- Chapter 1 -
This house is beautiful.
It's modern, but has old-ish things inside of it. There is a grandfather clock near the couch (which in my opinion is a terrible place to put one of those, you're just sitting on your couch and then DING DONG). There are a few certificates hanging on the wall above the couch, across from it sits a flat screen TV, with a few random knick knacks on the shelf beside it. It's the perfect looking house, not as nice or nearly as stuck up as my parent's living room.
I still don't understand the placement of the Grandfather clock.
"Thank you again for babysitting Becca, it means a lot to us, and I know that Michael loves you to death." Mrs. Johnson says, breaking me from my inappropriate thoughts of how she decorates HER house. Remember Becca, don't zone out like that!
"Anytime Mrs. Johnson, I don't mind it at all." I smile and adjust my beanie. She smiles back and leads me into the kitchen.
"You can help yourself to anything in the kitchen, just make sure you wash the dishes." As she lists off all the things I have to remember, she wanders around the kitchen, making sure everything is where it needs to be. "There are leftovers for Michael and you for dinner in case you don't want to cook. He can have the TV in his room on for half an hour; if he isn't asleep by then you should turn it off. He's already had his bath, so no need to worry about that, and bedtime is 8:30. You are welcome to do whatever down here once he's asleep, and we should be back around eleven." Mrs. Johnson grabs her keys with her perfectly manicured hand. Honestly, I wish my hands looked like hers.
"Alright, I'll make sure he gets to bed on time, you don't have to worry." I smile at her.
"Thank you Becca, you're so very kind." My English teacher smiles as her husband enters the kitchen and takes her purse from her. Mr. Johnson is such an average man compared to her: his hair and eyes are both a dark brown, he has a clean shaven face and always wears suits. Mrs. Johnson almost always wears these interesting dresses or skirts; she's the exact opposite of plain, whereas her significant other dresses like a lawyer.
"Sarah, we'll be late, we've got to go." he says, calling after her. Then he turns to me, "Thank you again, Rebecca."
"Anytime Mr. Johnson." I smile at him. I honestly don't know how to feel about him. He seems nice enough, but I know hardly anything about him, so it's awkward when I do talk to him (despite the fact that I'm friends with his wife).
"Oh, I almost forgot: we've got some books in the attic if you want to read them, I know that TV can get boring." Mrs. Johnson winks at me. I smile even bigger, she knows how much I love books; especially fantasy ones, those are my favorite. I can get lost in a world of faeries and goblins and large forests full of things that I could never see in real life, and things that my parents will never let me dream about.
"Bye Becca! Make sure that he gets to bed on time, remember that!" She calls as they both walk out the front door. I smile and exit the large kitchen.
"Hey Mike and Ike, where'd you get off to?" I ask.
"Hide Bec hide!" The five year old boy in question runs through the living room.
"What, why?" I ask.
"Monster!" Michael yells just before Hoggle, the small white dog bounded into the room after him.
"Oh no, so scary!" I say, humouring him. He smiles, knowing I found it funny. "Come on now, I'm gonna make you some fish sticks." I laugh and run after the kid.
….
"Will you come back the next time Mommy and Daddy go out?" Michael asks me after I tucked him into his toy story bed.
"If you want me too, and if your mommy wants me too. Just tell her I was the best ever." I chuckle as I turn on his TV.
"Okay, I will." he smiles. "G'night, Becca."
"Sleep good Mike and Ike, before a half hour remember? Or I have to turn this thing off." I point to the television, playing 'Wander Over Yonder', his favourite show.
"Okay, I promise." The little boy yawns and I turn off his light and crack the door.
"Sleep well, little guy." I whisper. "I hope the faeries give you good dreams tonight." He smiles and rolls over in his bed, and I leave the room.
As soon as I take a few steps away I bolt to the attic as quickly and quietly as I can.
I run up the stairs two at a time on tip-toes before grasping the doorknob and pushing it open. I feel around for a switch; once I find one I flip it up and the room lights up. My dark green eyes scan the room until I see the bookshelf, it's about average size and is in the farthest corner of the room. Excited, I let out a little squeaking noise that I'm glad no one heard.
Carefully avoiding the boxes laying around the wood floor I made my way to the brown shelf. I run my fingers along the spines of the many different sized books. These ones are a lot older than the ones downstairs in the living room. Mrs. Johnson probably keeps them up here so her son doesn't ruin them; they look like they could be worth some serious money.
My gaze lands on a bright red one that is unlike all of the others. I carefully pick it up and blow off the dust. This one… it hasn't been touched in ages!
Slowly I turn it over in my hands and run them along the smooth leather. It read 'Labyrinth' in bright gold letters. "No author…" I notice. "Weird." Stroking the smooth red leather cover, I can tell it's been well kept over the years.
"Well it's not that dumb Percy Jackson book, that's for sure." I say to myself. I look at the back, no summary of what it's about at all. I open the book to the first page, again looking for a summary or an author's name, but finding nothing but the first chapter.
"It must be a first edition," I say aloud. "There's not even a copyright on it." The first letter in the book is in beautiful cursive with a rose above it; a great way to begin the chapter. I smile and sit against the wall, beginning to read.
It was a beautiful tale, with a beautiful young girl, goblins, faeries, other magnificent creatures, and the thing that intrigued me the most: a Goblin King. A ruthless, yet beautiful Goblin King with striking blond hair, differently coloured eyes, and a charmingly deceptive smile; who wore strange clothes and could manipulate dreams with crystal balls. All of the characters were well developed by whoever wrote this, as if the author knew each one personally - even the very minor ones.
"Oh, crap." I say when I feel my phone vibrate in my back pocket, it's nearly ten o'clock! I haven't checked on Michael yet! He could still be awake watching cartoons! I quickly grab the book and sprint down the stairs of the attic, forgetting to close the door. I reach his room in less than a minute and slowly open the door.
The five year old boy is buried in the blankets, I can see his chest moving up and down as he takes slow breaths. I sigh in relief and creep over to the TV and turn it off for him. I use my phone as a light and find my way out of the room and into the living room below. I set the book on the couch and adjust my beanie, making it sit right on my head.
Glancing over to the book, I'm reminded of just how good it was, and how much I wanted to keep reading it. I sigh deeply, and pick it back up, starting where I had left off. I was utterly entranced by it; I'm honestly surprised I haven't heard of it before. An ageless, all-powerful and beautiful Goblin King who falls in love with a simple human girl; a land full of impossibilities and fantastic creatures, where the laws of physics don't always apply… It was amazing, and beautiful, and unique.
Basically, everything I was not. Or rather, everything I wanted to be, but was not allowed to be.
"Mom would hate this book… Dad might burn it…" I sigh as I remember our conversation before driving over to Mrs. Johnson's place.
"You have to save up at least some money, we're going to pay for most of your schooling, but books and equipment still cost money, dear. How can you expect to be a doctor if you can't even handle a budget?"
I sigh as their voices ring in my head.
"You need to get better grades; I see the A in Art but not Biology."
"Rebecca dear, you shouldn't spend all of your time painting, you should study some too."
"Rebecca, why don't you come to the hospital with me today? You could get some first hand experience."
"Rebecca-"
"Rebecca, dear-"
"Rebecca…"
"I don't want to be a doctor." I confess to myself, silencing their phantom voices. "I want to be an artist… I don't want to be just like them, I want to be my own person." I mumble to myself. "But it's not like there's any money in art anyway. They're right, I'd just end up starving to death on an artist's salary. I should make them happy… make them proud of me. I just… I wish I could be myself, I wish I could paint all the time, and explore, and see things I've never seen before…" I sigh. I cross my arms.
"I wish I wasn't here right now."
Suddenly the grandfather clock chimes. Startled, I look over at it. It's only 10:17.
"It's not on the hour; why is it-"
Glass shatters in the kitchen, causing me to jump. Before I can head into the room to investigate, a wind blows through the room, making my dark brown hair fly in all directions around me. I can't see! What's going on!
I yelp as the grandfather clock chimes ten times louder than it should be chiming. The lights flicker on and off, disorienting me further. I manage to get my hair out of my face, but I still can't tell what's going on. The house is shaking and the clock is still chiming, and I have no idea why. I back up, hoping to get my back to the wall so that nothing can hurt me, but back into something before I hit it.
I accidently shriek and whirl around to see what I've run into. My jaw drops.
It was a man, he was almost a foot taller than I, wearing leather pants, and a old leather jacket with a strange collar. His blond hair was something that looked like it had come from some kind of 80's movie, and he had one brown eye, one blue. He is bizarrely beautiful, and I stop. He tilts his head and smiles, and the clock stops chiming.
It stops chiming at the thirteenth hour.
For a moment or two, it's like my brain couldn't think if it tried to.
And then I realize… what in the hell is he doing here?
"Who the fuck are you?" I yell at him, taking out my confusion on him.
"Do watch your language," he responds, with a deep British accent that sends chills down my spine. "After all, there is a child upstairs." As the shock starts to fade away, panic quickly sets in in its place.
"He-he's sleeping." I stammer. "How the hell did you even know about him? Who are you? Get the fuck out of here!" I grab my phone and quickly unlock it to dial 911. The man scoffs quietly.
"Whatever it is you're planning, it's not going to do anything, Rebecca. I'm not even here for you."
"Y-you… how do you know my-"
"Your name? You honestly haven't figured it out yet, have you?" He starts to circle me, and I can just feel the intimidation crawling down my skin. "Tsk, tsk, Rebecca. I took you to be smarter than that."
"What the hell…" I mutter. He looked and acted just like…
"Are you… the Goblin King?" I take a step back. "You are, aren't you? You're King Jareth..."
You're… real.
"Glad to see we both know who the other is." he snarks back dryly.
"Why are you here." I say, slowly, with as much tension as I can muster. I try to stand up a little straighter and adjust my beanie again, making sure I look slightly more confident.
"Relax, Rebecca, like I've said before, I didn't come here for you." He sits down on the air, regally, as if it were a throne. "I've come for the babe, naturally."
Michael.
"Well, you can't have him. He's mine. I'm supposed to be taking care of him. Besides, I didn't even wish him away! You can't." I glare.
"You wished for a life without responsibility. I intend to give that to you." The Goblin King starts circling me, menacingly, and almost… seductively. "You are a talented young lady, Rebecca. You don't deserve the lot you've been cast. Let me take him off your hands. He is only the price you'd have to pay for the life you've wanted. I can make your parents understanding. I can grant you entry to the finest art colleges in the world. All I ask in return is a sleeping child of whom you have no relation to." Now standing in front of me, he leans in, forcing me to make eye contact.
"Surely, that can't be so bad." he says lowly.
"He is in my care. I won't let you take him." I grit my teeth, and try to let him know I mean business. I step away from the intimidating man and use my body to block the stairway.
"What's done is done, Rebecca. You made the wish. I am here to grant it."
"But you can't! You can't…because..." I'm struggling for words, knowing how this works. He's right. I should have been more careful what I wished for.
But it's not like I meant to make a wish in the first place!
The Goblin King sits impatiently, waiting for me to make up my mind.
What am I going to do…
How did the girl in the story get out of this…
A deal!
"I want to make a trade!"
"Oh?" he responds, amused. "What could you trade me that I would want?"
Okay, so, maybe I didn't think this far ahead.
"You could… you could…" I lower my gaze and I try to figure something out. "I… I have money…?"
"I don't want your paper. I don't even like the people on it." He yawns. "Can't you think of something more interesting, Rebecca?"
Fuck.
Yeah, I guess I should have seen that coming.
"You could… take me, instead." I cringe at the corny 'Beauty and the Beast' line that just came out of my mouth. Why does this disturb you more than the fact that you just OFFERED YOURSELF TO THE KING OF THE FUCKING GOBLINS?
"You would offer yourself in the place of a little boy who isn't even related to you?" He leans closer, making me uncomfortable. Oh geez…
"Yes… I told you, you can't have him." I take a step back, he's too close. "Besides, this way you can grant my wish; if you take me, I won't have to become a doctor or go to medical school, I won't have to do any of that. You grant my wish, and Michael goes free." I stop breathing for a moment, what if he says no? What if he's repulsed by the very thought? I can't let him have Michael.
It's too easy. There's no way he'll say yes.
And this is all my fault.
"Hm." He pauses, considering, and I swallow hard, trying to look strong. Finally he speaks, with that cruelly enchanting voice of his.
"You make an excellent offer, Rebecca." My hopes rise for a split second. Is he really…?
"But I'm not going to accept it."
What?
"Frankly, my dear," his cold eyes piercing me, "I don't want you."
He doesn't...
I squeeze my eyes shut, and lower my head. I can feel myself shaking lightly.
I'll lose Michael forever. Mrs. Johnson would hate me. The police would probably blame me. I'll end up in prison and never go to any school, medical or otherwise. My parents would hate me. I hate me. And everything would all be my fault. All because I said the wrong words at the wrong time.
"I can't! I won't let you! I don't want you to do this! I don't want you to take Michael! He's done nothing wrong, he shouldn't have to… he shouldn't have to pay for the fact that I wasn't good enough!" I'm getting close to crying at this point, but whether it's because of pride or fear I don't let myself. I look up at him, and look as fearless as I can while I shake in my boots.
"Please! Take me! Let Michael live the rest of his life the way he was supposed to. Let him, let everyone forget me. It's my fault. Let me pay for this. Please, I'll do whatever you want. Just…" I stop myself before my voice cracks. I can't cry in front of him.
"Why should I just do what you want, hm?" he responds with a hint of bitterness in his voice. "I thought myself more than gracious for the offer I've already made you." The Goblin King gets down from the invisible throne he had been sitting in, and steps toward me. "Honestly, you are being incredibly ungrateful."
"I'm sorry, I'm… I'm not trying to be, I just-" I stop myself. Apologizing isn't going to get me out of this. I need to give him something he wants.
"What can I do? What do you want?" I look up into his mismatched eyes, he's almost a full head taller than me.
Crossing his arms, he scoffs and glares at something in the distance. "What I want, little girl," he says coldly, "You could never give me."
Little girl? I'm sixteen.
"But there has to be something…" Despite my best efforts, my eyes start to water a little. "I have to do something…" This can't be happening. It isn't fair! Clenching my fists together, I look up at him through blurry eyes.
"Why do you even have to grant my wish anyway? I never wanted you either! I didn't go out of my way to make a wish to you, I was just complaining out loud!" I start taking my frustrations out at him, but do my best not to yell too loudly. "Why can't you just go away?!"
"You hold the book, Rebecca," he says frustratedly. He keeps his voice low but I can hear his temper rising. "You hold the power. You made a wish while it was in your possession."
"I didn't want to! I didn't mean it!"
"You did mean it. That's the problem."
"But I didn't! I was just rambling out loud."
"It doesn't matter; you must have meant it or else I wouldn't be here. Honestly, I told you I would give you everything you ask for and you act so impudently-"
"Not everything I asked for! I asked for you to leave Michael alone! He's innocent."
"Well of course he's innocent, that's not the point."
"Well, then what is the goddamned point, Mr. Goblin King?"
"That wishes come with a price. You made a wish to me, and I even made the effort to come here to grant it myself."
"You didn't have to do that! I don't want you here!"
"I don't want you either, little girl."
"If you don't want me so badly, then why the fuck did you even come!?"
"Because I thought-!" He finally loses his temper, then stops mid-sentence. Apparently he decided not to finish that thought. He stops, and for a second I see an emotion that I don't recognize in his strange eyes. Something somewhere in between anger, sadness, and… desperation. And then as quickly as that second comes, it goes. He closes his eyes, and when he opens them again, all they hold for me is a muted glare. A glare which, quite honestly, was the most beautiful and frightening thing I've ever seen.
"Well done, little girl." The Goblin King laughs lightly, regaining his composure. Crossing his arms, he looks down at me. "You managed to get a rise out of me. Not many can succeed in provoking me like that."
He takes a step closer, and holds his chin in his hand. "You seem so quiet to the world, don't you? But in reality, you're a vulgar little beastie, Rebecca." He leans forward, bringing him down to my eye level, and very close to my face. "Such a sharp and vile tongue you have. With a fiery spirit, too, I see." I flinch, and try to look away from him. But he's so close to me that it's hard to do.
"Okay, Rebecca." he says, tilting my face back toward him with two gloved fingertips. "Let's say I agree to your trade. What would I possibly gain from it?"
Be strong, Becca. Be strong for Michael… and for yourself, too.
I force myself to open my eyes, and stare deep into his. I'm not going to let him do his little power play.
"I would be your prisoner. I'd have to do whatever you want."
"Still not quite interesting enough." he retorts, tilting his head to the right. "You'll have to do better than that, Rebecca."
"How am I supposed to give you a better offer if I don't know what you want?" I snark back sarcastically, keeping my voice low.
"Ah, I was right about you." he replies dryly. "Sharp wit."
"Michael is off the table. And to be honest I don't think you really want him either."
"Too sharp." He tilts his head to the other side. "You clever little snake."
"I know I'm not good enough for you, but you don't have to be rude." I sneer back. His face twists in disgust for a moment, then goes back to his intimidating stare. "You know what, Rebecca," he says, "I honestly don't think there's anything you could give me that I would ever want."
"But, you came all the way here. I'm not letting you take Michael and you don't even want him, so…" I say confidently, even though there are still tears in my eyes.
"So what have you got to lose?"
The Goblin King stares at me intently, as if searching my eyes for any kind of weakness. It's honestly terrifying, but I can't help but stare back. After about ten seconds, he finally smiles, a charming, but clearly fake smile.
"Very well, Rebecca. You have yourself a deal."
I let out the breath I had unconsciously been holding in for what felt like a few centuries.
"Just be warned, a promise with a fae lasts a lifetime. I don't ever break my promises. And if you ever dare try to, the consequences are extremely dire." Tapping my face with that gloved hand of his, another shiver goes down my spine. "Do you understand?"
I swallow hard. "I do. Crystal clear."
He scoffs at me, then finally steps away from me, and I can relax.
"Fine. Consider yourself my prisoner from now on."
"And Michael?"
"... As per our agreement, I will not take the boy."
I breathe out a sigh of relief. I did it. I managed to negotiate with the Goblin King. Michael is safe.
Michael is safe.
"Thank you… Goblin King." I rub my hands, something I often do when I'm nervous, and I don't dare look up at him. It's bad enough I already cried in front of him. All of my confidence that I had was gone now that the main crisis was averted. And after that show of bravado I didn't have the courage to show him how quiet and meek I actually was. Still, I was so happy that Michael would be safe, would get to live a normal life like the normal little kid he was. I was extremely happy that I had successfully negotiated with him, and genuinely grateful he took my offer.
"If you dare cry like that in front of me again, I'll retch."
Well, fuck you too. And here I was being grateful.
"Okay." Is all I manage to say.
Suddenly, the clock starts chiming again, My head snaps to look at the large Grandfather clock, but it's different… smaller. The room… the entire room is smaller than it was before. I try to concentrate on it, try to figure out what's going on, but the room continues to grow smaller. The city appears, I look around me to see all of it flying past, my hair blows around me in the wind that I can't feel is there.
I look back to the clock, and it's still the same distance from me as before. It's not me that's moving, the world is. The room disappears entirely as the bright city quickly turns to mountains, then a grassy pasture, I look above me to see the stars whizzing above me looking like nothing but tiny lights. The stars turn into a gray sky, I look back down to see a strange looking forest that rapidly changes to a hedge maze, then a beautiful forest, then a tiny city, finally the world sits still in a large room.
I gasp for breath and actually move my legs to see if they work. They fail me and as I tumble backward, two hands steady me. Two gloved hands. I hear the voice behind me.
"Well, Rebecca." his voice says, rich and dark, "Welcome to The Underground."
