Chapter 1: A Mad, Mad World
Sarah William's head throbbed against a stained, smelly pillow, oh, how her head hurt. It felt as if she had been beaten to death with a hammer. Opening her eyes, she could feel sweat running down her face as she tried to catch her breath. Her forehead was clammy and her long, black hair was matted together as she continued to lay there frightened. What was going on? Where was she? Sarah began asking herself. However, Sarah knew where she was. She had always known where she was. For the past six years, Sarah had been locked away from the outside world. Locked away from her family, her friends. Ludo, Hoggle and Sir Dynamus and….him.
If only she could have lied to her family. Lied where she had been for all those hours. Why not tell them she was at the park or at a "friends" house? Anything other than the truth. Fighting her way through a maze and how she only had 13 hours to save her baby brother. How she talked to creatures from another realm. Like the Twilight Zone.
"Dad." Sarah raced from the room, the moment she heard her dad's footsteps coming up the staircase. She almost knocked into him from the force of the run.
"Sarah, what happened to your head? You're bleeding."
"I must have fallen or something." Sarah raised a hand to her head. Sure enough there was blood caked to her forehead. Running to the bathroom, she grabbed a band-aid. "Everything was real. Everything."
"Sweetheart, I think someone has been reading to many fairy tales lately. Why don't you go to bed? I am sure you will feel much better in the morning."
"No dad. I have not been reading fairy tales. Just The Labyrinth and I was there." Sarah rushed back into her room and took out the worn, red covered book.
"You don't think she has a concussion, do you?" Karen questioned as she approached the two. To be talking like a crazy person, she must have.
"No, I think she just needs a good night's rest. I think we all do."
"I saw everything. From Hoggle, to the headless furry creatures to the—biting of the peach. It was all real. The ballroom scene. The dance. Everything! You have to believe me!"
"Alright, alright we believe you. Now please go to sleep. It is past midnight."
"You do?"
"Yes," Robert lied as his eyes told all and Sarah knew it. "I just want you to be seen for your head. It appears you cut it pretty bad." Grabbing his daughters coat he ushered her to the car.
…
"Dad, no!" Sarah screamed as two large orderlies advanced down the hall of the psychiatrist office. "PLEASE! I am not crazy!" her scream pierced the small room.
"This is for the best. We have tried for months to get you back to us. Even Doctor Blackburn has tried. He said it is for the best that you go away for a while. You are going to get psychological help sweetheart. That is the only way."
"Karen." Tears ran down Sarah's face as she looked to her stepmother for support. "Please don't do this."
"I'm sorry Sarah, but this is for the best. This is what is best for you and the family."
"What about Toby?"
"It is best for Toby as well."
"He won't know who I am. He is a baby for crying out loud!"
"We will show him pictures of you. Besides, you won't be gone that long. You will see Toby grow up…."
Sarah took a deep breath and felt her body go rigid from fear. Six years, she had missed six years of Toby's life. She wondered what he would be like now. What he looked like? Sighing she rolled her head to face the wall. The truth had gotten her locked up. Locked away from society where nobody cared about her. Not even the little mice that visited her "cell" every now and then. Heck, even Sarah's own family refused to visit. Why should they visit? No one visited the insane people of a mental hospital. Sarah's life now revolved around a dark brick building surrounded by barbwire fences, barred windows, orderlies watching her every moment. Not only that, but taunting her, mocking her and trying to have their way with her. However, Dr. David Corwin was a much nicer soul. He was the doctor she saw daily and helped her through her struggles. Dr. Corwin allowed Sarah to talk about this other world she had visited and what she had witnessed while there. He didn't care about the furry monsters that could take their heads off or even about the talking rock faces as she escaped that underground prison. Dr. Corwin didn't even mind Sarah talking about The Goblin King. In fact, the doctor found him quite amusing. From the way Sarah described this king, Dr. Corwin found him to be rather likable. But none the less, Sarah was still locked away where nobody cared.
Laying on a crisp, white bed that had springs, holes and tares all around it, Sarah suddenly sat up as the sound of footsteps that could be heard down the hall. Blinking her dark moist eyes, she quickly rubbed her hands over them, and then looked around the space. The room was no bigger than a small bathroom. White walls were all around her, with just a single wooden chair and a small table with a pitcher of water and what it seemed to be medical instruments sat on top. However, there was also some kind of smell lingering in the air, the smell of defeat, loneliness and death.
"Sarah, is everything alright?" a voice called out to her.
Sarah took her eyes off her prison to see a nurse in a white uniform standing in her doorway. The nurse was middle aged. Her velvety, black raven hair was swept up into a bun and secured with her white cap. "Yes, yes everything is fine."
"Dr. Corwin would like to see you in his office." The nurse turned to her right to be shocked. "Oh, for heavens sakes. Who left those instruments in here?" Walking over to them the nurse collected them. "I understand it is late, but those orderlies have no sense at all." The nurse shook her head with disappointment.
"Nurse Kelly why does Dr. Corwin want to see me this late?"
"I haven't the faintest idea dear."
Out of all the medical staff at the hospital Nurse Kelly was the nicest Sarah had met. Other than the doctor, Nurse Kelly treated her somewhat normal. As normal as one would be treated in a mental hospital. "Well go on. You know where the doctor's office is."
Getting to her feet, she stuffed them into her ratty house slippers. Feeling a chill in the air, Sarah rubbed her hands down her arms. The attire she was given there was nothing to be desired. She was given one bath a week with two gowns, pair of socks and house slippers. Nothing more. It had surprised Sarah that in all those six years that she had been there, she had yet to catch a cold.
The place did without air in the summer and heat in the winter. However, Nurse Kelly was nice enough to give Sarah and extra blanket during the blustery winter months. Without her kindness, Sarah would have gone truly mad a great while ago.
Sarah left her cell and ventured down a long, bleak, dark corridor. The lights swung back and forth and some flickered like lightening bugs in the dark summer night. The place seemed much eerier at night than during the day. As she continued her way down the hall, Sarah could hear crazed laughter in some cells, deep snores from patience and some talked to themselves as they rocked back and forth on their beds.
Sarah soon arrived at a large nurse's station with two nurses sitting, talking and smoking cigarettes. Paying Sarah, no mind, she ventured onto the doctor's office. She had no idea what time it was. Maybe close to 2-3 in the morning. Whatever time it was, Sarah couldn't sleep. She could never sleep. Even if she did, there was always a chance of something waiting for her in her dreams. Something dreadful. Something she never wanted to find out about.
Seeing a door ajar with a light glowing from it just to her right a few yards away, Sarah approached it and knocked quietly.
The doctor looked up with a smile. "Sarah, please come in." his crisp, deep British accent came through the office.
Sarah stepped into the room and sat down on the small brown leather couch. "Dr. Corwin, what are you still doing here?"
"I had stuff to catch up on. Why are you still awake? Nightmare overtake your sleep?" He placed his pen down on his desk and raised an eyebrow as he now looked in Sarah's direction.
"I-I how did you know?" she looked the doctor square in the face. His eyes were mismatched. One blue and one a dark color. Very strange to say the least.
"I heard you screaming from down the hallway. I see that you choose not to sleep not that you can't. You choose not to, because of those terrible nightmares you keep having."
"I didn't realize I screamed that loud."
"That you do." He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. This had not been the first time she had screamed in her sleep. "As a matter of fact, I hear you scream in your sleep every night and every day you wake exhausted. When we talk you try to hide the fact that you are not sleeping well, but I can tell."
Sarah bit her lip and wanted to protest, but why deny it? If he saw it, he knew she would be lying if she did protest. "Can I have something to make me sleep?" Sarah had failed to realize how tired she truly was. Until she sat down upon the couch.
"That you can precious." A smile slithered across his lips as a glimmer of wonder flickered in his eyes.
Sarah sat up straighter as her eyes grew bigger. "What did you call me?"
Dr. Corwin raked a hand through his bleached blonde spiked hair. "I give all my patience names. Kind of like a code name. Now allow me to assist you with what you are asking." Walking out of the room, Dr. Corwin walked behind the nurse's station and into a locked room. Holding up a finger for Sarah to wait he went into the room. Going over to the medicine cabinet, Dr. Corwin scanned his card and retrieved a syringe and a small glass bottle of medicine.
Sarah had grown fond of Dr. Corwin in her six years of being locked away. He was much nicer and not to mention a lot nicer looking than her old Doctor, Dr. Blackburn. When he told her family that he could not assist her in her new "home" Dr. Blackburn gave a great recommendation for the young 32-year-old doctor standing before her.
"Here we are precious this should make you sleep soundly." Dr. Corwin had emerged from the medication room while Sarah had been deep in thought.
…
"Do you still resent your father for putting you in here?" Dr. Corwin asked in a whisper as he ushered Sarah back to her room.
"Of course, I do. Why would I have other feelings? He has never cared for me and never will."
They approached the door and Dr. Corwin faced Sarah. "Well here we are. I believe this topic is of great debate for our session today." Placing the needle into the medicine the syringe began to fill with medicine. "This should put you sleep in a matter of moments. Much better than a sleeping pill."
Rolling up her sleeve, Sarah looked weary towards the doctor. "I hate shots." Her voice was almost a plead not to do it.
"It won't hurt, but you may hold my hand if you like." Dr. Corwin held out his hand and offered it to Sarah.
Taking the support, Sarah placed her hand in his and felt a strange current go up her arm, and a tingling sensation spread through her hand to the tips of her fingers. As the needle pierced her skin, Sarah sucked air through her teeth and did her best to block out a scream.
"There we are precious. You should be sleeping in no time."
"Thank you, Dr. Corwin. Yes, that should help nicely."
"Please call me David. Dr. Corwin is far to formal."
"Of course. Thank you, David." Walking into her room, Sarah slid into bed and snuggled down into the light sheet that was given to her.
"Sweet, sweet dreams precious."
Nodding her head, Sarah shut her eyes and began to feel the effect of the drug working on her. Her head spun as her eyesight became fuzzy and blurry…
"It's only forever, not long at all…"
and then all went black.
A/N: This story came to me one night and I thought I would share it. Will Sarah escape her prison? Could the doctor be her saving grace? Stay tuned and you will find out. My other Labyrinth story "A Cure of a Beast" should be updated soon.