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It was a long time ago, longer now than it seems, in a place that perhaps you’ve seen in your dreams. For the story you are about to be told…Took   place in the holiday worlds of old. Now, you’ve probably wondered where holidays come from but have you ever wondered where the leaders of these worlds come from? Well, they are chosen at birth. But only one and when the time for them to leave their old world behind. When they see their door in their world on the day of the holiday, they will lead that is when they go and when they are of age. But one of the chosen came too early and lost so much the night he came.

A small puddle of water on the ground shifts as a black shoe steps in it. someone was running panting heavily the figure is shown a bit that they are a young boy but no older but younger than that of a young man and he was running away from something but it was not a human that was chasing him. The boy was cornered as a silhouette of a large shadow fell over the boy it was chasing. It was hunting. At first it showed that they were taking, then to yelling. The sound of a rip, the yell of rage from the thing suddenly a jet of small thing flies from the unknown being as it engulfed the boy, screams of pain echo is heard through out where they were. Looking closer as a hand is stripped of skin, flesh, tissue, nails and nerves leaving behind a Skellington hand.

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Jack shot up breathing heavily, panting that dream again always the same one before Halloween “Jack are you alright?” he turns to see sally, his dearest friend, his wife it had been only a year ago that they had wed and her becoming his queen it was also that year that she learnt that she was not of Halloween town but was kidnapped from her world called dream town as a child by Dr Finkelstein because he couldn’t create anything at that time and replaced her cotton stuffing with the dry leaves of Halloween town then made her drink a potion to have her forget her birth land and her parents just to prove that he was an incredible scientist!

After the incident with the Sandman, he was sentenced to a hundred years of community service in Dream town and granted sally full use and access to his laboratory and garden to make potions and for crafting experiments until the end of time but during the time he was asleep and sally was facing the Sandman he had these strange dreams, they weren’t like the good nightmares that were common in Halloween town these felt so different, like they weren’t really dreams at all, in them he was with a group of people, moments with two from that group or with one of them sometimes he was with two people a boy and a girl, in them all of them were laughing, there were a few places. In these dreams he felt so happy with them with warmth in his chest but when he woke up and those voices faded away, he felt an ach inside him but didn’t know why.

He didn’t even know the reason for that feeling but that was what he felt the year he took over Christmas and when he had first visited Christmas town, he felt that miss warmth but he also felt as if he heard the holiday before. Smiling he just said “Oh I’m fine, except for all the bats flying around inside me with excitement! For in just a few hours Halloween officially begins” chuckling at her Husband’s never-ending enthusiasm gave him a kiss on the cheek before getting up then she walked behind the dressing screen and changed into her queen attire then headed down stairs for breakfast after she left he got up and changed out of his nightshirt and night cap and got dressed  in the mirror he got a glimpse of the black mark on his left shoulder ball joint, he never knew where he got it but every time he saw it he felt sorrow as if he was missing someone, who though? Shaking his skull he finished dressing into his pin-striped suit then complete his attire with his bat bow-tie and black dress shoes followed her down stairs for breakfast not noticing the mirror on the vanity showed the back of him with above elbow hair with a light brown ear peeking out.

Sally looked at him as they ate a dreadful meal of rotten scrabbled egg and mold toast with affection still amazed at how lucky she was to be with Jack after everything the two of them had been through their love grew stronger, not nothing would and yet there were things she was learning about him each day. They met when she was thirteen and he was two years older than her but unlike Sally nobody actually knew where Jack came from, not even Dr Finkelstein knew. All anyone really knew was that he was found in the pumpkin patch only wearing clothes similar to the ones he wears to this day and the bat bowtie which he always wore, he had no memory of where he came from or who he is, all he remembers is his name: Jack.

Despite the crater in his memory, he was a master of science, crafting tricks and scaring, it just came so naturally it was no surprise that he became pumpkin king but the strange thing was that it was the same day that Ooogie Boogie found Lock, Shock and Barral as toddlers and helped the town care for them once long ago Ooogie and Jack used to be such great friends but that contest broke that though it seemed like something changed Ooogie. Yet it felt like those Memories never made sense because sometimes everyone thought Jack was born in Halloweentown while other times it was the memory of finding him and Boogie’s boys.

Jack was about to take another sip of witch-hazel tea when he almost saw the face of someone else looking back in the tea’s reflection, he nearly dropped the cup! Sally was startled by this and asked “Jack, are you sure you’re, ok? This isn’t like you to be so jumpy” He looked up from his cup to see the worried face of his wife, he wanted to say he wasn’t but couldn’t he instead smiled telling her” Y..yes I am, you have nothing to fret about me for” then he got a glimpse of the clock on the wall “uhm, Sally isn’t it time to check on the café to make sure that the refreshments are prepared for the Hallow’s Eve party?” Sally sprung up from her chair saying that she was about to forgot! Quickly she thanked Jack for reminding her before placing a kiss on his boney cheek and then left to attend the final predations leaving Jack at the table.

After she left Jack sighed as he buried his face into his hands then rose up from his sit and walked slow towards the front door, he knew that he could talk to Sally about these dreams she must have learnt something about dream reading or about the dreamscape when she would visit her parents in Dream town but how could he explain them?......these aren’t normal dreams or nightmares.

When he was having those dreams about those people it felt like he had gone there before with them and felt a sorrow so unknown when he was waking up it felt like hands were dragging him away from them by familiar yellow bones that were not of his own. He didn’t tell Sally about those dreams. Yet the nightmares felt different from the dreams because these nightmares were so strange as if they were not dreams but at the same time seemed to have happened before, almost like they were visions, how could she explain them when he was just as lost? He shook his head to clear his thoughts, he needed all his focuses for today after all it was Halloween!

Their town’s time to shine! Quickly he headed to the door opened it before he glided out closing it behind him and walked in to the town square to help with the final predations. Werewolf man’s howl was both loud yet low making sound as though he had a pack with him perfect for an area with a forest near the houses but reminds him to not go to Australia cause it would only cause confusion there, the Vampire Princes looked terrifying but Jack said that they needed a little something so he plucked up a small jar of blood and after using a small paint brush dipped it into the mix then added a little painting of blood onto their fangs in a way that made them look like they had recently drained someone the brothers were delighted! “This will no doubt be a horribly terrible Halloween!” The Mayor yelled his happy face held a massive smile, Jack turned to face The Mayor and grinned back saying how everything was perfectly dreadful.

Just then their Holiday clock chimed loudly, IT WAS TIME! Everyone headed to the graveyard then entered a stone headstone that took them each to a different place in the human world that celebrates Halloween which connects to the many graveyards but one place always drew Jack to it. It was called Gracestone an almost hidden town in Oregon he always ends his scaring there.

Now don’t get the wrong idea about the citizens of Halloween town, they are not mean or horrible scaring is just their job, nothing wrong with a little fright now and again, it’s all for good fun and a bit of fear is very important for young humans it makes them wiser to things they need to fear so they can be safe from things that would hurt them or who wish harm. In a way like how Christmas and Easter show the beginning of hope and how it was never taken away, they help these children learn what to fear and to be brave.

Thanks to the other holidays, Halloween town was able to make it even better with all they learned from the over doors! With the fire works from the Fourth of July town the pumpkins would look like they were really sparking inside, if someone got too close the fire crackers inside would start to pop making anyone near them jump, the bleeding hearts from valentine's town were stabbed into the branches of dead trees (Queen Ruby Valentino was more than happy to donate them) even Easter town and Thanksgiving town had donated some of their spoiled food to their Hallows eve party. It meant that the leftovers that didn’t or couldn’t be used was remade into frightfully delightful props for Halloween. With those elements added made this year the best Halloween ever!

But the real credit had to be Jack’s since he started also making plans at the start of the new month because it was a rather quite month without any holidays during the months where none of the Holidays are needed to attend too, then when the leaders weren’t preparing for that year’s holiday or planning next years’s they had some free time to relax. For some reason Jack did know how to sew and would either designing some clothes in a sketch book, help Sally with her Café or tend to their garden which was filled with herbs and flowers for drinks and potions. But he’d mostly be reading one of his books by the swamp.

Hey even Holidays need to have Holidays.

Gracestone was different to Jack. He didn’t know why but when he is there it feels like he was trying to find someone of two people in the crowds filled with children and families enjoying the Holiday he ruled over and makes sure that everyone from the young to the old was having such as much fun as he and the rest of Halloween town does, even those who were trick or treaters once to remember when they were young in fact all of his final frights ended there. It’s also there that felt so familiar to him and even after marrying sally there was still something missing inside him. As if he had lost parts of himself that was not of bones but something much more.

And the strangest part…… was on the night he took over Christmas he didn’t actually go anywhere else in the human world. It was only in Gracestone and even then, as he looked through the list that Sandy Claws had he was looking for one last name. A last name he wanted to remember. But he was also looking for a few others as well who for some reason meant a lot to him.

Because every time he was in Gracestone it felt like he was searching for some people and when ever he passed a building or place it would feel like a warmth in his chest with would turn into a burning sensation deep inside himself, almost telling him that something isn’t there! In the reflection of a café’s window, he thought he saw someone young working in there or passing the junior high school he though he heard the bell and heard an old conversation that sounded funny. Every time he passes a place like that the pain would be a bad bad one not a good pain and with each pain, he hears the voices faintly from his dream. He thought that Oogie would know but it seemed like something in his friend was changed and promised to himself that he would bring the old him back, he didn’t anyone but he thinks he knew what to do.

But why only in that town? What is it about it that drawn him to Gracestone? And just why that every time he visited that town that inside, he would feel both warmth and burning?! As if he was uncompleted somehow. He did asked Ruby about hearts “Every living being has one even those in holiday worlds, and as Queen I can see not only a person’s heart but soul as well” then her face turned grim yet confused “however when I look at you jack” from her eyes she saw inside him “I can only see lining” from her point of view she saw a hole in Jack’s body as well as the silhouette of a heart in between his ribs.

As if someone had taken them. But who and why? Could those secrets be hidden in Gracestone? Maybe even tell him here he really came from.

Jack shakes his head “FOCUSES JACK! FOCUSES!” he yells to himself in his skull then groaned he couldn’t be distracted by these thoughts; it was time for the day everyone had worked hard for he wasn’t going to let them down. Though truthfully, he may have been using the predation and scaring as a way to forget those dreams and thoughts. Ok it takes time to travel to the human world from Halloween town and by the time they get to the different places and each one is on a different time zone so by the time they had completed their scare and travel the next place will be night time so he all ways leaves Gracestone for last. The crowd behind him and the others who are off to scare cheer them on and right in the middle is Sally wishing everyone a safe and terrible journey “May you all bring great fear tonight and come back safe with stories to tell! Horrible luck everybody!” she said just as the band begins to play.

The first few open the stone doors on small the angel crypt and they all slipped though off to the many countries, lastly Jack enters after waving to Sally. When ever he walks though the passage way to the human world he always feels the swirling ripples around and some times see shadows of others that for some reason looked..odd. Even then after years of traveling like this he felt so many chills and would have bad horrible pain buzz in his skull as if something was trying to waken from inside him but couldn’t! As if some pieces were not here but once he reaches the stone doors of another grave that those pains vanished and when the grave opens, they were gone.

“Right” Jack would think “who will I get to scare first to christen the night of Halloween?”

Chapter Text

Present era      1995 October 31th

“Are we rolling? Is….please say you’re not holding it isn’t upside down again?” a young woman’s voice asks while very blurry before clearing up revealing a young woman about twenty-eight  years old wearing a red shirt and black jeggings, a large denim messenger bag hung off her. She had ginger hair was cut into a pixie cut, peach coloured skin and Val green eyes who pinching the bridge of her nose shaking her head at the one behind the video camera a few seconds later the camera was heard being turning around and angled facing the one behind the camera a young man who also looked to be in his twenties with honey tone coloured skin, wavy  medium length golden brown hair and grey blue eyes as well as a view up his noise “Hold on…..Yep it was facing the right way Anna” he said facing the camera back facing the woman who coughed a few times to recompose herself then started again “Ok, Greetings I’m Anastasia and the one behind the camera is Marcus and welcome to Paranormal Explorers” the camera turns slightly to show their old town.

“Halloween was once something we used to love in our hometown and it still is but” Anastasia paused closing her eyes recalling the memory that lingered in her mind and the town like a fog that had since faded away yet stays “now it’s a reminder of THAT Halloween night, in 1982 the day three little kids were snatched away by some mysterious man and…….it’s the same night our friend disappeared the police couldn’t find anything and the families of those missing kids moved out of town eight months after their disappearance except for our friend’s family” Anastasia saw a faint image of her friend in the fog sitting together on a grassy hill with a teenage version of her, Marcus And him but couldn’t see his face then that fog left the teenager image of her slowly faded back to the present as her adult self.

Opening her eyes before turning back to face the camera again “But twelve years ago in 1994 there were sightings of a strange man posing as Santa Claus yet the weirdest thing was that not only were the things delivered were spooky ideas our friend came up with but Gracestone was only place this guy visited even leaving gifts at the abandoned homes of the three kids who were taken and was only about to go to another town when he was shot down” she said putting her finger and thumb on her chin thinking aloud “why start with our town? And how did this guy know about the spooky Christmas ideas HE made?” Marcus thought about it too then said “He could be linked to their disappearance, how else would that Rogue Santa Claus been able to learn about those Christmas spooks?” he had a very good point they only ones who knew about them was their friend, he and Anastasia but even so those things were only meant to look real not BE real there was something really wrong.

“But at least the weird sleep epidemic last year after that Christmas thing was super restful” he said cheerfully making her laugh but then she brought up how some more of the ideas HE had been planing to use for the other year’s worth of Halloween which both creeped them out but gave them the smallest hope of him and those kids being safe.

So the investigation started and listed down what they planned to do: interview people who were visited, convince the police to let them see some of the evidence they managed to collect before the real Santa Claus corrected all the gifts with good ones, revisit the residents that were still living in Gracestone they knew when they were kids, research in the library then go to the shop on the far east side of town, with everything planned they headed off.

The first few families they went to see imminently slammed the door in their faces not wanting to remember that night, one even literally slamming the door in Marcus’s face “OW!” he yelled as he stepped away from the door rubbing his nose while Anastasia held the camera , well that didn’t go as they hoped however there was one family they could try even thought they were away that year but the thing was it was their friend’s family was still here apart from his two siblings and yes they could confirm that those things were he’s designs but……Looking at each they sighed before getting into their van which had all their equipment and drove to the police station, Anastasia stared out the window with a mournful frown “You know why we can’t even tell them why we are doing this really” she said, Marcus nodded eyes locked on the road knowing what she meant “Yeah I understand, even though it’s been thirteen years now I still can’t help thinking he’s alive somewhere” he said then lowering his head “But like you…. I wouldn’t feel right giving them false hope.”

At first Officer Archer wouldn’t even get past the desk but when they said that some of those twisted gifts looked like the ones their friend made and the second, they told him that HE was one of the kids that went missing twelve years ago making him stop and stare that them “Our friend showed us his sketch book we think that the fake Santa used them and twisted them into those monstrosities” Anastasia said looking straight into Officer Archer’s eyes.

He does remember their friend very well back when he was still a rookie and had remembered getting spooked by the decorations the boy would set up for Halloween that belonged in the world’s greatest haunted house yet would still be so inviting sighing he sat up from his chair “Come on but I wouldn’t have my hopes up on those things moving” which confused the two of them, what did he mean? They found out that reason : he meant the evidence was died, the wreath had withered away, the bat despite being fed was gone alone with the snake, Marcus while wearing gloves carefully examined each one and looked at them closely under a microscope then straightening up, he confirmed two things one: They were the designs their friend made only make more horrifying and deadly then spook, cool and fun two: they were organic “Are you saying…?” Anastasia asks with hesitation not believing it but knew the second she saw the plant and creatures Marcus nodded “These things were brought to life” he said surprising Anastasia and Archer then to add to the shock he said that the organic material looked other worldly since the snake’s size and colors didn’t match any snake or reptile recorded once more after reading a zoology report the DNA is not of this plain.

Anastasia and Officer Archer gasp in shock at first Archer tried to explain multiple scientifical explanations but couldn’t disprove or brush it off as paranormal nonsense because everything Marcus just said was true and the DNA report did say that the snake and bat didn’t match any animal despite them looking and acting like normal animals. Marcus wrote down what they had just learnt then he asks Officer Archer as Anastasia continued filming them if he knew about anything else about that event but he said that unless a severed shrunken head meant anything that’s about it, sighing they both leave, after they left Officer Archer headed back to the case file office and pulled out the box marked as October 31th 1982 brought it back to his desk and opened it taking out four files. Carefully he laid the files on his desk and just looked at them then sighs, no one had ever been able to forget that awful night the worst part was that it was never solved or at the very least learn if those kids were alive or…were killed would have given the families some closer, three of the missing children’s families had moved away after their kids had been declared missing after two months of searching, the only family here was the older boy’s, those two’s friend. Archer looked closer that his file: he's was the oddest part of this mystery because it looked like he left with the kidnapper by will since a few of his personal items were gone from his room and next to the tree at his home a hole was found as if something that was buried there had been dug up on that very night all four kids vanished.

He didn’t tell anyone this fearing the boy would become a suspect even though he was one of the kids who missing but he only went missing after his younger sister was safely back home then left never to return however someone did saying they saw the teenager yet what they said sounded like insanity so it was never put into the files but everything Marcus had said made him think back to that strange woman who had lived in Gracestone long before he was the missing boy’s age. Pulling out the notebook he used to write down the statements flipped through it until he came to hers: “From far away I saw the boy’s eyes glow showing him where he needed to from, the moment I saw him, when I saw those eyes I knew his fate but it was too early for him to be call to that world, it was not time yet” at the time no one knew what she was talking about but the evidence from the rouge Santa case and what she had said seemed too connected.

He did know the boy when he was still here was obsessed with the paranormal, scariness and loved Halloween, even his birthday was two days before the holiday! He was bright and cheerful but had a creepy element to him even when little he was such a creative, friendly yet admittedly weird and when he became thirteen, he was already taller than boys his age and looked so much more mature that you would mistake him for already being sixteen or seventeen, in fact he did look almost seventeen even though he was still two years away from that. He had high intelligence making him the high school’s top A+ student and an athlete so he had no reason to want to help a kidnapper or run away the other reason he was working so hard to get into a great collage was not just because of his dream but was because he wanted to help his family. But what the old woman said about his eyes could that had been the reason? After no human has deep orange eyes.

The library had been a bust nothing there linked up with what they were searching for except for things their friend would have loved to learn about so after leaving they headed to that shop. Their last chance for answers.

The building looked old yet new, as if time was afraid to touch it: the door was a brown oak with purple cats and gold trees carved on it including a protection signal, the front and sides were dark blue, the window out front was tinted black as if the shop itself was hiding a secret and instead of a door knob it was a skeleton hand on the right side, above was the name written in bold Madam Kahuna’s Emporium of the Beyond Plains.

Miss Kahuna had lived in their town for as long as Anastasia, Marcus and their friend had been babies, she was a widow whose husband passed away long ago and no one knew where her second son was while her eldest son was living far away in Wales but she was always so kind to their friend seeing him as a grandson yet for some reason she didn’t look too sad when he disappeared and every Halloween as much as they knew before they left Gracestone would lock herself in the shop then the next day would on her day with a big smile on her face last year she came out of her shop with the biggest smile on her face and when asked she said “My dear great, great, great grandson got married last night” which was odd because she didn’t mention any great children getting married or even left the contrary to go to Wales because she couldn’t afford a plane ticket besides she said it happened last night how could she see it? and was the only one not affected by the sleep epidemic.

Gulping Anastasia began to speak as Marcus filmed the outside “Here we are Madam Kahuna’s Emporium of the Beyond Plains, we’ve known her ever since we were still small and was fawned of our friend, sometimes calling him her grandson and since we’re dealing with the paranormal she’s our best bet” she moved her hand to the skeleton hand door knob and grabbing it “if anyone can tell us anything it will be her, she is the last lead we ha..AAAH!” Anastasia screamed as the skeleton hand grasped her hand then Marcus said “Wait try turning it the way you do a normal door knob” still shaking she turned it and once the door was opened the hand let go of hers.

Marcus had to hold back his laugh as they walked in not wanting to face Anastasia’s wrath then suddenly all the candles in the shop turned on, now it light they saw how big the shop was and everywhere they looked there were candles on one shelf next to strange bottles, on another were masks with tea at the bottom, Marcus guessed that the real stuff was looked up safe in the back “Ah so now you have come” said a whispery voice surprising the two Paranormal Explorers “Welcome to my Emporium” they turned around and saw Miss Kahuna she was a short and very old woman with long grey hair tied in a bun, copper brown skin, greyish blue eyes though one eye was going blind, she wore a long checkered skirt, a green long sleeve buttoned shirt, pale blue shoes and a white and red shawl.

Anastasia composed herself “Hello again also what is up with that door knob?” she asked still shaken from it, with a chuckle Miss Kahuna said that the knob would only do that to test how much those that come to the Emporium wish to know the truth of the Paranormal world or wish to know what only she knows so they have passed the test “So now follow to know” she said mysteriously then led them to a door leading into the back of the Emporium, looking at each other Marcus and Anastasia didn’t know what to expect but this is what they needed.

Marcus was right about her keeping the real items back here. There were protection spells and amulets and items from places that people survived paranormal experiences on one bookshelf, boxes that held self-defense weapons against evil and potion bottles on another, Anastasia carefully picks up one of them. Sensing Anastasia picking up the right potion Miss Kahuna smiles then says while not looking away from the bookshelf full of the many books “That helps shows the lost memories of someone who has forgotten who they were” Anastasia looked at her Miss kahuna continued speaking while she looked for the book she needed to get “simply pour a little into some water, dip an item that belonged to them then pull it out and a mist will appear showing the last memory they had before they lost them all” then cryptically said “take it for you will need it”  Anastasia was confused by what she said before looking back down at the bottle, why would they need it?

Regardless she pulled out a small drawstring bag which had padding inside from her bag, slipped the bottle in, drew the drawstring and put it into her messenger bag next to her note pad, a small gift bag and in the side pocket a photo of her and her two friends when they were kids during summer.

Ah she found it, gently she takes the book off the shelf and walks over to a table in the centre of the room. Marcus asks if she knew what happened to their friend and those other kids “Yes and it was your friend’s fate just as like my son’s fate but it was too early for him to be called to that world” Miss Kahuna said, this not only confuses them but infuriates Anastasia in anger she asks why didn’t Miss Kahuna tell anyone of she knew where they were?! Looking up at the woman who despite having a look of anger had great sorrow in her eyes sighing the old woman said that she did tell the police but nobody believed what she said and even if they did the boy could never return to the human world ever again “like my youngest son, your Friend was destined to go to another realm, his eyes glowed before going and…” she pauses “once they enter they are forever bonded to it only being able to leave to the human realm and use the powers they gain once a year, if it’s not their visiting season then those powers are very limited so they need a portal to return to their realm” she said softly a great sadness in her voice that’s when Marcus and Anastasia saw the sorrow and longing in her eyes which softens Anastasia’s heart, her anger leaving understanding what Miss Kahuna meant and...who she had lost.

With great care Miss Kahuna places the book onto the table catching the Paranormal Explorers curiosity: the book looked ancient, a deep dark brown looking like tree bark, the cover was covered in small doors connected by tree roots and it was written in a strange Latin but luckily, she had learnt it. Miss Kahuna opened the book to the page she needed to show them on the page it was written in the strange Latin but it did have illustrations of odd eye colors and some had weird irises “Those chosen are born two days before the event and have one of these eye colors, Your friend” she pointed to the image of the deep orange eye “was born with this eye color and on that day they must leave they start to receive a psychological link to their new realm. Instructed instinct they pack their belongings, stash them in a place to easily grab so they can head to the portal to where they are getting called to and are shown where it’s located” she said Marcus stared at her then asked that even if they find him, he could never bring him home?

Without needing words, she shook her head saying that he had become bounded the second he stepped into the world but they could at least solve the mystery of the kidnapping to at least give the families and themselves closer “that is the true reason for this investigation, isn’t it?” she suddenly asked them Anastasia and Marcus looked surprised but, in their hearts, they knew she was right. It was never about the show at all, they just wanted to learn the truth of their friend’s abduction and if…..if he was dead or not. Then Marcus asks Miss Kahuna “Is it possible for humans to go through these portals?” she thought for a moment then said “Yes, but if you are thinking of entering another realm put these on” she said walking over to one of the bookshelves that had the protection spells and grabbed two amulet necklaces and a string pendent that had a small triangle stone with a hole in it. Content with what she collected, Miss Kahuna walked back to Anastasia and Marcus then handed them each a necklace while she handed Anastasia the pendent with the stone “it’s a seeing stone: it will help you see danger and hidden secrets” she told her and then returned to the table.

She turned several pages until she came to the right page: on it was a picture of many gravestone statue angels with a small pumpkin on the side “Look for angels with this symbol at night and it will take you to the realm he’s in but you must find him to unlock a portal back to the human realm and those amulets will keep you safe” she told them as their eyes grew wider and they thought the same thing “THE GRACESTONE CEMETERY!” they yelled at the same time, this was the true lead they needed! Quickly they thanked Miss Kahuna for the information and trinkets then headed out of the shop to make plans for tonight. After they left Kahuna sighed before walking into her office and picked up a small photo frame, the last photo she had standing with her sons “You were able to say goodbye to us and still see us once a year” looking sadly at it. This was the last time her youngest still looked like his old self “I just hope that boy can see he can still be both” then she put the frame back down on the desk.

In the photo she was standing next to a pair of young men one twenty-five and the other twenty. Both of them had copper brown skin like their mother but the older of the two had black hair and brown eyes while the younger one had ash blonde hair and light pink eyes that made him look almost like….

A bunny.

Chapter Text

Halloween town 6:30 pm

There was a bustle of excitement in towns and cities across the world, kids were having fun trick or treating, some teenagers were making rather stupid choses everyone having fun in their own way even the monsters and ghouls of Halloween town were having fun bringing terror and fight all over the world: In Hungaria the Vampire brothers had frightened three groups of teenage girls, the dark red gloss Jack made for their fangs made it look like they fed on some human a minute age, fangs appearing still fresh causing even their male friends to scream like three year old girls which in turn caused those girls to laugh after the brothers left it filled the vampires with delight in their dead hearts to hear humans enjoying the scream they pulled from those lungs.

The clown with the tearaway face was in Catalonia, he spotted a couple of older kids who were threating some little children to give their the candy they worked so hard for, he cycled up to that group honking his horn one of those older kids looked to be shaking then clown just ripped his face off “AAAH!” the bullies screamed and ran off one of the little kids who was dressed as a clown not knowing clown was a real monster thanked him before saying his dead clown face is extremely more scary than his void face but then his other friends said that both of them would give nightmares nightmares then he and his friends told him bye before leaving the clown with the tearaway face smiled a huge smile “What little monsters” he said under his breath at the nicest complements he got from those little kids.

All over the world adults and kids alike were being scared and brought to fright by the citizens of Halloween Town who had prepared for the day they love but only now their frights were even better than before thanks to the other holidays some even donated the items that aren’t good or could bring disaster for their holidays:  Queen Ruby was more than happy to give them all the Bleeding heart flowers they collet since if they get into their love fountain that the cupids dip their arrow heads in people would be having broken hearts rather than fall in love and because they looked like a heart The Hanging Tree came up with the idea to put them inside his skeletons’ ribcages then Jack put little lights inside with a small device that would make the flowers appear to still be pumping while Sally carefully painted to ends to look like blood was dripping down their ribcages as if they had been pierced by spikes before they with hanged and the screams of those young lovers filled the air. The fireworks that were left over from Fourth of July added a real kick, you can only imagine the screams of the children and Teenagers when a pumpkin would either explode spraying the sicky insides of it or when small rockets would fire out of the eyes and mouth.

From Easter town the bunnies were more than happy to give them all the eggs that went bad which were perfect for the after-party feast even those from thanksgiving town gave them a few vegetables that went bad which is very rare since they usually have it all cooked fresh unless they were too asleep to even remember to put the left-out food away the night before so even that wasn’t going to waste, Dream town the world Sally was from helped by showing so many nightmares which really inspired the citizens on new ideas one of which was to set up a little haunted house inside an abandoned large house in one of the towns if a large group happened to be in the same place which only brought loud screams from the humans who entered but a chorus of laughter as they left playfully teasing each other about getting scared while also saying how those ‘fake props’ looked real bringing such warmth to those monsters’ hearts. Though it wasn’t just the adults of Halloween Town who were having fun is night.

 Lock, Shock and Barrel who are the best trick or treaters of Halloween town but for some time they were the henchmen of the fearsome Oogie Boogie until he was killed by Jack on the year he tried to take over Christmas yet he let them off a little by putting them on probation along with being under the care and strict supervision of Bertha and Ned the parents of Ethan a Corpse child which had proviant to be the best course of action since they have gotten better after all they were permanently children and because of Bertha and Ned they were as… well to be honest those three were not as badly behaved like before but at least they weren’t under Oogy’s rule any more so they weren’t under his influence or fear controlled rule, so because of their improved behaviour the three were allowed to go to a few more place this year though the place they really didn’t want to miss any Halloween, that special little town they never pranked or did a trick on any one there but each of them were looking for someone in…. Gracestone.

They were very little when they were found by a citizen who then brought them to town Lock was five but stopped aging at six, Shock was four then stopped at six while Barrel was three and stopped aging at five though the strangest thing was…they were found seven hours before Jack was found on the very same day and like Jack didn’t remember who they were but in their trick or treating bags they each had a little stuffed toy which Jack remembers seeing yet couldn’t remember where from, strange how four people were found on the same day.

It was when they started living with the corpse family, they told Bertha about the strange dreams they have every night before the day of Halloween like except in their dreams they saw themselves being grabbed off a sidewalk then waking up covered in sweat. When they each slept with their respective doll the rest of the year before next Halloween they would individually dream about a house, different people and laughter then when they wake up for some reason they’d start to feel really happy but at the same time sad when they saw they were in their rooms and they didn’t know why…they were really depressed after they woke up from after the Sandman incident because they wanted to stay in their dreams cause they only felt truly safe and happy, those dreams were the only comfort they had while being Oogie’s minions. In each of their dreams there were adult women and men but they felt different in a different town but before they woke up they could have sworn those people were about to call they by a different name oh well maybe next year they’ll figure out what those dream but for now they were off to Gracestone, it was a coincidence that Jack showed up at the same time as they did to the town he looked down at them then with a smile said “Alright, off to Gracestone we go”

Gracestone Cemetery- 11:55 pm

Just a few hours ago Anastasia and Marcus had slipped on the amulet necklaces before they snuck into the Cemetery to look for the stone angel then find somewhere to hide until that portal is activated once it is they will need to hurry but the   Cemetery was closed at eight am during Halloween and it was to protect some very important spot from vandal which they had to pass though it would bring them heartache and those who knew it’s meaning. Anastasia and Marcus quickly ducked into a large blueberry bush crouching down but it wasn’t just to hide from the grave keeper, in fount of a headstone was an old woman and a young girl who was six years old their backs were towards them not seeing Anastasia and Marcus hiding but neither of needed to see the woman and girl’s faces. gently they placed on each spot a bouquet of white flowers yet they had strong meaning orchids which means missing someone while the white roses and daisies meant innocence the little girl asked the older woman in a voice so innocent as they left “Nana why do we always put these on here?” the old woman couldn’t look at her, all she said was “To remember the lost” they waited three hours to be sure that those two were gone then Anastasia and Marcus walked up to the large headstone: it was a memorial for those kids who were taken that Halloween thirteen years ago, the carver who made it made sure each part reflected that child and hade the date of their birth but not of their death which was the most painful part of the families because their bodies were never so they didn’t know if they were alive or not.

The centre was a stone raven Anna kneeled down and ran a hand across her friend’s name, eyes filling with tears “We’ll find who did this to you and get justice for all of you” she said leaning against the cold stone raven “I promise” slowly she stood up then she and Marcus returned to the bush to wait until nighttime. Nobody knew what happened to any of those kids not even if they were still alive or …. worse that’s what made their disappearance so much worse, it’s the reason the families of the three missing little kids left town choosing to accept that they were gone while their friend’s family didn’t leave except for his brother and sister who left for colleges rarely coming back. The only time they would see their parents and grandparents during his two Favorite holidays which was why they hid from the Girl and grandmother. How can they face them or tell them what they were doing? His little sister was the most heartbroken after he was taken.

The time was eleven fifty-five pm five minutes until midnight when Halloween would be over, Anastasia lifted the Seeing Stone up to her eye and looked through “Whoa” she said stunned by what she saw as she walked around feeling like she was seeing a dream: the world became a pale blue and white, the animals that roamed the Cemetery had a soft yellow glow inside them even Marcus had that glow while a dead pigeon was pitch black just then she turned to the stone angel gravestone who held open a stone book, standing on a large pedestal and at the bottom of its feet glowed Purple and Orange colours connected to Halloween and on the book’s cover was a symbol of a jack o lantern! Smiling Anna shouted “THERE! I see the portal” then put the seeing stone to the lens of Marcus’s video camera who was filming the area so he could see the hidden world, it was hauntingly beautiful “This is amazing, I wish he could have seen this” he said thinking of his dear friend suddenly they heard footsteps coming into the Cemetery and quickly they rushed back to the bush then crouched to the down. They could only see the feet of the ones who entered but they could hear them talking, just from the voices it was clear that three were kids while the other was an adult male “Ho ho we hit a jackpot this year” said a young voice that belonged to a boy and another little boy fallowed up by a little girl’s voice “Just remember to keep all our candy better hidden don’t want Ethan to find it like last time” she said as the group were walking towards the angel gravestone.

Anastasia and Marcus heard the small doors of that entrance opened up then it slowly closed shut peeking up from the brush the angel stature looked normal and untouched but they already knew it was the right door and after a minute they stood up and rushed right to the gravestone, Anna gripped each side of the centre of the foot and opened it like a trap door which was pitch black inside. A light breeze of cold made the two friends shiver it was clear if it was of cold or fear yet they have gone this far and knew they couldn’t back down, not when they were so close to learning the true of finding their friend, Anna reached into her bag and pulled out two flashlight handing one to Marcus, flicking them on they nodded to each other and began to walk down the steps of the catacomb when Marcus spotted something sparkling on the ground as his flashlight lightly hit the stone steps. He kneeled down to get a better look suddenly he gasped and picked it up, resting in the middle of his palm was a pure silver ring with a skull on it, it had real ruby gens in the eyes but he and Anastasia would recognize anywhere “It’s the ring he inherited from his great uncle! He wore it only at work and with his costumes including the one he had on that night”  Marcus said this could only one thing: This was the portal their friend found and the ring must have slipped off his finger when he walked down that was the reason he only wore it at work and when he was cosplaying, he was always meaning to put the ring on a necklace but the fact it was here meant this was the right path. Marcus handed Anna the ring who slipped it into a small pocket in her bag, they walked further in just as the trap door above them slowly closed shut leaving them in darkness lit only by heir flashlights.

Anna turned her flashlight off sticking it back into her bag then put her hands forward onto a pair of slabs in front of her, from its cold and hard feel she could tell that they were made of stone at first she tried to push them open but the stone slabs were a little too heavy “Hey Marcus give me a hand with this” she said as she kept trying to push them Marcus turned his own flashlight off sticking it in his pocket he still had the camera filming and gave her a hand using one of his hands. With on all might push the slabs parted revealing it to be another trap door like the one in the Cemetery except it was going up which really confused Marcus “Bu..but we went down not up” he said as the two of them walked out of that trap door and looked around trying to figure out where they were, from the looks of things they were in a graveyard but everything felt off:  the tombstones were cracked or broken, there was an eerie atmosphere about the place above them they saw a strange dark starless night sky and the moon was large yet far away, the other odd part was all the pumpkins around along with so many weeds and no flowers anywhere not even at the graves except for all the deadly plants. Marcus turned around and screamed! Causing the video to shake as he stumbled backwards tripping over a small pumpkin. For the trap door they walked out of was a mausoleum with a gargoyle on top of it instead of an angel, it was now clear they had entered another world…the place that their friend was taken too, Marcus calmed himself and got up from the ground “We can edit that part out” he said facing the video camera at Anna who chuckled then her face became serious from where she stood she could see a large hill “Come on let’s get going” she said then asked Marcus to check his necklace was still on? One tap around his neck confirmed it was still on and so they headed off.

It wasn’t long until they got to the strange hill which edge was Spiraled, what kind of world was this? There were so many graves, past the hill was a large gate made with tall sharp spikes which were spread too far apart as if the person designing it forgot that fences were meant to keep things or people out but made it easy to slip in, the gate itself had two pillars were made of stone on either side with a metal arch on top with a skull joining them, their friend would just love it here. Slowly Marcus stepped forward and ever so lightly pushed the gate open there was barely a squeak at that moment Marcus and Anna heard music from at the bottom of the hill there was light and the sound of people “There” Anna said pointing down to what looked like a town “Maybe someone could tell us if they saw three little kids and a teenager or….” She sighed as hope grew in her heart, Marcus knew what she was about to say “Or maybe they are alive and living with them all these years?” he asked no words were needed for they were hopeing the same thing and headed down.

Halloween town- end of Halloween….

The citizens were a buzz of cheer for this year was beyond horrifying than any other year ever! So many screams, so many terrified humans all thanks to their Pumpkin King and Queen’s leadership. Clown told everyone the sweet complements he got from a couple little kids after he scared away some bad nasty older children “One of them said that both of my faces would give nightmares nightmares!” Clown said the witch sisters, Werewolf and Bertha all awwed at that then made their way to the tables which were full of wonderful finger food which smelled fowl while the punch had a few bugs swimming around in it, oh Queen Sally and her team had truly out done themselves this year with this small feast. the Mayor stood up on his Mayor-mobile and called out to gain everyone’s attention so he could address the large crowd his happy face grinning ear to ear this had been the most horrifying year they have ever had.

Meanwhile Anastasia and Marcus had just stuck into the town but stopped in their tracks hiding behind a large wall when they saw that in the town there were no humans but monsters and the ones that almost looked human had stiches all over their bodies even the children were monsters, one kid even had a collar and the lead was held by a corpse woman that both Anna and Marcus happened didn’t mean that corpse child was the feral deadly kind of corpse child but three of the younger kids who were dressed as a little devil, a little witch and little Skellington looked a bit more human than the others yet there was something strangely familiar “We better get a little closer” Anna said to which Marcus nodded. They crept deeper into the monster filled town before stopping  behind a large tree and leaned slightly out holding onto it’s bark so they could listen in, it was clear that the two beings in the middle of the town square were the ones in charge, Marcus peered out from the other side of the tree filming everything, this was amazing and had to cover his mouth to keep from gasping because the costumes those three kids had on were just like the ones the three missing little kids wore! Maurus then spotted the tall clock tower which had a counter under the clock face that read: DAYS UNTIL HALLOWEEN so they were the monsters you’d see huh cool he was 

Jack smiled shaking his head reminding the Mayor that it may have been the plaining he and sally had done but it had been thanks to everyone’s hard work that they were able to make this year the scarious and most horrible Halloween ever “Not only that but the other Holidays were so generous with their donations” Sally said gesturing to the table full of food and drink, which was true all of those new tricks were the real stars but he then reminded Sally that those nightmares really helped make so many new screams and the idea of a haunted house was brilliant “ I don’t know why we never done one before? Those people were laughing so much after they left that haunted house calling it the most terrifying place they have ever visited and hoped to visit it again next year!” Jack said with joy, that was the reason they do what they do it wasn’t just make someone jump with fright or scare to the point of screaming but to show how much fun a little fright can be and when they face what scares them the most makes them so much braver.

From her hiding stop behind the tree she remembered how much fun she, Marcus and their friend had when they were younger from the scary hay ride when they were toddlers where they grateful their moms insisted they wore thick training pants before going on because by the time it was over they were teary eyed and wet but when they were pre schoolers and did their first haunted house they only got really scared by the jump scares at least they were dry at the end weirdly enough he never had nightmares from those events. When they got older their friend would still get surprised by the jump scares but after they happened he’d laugh which made things seem less scary, no doubt that if he went to that haunted house he’d get frighted by the jump scare then complemented on their ‘costume’ before giving them some tips on how to make it even spookier for the next person…… thinking about those memories were so painful like someone was clawing at her heart as her mind reminded her that he was gone ‘Why even try to find him?’   ‘He could be dead’  ‘If you had got there earlier or sooner, he would still be here!’   those thoughts follow her every time she thinks of him or look at anything the reminds her of him THOSE thoughts came, she never told anyone about them or that she blames her for his disappearance, her tears were already falling down her cheek it was the reason she investigates the unknown them maybe she could find out what Paranormal entity took him and maybe save someone else from that force. A thin Boney finger dryad the tear on her cheek.. Wait Marcus is on the other side of her and he wasn’t super skinny that you could feel bone, slowly she looked up and the skeleton hanging by his neck by a rope on the tree stared along with four other skeletons down at her.

“AAAAAH!” Anastasia screamed loudly in fright and shock causing her to lose her balance stumbling out from behind the tree which got startled and walked away over to the crown exposing Marcus as well who was still holding the camera thankful the cap wasn’t on and that there was a tape inside. The citizens of Halloween Town gasped in surprise at the two strangers because they were humans! The only time a human was in their town was when Sandy Claws was brought during the fiasco two years ago, these two wore the same kind of clothes as other humans and they actually look scared of them yet to Jack had a strange feeling that he knew these two from long ago but where? The young man was holding an odd-looking device aimed at them while the young woman was breathing heavily starting to panic the poor things deemed so terrified just like the ones who they scare but since the holiday is over now hey were all off duty until next year so it was only polite to be kind hoists. Anastasia and Marcus felt their hearts pounding as the monsters walked towards them it didn’t look like they meant harm but either of them wanted to take the chance of them attacking, slowly they slid backwards to the stone wall Anna wondered why the Amulet wasn’t working?! Marcus was just as scared all around them the monsters spoke asking what the device in Marcus ‘s hand was? Some of the little monsters were asking the adults if they could pet the humans? If they all this curious about humans visiting this world, did it mean they didn’t see the kids? What did the Halloween snatcher want with those poor kids?

Suddenly a man spoke softly “Please everyone, don’t crowd them! Clearly, they’re scared half to death” in an instant the monsters all backed away giving them a large amount of space before parting giving a clear path for a tall skeleton in a pin-striped suit followed by a rag doll with long red hair wearing a patched chiffon black dress, black high-heeled boots with striped socks and a crown made of iron and dove feathers so they must be the rulers of this world. The skeleton gently smiled down at them “I do apologize we’ve never had humans in Halloween town” he said was a light chuckle so that’s what this place was but then Anna spotted the bat bow-tie around the skeleton’s neck catching her breath. Shakily Marcus lowered his camera staring up at the skeleton he was still recording and a trembling voice said “m..m..my ...name is Marcus and her name’s Anastasia we’re Paranormal investigators looking for answers for The Halloween snatcher, thirteen years ago this thing brought sorrow to our town on Halloween night and everything led to here” anna hasn’t spoken only lowered her head, clenched fists.

“Oh dear” Jack said looking at Sally who ever this person is sounded horrible but not in a good way they wanted to help in any way they can. “Where did you get that?” the young woman spoke in a low whisper that was almost too soft for jack to hear “I beg your pardon but was it?” he asked politely fury over took her, with a Glower Anastasia stood up swiftly and in one motion ripped Jack’s bow tie off his suit much to the shocked gasps of the monsters the mayor’s head spun round revealing a frowning face who gasped in horror “WHERE DID YOU GET THIS BOW TIE?!” she yelled in rage Marcus tried to calm her down a little worried that these ‘people’ might get angry and decide to punish them but Anastasia wasn’t listening and pulled back one of the bat’s wings that’s when Marcus pulled the camera over and gasped at two embroidered letters J.E ………those were the initials of their friend’s name,  he had been doing that ever since pre school, he couldn’t..? So, he was here.

Anastasia glared up at the Pumpkin king her rage became that of a hurricane “This was part of the costume he wore the night he was taken…. So where did you get it?” she started walking towards him causing Jack to walk backwards “from a shady merchant? Found at that graveyard? Out of the trash can?”  her eyebrows lowered and pulled close together “From his body?” for a moment her eyes widen then her face became a tight scowl slowly saying “You robbed his body?!” the next words made everyone flinch with shock and hurt “I bet you guys killed him after torturing him for all of his pranks and plans for that Christmas takeover!” her eyes filled with tears that flowed down her face displaying her grief, sorrow and loss as she said “He was just fifteen years old, fifteen and those other kids were even younger than him! And you guys stole that life from him!” flinging the Bow tie down which was luckily fetched by Zero who brought it to Sally who grabbed it giving the ghost dog a pet as a way of thanking him.

Jack tried to calm Anastasia by placing his left hand on her shoulder “My dear I honestly…” but was cut off when she ripped not just his whole arm off his body but the whole sleeve too that’s when she started taking short breaths calming down Jack looked to Marcus and said looking at his empty shoulder “Hmm, women are a lot stronger now a days” Marcus shrugged his shoulders “Yeah, adrenaline does that if they get angry enough… take it as a warning to not get them on a bad day” he said a little scared though he was surprised that the other monsters looked shook up. At that moment Bertha walked up to Anna gently putting a hand on her back “Honey” she said in a calming in her soft motherly tone “None of us would ever harm a child” Anastasia’s breathing became more steady listening to the corpse woman “on Halloween we just scare and only that for our holiday” she said then placing her fingers on her chin “though now that I think about it thirteen years ago was when Jack, Lock, Shock and Barrel was found that very night which was very odd, what's even stranger he was your friend age” that…was far too strange even for Halloween town.

At the moment the sleeve on Jack’s arm slid down revealing a black mark on his left shoulder ball joint Jack laughed saying how he would need that re-attached to his suit but Anna and Marcus couldn’t tear they’re eyes off that mark: it was shaped like a bird, it was shaped like… a raven. Marcus asked the skeleton if he knew where he got that mark as Anna pulled out an old photo that was taken during a pool trip in summer two months before fall started in 1982, Jack shook his boney head “I..Don’t know but I’ve always had that mark…I hide it because it makes me so sad that I’m  missing someone” he said Anna kept staring past the teenage versions of her and Marcus it was just on the boy in the middle of them: he looked two years older than fifteen, toasted brown skin, fluffy and thick shoulder length Auburn hair done in a low ponytail and deep orange eyes but it was his left shoulder that Anastasia was focused on which had a birthmark shaped like a white dove and could hear HIM telling them about it as Jack pulled his arm out of her grip by sliding it out of the ripped sleeve and reattached it  “Yeah it’s a weird thing in my family, we all have the same birthmark shape but always in a different spot” Anastasia looked up at the skeleton as he put his arm back on eyes on the bird mark on his shoulder “on the skin it’s white making it look like a dove”  Marcus saw it too shaking “No…it..it can’t be” he said that’s when they both hear the most importation part of what their friend told them “but on the bone where the mark rests, is black as coal”  Anastasia stared at the skeleton “Ja…Jackie?” she asked startling the skeleton.

Jack's hollow eye sockets widened as that name echoed in his skull, as if disturbing a deep far away memory from years ago slowly turning his head to look at the humans with a shocked expression “H..How do you know that nickname?” he asked Anastasia and Marcus who stared at him as if they were seeing a ghost, their eyes locked on him their hearts were beating like a jackhammer as truth of who this being before them was with all the clues floating into place like a puzzle: this skeleton arrived in Halloween Town thirteen years ago, he was found at the age of fifteen, his final stop was always Gracestone which was the only place he visited that Christmas and the birthmark on the very same stop could only mean one thing.

Marcus still shaking couldn’t believe who he was seeing, after all these years the years of grief, of sorrow for the friend that was stolen away was…. “Jackson Evermore?” he asked but in that moment  he and Anastasia didn’t see a skeleton in front of them but a human looked two years older than he was, toasted brown skin, fluffy and thick shoulder length Auburn hair loose, deep orange eyes and on his shoulder above his left arm which was missing the whole left shirt sleeve was a white birthmark shaped like a dove. Hearing the name made Jack shutter not in fear but as if a deep memory wanted to be found, he clutched his skull with his hands as flashes of imagines shot through his head of his dream but deep inside, he knew they weren’t dreams. They were memories but it was like the others were gone.

Deep within the old lair of Ooogie Boogie, hidden beneath one of the floorboards from the one who owned this tree house who once ruled as the pumpkin king before Jack was a steel red box with a skull lock on the front…. The box shook as if what was inside wanted out, something that person trapped inside which started to move as soon as the name ‘Jackson Evermore’ was spoken.

Like the one who locked it away wanted to keep it away from someone by hiding it under plain sight and next to that box unharmed by time was a small handmade doll on it’s foot were two letters: J.E just like on the wing of the bat bow tie.