Two Dearest Friends

The King of Halloween

She returns to Finklestein's tower just before the pumpkin sun sets. She makes sure to open the door as quietly as possible, trying not to make a sound as she shuts it and starts heading towards her room.

"Back late again, I see?"

Sally freezes. She spins around to see the Doctor eying her with disappointment. He isn't in the good mood that he had been when she left. Innocently, she holds her hands behind her back, hoping a coy approach will save her from the scolding.

"Yes, Doctor."

He motions his mechanical wheelchair forward. She doesn't move when he stops it in front of her. He snatches the basket out from her hands and inspects the inside. The sight of herbs and twigs catches him completely off guard. He scowls and throws the basket back into her hands, which she barely manages to catch in time.

"So you actually went through with your word..." He mutters.

"Of course. I think you'll enjoy tomorrow's breakfast."

This statement intrigues him. She sees a glimpse of interest past his dark glasses. With difficulty, he spins the wheelchair around. Despite how wrong it feels, she can't spill her secrets about the meeting and Zero. She doesn't want her discoveries in the outside world to be hushed away from her again. Now that she has them, she wants to hold onto them forever.

"Very well, then." Finklestein motions to the ramps. "Get ready for bed, dear. Igor is going to take care of dinner tonight."

The ragdoll can't question his term of endearment. The thought of the marriage certificate wanders into her mind when she does. Instead, she climbs the ramps back into her room. Finklestein's stare doesn't go away until she is fully secluded behind her door. Back to the room of emptiness.

She sets down her basket carefully before taking a seat on the edge of her bed in thought. She gazes out of the window and looks at the stars in the sky. The longer she stares at them, the more her thoughts come back to Zero in the graveyard. She misses him already, as odd as it may be. Making a new friend at the meeting was wonderful, but it felt...right to meet Zero. And it feels right want to want to see him again.

She peels off her shoes and wraps herself under the blankets, letting her thoughts of the graveyard, the meeting, the Hanging Tree, Jack, and Halloween wander in her mind for the rest of the night.

--

The next day is average for Sally, doing her usual chores and cooking the usual meals. She doesn't think much while she does any of these things, but when she is left with a small break, she decides to recollect the events of yesterday. Her mind cannot leave her meeting with Zero in particular, and she thinks of that cute little dog wagging his sheet and his glowing pumpkin nose. She gets an idea just then - an awful, distasteful one for her nature, but her wish to see the outside world again overcomes her.

She peeks into the Doctor's laboratory, finding him caught up in his work as usual, taking X-Rays of creatures with Igor by his side. She takes this chance to sneak out of the front door and close it very gently behind her. As she faces the pumpkin sun setting in the sky, Sally is completely frozen in place. She's at a loss for words and, quite frankly, is unsure what to do now.

She's outside. And no one else knows.

That was way too easy. But this is bad, isn't it? She shouldn't be out here - she should go back right inside and finish her chores. But now that she's out...every part of her just wants to run off and scream into the sky. Except she doesn't do that; she can't attract attention while she's doing something bad. So she walks down the stairs carefully and checks her steps are as quiet as the next.