Its Christmas Eve in snowy 1800's London England, and in a small house at the edge of town there lived a lonely 7-year-old boy named Isaac. Isaac was a sad child with not a friend to his name. While most children were spending time with their families and eagerly looking forward to opening the presents that were placed with care beneath a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, little Isaac spent this most holy of nights alone in his cold dusty attic room. Isaac's parents were very poor, his mother was a strict crow of a woman who stayed at home and schooled Isaac. His father worked long hours down at the London harbour to support his family, although a large portion of his earnings went toward purchasing and consuming copious amounts of alcohol at the end of his shift. Sometimes he would come home drunk after being thrown out of every bar in London and shout at his beloved wife, Isaac's mother.

Occasionally it would escalate to violence and he would beat her savagely, then when he was done he'd force himself upon her in a drunken sexual rage. As it so happens this particular night was one of those occasions. Isaac just remained quiet, quivering beneath his soiled bed sheets until the screams and loud bangs subsided. Once poor frightened Isaac was finally able to fall asleep, he'd dream of what it would be like to have a friend to play with, so maybe he could laugh and be happy like the other children of London. Luckily for little Isaac this Christmas Eve marked a big change, when his abysmal loneliness caught the attention of a guardian angel, who then crafted a very special gift for the sad little London boy.

As the sun rose on that Christmas morning, Isaac opened his eyes to find a strange wooden box sitting at the foot of his bed. With eyes widened in awe he stared at the colorful hand crafted box wondering who had left it. He was not used to receiving gifts, especially toys. What little toys Isaac did have were ones he'd found abandoned in the street or washed up in the gutters. Isaac scooted up to the foot of his bed in front of the mysterious box and picked it up with both hands. The box was beautifully painted in colorful styles with carvings of happy clown faces on the side. There was a tag on the box that simply read "For Isaac." On the top of the box was an engraved text.

Isaac squinted his eyes as he sounded out the words, "L-laugh-ing-J-Jack-in-a-b-box..." he paused, "...Laughing Jack-in-a-box?" Isaac had heard of a Jack-in-a-box, but never a Laughing Jack-in-a-box. His mind spun with curiosity as he grasped the box's metal crank. Isaac tuned the crank and the song Pop Goes The Weasel chimed in rhythm with the crank's gyrations. As the song came to its climax, Isaac sang along with the final verse, "Pop goes the weasel." but nothing happened. Isaac let out a sigh, "Its broken..." He placed the box back down on the edge of the bed, and shuffled across his small dusty room to his dresser where he changed out of his soiled sleepwear and into his usual tattered clothes.

Suddenly Isaac heard a loud rattling noise coming from the bed behind him. He spun around to witness the wooden box violently shaking. Then without warning the top of the box swung open and a parade of colorful smoke and confetti bellowed out. Isaac rubbed his eyes in disbelief of what he was seeing. As the smoke cleared there stood a tall thin multicolored clown man, with bright red hair, a swirly rainbow colored cone nose, and feathery shoulders that sat atop his raggedy and colorful clown outfit.

The Technicolor clown spread his arms and excitedly announced, "COME ONE, COME ALL! WHETHER BIG OR SMALL! TO SEE THE BEST CLOWN OF THEM ALL!! The one, the only, LAUGHING JACK-IN-A-BOX!!!"

Isaac's eyes lit up, "W-Who are you?" he asked.

The colorful carnie stepped down off the bed and with a happy grin said, "I'm glad you asked! I am Laughing Jack, your new friend FOR LIFE! I'm magical, I never get tired of playing, I'm a wiz at the accordion, and I adapt and develop with your own changing personality... In other words, whatever you like, I like!" Isaac looked up at the mysterious clown man, "W-we're friends?" he stuttered.

Jack looked at the boy while cocking an eyebrow, "FRIENDS? We're BEST friends! I was specially created to be YOUR not-so-imaginary friend Isaac." Isaac's jaw dropped, "You know my name?"

Jack let out a whimsical laugh, "Of course I know your name. I know everything about you! So, now that the introductions are out of the way... How would you like to play a game of I Spy?"

Isaac grinned from ear to ear, "REALLY? We can play games? Id LOVE to! I-... Oh..."

He paused, "I-I cant... I have to go downstairs to see mother for homeschooling and chores..." his smile faded into a look disappointment.

Jack placed his hand on Isaac's shoulder and with a warm smile said, "It's ok! Ill be waiting right here for you when you get back." Isaac's smile returned as he looked up at his new friend. Just then he heard his mother's shrill voice calling him from downstairs.

"Well I gotta go! Ill see you after I'm done ok Jack?" He said as he headed toward the door.

Jack smiled, "Absolutely kido! Oh and Isaac!"

Isaac looked back at Jack who gave him a wink and said, "You should wear that smile more often. It suits you."

Isaac grinned happily as he turned and walked out the door.

All day Isaac told his mother about the amazing colorful clown man who came out of a magical box that appeared on the foot of his bed. His mother however, did not believe a word of it. Finally he persuaded his mother to follow him up to his room so she could behold Laughing Jack for herself. They walked up the stairs and Isaac swung open the door to his room.

"See mother? He's right he-..." Isaac paused as he scanned the room that contained neither magical dancing clown man, nor mysterious wooden box. Isaac's mother was not amused. She gave Isaac a glare so menacing it made his knees weak and his stomach sick.

"B-but mother... he was-" SMACK! Isaac's mother delivered onto him a swift hard smack across his face. His eyes began to tear up, and his lip began to quiver as he could feel himself about to break down.

"YOU STUPID ISOLANT CHILD! How DARE you lie to me about such childish idiocy! Who would want to be friends with a useless worm such as you! You shall remain in your room for the rest of the evening, and shall receive no dinner...

Now what do you say you ungrateful wretch?" Isaac managed to swallow the knot in his throat in order mutter a reply, "T-thank you mam." His mother glared down at him for a moment before leaving the room in disgust.

Isaac kneeled over, burring his face in the side of his bed. Streams of tears ran down his cheeks as he began to weep. "What's wrong kido?" a voice called out. Isaac looked over to the edge of the bed where Laughing Jack was now suddenly sitting beside him. "Wh-where were you?" Isaac murmured. Jack ran his hand through Isaac's hair to comfort him as he softly replied, "I was hiding... I can't let your parents see me... Otherwise they won't let us play anymore." Isaac wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Look kido. I'm sorry I had to hide, but I'll make it up to you! Because tonight we can play games and have tons of fun!" Jack said smiling.

Isaac looked up at his vibrant pal and silently nodded, as a little smile began to form in the corners of his mouth. That night Laughing Jack and Isaac played so many fun games. With a wave of his hand Jack made all of Isaac's tin solders spring to life and march around the room. Isaac was amazed as he watched his toys move around the room on their own. Then Laughing Jack and Isaac told each other spooky ghost stories. Isaac asked Jack if he was a ghost, but Jack explained that he was more of a cosmic entity of sorts. At the end of the night Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out an assortment of delicious candy. Isaac was in ecstasy when he popped the first colorful treat in his mouth, as it was his first time tasting something so sweet. Isaac had so much fun and laughed so hard that night that things seemed to be finally looking up for little Isaac... At least until the incident that occurred 3 months later...

It was pleasantly warm and sunny in London that day, which was a bit of a rarity. So with the help of a certain not-so-imaginary friend, Isaac was able to finish his chores early and was allowed to go outside and play for a bit. Things started simple enough, the duo were back behind the house playing pirates, when Isaac spotted the neighbors cat sneaking into their garden.

"YEARGH! WE GOT AN ENEMY SPY OFF THE STARBOARD BOW!" Isaac yelled, captivated by fantasy and imagination.

"Yo ho! Ill gets him Captain Isaac!" Exclaimed first mate Jack in his best hearty pirate accent. Laughing Jack's arm stretched out across the garden and snatched the unsuspecting feline, who began to struggle quite vigorously.

"DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY JACKIE, OR ILL MAKE YE WALK THE PLANK!" Isaac antagonized.

Jack's grip on the cat tightened, and his arms grew and extended like anacondas wrapping themselves around the wily feline as it struggled for dear life. Jack's arms just kept squeezing the animal, pressing the air out of its lungs. As the once dear house pet's eyes began to bulge out of their sockets there came a loud SNAP! Jack quickly released the creature from his grasp as its lifeless furry husk thudded against the ground. There was hush silence as the two observed the cat's now twisted and mangled corpse. The silence was finally broken by an uproarious laughter... coming from Isaac...

"AHAHAHAHA Wow! I guess cats really DON'T have nine lives! AHAHAHA!" Isaac exclaimed nearly teary eyed from laughter.

Laughing Jack began to chuckle as well, "Heh heh. Yeah... But wont you get in trouble if your mother finds your neighbor's cat dead in her garden?" Isaac's laughter quickly subsided.

"Oh no! You're right! Um... Ill just... throw it back into the neighbor's yard?!" Isaac panicked as he grabbed a nearby shovel and scooped up the broken cat cadaver before lobbing it over the fence back into the neighbors yard. They quickly went back inside and up into Isaac's room.

About an hour later it came. The ear piercing squawk of Isaac's mother shrieking his name from downstairs. Neither Jack nor Isaac said a word as he crept down the stairs alone to face whatever horrible fate was coming to him. Jack could hear much yelling from downstairs but couldn't make out what was being said. After about thirty minutes a teary eyed Isaac ascended the stairs back up into the room.

"Well?" Jack asked nervously. Isaac just starred at the ground as he spoke, "I... Tried to tell her it was you who hurt the cat... She didn't believe me... Said you weren't real..." Jack frowned knowing this was all his fault.

Isaac used his sleeve to wipe away his tears, "I'm being sent off to a boarding school... I'm leaving tonight... and you can't come with me..." Laughing Jack's face turned to shock, "What?! I-I can't come? Where will I go?" Isaac said nothing but pointed over at the beautiful colored box from where his friend had originated.

"Back in there? But I wont be able to get out until..." Jack paused. Isaac looked up as his only friend with tears streaming down his face, "Jack... I promise I'll come back for you as soon as I can!" Jack looked at the box, then back at Isaac. "And I'll be right here waiting for you kido." Jack smiled as a single tear ran down his cheek. He walked over to the box and with a puff of smoke was sucked back in, unable to be free until once again opened.

That night Isaac was sent off to boarding school. For the first time Laughing Jack felt what it was like to be lonely. Even when trapped in his box Jack was able to see the things going on around it, so each day he waited for his friend to return, and each day the room grew older and dustier. Laughing Jack's one purpose was to be Isaac's best friend for life, and now he waits day after day, month after month, to reunite with his special friend. Isaac's parents still lived in the house but never came to the upstairs room. The only time they made their presence known was when Jack would hear them fighting. Still Jack's life became one of solitude, loneliness, and disappointment. As years went by Jack's once bright vibrant colors began to fade into a monochrome blur of pitch-black void and stark white emptiness. Trapped all alone... eternal and hopeless.

13 years passed until the night Isaac's father came home particularly drunk, and got into an argument with his wife as per usual. Things escalated to physical violence once again, however this time, she didn't get back up. Isaac's father had beaten his wife to a dead bloody pulp and was sentenced to hang at the gallows the next day. With both his parents dead this meant that the now 20-year-old Isaac inherited the dusty old house he spent the earlier half of his childhood in. Laughing Jack was quite surprised when he heard his old friend's footsteps walking up the stairs to the attic room for the first time in 13 years, however it was not the reunion Jack had hoped for.

Isaac looked... different. Not only was he older, but he also seemed to posses this odd grim look on his face. No longer was he the hopeful and curious young boy Jack first met all those years ago. Jack eagerly awaited Isaac's releasing him from the prison he had waited in for so many years, but still Jack's box sat there untouched and unnoticed on a shelf in the corner of the room with all the other dusty unwanted knick-knacks. Isaac had completely forgotten about his old friend, dismissed as some sort of early childhood fabrication. Surprisingly this made Laughing Jack feel... nothing. He was hollow, 13 years of waiting and disappointment left the monochrome clown void of sorrow and self-pity. Jack remained in his box, colorless and without emotion.

The next day Isaac went off to work at his job as an upholsterer, doing furniture repairs for the good people of London. Jack waited in captivity. Hours later a drunken Isaac returned home and stumbled up the stairs to his room, but this time he had a friend with him. It was a lady friend Isaac had picked up at the bar earlier that evening. She was beautiful with flowing blonde hair, sapphire blue eyes, and a smile that could make hearts melt. Laughing Jack's attention was drawn to Isaac's guest, "Who is this? A new friend? Why does Isaac need new friends? I thought I was Isaac's only friend?" Jack thought to himself from within his hellish confinement. Isaac and his lady friend sat down on the bed and chatted about life in London. Isaac made a joke about the weather and they both laughed.

Laughing Jack hissed with envy over Isaac's new friend. Isaac and the girl looked deeply into each other's eyes as they leaned in for a kiss, locking lips with a passionate swirling of tongues in one another's mouth. Jack was perplexed by this strange display of affection, for he had never seen kissing before. As the kissing grew more intense Isaac ran his hand along the girl's smooth thigh and up her dress, however his guest just brushed his hand away. Isaac was persistent though, and once again ran his hand along her smooth thigh and up her skirt, this time placing his hand upon her silky undergarments. The woman took great displeasure with Isaac's sexual advancements and pushed Isaac away before delivering a hard smack across his face. Isaac's eyes darkened as he glared at the woman, his once drunken passion turned into booze-fueled anger. The woman's heart sped up as she saw Isaac's face boil with rage.

"STUPID WHORE!" Isaac yelled as he smashed his fist into the girl's face. Laughing Jack's eyes widened as he witnessed the long streaks of red liquid gushing from the girl's nose, "What game is this?" he thought, his eyes a virgin to such violent sights. Isaac firmly clutched the girl's wrist with one hand as he tore her panties off with the other.

The terrified girl tried to fight back but Isaac was overpowering her. He roughly fondled her breasts before savagely grabbing her hair and forcing his tongue down the sobbing young woman's throat, who responded by chomping down as hard as she could on Isaac's tongue. Jack watched with wide and curious eyes as his old friend released his new playmate and clutched his mouth as it filled with warm red blood. The frightened girl fell off the bed and dropped down on the floor as she scurried toward the exit. Isaac quickly lurched forward and was able to catch his fleeing plaything by the end of her dress.

Reaching back he wielded a lead candlestick off the nightstand beside him, and with all of his might bashed in the back of the young woman's head, which burst open like a ripe watermelon. Thick blood splattered across the room as the girl's body convulsed on the ground for several seconds before going completely still. Blood was everywhere, some droplets even managed to get on Laughing Jack's box, who was very much enjoying show. For the first time in 13 long years a smile began to creep across Laughing Jack's face, and all of a sudden a chuckle escaped his cold lips, then another, and another, until Jack was cackling and howling with laughter from inside his sealed box.

"What a wonderfully fascinating game!" Jack thought as he watched the motionless girl's golden blonde hair flow red with blood.

As the adrenaline began to mellow Isaac realized he had to dispose of the body. He picked up the girl's lifeless corpse and plopped it on the bed, he then left the room closing the door behind him and locking it before leaving the house. He returned almost a full day later and re-entered the room brining with him a metal garbage can and his bag of upholstery tools from work. He then cleared everything off the wooden desk on the wall opposite to the door, and then dragged the bed with bloody corpse into the middle of the room. This not only gave Isaac room to work, but it also gave Laughing Jack a front row seat to the whole spectacle. Jack watched with a big unfading grin as Isaac played his new game with the soiled corpse. Once Isaac was all set up, he got to work.

First he dumped out the contents of his big black tool bag onto the worktable behind him. An assortment of knives, hammers, pliers, and other tools was now laid out before him. His first pick was curved upholstery knife, which he used to carefully skin the body. That skin was then placed on racks to be stretched and turned into leather. Once that was put in place, Isaac then used a handsaw to saw off the arms, legs, and head, disturbing the home of several families of maggots in the process. After filling the garbage can with bleach and other vile chemicals, he submerged the limbs until the meat was stripped from the bones. Isaac fished the bones out of the soupy corpse juice and placed them on the worktable, then in the cover of night he brought the trash can outside and dumped the rotten remains into the London sewers to be swept away into the harbour.

For the next 3 days Laughing Jack watched with wonderment as the inspired Isaac crafted the once human anatomy into a grotesque armchair abomination. The femur was made into the back legs of the chair, while the tibia with the feet still attached of course, was made into the front chair legs. A wooden frame was used for the base and backing of the chair, however the rim of the backing was crafted using the spinal column. The arm bones were used as the arms of the chair, and were fastened in place by some ribs.