David's POV:
We walked silently through the odd village and I eyed the buildings built from leaning stones and thatched roofs. The only sound came from the clickering chorus of our footsteps, like fingers drumming against a table. We made our way down the cobbled streets, occasionally hearing the shouts or laughter that floated roughly from behind houses or down alleys, the voices faceless.
The Goblin City, as Sarah had called it, was eerie at night, stray chickens clucking from dark side roads, curtains made of rags closed tightly in the houses' windows. I tried keeping my eyes forward, but sudden movements drew them to the windows or down unlit paths. It was impossible to tell whether what I saw were goblins or shadows.
The houses became more dispersed as we made our way to the outskirts of the city, the roads becoming more poorly lit, a quiet emptiness clinging to them. From behind us the screech of a cat rang out, followed by gargled laughter. I turned my head towards it, but continued walking, not wanting to discover the source of the noise.
Before long, we had reached a set of towering wooden doors and I paused to look up at the them, mesmerized by the stone wall that ran in either direction off of them. In the moonlight the gate was daunting and I wondered why such a formidable barrier was needed. The hairs pricked on my neck- what had Jareth been trying to keep out?
Sarah broke away from the group, making her way to where a guard stood post, the light from a torch flickering across the goblin's face. Ziggy waited by my side as we watched her, her hands gesturing to the gate as she spoke. The two went back and forth, the goblin squinting suspiciously, before Sarah pointed towards me in exasperation. The goblin's eyes found me, widening at the sight. For a moment he lingered, suddenly turning away from us to knock on the wall.
High above, a panel slid open on the wall and another goblin peered down from the opening. The two waved gestures at each other before he disappeared again, the panel closing firmly behind him. There was a pause. Everyone's eyes were on the door, Sarah staring straight ahead at it and Ziggy lifting his chin to gaze up. My heart flitted in anticipation.
From somewhere in the wall came the muffled rumbling of metal, gears grating against chains. The sound was low and impossibly heavy, the ground vibrating under the pressure of whatever was happening within in the wall. Slowly, the doors began to pull towards us, opening to reveal a sea of hills, the moonlight turning them silver.
Sarah looked to us and Sir Didymus snapped his reigns, "On we go dear fellows."
I stared out at the hills as everyone moved to follow the small fox. But I felt unable to move, my mouth dry as I wondered what laid ahead. My heart pounded weakly in my chest- what was he trying to keep out? A nudge came from behind me and I looked up at Ludo's towering figure. The beast smiled and gave a low rumble, "Luudooo."
Even though I'd never known Ludo to be aggressive, his hulking size made me uneasy.
"David!"
I turned towards Sarah's voice as she waved for me. Hesitating, I took one last glance at the landscape that loomed behind her, seeing where the hill gave way to black shadows in the distance. I rolled my shoulders, it would be fine. Pushing myself forward, my eyes caught Sarah, her expression hard and unreadable. She turned quickly as I reached her side, ignoring my attempt to make eye contact and lead us out the gate, beyond the Goblin City.
As we'd gotten closer, I'd realized that the hills weren't so much hills as mounds. Following the pathways that wove between them, I looked in disgusted awe at the piles, unable to tell if they were made of trash or simply discarded items. Peeking from under broken chairs and tables I could see dirty stuffed animals, some missing eyes or arms. The moonlight turned everything grey, the fading pinks of doll's dresses muted by age and neglect. On one pile, a porcelain doll stared out at us, its face spider webbed with cracks, the lashes plucked from one eye.
Despite the appearance of the place, it didn't seem to be a landfill. There were no food scraps or bags. Instead it was mostly toys or furniture, like a donation collection gone wrong. Being in the midst of all the discarded items, and dwarfed by the size of the mounds, it almost felt as if we'd become apart of them. Items drifting through a sea of forgotten treasures.
It wasn't until after we'd passed several of the piles that I'd noticed the smell. Dusty, like old photo books or a grandmother's attic. It was a soft scent that curled around the items, dusting them in age. Giving in, I leaned into Sarah, my voice low, "What is this place?"
She shrugged, not bothering to keep quiet, "I'm not really sure. I think it's a place for childhood or something." Her eyes swept over the piles, "I guess it has to go somewhere."
The longer we walked, the more I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched. Whether or not it was by the toys or something we couldn't see, I found myself searching the piles, half afraid that the eyes I saw wouldn't belong to dolls.
Sarah put out a hand, letting it catch on my chest to stop me. Confused, I followed her line of sight, not noticing anything at first. But then I saw it. Frowning, I watched as a small pile of items began to turn, moving away from the mound it had rested against. I looked to Sarah, anxious to know if we should run. But instead of returning my gaze, she simply stared ahead, waiting.
I moved my head to join her, watching as the pile continued to turn, stopping suddenly before slowly making its way towards us. I tensed as the items drew closer. They swayed precariously as if someone were sliding a dismembered jenga tower across a table. Then, suddenly, there were eyes.
From underneath the rocking tower, an old women stood hunched, supporting the weight of it on her back. She squinted up at us, her mouth twisting in a frown as she looked between us. Slowly, her eyes traveled from Sarah, to me, to Ziggy. She paused to nod at us, turning her gaze back to the ground before continuing to move in our direction.
Sarah's hand stayed frozen across my chest as we watched the woman hobble slowly towards us. As she came closer, the sweet smell of dust strengthened. My stomach felt tight, something about the sight of her pushing my heart into a suffocating stillness.
Eventually she stood in front of us, the items on her back precariously leaning backwards as she tilted her head to look up. For a moment she studied me, as if double checking something. Then, nodding again, she reached behind her, pulling something from the pile. Her voice trembled as she turned back to face me, her smile not reaching her gesture, "You've been missing this."
Reaching her arm, she held out an odd doll to me. The porcelain face was painted like a jester, his cheeks rosy red circles. Frowning, I pushed away from Sarah, grabbing the doll. I could feel her eyes on me as I held it, its soft body dressed in a white and gold costume. In one porcelain hand he held a scepter and the shoes on his feet curled up, decorative bells dangling from the toes.
Suddenly the world fell still as the doll grinned up at me, the tip of his slender nose broken off. I was sitting. The floor beneath me was cold, the doll jumping from one stone to the other. Occasionally I would turn him over, manipulating his arm to make him wave his scepter in the air. I remembered being somewhere else, walking carelessly down a stone staircase, swinging the doll by his arm. He slipped, elegantly floating from my hand before falling onto one of the steps below me. Rolling, he slid down to the next step, smiling up at the ceiling, his nose broken.
"And you..." The woman's voice pulled me from the vague images and I looked to where she stood, her hand extended to Ziggy. She pushed what looked like a pocket watch towards him, its gold case catching the moonlight. The woman cooed in her strangled voice, "You could never forget this."
She waited for him to reach out, the watch chain swaying as it dangled from her hand. But Ziggy simply stared at it, his eyebrows drawn. Then suddenly his expression lifted, the color slipping from his face. Looking to the woman, his eyes darted to the side, shifting wildly as if looking for an escape. I frowned as his chest rose heavily in shallow breaths. Taking a step towards him, I moved as if I would be able to help him despite still being shaken about the memories of the doll. Ziggy didn't seem to notice my advance and he searched the woman's hand, his eyes set in a quiet, disbelieving panic.
With a sudden quickness he stepped backwards, nearly stumbling into Sarah. She jumped, stepping avoid him as she twisted her eyebrows in surprised confusion. Ziggy gave a half breathed mumble, pushing his way around the woman who simply watched him, her eyes following him as the chain continued to swing from her hand.
Sarah threw a concerned glance at me, hurrying after him. I moved to follow, stopping when I realized I was still holding the jester doll. Pausing, I turned back to the woman, letting Figgle and the others pass me. Meeting her gaze, I cautiously held the toy out to her, unsure of what she would do. For a moment she simply watched me, eventually letting her eyes fall to it. I glanced anxiously in the direction Sarah had gone, not wanting to fall behind.
Trying to be quick, I looked back to the woman and lifted the doll towards her, "Here. I, uh... here."
But she only stared up at me, drawing the pocket watch she held towards her chest. I knew I couldn't wait for her and so glanced to my left at a towering pile of items. Backing up, I apologetically placed the doll on the mound, feeling her eyes on me as I did. Then, quickly, I pushed past her, trying to catch up with the others. Despite not looking back, I knew she had turned to watch me as I walked away.
Sarah and Ziggy had disappeared around a corner and I heard their voices before I saw them.
"But what was it?" Her voice was harsh with a demanding curiosity, Zig spitting back an agitated answer, "I told you, I don't know."
Rounding the corner, I seemed to cut off their conversation as I came into view, their heads turning to find me. For a brief second they stared at me and it was obvious I had interrupted. Breaking the silence, Ziggy pushed himself up from where he had been half-sitting on one of the piles. With an irritated glance at Sarah, he gave his head a tired shake, "Let's just get out of here."
Turning away from us, he avoided looking in my direction before continuing down the maze-like path we'd set upon. I watched him, wanting to help, but not knowing how. The pocket watch had done something to him, and now, seeing the way his shoulders hung limply around his chest, I knew he hadn't recovered from it.
I looked to where Sarah stood, her expression set as she gazed at the path ahead. Not letting go of her silence, she faced me, her eyes clouded and unreadable. For a moment it looked as if she was about to say something and I waited for her words, hoping for something that would break the quiet stress of the day. Instead, she turned, following Ziggy.
"C'mon weed bucket." Higgle grumbled, making his way after Sarah, "No use in stayin' here."
The troll hobbled after her and I threw one last glance over my shoulder at the dusted grey landscape. Despite wanting to leave this place as soon as possible, part of me wanted to curl up at the bottom of a pile and be left behind, faded and forgotten. I realized the irony of this thought- I would be gone soon enough anyway. Without thinking, my feet carried me after Hoegle, away from the piles of discarded toys and memories.
Eventually the junk yard gave way to a shadowed forest, the trees tall and dark in the night sky. Occasionally the moonlight would hit the glittery rocks and fallen branches that littered the ground, helping us to find our way. Ziggy took the lead, walking us deep into the trees. Sarah followed, and behind her rode Didymus, occasionally bracing in his saddle as Ambrosious jumped over protruding roots.
The further we went, the darker the forest became. A light fog had settled around us and, looking up, I could see the moon peeking sparsely from under the spindly trees. Sarah's voice sounded from in front of me, drawing my attention, "Are you sure you know where you're going?"
Raising his leg over a fallen tree, Ziggy stepped over it, narrowly missing the glittered trunk, "Yeah."
Sarah followed, having to half slide over it because of her height, "Well... how do you know?"
She cleared the tree, "Have you ever been here before?"
I took my turn over the trunk, Hoggit ducking beneath it. Ziggy paused, looking from side to side at the fog riddled trees before continuing, "I just know."
Giving an exasperated sigh, Sarah continued after him, not waiting to see if I'd made it over the tree. Part of me wished she would look back, at least acknowledge that I was here. Ever since we'd gotten here she had seemed cold toward me, as if I were simply a form of cargo that was expected to keep up. Then again, I suppose I was.
Pushing deeper into the forest, Ziggy led us through the twisted trees, stepping over branches and debris. Suddenly he stopped, his eyes focused somewhere ahead of him. Moving to catch up, the rest of us had just made it to his side when he looked down, his gaze catching on something. I followed his line of sight, spotting the subtle trickle of a creek, the water crawling over decaying leaves. Looking up, I saw that Zig had begun to move and I quickly stepped away from the water, following him.
Walking with his head down, Ziggy looked more like a dog than a person. His eyes followed the creek as if he were tracking a scent. Moving quickly, we trailed the stream, the waterway widening the further we went. Eventually we reached the edge of a hill, its steep decline spotted with thin trees. Peering below, I saw what looked like smooth, mountainous rocks pressing into another hill. It was almost as if someone had pressed their thumb into the earth, leaving some rocks to lean against one of the indent's sides.
Careful of our footing, we began to step down the hill, the creek running beside us. By now it had widened significantly, the water pushing its way across the ground. There was something odd about it, but I couldn't put my finger to it. It sounded impatient, like drumming fingertips and whispering voices. Half sliding down the hill, we followed it as it curled around a tree, eventually leading us to the boulder-like rocks. We stood in front of them, watching where it took one last turn around a rock before disappearing from sight.
Slowly, Ziggy led us around the corner, the sound of the water growing into an urgent rush. We paused, seeing the black emptiness that opened between the boulders. It gaped at us like the opening of a cave, the water flowing from it, its hissing rumble echoing off the stone walls. Mesmerized with fear by the darkness of the archway, we hesitated in silence. Suddenly I realized what had been wrong with the water. Frowning, I looked over my shoulder to where it had lead us down the hill. No debris was being carried into the cave's entrance. The water was flowing backwards.
My eyes watched as it moved up the hill with an eerie disregard for gravity. Taking a step forward, Sarah peered into the void before looking to Ziggy, "You're sure this is it?"
He nodded, his eyes drawn into the darkness, "This is it."
Hogshell hobbled from behind me, eyeing it suspiciously, "It looks like an oubliette."
Sarah nodded and the troll pointed, "I'd be careful goin' in there. It's too dark to tell if it keeps goin' or goes straight down."
My stomach tightened at the thought of falling into a black, bottomless body of water. Surveying the entrance, Sarah took a decisive breath, "Okay then." She turned to Ziggy, "Go on."
Ziggy started, turning to her in surprise, "Why me?"
"Your job is to get us to Middleground." She raised her eyebrows at him, "We're following you."
Looking between us, Ziggy saw that he didn't have a choice. His eyes caught mine, uneasiness shadowed behind them but, hesitating, he turned towards the opening. We fell silent as he stepped into the stream, his feet splashing in the water. Ducking under the rocks, he looked back before continuing into the dark. He was only visible for a brief moment and then he disappeared into the black, his footsteps swallowed by the rush of the water.
Silence held our breaths, my stomach catching with fear. Watching the opening, Sarah eventually took a step forward and yelled his name into the darkness, but the water carried her voice away. She turned back to us, giving a pointless shrug, "I guess this it then."
Her eyes looked to me as she said it, and I realized with a sinking feeling that this was goodbye. My heart fell, desperation hardening in my stomach. This was it. Whatever waited for us inside the oubliette, that was the end. Suddenly I wanted to run, I wanted to grab her and beg her for my life. I wanted to fight, to claw myself away from here. I wanted to live.
But I nodded, numb. There was no point. This was it.
Sir Didymus gave a small humph, "Then I suppose it is I who shall be next." Turning in his saddle to look at Ludo, the fox became somber, "You must stay here, my dear brethren. And... should I not make it back..." He trailed off, his eyes falling as he nodded to himself. Lifting his chin, he gave a solidifying nod before turning back, "But never mind then. Tally ho!"
Snapping his reigns, the little fox rode Ambrosious into the mouth of the oubliette, his steed struggling to keep its head above water. We watched him disappear and Sarah looked to me, "Okay then. I guess I'm next."
Pausing, her eyes searched my face as if waiting for me to say something. But there was too much to say, and no time to say it. So I pressed a feeble smile, knowing she wouldn't believe it, "Yeah."
Her eyebrows twitched together, realizing there was nothing else to say. Turning her back to me, she stepped into the water, pushing her way into the darkness.
"Sarah!" My voice surprised me, and she turned, "Yeah?"
She watched me, her eyes hopeful. Swallowing, I opened my mouth, but the words wouldn't come. They caught in my throat and after a few moments of trying to push them out, I gave up, my eyes lowering before meeting her face, "Be careful."
Nodding, her expression became unreadable, "Okay."
I watched her disappear into the oubliette, the words still pushing in my throat.
"You, uh. Really goin' in there?"
I looked down to where Hogglit stood by my leg. He tilted his head up at me, silent, and I nodded. We both stared into the opening. It was just me and him, and we stood, knowing I could outrun him if I wanted to. It didn't have to end like this. But, taking a breath, I readied myself- we'd come too far. Sarah had come too far for me to quit now.
Moving away from the troll, I stepped into the cool stream, the water pushing against my shins. For a second I stared at the entrance, my heart pounding. Every part of my body felt like it was trembling, fear shallowing my breathing. I felt weak as the cold water chilled my skin, adrenaline the only thing keeping me standing.
I forced a breath, and then I was moving, pushing against the gushing water. Ahead of me the opening loomed, waiting. I ducked under the low archway and became ingulfed in darkeness, water roaring against the stone tunnel. Reaching out, I touched my hand to a damp wall, trying to guide myself. My panicked breathing was deafened by the echoes in the cave.
I pressed forward, the ground flat beneath my feet. It continued straight and I wondered how I would catch up to the-
The ground vanished underneath my foot and I let out a surprised shout before tumbling forward. My voice was swallowed up in the water, air disappearing from around me. I was sucked down, nothing but black around me. Panic gripped every part of me as I struggled to find which way was up. Then suddenly, I surfaced, flipped upside down as I was ripped from the water by some strange force. For a second I thought I was floating above the water, but then the wind slid past my ears and I realized. Somehow, I was falling.
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Hello lovelies! ^_^
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter- it was a bit longer and I'm hoping that makes up for the last one which was a shorter one :)
But hey! We are on our way to Middleground! I feel like things are really moving fast now, it's wild that we're almost at the end 0_0
There isn't much left for me to say, though, so please comment telling me what you like, dislike, still hope to see, or hope not to see.
I hope this was a good chapter to read, and I look forward to seeing you on the next one!
As always, loves
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