Welcome To Your So Called Insanity by Hugs.And.Kisses (popular romance novels TXT) 📕

and there were fine lines around his eyes and across his forehead.

But I had bigger worries than a new doctor. Jack was actually succeeding in every aspect of his plan, including the reindeer. Dr. Finklestein had gotten them to 'live' and to fly, so on December twenty-fourth, tonight, they would be ready to pull Jack's coffin sleigh. Yes, COFFIN.

The day started with the denizens of Halloween Town loading up his sleigh with the presents that they'd created. Jack was having Sally make the final adjustments to his Sandy Claws suit. I was sitting on a stool to the side while she fixed the white cuff on his right sleeve, and she was trying one more time to convince Jack to stop this before it got any worse. "You don't look like yourself, Jack, not at all." She sighed, pushing the thread through the red fabric.

Jack smiled at her. "I know, isn't it wonderful? It couldn't be more wonderful!"

Sally held up his picture, the one that I had traced for him. "But you're the Pumpkin King!" She protested.

Jack took the picture and broke it over his knee. "Not anymore. And I feel so much better now!"

Sally sighed and picked up her needle, continuing to sew. "Jack, I know you think something's missing, but-"

"Ow!" Jack stuck his finger in his mouth; Sally had pricked it with the needle.

"Sorry!" Sally apologized quickly as Jack looked in the mirror next to him.

Studying his appearance carefully, he scratched his head. "You're right, Sally. Something is missing. But what? I've got the beard, the coat, the boots-"

He was cut off by three very unwelcome (in my book) voices chiming, "Jack, Jack! This time we bagged him!" Everyone in the square looked up as Lock, Shock, Barrel, and their bathtub walked into the town square, a very large, plastic bag sitting in the bathtub.

"This time we really did!" Lock said proudly.

"He sure is big Jack." Barrel sighed from his spot on top of the sack.

"And heavy!" Shock whined.

"Let me out!" The person in the bag yelled. The trio pulled open the strings and out poked the head of the one and only Santa Claus.

Jack looked like he had been sent to Heaven. "Sandy Claws… in person! What a pleasure to meet you!" He took Santa's hand to shake it, looking surprised. "Why, you have hands! You don't have claws at all." I was dumbfounded; I couldn't believe that Jack believed his own lie.

Santa pushed his hat out of his eyes, looking around confusedly. "Where am I?"

"Surprised, aren't you?" Jack asked excitedly. "I knew you would be. You don't have to worry about Christmas this year."

That startled him. "What?"

"Consider this a vacation, Sandy. A reward. It's your turn to take it easy." Jack told him.

"But there must be some mistake!" Santa protested.

Jack either was too busy with his daydreaming or just ignored his protest. "See that he's comfortable." He ordered Lock, Shock, and Barrel. He stopped them before they shoved Santa back in the bag. "Just a second fellows!" He studied the old man for a second. "Of course! That's what I'm missing!" He swiped the hat off of Santa's head.

"But you can't just-" Santa started before he was shoved back in the bag. "Where are we going?" He questioned as the three walked off. I turned to Sally as Jack started practicing his 'ho ho ho'.

"I'm going after them." I told her.

Sally's eyes widened. "What? But you can't! It's too dangerous."

"I have to Sally. I have to find out where they're taking him." After a moment, she nodded and hugged me, sending me off. Jack didn't even notice me when I went passed him, even though I purposely bumped into him.

I caught up to Lock, Shock, and Barrel just before they reached the Hinterlands. "Where are we taking him?" Barrel asked, still sitting on top of the sack.

"Where?" Shock repeated, since she obviously didn't know either.

There was a thoughtful pause. "To Oogie Boogie, of course. There isn't anywhere in the whole world more comfortable than that and Jack said to make him comfortable, didn't he?"

"Yes, he did." Shock and Barrel giggled.

"Haven't you heard of peace on earth and good will toward men?" Santa called from the sack.

"No!" The three of them replied. I heard someone chuckle, and then whisper something. All three laughed evilly, and started walking again. I ran after them, hiding (somewhat poorly) behind the dense trees whenever one would stop to look back. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that they were a little paranoid. I made a mental note to remember to laugh at that later; right now, I couldn't risk making ANY noise.

Twenty minutes later, I found out where they were taking him. A crooked, twisted old tree with a crude looking tree house stuck in its branches. Slowly, I back away from the path, running back to town.

I could just see the gates when the fog began to float out of the fountains like smoke, curling around the citizens, who were to busy listening to the Mayor to notice yet. I ran around the edge of the crowd to Sally, who was standing apart from the crowd, near on of the smaller fountains. I smiled up at her. "It's working!" She nodded, happily, and both of us looked up to Jack, who was now just barely visible through the thick fog.

The Mayor tried to continue his speech, despite the shrinking visibility factor. "You who have eh, devastated the souls of the living..."

Jack finally seemed to realize how bad the fog was. "Oh no! We can't take off in this. The reindeer can't see an inch in front of their noses." Traitorously, I smiled in glee. It had worked!

Disappointed murmurs cut through the crowd. "This fog's as thick as… as…" One of the Vampire Brother's started.

"Jellied brains!" The Cyclops finished.

"Thicker!" The Vampires corrected.

Jack laid his head in his hands. "There go all of my hopes, my precious plans, my glorious dreams…"

"There goes Christmas." Corpse Kid snuffled, wiping at his sewn up eyes.

That's when I heard a bark, and saw a bright light flying over the crowd. I gasped. "Oh, Zero, no…" I groaned.

"No Zero, down boy…" Jack sighed, before doing a double take. "My, what a brilliant nose you have… the better to light my way! To the head of the team, Zero! We're off!"

"Jack, no!" Sally protested, but she was unheard over the crowd's cheers as Jack's sleigh lifted into the air.


Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The Nightmare Before Christmas: Part 2

Sally closed her eyes and turned away as Jack's sleigh faded into the distance. "Goodbye Jack. My dearest Jack. Oh, how I hope my premonition is wrong…" She sighed, walking off. Aubrey watched as Jack's sleigh completely disappeared into the black sky before following after Sally. The band had started playing their usual tune, instead of an off-key Jingle Bells, and she could hear Sally's voice. "I sense there's something in the wind that feels like tragedy's at hand. And though I'd like to stand by him, can't shake this feeling that I have." Aubrey peered around the stone archway to see Sally looking up at the moon through the Graveyard gate. "The worst is just around the bend. But does he notice my feelings for him. And will he see how much he means to me? I think it's not to be." Sally slipped through the openings in the gate's bars, and Aubrey ran after her.

"What will become of my dear friend? Where will his actions lead us then? And though I'd like to join the crowd in their enthusiastic cloud, try as I may it doesn't last." The black cat meowed and Sally knelt down, letting it jump into her lap. She let out a sigh as she ran her hand along its back. "And will we ever end up together? No I think not. It's never to become. For I am not the one."

Aubrey bit her lip, contemplating whether or not she should go and talk to the rag doll. But a cheer from behind her made her run back to the square. Everyone was gathered around what appeared to be Hazel and Zoë's cauldron, watching it intently. Pushing through the crowd, she peered over the rim to see an image of Jack flying through the night air. After a moment, it switched to a news desk.

"Reports are pouring in from all over the globe that an impostor is shamelessly impersonating Santa Claus, mocking and mangling this joyous holiday." Cheers rang out from around her as she fought to hear what the newscaster was saying. "Police assure us that this moment, military units are mobilizing to stop the perpetrator of this heinous crime."

Aubrey gasped. "The military? Oh no, Jack! Someone has to help him!" No one around her seemed to have heard her, too enthralled by the images on the 'screen'. Aubrey shoved back through the crowd, looking around frantically. Who, who, who could she get to listen to her? "Sally!" She gasped suddenly, running for the Graveyard.

Sally jumped up as she heard her name being called. "Aubrey?" The girl ran through the graveyard gates, slipping between the bars much like she had earlier. "Aubrey, what's wrong? You're bleeding!" Sally gasped, seeing a long scratch on Aubrey's leg.

Aubrey shook her head. "There's no time! Jack's in trouble! The military is going to shoot him down! He needs help NOW, Sally."

Sally bit her lip, thinking. "Where'd they take that Sandy Claws?" She asked after a moment.

"I'll show you. C'mon!" The two girls took off deeper into the Graveyard, heading for Spiral Hill, the little known shortcut into the heart of the Hinterlands most often used by Lock, Shock, and Barrel.

It didn't take long to reach the Tree House, or to find an entrance to the Boogeyman's underground lair. Aubrey and Sally stood at the edge of the broken bridge that had obviously once led into the base floor of the tree house. In front of them swung a rope that descended deep into the earth.

Sally turned to Aubrey. "Aubrey, stay here. If anything happens, go back to town and try to get help."

"But-"

"No buts." Sally cut her protest short. Kissing Aubrey's forehead, she began to lower herself down the rope. Aubrey sat down next to it, listening carefully. After several minutes of waiting, a feminine scream sounded throughout the pipe.

Aubrey jumped up. "Sally! Oh no, what do I do, what do I do?" She bit at her nails nervously, staring at the rift. Sally had said to go back to town, but what if