A Land Serene

Chapter Two: Its Only Forever Sarah..

The unusual quietness of the house was unsettling. I sat up in bed and strained against the silence, usually by this time of night if I listened hard enough I could hear the soft music Sarah played so she could sleep, but tonight as I leaned my head against her door I heard complete and utter silence. Growing increasingly concerned, I twisted the handle on her door and came face to face with someone who was obviously not Sarah.

"What are you doing here?" I blurted the question, so stunned I was unable to think of anything better to say.

"I'm here because you called me." He said slyly moving about the room, which other than us was empty..

"Where is she?" The words tumbled out of my mouth.

"I did only what was asked of me." As he looked at me I was finally able to see him. He had stopped near a beam of moonlight and I was able to finally make out the figure in Sarah's room. It was a man, that much I had gathered from his voice, but his clothing was otherworldly. He was wearing some kind of long black cloak, a white frilly shirt, and uh well..leggings?? In his hand he twirled a small globe made completely of crystal. Slowly an eerie realization settled upon me.

"You're him. Y-you're real?" I could barely speak above a whisper.

"Very, My dear Toby." He replied with a wicked smirk.

"Have you taken Sarah?" I questioned my voice coming back vicious. I sounded much braver than I felt.

"I did."

" I want her back! Bring her back right NOW!" I was yelling now and he was becoming agitated, I could see it.

"Toby I cannot simply give her back to you."

"OH this just ISN'T FAIR!" Why couldn't he just give her back, I obviously didn't mean it!

"Already so similar to dear Sarah" He breathed a deep chuckle.

"How do I get her back then?" I said closing my eyes and rubbing circles on my temples to calm myself down, Sarah had taught me that...

"You could try my Labyrinth" he said and I felt the wind start up and a new smell hung in the air. I opened my eyes and there before us was the vast Labyrinth, just as I had imagined it, it was slightly uneasy to me that it was pin-point exact to the image in my head.

"Turn back Toby, Sarah will be happy in my castle..." He was yelling over the wind, His deep chuckle echoing without reason. 'Would Sarah really be happy here?' 'Is it worth it to save her?' All these questions and more resounded in my head.

"I except your challenge Goblin King!" I heard myself yell. I had to save Sarah. Or I'd at least try!

"You have 13 hours in which to solve my Labyrinth and reach the castle just beyond the Goblin city Toby, If you make it you can take your sister home. If not she becomes mine and you will be sent home alone."

I turned to tell him something but was surprised to see it was only me standing alone now.

"Don't worry Sarah, I'm coming for you." I said as I walked towards the opening of the Labyrinth. I picked up my feet and the very next step practically deflated me. Could I do this? Without that man standing there, I felt the bravado the atmosphere of the moment had created nearly fizzle out. I was an idiot to agree, I had no clue where to start. I gazed out in front of me. There, nearly 50 yards away, stood a tall grey stone wall that seemed to stretch for miles in either direction. It's what I'd imagined the entrance of the Labyrinth to look like as I'd read that tattered little book from her room.. Sarah's room. Oh I had gotten in over my head but I couldn't not try. I needed to do this, for Sarah. I glanced again toward the wall that signified the start of the labyrinth. Muttering a little pep talk to my feet I took the next step toward the biggest adventure of my life.

One minute I'm standing in my room trying to pop a cassette into my tape player and the next I'm .... Well where the hell am I anyway...

I sat up and started blinking my eyes trying to adjust to the darkness. As I stretched my hand out to help push myself from the floor I felt the strangest fabric under my hand, and felt the mountain of tulle underneath it. This was nothing like the silk pajamas I had thrown on before bed earlier. As my eyes finally adjusted, I took in my surroundings, and nearly felt my eyes pop out of their sockets. I glanced down at the clump of fabric I had squeezed in my hand, only to realize the mountain of tulle was actually attached to me. I knew exactly what this place was and I planned to find out IMMEDIATELY why I had just found myself in this god forsaken castle with this god forsaken dress on!

"WHat the fuck Jareth!" I yelled toward the wall I was facing..

"Oh language Sarah," Jareth droned.

"Welcome back to the Labyrinth, my lovely Princess." He said cooing the last word and gesturing to my frilly, outlandish dress.

"Why the hell am I here?" I questioned "I wasn't even thinking about you tonight!" The words tumbled out in my anger and confusion, and I slapped my hands to my face as I blushed profusely.

"Tonight? Do you think of me other nights?" for a moment I could have sworn I saw something on his face, maybe joy, but he hid it all too fast making me doubt I'd seen anything.

"I meant the Labyrinth, yes I think of the Labyrinth. In my nightmares, might I add." I tried covering my tracks, "So why am I here Jareth? Is this another dream?" He laughed haughtily at my questions.

He only sneered at my words before continuing,

"It seems that your dear baby brother has wished you away to me and now he wants you back" He twisted his arms together in an intricate move and produced a crystal.

"Would you care to look?" He asked, yet I looked warily at him. What reason did I have to trust this man?

"It won't hurt you." He seemed to reassure me. "I would never hurt you." What I thought to be sadness crept into the corners of his eyes but it vanished the moment I tried to look any longer than a glance. I stood up off the floor I had been sitting on and gingerly peered into the clear orb. I couldn't help but laugh at the bemusing sight, Toby was chasing a fairy along the edge of the Labyrinth. He closed his hand around it and a moment later a small 'OUCH!' came from the crystal. I giggled before reminiscing on my own journey into the labyrinth, for I had made this same mistake. Then like the slap of the winter wind on your bare cheeks the ugly realization of the situation hit me. Toby was here and he was very close to the actual Labyrinth, filled with...

"dangers untold and hardships unnumbered.."

"What was that?" Oh I'd said it out loud hadn't I.

"nothing.."

"Ironic isn't it." Jareth said.

"How so?"

"Well when you were just around his age you ventured through this very Labyrinth to save him and now he is doing the same only this time he must save you."

"it is, isn't it..ironic I mean"

"You know usually I don't take grown children such as you, but I couldn't resist, I wanted you back in my kingdom and now I have you." He looked down at me with a smirk unlike any I've ever seen.

"Jareth, what happens to me if Toby doesn't make it here in time?"

"Then, my dearest Sarah darling, you must stay here with me forever..."

Forever, I thought. That's so very long. I felt a tickle on my cheek, and when I went to brush it away, I noticed it was a tear. I was crying. Crying for the parents I'd never see again, the house I'd never step into again, the friends I'd never meet in the college library after classes again... Flustered, I turned quickly away from him and went to feign curiosity about the room we were currently standing in. While trying to wipe the tears away discreetly I made a mental note that it seemed recently the throne room had had some renovations. Namly the fact that it seemed tidy? And there was a second smaller throne I hadn't noticed before.

"It's only forever Sarah...not long at all" I heard him sing slightly as he stalked off toward his throne. I remembered that song. I used to dream about it for days after I had become Champion of the Labyrinth. In the weeks after that final moment, I'd spent hours dwelling on the words he'd said and what they meant, or could have meant. As I grew those words changed, their meaning altered, and I began to think harder about his offers, something I'd never admit however.