Cursing the evil thing that had taken over his life, Jack sighed again, controlling his emotions as much as possible, and sat on the loveseat, occupying the space that Sally had just recently left. He looked straight into her eyes from across the room; she still did not glance at him.
"Sally." Jack did not ask her name; he stated it. "Please, forgive me."
She looked up, finally, into his face. Her eyes showed unbearable pain. It was hard for Jack to look at.
"Jack," She started slowly, hesitating, "I don't know what to think anymore. I still love you...more than anything, I love you. But...I'm not sure if you feel the same way."
"No! Sally, please understand - "
"Jack, stop." Her tears began to slide down her face. "Let me finish. You've been asfully strange lately. I know that you're changing. Your personality, your look, even what you say and how you say it!...I can tell you're different than the man that I fell in love with. It hurts to watch, Jack, it's agonizing." She broke off, sobbing. But she was willed to finish. "And what was that, just now? You were doing more than kissing her, Jack! You were about to kill her! That's not you! How could you even
consider it? Why would you want to kill an innocent woman? And I know that this all has something to do with that stupid suit, your black bones, and your white eyes! Jack, this isn't normal, this is sick! Please, I beg with all my heart, stop this madness!" Her voice had risin to a hysterical scream, but she stopped, obviously at a loss for words, deeply troubled.
Jack stayed quiet, letting his most beloved wife vent her opinion of his sins. His heart ached in a jagged rhythm, pounding hard against his ribs. He opened his mouth to speak soothingly and comfortingly, but something shocking came out instead.
"Sally...I'm sorry, but this is the new me. I
like this new new power. I can do anything to anyone. And you can't stop me. I know that you love me...and I used to love you, but that's all the past."
Sally wailed in protest against Jack's words. Jack's breathing came out in triumphant puffs for a moment, his chest rising and sinking, until he realized what he had just said. Instead of comforting his wife, he had anger her more, and had torn her apart. She was was hyperventilating slightly, crouched like a child in her seat, looking at the floor. Jack was was revolted with himself, his thoughts beyond words. He stood up, and rushed to her side, kneeling just next to her face. She did not agree with his actions, and slapped him. His cheek burned as he stared mournfully after her rushing out the door.
Right then, something in Jack erupted. An anger that flared his entire body, every bone to the tip. All self-awareness and self-preservation suddenly evaporated. He jumped up and violently gestured after her.
"Fine, then!" He yelled after her, hardly feeling his own movements, the Symbiote that Jack despised so much nearly completely taking over his brain. "Go! I don't need a wife! I don't need you! I'm the Pumpkin King! I control this town, so I control
you!"
He walked menacingly and darkly to the knife which Sally had thrown to the floor; he picked it up, brandishing it threateningly as he strode out the door. He spotted Sally, some distance away, still running, heading towards the town library. Not caring a bit, Jack flicked the knife, and with his impeccable strength and accuracy, the knife hit its mark. Sally screamed as the knife cleanly swept her left leg off. She fell to the ground heavily. Laughing an evil scream of hate, Jack ran after her and reached her side; Sally lay on her stomach, face directed away from Jack's devilish smile. To be sure she heard him, Jack kneeled and crooned just by her ear:
"No need to run away, Sally. I will always know where you are, and what you do. There is no need to cause you pain, if you follow what I say." He took his finger and traced her spine as he whispered, "You can not stop me, so do not try." She angrily cried in reaction to his words and his actions.
"Leave me be, Jack Skellington. Go and control your town." She stopped, disgusted, her voice trembling.
"You convinced me," Jack laughed as he drew back and stood, the knife in his hand again. He stormed off, leaving Sally by herself, and charged straight through to the center of town. As he walked in long strides, people stared at him, like always. His frustration taking over again, he numb-mindedly bellowed,
"Why stare? I am your king, and you should be down on your knees, kissing my feet." He broke off, grabbing a citizen at random who was passing close behind. Jack whipped the person around in front of him, holding the knife to their throat; it was the Mayor. Protests echoed through the streets from the onlooking crowd. Jack bypassed the protests easily, though scowled and pressed the knife against the Mayors thick throat harder, making rough contact with the skin. All the while, the Mayor was silent, scared to death; his eyes were wide, his negative face apparent, and he was unmoving, fearful that any motion could end his life. "You should be willing to die for me." Jack whispered, and pushed the knife through the skin, breaking it and drawing a small stream of crimson, even-flowing blood. The Mayor screamed an agonized sound, and Jack threw him on the ground unmercifully, growling in a disgustingly pleased way. A few people rushed forward to the Mayor, who was clutching his bleeding throat and making strange gurgling noises. Jack grinned at his sudden opportunity; he kicked at the people who had hurried to assist the Mayor, and heard satisfying cracks, their ribs cleanly broken. The Clown, Behemoth, and Mr. Hyde all doubled over, whimpering.
Jack laughed again, feeling the overwhelming power course through him like blood. He liked this, Jack decided. He liked this feeling of reign and control. Feeling a sudden inspiration, Jack held the knife in front of his face, and the onlooking crowd groaned and gasped as Jack licked the blood that coated the edge of the weapon obscenely. He smiled and felt the blood around his mouth drip down his face and onto the ground.
"Bow to me," Jack demanded in a growling voice, pointing the knife to them. They immediately followed suit, their heads facing the dirty ground. Pleasure filled him and he turned on his heel, marching down the street and bellowing orders. Everyone did everything as they were told, afraid of their possible fate that Jack held in the palm of his hand.
"Jack!"
Ferociously snarling, Jack revolved around, and saw Sally jumping on her one leg towards him, holding a book tenderly. She hurried to him as quickly as possible with her one leg, but she was not alone; Dr. Finklestein was with her, assisting her and holding her severed leg in his lap. Jack's eye sockets narrowed to tiny slits as she approached him. When she reached him, she hurriedly turned to a page in the enormous book she was caressing in her arms; up close, Jack could see that it was old and stained.
When Sally reached the page, she looked up with a new light in her eyes. It was hope. She showed the book to Jack, but he paid it no heed or patience; he slapped the book out of her arms and onto the ground.
"Jack, this could help you!" Sally said angrily as she bend down to retrieve her book. As she held the book in her hand and looked into her face, Jack saw a new expression steal over her face unwillingly and almost unconsciously. Not only was she furious, but anxiety colored the lines of her pure, smooth skin. This made Jack wonder for a small moment.
"Why the nervous face, honey?" He mockingly leered, still purely curious.
Sally's lips worked open and closed, but no sound came out. Jack became impatient and leaned closer to her, his face tauntingly close and his smile forced.
"What's wrong? Come on, you can tell your husband."
Her eyes hardened, and determination set her face.
"Jack," Her voice, despite her stone face, her voice was tender and soft. "I'm pregnant."
-------------------------
Ohoho, BAM! XDDD Just to let you know, when Jack find out that Sally's pregnant....well, think back to one of the earlier chappies, when Jack's talking to the Mayor, and the Mayor's like, "Sally hasn't told you? She's - "....well, yeah, Sally told other people she was pregnant, but not Jack, because she was worried he couldn't take it. This probably should be cleared in the next chapter (which is either 2nd to last or the last one), but it's probably better to be explained now.
That was the last of the gore for this story, and I hope you enjoyed it okay. Last chapter soon to come, and I will post it as soon as possible. Thank you so much for your support and encouragement!
