Spreading Nightmares

The Pumpkin Princess of Christmas Town

Jack fell down from the door, expecting to land in a pile of snow but met instead with a giant cobweb. He looked up and saw a place that looked nothing like the Christmas Town he knew. For a moment he questioned whether he was in the right place, but as he narrowed his eyes and looked around he began to recognize the town landmarks underneath the creepy makeover it had gotten. As Jack slowly turned his head to take in the town's new state, his eyes landed on a pile of halloween themed toys in the shape of a throne. Atop the throne was a familiar skeleton with a werewolf sitting on her lap. "Lilith? Briar?" Jack shouted to them but they couldn't hear over the sound of all the busy elves walking through the town like busy city streets. The elves shouted to each other and pushed Jack around as they moved, carrying ominously wrapped presents above their heads. The gifts jumped and shook as if something inside was attempting to get out. As Jack attempted to make his way through the crowd, Lilith snapped her fingers, causing one of the elves to run away with her empty cup and return it filled with some kind of red liquid on ice. Lilith sipped her drink while petting Briar, not even noticing Jack over all the commotion around the town.

Eventually Jack made his way through the crowd over to Lilith's throne. "Lilith! Come down here!" He yelled. Lilith looked around trying to find the source of the noise until she noticed Jack standing at her feet. "Dad! You're here!" She said excitedly, "wait, why are you here?" She slid Briar off of her lap onto the chair and stepped down to be eye level with Jack. "What have you done to this place?" Asked Jack, worriedly. Lilith smiled, not picking up on Jack's concern. "Isn't it wonderful? I've really transformed this place into a home." She said proudly, putting her hands on her hips and looking around at the town. Jack looked at Lilith in disbelief of her ignorance, "Lilith, you can't just take over someone else's home." Jack said, "where's Sandy Claws?" Lilith opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by another voice. "Why if it isn't old Jack Skellington! Come to look for your beloved Lilith I assume?" Said the voice from behind Jack. Jack stood paralyzed with disbelief at what he was hearing.

"...Oogie Boogie?" Asked Jack, recognizing the voice. He turned around but didn't see who he expected to. Oogie Boogie was nowhere to be seen, but there was Sandy Claws standing where the voice had come from. "Oh, Sandy Claws, what a relief. Has your voice changed or is it just me?" Asked Jack. Sandy Claws leaned in beside Jack, suddenly a creepy little bug crawled out of his ear and whispered into Jack's, "I ain't no Sandy Claws, hun." The bug said before crawling back into Sandy's brain. Jack was stunned, surely Oogie Boogie hadn't come back, right? Jack thought all of Oogie's bugs had been killed, there was no way one could've gotten away...but it had. Suddenly from behind Jack popped out three trick or treaters. "Hey Jack!" Said Lock, "nice to see you again!" Said Shock, "it's been a while." Said Barrel. "What have you kids done to Sandy Claws?" Asked Jack with a fury he had last carried many years ago. "We just gave him a little upgrade." Said Shock, "same thing your precious Lilith has done to this town!" Added Lock. Jack growled at them before turning to face Sandy Claws, except that Sandy Claws has left. "Lilith, where did-" Jack began to say before realizing that Lilith was also gone.