This Is Goodbye.
Chapter 1- Giving In
Sarah drummed her fingers on the desk in front of her, chewing on her pen in agitation. The sheet of paper lay in front of her, blank, daunting.
"I haven't got all day," a small goblin grunted from beside her, folding it's arms, impatience etched across its crumpled face.
"Sorry, I just don't know what to write," Sara mumbled, running a hand through her hair. The Goblin sighed and then ambled off to investigate her bedroom. He was intrigued by a small music box on her shelf, and sat down to entertain himself with it, his eyes wide in wonder. Sarah leant back in her chair, throwing the pen down in front of her. She reached out and pulled open the top drawer of her desk, craning her neck to peer inside. Her fingers slid to the back of the drawer, closing around a folded square of thick paper. She unfolded it slowly, smoothing out the creases. Her green eyes flickered over the words she must have read about one hundred times since receiving it about half an hour ago via the Goblin messenger. "Come to me." Those were the only three words on it. Three words that were tearing her apart.
"He'll be waiting for me," the goblin moaned from across the room, staring at her in the reflection of her mirror.
"Just give me a minute!" Sarah cried, spinning round to glare at him. Taken aback, he went back to ogling at the music box he held in front of his face. She turned back round, running her thumbs over the paper, biting her lip in thought. It had been about six months since she had last seen Jareth, since she had set foot in the Underground for the last time. The goodbye had been physically unbearable, feeling like an invisible limb was being torn from her. She had not cried in front of him, not wanting him to see the state she was in. She had cried herself to sleep for a month to compensate for the agony of the separation. Could she face him again? Could she put herself through it all again? Not one day had gone by that she had not thought of him longed for him, murmured his name to herself. The love she had for him was irrevocable, so intense it had overtaken her, and she had become utterly powerless in resisting it. The thought of seeing him again, touching him again, hearing his voice again was irresistible to her, as if pulled to it by a force stronger than gravity.
With a trembling hand, she reached for the pen, smoothed the paper, and wrote. Folding it, she stood up, turning to face the Goblin.
"I've finished," she said, holding out the note. The Goblin heaved himself to his feet and stumbled across the room, hand outstretched.
"Thank you kindly," he said reaching up for it. Sarah withdrew her hand, holding it just of his reach. Should she do this? Before doubt could overrun her once more, she lowered her hand, allowing the Goblin to snatch it from her fingers. He hobbled over to her wardrobe, and yanked the door open. He clambered inside, panting with the effort of heaving his rotund little body up from the floor.
"Would you mind closing the door," he asked from inside, his wide eyes glinting. Sarah walked over and gently shut the door, standing there frozen for a moment or two. Slowly, she opened the door again and peered inside. It was empty. Taking a deep breath, she closed it once more, shoving her trembling hands into her pockets. She ambled over to her bed and slumped down onto the foot of it, staring at the wardrobe where the Goblin had just disappeared from. Her stomach felt like lead, her throat dry.
"What have I done?" she whispered.