Back in Halloween Oogie was still debating his decision. Could he ask Sally? After all, she was on good terms with all the holidays, she fit through the doors, and she’s always been friendly to Lock, Shock, and Barrel. True, she hated his guts for existing and for trying to kill her but she was the next best thing to Jack and HE WAS NOT ASKING JACK. So he decided to try it. Oogie knocked on the door. Sally answered.
Oogie: Hi-
She slammed the door in his face. Oogie figured he deserved that, but was angry all the same. He knocked even louder on the door.
Sally: (seething with hate) What do you want?
Oogie: I need your help.
Sally: Too bad.
She slammed the door again. She didn’t have time for Oogie. If he had a problem he could ask Jack.
Oogie: (shouting through the door) It’s about Lock, Shock, and Barrel! I can’t find them! I think they may be in another holiday!
Sally rolled her eyes. But as much as she hated Oogie she had always had a soft spot for kids, even L, S, & B. She always felt sympathy for them having a parent like Oogie, a feeling only emphasized by her hatred of Oogie and her issues with her own father. One half of her wanted to tell him to get lost and to find them himself, but another part, the part that would win, thought if L, S, & B had wandered in to another holiday it would be trouble for everyone. Just because she sympathized with them didn’t make her blind to their faults. They were brats. She opened the door.
Sally: If you really need help why don’t you ask Jack?
Oogie: I’M NOT ASKING JACK.
Sally: (in an angry tone) Well, I’ll help you, but only for their sakes. And if you try anything funny don’t be surprised if you wake up one day with your mouth sewn shut.
Oogie: Okay, okay, no need to bite my head off.
So Sally left a note saying where she was going to be, just in case, and then walked with Oogie into the forest.
Beldam: You ungrateful little children. After all I’ve done for you and this is how you repay me?
The Beldam was changing; growing taller, paler, and thinner. This was the true form of the Beldam Shock realized. The face her soul wore. She realized she missed Oogie, though she never thought she would. She missed the tree house; she missed Halloween. She was never going to see any of it again. Never, unless…Shock jumped on the Beldam causing her to drop the key. The Beldam threw her off and tried to retrieve it but she was too slow for Barrel. She tried going after him but was stopped by Lock. In no time Barrel had opened the door. Shock ran to it.
Barrel: Come on Lock!
Lock: I can’t! She’s got my tail!
Shock and Barrel grabbed Lock’s wrists trying to pull him through, but the Beldam was stronger than they were and Lock slipped out of their hands.
Lock: Barrel! Shock!
Shock & Barrel: Lock!
But they would not be able to retrieve their brother. The Beldam tried coming after them and with great effort they had to close the door lest she get them next. The terrified two ran, not slowing down until they were well away from the house.
Shock: (on the verge of tears) We…we lost him…Lock…we lost him…
Barrel: Don’t worry we’ll…we’ll get Oogie. We’ll come back for him.
So Shock and Barrel walked back through the forest heading towards Halloween. They were near the doors when they saw Sally and Oogie who were just about to look for them.
Shock: Barrel! It’s Oogie and…Mrs. Skellington?
They approached them wondering why Sally was there. That’s when Sally and Oogie noticed them.
Oogie: There you are!
Shock: Why are you here?
Sally: I was just about to look for you guys, Oogie thought you’d gone into another holiday.
Barrel: You were really going to look for us?
They would have figured she’d be one of the last people to help them.
Sally: Sure. Hey aren’t there supposed to be three of you?
Oogie: Yeah, where’s Lock?
Shock and Barrel looked solemnly at the ground then proceeded to tell them about the Beldam. Sally seemed a bit skeptical, but Oogie was enraged that someone would try to mess with one of his henchmen. He asked them to take him to this place. So they walked back towards the house, but when they got there it was no longer the candy house they remembered. It looked like a shack, and when they opened the door the inside was empty.
Sally: There’s nothing here.
Shock: But, but…
Oogie: Are you sure this was the place?
Barrel: This was the place!
Oogie: Is this supposed to be some kind of prank?
Shock: No! Before it was a candy house, and it was full of stuff and…
Sally: This isn’t funny. Now where is he really?
Shock: He was there…
Shock thought she was going to cry. It had been there, she knew it and Barrel knew it. Where had the Beldam gone? Oogie had had enough and refused to listen. Sally dragged a protesting Shock and Barrel back to Halloween calling for Lock to show himself the whole way. Oogie stayed in the forest trying to find Lock. But Shock and Barrel knew the truth. They wouldn’t find Lock in the forest. He had been taken. Sally took them to her home (she didn’t have the keys to their home). Jack by then had returned. He had read her note so he wasn’t surprised to see Barrel and Shock. They tried again to tell someone what happened and though Jack seemed very intrigued by their story he didn’t believe them either. A few hours later Oogie picked them up. He hadn’t found Lock but still refused to believe that someone called the Beldam had taken him.
That night, when they were sure Oogie was asleep; Shock and Barrel would grab a few supplies and sneak out. They left a note to Oogie saying where they’d gone, though they knew Oogie wouldn’t believe it. They didn’t care if he did. They had to get Lock. They made their way slowly through the forest, they had thought about taking the tub, but decided against it. They neared the house and were greeted by the cat.
Shock: Hello.
The cat nodded to them, then turned his head sideways as if asking why they had returned.
Shock: She’s got Lock. We have to get him.
Barrel unlocked the door. They walked in.
Cat: You know she’s probably expecting you.
Barrel: We know, but we can’t just leave him here.
The place looked just like it had when they last saw it, except there was no sign of the Beldam, or Lock for that matter. It made them uneasy. They walked slowly around, and then headed towards the dining room. She was sitting at the table, smiling as if nothing had happened.
Beldam: Hello children.
She then noticed the cat and frowned.
Beldam: I see you’ve brought vermin with you.
Shock: He’s not vermin, he’s…a friend.
Beldam: Humph…
Barrel: Where is he?
Beldam: Who?
Shock: You know who! Lock!
The Beldam smiled. It was the ‘I-know-something-you-don’t-know-smile’ that Shock had come to hate.
Beldam: He’s right here.
She gestured towards the door way. Shock and Barrel turned to see someone who looked exactly like Lock but for one exception: he had button eyes.
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