Chapter 3: Listening and Answers
Kids: "MISSING?!" Jake, Cindy, and Luke all stared in bewilderment. Santa Clause? Missing? Again? Cindy: "But... what happened to him?" she asked from her spot on the couch next to her two brothers. Sally: "No one's sure, Cindy." Jake frowned, Jake: "Hmph. I bet they think we did it again." he said, sounding very sure about it. Jack: "Well, apparently Mrs. Clause had a letter saying that in the event he disappeared, someone reliable from Halloweentown was suppose to go and help." "Seriously?" Jake asked, looking up with a start. Jack nodded, "But because of old," he smiled, "'circumstances', she thought maybe the mayor was a better idea." The kids laughed at that. Cindy: "So your going instead, right, Dad?" her brothers stopped laughing and Luke looked like he was on the verge of tears again. "I said I would," Jack answered. Jake and Cindy looked like they'd just been told Christmas was canceled, where as Luke... Luke: "You can't go! I don't want you to!" the three year old screamed at an unearthly high pitch. Everyone covered their ears at this, except Sally who tried to calm Luke down.
Jake was sitting on the stone wall along one side of the cemetary, throwing a ball back and forth against a tree. Jake: "Alright, let's see. It shouldn't be that hard. I don't see what the problem is." he caught the ball, turned off the wall, and jumped down into the grave yard. He looked around and eventually found a small black cat sleeping infront of a headstone. He snuck up on it carefully, waited untill he was only a foot away, then screamed, "Boo!" He had expected the cat to jump and run, but rather it opened one eye, looked Jake over, then went back to sleep. Jake sighed, "Aw, man." he grumbled. Suddenly the light from the sun disappeared over head and Jake looked up. A huge flock of ravens was swarming out of the forest only to disperse yards up ahead and the birds fly in every direction. "What the heck is wrong with them?" Jack wondered. A loud sound followed that and when Jake looked again all the ravens were flying back toward the forest as if nothing had happened. Jake stared after them in confusion. Cindy: "Hey, Jake!" he heard her yell, "There you are! Come on, it's getting late!" Jake shrugged, deciding that it wasn't important and that those dumb birds could do what they wanted, and left the graveyard. That wasn't normal, though.
The mayor paced around his office, not looking happy. His eyes darted around nervously, from the clock to the door, and back to the clock. An intercom on his desk buzzed and he pushed the button anxiously. Mayor: "What is it?" voice: "Jack's here, sir." a voice responded. "Well, send him in already!" "Yes, sir." The Mayor sat down, kneading his hand together impatiently. The door opened, the secretary ushering Jack into the office, "You go right on in, dear." She said, turning slightly pink and leaving the office. The mayor tapped his fingers on his desk, "Honestly, do all the girls in this town like you?" he asked. Jack: "Too bad for them I'm married. So what is it, mayor?" The mayor put on his better face and walked around the desk, "Well now, Jack. There have been some odd things going on around here recently. Just yesterday the lake dried up and was full again this morning. The bats in the belfry have been flying around randomly at all hours of the day, and-" "So I've noticed," Jake said to the Mayor who then continued. "I just wanted to make sure you're still planning on going to Christmas Town. Because, I was thinking and we could really send anybody else. One of the vampires I'm sure would be more than happy to go." He smiled up at Jack falsely. "I highly doubt that would go over well. Mayor, I thought you wanted me to go." Again, the mayor's face changed. "I do, instead of me, but last time we got mixed up in this Christmas stuff, if you recall, you were shot out of the sky by anti-aircraft missiles!" he looked almost pleading. "That was eight years ago. Everything is bound to be smoothed over by now with the Christmas Town folk. It's not like they were the ones shooting at me." Jack said. The mayor sighed, "Alright," he gave in, "I brought this on myself..." he hung his head, "You just came back!" he yelled, looking up suddenly, "I don't exactly trust these people. I mean presents and 'joy'." Jack laughed, "I can assure you I'll be fine." "But-" "Now thanks for the concern, but I have to go." he said quickly and left the office before the mayor could say anything. The mayor sighed, "I have a bad feeling about this. Best to keep this under wraps from the public." then he whimpered, "I actually have to run the town on my own..."
The old trees in the woods, devoid of their leaves and twisted in all forms unseen anywhere else cast eerie shadows in their depths. There was only one known way to Christmas Town, and only eight people in Halloween Town who actually knew what it was. Jack had said goodbye to Sally and the kids, being spared any tears, except from Luke, and headed off towards the graveyard. Reaching the gate, he whistled and moments later a faint bark rose from amongst the tomb stones, Zero's white translucent form flying over to meet him. Zero barked happily, his nose lighting up as he flew circles around Jack. Jack: "Whoa, down boy." Zero stopped, panting and waiting for whatever Jack was going to tell him. "Zero, I'm taking a trip to Christmas Town for a month," Jack started. Zero barked and did a flip in the air. "And I need you to stay here." The dog stopped in dead air with a bark resembling a 'huh?'. "Someone needs to watch over Sally, Cindy, Jake, and Luke. I'm counting on you, Zero." Zero barked again, looking happy. He circled Jack one more time then flew off towards the town. Jack sighed, "Even I'm not so sure about this."
Near the graveyard, on the other side of the hill, silent and deadly, sat the house of Lock, Shock, and Barrel. The girl witch was currently half asleep on the window sill when she opened her eyes. Shock: "Hey, look at this." she called to the Lock and Barrel, who were looking over something with interest. Lock: "What is it?" he asked with annoyance, walking over to the window. "Huh?" Barrel: "Where's he going?" he asked, chewing on a candy-cane as they watched Jack disappear into woods. Only seconds later, another smaller form slipped from the shadows past the hill and it too entered the woods. The three mischief makers looked at each other slyly and raced out of the tree house.
The forest almost seemed lonely. There was nothing living there, or however you wanted to consider it. Atleast not now. Once the sun set shortly some ghosts and ghouls would most likely make themselves heard, but they wouldn't bother trying to scare Jack. It was quiet though, and Jack found himself remembering that night he had wandered into these woods and changed history all around the mortal world. In all this shifting thought, however, Jack was still aware of something proceeding down the path directly behind him. Finally Jack looked behind him, stopping on the path and looking back down the gray road. He waited only afew seconds untill something moved in the trees. Jack crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. Up in the tangle on sharp branches, a crow that had been flying over the forest, landed and cocked its head curiously as something. It gave a sudden, loud caw and with a short and startled scream Jake fell out of the tree, landing in a heap in the bush. Jake: "Ow..." he moaned from the ground, rubbing his head. Then he looked up at his dad who helped him up, Jack: "Jake, are you alright?" Jack asked with a laugh. "Shoulda' known better. Trying to sneak up on someone whose been practicing it four times longer than I have... Hi, Dad." He looked up as innocently as he could, "Can I come?" "Not a chance," Jack answered abruptly. "Aw, but I want to see Christmas Town!" Jake argued, or more complained. "If I let you come you'd only miss school for a month and you mother would have my head." "But!" "Enough, Jake. Go home." "But, Dad! Oh..." his head dropped, "You don't even care." he said. That caught Jack by surprise. "Care about what?" "That's I'm gonna' miss you!" Jake yelled. He turned around, but spoke before Jack could say anything, "But that's what happens when you've got someone like you for a father." he turned back around, seemingly resolved on the matter, "So hurry back, okay?" Jack smiled, "I will."
Chapter 4: Plot thickens
