Scars in the Night

The night was dark and gloomy. I laid in my bed next to the small nightlight to light the book I was reading, again. I lost track of how many times I had read Labyrinth now, but I didn't really care. I was reading the final part of the story, where the Goblin King tried to persuade the girl. "Everything you have asked, I have done. I'm tired of living up to your expectations" I felt a strange feeling in my stomach. "Look what I'm offering you. Your dreams." He said. "Yes, please give me my dreams. Let me leave this awful place and let me return to the Labyrinth," I whispered with a deep desire to be there. A sudden loud rumbling made me jolt up. I heard some cries downstairs and I realised that it was only thunder. I laid the book down and walked to the window. I opened it, and let the rain fall on my face. There was another loud crash and as I looked up, I saw a string of light across the sky. I smiled. I always loved thunder. The roaring of the thunder and the power of the light made me feel strong for a moment. It was like I let my anger rule the skies and swoop over the town, while showing it's magnificent force. Another rumbling and a light flash. I suddenly saw a white bird flying between the rain. It was to far of to be seen, but my mind formed an white barn owl from it. And with a deep sunk hearth I thought of the owl turning into the King, and taking me away to the Labyrinth. If I had only known what I did now. My return with Toby had been a victory, but after that, things only got worse. Every time Toby cried after that, I threatened him with sending him to the Labyrinth again. Karen overheard all this and began to declare I was getting delusional more and more often. Until a moth ago. I returned from a two-day trip with the class to London, only to find my room completely empty, save for the bed and a empty cupboard. Karen had done it, because "an 18 year old girl shouldn't be playing with dolls and costumes," as she put it. Everything had been thrown away, from my teddy bears to the pictures and the dolls. Everything. The only personal things remaining were the ones I had taken with me to London. I kept the picture of my mother, the Labyrinth book and some other things in secret under my bed, not wanting Karen to find out. School wasn't going good either, and I fell like I was all lost. No one wanted to help me, not even dad.

I let out a small yip when all of a sudden the lights went off. I heard my Step mum calling my name downstairs. "I'm coming!" I yelled back. The room had gone pitch-black and only with the lightning I could find my way to the other side of the room. I carefully stepped over all stuff that laid on the floor and hoped that there would be another light flash to show my path. I thought with a grin about how much this started to look like 5 years ago. I was so caught in my thoughts, that I let out a yell when I suddenly bumped into a figure. I looked up and saw a man standing in front of me. His grey eyes pierced into me. For a moment I thought that the Goblin King stood there. His eyes were the same as I remembered and he stood in the same graceful pose. Then he suddenly yelled. "Boo!"

I screamed as I fell down on the ground. The men laughed. "Who...what?" I mumbled. He drew his face closer to mine. Then the lights jumped on again, and I looked directly into the face of Toby, my younger brother. He laughed. "Ha! Scared you didn't I!" he smiled. He was 13 now, but still acted like a little boy sometimes. He was spoiled by my stepmother, and an annoying brat. "Are those tears on your face?" he asked smirking and pointed at the raindrops that had fallen on my cheek earlier. I mumbled something to him in answer and crawled up. I gave Toby a nasty look and pushed him aside. "I would love to have fun with you, but your mother called me," I said. "That is a lousy way to escape!" Toby yelled back. I shrugged and moved to the door. I opened it and suddenly heard "Never mind to come Sarah, the damage has already been repaired, and not thanks to you!" Karen yelled angry from downstairs. Seeing my only way to escape Toby fly off, I sighed. "Now you have to stay here," Toby said with an impish grin. I rolled with my eyes and closed the door. Toby was walking across the room, barely taking notice of the stuff on the floor. "Hé! Stop that!" I said when he left a dirty footprint on my cloths. Toby ignored me, walked straight to my bed and picked up the book. "What's this?" he mumbled. He opened it and began to read out loud. "Everything you have asked, I have done. You asked the child to be taken, I took him. You cowered before me, I was frightening. I have re-altered time. I have turned the world upside down and I have done it all for you!" Toby said smirking. "What kind of nonsense is this? Re-altering time. Pha!" Toby said and he threw the book in the other corner of the room. "Hé!" I yelled. I picked the book up and looked at the part what Toby had just read.

"I have turned the world upside down, and I have done it all for you. I am tired of living up to your expectations."

Without knowing I murmured the last sentence under my breath. If only Toby could have remembered what had happened back then. A crashing sound made me jerk up and look wild around me. There, next to my cupboard stood Toby with his most fake innocent smile he had. "Oops! I accidentally let your little box fall," he said grinning. The little silver with black box was one of the things I save from Karen. Apparently he had found it under my bed. He crouched and picked the box up, spilling its content on the wooden floor. I stood there, nailed to the floor. In that box were my most beloved items. It was usually locked, but the fall that broke the lock. Toby picked up a empty, but a very pretty perfume bottle I had saved from the trash bin. Apparently not interested, he let it drop again and looked to what was else on the floor. He wiped away some feathers and small pieces of paper. Then he let out a shout of joy. He had found my diary! He began reading in it and laughed victorious. Inside, I feel like I boiled and I clenched my fists. The storm outside grew heavier, alike to the storm in my hearth. Toby stood up and walked smiled to the door. "Hé sis! Move it!" he said arrogant. He tried to push me aside, but I resisted him. I looked at the little book he held in his hand. "Give it back," I said, clenching my teeth. Toby smiled. "No way! This is far to much fun!" he said merrily. "Give it back!" I yelled. Toby quickly avoided my hand which had reached out to the book. He made a fist of his hand and pushed it right into my stomach. I fell on the floor, coughing and groaning. Toby ran off to the hall. "Hé mum and dad! Look what I found!" he shouted. I slammed with my hands on the wooden floor out of frustration, ignoring the pain from doing that. "I wish the Goblins would come and take you away," I murmured, knowing what I was saying, and meaning it. "Right now." I closed my eyes and cried.

A sudden lighting crashed the lights again. The room grew as dark as my mood, and I fell comfortable to crawl in the dark, where no one could see me. Then I heard a scream. Toby was screaming, but it was suddenly cut short. I frowned and stood up. It was already odd that Karen and dad hadn't call me jet to fix the light, but now Toby was screaming as well. I heard sounds from outside the room. Giggling and laughing. I walked to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. "Haha, very funny Toby. First scaring me with your screaming and then locking the door!" I yelled to whoever was behind the door. No answer. Another lightning flashed and I let out a small yip. Then I heard laughing again, but no longer from outside, but inside my room. I turned around but saw no one. Now the laughter was behind me, but as I moved around, the sound had already replaced itself to another side. I was scared. Then, all of a sudden the window flew open and a white owl flew inside. It swooped over my head several times before it returned to the window, where it turned into a man.

In the pale light of the moon I could see his night blue outfit and cape. His hair was blond, spiky and odd, just like his cloth. I recognised him. "Jareth!" I exclaimed with a weak voice. He smiled as answer. "What has happened?" I asked him unbelieving, though I already knew the answer. "I have done what you have asked," he answered. His voice was deep and I felt a shiver run over my spine. "I took the boy, again," he said smiling. I looked with big eyes at him. "But...I..." I looked at the King. Unbelieving and stunned. For some reason I fell a knot in my stomach. He smiled. "I have been watching you for quite a while Sarah," the Goblin King said, like he had read my mind. The king walked to me with a sliding, graceful pace. He laid his gloved hand on my shoulder. "What has happened to you?" he said. His smile had faded, and there was a hint of concern in his voice. I doubted for a moment.Then atear rolled over my cheek. I didn't care anymore if Jareth would see me crying or not. I just wept bitter tears. "Sarah," Jareth said softly. He laid an arm around my waist. Weak of the tears and anger, I let the strong arms pull me to his chest, where I buried my face in his neck. He stroke my hair and whispered comforting things in my ear. I looked up. He gazed into my eyes and I noticed that his grey eyes were not angry, nor arrogant, but concerned. When I calmed down, I slowly began to explain my frustrations. I told him everything, about my stuff that had been thrown away by Karen, my terrible school marks, and the fact I had no friends whatsoever. When finished, Jareth nodded.

"It can't be that bad Sarah," he tried to comfort me. I gave him a meaningful gaze, and then pulled up my sleeve of my sweater. I heard Jareth softly gasp as he saw the cuts in my arm, made by my own hands. His hand stroke my skin, shocked by the sight of my arm. I pulled back my arm of pain as he touched a wound that was still only a day old. He looked again in my eyes, having no word for this.

After a moment of silence he conjured a crystal. With one hand still resting on my shoulder, he reached out to me. "Long ago, I offered you everything. That offer is still here," he said with a soft voice. The crystal was a pale moon in the light of the lightning outside. As I gazed into the perfectly round ball, I saw images of my past. Me as young girl rehearsing plays, me on a birthday, Karen yelling, alone in my empty room, a teacher screaming at me, me crying. I was woken up from my thoughts as Jareth's soft leather gloves wiped away the tears on my face. "Do you want to stay here? Or come with me, and have everything you want," he said. I looked around the room. There was nothing that was of value now, absolutely nothing. Even my silver box didn't seem to matter anymore. With a nod I took hold of the crystal. "I want to go with you," I whispered. Jareth smiled and gave me a soft kiss on my forehead. "And so it shall happen," and as he took hold of my waist, we disappeared, never to come back again.

The maze filled with twisted riddles, unknown dangers and many creatures reached till far beyond the horizon, and in the centre was the Goblin city, within, the Castle of the Goblin King, and my new home.

END

A/N I didn't put all dialogues on a new line because it looked much better like this. I know I should have, but I prefer this. Please don't kill me:D