Chapter 12: Tidy Finale

"Finally, fresh air!" Dr. Finklestein was the last to be freed from his Oogie prison. As the others conversed and checked injuries, Jack stood alone with Christine.

"Jack…" She couldn't look at his face. She stared down at her skeletal feet.

"You were tricked."

"But look at what I did… What I've become." He just watched her silently, not knowing what to say to comfort her. "But I'm going to set it right." She flew off on her feeble tattered wings. She still seemed graceful in the air with such little effort. She alighted atop a jet black twisted structure. From it, she could see much of the city, or what was left of it. The once blue sky was black, grey and hues of orange. The warped world saddened her heart. She closed her eyes and breathed the musty air. Once her lungs were filled she let out a song like none the humans or townsfolk had ever heard. It was mystifying and layered with harmonies. All the people stopped and were captivated.

It took a few moments for the people to notice the major changes happening in the city. Homes and buildings were straightened and restored to their original shapes and colors. The sky returned to it's usual blue, and humans appeared in costumes once again. Jack only watched her, barely noticing the changes in his surroundings. When she stopped, it was sudden, and unnerving. She began to fall from her perch. Jack ran beneath her. One of the witches caught her on her broom and carried her softly to the ground. Jack crouched down beside her, putting his limbs at odd angles. He ran his cold fingers across her cheek, causing a slight twitch. She stirred and met with his "eyes." He smiled a little, awkwardly, as his mouth was very wide. She giggled a bit, and lost consciousness.

She awoke in a bed. Soft and fluffy. Not Jack's house… It was hers. She gazed out upon her own bedroom. She felt a little pang of worry in her heart. She looked down at herself, and noticed that she was human. "Was it all… a dream?" She stared at her mirror in the dark. The moonbeams illuminated her outline. She started to cry, and her vision blurred. She didn't notice the shadow moving closer beind her. When the figure entered the light from the window, she gasped.

"It wasn't a dream." She spun around to face the voice, and recognized the shape. A cold, dead hand reached for hers. She wrapped herself around his slim figure and sobbed into his crooked pinstripes.

"What do we do now?" She sniffled softly into his ribcage.

"I can't stay here." She sighed, and sat back down on her bed. She couldn't look at him, not for fear, but for knowing the truth. "But… You're welcome in Halloweentown if you ever want to come and visit." Her face lit up for a moment, then returned to defeat.

"I don't know how to get there."

Jack smiled like it was the simplest thing in the world. "Go to the graveyard. You'll find a crypt with double doors." He paused to chuckle. "Or you could get lost in the woods." She smiled as one last tear ran down her cheek. It caught the first rays of morning and glinted like a small star. Jack was sad, but it was time to go. There was still cleaning up to do. He turned to go, but she stopped him for a moment.

"Will you be back for Christmas?"

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world… Which I've seen most of anyway."

They both smiled and said goodbye.