"Jack, we've been looking through this for ages." Lock complained wiping the dust, cobwebs and occasional spider off his red devil costume and out of his crimson hair. "Let's face it Oogie isn't behind this."
"I'm not giving up yet." Jack said stubbornly as he looked vainly through the torture casino for any sign of spell ingredients or something that wasn't Oogie's. "He's just hiding it that's all." Suddenly the casino beneath them sprang to life. The roulette wheel on which Jack had been standing began to spin and the robot cowboys emerged ready to fire.
"BARREL! TURN IT OFF!!" Lock, Shock, and Jack cried in unison dodging bullets, spikes, and swords as they whizzed dangerously close to the newly made humans. Jack leapt backward but he wasn't quick enough anymore. A sword swung rapidly toward his face and- Jack slowly opened his eyes seeing that the blade had stopped only centimeters from doing what Oogie had tried to do every time he came against Jack. Still shaken from this unwilling and very close brush with death (and not in the way of bumping into Grim or Deirdre who were both personifications of death); Jack slipped under the knife and stepped rapidly away from the roulette wheel.
"Sorry!" Barrel called from the stairs. "I accidentally hit the power switch." he said awkwardly as he tripped over what appeared to be his own feet and came crashing down the stairs landing with a loud thud on the floor at Jack's feet.
"Barrel..." Jack sighed shaking his head. He helped the youngest of the most notorious trick-or-treaters to his feet. "Perhaps you should stay down here where we can make sure you don't hurt yourself... or anyone else for that matter." Jack said realizing that without his psychic powers Barrel was twice as danger prone as he was normally.
"I'm sorry." Barrel said again still a bit dazed from his fall. He shook his head, his once green hair had turned jet black with the spell that had been cast upon him. "But Jack! Look what I found in Mr. Oogie's secret passageway!"
"Secret Passage- Is that how you three got around?" Jack asked surprised and slightly irritated at not having been informed of this passage earlier. "Never mind, what did you find Barrel?" Jack asked trying to ignore the secret passage comment.
"This, I know it isn't Shock's so it must mean someone else was here! Right?" Barrel asked eagerly handing Jack what appeared to be a little girl's barrette. Jack looked at the smooth black surface with the evil looking Jack-O'-Lantern at the top. There were several medium length black hairs that were tipped with dark crimson still caught in the barrette.
"This is the best clue yet." Jack said approvingly. He heard Lock mutter something along the lines of that it was the only clue they had but Jack ignored him. "Barrel you must show me where you found this." Jack ordered.
"I told you in the entrance of the secret passage." Barrel replied. It took him a bit to realize that they had never shown Jack the passage and had not used it themselves in years. "This way. Come on!" Barrel urged. Jack nodded following the black haired boy in the skeleton costume through the dark and demonic mansion with Lock and Shock close behind.
****************
"Where are you going?" Hally asked eagerly. She had been following Kaitlin all day much to the rather nervous girl's discomfort. Kaitlin took a step back she had just finished helping Carrie, Sadako, and Samara, with little help from Hally.
"I... I was just going to help Coach Emily find out how to locate Victor and Victoria." Kaitlin said obviously rather unnerved with Hally's constant questioning. "Look Hally I can handle this one on my own. Why don't you help Shade or something?" Kaitlin asked unable to hide the hopefulness in her voice. Hally grinned and shrugged at her debate partner.
"Come on I'm learning so much about being human! And I'd love talking to Coach Emily. She's one of my favorite teachers." she urged. Kaitlin continued her small yet noticeable retreat.
"I'm glad but we need to have a talk about personal space." Kaitlin said moving so that she and Hally were separated by one on the tables in the lunchroom. School had been canceled and the only people who were there were the teachers, Kaitlin, and Hally; and Kaitlin and Hally were on their way out. Kaitlin opened the door and made a quick dash through the lobby almost knocking Mr. Pennywise, the math teacher, off his feet. Hally ran after her coming to a stop by the fountain.
"Do all mortals run in spurts like this?" Hally asked uncertainly. Because it really doesn't make much sense." Kaitlin sighed shaking her head. She looked up her visible blue eye widening. Quickly she leapt to her feet pulling one of the hanging men off the fountain explaining to them that in their new state hanging was not such a great idea.
"Ok now is the time to have that personal space talk I mentioned earlier." Kaitlin said as she took one step and was at once followed by Hally. "You see this area right here?" she asked waving her arms in a circular motion around her. "This is my bubble."
"Your what?" Hally asked uncertainly.
"My bubble. Now let me explain." Kaitlin said quickly. "This is my bubble, you- yes you- you do not go in the bubble! The bubble is my space. Get it?"
"So there's like a force-field around you?" Hally asked eagerly. "Like a magical shield!?"
"What-NO!" Kaitlin cried leaping backward at the mention of magic. "It is my metaphorical bubble! As in it doesn't really exist!" Kaitlin said at once.
"So I'm in your metaphorical bubble." Hally asked uncertainly.
"Yes! Exactly!" Kaitlin said sounding relieved.
"I haven't a clue what your babbling about." Hally replied shaking her head. Kaitlin sighed sounding rather exasperated.
"Hally look I-" she cut off as a what sounded like their Halloween song began to ring through the air. Kaitlin took out a small black object that looked sort of like one of Dr. Finkelstien's inventions. She looked at the top and her face paled. "I'll be right back." Hally couldn't believe her luck at long last Kaitlin was doing something out of the ordinary.
"Hey Kaitlin, Hally!" Zoë called from the other side of the fountain. She and Page looked over seeing Kaitlin's face; they decided to take charge.
"Guys do you mind helping Coach Emily out. I have to go." Kaitlin said opening the small black device and putting it to her ear. "Hally go with them, you'll get to see Coach Emily like you wanted." Kaitlin said turning to go. Hally of course made an attempt to follow but to her surprise Zoë and Page grabbed her arms and wouldn't let go.
"Not a problem!" Zoë called turning sharply and making Hally move with her so that the young Skellington girl could not pursue the mysterious mortal.
"Come on let's go teach Emily how to be mortal. Hally you can learn a lot from us. So take notes." Page said pulling Hally away from the direction in which Kaitlin had gone. "Trust me you'll love it!" she said in a not so assuring tone.
"But guys I-" Hally began but Zoë cut her off.
"are uncertain about what to eat!" Zoë finished incorrectly. "We have tons of food! And here let's show you some mortal games! Take this!" Zoë said handing Hally notebook as she and Page released her hoping that Hally would not attempt to follow.
"And this!" Page said grabbing Hally again as she attempted to go back. "You must see this. It's called... a um... compact!" Hally looked at the mirror she had been handed. Noting that the mortals were jumping from topic to topic quicker than Hally could keep up with.
"I know what that is. I'm not that lost." Hally replied.
"Oh well here to make up for it." Page said handing Hally another random item.
"And this." Zoë added.
"And... here have a cookie!" Page said shoving something rather sweet into Hally's mouth. Zoë paused as Hally finished the strange food item. It tasted rather good...
"Page. Our sugar is different from there's. Their systems aren't used to such a sugar intake." Zoë pointed out.
"Uh oh...." they said together.
