I cannot seem to focus on anything so I keep writing odd stories. Here, take one.

Old friend come to me
Everything I was, I used to be
I went north, and I went East
Following the footsteps of
Some beautiful beast- Sea Wolf

My soul was scattered about me in a trillion tiny unrepairable pieces. It glittered like the stardust that it once was, it mocked me, and it was absolutely hateful. Hands that felt like they formerly were mine hovered over the shattered remains of me. I would have cried if I could.

The only thing that kept me from panicking was the fact that you need a soul to feel and mine was lying on the ground in front of me. Those phantom hands ghosted over the shards as my dull brain tried to figure out how to fix my current mess. Glue wouldn't help, neither would tape or staples. I was in serious trouble.

Why are souls so fragile? I thought numbly. He must have known that this would happen.

Memories welled up behind my eyes and I let them overtake me. I'd been at a party, it was raining because it was spring and that was what always happened in spring. My dress was the color of rose-gold, it even sparkled…was it St. Patrick's day? I didn't remember.

I did remember that the dress had long sleeves which were rather ineffective considering its length prevented any type of real warmth. But, that is all non-sense, no one needs to know anything about the dress except that it was supposed to make me feel beautiful which it did until I ran into him around a dark corner on my way to the bus stop. I only felt vulnerable when he was around.

You see he and I were old acquaintances—he showed up from time to time to taunt and tease me. He couldn't or wouldn't do more than that, but his dark humor and slipshod smirks were enough to make any mortal girl uneasy, this one included.

That night in my rain soaked golden dress I stared at my old friend. He had the charisma of a rock-star, the heart of a knave, and the face of an angel. All I had were goosebumps and a slight stagger.

"Well met, Sarah." He drawled all lazy eyes and lazy voice.

I eyed him warily and tried not to think about being sick. Leaning against a brick wall that smelled a tiny bit like summer, I closed my eyes and willed him away.

"Your majesty," I sighed.

"You are too shiny to be so civil." I could hear the twitch of his sneer, it sounded very similar to hypocrisy.

"Maybe if you gave some advance warning of your impending presence…" I let the thought drift off. I was tired and I had certainly had too much to drink which wasn't like me. It was best to be fully cognizant with Jareth, his words were puzzles, his sentences snares…he spoke in riddles that could twine their way around your life and choke it out of you. One could never be too careful when in the presence of his silver tongue.

"Ungrateful girl," He scoffed.

"Selfish imp," I replied gruffly. The world was getting fuzzy. It was already dark and I'd probably missed the bus. "I realize that you believe your appearance to be an unaccountable honor which you reserve for select young women, namely myself, but—for a king—you are sorely lacking a basic understanding of certain courtesies."

"I'll bear that in mind." His voice was close to my ear. I felt his eyes travel across the side of my face.

"Sarah," his gloved hand pushed my heavy hair aside. He wasn't supposed to do that, I didn't allow it.

"Yes." I opened my eyes a little. The brick beneath my skin was no longer cold and wet, but warm and familiar. My eyes coasted over the dark interior of my apartment. Black dots shadowed the expanse of floor near the rain-spotted glass doors where the streetlight poured into the room. He was not far from me.

I hated when he entered my apartment. It wasn't big enough for him. The sight of him in the rough, industrial loft gave me the impression of a caged jungle cat. His owlish eyes reflected the small traces of light, deepening the resemblance.

"Please, leave." I muttered, not wanting to sound too childish.

"But, I've only just arrived."

I pushed away from the wall and wobbled to a chair. Removing my shoes was the first thing I had to do. After that task was complete I let my head drop toward my newly freed feet. Dark hair cascaded around my head, forming an impenetrable curtain.

"I cannot speak to you like this." Jareth growled lowly.

The king preferred a sharp-witted, razor-tongued Sarah Williams, though he would hardly admit to it. My dullness coupled with the ragdoll pose I'd assumed were infuriating him. I felt it in the air around me, another reason I disliked his person in my apartment. His moods bounced off the brick, steel, and glass like Ping-Pong balls—well aimed Ping-Pong balls considering they always managed to hit me.

"I've come to warn you Sarah." His ice cold voice slithered across the room, past my hair-curtain, and into my ears.

"Are you threatening me your majesty?" I straightened my back just enough to part my hair and allow me to stare at him.

"Why would I do that?"

And, he was gone. That was nearly seven months before my soul-crisis. I was sure that he knew back then that I was in trouble.

Part of my dulled mind anticipated his arrival. Surely, he would appear to smirk and sneer at my predicament. The separation of my soul from my body and its subsequent dismemberment was a perfect opportunity.

I almost wanted him there, maybe he could fix this mess. But, I couldn't call him. He came to me when the fancy struck him, he lost nothing in doing so, but I could not do as he did. I could not traverse into the other realms, into the land of spirits, not without him. And, I could not call him, it would cost me everything. Even though I named him friend, I did so knowing that he hunted me. Now I was weak and waiting. Reason was all I had, I needed the soul that was glittering on the floor around me. I needed to fear him, to remember that he wasn't what he seemed, to know better than to trust him. Reason, would tell me I had no other way, my heart—my soul, would find another.

"Oh, you've broken such a precious thing." Jareth tsked from across the room.

"I can't fix it," my dumb voice muttered.

"I'm impressed, truly. What were you doing that caused such colorful chaos?"

"Magic." I whispered.

"Reckless creature."

"I know." I couldn't speak as myself. I was hollow.

He circled around me appraisingly. "And, what were you trying to do."

My fingers gently caressed a simmering bit of soul and I felt a jolt travel up my arm. For a moment I felt something. "Move the stars." I giggled fictitiously.

His eyes danced. "I'm sure." He moved closer, examining the fragments of me, I would've felt embarrassed if I could.

"It's beautiful you know." He extended one of his graceful hands, long fingers extending toward the loose mosaic. He stopped short of touching it…me…and removed his leather glove.

My drained eyes could only watch in muted fascination as that perfect hand floated about my poor soul. Its colors shifted beneath him, I could almost hear it singing, begging to be remade.

His pupils dilated, like a cat's do in play. There was death in those eyes, or at the very least danger. Even as a shell of a person I could understand, and nearly fear the look on his face.

"You are able to fix it." I dared to lock gazes with him.

"You knew that already. You mean, will I fix it without you asking me to." Finally, the curl of his lips, uncovered his canine grin, his fangs matched the predatory glow in his eyes perfectly.

"I cannot ask you for anything." Reason relented a moment.

"You won't ask me, there is a difference child." He replaced his glove and moved away from me.

"Jareth." Reason was done waiting for me.

"Yes." The word was nearly a hiss.

"Will you help me?"

"Of course." He removed both gloves, tossing them carelessly upon my bed. I watched his agile movements in the mirror that leaned against the wall in front of me. I'd meant to hang it weeks ago. Candle flames flickered in the wake of him. My own empty eyes drilled into me, I hadn't changed position since it happened, since my soul shattered. It fell from me like crystal armor and I hadn't shifted an inch. Somehow, I knew that once those precious parts of me were brought back together and reunited with my body, they wouldn't be the same as they were before.

Silently, he crouched beside me, the faint smell of magic assaulting my nose. Jareth gently, painstakingly, coaxed and teased the shards together. It may have been hours or days as his fingers, his magic, pieced me back together again.

It hurt. Every newly reunited bit was painful. By the time he was finished, I was stretched out across the cold wooden floor, panting in agony. My sweat drenched clothes clung to me.

Jareth stood silently to the side, and every emotion that I associated with him rushed over me all at the same time. Fear, distrust, fascination, desire, they all melded together and I knew he could read them on my face.

Those eyes, the hungry ones, glared down at me. Normally, I would attempt to deflect that look, but he now knew me from the inside out. I could feel him yet, shifting through the pieces of me, discovering all of my secrets, dreams, and everything else a girl prefers to keep to herself.

"You've been keeping secrets my dear." He grinned.

"I think I will need to find some new ones." I attempted to sit up, to move away from his searching gaze. I was acutely aware of being in his debt.

"Now tell me what you've been up to." He was was deceptively sweet.

"You already know."

"Yes, but I want you to tell me."

I felt sick, and I didn't want to talk to him.