The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Pumpkin Princess - Fanfic Story 1

CHAPTER 15

Lock was sitting up in bed, coughing up blood into what was once a snow white handkercheif. He was crying again, and he was spilling everything he was feeling right now.

"Lock, they don't know your story like I do," I replied. "This was very haunting for you, but they don't understand that."

"I know!" Lock cried. "You're the only one who actually listens to me, and...and..."

"Because I'm a listener," I said. "And you're my friend, Lock. You're more than my friend."

I pulled him to my face and kissed him.

He pulled away after a few moments and collapsed on the pillows.

I was about to say something else when I heard the Mayor on his megaphone.

"I have some terrible news!" he cried. "The worst news of our time! Jack has been blown to smithereens!"

"What??" I whispered. Lock grabbed my hand. "Did...did he just say..."

"Jack has been blown to smithereens!" the Mayor repeated.

"NO!!" I yelled, breaking into tears.

After several moments, I started feeling dizzy and lightheaded. I started swaying back and forth.

"Skelly, please don't pass out," Lock pleaded.

There was one thought racing through my mind.

Daddy's gone...

"No," I whispered. "No.....no...."

I fell forward, and the next thing I knew, I felt ice cold water being splashed on my face. My eyes opened.

"Ow..." I muttered, holding my aching head. My eye was hurting, too. What was I doing on the floor? "What...what happened?" I groaned.

"You fainted," Lock replied.

I sat up and saw him still in bed, looking at me in alarm and worry. Who'd splashed water on my face then? I looked over and saw Shock and Barrel standing beside me.

"What are you guys doing here?" I snapped. I was so mad at them for what they did to Lock. He never deserved any of this.

"Skelly, we know you might not believe us," Shock said.

"But Jack's alive!" Barrel exclaimed.

I stared at them. I wanted to believe them, but at the same time I knew that they could've been pulling a nasty prank on me.

"He is," Shock replied. "You have to believe us."

I stood up, nearly falling back on the bed. I panted, holding my head again. I looked at Shock and Barrel.

"I want to believe you, but at the same time..." I said.

"Skelly," Lock whispered. I turned around as he coughed into the cloth. "Listen to me. You know the gesture I use when I'm making a promise, so you know I'm not crossing my fingers behind my back?"

"You turn around and raise your hands," I said.

"Yeah," Lock said. "Look at Shock and Barrel's hands."

I looked down at their hands. They were placed on their sides, and no fingers were crossed.

"Their fingers aren't crossed, are they?" Lock asked.

"No..." I whispered, my eyes welling in tears.

"That means they're telling...telling..." Lock stammered.

I looked at him as soon as he passed out. But I knew what he was trying to say.

"You're telling the truth," I said softly, keeping my eyes on Lock's bruised, broken body.

"Yes," Barrel said.

I stood up and looked at both of them, a tear falling from my aching eye.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"He was running toward our house," Shock replied. "He dived right into Oogie Boogie's lair."

"I think Sally attempted to save Sandy Claws, but it didn't work out," Barrel chimed in. "We're gonna go to the Mayor and tell him."

"But we came to you first because...well, we know he'll listen to you," Shock said.

"Just...let me ask you one thing," I said. "Why do you hate me?"

"No...no reason," Shock admitted. "We just said that."

"To make Oogie Boogie happy," Barrel said. "I mean...now that I'm seeing it..." He looked at Lock.

"We're so sorry, Skelly," Shock said. "We really are."

"Yes," Barrel said.

I looked back down at their uncrossed fingers, then back into their eyes. "I forgive you," I replied. "But you need to aplogize to Lock. For everything."

"We will," they said in unison.

"Now c'mon!" Shock exclaimed.

We ran out of the house and into the square.

"Mayor!" I yelled.

We ran up to him. He still had his sad face, and that made me look around. Everyone was distraught. But once they learned Dad was alive...

"What?" the Mayor asked.

"Jack's alive!" Barrel exclaimed.

"He really is!" Shock cried.

The Mayor looked at them skeptically, then at me. The thought of still having one parent made my eyes well in more tears. "He...he is," I whispered.

"Show me," the Mayor ordered, climbing into his truck. "I won't believe it until I see it."

We all climbed into his truck.

"Go to Oogie Boogie's lair," Shock ordered.

We drove to Oogie Boogie's house, and the Mayor grabbed his ladder as Shock and Barrel ran to the window. They broke it open, and the Mayor shone a spotlight through it.

"Jack!" he cried.

"See?" Shock said. "He's alive!"

"Just like we said!" Barrel added.

I covered my mouth as the Mayor raised the ladder. Dad and Sally came right out.

"Dad!!" I cried.