Tricked Out | Nightmare Before Christmas

Chapter 1: The Fall

Disclaimer: I do not own the plot or characters. I have permission to post this incredible story here to share with everyone. All credits for the story goes to the amazing author, Aria of Life.

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Ivy sat perched on her skateboard, watching the sun slowly appear on the horizon. Her notepad sat waiting in her lap, Ivy touched the pencil to the paper, her eyes fixed on the trees around her.

It was October 3, the Day of German Unity. All her friends were already up and getting ready for the festivities- her friend Lara was arranging a food booth for the downtown party. All the stores and banks were closed, but Ivy wasn't ready to head back yet.

The sun finally reached the circle of trees, and the clearing with the spiral shaped floor. Ivy readied her pencil and searched the tress, willing the symbol to appear. At last, a faint glowing came from a different cluster of trees.

She ran over to see a large German flag being etched onto the front of the tree. Ivy snorted in amusement and jotted the image down, where it joined countless others that had appeared on the trees.

She had found this place four months ago when she'd gotten lost skating through the woods. On the day of a holiday, the symbol would appear on one of the trees. But after a few days, once the festive spirit died down, the symbol would fade away.

Her cell rang suddenly, causing her to draw a large line through her drawing. She swore and answered, practically growling at the caller.

"Hello?!"

"Hey Ivy! Man, you've gotta get down here. Dodgers is keeping the skate park open today, remember? We need to practice!"

Ivy sighed. It was Ben, one of her friends at the skate park where she spent her whole life. Ben was a few years older than her, and Dodgers was the skate parks' owner. They were putting on a special performance today for the town today.

"Crap! You're right! Sorry, man, be there in a flash..." Ivy shoved her notebook deep into her pocket and jumped on her skateboard. Within minutes she was zooming through the woods and onto the streets, where passerby's instinctively turned away from her. The pavement rattled against her wheels and the wind whipped through her blue and black hair.

She finally arrived at the park, where Ben was cleaning out roller skates. He looked at her and sighed.

"Ivy, you're allowed to do whatever stupid thing you want outside the park, but in here..."

"...helmet is law. I got it, Ben." She grabbed her favorite helmet from behind Ben and clicked the straps under her chin. "I don't do tricks outside the park, Ben. Not the dangerous ones, anyways."

"That's BS and we both know it," Ben sighed, "All right, get to it. I want to see some sharper stuff than what we had yesterday, got it?"

"I got it," Ivy yelled over her shoulder as she pushed herself towards the Dip.

The Dip was your typical U-shaped ramp, but Ivy viewed it as one of her oldest friends. Her uncle brought her to the skate park when she was younger and rented her a pair of skates, and she'd never looked back.

As she gained speed rolling down the Dip, she wondered about the trees for the thousandth time. Where did the symbols come from? Why were they there? She's noticed, last Easter, that the egg appeared to be a door. She knew it must be, but she could never bring herself to touch one of the doors. Where would they lead?

"IVY! Get your head out of the clouds! Let me see that turn again."

Ivy nodded and pushed off. When she reached the top of the Dip, she held her skateboard in one hand and the edge of the Dip with another. She straightened her whole body, banishing thoughts of strange symbols and magic doors. She effortlessly turned inward and landed sharply on the ramp, speeding down the Dip once more.