DISCLAIMER: Hellraiser and its characters (with the exception of my original characters) belong to Clive Barker. Labyrinth and its characters belong to George Lucas and Jim Henson.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As I've been writing the Hell Hath No Fury trilogy, I can't help but notice how much I use the word labyrinth with a capital L. It was inevitable that I'd finally make this connection. I'm actually kinda surprised that no one else did before me, but then again, I don't know how many people exist that have a deep love for both 80s children's movies and horror movies…
The Other Door
The heavy bronzed knocker exhaled quickly, hoping that he'd be able to draw the necessary breath fast enough. No such luck. The dark-haired girl thrust the ring back into his mouth the moment he opened it. She started to knock, but then hesitated. She looked over at the other door, the heavy metal ring dangling from its knocker's ears. She turned to that one and knocked. The other knocker grumbled around the heavy burden in his mouth. Why had she put the damned thing back if she wasn't going to knock?
The door swung open, revealing a stone corridor shrouded in mist. The massive auburn beast at Sarah's side whimpered.
"It's alright, Ludo," she comforted.
The way ahead did look rather frightening. She took a deep breath and entered the passage. Ludo hesitantly followed, the door swinging shut behind him. The corridor was a straight shot, no turns or outlets lined its walls. The mist made it somewhat difficult to see. Sarah took hold of Ludo's hand and continued cautiously forward. After traveling several yards, they reached an open area. They stood on what appeared to be a bridge over a seemingly bottomless chasm. Sarah could see that they were at the top of an elaborate multi-storied labyrinth, the levels descending into the abyss and disappearing from sight.
"How big is this place?" Sarah asked no one in particular.
The sky overhead was cloudy and dark, a huge difference from the skies on the opposite side of the door she'd entered just moments before. An immense box, decorated in intricate golden patterns, revolved above the chasm, bathed in black light.
"What do you suppose that is?" Sarah asked Ludo.
"Don't know," he replied. "Ludo scared."
Sarah patted the creature's arm. She couldn't help but feel uneasy herself. This all had to be another of Jareth's tricks and she wasn't going to let it get in her way. Toby was waiting for her. She continued onward. As she reached the other end of the bridge, she saw a pale woman sitting on a stone bench. Her face was studded with piercings and her earlobes, stretched out of shape by large metal disks, hung to her shoulders. Two identical boys, no older than six years old, sat on either side of her, laughing at whatever story she was telling them. It was obvious from the intense adoration in the woman's eyes that these were her sons.
"Um, excuse me," Sarah stammered. "I'm trying to find my way to the center of the Labyrinth. Do you know the way?"
The woman looked up in shock, instinctively pulling the children closer.
"Who are you? How did you get here?" she demanded. She looked over at the box rotating above them, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Stay where you are!"
The woman stood, ushering the boys down the corridor. Sarah gasped in fear as the woman turned. A gruesome wound extended down her back, revealing the spine beneath. Sarah turned to run back the way she came, but before she could the woman returned. The little boys were gone, but the mutilated woman was not alone. A man was with her. Judging by the close proximity of the pair, Sarah assumed they were lovers and he was no doubt the father of the giggling, normal looking twins she'd seen earlier. He walked with authority and an aura of power surrounded him. He was more grotesque than the woman at his side; his head was covered in a grid, the intersections stuck with a long pin. Sarah took a step backwards, colliding with Ludo, who was rooted to the spot in terror.
"Who are you?" he asked with much more force and urgency than the woman had.
"M-my name's Sarah," she stuttered. "This is L-Ludo. I have to get to the castle at the center of the Labyrinth to rescue my brother."
A look of complete confusion crossed the woman's face. She looked up at the man at her side. "What castle?"
The man looked irritated. "I know you are watching, you smug bastard!"
A crystal ball suddenly rolled out of the corridor and came to rest at the man's feet. He bent over to retrieve, gazing into its depths with a look of total annoyance.
"That's what I thought," the man said, tossing the ball over his shoulder. It disappeared into the chasm. He turned to Sarah.
"Now what to do with you?"
A malicious look flashed in his eyes. The woman gave him a stern look and put a hand on his arm.
"Babe, no," she said firmly. "She didn't summon us. Leave her alone."
He turned to meet his lover's gaze and sighed. "Fine. But it has been so long since we had a new victim."
Sarah's eyes widened and her heart stopped. Victim? Had she heard correctly?
"Come on, sweetheart," the woman said kindly to Sarah. "Let's get you outta here."
The woman led Sarah and Ludo back towards the door they'd entered. With a wave of her hand, the door opened, revealing the sunny Labyrinth on the other side. Sarah turned to look at the woman.
"What is this place?" she asked.
"It's best that you don't know," the woman said.
"Well, do you know how to get to the center of the Labyrinth?"
"I'm not sure what labyrinth you're trying to reach the center of because you were just in the center of this one."
Sarah opened her mouth to speak, but promptly shut it. This was obviously a concept too big for her to grasp.
"Good luck finding your brother," the woman said.
"Thank you," Sarah answered as she went back through the door. It slammed shut as Ludo followed.
Sarah went back to the first door. The knocker mumbled incoherently around the burden in its mouth.
"I'm really gonna knock this time," Sarah said.
~ [END] ~
ENDNOTE: I know this story kinda indicates that the events of the Hell Hath No Fury series takes place in the eighties, but it doesn't (as awesome as the 80s were). It takes place in the 21st century, the third taking place sometime in the not so distant future, probably 2029. This is fanfiction. Decades don't need to coordinate with each other! As for the twins age, I figured I'd give a little glimpse of them being small children since they went from infants in Renaissance to young adults in Terminus.
~Ofo~