Chapter 3
Sarah still didn't know how it all exactly had happened. First, Toby had come home from school. She had taken him out to the park. While there, she got a text from her dad asking where she and Toby were. Then after replying, he sent another asking that she take Toby out to dinner and not come home until about seven. So they had stayed at the park until dinner time. Then she had taken Toby to his favorite place and had dinner. She had done all she could to stall for time. At about seven, they had headed home, but well there was no home, not now.
They were met with a smoldering burned out structure. Fire engines and trucks were every where. Police had barricaded the street. They had stopped her as she tried to reach the house. She could vaguely remember telling the office that had grabbed her that it was her house, and then came the news. Both her father and step-mother were dead. Now she sat in the police station beside Toby. She had told them all she could, but she was still in shock.
The officer investigating believed it was a murder suicide. But why? It didn't make any sense to her. Her father had a pre-nuptial agreement with Irene because he wanted to be sure that he wasn't taken for a ride, like almost had with her mother. She had now lost almost all of her family, only Toby was left. They had no where to go. No family. No friends. She barely had any cash on her. Where were they going to stay?
The officer came over to her. "Well, we're finished here. Do you have somewhere you can stay?"
Sarah shook her head. "No. I have barely any money on me."
The officer looked around. "Look, I'll help. I'll give you some cash so you can get a room at the motel for a few days. Hopefully by then you can get into your parents' accounts or your own." He opened his wallet and gave her a few hundred.
Sarah vaguely nodded. "Thanks."
Toby took hold of her hand. "We'll be alright, Sarah. We have each other."
Sarah fought back the tears. "We sure do."
She lead her little brother to her car and drove to the local motel. It would be home until she knew what to do next.
The little motel room wasn't much, but it was all they had. She had only gotten a single night. Sarah hoped that her friends would be able to help. Now there was nothing holding her to this world. Maybe, she and Toby could return to the Labyrinth. Maybe. Hopefully.
Sarah glanced at the sleeping child in the other bed. The television was on. The volume tuned down low. Glancing over at Toby, Sarah quietly got out of bed and walked over to the mirror above the sink. She needed to get a hold of Hoggle.
Quietly as she could she called for her friend. "Hoggle, I need you."
Slowly Hoggle's old weathered face appeared in the mirror. He looked around her and then at her. "Sarah, what's going on? Why aren't you at home?"
