Jack grabbed a tea tray from his mothers cupboard and raced down to the graveyard, Zero reluctantly following.
When they reached the graveyard, Jack walked to the tallest hill and sat down. He could see the whole of Halloween Town from where he was sitting!
"You ready for this, boy?" he asked Zero excitedly.
Zero whined and looked down the hill. Truth was, he hated heights and this wasn't helping his phobia one bit.
Jack steadied the tea tray further up the hill and sat on it.
Zero floated down to the back and Jack began the count down.
"Five...four...three...two..." Zero covered his eyes. "ONE!" Jack shouted, kicking off the edge. The tea tray went zooming down the hill, over bumps and ledges, Jack thought it was so much fun, but Zero had other ideas, he covered Jack's eyes with his paws in fright and Jack couldn't see.
"Zero!" he shouted. "I can't see!"
Zero whimpered and let go, when Jack could see again, he barked loudly, just as the tea tray skidded over a large log and landed, without Jack or Zero.
Jack flew through the air, screaming and shouting as he went until he landed head first into a pumpkin.
Zero lifted himself off the floor and groaned when he saw Jack desperately trying to get the pumpkin off his head.
"What the devil was that?" asked a voice from outside the pumpkin. "Oh my! Master Jack!" it called, thumping towards him.
There was a final pull and it came off, leaving the goo and the seeds all over Jack's head. He heaved a huge sigh and looked up to see Hanging Tree.
"What were you doing?" Hanging tree asked, as Jack wiped away some goo from his head.
Jack spat out some pumpkin seeds. "Having fun" grumbled Jack.
"If you'd call that fun. You woke me up!"
"Oh? Sorry..." said Jack, feeling somewhat embarrased.
"It's alright..." began Hanging Tree, but he was interrupted by the town bell.
Jack rolled his eyes. "Ugh...not again..." he moaned. "Thanks for helping Hanging Tree, but I have to go!"
"You're welcome Master Jack! And take care!"
***
When Jack returned to his house, his mother came floating to the door in all her beauty and began kissing and hugging him to bits.
"Oh Jack!" she gasped. "We were so worried about you! Don't you scare us like that again, unless it's called for!"
Then, his father came out, an unsavoury expression on his face. Jack gulped, he'd seen this look on his fathers face before, it meant lecture time.
"Jack" his father called from across the room. "Come with me"
Jack took one more second to look at his mother and then reluctantly followed his father into his study. His head was still covered in Pumpkin goo and now that it has set, it felt like candle wax on his head.
Rexus sat down in his chair. All around, paper work and photographs decorated the room.
"What were you doing?" he asked gruffly.
"I was having fun!"
"You could've been hurt Jack! How many times to I have to go through this with you? You're a-"
"Young prince and your duty is to protect the town when I am gone, I know, I know!" snapped Jack.
"And how do you suppose you are going to learn that by playing silly games!"
Jack sighed and crossed his arms. His father also sighed.
"I'm sorry..." he began. "I just don't want you to get hurt."
He walked over to Jack and hugged his head. "I don't want anything bad to happen to my little Jack"
Jack uncrossed his arms and smiled weakly. His father did mean well, he just didn't understand that Jack was young and still needed a little fun.
"Right" he said, letting go of Jack. "There's a meeting in half an hour. That gives you enough time to get dressed and make your way to the hall, doesn't it?"
Jack nodded reluctantly.
"Good, then, go to your mother and get ready."
"Okay" Jack said in a final word.
===
HA! I'm not dead! Mwhahahaaaaa!
Yeah, sorry it's late, I've been ultra busy with school and stuff on Deviantart, so I haven't been able to write much recently.
I hope you enjoy this chapter!
