Author's note: I have no other excuse, other than to say the plot bunny would NOT leave me alone this time. I AM working on the next chapter of BOTM, I promise! ^_^;; This is my first official whack at a Labyrinth fic... So go easy on me and.. Enjoy!
Of Innocence and Courage
By TheSodaVampire
Tick.
Tock.
Tick.
Tock.
7: 28 PM
Dread filled nearly every heart in the household, though two in particular cringed especially hard as the little hand of the house clock marched ever onward towards the time of the witching hour.
One was a young girl of only 14, Erika Jean Dempsey, with long wavy black-brown hair that was reluctantly tied back with an extra strength hair tie, deep brown eyes that were hidden behind thick coke-bottle glasses, a wide nose, full lips and the tall and lanky form of a teenager. Wearily, she stared at the face of the clock, as if her sheer willpower alone could slow the steady procession of time itself.
The other was a small boy, a few years younger than his sister, at age 11, Ian Douglas Dempsey. He shared the same dark features as his sibling, though his hair was cut infinitely shorter. Unlike his sister's head on defiance of time's power, the boy's eyes were squeezed shut, like the old saying 'Out of sight, out of mind.' Maybe if he didn't see it, it wouldn't happen…
*BEEP BEEP BEEP*
Somewhere in the house, a timer went off, but it didn't startle the two children, they barely even stirred from their separate battles with time as they sat on the couch in front of the old grandfather clock. Heavy rain pelted against the bay window, adding to the heavy atmosphere of the house.
Only their parents seem to heed the timer's warning, as both of them scurried from their position in the kitchen with their supplies in hand, knowing that time was short.
Their father, a tall man with thinning black-brown hair and a matching beard hustled past the children, patting his son on the head as he passed. Their step-mother was only a step behind him, with her curly light brown bob, and glistening blue-green eyes, she was the mother that they had grown up with, but never really related to. And now, since the arrival of that thing, the two of them doubted that they ever would.
And then, right on cue, began the inhuman wailing. Shrill and ear drum shattering, the scream sounded as if something was trying to kill it. Repeatedly.
Every single night, at 7:30 PM, that thing would cry. It had for the last 3 years and it seemed like it would for the rest of it's known life.
Erika instantly clenched her jaw and fists together. That noise! How on earth could something that small create that loud of a sound!? Didn't it need to breathe somewhere along the line? She just didn't get it. When Ian had been that little, he didn't make half as much noise as that little freak. At this, Erika stole a glance at her younger brother, where his hands were clamped over his ears, his eyes still clenched shut.
Trying her best to ignore the constant screams from upstairs, Erika tugged on her brother's shirt sleeve and pointed over at the TV set a few feet away. "Wanna try to drown it out?" she shouted at him.
Ian nodded and they both relocated themselves in front of the old TV set. Remembering what had been left in the VCR, Erika reached over and pressed Play on the remote control. The intro to the film began with instrumental music, with a computer generated owl flying past, until the title rippled onto screen in flowery teal letters:
'Labyrinth'
After the intro music faded, a girl looking not that much older than Erika herself ran onto screen, in a flow-y light green medieval dress and pearly crown. Her expression was that of utmost torment and determination. Slowly, she spoke:
"Give me the child. Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here, to the castle beyond the Goblin City, to take back the child that you have stolen." she said elegantly and with poise, as she stepped forward. "For my will is as strong as yours, my kingdom is as great-" The girl faltered just as a loud crack of thunder roared over head, "And… Damn, I can never remember that line." she cursed as she fished a book out of her sleeve. "You have no power over me." she read out-loud.
"You know, Sarah kinda looks like you." Ian said with a grin over the movie and the incessant cries from upstairs.
Erika blushed behind her thick lenses. "Shyaddup.." she muttered quietly as she pointedly stared at the screen. They looked nothing alike.
Soon both the children were absorbed into the film, finally enabling themselves to drown out the screams and sobs, until they finally died away.
As one of the final scenes from the film appeared, both the children could hear the strained, hushed voices of their parents from the stairwell. They were in an argument, about who forgot to buy more diapers for the little monster.
"I thought you said you would buy them..!" Cara Marie Dempsey, their step mother all but growled as she came downstairs, with their father in tow.
"I did, but the you said that you'd pick them up on your way home from work, so I thought that it was taken care of." their father, Rian Jackson Dempsey hissed. Then as he reached the bottom of the stairs, he looked at the two kids and sighed. "Alright, guys, we finally got Clairy to bed, so we're heading to the store for a few minutes and we need you to look after her 'till we get back." he said tiredly as he reached the closet to retrieve his coat.
Erika barely restrained the urge to make a face, but set her jaw and nodded. "Okay.." she sighed resignedly.
At this, both parents left without another word.
"D'ya think she'll stay asleep..?" Ian asked dryly with a nod to the ceiling.
But as if she had a sixth sense that told her that her mother had left the building, the little monster known as Clarissa, could be heard from upstairs: "M.. Mommy..? Mommy.. MOMMY! WHERE MOMMY!? MOOOMMMYYY!" she screamed.
"You just had to say something, didn't you?" Erika stated flatly as Ian groaned. "C'mon, let's go amuse the little creature." she sighed as she lead the way up the stairs.
And there, in all her keening glory, was the bane of the two siblings' existences: Clarissa Faye Dempsey, AKA, Clairy, AAKA, The Little Monster. With her strawberry blond curls, blue-green eyes, chubby cheeks, and pale-that-was-now-red-from-screaming skin, the 3 year old girl was almost cute, in her fuzzy yellow Whinny-The-Pooh onesie pajamas. When she wasn't screaming her head off. Which wasn't very often. So she wasn't. She was just plain annoying. End of story.
At the sight of the two older kids, the little girl only wailed harder, "Where mommy!? WHERE MOMMY!?" she demanded shrilly, as she held out her chubby arms to be held.
"You do it." Ian grunted as he sat himself down on their parent's bed.
Sighing, Erika growled out an ill-tempered "Fine." as she went to hold the sobbing toddler. "C'mon Clairy, stop it. Stop crying." she grumbled as she bounced the little girl on her hip as she held her squirming body, much to no avail.
A sudden roar of thunder echoed throughout the house, rattling the windows, making the two teens jump, and the toddler scream and cling tighter to her sister's neck. "I want Mommy!" she cried in the absolute terror and despair only a little child without her mommy could.
"She's not here, don't you get that, you little worm?" Ian growled, slapping his arm down on the bed in frustration.
"I want my mommy!" Clairy continued to wail, rubbing her ruddy, tear stained face as she clung to Erika's neck.
"Clairy! She'll be home soon, you just gotta chill!" Erika scolded in an exasperated tone as she continued to bounce the little girl on her tiring hip, just as a flash of lightning split the sky.
Another pang of thunder rattled the house, just as Clairy screamed "No! It scary!" as she began to flail her tiny fists and writhe in Erika's arms in a full-scale temper tantrum freak-out from fear of the storm and the tones of the scary big kids.
"UGH! I can't STAND it anymore! Lets just let her scream her lungs out!" Erika shouted as she set down the screaming child in her crib none too gently, which only upset the little girl even more.
"Nooooo! NO LEAVE! NO LEAVE!" Clairy wailed, desperately trying to get the two of them to come back, until she threw her baby pillow on the ground and started jumping in her crib.
Erika turned around and glared at the little girl. This thing wasn't really her family. Just like Cara wasn't really her mom, Erika and Ian had only been extra baggage when Cara had married their father. She had her own baby now. She and Ian were just in the way. "You know what? I wish the goblins would take you away. Right Now." she said dead seriously as she flipped off the light just as another flash of lightning struck and thunder rolled, just like Sarah had in the movie. Knowing full well that nothing would happen. It was just a movie, after all.
That was until Clairy stopped crying- in mid shriek.
Erika and Ian's eyes met instantaneously.
"Oh no."