Tricked Out | Nightmare Before Christmas

Chapter 22: League of Extraordinary Monsters

All credits to the author. I don't own anything.

Long chapter today. Enjoy!
...

November 15

Midnight

BONG!

BONG!

BONG!

Finkelstein swore and dropped Sally's head in shock, embarrassingly thankful for his creation's unconscious state. He listened to the bell a moment longer before sighing, setting Sally's head beside her body and opening the window.

"A new arrival now, of all times?" He yelled, shaking a comically small fist at the Requiem Bell, which continued its veritable bongs!

Grumbling, he hastily made sure Sally remained asleep (think of what the excitement would do to her neves!), new shoulder stuffing firm, then setting the rocket launchers on his prototype wheelchair to low and speeding down the ramp, following the crowd passing his door.

The bongs stopped at seven, leading to more than a few nervous murmurs from the crowd.

"That's awfully young," someone remarked, as the town collectively halted before the Gates.

"Maybe a new trick-or-treater?" came a tentative suggestion. The Citizens collectively shuddered before a new question popped up.

"Edger, have you seen anything?"

The raven guard was ceremoniously opening the gates, beak pecking frantically. "The new grave materialized," he reported, "but I haven't seen any movement. Where's Jack?"

"He's here!" Called the pumpkin king, stepping carefully through the crowd as the Gate swung open. "Doctor, I'll have you come with me- the rest of you, please stay here! We all remember our Arrivals; let's not overwhelm our new monster."

The crowd grumbled unwillingly, but headed his request and allowed Finkelstein to smugly push his way to the front next to Jack. He turned his goggles on, a weak green light pulsing from within the lenses. "Shall we, my boy?"

Jack nodded and strode through the Gate, the oversized-moon lighting the way.

"The age does worry me," Jack admitted, once they'd left the crowds' earshot. "Do you know of any monsters who have expressed interest in adoption?"

"What do I look like, a charity worker?" Finkelstein scoffed. "I doubt it. The youngest in town besides that mummy is Sally, of course. And she's enough to handle without adding more little ones."

They approached the graveyard, Jack rearranging his fingers nervously. Finkelstein wisely fell silent, letting his goggles show their position. Privately, he'd noticed Jack getting more and more anxious with each Arrival. Jack was a Halloween Symbol; it didn't make sense for him to fear any that may arrive from the world above!

He couldn't fully blame Jack, however- new arrivals varied, from danger, temporary fear, or crisis upon discovering their eternal haunting grounds, while others accepted their fate instantly. Finkelstein wondered if anyone remembered his own Arrival- how he'd been expected to go straight to work inventing as soon as the goggles formed around his neck. And then there was Jack's- appearing wearily through the mist, words of Old English falling off his tongue as he clutched a still-glowing turnip...

Shaking the memory off, he watched Jack silently step through the grave sites until he reached the newest one, which gave off a soft white glow. The centuries of practice showed in each step, leaving no noise or footprints.