Kat's Labyrinth Love
*Disclaimer: I own none of the Labyrinth characters or story, my characters are a creation of my own mind and are benefited by the Labyrinth's existence.
Chapter One:
One sunny and so far uneventful morning in the small, out of the way town Safton, Texas, a young girl was experiencing mental anguish...
"But why do I have to take him with me? Thomas is way too young and will cry the whole time! Can't I just make the trip on my own?" the young strawberry blonde girl begged.
"Absolutely not young lady, just because you're 17 doesn't mean you can go off on your own! You can enjoy the time with your little brother," her mother sighed and added, "especially since you're going off to college next year Kat."
That cinched it; her mother was using the guilt card. The one that meant she felt guilty about running off to Texas A&M instead of staying close to home and going to the community college an hour away. Kat tried again anyway, "He's 2 years old, what kind of bonding can we possibly do?"
Her mother watched as her daughter pushed her hair away from her face and placed her hands on her hips moodily. She sighed, "You will take him or I won't let you drive again until you move out!"
Kat grumbled and rolled her eyes, "Fine! As long as you give me money for his treat I'll take him."
Her mother could live with this and handed her the $3 in her pocket and then turned and walked back into the main ranch house followed by her daughter.
Once in her room Kat was greeted by a soft tune of the Labyrinth soundtrack along with the many Labyrinth movie posters. Her love of the movie was the key to her trip into town that day. She was going to the post office to pick up the actual red book that Sarah was toting in the movie. She loved the movie so much that she spent all her money on as much memorabilia as she could get her hands on and this latest purchase put her savings account at zero.
She smiled into the mirror as she thought about adding the book to her collection, including David Bowie's amulet, the book-ends, and so much more. As she brushed her hair she thought of just where she would put it and then circled back on her thoughts to the question her parents always asked "Why do you have to get all that stuff when you could just be satisfied saving for college?"
She always shrugged, didn't answer verbally, and walked away. She secretly thought that it was either because Jareth was the most handsome man ever or because she remembered that it was the first movie she could remember watching at home.
Kat grabbed her truck keys and walked out on the porch and shouted, "Bring Thomas to the truck!"
She high-stepped through the tall grass between the porch and garage, once at her truck she opened it and got Thomas' car seat ready. Her dad appeared in the doorway and then brought Thomas over. Setting Thomas in the car seat and buckling him in, her dad said "Be careful kid and don't stay out too late, we're having steak tonight."
Kat nodded and didn't say anything; she just buckled herself in and shut her door. She waved to her dad before she was completely out of the garage, then pulled the truck onto the driveway and out onto the highway to town.
Almost as soon as her truck touched solid gravel Thomas started his bawling. Kat rolled her eyes helplessly and picked up the Sippy cup from the cup holder and handed it to him. Thomas only looked at it and threw it to the floorboard, wailing even louder as he did.
Kat thought it was a bit amusing, despite the annoyance of having to pull to the side of the road, well out of traffic's way, just so she could retrieve his discarded cup. When she was certain the truck wasn't going to be in anyone's way, Kat opened her door and, going to the rear passenger door, picked his cup up and handed it to him as she cooed softly, "Be cute, be quiet, drink up, Sippy Cup Thomas."
Though the song normally worked, he decided that he'd have none of it. He, in his two year old brain, didn't understand why he'd been forced to leave his dad when they'd been having lots of fun already.
Kat, getting a bit exasperated, decided to try a more dramatic approach and called upon inspiration from Sarah's scene with her screaming brother.
"Oh Thomas, what do you want from me?"
The wailing continued to echo in her ears and he was becoming increasingly not cute.
"Oh! Oh, why can't you be quiet when you're alone with me? Do you just hate me?"
As she became a little more annoyed she remembered how the scene progressed from questions to wishes and she wasn't sure she was ready for that yet. She knew that it was just a movie, but a wave of caution slowly washed over her as she remembered the next lines.
Kat just sighed then and tried making faces to humor him, but Thomas thought nothing she did amusing. As he grew redder and louder Kat stopped, gave up, and closed the door. His Sippy cup was within reach and she could do nothing else for him. He wasn't in need of a diaper change and he apparently wasn't thirsty.
Kat got back in her seat and closed the door. The crying was still loud and as she buckled the seatbelt once more she wished with all her heart that Jareth was real.
A few miles down the highway a detour was set up, diverting the highway traffic down a dusty dirt road that lead to town but would be considerably slower. She turned the truck slowly onto the desolate looking dirt road and said out loud, "Well this is a new way Thomas."
Thomas paused for one second in his screaming as if to ponder the meaning of her words and then started crying harder and louder, which Kat thought impossible and wished for ear plugs.
Ready for theatrics Kat once again thought of Sarah and pleaded, though she knew nothing would happen, "Thomas! Just be quiet or I'll be forced to call upon the Goblin King!"
Thomas continued crying but he started hiccupping between wails, which made Kat feel sorry for him and she hoped he'd stop soon.
"Thomas! Don't make me do it! I'll call the Goblin King and I won't try to get you back," she threatened and knew he didn't understand.
After a few more screams and hiccups Kat was ready, "That's it Thomas! I'll do it," she gave as her final warning.
Since he, of course, didn't stop, Kat spoke over Thomas' wailing, "Jareth, oh my handsome Goblin King, I wish you would take this screaming child away from me… right now!"
With a jerk the truck stalled and came to a screeching halt. The whole vehicle shook and moaned as if it were once alive and was now dying. Kat's heart was pounding, Thomas' wailing had ceased, and as she turned in her seat to check on him she only saw the empty car seat.