Jack Skellington returns to Gracey Manor

Strolling down the Hinterlands/Meeting the ghoulish hitchhikers

Wednesday and Pugsley were playing the medieval swords together. They are in the Halloween Town plaza. With the emerald fountain was held. The tools they used are really from the pranksters' hideout. The Addams kids are a pro of thievery. She gestured her brother to standstill. Pugsley was mystified. "What is it, Wednesday?" She became muddled. He saw what his sister was looking at. Their Addams parents are wondering about where Thing went. Gomez exclaimed in the black box. It echoes. Morticia was confused as well. She stormed off to The Witches' Shop. Pugsley goes after her. "Wednesday, wait up!" She stop at the cauldron. He halted too. Wednesday intones to the brewing cauldron. "Oh dark of the night. Lend me a place for the missing. Oh show us the knight of fright. Leave out the hissing. Show us the Pumpkin King. And our dear friend Thing." The witches' brew whirlpools itself for some seconds. Then, it subsides. The fog cloaks over the cauldron. The magic of the witch shows her what she foresight. Wednesday got distress. Pugsley was dying to know. "Did you found Thing?" She breathed out, on the verge to get help. "We got to tell Sally." He does not acknowledge. "Why's that?" Wednesday pulled herself together, still afflicted. "Jack's in the Hinterlands. He's returning to Gracey Manor."

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The Pumpkin King walked further than he thought. Because Jack was sprinting for having an endless dream over the haunted mansion. The Pumpkin King has done his research over such a place as Gracey Manor.

Unfortunately, no one hears or writes for the manor before it got cursed. Well it was hidden by dark magic. Jack took time on conducting the series of witches. There must be a cause why Madame Leota cannot reach him. Witchcraft? Sorcery? Any bunch of hocus pocus? He lived his whole life. His dead life as a skeleton. Ruling Halloween Town for celebrating...well Halloween...

Enough of his past life. The Pumpkin King will keep walking in the Hinterlands. Jack was seriously going back to Gracey Manor. The Pumpkin King was close. So close.

Suddenly, Jack heard its presence. He rotates his skeletal body. The Pumpkin King was aware of danger. Jack checked where he stood. From his surroundings. The Pumpkin King swore he hears someone...or somebody...

Jack saw none. As he turned around, heading forth. The three blue-and-green ghost men are in his way. The Pumpkin King got perturbed. Jack utters. "What's this?" The one ghost guy tips his derby hat. "I am Ezra Beane." The other ghost man tips his top hat. "The name's Professor Phineas Plump." The little ghost carries on the iron ball. It was his prison shackle. "And my name's Gus." The Pumpkin King looked bewildered. "Um...Just what kind of the ghouls are you?" The threesome boys looked at each other. And then, they raised their thumbs. They all three spirits pointed in the same direction. Jack was more beaming than ever. "Oh my...You three are hitchhikers!" The Pumpkin King had to question them. "Ezra, Phineas and Gus...You men hitchhiked the Doom Buggy last week?!"

Phineas replied. "Since you and your friends last visited the Gracey Manor."

Ezra pitched in. "We took our chance to take a ride where you've come from."

Gus finished the rest. "Who knew Halloween Town was frightening like the Haunted Mansion."

Jack was a lot more than impressed. The Pumpkin King liked that. He introduced himself. "I'm Jack. Jack Skellington." They three we're pleased to meet the pumpkin king.

Jack felt something tugging his pants. The Pumpkin King was puzzled. Gus exclaimed in a scare. "A hand!" The hitchhiking ghosts saw it too in terror. Jack looked down. The disembodied hand was pulling his trousers. The Pumpkin King was surprised. "Thing!"

Jack bends his bony knees. The disembodied hand released his pants. Thing scurries in front of the pumpkin king. The three hitchhiking ghosts just stared at the hand. Phineas tilted his head. "This...five-fingered-hand...has a name?!" Ezra clarified his befuddlement. "It must be from the different asylum. The strange and unusual people has something like this." Gus commented. "Could be an Addams."

The Pumpkin King declared. "Thing...You shouldn't be here in a time like this. Gomez and Morticia Addams might be worrying about you."

The hitchhiking ghosts went "Ah" in realization. Gus called it. "Definitely an Addams." Ezra congratulated his companion. "You were right." Phineas claimed. "That...hand creature looks ooky to me." They nodded their heads in agreement. Ezra said. "I can't argue about that."

Thing taps four out of five fingers. The disembodied hand demands clarification from Jack Skellington. The Pumpkin King done his best to tell. "Thing...I get you need a reason why...Why I am coming back to Gracey Manor..."

The hitchhiking ghosts went shocking. "WHAT?!"

The disembodied hand curled into his fist. Thing was ready to punch him. Jack warned it in firm. "Now. Now there! I had to deal with Fester over dynamite today! I am no mood for dealing with fist fights by a hand of yourself, Thing!"

Phineas gets it. "He's got a point."

The Pumpkin King stopped the disembodied hand. He sounds anguish. "Thing! If I don't go back to Gracey Manor, my suffering will not cease until I break the curse!" The disembodied hand froze.

The silence fills up in cold air. Jack looked at Thing. His emotion was pleading. The Pumpkin King can't live with the pain he got casted. The disembodied hand hold still. Like it was just staring. The hitchhiking ghosts were quietly awkward. Ezra moves forward. "I say let him go back."

Phineas do not like what Ezra's doing. "You're mad?! He may encounter his darkest fear in room 999 a week ago. What makes you think the pumpkin king's going to lift the curse for certain?!"

Ezra acclaims. "I do not think the pumpkin king would, professor. I believe he can." Jack was awestruck by one of the hitchhiking ghosts.

The Pumpkin King calls on the hand creature. "Thing." The disembodied hand got his attention. Jack orders Thing. "I need you to take the hitchhiking ghosts to Halloween Town." The disembodied hand gives him a thumbs up.

The Pumpkin King stands up straight. Jack walks toward the three phantoms. "Which one of you is good at giving messages?" Gus steps forth. "Pretty much ourselves are good at giving important news." Jack was thrilled. "Wonderful!" The Pumpkin King told the hitchhiking ghosts. "The job I have you three is top secret. And it's only between us."

Ezra stated. "You can depend on us for your request, Jack." Phineas and Gus agrees with him.

The Pumpkin King was serious. "There's absolutely no one...Not even the spirits are to know about it. Not. A. Soul." Jack gathered the hitchhiking ghosts. "Now..." The Pumpkin King goes whispering to the three phantoms about the news to give to Halloween Town. Or whoever gets the message.

This is going to be good. I can feel it. The hitchhiking ghosts are messengers for Halloween Town. Next part soon!