Lock, Shock and Barrel looked at Boogie in awe, and Boogie was wondering who they were. Stock quickly grabbed Shock’s hand and ran off. The others followed along just leaving Boogie there.
“Boogie is the Pumpkin Queen?!” Lock asked in disbelief, stumbling at his feet to keep up with Shock and Stock.
“Yes.” Lok started “and if you think that’s crazy wait until you meet our master.” The six of them ran to what looked to be the old Oogie’s lair. As they snuck into the lair, Lock Shock and Barrel all gasped. A tall female resembling Jack Skellington walked up to the six of them.
“Lok, Stock, Barrle, where have you three been?! I have been looking all over for you..” The other Jack said putting her hands on her sides. She then noticed the other trio and glared back at Lok.
“Who are they?” The other Jack asked.
“Lock, Shock, Barrel, meet Jaklyn Skellington, our opposite master.” Lok said as she looked at Jaklyn with fear.
“They’re uprights?!” Jaklyn scolded. Lok, Stock, and Barrle all nodded uncomfortably. Jaklyn walked over to Lock, Shock, and Barrel and looked them over.
“They do have their similarities to you.” Jaklyn started as she looked at Lok, Stock, and Barrle. “But you have to take them back, now!”
“What?!” Lok, Stock and Barrle all said at once. “Why?!”
“Because, if Boogie finds out or if she sees them then we all know what will happen after that.” Jaklyn said as she motioned her hand and walked over to a table. Lock, Shock and Barrel all exchanged looks.
“We’ll give you a ride back.” Stock said to the three. He didn’t seem happy about sending them back; they had never had anything fun in the Shadow World. Lock thought for a second and glared at Stock.
“You don’t ride in a toilet do you?” Lock asked sarcastically. Lok and Barrle started laughing hard.
“No!” Lok laughed “we ride in a bathtub. Do you ride in a toilet?” Lok mocked Lock. Barrle whistled loudly and a bathtub came out looking exactly like the original one but there was one minor detail wrong with it: the shadow’s bathtub was black. Lok, Stock and Barrle jumped in and the others followed in.
All six of them soon returned to the wall with the mirror and crossed into the Upright World. Lock sighed with relief to be back. Shock jumped out of the tub and Lock and Barrel followed.
“It was cool to meet you guys.” Shock said to the shadow trio.
“I hope to see you again.” Barrel said to Barrle who then giggled. The shadow trio waved goodbye and took off back into the Shadow World.
The next morning Lock woke up and walked to go wake up Barrel and Shock. Lock made it to Shock’s room and knocked at the door, but the door was already open. Lock looked inside her room and Shock wasn’t there.
“Shock!” Lock yelled to see if she was awake already. Barrel then ran to Lock, eyes wider than ever and scared.
“Lock, Shock’s gone missing!” Barrel cried. Lock and Barrel then took off out of the tree house and into the town square. Town hall was filling with people, Lock dragged Barrel into the town hall to see what was going on. The mayor was standing alone at the stage and Jack was nowhere in sight either.
“We have to find Jack!” the Mayor called out to the worrying crowd. Lock and Barrel exchanged looks as they heard the mayor talk.
“He’s not even in Christmas Town!” Sally said. It looked like she had been crying but the two couldn’t tell for sure. Everyone started worrying more when the town hall doors flew open, and there were two figures standing in the shadows. Lock and Barrel looked down and saw that they had no shadow, and at that moment they knew who it was. Barrle and Lok ran into the town hall, straight to Barrel and Lock.
“Have you seen Stock? He’s missing!” Lok cried out. Everyone in the town hall looked over Barrle and Lok.
“Boogie is even missing! Our town is going nuts!” Barrle exclaimed then paused and looked around the town hall.
“Who are they?” the Mayor asked, still worried. Lok walked up to the Mayor and began to speak.
“We are shadows; NOW DON’T ASK ANYMORE QUESTIONS ABOUT US!!” Lok then stomped back to Lock, Barrel, and Barrle. Sally watched the three and muttered something to herself, then she took off out of the town hall.
“We’re missing Shock too.” Lock said.
“And Jack!” Barrel added.
“Have you checked the other worlds?” Barrle asked.
“They’re not in Christmas Town.” Lock said. Everyone was silent for a long second when again the doors to the town hall flew open. Sally walked in with a confused look on her face. Everyone but Lock, Lok, Barrle and Barrel got a smile on their face.
“Jacks back!” The Mayor yelled as he pointed at the emerging figure.
“Wrong Jack.” Jaklyn said walking into the town hall. Everyone gasped in confusion as Jaklyn walked to the stage. “As I hear, you are missing your King.”
“And Shock!” Lock added in.
“Ahh, and Shock too. I was sent to go and find our Queen Boogie. As I went to find her, I found something even better: your precious missing friends!
____
Do you think Jaklyn is telling the truth?
What was Sally really doing when she left?
