Wanted! by RebelKat. Other styories by author include: Ashes To Ashes, Labyrinth: Heart And Soul & Labyrinth: A Midsummer Day's Nightmare.

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Wanted!

Such a lonely night. Just like all of the recent nights. The only thing that made me feel the least bit consolidated were the constant hooting sounds coming from the owl in the far mists of the darkness. Its cries were comforting. Although it was just an owl it almost felt like it was calling out to me, telling me that it understood what seclusion I was feeling at the time. Still, it didn't keep me at ease for long. The incessant rustling sound in the shrubs below started to agitate me. If I didn't know any better I'd think that there was some kind of cat or fox down there. But the fact was that I knew better. I didn't take anything for granted anymore. Not since I returned from the enchanted world of the Labyrinth six years ago. Since then it seems like everyday has some element of magic in it, and its only me who notices it. I'm the one who realises that the people who act in an unfamiliar manner and wear different clothes to everyone else are most probably inhuman. And when a child tells their parents that they've just been playing with their imaginary friend, I'm the one who knows that their "friend" is almost certainly not imaginary at all. I wished I could say that I was lucky to be blessed with this knowledge, but unfortunately I was not the naïve and buoyant little girl I used to be. For six whole years I had carried this knowledge around with me, without ever telling anybody, or ever experiencing another adventure like I had done before when I rescued my little brother from the Goblin King.

As I stood staring out of my window, smoking my last cigarette for the umpteenth time I realised that that owl was never was never going to come to me, and the mysterious creature lurking in the leaves below turned out to be nothing more than the neighbours' cat.

My life felt like it had totally hit rock bottom. The shy little girl I once was got lost in all of the boyfriends, family problems and work troubles of my older teenage years. I guess my trip to the Labyrinth made me understand that I needed to stop being so pathetic and grow up. It also made me realise that when there's a choice to make between fantasy and reality, it would always have to be the latter - just because that's the way it is. There was no room for fantasy in my life anymore - except for the occasional private dream at night where the world becomes my oyster and I can do whatever I want with whoever I want. But usually there was no need for those kinds of dreams as I had always been a reasonably attractive young woman and could more often than not catch the attention of a guy when I needed to. In saying that, I never actually found anyone who was special enough to get serious with. No guy my age ever cared enough about me to become my long-term boyfriend, and I can't say I ever cared about them too. No matter how hard I tried to be a decent person and live a normal life, it always ended with the same situation. Me, alone, staring out of my apartment window in the early morning hours, puffing away, thinking about the past but trying to block out any thoughts of the future.

Sometimes my thoughts wandered off into the Labyrinth. I was so different then; pure and innocent, such an oddball - living in my imagination rather than the real world. I had to admit that the Labyrinth was unquestionably the most exciting thing that ever happened to me. It was every girls dream, to go into a enchanting world where an evil but handsome King tries to steal your heart and make you into his Queen. It was good to feel wanted back then, even if it was by a Goblin King.

After all that thinking my eyes were beginning to get tired, and even though I knew tomorrow would be just another dull, tedious day, sleep was the only time in my life where I could forget about all of my worries and be whoever I wanted to be.

I put my cigarette out, closed the window and brushed my dark matted hair. But just as I was about to hurl myself on the bed I got shaken up by the loud banging on my apartment door.

"Sarah, it's me" shouted Billy, a guy who lived in the same building as me. He sounded intoxicated.. But then again he was always either drunk, stoned or just freaking crazy! "Let me in!" he yelled.

I groaned. But I knew that if I didn't answer he wouldn't leave me alone. I got off my bed and opened the door to see his scruffy face and spaced-out eyes. His mousy hair and clothes were in such a state, it looked like he'd been rummaging around in a garbage truck. He stood in his usual geeky stance.

"It's 3 am" I said with a coarse voice. "What the hell…"

"Look I didn't come over to shilly-shally around with you" he said as he charged inside holding a medium-sized paper package in his hand. "Just got myself into a little trouble with Big Dave and I need you to hide this for me" he said cautiously holding out the package, looking warily at me as if he predicted my reaction.

"Not again Billy!" I whined, knowing that whatever was in that package was definitely not legal.

"Oh come on Sarah…please…you won't get into any trouble I promise. Thought you were a friend."

"What's in this package exactly Billy?" I asked.

"Didn't have time to look. Probably the same as last time."

I sighed.

"You're such a jerk Billy…why do you get yourself involved with these kind of things anyway?"

"Oh come on, it's not that often. I'm just flat-out broke at the moment and I knew you didn't have any money to spare now that you're unemployed."

I frowned at him, but I was too tired to argue so I unwillingly grabbed the package off him and shoved it in my closet. Billy flashed me a cheesy grin.

"Cheers babe, I owe you one" he said as he kissed me on the cheek so I could feel his unshaven face prickling my skin. Then he ran off, slamming the door behind him.

I groaned again, then fell onto my bed and within seconds I was fast asleep.

The next day was pretty much the same. Unemployment really made me miss the career lifestyle. Since I was sacked from my job at the Daily Standard newspaper agency for being late almost everyday, I began to realise that I had lost the only thing in my life that gave me a little bit of self-worth. My cigarette packet was empty and since I had hardly any money on me I had to make do with gum, coffee and an old Cosmopolitan magazine. Knowing that I would be meeting friends later for a few drinks was the only thing that made my day a little bit worthwhile. All I ever seemed to do lately was laze around in the day and go out drinking at night. When I was a young girl I always assumed I'd grow up to be one of those family-orientated women and I'd be married with kids by my mid-twenties. It's funny how things change. All I seemed to live for were the late night drinking-sprees with Stacey and her posse.

So that evening I put on my short sapphire halter-neck dress and kitten heels. I brushed my hair and doused myself in my favourite eau de toilette. I only applied a thin layer of make up to contrast with Stacey who typically covered herself in blusher and mascara. She wore the tightest outfits and usually got called a 'whore' or a 'slut'. Not that she cared anyway. But I was always very self-conscious about the way I looked. I wanted guys to think I was pretty and stylish, not like I was giving myself away for free.

I left my apartment and headed down the dark streets clutching my purse. I was meeting Stacey and her group of peers at the club because they lived on the other side of town. I looked at my watch and noticed that I was already fifteen minutes late so I decided to take a short cut down the side streets.

The city traffic started to fade out as I walked down a quiet lane. The air was chilly and I didn't have a jacket so rubbed my arms with my hands to warm me up. My heels clomped as I walked so all I could hear were my own footsteps. I looked up into the sky and sighed at the sight of the stars, knowing that there was so much more out there. Yet I was walking to a club so I could have a few lousy drinks. Sometimes I hated my life. I felt like I was living someone else's. Like I wasn't doing what I really wanted to do. The only reason I went to those kind of clubs was so I could become more confident because as a young girl I was very shy and isolated.

I was becoming distracted by my thoughts again. I was so preoccupied that I didn't even notice at first that someone else's footsteps had joined in with mine. Now I wasn't the only one on the street. I started to feel a little anxious as I was on such a quiet street and I knew that there were many unfamiliar people in the world that weren't always friendly and weren't always human! I didn't want to look behind but I could just make out the persons shadow on the floor I front of me. It looked like he was male, rather big and getting closer. I began to speed up but as I did I noticed that whoever was behind me also started to walk faster. My heartbeat started beating louder in time with my footsteps. I sped up even more, almost running…but so did the stranger! Why was he chasing me? I knew I had to look behind so I turned my head. I gasped when I saw a large man who wore a balaclava on his head. He looked human, but I couldn't be sure as it was too dark. Whatever he was…he was scary.

"Leave me alone" I cried quietly as I ran faster down the street.

The man sprinted after me. My heart raced as I heard him approaching. There was no way I could have escaped with my heels on. If I ran any faster I would have fallen over. I tried to turn the corner and scream for help.

"Somebody help me!" I shouted, but it didn't come out very good because the man managed to grab me and put his hand around my mouth.

Tears streamed down my eyes as I tried to bite his hand. He didn't say a word. He was just trying to shut me up and pull me away. I had never felt more scared. I did everything I could to try and escape. I screamed and I kicked but he just wouldn't go. I dreaded what he was gong to do to me. I felt sick and out of breath. I felt like I was going to pass out. I didn't want to, but I stopped screaming and I stopped trying to struggle. I was only hurting myself more by doing so.

Then, just when I thought my luck had ran out, I heard someone from a nearby street coming toward the scene.

"What's happening!" a man shouted as he ran to me and the man who was gripping on to me.

I felt so relieved when the attacker let me go and ran off down the other end of the street. The man who had just arrived tried to run after him but he was just too quick.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he helped me up off the floor where I'd fell when the attacker let me go.

"Yes", I shook.

More and more people were beginning to turn up now. It was just a shame they didn't come a bit earlier when I was being attacked. I felt scared and embarrassed but most of all relieved. I pulled my hair away from my face and wiped the tears from my eyes. I checked myself and realised that the attacker had run off with my purse. Was that all he wanted? If he just wanted my purse then I would have willingly given it to him, seeing as there was hardly anything in it anyway.

Eventually, I got myself together. The police were called and said that they would try and find the mugger. People insisted that I saw a doctor but I said that I was fine. Apart from a few grazes and bruises it was my dignity that was hurt more than anything. Before today I thought my life couldn't get any worse. The police told me that they could take me home but I refused as I didn't want to spend the night alone. So the man who originally found me said that he would accompany to the club where my friends were. I know it was foolish to go to a club after such an incident but all I could think to do was to drown my sorrows and forget the whole thing ever happened.

Authors' Note

Hello I'm RebelKat and this is the latest story I'm working on, unless you're reading this way in the future - then I'll have probably done about a hundred more. I could be dead!! Do you guys live underwater yet? Anyway, let me know what you think about it.

See you at the next chapter…