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Jack let out a low moan and tried to sit up, but then thought better of it. He could barely remember what happened, but he did know one thing, it hurt, alot. It was totally dark, and he found that all he could do was move his right arm in a wide sweeping motion beside him. He was breifly reminded of the Pit and the Pendulum, making him shudder horribly. Then his hand fell upon something that made him stop aburptly. In his hand, he found upon closer inspection, was a small toy soilder, dressed in red, white and green, familar colors.
"Sandy!" he yelled suddenly, finding he could move to sit up. And, along with pain, all his memories of the day came rushing back to him. Everything from the letter he recived the letter back in Halloweentown, to where the strange man attacked him with his odd weapon.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Jack yelled in anger and pain, trying to grab his side with his left hand, only to be met by even more pain.
"You really shouldn't move around just yet," a voice said from the darkness, "I doubt you've recovered yet." A light flicked on to reveal a dark haired boy rubbing his eyes tiredly.
"Man, you woke me up."
"WHO ARE YOU!!" Jack howled, trying to look and sound as frightening as he could from the floor. He gave a satisfied smile when the boy flinched. Then, another shock of pain ran through his arm, so he catiously looked down to see the source. He winced at the sight that met him; a jagged piece of his bone had torn through his seleve.
"Yeah, you did that when dad got you with his....uhhh....well it doesn't have a name yet. New weapons you know." Jack managed to give him a quizical look, making the teen laugh. "Sorry, I'm Zeke, to answer your question."
"Why are we here? What is this place? Did you say dad?" Jack yelled in frustration, feeling like he was getting nowhere fast. "Let me out of here now!"
"No can do, I'm here to watch you, this is some kind of workshop my dad took over, and yes i did say dad." Zeke answered in order. Jack stared at him in amzement. Never had he met such a boy outside of Halloween, yet if he was who he said he was, this wasn't to surprising. Jack looked the boy over properly for the first time; he did look amazingly like the man who had attacked him earlier, right down to his long, black trenchcoat. There was one shocking difference though, where the man's eyes had been a stormy grey, the boys were, orange. As orange as any pumpkin from Halloween. Zeke noticed his stare and ran his hand nervously through his shaggy black hair.
"Yeah I know......" he muttered, letting his bangs fall over his eyes, trying to hide them, "And yes, this is my natural eye color."
There was a long silence that followed, where they both studied one another for what seemed like an eternity, until Zeke finally spoke up again.
"Why did you do it?"
"Huh," Jack grunted, somewhat grumpily.
"Why did you help the girl," Zeke repeated, "Why did you risk your life for someone you don't even know?"
"Because," Jack replied reluctantly, "It was like seeing my daughter in danger, and plus Sandy would do the same for-"
"YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER?" the boy suddenly yelped, making Jack jump painfully.
"Yes," he winced, "Is this surprising?"
"Well," Zeke replied, "You are a monster. And if you have a daughter, that would mean you had a wife and could love. Unless of course she was just your mate...."
"I LOVE SALLY!" Jack hissed, becoming very angry.
"I see," the teen said, unphased, "Well that changes things...."
"What do you mean?" Jack sighed, trying to calm down.
"Dad always told me that monsters were heartless and weren't capable of love." His voice began to trail off, as if he were remembering something. The boy suddenly began to laugh.
"Does this converstaion seem a bit forced to you?"
"Well, considering the fact that your father attacked my friend's home, then me," Jack stared at the boy dangerously, "And then locked me up with his son to be insulted to the point of wanting to commit a murder; the fact that this converstation is a little strained shouldn't really surprise you!" Then, the boy did something Jack didn't expect.
He apologized.
"I'm sorry."
Jack blinked from shock for a moment, then asked, "Your not like your father are you?"
Zeke was about to respond when a familar voice echoed down a long flight of stairs.
"Ezekiel Nighte!" his father called, "What are you doing down there? Is the creature awake?"
Zeke winced then turned to Jack. His eyes seemed to say 'I'm so sorry.'
"Yeah dad, he is."
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"Hurry!" Shock trilled as the trio ran through the hinterlands towards Halloweentown.
"I'm goin as fast as I can!" Barrel yelped, in a somewhat whiny voice.
"Go faster," Lock hissed, "We've got to get back to town."
"So," Barrel panted, "We don't hate Jack anymore?"
"Not as much as we used to," Lock snapped, "I mean, he did let us stay after that fiasco with Oogie."
"That," Shock said stopping, trying to get her bearings, "And did you see the weapons that guy was pullin out? He could kill everyone, including us!"
They suddenly heard voices to the right of them, and deciding that it was coming from town, ran full speed in that direction. Straight into a boy with brown wolf ears and a tail.
"Zag?!?" Lock yelped in surprise, "Did you follow us too?"
"Actually," the werewolf boy replied, peeling the trio off, "We followed them." He guestured back at Aero, Jynx and Bann, who were at the moment, arguing with a african vampire boy known as Paris. Beside him, looking nervous, was Xander, the twin brother of Jynx. He rubbed his right eye, which was covered by his mousy colored hair, painfully.
"What's wrong Xan?" Jynx asked, noticing her brother's discomfort, "You see something, a premonition?"
"Yeah," he nodded, "Somethings wrong."
"I'll say!" Barrel yelled, "He's got Jack!"
"What!?" the older teens barked in unison.
"What did yall do?"
"Who has Jack?"
"A dark man." Xander said in a dazed voice. "Weapons...." he touched his ribs, "It hurts right here......orange eyes......uhhhhgggg....it's too scattered, I can't make much out."
"So a dark man with orange eyes has Jack?" Paris asked angrily, still upset about the fact that timid Jynx had managed to force him out of hiding.
"No....they're connected, but I'm sure the person with orange eyes isn't the dark man....." Xander rubbed his forehead, trying to make out what he was seeing, but it only gave him a headache. "Sorry guys, that's all I've got."
"That's all we need." Aero said, suddenly serious.
"You three, go get help," Zag ordered, turning towards where they came.
"Who?" they asked together.
"Lye, Bri..." Xander stammered, "Oh, hell I don't know Mira, anybody!"
"The Mayor?" Barrel inquired.
"Anybody BUT the Mayor!" Bann yelled
"Or Sally," Jynx added as the six ran off towards Christmas.
"You think they'll be able to find their way?" Lock asked.
"I think they'll be fine...." Shock said, indicating the trail the three had made in their haste to get back home.
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All done for now! This was one of my longer chapters and I'm quite proud of it! Still I will accept your criticism as it comes! Just tell me what yall think!
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