying attention to her stove top.

Slowly her grandmother turned to Shock, "Good morning mi amour. Ready for breakfast I see."

After a moment of dumbfoundment, Shock again realized she couldn't move. Her grandmother gave her a half smile, an angelic cousin of Shock's grin of mischief. Grandma shuffled over to her astonished granddaughter. It was then that Shock noticed something else, she was six-years-old again. In a flash her grandmother spirited her over to the table and helped her sit down. Before she knew it a bowl of beans and a plate piled high full of bacon sat in front of her; a sippy-cup full of chocolate milk stood to the side, no lid of course, she was too big for that.

One look at that plate of comfort food and all her mobility was restored. Shock dug into the most wonderful breakfast she had in eleven years. Her grandmother had made this same breakfast for her every day when she was little. Every morning Shock's father would wake her up super early and drop her off here before he went to work. She would be so tired that she would always sleep on the couch until breakfast was ready.

When the plate was done, a knock came from the door between the table and the stove. No one ever used the front door, mostly because it was inside a decorative security cage and Grandpa's favorite recliner stood in front of it. It was usually a friend of Grandma. She was always so kind; people around the neighbor hood would drop by and talk to her. Sometimes they would bring their kids and Shock would play with them in the backyard amongst the beautiful plants, the big tree in the middle of the yard, and the big bird cage with a dozen little parakeets flying around inside.

Grandma went and opened the door. A radiant woman stepped into the kitchen, in her arms was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It was a soul, it had to be, it couldn't possibly be anything else. A brand new straight-out-of-heaven soul wrapped in golden light. The woman held it in her arms like a baby.

"Lucy," Grandma greeted her with a half hug and a smile, "So good of you to come."

"And miss the chance to meet the grand-daughter you keep going on about?" Lucy smiled in return, "Not a chance."

Lucy turned her gaze to Shock, "So nice to finally meet you, though I had prayed for better circumstances than this."

Shock could barely hear her, how could she? How could anyone talk so plainly when such a thing as a new soul existed in the universe?

Lucy followed Shocks stare and smiled, the guest reached down to the soul and shifted some of the radiating light around it to shield the soul from sight. Shock was immediately struck with the sense of loss, but it was brief, soon she found herself coming back to her senses. Grandma and her friend seated themselves on either side of Shock and waited for her to completely come around.

The silence was first broken by the guest, "I'm sorry Shock, I forgot how mesmerizing a new soul could be to others."

Shock nodded dumbly and motioned her to continue, not trusting herself to attempt to speak.

"There's been some debate over this little one, what she'll look like, how will she behave, who will be her soul mate. We've been buzzing about it for the longest time; at long last she's almost ready to go."

By now Shock had completely regained her sanity to ask, "We… where…? Am…I… am I…?"

"Oh! No, no, dear your not dead… at least not any more than before," her Grandma consoled, "You're just in a transition, when you awaken everything will be right again."

Shock sighed in relief, but a more pressing question had been bugging her, "Why am I here?"

Her grandmother and Lucy exchanged knowing looks. Gently, Shock's grandma reached over and took her hand, "We've come to deliver a message."

"A message?"

"First, take care of your sister, no matter what it takes. Secondly, I'm afraid there are troubled times ahead of you my dear. You and your family will be tested in ways they never have been before. Many things will stand in your way and the way you respond to them will determine whether…"

"Whether what?"

"…Whether all of your family will all be there at the end of it."

"…What?"

"I don't mean to scare you dear, but you have to be prepared for whatever comes next. Whether it's a fight with a friend, a war with an enemy… or adopting a few children."

"Y-you know?"

"Yes," Lucy responded, "Your parents are very proud of your decision; they know that couldn't have been a very easy choice to make."

Choking back a sudden urge to cry, Shock asked her grandma, "My parents, are they here?"

"No, mi amour. They couldn't come, too new you see, don't know all the tips and tricks it takes to be one of us just yet. Please understand that they wanted to come so badly, but they simply couldn't handle the trip down. No need to look so sad, you will see them again in time. Speaking of which…"

The clock struck the hour, a merry little tune begun to play.

And reality began to fall away.

No, not reality, the illusion, she was being thrown back to reality. The walls of the room began to ripple like waves. The small safe kitchen that she had known and loved was starting to disappear.

"NO!" Shock yelled as she jumped from her vanishing seat, she hugged her grandma tightly, "I don't want to leave!"

"You have to mi amour, it's time," Shock's grandmother cooed.

"No, it isn't fair! You weren't supposed to die. Your heart problems weren't that serious, nothing justified your heart just giving out like that. One day I'm here with you and the next my parents tell me I won't see you again. It's not fair..."

"I know my dear, it doesn't seem fair. But look at it this way; I don't have to be in that pain anymore. And I'll tell you something; this place will always be waiting for your return. When your time comes, we will both be here."

The little tune was almost at the end, the kitchen a complete blur. The only clarity was in her grandma, Lucy, and the little life in her arms.

Shock dried her tears and glanced over at Lucy. There was one last thing she needed to know.

"What's her name?"

The angel whispered it into her ear.

Back From The Brink

Chapter 12 Back From the Brink

It was cold again.

Not the dead freezing cold that the dark void provided, just cold. Familiar, living, breathable, cold.

It was bright too.

Not radiant light that heaven was made of, just bright. The dull, colored light that she had come to know and love.

Love.

Shocks eyes opened, she found herself in a familiar position. Very close to Lock's chest and looking up at his face.

"Hi," Shock was able to squeak out.

"Hi," Lock gasped, relief so powerful that he could have collapsed if he hadn't been holding her up.

"We really need to stop meeting like this."

"Huh, I was just getting use to it."

A flash of green light pulled the two's attention away from each other. Medusa withdrew her hand from what used to be the throat of Vincent the mad scientist. Now, it was the throat of Vincent the statue.

With a quick look back at the two 'not lovebirds', she muttered, "Nobody uses Medusa."

Medusa collected the vial of the reanimating potion and administered it to the rest of the family. As the stone melted away from their still bodies, Lock helped Shock to her feet.

"Are you ok?" Lock whispered to her, mindful of their soon to be listening comrades.

"Yeah, thank you for saving me," Shock whispered back, "It… It's great to see you again."

"Don't mention it," Lock felt a little giddy. Did Shock just say-?

Shock cut off his train of thought. She flashed a wicked grin, "Don't worry I won't."

She was definitely ok.

Three flashes of blue light drew their attention. Klondike was the first up, with something between a whine and a growl. He gave himself a fierce shake and went to sniff at Barrel and Kevin. Barrel was next to come to, Klondike was licking at his face and he had to push him off. Kevin soon followed his brother.

"That was weird," Kevin said groggily.

Barrel face palmed, "No duh, genius."

Klondike gave a happy bark and pranced around the group.

Shock gave each of them a hug, "There's just one more thing we have to do."

Medusa gave a fond smile and began to collect the remaing stone potions along the wall. One by one she added other potions to them. The vials smoked and hissed like as the last of the unholy concoctions died. Lastly she took what was left of the antidote and split it into two different bottles.

"Here," Medusa said to Shock, handing her one of them, "Your work here is done."

"Thank you, Medusa," Shock said.

Medusa looked on as the rag tag little family of nightmares pulled themselves together and left. The reaper had been right. They were more competent than they looked. If she hadn't stopped Vincent herself she had no doubt that Lock would have been able to save his family single-handedly. Maybe they were the ones that they needed…


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It was unnaturally dark; the moon should have been shinning brightly. Instead the sky was choked with dark clouds. The Hinterlands stood in a dead and chilling silence. Silence pierced by the misplaced sound of a steady heartbeat. The only speck of light to banish the darkness came from a second-hand lantern at the bottom of a bowl-shaped clearing. Five beings stood around the statue of a little girl.

The darkness was temporarily lightened as a blue potion took hold of the little statue. Cold stone melted away into living skin and the heartbeat was accompanied by the sound of shallow, gasping breaths. The girl lied still in her sister's arms.

Suddenly Violet snapped up and screamed, causing Barrel and Kevin jumped back. Lock and Shock held Violet between them as she screamed in a violent tantrum. Screaming eventually gave way to frantic sobbing. Shock held her crying sister until she stopped shivering from the tears. Violet bit back some tears and looked up at Shock.

"Mom? Mom! Mommy I missed you! It was so dark mom. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't breath at all! " Violet cried embracing Shock, she held up a crumpled flower blossom in her hand for Shock to see, "But the flower, it was there, it spoke to me. It spoke and I listened. I can hear them. They talk to me. They talk to me…"

They were too late, Violet had gone mad. Shock held on to her babbling sister. How could this have happened? Alive, but alive in a world where no one would ever understand her. With no parents and no relatives, they would lock her in an asylum until she was cured or longer. Shock could pretend to be alive again, no that wouldn't work. Too many people knew her face and she was still wanted for questioning by the police. They could move, but where in the world could they hide? What if Violet got sick and needed medication? That would mean hospital visits and money.

There was another question that she had saved till the end. What about the others? What about Lock?

Shock looked up to her adoptive family. Barrel, Kevin, Klondike and Lock were kneeling around her looking from her to her rambling sister. Lock looked her in the eyes and she knew, they would never leave her.

"Take care of your sister, no matter what it takes."

No matter what it takes. Shock knew what she had to do. There was no way she could take care of her sister, not while she was alive. Carefully, she opened the silver locket around her neck.

"It's ok Violet, it'll all be over soon."


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Lock carried her back. It was no problem for him, even if she wasn't so petite. They moved through the Hinterlands slowly, silently sinking in the events that had lead to this. Violet slept soundly in Lock's arms while it was dark. But as the first rays of sun poked its way out of the horizon, she woke up in time to watch the sunrise. When they reached the mansion Violet motioned Lock to put her down. With a side-long glance at Shock he set her on her feet. Finding her balance, Violet walked to the old big tree that used to hold the tree house.

Violet uncurled her fingers and revealed the small withered flower again. She knelt down and dug a small hole. As best as she could, she propped up the flower to plant it. Lifting her head, she looked straight at the smiling jack-o-lantern sun. A breeze picked up and swept over them, Violet took a deep breath and smiled.

Looking down at the sad little flower she said, "Thank you."

She started to get up when she saw a twitch of movement. The flower was the culprit. It twitched and shook back and forth. Color filled out the petals and the stem grew bigger. It grew higher and higher until it was at eye-level with Violet. The others stared in awe. Nothing in Halloween Town had ever grown like that. Never mind looking as healthy and alive as that flower did. Swaying back and forth in front of Violet the flower looked like it was waiting for something.

Shock walked up behind Violet and whispered, "Try giving it a command."

Violet reached out and stroked the flowers petals, "Whatever it is… do it."

The flower shot up suddenly, causing both Violet and Shock to jump back. Becoming a vine instead of a stem, the flower began to wrap itself up the old tree, new flowers blooming out of the vine, the first blossom grew bigger and bigger as it rose. It climbed up until blossom rested at the base of the fork in the tree where the tree house used to be. Violet stepped closer to the tree and put her hand on the trunk.

Shock walked up behind her and placed a hand on Violet's shoulder and whispered, "What do you feel?"

"I don't know. It's the same thing I felt when I was… trapped. The tree, I think it's sad, like it's missing something." Violet looked back at the sun, then at the flower. Inhaling deeply she turned her focus on the tree. To everyone's amazement the bark around Violets hand began to turn brown instead of gray. The color spread throughout the trunk and up the branches. Red and orange leaves began to sprout out of the once desolate limbs. Without taking her eyes off the tree Violet started talking, almost to herself, "The plants, they want the same things we do. They want to grow, to live, to thrive. Sunshine, a cool breeze, feeling something with your hand, we take that for granted every day. When it was taken away from me, the only thing I could feel was that flower. I held on to that feeling. Maybe that's why I'm not crazy right now. Just now, when I planted the flower, like I promised it I would, I felt everything I had been missing. And I felt… grateful. Somehow the flower felt what I was feeling. That's what made it strong."

Above, new branches where growing like crazy. But they weren't growing wild; they were twisting and bending with one another, forming strange shapes and forms. The flower had joined in and grew more vines into the branches. Before the quartet realized it, they where staring at a very familiar sight.

"Is that…" Lock said.

"It can't be…" Barrel

"It is." Shock said.

Violet felt the bark under her hand begin to move. It was pushing outward, her hand curled around a wooden bar. More bars pushed their way outward up the tree forming a natural latter. Her eyes followed it up the tree.

"It's a tree house." Violet said simply.

Shock hugged her sister tightly, "It's not just a tree house. It's the tree house. Violet, thank you! You're so strong. No witch has ever made something grow like that."

"Really?" Violet said eyes sparkling.

"Yes! You have power I've never seen before, because it comes from you. When I gave you the antidote I thought that the little girl I met in the graveyard wouldn't be there. So I did a terrible thing to you. I killed you," Shock started tearing, "But even though you spent days without anything, you're ok. You were ok and I killed you. Could you ever forgive me?"

Violet pulled back a little, but it wasn't to stop the hug. It was to wipe away her sister's tears. "Of course I forgive you. You saved me. The only reason why that guy got me was because I was alone. When mom and dad died, there wasn't anyone to take care of me. Some social worker put me in a foster home for the night. She said that I was going to some new home far away. But I didn't want to. So I snuck out. I went into the graveyard to say goodbye to you. I was running away.

She looked her older sister square in the eyes, "I'm glad I'm dead. I would have never found this place, or you. But you know what? There's one thing I still need to do. Could you help me?"

Shock hugged her sister tightly, "Anything."


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Within the next hour all of Halloween Town was covered with little purple flowers, a bouquet on every doorstep. The boys, with no small amount of threats from Shock, swallowed their pride and carried dozens of bouquets through town. For some reason the whole of Halloween Town had gathered in Town Square. Excited conversations and muttering filled the morning air.

"What's going on?" Lock wondered out loud.

Tut sprang up from behind a low wall with an insidious, gossiping look in his eyes, "YOU HAVEN'T HEARD YET? It's the baby! The baby's finally here! It's a GIRL!"

Dancing a little dance over the most exciting piece of gossip to enter the town since Shock pushed Kevin out a window, Tut scurried off to find anyone who hadn't heard yet.

"Just like she said…" Shock muttered in awe.

"What was that?" Lock asked her.

"Nothing," Shock said sheepishly, "Come on! Let's see if we can visit her."

"We can bring her flowers!" Violet cheered.

In small groups, the citizens of Halloween were let through the slim door to Skellington manor for a short visit. After waiting in the line for a good while, Shock and family were at the front of the line. Unfortunately, the person who so happened to be letting people in, was none other than their enemy arch-nemesis, the Mayor. The distasteful scowl on his sad-face said everything; of course, the Mayor had to say something anyway.

"What are you vagabonds doing here?" Mayor said, this voice thick with years of hate.

"Why else would we be here, Mayor," Shock responded, taking charge of the situation before someone (Kevin) said something stupid, "Is there something wrong with that?"

"Like I'm about to let you in, why don't you all just-" Mayor's eyes fell on Violet, "Who are you?"

"I'm Violet! Shock's little sister! I'm a witch now!" Violet said cheerfully.

"Now? A day before Halloween? Something that never happened naturally?" The Mayor shot Shock another offensive glance, "Well that just won't do-"

Before Shock could build up enough rage to yell at the Mayor properly, Jack poked his circular head above the mayor's hat and beamed happily down at them.

"You're here! Sally's been waiting for you for ages," Jack looked viscously down at the Mayor, "You haven't been keeping them from coming in have you?"

"N-n-no sir! I was j-just-"

Jack didn't wait for an explanation, he simply pushed the Mayor aside and motioned Shock and others inside in one fluid motion. One by one they filed through the door and up the stairs to the bedroom where Sally and the newborn princess were. Sally lay in bed cradling her new baby girl close, the perfect picture of motherhood. Through the folds of the baby blanket, the ragdoll face of the baby. Jack quickly slinked through the group and to a small chair by the side of the bed. If it had been possible, Shock could have sworn Sally smiled a little wider when they came in.

After the round of congratulations, introducing Violet, and staring in awe at the baby, Shock found herself asking, "Did you decide on a name?"

"No," Sally said with a little laugh, "That's actually why I was waiting for you. We've been asking everyone for suggestions and I wanted your opinion before I decided."

As usual, all eyes turned to Shock. This time, like many others, she had an answer already, "Cecilia."

"Cecilia," Jack thought it over; a small smile creased his skull, "That's a beautiful name. What do you think Sally?"

"I love it," Sally said sweetly, "Cecilia, Princess of Halloween Town. It's perfect."


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The sun was setting by the time they left. Lock and Shock were the last one out, from the front steps of Skelington Manor they could see Barrel and Kevin were goofing around on the road home, Violet laughing after them.

Lock turned to Shock, "So, are you going to tell me how you magically thought of the perfect name, or do I have to guess?"

"You can guess all you like but I won't tell you," Shock grinned back.

The two watched each other for a silent moment before Lock turned away and started after the others.

"If the new kids are anything like Violet," Lock whispered to Shock, "Maybe being a parent won't be so bad."

Lock smiled in a way that almost made Shocks heart beat. Before she could respond Lock slipped down the stairs after the others. Of course, just as Shock was feeling good, who should come along and spoil it?

"You!" The Mayor screeched quietly, coming outside from the manor, "Do you think I'm going to let you get away with raising a new delinquent to muck up Halloween Town? I-!"

"You can't take Violet away from me, Mayor," Shock interrupted, "I am the only family she has and there is nothing you can say, do, or pass a law about to change that. But if the idea of me being a mother is going to be a problem, I have a proposition for you."

The Mayor considered this for a moment, "I'm listening."

Jesters and Gypsies And Demons

Chapter 13 Jesters and Gypsies and Demons

There they where. Sleeping peacefully in the clearing. Oblivious to what tragedy came to them last night, for now. They were also young, they looked either six and a half or seven; just about the age of Violet. The closest to Shock was a beautiful little girl dressed like a gypsy. She wore a burgundy, long sleeved shirt like her own, a skirt that looked like it was made for dancing, her hair was held back by a scarf headband, she was barefoot with two bengals surrounding each ankle, and had a gold coin necklace and belt. The other one was a jester with red and black striped clothes and hat. His shoes where black and looked suspiciously like ballet shoes. In one hand he carried a short, striped jester staff. The two looked so peaceful… wait, just two? Before Shock could start worrying about anything the jester boy started to stir. Shock hung back, motioning Violet to do the same, they would give them some time before they made an appearance.

"Ok, that hurt," the jester said, rubbing his head, "I wonder if dad can fix my trampoline like he can fix the car… Hey, since when is it day time?"

The jester looked around in a daze for a few seconds. Then he noticed the gypsy girl, who was starting to get up. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Still in a sleepy state she looked down at her bare feet and sleepily said.

"Oh, my sandals are gone. I must have lost them when I fell into the water," the gypsy girl gasped and clasped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes grew wide with horror and she started rummaging in a little bag tied to her costume. When she remained empty handed she jumped up and screamed, "No! Mr. Snaky! Mr. Snaky where are you?"

"What's wrong?" the jester asked.

The gypsy girl spun around, noticing the jester for the first time, "My snake! My pet snake Mr. Snaky! He was in my pouch and now he's gone. He has to be around here somewhere."

"Mind if we helped?" Shock stepped out from her hiding place behind a tree, Violet followed.

"Who are you?" the jester asked cautiously, hey what would you do in a situation like this?

"We're friends," Shock said smiling, "Now about your snake, are you sure he was in your pouch when you fell in?"

"Of course," the girl answered, completely ignoring the fact that she fell into a river, "He's a little heavy, I'd notice if he left. Please we have to find him; he might get cold out here."

"Well he can't be too far can he?" Violet said looking around, "What does he look like?"

"Greenish-brown with tan-brown rings," the gypsy said.

"Kinda like that tree over there?" the jester said, pointing a shaking finger.

They turned to see the tree in question not too far outside the trees that ringed the clearing. Huge brown and tan spot markings ran up the length of it, shimmering in the early morning sun. As their eyes traveled upwards the noticed the curve of a snake hood. Before Shock could stop her the gypsy girl sprinted towards it. The gypsy girl ran strait ahead until she reached the colossal creature. One of the creature's coils was bigger than she was, even taller than Shock once she caught up; Violet and the jester behind her.

"Mr. Snaky?" the gypsy girl gasped.

The creature turned its massive head around, lowering it to scrutinize the gypsy with one of its pitch-black, unblinking eyes. It opened it's mouth a little, revealing two fangs the size of spears inside. Shock whispered to everyone to remain calm, although she was stiff with fear herself. A pink tongue flickered out, rapidly waving around the gypsy girl, who giggled.

"Mr. Snaky that tickles!"She giggled again, "It is you! Wow you got so big!"

Mr. Snaky withdrew his tongue and moved his head closer to her, allowing her a hug. Then something strange happened. Scales around the part she touched started rippling like water, sending waves throughout the snake's body. Shimmering scales began to come off in waves of layers, flying off then vanishing like ghosts. In an entire mist of scales the huge snake disappeared. Leaving a much smaller Mr. Snaky in the palm of the gypsy girl's hand.

"Hey, your back to normal again," the gypsy girl said, stroking the snakes head, "I guess that's a good thing 'cause it'd take a lot more than a mouse every other week to feed you."

"Whoa," the jester said, "What just happened?"

"Can I ask you something," Shock approached the girl, "Why did you have a snake in your pocket in the first place?"

"Oh right," the girl stated, "I took Mr. Snaky out of his tank last night to show him my costume and to let him see all of the other kid's costumes out the window. My mom called me and said it was time to go trick-or-treating. So I went to put him back, but he wouldn't let go of my wrist. I couldn't get him off so I brought him along, hiding him from my mom by wrapping the pillowcase I was using as a candy bag around him. Later on he eased up and I moved him to my pouch where he wouldn't get cold."

"Ah, I see," Shock said smiling, "Well congratulations. Looks like you have your very own animal familiar."

"What's that?" the jester asked.

"When certain kinds of animals get really close to someone they will do anything for them. Like Mr. Snaky here, who sensed danger and wouldn't leave his friend's side."

"Can all familiars do that thing Mr. Snaky just did?" the gypsy asked.

"No," Shock smiled again, "My best guess is what we just saw was what Mr. Snaky wanted to be for Halloween."

They all laughed, except Violet, who was busy looking up the tree Mr. Snaky had been looking at when they got there.

"What are your names?" Shock asked the newcomers.

"I'm Chester, Chester the Jester. My friends call me CJ."

"My name is Geisel, and I'm a real gypsy. My mom said so 'cause my great grandparents where gypsies."

Violet was still looking up at the tree but it was a strain to look straight up so she took a few steps back. Noticing, Shock followed Violet's eyes up the tree. On one of the tree's lower branches, not too far up, a small irregular shape was perched against the trunk. The rising sun was starting to cast more light into the trees, shadowing their view of the shape and blinding them slightly.

"Hey you up there," Violet called up to the shape, which twitched slightly, "It's ok to come down now. The snake isn't going to bother you any more." The shadow shifted but made no move to come down.

Shock could have climbed it but instead she whistled for her broom and started to fly up to the branch, much to the awe of the gypsy and jester. Climbing higher to the creature Shock was able to pick up details about who, or what, it was. It was sleek, had green color skin, and some sort of membrane covering it. As she got closer she realized what it was, it was the missing third child. It was a demon, a winged demon. He looked taller and older than the others, maybe seven. The demon boy was curled up with his claws on the back of his neck, hiding his head with the wings that grew from his back. The branch was strong enough to hold both of them so Shock dismounted and crept carefully towards him.

"Are you ok?" she asked quietly. The demon flinched; then unfolded his wings slightly to shake his head no. "What's the problem? Are you hurt?"

The demon was silent. His wings opened wider and his head came up. Tear trails where running down his green face from yellow reptile eyes. "There were only two of us out there," he gasped, holding back more tears, "Just me and him." The boy looked at Shock desperately, "Where is he? I didn't see him down there."

"Who? Who isn't down there?" Shock asked concerned with the goblin's ranting.

"My best friend, Charlie. Where is he? He.. he has to be here! There were two of us out there." He turned his back to her, going back under his wings to hide his sobbing.

In an instant Shock knew how the goblin boy had died, a long cynical butcher's knife stuck out of his back.

"Has to be here… two of us… easy target. First me… then him… right? Someone else… there had to be… someone else."

Shock's heart broke for him. She sat down next to him and put an arm around him, carefully avoiding the knife. He was so skinny, like he hadn't eaten in his whole life. Her arm fit all the way around him. "Shhh, everything's going to be ok. It's ok. What's your name?" The demon's crying started to subside.

"Marco," he said weakly.

"Marco, that's a good name. It means guardian."

Marco wiped a few tears away, "Really?"

"Really. My name is Samantha, but I never liked it. So everyone calls me Shock now."

"Everyone? There are others here?" Marco asked quietly.

"Yes, I'll introduce you to them. But as a first step we have to get that knife out of your back," when Marco flinched again Shock reassured him, "Don't worry, I know how to heal this kind of wound. Just close your eyes, ball your fists, and stick your tongue out."

"Why do I have to stick my tongue out?" Marco asked.

"You don't, it's already done," Shock smiled and showed him the knife she pulled out while they were talking; "Now there's going to be a scar but other than that you're fine. Step two is getting out of this tree. Can you fly with those wings yet?"

"No," Marco said eyeing his newfound wings, "I climbed up here when the snake chased me."

"Oh well, you'll learn eventually," Shock whistled for her broom again, "What did you do to it anyway?"

"Nothing, I woke up then I saw the other two and when I tried to wake up the gypsy the snake crawled out and chased me."

They both climbed onto the broom and joined the three on the ground, who had been listening intently. The jester was rubbing his head tenderly and the gypsy seemed to unplugging her ears. Violet was petting Mr. Snaky on the head.

"Everyone all right?" Shock asked.

They nodded in unison. "Are there really other people here?" the gypsy asked.

"Yeah, a whole town full of them," Violet said as Mr. Snaky curled around her fingers.

The jester turned to Shock, "Are they all… like us?"

"Yes," Shock said, "Everyone in this world is dead, even me and Violet here. But that's not something to be scared of. You have been chosen to do an important job."

"What's that?" Marco asked.

"To make Halloween happen, every year this world makes sure that the Mortal World has Halloween."

"Where are we?" they asked in unison.

"A wonderful place, a special place where the dead can start again, where it's Halloween everyday. Come on, I'll show you."

She motioned the new arrivals to follow her out of the woods. They talked together about their families and what they liked doing. Chester went on about him having grandparents that had lived as carnies and how he thought he was meant to perform. He even did a few cartwheels just for the fun of it. Geisel talked about her great-grandparents and how they survived the Holocaust. She said the coin on her necklace was a lucky gypsy coin she had gotten from her grandmother. Violet told them about her plants and the tree house.

The conversation then turned to Marco, who had remained quiet while the others were talking. He quickly pointed out his wings and talked about that until Halloween Town came over the horizon. While the other children stared in awe and wonder, Marco gave it a sideways glance before looking down at his feet.

Shock put a hand on the demon's shoulder and pulled him aside, "Marco, you know if there's anything you'd like to talk about, you can talk to me."

Marco looked over his shoulder at his fellow arrivals, "It's just that… I don't really have a story. My mom died when I was born and my dad was never around for more than two days. The only person who was there for me was… Charlie."

Then it was decided, she would have to find him, "Marco, if he really means that much to you, then I will try my hardest to find out what happened to the both of you."

"You'll find him?" Marco said, eyes hopeful.

"If you want me to, but remember Marco, sometimes people are never found. Charlie might be one of them."

Marco's eyes fell for a moment, "But that doesn't mean I shouldn't try. Even if you don't find him, I at least need to find out what might have happened. Just so I know something."

The others had stopped staring and were running down the hill towards town. Marco took the opportunity to shed a few more tears and Shock took the opportunity to give Marco a hug. Much to her delight, Marco hugged back.

"Don't worry Marco, it might take a while, but everything's going to be ok."

Lock was bored out of his head. Shock was meeting the new comers while he was stuck lifting boxes of Halloween decorations in the town's square first thing in the morning. The Mayor wanted them moved around because he couldn't decide how they should be stored for next year. After this he would be stuck taking the Christmas decorations out of storage. Most of the time Lock thought that the Mayor just liked bossing him around without getting his house filled with frogs the next day.

The boxes weren't light either; but that didn't bother Lock so much. He just wished someone would help him, which wouldn't happen anytime soon because when people found out Lock had to help with storage work, everyone else had stopped. They didn't like being bossed around by the Mayor either. Lock leaned against the fountain, watching as the Mayor kept spinning his head from happy to sad and writing things down on the plans for the Christmas celebration two months away. While Lock was slowly losing his mind, he saw Shock coming down the street with the new arrivals in town. He went to say hello and was greeted like a celebrity.

"You made that huge house all by yourself!" Geisel said.

"It's so cool," Marco said.

"Do we really get to live there?" Chester said.

"Uhhh I guess; if the Mayor already gave us permission."

Just then the Mayor noticed their arrival. "There you are Shock. Glad to see you've accepted my terms. Ah, what fine new arrivals we have," the Mayor said, "I hope you all strive to be exceptional members of our town and-"

Lock stopped listening around there and started whispering to Shock, "What did he mean by terms?"

"I hate to admit this but the Mayor is getting smarter. He knew I wanted this so I had to cut a deal with him. Today's my first day on the job."

"Shock you didn't," Lock said sadly.

"I had to. There was no changing his mind. Besides, I promised myself I'd make it up to you for the deal you made with Jack."

"You didn't have to make it up to me, I wanted to do it."

"And I want to do this. You're obviously not seeing the bright side of this. Think about who we're leaving at home, alone, without supervision."

"What about Barrel and Kevin?"

Shock gave one of her famous wicked grins, "Exactly."

The Mayor was still going on about being a good citizen, not knowing or caring that the kids had stopped listening and where just spacing out. A loud honking racket pierced the air bringing them all back to their senses. The Mayor's black hearse drove down the street, without a driver. The mayor ran yelling after his blaring hearse. The kids started laughing like crazy. Barrel and Kevin showed up then, with mischief written on their faces.

"And that dear pupils is how much fun you can have around here with just two bricks, a lock pick, a piece of tape, and some string."

Marco recovered from laughing first, "You know, I think I'm going to like it here."

"Same here," Geisel and Chester said at the same time, causing them to giggle again.

"Good, I was afraid that we were becoming model citizens. I mean, you don't look like the hooligans of tomorrow," Lock said.

"We are too!" CJ said, "I've got in trouble for cheating on my spelling test and eating everything in my classmates' lunch bags before they even got to recess."

"Ha! You were caught," Gisele said smugly, "I on the other hand got away with convincing the kid who sat next to me to give me his answers to the math test and taking other kid's lunch money."

All eyes turned to Marco, who looked a bit nervous, "Uh… I um… break locks?"

"That's it?" Gisele said.

"Hey, don't be like that," Shock said, "Picking locks is a very useful talent, got me out of jail more than once."

"Really!" the kids said, including Violet.

"Yeah, long story, I'll tell you later. But for now…" Shock trailed off as The Mayor came stomping towards them, having caught up to his run away hearse.

"Cretins! Do you think this is an acceptable for legal guardians to behave?" You could almost see the steam coming out of his angry-sad face.

Shock tensed, Lock stood a little straighter, and Barrel and Kevin braced themselves as thought they were just waiting for the beating that Shock would inflict.

"Follow my lead," Gisele whispered to her new arrival peers, her face then turned into the picture of innocent concern, "Oh my gosh Mr. Mayor what happened to your car?"

The flustered Mayor did a double take before answering, "What happened? They happened! Everything was peaceful in this town until those ruffians showed up! They-!"

"Hey, wait up," Gisele interrupted, "What makes you think that they did that?"

"I know they did it!"

"Can you prove it?" Gisele asked. The other kids caught her drift and started to ask questions too.

"Did you see them do it?" Chester asked.

"No, but I-"

"Does your car have evidence of forced entry?" Marco asked.

"The lock was OK, but-"

"Did you compromise the scene so that searching for fingerprints will be useless?" Violet asked.

"Yes! Wait, what?"

"Do you have an mechanic?" Chester asked.

"The Werewolf usually-"

"Do you even have insurance?" Violet asked.

"Uh-"

"Forget it, how good can a hundred-year-old hearse be?" Gisele asked.

"Hey! This is-"

"A classic yeah, yeah but come on. It's bound to run into problems eventually. Right?" Gisele cut in.

"Right…"

"Right! So instead of standing around yelling at people you should get someone to look into this before you get yourself in an accident." Gisele encouraged.

The Mayor straightened himself, lost in thought. He slowly turned and walked away.

A collective, "Wow," came from the quartet.

"In all my years of schmoozing and conning I have never gotten The Mayor to do that," Shock said, "How'd you do it?"

The new arrivals shared a look at each other, "T.V."

After a moments pause, the whole of the group burst into laughter. They spent the whole day in town square sharing tales of mischief, adventure, and even the trio's banishment. Before they knew it, was time to go home. Violet chose a small room close to Shock's and almost designed the same, the "prototype" as Lock called it. Geisel had chosen what had once been a plain room but which mysteriously had been decorated with lots of draping lengths of fabric, it was later discovered that the extra bed sheets had gone missing. Jester decided he didn't want a bed in his room and mad himself a nice hammock to sleep in. Marco decided on a room that started on the second floor and went to the third, it had lots of exposed beams that were good for climbing. Shock went around to each room and checked on them before she went to sleep. She had saved Marco for last.

Marco was up on one of the high rafters looking out a window when she reached him, "How are you holding up?"

He smiled back, "It's better here than I thought. I talked to more than three people today, figured out that rat stew really tastes good, and for the first time in a long time I didn't have to cook my own dinner."

"Didn't anyone take care of you at all?" Shock said with concern.

"There was my neighbor, Ms. Jacobson, she was really nice but she was really old and it felt like I was taking care of her most of the time until she…" Marco trailed off.

"…she what?"

"She… died. About a year ago, she went to the store and had a heart attack. No one even came to see me, not even Charlie knew. I found out then that I could take care of myself, that I was already doing it for a while. So for a long while, I did. When I came home from school one day and found out that dad was coming home for a day I faked her voice and made an excuse why she wasn't there. My dad didn't even care."

Shock knew that Marco was done talking, for now, "Don't worry Marco, you'll find that people around here care. Even the Mayor has something like caring in him; I just haven't found it yet."

Marco gave a small laugh before climbing down from the beam and into bed, he yawned, "Goodnight."

But before Shock left the room she herd him quietly say, "You know, I thought I'd never get to have one."

"A what?" Shock asked.

"A family."

Belinda surveyed the damage done to the lab. Their potion was gone and their scientist was turned to stone. All that time wasted, for nothing. The only thing that gave her satisfaction was that the idiot Vincent didn't spill that they where behind it. Her partner didn't seem so upset. He was busy slinking around the broken bottles and searching higher shelves for something.

"What are you doing Oogie?" Belinda snapped angrily at him, "Forget it! We lost!"

"You don't get it do you? We never loose," Oogie said, "So what if they win a few rounds? The game isn't over until one side gives up. Aha!"

Oogie crawled from a higher shelf, holding something that looked like two test tubes and a gray rock. When he was down Belinda took the items from him. One test tube was filled with red goo, Shock's blood. The other was empty but for a few drops of a shimmering blue liquid, the stone potion antidote. With a closer look at it, the gray rock was really a stone bug. What was she supposed to do with all this?

Oogie chuckled at the look on her face, "Don't be fooled, these are the very ingredients needed to… attain a new scientist. He won't be as brilliant as Vincent, but he will have a certain edge that will prove most useful to us. Now I believe there is still some stone potion in that bug sprayer."

Belinda walked over and picked up the abandoned bug sprayer, she felt some of the potion swish around inside. Maybe enough for one dose. She packed the items in a tattered backpack as Oogie motioned her out the door.

"Where are we headed?" she asked him.

Oogie chuckled again, "Remember that sickly-sweet little town we visited last year?"

"Yeah, but how does that help us? You said it would take a long time for it to be ready."

"It won't be. But remember the green house where we left it? Well, that happened to belong to our unsuspecting scientist's sister. His twin sister, his only family, someone he could never ever live without."

"I get it. Off to Nod's Limbs." Belinda smiled.

"Hold on," Oogie interrupted his partner, "Remember that they are the ones taking care of the plant. We'll have to wait until it's finished."

"What! That could take months! What are we going to do? Sit around and talk for almost a year?"

"That doesn't sound too bad. I like it when we talk," Oogie thought, and then quickly brushed the idea away.

No, there wasn't room for those kinds of thoughts. Belinda was ruthless and merciless, something that he admired in her. If she started thinking he was useless she might desert him and his plan will fail. He needed to think of something for her to do. Oogie recalled a phase two of the master plan; maybe it would be enough for Belinda to use that one first.

"Ok, ok, since you're so impatient we can start phase two of the plan early. So long as you swear that if it works, and you have your revenge, you still stay with me to carry out the rest of the plan. Deal?"

"You and your deals," Belinda mumbled, "Fine. I swear to carry out the first plan with you. Now where do we find this 'golem maker' you talked about?"

"Oh, in a wonderfully miserable and gray town called Clamburg. There we find an evilly charming little girl named Vendetta. She's the one we need."

"We're getting help from a little girl?" Belinda asked.

"Maybe you need a little history lesson. Shock joined me at the age of seven, by the time she was nine she had successfully broken into more than ten different homes, stolen more candy than you can imagine, learned to make and wield weapons, been arrested and escaped twice, and even kidnapped a certain notable figure. Never underestimate what little girls can do."

"Whatever," Belinda grumbled, she didn't admit it, but that was kind of impressive.

She offered her hand and Oogie climbed on. No matter whom they need help from, no matter how many people she needed to hurt. Shock was going to suffer for what she did to her. Belinda would have her revenge.

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 16.01.2012

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