We took Shock all the way back to the lab.
She was kicking and screaming the whole way, even when we reached the lab.
‘Now listen!’ Said the Doctor as he locked the door. ‘If you continue to scream and kick about you’ll be staying in that bag.’
‘Aaaaaaaargggghhhhh!!!’ Shock screamed and kicked about.
‘This could take a while.’ I said.
‘Not if I have something to say about this.’
Jack began to untie the bag.
‘Jack, no! Wait.’ I panicked.
‘Trust me.’
Once the bag was opened, Jack stuck his head inside.
The next thing I heard was a scream, but not from Shock, from Jack.
Jack then tipped the bag upside down and Shock and the glowing heart fell out.
Shock wasn’t kicking or screaming.
She was shivering with fear.
‘That’s more like it.’ Said Jack.
Shock laid still on the floor.
Jack picked up the heart from the floor.
Shock stopped shivering, and her facial expressions changed to angry.
‘I’M NOT PUTTING BACK THAT STUPID HEART!!!’ She screamed.
‘I’ve never done one good thing in my undead life! Why should I do something good now? I WON’T DO IT!’
Jack, the Doctor and myself all sighed.
Shock began pounding at the door.
‘Let me outa here! NOW!’
‘You won’t put it back? You won’t put it back!?!’ I said as I firmly pulled her up of the ground.
She’d made me really mad.
‘If I were as bad as you I’d strangle you for this!’
Shock rapidly kicked my wrist, trying to struggle free.
Failing that, she then leaned over and bit me!
‘Ahh!’ I said as I dropped her. ‘You little brat!’ I chased after her.
‘I’ll teach you to do that to me!’
Shock climbed up the pipes that lead up to the ceiling.
‘You can’t hide from me up there!’
‘Emma! Calm down!’ Said Jack as he grabbed hold of my arm, trying to stop me.
‘You got any better ideas!?!’ I yelled in my rage.
I looked up at where Shock was sat above me on the pipe lines.
‘Give Annie back the heart!’
Shock just stuck out her tongue.
That mock just made me madder.
I blasted out a wave of sonics and screeching sound.
‘Ahh!’ Said, not just shock, but Jack and the Doctor as well.
Shock fell off the pipe lines and fell to the floor.
I grabbed the bag and tied it round her.
As soon as I knew she was secure, I withdrew from my noise attack.
‘Emma, that was not necessary!’ Said the Doctor.
‘At least I got her, didn’t I?’
‘Aaargh!’ Shock growled as she struggled.
‘Now I’ll teach you!’ I stormed.
‘Emma, stop this!’ Jack pulled me back.
‘This is not the moment for rash actions.’ He said.
‘Fine! Then you do better.’ I stormed off to the other side of the room to watch.
Jack approached the hissing and growling Shock.
‘Listen, Shock. If you want to get back to your friends then your going to have to do this one thing. We can’t let you go back with out it.’
‘Let me guess, you want me to put back the kid’s heart so metal girl and her friends can go home? That’s good! I’m not doing it! I’m BAD!’
‘We’ll have to keep you here for as long as it takes. You can go back to being bad as soon as you’ve put back the heart. You’ll have to put it back sooner or later. Unless you want Emma to try and convince you again.’
This time, Shock didn’t answer back.
She just turned her back on Jack.
‘Hmm.’ She stubbornly huffed.
The only reason Shock wasn’t going to do this was because it was good.
What if I could convince her that it was bad.
‘You know Shock, Annie’s a pirate.’ I began.
Shock still didn’t move.
‘Her father was known as Captain Bart. He was know for his ruthlessness in the Spanish Main. Annie was his daughter, a pirate just like her father.’
‘Was SHE bad?’ Shock turned her head round towards me.
‘I don’t know. Why don’t you ask her?’
‘Your lying. You just want me to put the heart back.’
‘I’m not lying. Why do you think she’s dressed in old fashioned clothes? And expensive ones at that. Her father was a pirate Captain, he owned treasure, he was rich and ruthless. But it didn’t mean that he didn’t care for his daughter. He bought her the finest pirate clothes.’
Shock looked up at the table.
She was a little too small to see who was laid on top of it.
‘There’s one more piece of evidence I think you’ll find convincing.’
‘What? What?’
‘If I untie you and take you up to have a look. Will you put the heart back?’
‘Maybe.’ Shock replied.
Though I didn’t untie her, I picked her up and stood her on the table.
I slightly rolled up Annie’s left sleeve.
The back of her wrist showed a scar. But not just any scar.
A brand.
The letter P branded on Annie’s skin.
‘That “P”, can only stand for one thing.’ I said.
‘Pirate.’ Shock gasped.
‘Convinced now?’
Shock just continued to gaze in astonishment.
‘So, do you think that bringing an undead pirate girl to life is a good thing?’ I tried to sound convincing.
‘If you untie me and then let me go, I’ll do it.’ Said Shock.
Jack untied the rolled up bag that was tied around Shock.
He then passed her the glowing heart.
‘If I do this, you promise to let me go?’
‘I promise.’ Said Jack.
Shock placed the heart above where she thought it should go.
And then, the heart started glowing and beating.
Flashing brighter with every heartbeat.
Thud, thud.
Thud, thud.
Thud, thud.
Just like my heart would have done, it slowly sunk down into Annie’s body.
A few seconds went by. Seconds that seemed to last ages.
And then…
‘Haah…’ Annie gasped as she opened her eyes.
She was awake!
She was ok!
‘Annie!’ I cried.
‘Uh…Emma?’ Annie muttered weakly.
‘That’s right. It’s me.’
‘Emma, what happened? Where am I?’ She tried to sit up.
She looked around the room to try and answer it for herself.
‘Ahh!’ She shrieked as she saw Jack.
‘Annie, it’s ok. He’s with us.’ I said.
Annie continued to shake a little.
‘Jack put my heart back, and he helped me find yours.’ I tried to explain, but she still seemed a little unsure.
‘Jack found your heart. Well, he found the little pipsqueak that did.’
‘That’s right.’ Said Jack.
‘You have this young lady here to thank…’ Jack was about to point towards Shock, but she was gone.
We then saw the door wide open.
‘She must have unlocked it while we were distracted.’ Said the Doctor.
‘At least we got your heart back, right Annie?’ I said.
Annie still looked nervous.
‘Who…Who are you?’ Annie spoke nervously to Jack.
‘My name is Jack. Jack Skellington.’ Jack introduced himself.
‘Ah…Anastasia Rose.’ Said Annie.
‘Jack is the leader of this world, Annie. He’s the Pumpkin King.’
‘A king?’ Annie spoke nervously.
Annie quickly jumped down off the table.
She practically fell to her knees.
‘Your majesty.’ She said.
Jack looked puzzled.
I rolled my eyes as I sighed.
‘Annie, where not in the seventeen hundreds here.’
‘But, to be proper is to show respect to person of a higher class.’
I pulled Annie up from the floor.
‘The seventeen hundreds?’ Jack pondered.
‘Annie IS a pirate.’
‘Forgive me, your Majesty.’ She bowed.
‘She’s a little old fashioned.’ I whispered.
Annie frowned towards me.
‘At lease I have a sense of propriety.’
Jack just smiled towards Annie.
‘Maybe so, but there’s no need to call me “Your Majesty”. “Jack” would do fine.’
But Annie though that as “improper”.
‘I’m sorry, your Majesty, but…’
‘Jack.’ Jack corrected.
‘Your Majesty, I cannot. I must remember my place. I forgot once before, Sire. The penalty was high.’
‘You’ll be the only one in town who doesn’t me Jack.’
‘Then let I’ll that be.’
I sighed listening to them.
‘There’s no convincing her, Jack.’ I said.
‘Hey, Annie, why don’t you do a drawing? You can show “his Majesty” what you can do with your picture.’ I said in a sarcastic way.
‘I do not have any instruments which to draw with.’
‘I can quickly solve that.’ Said the Doctor, rummaging in a draw.
He took out an old pad of paper and a pencil.
‘Here you go, my dear.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
‘Doctor Finklestein.’ The Doctor corrected.
‘Thank you, Doctor Finklestein.’ Annie replied, correctly this time.
Annie sat upon the table with the paper pad in her hands.
She began scribbling with her pencil.
‘I’m afraid a quick sketch is all I can draw. It will not last very long.’
‘What do you mean, “It won’t last very long”?’ Questioned Jack.
‘Do not worry, your majesty, you shall soon find out.’ Annie kept scribbling on the paper.
After about a minute, Annie had finished and put her pencil down on the table.
‘Here, your Majesty, consider this a gift.’
Annie skipped off the table and presented her artwork to Jack.
Annie had drawn a detailed sketch of a rose. To say it only took her about sixty seconds, it was pretty neat.
‘Amazing. You’ve got quite a talent.’
‘That is not all, your Majesty. Watch this.’
Annie placed her hand on the drawing and it looked like she was attempting to pull it out of the paper.
Astonishingly to Jack, she did just that.
She brought her drawing to life.
Jack stared at the rose in Annie’s hand, fascinated with Annie’s ability.
‘Your Majesty,’ Annie curtsied.
Annie handed the rose over to Jack.
‘Amazing.’ He gazed at the black and white beauty of the sketched rose.
But then, the rose crumbled like powder.
Fading to dust, the rose disappeared.
Jack relaxed the grip of his hand.
‘What happened?’
‘I am afraid my drawings do not last forever when brought to life. My most dedicated drawings last the longest. However the most effortless, like the rose you once held, last only moments.’ Annie explained.
‘You call that effortless?’ Said Jack.
‘My talent can reach far better standards, your Majesty.’
‘Jack. Call me Jack.’
Annie closed her eyes and smiled. She believed that she mustn’t.
‘Pretty cool, hey Doc?’ I said to the Doctor.
‘Far different than your own special ability. It makes me wonder what powers you other friends could hold.’
‘That reminds me, we may have found you, Annie, but the others are still out there.’
#Knock, Knock, Knock#
There was suddenly a knock on the door.
‘Is she awake?’ Sally spoke softly as she opened the door.
‘Yeah, she’s here!’ I said as I stepped aside from Annie.
‘Don’t be shy, Annie. This is Sally. She’s Jack’s girlfriend.’
‘You mean to say this lady is the queen?’ Annie gasped.
Jack and Sally looked at each other as they thought about it.
‘Well, we’re not married.’ Said Jack.
‘I still believe you should be treat with respect.’ Said Annie.
That made Sally smile.
‘Ah, cute as a teddy bear, ain’t she?’ I said to Sally.
‘Oh, Emma, that reminds me, the Town have found something. I think you should take a look.’
‘What, they’ve found a teddy bear?’ I was a little confused at first. But then…
‘Benjamin!’
I raced down the ramp with Annie, Sally and Jack following me.
I skid as I came to the front door.
‘Emma, please wait! I do not wish to leave without your lead.’ Annie ran after me.
I waited for Annie, as well as Sally.
I then proceeded out the door.
As soon as I opened the door I was greeted by the town.
Annie clung onto me, I guess she was a little frightened.
‘Who are these people, Emma?’ She whispered to me.
The Mayor came forward from the crowd carrying something in his hand.
‘Is that who I think it is?’ I said as I observed a strange, Yellowy-brown, fluffy item the Mayor was carrying.
‘The kids found this in the cemetery.’ The Mayor passed the item to me.
‘Oh my goodness!’ Gasped Annie.
‘It’s Benny Bear.’
‘Who’s Benny Bear? He’s not one of the children is he?’ Asked Sally.
‘No, but he belongs to one of them.’ I said.
‘Mayor, tell everyone to be on the look out for a little boy dressed in blue pyjamas. Listen up!’ I called out to everyone.
‘Who are the kids who found this bear? Can they come forward?’
The crowd separated as two young characters came towards me.
One was corpse kid and the other was Witherwing.
I knelt down to their head height.
‘I need you too to show me exactly where you found the bear.’
‘I choose to help you, Emma. I may be of assistance.’ Annie came next to me.
‘You can count me in.’ Said Jack as he came on the scene with the Doctor. ‘If this little fella’s out there, we have to find him before Lock, Shock and Barrel do.’
‘But that’s not it. Benjamin won’t be unconscious like me or Annie. It’s his bear that’s unconscious.’
‘But, it’s a teddy bear. He’s not even alive.’ Said the Doctor.
‘I’ll explain later. Right now, a four-year-old toddler with out a sense of danger is awake and walking about. We have to move, now.’ I shot back up to my feet.
‘You two, lead the way.’ I said to the two children who found the bear.
Me, Jack and Annie followed Corpse Kid and Witherwing out of the Town Square.
Now I knew that Benjamin was out there I had to find him quickly. Who knew what Lock, Shock and Barrel were going to do to him.
