The Nightmare Before Christmas Page #18

JACK:

And what is your name?

The boy doesn't answer, doesn't move; he just keeps staring.

JACK:

I bet I have a special present

for you anyway!

Jack fishes into his big sack of toys. He pulls a SHRUNKEN HEAD

out by its hank of hair and hands it to the little boy.

JACK:

There you go, sonny!

With a screeching "Ho, Ho, Ho," Jack springs back to the

fireplace and WHOOSHES up the

CHIMNEY to the...

CUT TO:

EXT. ROOFTOP. CHRISTMAS EVE/CONTINUOUS TIME.

Jack leaps onto the remains of his coffin sleigh and off he

flies.

CUT TO:

INT. LITTLE HOUSE. CHRISTMAS EVE/SAME TIME.

Still standing where Jack left him, the little boy stares

morosely into the grotesque face of the Shrunken Head.

(O.S.) Footsteps charge down the steps and pound down the hall to

the living room doorway -- both parents at once. We HEAR their

horrified reactions, their BLOOD-CURDLING SCREAMS.

CUT TO:

EXT. ROOFTOPS. CHRISTMAS EVE/LATER.

Jack leaps nimbly from rooftop to rooftop -- merrily delivering

presents, blissfully unaware of the havoc he is creating....

CUT TO:

EXT. HALLOWEENLAND. CHRISTMAS EVE/SAME TIME.

Several residents of Halloweenland eagerly crowd around the

witches' cauldron to watch Jack whose giddy journey above the

rooftops is reflected in the bubbling brew. The gathering oohs

and ahhhs and applauds.

Sally is not among those watching. A shriek of joy makes her

peek forlornly out from behind a distant building. She pulls

back out of sight.

CUT TO:

INT. VARIOUS HOUSES. CHRISTMAS EVE/SAME TIME.

-- DOORS ARE LOCKED.

-- BOLTS ARE THROWN.

-- TELEPHONES ARE DIALLED: "Hello, Police?!"

-- A BABY DOLL is cradled in the lap of a LITTLE GIRL. For no

apparent reason, the baby doll's eyes SUDDENLY OPEN. The little

girl shrieks and throws the doll off her lap.

-- A MAN-EATING WREATH snakes off the door where it hangs,

sending out tentacles and tendrils that wrap around the LEGS OF A

KISSING COUPLE, YANKING THEM CLEAR OFF THEIR FEET.

-- A VAMPIRE TEDDY BEAR smiles as it totters across a room.

-- THE TRACKS OF A MONSTROUS TOY TRAIN slither around a room,

chasing RETREATING CHILDREN.

CUT TO:

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD. CHRISTMAS EVE/SAME TIME.

Jack gleefully continues delivering Christmas, mistaking the

irate screams and shaking fists of citizens below for gratitude.

He waves and calls:

JACK:

YOU'RE WELCOME!!!

CUT TO:

INT. POLICE STATION. CHRISTMAS EVE/SAME TIME.

THE SEVERAL PHONES lined up on the SERGEANT'S DESK ring off the

hook. We see the sergeant as a blue uniform, a big band. He

answers phone after phone:

POLICE SERGEANT'S VOICE

(into the various

telephones)

Police station... Where did

you spot him?... As fast as we

can... Police station... I

know, I know. A skeleton.

Where are you?... Right...

Just keep calm... Turn off all

the lights. Make sure the

doors are locked... Hello?

Police station...

CUT TO:

EXT. RADIO TOWER. CHRISTMAS EVE/LATER.

The news broadcasts from a TALL RADIO TOWER:

RADIO BROADCAST:

Someone parading as Santa Claus

is ruining Christmas!...

Reports are pouring in from all

over the globe that an impostor

is shamelessly impersonating

Santa Claus and--

CUT TO:

EXT. HALLOWEENLAND. CHRISTMAS EVE/SAME TIME.

Sally picks up the broadcast in the sewing needle she stuck

behind her ear:

RADIO BROADCAST (CONT'D)

-- mocking and mangling this

joyous holiday. Gruesome

nightmares have replaced the

visions of sugarplums that

should be dancing in our

children's heads. Whole

families scream in terror. The

authorities assure us that, at

this moment, the military is

mobilizing to stop whoever it

is that is perpetrating this

heinous crime... The monster

must and will be stopped.

Santa Claus! -- wherever you

are. Come back! Come back and

set things right! The whole

world is in a panic!

Hearing this, Sally too is in a panic. She runs one way, then

the other.

SALLY:

I've got to help Jack!

She runs off.

CUT TO:

INT. BOOGIE WOOGIE'S JAIL. CHRISTMAS EVE/SAME TIME.

Santa is behind bars, tied to a chair, in this dank, dripping,

dark hell-hole that is Oogie Boogie's jail.

SANTA:

(bellows)

OUT! LET ME OUT! I'VE GOT TO

GET OUT OF HERE NOW! IT'S

CHRISTMAS!!!

Lock, Shock & Barrel watch, giggling.

LOCK:

You'd better be quiet, Sandy.

SHOCK:

Maybe he doesn't know...

BARREL:

He has to know...

LOCK:

Everybody knows about--

He's interrupted by a FEARSOME GROANING (O.S.). All three of the

little Trick or Treaters whip around at the sound.

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