Nightmare Before Christmas by Daphne Skinner Page A

bouquet for the Evil Scientist--a bunch of deadly nightshade, with it she would make a powerful sleeping potion. Maybe then she could escape.

C H A P T E R · T W 0
    The next day's weather was perfect for Halloweenland. The skies were dark and gloomy, and a bone-chilling wind blew restlessly through town. Of course, most folks in Halloweenland didn't notice the weather. They were asleep. Night was their time.
    But the Mayor was awake. He had important things to take care of. At an hour when all good witches and werewolves were dreaming wicked dreams, he was bustling across town in his hearse, with one thing and one thing only on his mind: the plan for next year's Halloween. And for this he needed Jack.
    The Mayor stepped out of his hearse at Jack's tower, his arms laden with blueprints, lists, and plans. He rang Jack's bell once, then half a dozen times, but got no response.
    "Jack!" he called. "I've got the plans for next year's Halloween! I need to go over them with you, Jack, so we can get started!"
    Silence.
    "Jack, please!" he called, a note of desperation creeping into his voice. "I'm only an elected official here. I can't make decisions by myself. I need you, Jack!"
    More silence.
    The Mayor began to get angry. Like most politicians, he was a two-faced creature. Depending on his mood, his head would swivel
    from a smile to a frown. Frowning at the moment, he shouted in his most commanding voice, "Jack! Answer me!" But this didn't work, either. As it slowly dawned on the Mayor that Jack was not at home, a cluster of worries sprang up in his busy brain. Where was Jack? Was he missing? And if he was, what would happen to next year's Halloween?
    The surprising truth was that Jack didn't know where he was, either. His mournful meandering had taken him far from Halloweenland, miles from anything familiar, into a deep, dark forest. But his gloom was so overpowering that he paid no attention to his surroundings. It wasn't until Zero barked at him impatiently that Jack stopped. Then he looked around in confusion, as if waking from a dream.
    "Zero! Where are we?" he asked. The little dog whined. He was lost, too. A soft wind sighed through the trees.
    Jack saw that he was in a clearing lit only by the faintest starlight. The enormous trees around him were like none he knew. Doorways were carved into their trunks. And mysterious symbols were carved into the doorways. Jack had never seen anything so strange.
    "What is this?" he murmured to Zero, examining each tree in turn. One doorway bore the sign of an egg that was decorated with stripes and flowers. Another was carved with a great big heart. A third was carved with a four-leaf clover. But the doorway that truly fascinated Jack bore a tree on its trunk--a tree festooned with ornaments and topped with a star. He moved closer.
    The doorway rattled on its hinges, as if inviting him to open it. How could he resist?
    Jack pulled the door open. For an instant there was only silence.
    Then a cool gust of wind, like a giant icy hand, wrapped itself
    around Jack and drew him inside. He screamed in terror, but only Zero
    heard.
    Then the door clanged shut, and not even Zero could help.

C H A P T E R . T H R E E
    Jack's bones stirred. He found himself lying on something cold, yet oddly soft and comforting. His eyes opened. First he saw a night sky sparkling with stars. Then he saw... white! It was everywhere, blanketing the ground, the trees, and the houses with its soft glow.
    Jack picked up a handful of the stuff. It felt cool and powdery, and it shaped nicely into a ball. What is this? he wondered, throwing the ball into the air and watching it land nearby with a small, satisfying thud.
    Whatever this stuff was, he liked it! Jack leapt to his feet, suddenly feeling light as a cloud. He couldn't wait to explore.
    This town, he realized very quickly, was nothing like Halloweenland. People on the streets were singing. Children were throwing balls of the white stuff at each other and