Loyal Nightmare 1

It was Halloween in the kingdom of Pumpkin Isle. The biggest event aside from the Harvest Festival. Halloween was a tradition on this island dating back hundreds of years. On the island, it consisted of various undead monsters, who despite celebrating all that was the fun spirit of Halloween and scaring, were still with good hearts. It was their job to scare, but they weren't mean! They all had their various talents in contributing to celebrating Halloween, as well as their own ways to scare. Whether by some kind of effect or trickery, or some kind of scary face or movement, everyone had things they could do to scare and/or contribute!

The townsfolk were all gathered in the main square, singing and celebrating their favourite horrible holiday. Currently, the event at the moment was presenting everyone's talent in scaring and whatever new techniques they may have developed as the years passed. This was of course, presented to none other than the ruler of the vast island; Queen Sally Finkelstein.

Sally was a rag doll woman, and looked very much unlike some of the female creatures in the town, though she never thought of herself as such. Her material skin was pale blue, and had visible stitches along her face, arms, collar, neck, and legs. As well as areas of her body that no one normally saw except for herself and her chamber maids as well as the royal tailor. Her most prominent feature, however, was her hair. Her long, rusty, copper red hair. It was the distinctive quality that everyone knew about her. Sally, the Pumpkin Queen with the fiery red hair.

Tonight, she wore an elegant black dress that she had made herself. It was silk, with sheer spiderweb pattern sleeves. The skirt was black and white pinstripes, with a bow in the shape of a bat flaring its wings around the waist. On her head was a lovely golden tiara, which was simple enough, and had a pumpkin gem surrounded by tiny orange and black stones. She sat modestly though as elegantly as she could on a gothic high-back chair before the platform that was set for the townsfolk to perform their scares and tricks. They would greet her, and she would bestow something known as a Royal Greeting upon them, they would perform their trick or scare, and she would offer her honest feedback in good detail. While she was the least scariest being in the town, she did know a thing or two about studying the techniques, which she worked very hard on, so that her opinion would mean something to them, even if they didn't follow with it. It was always worth offering advice that she hoped they'd consider.

"And now, for our finest scarer in the town!" The Mayor declared joyfully as he read from a long list, and made a dramatic welcoming gesture. "Our very own pumpkin patch handler, Jack Skellington!"

The entire crowd all clapped in excitement, cheering and whistling as the said citizen stepped up to the stage with elegant grace. Jack Skellington was a skeleton man, and was considered to be the scariest being on the island. On the side though, he tended the pumpkin patch. He was incredibly tall, much taller than Sally was, and was reed-thin, but despite having legs longer than his torso, he still walked and ran with elegant grace and swift. Although he had no eyeballs, his eye sockets were very vivid and expressive, and he had a charming skeleton grin. And he was quite the most sought-after bachelor in the town, despite being an average commoner.

He wore a white long-sleeved shirt, a dapper black vest, and dark gray pants, which seemed to meet well with the ladies since they all swooned at the sight of him.

Sally stood up from her chair, smiling warmly at Jack. "Hello, Jack. Thank you very much for taking the time to perform tonight."

"Think nothing of it, Your Highness." Jack smiled, and bowed before her in respect. He then took her hand and gently kissed the back of it. Oh...to kiss her sweet little hand... He tried not to linger, and released it. "It's always an honour to perform for you, and the rest of the island folk, always."

"Oh..." Sally giggled and blushed a little. Jack always did have a tendency to kiss her hand whenever he greeted her. It was sweet. "Wonderful...well, whenever you're ready." She slowly sat back down onto her chair and watched him attentively.

"Absolutely!" Jack straightened. "My Queen, would you be so kind as to close your eyes? It's part of the idea."

Sally giggled. "Of course." She did as he requested and closed her eyes.

"Would you...hold your hands, Your Highness? If it's not too much to ask?" She heard Jack's voice. He sounded a bit nervous.

"It's not too much to ask." Sally assured him, and held out her hands. She then felt his hands gently grasp hers, positioning them to be flush against each other, as if cupping them. She blushed at this, though not sure why.

After a few moments, something fairly big and round was placed in her hands. Whatever it was, it moved very slightly.

"All right, open them!" Came his voice. Strange, he sounded so much closer to her now...

Sally opened her eyes, and came to see Jack's...headless body standing before her in a creepy pose! She gasped, and then looked into her hands. She was holding his skull! Her eyes widened. "Oh!!"

"Happy Halloween!!!" His skull bellowed menacingly, and gave out a ghoulish laugh.

"Oh!!!!" Sally squealed, nearly dropping it. She brought one hand to her chest, trying to regain herself. Finding her voice, she smiled. "That's...that was very good, Jack...well done. Very creative. And an interesting element of surprise, as well...very good. That was excellent." She held his skull out to his body.

Jack's skull grinned as his hands took it back, popping it back onto his neck. "Oh, thank you, Your Highness!" He bowed once more. Thankfully, he managed not to get lost in the thoughts of how she held his skull in her careful little hands...

Sally smiled warmly. "You're welcome, Jack. I enjoyed it very much."

A very bashful and elated Jack kissed her hand once more, and then allowed the next citizen to take their turn.

XXX

When it was all over, Sally had excused herself from the ending bits of the festivities. Especially when all the females of the town crowded around Jack, since despite the pumpkin patch worker commoner he was, he did still manage to uphold a title as being the scariest in town, so it was no wonder he was popular with the ladies.

Men on the other hand, always tried to flirt and get close to Sally, which although she was flattered by, always politely refused and would make her way toward any kind of exit she could find. Suitors, men she didn't know attempting to woo her. Always coming with the same "What's a Queen without a King?" speeches. She didn't need a husband, she ruled the island just fine. She had chosen to be Queen without a husband. Unless she was ready and in love, she didn't choose to for the moment. But what if she did fall in love, but couldn't marry? She was Queen, there was very much expected of her when it came to choosing a husband.

The awards ceremony were beginning, so she had a chance to slip away without anyone noticing. The Mayor thankfully took care of this portion of the Halloween festivities, much to her relief. So she walked on away from the crowd, sighing softly to herself. Hearing soft music, she could see that she was walking by the town band, who were also situated a little further from the action. She gave them a sincere, yet strained smile as she tossed them a soul coin, which landed in the saxophone player's sax.

"Nice work, Rag Mama." Said the saxophone player.

"Yes, I suppose so." Sally said sadly, her voice trailing a bit. "Much like last year. And the year before that, and the year before that..."

She headed through a rising gate, going toward the one place she usually could count on being alone. The graveyard.

XXX

'Phew, I think I escaped just fine...' Jack thought in relief as he wandered about the graveyard. It too, was quite a place he liked to go when he wanted to think on his own. Luckily, all the women who had been attempting to charm him were drawn to the awards, which he too slipped away from.

Moments later, he heard the sound of the graveyard's wrought iron gate being opened. Panicked, he wondered if any of the women found him, and hid behind a tombstone. No shouts, no yells, no squealing...

Jack peered over the tombstone, and caught sight of the Queen, walking through the gate and along the path. Her eyes were downcast, toward the ground, as she held her elbows, walking along. When she passed the tombstone he was hidden behind, he ducked down to avoid being seen. He peeked out again, gazing at her lovingly.

'Oh, Sally...my Queen...Queen of my heart...' Part of him wanted to make himself known to her, and just shower her with all the love he had for her, but he could see she was troubled and likely wanted to be alone. He figured to leave to give her privacy, and yet, he couldn't just leave her knowing she was this bothered about something. Maybe he could find a way to announce himself without it seeming like he was spying. Then again, he was here before she was, so it wasn't as if he had deliberately followed her without her knowing. He would never do that. 'What is bothering you, my precious Sally?'

Sally came to a grave, and gently patted her knee. Within a second, a ghost dog rose from the grave. It was Zero, her dog. He was an adorable little ghost dog with a sheet for a body, a little head, a pointed snout, big happy eyes, and had a glowing jack-o-lantern at the end of his nose. He happily followed after her as she walked along the path.

She stopped along a few gargoyles, leaning against one of them thoughtfully. It was then that she bemoaned her misery, expressing it the most comforting way she knew how. Singing it to herself.

"There are few who deny at what I do, I try my best
For my skills are renowned far and wide
When it comes to organizing done just right
I excel without ever even trying."

Her voice was soft, not quite the type to loudly belt out a tune, and yet, the emotions that rang within her words were enough to make up for how soft it was. She went along the statues and gargoyles along the path, still singing, not at all aware of her audience.

"With the greatest little effort of my intelligence
I have made grown men give out a praise
With the wave of my hand and a well-placed smile
I have cheered the very coldest up for miles!"

While her voice was cheerful, yet modest, it then took on a sadder, more morose tone as she walked on, looking sadder and sadder as the moments went by. She leaned against a statue depiction The Scream, looking sadly to the sky.

"Yet, year after year, it's the same royal things
And I grow so weary of the sound of screams..."

Right then, a bit of a sneer took on her face, a devilish and very determined smirk. She stood straight, her tone taking on something that was rare for her.

"Well I, Sally, the Pumpkin Queen..."

In an instant, she was sad once more, and sighed.

"Have grown so tired of the same old routine..."

She walked on, heading toward Spiral Hill, her favourite place.

Behind the tombstone, to say Jack was surprised to hear this would be an understatement. For one, her voice was beautiful. He had never heard her sing before, aside from when they had been children, but goodness it changed so much since then! It made his heart, if he had one, melt and soar! However, the sadness within her words were enough to dampen the feeling. His bones shattered, he felt terrible for her. He never would've thought she was this sad, or bothered about her life and position. None the less, he listened as he heard her sing yet again. Peering around, he saw her ascending Spiral Hill, her form shadowed against the large moon that was situated behind the hill, rising as if from the sea behind.

"Oh, somewhere deep inside of these seams
An emptiness began to scream..."

She sang now with utter sadness and misery, her voice growing slightly, enough for anyone to hear very well within earshot, though still in its same, soft manner. She was on top of the hill now, with Zero following her, still unaware of her audience.

"There's something out there far from my home..."

Still very captivated, and his bones shattering with sadness for her, and yet, empathy, Jack quietly approached toward the hill, hidden along the tombstones, getting closer without being seen. He gazed up toward her sadly, wishing with all his heart that he could do something to make her feel better...

"A longing that I've never known..."

A soft sigh escaped Sally as she gazed up at the sky again, and her countenance softened some.

"How I love the art of stitches, and I love moonlight
And I'll help you right out of your woes
To a girl in this land, I've a lucky hand
And I'm known throughout the river as it flows..."

Zero looked back down toward the graveyard, and could see something, no, someone moving. He quickly realized this, it was Jack...that very nice skeleton man he liked so much, and knew his mistress was fond of...if she ever mentioned him at all.

"And since I'm undead I can remove my limbs and head
To reach better within great heights
No animal, no man, can understand like I said
The very fury of royal expectations."

Her countenance grew sad again, and it was evident in her voice as she continued to sing her lament.

"But who here would ever understand
That the Pumpkin Queen with the fiery hair
Would tire of her crown?
If they only understood, she'd give it all up if she only could..."

Sally glanced down briefly toward the graveyard once more, and Jack hid behind the tombstone again to avoid being seen by her. Luckily, she didn't notice him there.

Slowly now, Sally descended the hill as it uncurled for her, over a gap between the land, separated by the sea right next to it all.

"Oh, there's an empty place in my seams
That calls out for something much more
The fame and praise come year after year
Does nothing for these empty tears..."

Over the gap, she disappeared through the forest, with Zero following her still.

Jack emerged, hoping to see her there...and saw that she was already gone. Feeling saddened, he exhaled as he looked after her, though she was out of sight, with longing.

"Sally....dearest Sally...I understand how you feel."