Author's Note:

This is sort of like a TNBC version of the classic game CLUE or the movie Gosford Park (which, if you haven't seen it, is quite good and I highly recommend it). Reviews are much appreciated, and they encourage me to write more content faster…/wink/ That being said, it's time for you to pull up a chair and a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy the dark, enchanting, humorous tale to come.

Rated T for language, drug/alcohol use, and suggestive themes.

Story by Amira; all related characters/settings are property of Tim Burton and Walt Disney Studios.

"No party is any fun unless seasoned with folly."

– Desiderius Erasmus

"Eleven bottles of wine, three mulled in autumn spices, three bottles of champagne, five trays of watercress sandwiches, two bowls of white and red grapes, three trays of assorted meat and cheese kabobs, two pumpkin pies, the whisky fountain has been ordered…what else?"

Hastily scribbling on a notepad, Jack Skellington paced in circles around his kitchen table. His ragdoll girlfriend, Sally, was seated at the counter across the room with a cup of tea and reading her monthly subscription of "Ghoul Vogue."

"Jack, must you throw such lavish celebrations for every single holiday?" she asked as she turned a page in her magazine.

Jack stopped his pacing and looked at her in surprise. "What's the problem with that? For decades the entire town of Halloween has given its full attention 365 days per year on preparations for one holiday alone – Halloween. Ever since I discovered that other holidays exist, it's only appropriate to make the most out of them, too!"

Sally shook her head. "Alright, look, don't get over-heated. I was just thinking; Labor Day isn't even celebrated to this extent in the human world."

"Well it is in Halloween Town," Jack stated curtly as he set his notepad on the table. He crossed his arms and made a face. "Now help me out Sally, what am I missing?"

"Right now? Your tact, your sanity…your pants."

Jack nervously peered down, his hollow eye sockets widening in embarrassment. Sally was indeed correct. "I've been so busy thinking about all of the preparations for this party I guess I forgot to get fully dressed this morning," he said sheepishly. "I'll be right back."

Sally looked up from her magazine, managing to stifle a giggle as her boyfriend dashed upstairs to his bedroom. Then, in a juvenile tone she said to herself, "Hands off girls, he's mine."

Meanwhile…

Over on the south side of town, a rickety, shady-looking tree house sat atop a small soil mound on the edge of the Hinterlands. It was the home of three mischievous trick-or-treaters by the names of Lock, Shock and Barrel. They were the town's notorious pranksters and although they were quite young, they took part in many rebellious activities such as nightly drinking games and Vegas-style gambling with the blessing of their father-figure, Oogie Boogie. Right now, all four ghouls were seated in a circle around a ground-level table in the basement (also known as "Oogie's Domain) playing poker.

The little witch known as Shock slammed her cards on the table in frustration. "Lock's got a full house. I fold." She crossed her legs and lit a cigarette, scowling at the devil-boy sitting next to her.

"Hey! Cheater! You looked at my cards!" shouted Lock. "Too bad we aren't playing Russian Roulette, I could shoot you."

Shock's face twisted in mock desperation. "You're a funny one." She took a drag off her cigarette and turned toward their other playmate, Barrel, who was scrutinizing his cards while licking a lollipop. "Hey, fatty! Give it up already; Lock's got our asses beat!"

Barrel looked up from his hand and glared at Shock, his eyes narrowed. "You know what, Lock?" he said, gesturing with his shoulder towards the devil-boy. "Forget the gun, let's drop a house on this bitch and take her shoes."

"You wanna start with me?" Shock smashed her cigarette and flicked the butt at Barrel, and then proceeded to climb up onto the table.

"Children, children, knock it off!" boomed Oogie Boogie, the giant bug-sack sitting to Shock's right. "Normally I would condone this kind of behavior, in fact I'd even encourage it, but not during a real man's game."

"She started it!" pouted Lock as he pushed Shock's cards off the table.

"Oh, that's real mature, Pinhead." Shock spat.

"At least when I turn my head to the side, people don't mistake me for a flamingo."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"You're askin' for it now, Ginger!" Shock lunged at Lock and the two toppled to the ground in a messy brawl.

"HEY! I said knock it off!" Oogie rose from his seat and with menacing airs, loomed over the wrestling children.

Lock and Shock immediately halted their fracas as Oogie's enormous shadow enveloped them.

"Now," growled their leader, "As punishment for bringing such shame to the game of poker, you two are on errand duty today. I order you to run my letters to the post office, bring back any mail for us, take out the trash, wash the dishes and…oh, yes, deliver the big brown envelope on the kitchen table to Skellington Manor. Inside it are my personal preparations for Jack's Labor Day party this weekend."

"Since when do you give a rat's tail about party-planning?" inquired Barrel, still seated at the game table.

Oogie shrugged. "I don't, really. Jack and I are on fairly good terms now and I don't want to screw that up by not fulfilling my personal assignment for the party. All I had to do was design the invitations."

"While you're at it, why don't you design yourself a little skirt," muttered Shock under her breath.

Oogie's head whipped around and he glared at her threateningly. "Since you seem so keen on this 'brat-itude,' Shock, I'm not buying you any cigarettes for a week."

"What? No! Please!" Shock fell to her knees and clasped her hands together. "I'm almost out as it is, I can't wait that long for a new pack! I need my Snarlboro Reds…"

"Well you should have thought of that before your smart remark, sister." Oogie shuffled towards the elevator. "Maybe one of your boyfriends will let you bum from him, but that's not up to me."

Lock scoffed at this suggestion, folding his arms. "Don't look at me. I'm just a dumb ginger, remember? I never learned how to share."

Shock groaned in response. "Dammit, Barrel only smokes lights. Those aren't good enough for me."

"Ha-ha!" snickered Lock as he scurried behind the Wheel of Torture.

"Now remember, children," warned Oogie as he pulled a lever causing the elevator to rise. "The white envelopes on the kitchen table are letters to my dear grandmother; those go to the post office. The brown one is for Jack. Now, I suggest you get started, it's already noon and you've still got a full day of errands ahead of you." His booming laughter echoed from above as he disappeared through a trap door in the ceiling.

Shock was still sitting on the ground with her arms crossed, muttering spitefully to herself. "Ugh, I'm already craving another cigarette!" she whined. "But I can't have one now, I need to make this pack last seven more days."

Barrel, who was still seated at the poker table licking his lollipop, glanced up at her. "Who're you talking to, Shock?" he said sarcastically.

"Forget it," spat Shock as she stood up. "C'mon Lock. Let's do these stupid chores so I can forget about my nicotine cravings."

"Fine, but just because you can't smoke doesn't mean I won't!" Lock sneered maliciously. "Now, where're my Snarlboro's?"

Shock grabbed his arm and yanked him towards the elevator. "You, my friend, are shameless." They ascended into the tree house above.