Here is the first chapter. This will just start out with Halloween Town and slowly move on to the characters. I hope you enjoy this and you can leave comments if you want to. You don't have to.
Chapter One: Jack and Zero
In the dark gloomy part of the day in Halloween Town, citizens were walking around, doing their thing. The Mayor is always busy running around the town. He was on his way to the big dark gloomy building. (the one that looks like the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland) Anyways, the mayor quickly ran inside carrying papers. He continued to run until he reached a throne. Sitting on that throne was the Pumpkin King also known as the Reaper.
He watched the Mayor enter in, almost in a panic and he handed the king some of the papers. Reaper took hold of the papers with one skeletal hand while he rubbed his chin with the other.
"This looks good Mayor," he said
"Oh good, I'm glad Reaper. We can have this building up by next week!" replied the Mayor
"Very good, you may go."
The Mayor left with a happy grin on his face. Reaper sat back in his throne and sighed.
"That's the sixth time that some of these buildings have collapsed. What is going on?" he asked himself
"DAD!" a voice shouted
It was Jack. He ran towards the throne and had a smile on his face. He wore black shirt and pants. (It's nothing like the suit he wore in the movie.) Anyways, he also had a tiny backpack hanging over one of his shoulders. It was shaped like a vampire bat.
"What is it Jack?" asked the Reaper
"I studied this book like you told me," he replied
"Good."
"Can I go outside now?"
"Why do you want to go out there when it's so dark and gloomy in here?"
"Well, I have nothing else to do. Can't I just go for a walk in the graveyard?"
"Alright, but you need to be back before it gets dark."
"I will be back dad."
"Okay, then you may go."
Jack hurried on outside and walked all the way to the graveyard, but when he got there, he heard some strange noises coming from inside. He slowly opened the gate and looked around, but didn't see anything. Jack thought that it was his imagination and continued on his way. Suddenly something swooped past Jack that made him fall. He saw two other ghosts like figures following the thing that passed Jack. Quickly, he got up and followed to see what the problem was. It was a little white ghost dog and two giant ones that followed it. The little white dog had a glowing nose and carried a bone in his mouth. It looked like he was in trouble. Jack rushed over and jumped in between them.
"Hold it, why are you chasing him?" he asked the two big ghosts
"That dog stole bones that belonged to our shrine!" they said
Jack turned around and looked at the ghost dog. He whimpered a little, but kept the bone in his mouth. Jack started to feel sorry for him.
"Come on guys, he's just a puppy," he said
"To you, he may look that way, but he really is a thief!" said the ghosts.
Jack put his hand out to the ghost dog and he dropped the bone in his hand. Jack held it out and the ghosts took it. They seemed happy and grateful to Jack, but they still had a mean look towards the ghost dog.
"Where does this dog live?" asked Jack
"He doesn't have a home, he's a stray. Why would anyone take in a zero!" replied the ghosts.
"Zero?"
"That's what most of us call him when we see him. It's best to leave him alone Jack."
"Why?"
"Well some of your stuff could be stolen. Don't say we didn't warn you."
They flew away laughing with their bone in their hands. They disappeared beyond the graveyard. Jack turned around and the ghost dog started to back away.
"Its okay Zero, I'm a friend," said Jack
The ghost dog stood still for awhile, but then started to sniff Jack's skeletal hand. He soon started to lick him and he started flipping in the air barking. Jack was happy with this ghost dog, in fact, he wanted to keep him.
"Can I call you Zero boy?" asked Jack
"BARK! BARK!" replied Zero
Jack smiled and started to head back to town. Zero of course followed him. Jack was worried that he wasn't going to follow him because Zero seemed so uneasy around others, but once they reached town, Zero seemed easy going. Nobody seemed to take notice of a ghost dog following Jack. A few minutes later, Jack reached the gloomy building.
Zero followed him inside. Jack went up to the throne with a grin on his face. Reaper has never seen him so happy before until he noticed the ghost dog behind him.
"Jack what is that?" he asked him
"This is Zero. He doesn't have a home, can I keep him?" asked Jack
"Wait a minute; I thought you were going for a walk?"
"Well I was until he ran into me."
"I don't know Jack. Having a dog like that could be trouble. You don't even know what he likes."
"Sure I do. He likes bones."
"BONES!?"
"I mean ghost bones. Come on dad, please?"
"No Jack. He can't stay here."
"But why?"
"I have too much to handle with this town already and I can't help take responsibility of a stray."
"But Zero's my responsibility!"
"SILENCE! Jack you take him back or I will do it!"
Jack turned around without saying a word and headed out the door. Zero followed with a sad look on his face. His nose dimmed a few times. As they both headed back into the graveyard, Jack got an idea.
"I just thought of something Zero!" he said excitedly.
"Bark, bark!" Zero barked happily.
Jack went around the graveyard collecting small pieces of brick, burned twigs, an old tombstone with a picture, etc. and he took it to the center of the graveyard. Zero followed, curious to know what Jack was going to do with that treasure (to us it's junk, to them it's treasure.)
Within no time, Jack had put together a small doghouse for Zero. He was delighted. Zero gave some small kisses to Jack and quickly went into his new doghouse underground. Jack was happy that Zero was thrilled. The problem was keeping him a secret from his father.
Hiding something from the Pumpkin King isn't going to be easy. Zero came back out barking with delight.
"Now Zero, I have to go home. You have to stay here and out of town. If my dad catches you, he might……………I don't even want to know what he might do to you," said Jack
Zero tilted his head as if he didn't understand, but he went back to his grave doghouse. Jack turned and left. When he reached the graveyard gate, he turned around to make sure Zero wasn't following him. He wasn't which made Jack feel relieved. He closed the graveyard gate and headed back to town, along the way, he ran into Oogie, the creepiest creature that walked in Halloween Town. He had claws on his hands and feet, he wore white ragged clothing, his face was as mean as a snake, in fact, his tongue was a snake. His fangs were pretty dark and his eyes were the color of a funeral coffin.
"What's your rush Jack?" asked Oogie
"I have to get back to my dad, you know how it is," he replied
"So the Pumpkin King is on your case?"
"I guess you can say that."
"Hmm……. He seems to be handling a lot of things like those buildings that just suddenly collapsed."
"Yeah, that's very weird. What's causing that?"
"I wish I knew. Look kiddo, I have things to do, say hi to the Pumpkin King for me."
"Alright, bye Oogie."
Jack continued his way and Oogie watched and sneered. He folded his hands and rubbed them together.
"They have no idea. No one suspects me. If I continue at this rate, I could get away with it!" Oogie said to himself
Jack finally made it to his father's throne. Reaper didn't seem too thrilled. Jack thought that he knew that he hid the ghost dog.
"What kept you Jack?" asked Reaper
"I had a hard time saying goodbye to Zero," he replied
"Is that what you did the whole time?"
"Well when I headed back, I ran into Oogie."
"Oogie? What did he want?"
"Nothing, why do you ask?"
"Listen Jack, I have my doubts about that creep. Most citizens believe that he is responsible for the terror that's been going on in this town."
"Well, there's no proof that he did it."
"That's true Jack, but I need to know if he told you anything."
"We just talked."
"About what?"
"Well, he said something about the buildings collapsing being a shame."
"He said that?"
"Yes."
"Hmm, sounds like he gave himself away. I have to look more deeply into this. Jack stay away from Oogie. I have a bad feeling about him."
This is the end of Chapter 1. Chapter 2 will be posted up soon. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. You can leave a comment if you want to. See ya.