The Skellingtons sat together in a weary, shell-shocked heap. Hazel and Arthur curled in their mother's lap. The older sons traded guilty glances. They knew they'd get theirs soon enough, for failing to divulge what they'd known of The Beldam's interest in their brother. Sitting beside their father, Guy surveyed the wreckage of his room.

"How did you get in, Mom?" he asked, breaking the quiet.

"I was going to ask that, myself." said Jack. The singed door lay where it had fallen, leaning against the far wall. Sally held out a round jar, about the size of a plum.

"What's that?" asked Guy. He reached for the jar, but his mother pulled it away.

"Careful! You can't bump it! I found the recipe in a book. One half a handful, throw it against a locked door, and well, you saw what happened. I wasn't sure if I should make this, but then, I thought how I'd feel if something ever happened! What if I wasn't able to get in to one of you when you needed me?"

"You expected something like this?" asked Guy. Sally shook her head.

"Not exactly this, but one never knows."

"I'm certainly glad you decided to concoct such a thing, Sally." said Jack. "I doubt I would have made it downstairs, if you hadn't." Guy looked quizzically at his father. Jack touched his son's skull.

"When I heard you call for me, Guy, I tried to come as fast as I could. The Beldam had taken measures to keep me from you. The tower stairs went on forever. It was maddening, as if I was caught in a loop! I believe she lost hold of it when the door knocked her down. Excellent timing, along with your mother's forethought, not to mention pure good luck. You're fortunate, Guy."

"Fortunate and loved." Sally added. Guy nodded. He leaned against his father's side.

The Beldam did her best to put the infuriating residents of the Skellington household behind her. She'd chased them from her head for several whole days, when her thoughts were interrupted by a scolding lecture from The Pumpkin King himself, addressed to his two oldest sons. Ah, they'd confessed about hiding the doll. Now they were punished. Boring hard work sowing seeds in the pumpkin patch, for the next two weeks, and no fun at all. Their weak protests met with no leniency, after all, their poor little brother could have been stolen away. The proceedings would have been quite amusing, if it hadn't served as further reminder of her failure.

As her mind's eye became once again silent, The Beldam saw through the doll for the first time since the children had hidden it away. Its coat button eyes unbound, it looked plaintively at The Pumpkin King. He regarded the toy was disdain, before tossing it into the fire.

End