"I must go back," she whispered to the moon, as it poured lengths of soft blue light onto her bedroom floor. The grandfather clock was ticking out in the hallway. Her 3-year-old brother was asleep in the other room and her parents had gone out on a date a couple of hours ago. But despite the normalcy of her situation, Sarah could not sleep. Her heart was aching for just one more taste of childhood before she had to grow up- and tonight was the last chance she had. Tomorrow was Sarah's 18th birthday, a thing she had been dreading ever since she realized it would mean leaving most of her fanciful imaginings- and her constant dreams of the Labyrinth- behind.

Sarah had gone throughout high school as what she had been before- a beautiful loner whom everyone outwardly ignored but secretly admired. Before her adventures in the Labyrinth, life had been restrictive and positively dull. But after her return, Sarah was able to see the magic in everything- life truly seemed like something worth exploring, every day. This new outlook had given Sarah so much hope and freedom that she no longer relied solely upon her imagination to make her happy.

But tonight, the stillness of the night and the glittering, starry sky reminded her of that place she still loved and longed for, deep down in her heart. And if she was ever to go back, tonight would have to be the night.

Sarah gently lifted her covers and sat up in bed. Her body became chilled in an instant, and she shivered. Her eyes sleepily wandered about the room until they landed on the mirror attached to her desk. It glistened as she stood up and approached it, gently touching the mirror with the tips of her fingers. It had been a long time since Sarah had called on Hoggle or Ludo, or any of her other friends from the mysterious land- she had somehow forgotten them in her slow transition to adulthood. But she missed them all, now more than ever.

Something caught her eye, next to the mirror- it was the small figure of the Goblin King, Jareth, perched in a somewhat forlorn position on the desk. Sarah's body tingled slightly at the thought of the real Jareth- of his mystique, his dangerously seductive qualities which she had not fully recognized 3 years ago. And his voice- the voice that echoed in her mind constantly, the voice that beckoned to her at night and shook her to the very core every time she allowed herself to dream of him.

Sarah held the figure up to the moonlight and sighed. She would not even allow herself to picture his eyes, the eyes that had swallowed her whole with just one glance. What was this fixation she had on him? He was evil, heartless, and a monster. Jareth had taken her baby brother away, forced her to submit to his perilous Labyrinth and even attempted to wipe her memory clean. But when he and Sarah had been together, all the fear had melted away. In its place was something which she had never been able to pinpoint- a feeling unlike any other, and she was never sure whether to resist or to succumb. But Sarah knew that, if she was indeed successful in returning to the Labyrinth, she would have to face the feeling- and Jareth himself- once more.

The time had come- she could feel it in her bones. Sarah anxiously opened her window and stared up at the moon, inhaling the bitingly fresh air. A small tear slipped out of her glittering eyes as she closed them and whispered, "I wish to be taken to the Underground, right now."


Jareth, the King of the Goblins and the ruler of all the land cackled softly at his window. He held a small crystal ball in his hand and watched as Sarah made her tearful wish.

A small and feeble goblin was at his side, and asked, "What be the cause of your amusement, my Lord?"

Jareth smirked. "Little Sarah wishes to return to the Labyrinth."

"The girl who recently defeated you, sir?"

"Quiet, Amaleyus- hand me my cloak," Jareth barked. The old goblin obeyed, and Jareth put the cloak on in haste.

"I will go to her and see what she's really after." He transformed into an owl despite the goblin's protests and vanished into the night.