Show Me My Dreams
Chapter One
Sarah sighed and stretched, then rubbed her eyes. After a long day of banging away at her computer, she needed a break. She loved her job, but sometimes it did take an awful lot out of her. Sarah wrote children's books, and she found working at home in her own relaxed atmosphere very stimulating for new ideas. Her first book, "The Goblin's Labyrinth" had been a fairly decent success, and though it hadn't made her rich, it had (with the help of a loan from her parents) gotten her the apartment she now lived in, as well as the computer that sat before her. Actually, Sarah thought wryly, it had probably even gotten her Jonathan. Jonathan was her fiancé, and they were to be married in two weeks. He was an illustrator, and had been assigned to do the pictures for "Labyrinth". Sarah chuckled as she thought of how Jonathan always remarked that she described people and places so well, that he thought she must have seen them with her own eyes.
She had never actually told him of her travels to the Labyrinth, except as some story ideas she was tossing around. Sarah knew that Jonathan wouldn't understand. But she didn't mind. It had been years ago, she was twenty-five now, and had almost forgotten herself. It only came to her now as flashes of inspiration for her stories. And she almost never thought of HIM. Perhaps someday she would tell him the truth. Jonathan certainly had the heart for adventure. Jonathan had studied medieval folklore and mythology in college, and his apartment was filled with drawings of fantastical beasts and mythological creatures. Sarah herself had a self-portrait he had done of himself as a project. He has given it to her when she asked for a picture of him. He was always saying he was going to do her portrait too, but the opportunity hadn't arisen yet. Jonathan jokingly said it was because she would never sit still long enough.
Sarah gazed up at his portrait now, taking in his square jaw, and rakish grin. His dirty blond hair fell over his forehead, and his big blue eyes twinkled at her. She smiled when she thought of their wedding in less than four weeks. She twisted her engagement ring around her finger, and then held it up to the light. The sapphire in the center sparkled. Jonathan hadn't had enough money for even a down payment on a ring, so he had given Sarah his college class ring. But no diamond could have been sweeter to Sarah. It was to be a Christmas wedding, in the evening, and the candlelight would seem to make the whole church glow. Her stepmother had sewn her dress by hand, and just last week a long package had arrived from her mother, containing a beautiful veil of Brussels lace. "Wear it with my love..", the note had said. Her mother would not be attending the ceremony, because she had landed the lead role of Helena in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", which would be playing over Christmas at the Globe Theater in London. Sarah knew it was a tremendous opportunity for her mother, but she was still a little sad.
Rubbing her eyes once more, Sarah leaned over and shut off her computer. As the glow from the screen receded, she realized how dark it had become in the apartment. She leaned over to switch on the light and noticed the clock on the wall. Was it really seven already? She had wanted to get out to the new shopping mall early to beat the Christmas crowds. Sarah groaned when she thought of all the shopping she still had to do. She hadn't even thought of what to get her parents yet. She had already wrapped a first edition autographed copy of "The Goblin's Labyrinth" for Toby, though, so that was out of the way. Sarah knew Toby would enjoy it. He was showing the same interests in fantasy that she had. "Sir Toby", Jonathan had taken to calling him. Knights, kings, sorcerers, and dragons, anything was good enough for Toby. At eleven, he already was up to her shoulder, and was showing signs of becoming strong and tall like their father.
Sarah went over to the fridge and took down the partial list of Christmas ideas she had made up, taking off her slippers and slipping on her sneakers as she did so. "Let's see...I hope they have a pet store at this place. Myrtle needs more cat chow, don't you?" She smiled and rubbed her hand over the tiger striped cat that had wound its way around her ankles. The new mall which had opened up on the end of town was huge, its fliers boasting a complete workout club and health spa, a fifteen screen movie theater, an ice skating rink, an auditorium where live productions were put on, and hundreds of stores and restaurants. It had four stories and a large atrium with a huge waterfall in the center. Sarah had read that it was so large it wasn't uncommon for people to become almost lost, but luckily there were huge directories around every corner. The media was calling it simply "The Amazing Mall".
Sarah gathered up her coat and bag, making sure she had her Christmas cash stash, and headed out into the hallway, making sure she locked her door on the way out. As she walked over to her parking space where her battered Toyota Tercel sat, she noticed it had begun to snow, and happily did a little twirl, catching some flakes on her tongue. Then she unlocked her car and threw her bag in the passenger seat. Sarah carefully backed out and headed towards the edge of town.
Sarah sighed and stretched, then rubbed her eyes. After a long day of banging away at her computer, she needed a break. She loved her job, but sometimes it did take an awful lot out of her. Sarah wrote children's books, and she found working at home in her own relaxed atmosphere very stimulating for new ideas. Her first book, "The Goblin's Labyrinth" had been a fairly decent success, and though it hadn't made her rich, it had (with the help of a loan from her parents) gotten her the apartment she now lived in, as well as the computer that sat before her. Actually, Sarah thought wryly, it had probably even gotten her Jonathan. Jonathan was her fiancé, and they were to be married in two weeks. He was an illustrator, and had been assigned to do the pictures for "Labyrinth". Sarah chuckled as she thought of how Jonathan always remarked that she described people and places so well, that he thought she must have seen them with her own eyes.
She had never actually told him of her travels to the Labyrinth, except as some story ideas she was tossing around. Sarah knew that Jonathan wouldn't understand. But she didn't mind. It had been years ago, she was twenty-five now, and had almost forgotten herself. It only came to her now as flashes of inspiration for her stories. And she almost never thought of HIM. Perhaps someday she would tell him the truth. Jonathan certainly had the heart for adventure. Jonathan had studied medieval folklore and mythology in college, and his apartment was filled with drawings of fantastical beasts and mythological creatures. Sarah herself had a self-portrait he had done of himself as a project. He has given it to her when she asked for a picture of him. He was always saying he was going to do her portrait too, but the opportunity hadn't arisen yet. Jonathan jokingly said it was because she would never sit still long enough.
Sarah gazed up at his portrait now, taking in his square jaw, and rakish grin. His dirty blond hair fell over his forehead, and his big blue eyes twinkled at her. She smiled when she thought of their wedding in less than four weeks. She twisted her engagement ring around her finger, and then held it up to the light. The sapphire in the center sparkled. Jonathan hadn't had enough money for even a down payment on a ring, so he had given Sarah his college class ring. But no diamond could have been sweeter to Sarah. It was to be a Christmas wedding, in the evening, and the candlelight would seem to make the whole church glow. Her stepmother had sewn her dress by hand, and just last week a long package had arrived from her mother, containing a beautiful veil of Brussels lace. "Wear it with my love..", the note had said. Her mother would not be attending the ceremony, because she had landed the lead role of Helena in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", which would be playing over Christmas at the Globe Theater in London. Sarah knew it was a tremendous opportunity for her mother, but she was still a little sad.
Rubbing her eyes once more, Sarah leaned over and shut off her computer. As the glow from the screen receded, she realized how dark it had become in the apartment. She leaned over to switch on the light and noticed the clock on the wall. Was it really seven already? She had wanted to get out to the new shopping mall early to beat the Christmas crowds. Sarah groaned when she thought of all the shopping she still had to do. She hadn't even thought of what to get her parents yet. She had already wrapped a first edition autographed copy of "The Goblin's Labyrinth" for Toby, though, so that was out of the way. Sarah knew Toby would enjoy it. He was showing the same interests in fantasy that she had. "Sir Toby", Jonathan had taken to calling him. Knights, kings, sorcerers, and dragons, anything was good enough for Toby. At eleven, he already was up to her shoulder, and was showing signs of becoming strong and tall like their father.
Sarah went over to the fridge and took down the partial list of Christmas ideas she had made up, taking off her slippers and slipping on her sneakers as she did so. "Let's see...I hope they have a pet store at this place. Myrtle needs more cat chow, don't you?" She smiled and rubbed her hand over the tiger striped cat that had wound its way around her ankles. The new mall which had opened up on the end of town was huge, its fliers boasting a complete workout club and health spa, a fifteen screen movie theater, an ice skating rink, an auditorium where live productions were put on, and hundreds of stores and restaurants. It had four stories and a large atrium with a huge waterfall in the center. Sarah had read that it was so large it wasn't uncommon for people to become almost lost, but luckily there were huge directories around every corner. The media was calling it simply "The Amazing Mall".
Sarah gathered up her coat and bag, making sure she had her Christmas cash stash, and headed out into the hallway, making sure she locked her door on the way out. As she walked over to her parking space where her battered Toyota Tercel sat, she noticed it had begun to snow, and happily did a little twirl, catching some flakes on her tongue. Then she unlocked her car and threw her bag in the passenger seat. Sarah carefully backed out and headed towards the edge of town.