Written on October 5, 2012
Prologue
"It was far from over..."
Falling
Falling
Falling
Green eyes opened to the sound of a shrieking tree. There was a storm, the news was right on track. Sarah Williams stood up, hair tousled from the bed and closed the nearest green window curtains. At a glimpse she saw the angry clouds pouring down. Tonight reminded her the time she wished her little brother away. She sardonically smiled at herself, disgusted with her younger self. She inhaled. That happened exactly seven years ago. She should let go. It was all over. Toby was tucked in his own bed and Samantha, her eighteen month old little sister was also tucked away too, dreaming happily about rainbows and butterflies and other things babies love to dream about. But there was always something in her that knew her victory is not permanent.
She heard a wail. Thoughts interrupted, she smiled. Sarah went out of her room to the nursery. She knows better now than to get upset from crying babies. It was a lesson learned well. She stopped at Toby's room, contemplated whether to enter or not. Toby was on war with everybody, it was not an unusual event. After the new baby was born Toby was a little irritating and demanded everyone's attention more than the baby. Being in a boarding school for college made the situation worse, Toby always accused her of making him her last priority.
The baby wailed louder.
She looked at Toby's room and put her hand down; she would knock at his door later. The baby needed her more.
Toby who was outside playing ninja in the hallway saw what happened felt his heart ache. Ever since Sammy was born nobody loved him anymore. The little thing did nothing but wail, wail and wail. Didn't Mommy and Daddy get irritated with all the non-stop water works? It pained his ears every time yet why did they love that thing more? He frowned. A little red book, The Labyrinth, was tucked safely in his hands. Before, Sarah always played with him, he had her undivided attention. But now… It seemed he always has to come last to her priorities.
With stomping feet he followed Sarah to the monster's nest.
"Sarah, come play with me!" Toby said. He was outside the door, while Sarah was sitting on the rocking chair with a calmed baby.
"I can't Toby Sammy needs to sleep." Sarah was whispering. She didn't want to wake up the baby. She looked at Toby and motioned for him to come along.
"Buuuuuut Sarah!" Toby wailed. The baby woke up and cried at the intruder. Sarah sighed and rocked the baby again.
"Toby, I'll play with you later." Sarah amended. She knew Toby took it hard when Sammy was born and it was pretty obvious that Karen was delighted to finally have a baby girl in her arms. "I promise."
"You always say that." Toby whined. The red book slipped of his arms. Color immediately drained from Sarah's face.
"To… Toby what's that?" asked Sarah, she didn't need for Toby to answer. It was the same book she read all those years ago. Looking at it longer reminded her of all the things she had experienced. She was only a child back then, just a little older than Toby. No, she will not let Toby wish the same mistake. "Toby, give me that."
"NO!" Toby yelled. He got the book and ran to the furthest corner of the room, eager to ran from Sarah.
"Toby, I'm telling you that book is not at all nice." Sarah put down the baby in the cradle and walked towards Toby. With a toned voice, she put out her hand, "Please."
Toby debated. "I don't want to, Sarah. It's mine"
Sarah inhaled. She calmed herself. "No, Toby. It's mine. That book is mine. Please, I need it." When Toby didn't budge she added, "I'll tell you what, if you give me that book, I'll play with you all day…"
The offer was rather tempting. Toby looked at Sarah's smiling face and finally gave in. "Alright…"
The baby wailed again, with an apologetic smile Sarah went to the baby and pulled out the covers. "Okay, just as soon as I…"
"But Sarah!" Toby threw the book at the floor and stomped. "You never play with me!"
"Toby, I said I would! Just a minute." Sarah was rocking the baby, touching the baby's forehead she felt Sammy's fever. No wonder she was crying so much. "Toby, can you call Mo-"
"NO! I want to play now!" Toby was starting a tantrum. Suddenly like a buzz of broken bells, he heard the scariest voices whisper to him a line in the Labyrinth. Slowly, he realized they were no threat, they were friends willing to help him rid himself of the baby. And yes, oh so he would love this baby to go far, far away. "And I wish the goblin king would take that wretched baby away!"
Shock overwhelmed Sarah when she heard those words again. Wish, Goblin, Baby, AWAY. It was like de ja vu. Holding the baby tight as if Sammy would disappear, she realized she can still stop history from reapeating itself. "Toby.. don't say…"
"RIGHT."
"You don't really want…."
"NOW."
Those two words materialized her fear. Thunder struck nearer and nearer. The window opened wildly and the same owl from seven years ago, scooped into the room. Windows shattered, she went over to Toby, Sammy tight to her chest. Suddenly the lights dimmed and rain was pouring harder than ever, she knew what was happening. Her eyes did not blink, when instead of an owl, she saw the same man she feared and conquered once upon a time standing before her. His mismatched eyes held her gaze. Her worst fears have come to life again.
"Sarah…." Toby managed to whisper. "Wha…"
Sarah held Toby tighter and the Goblin King sneered. "I won't let you take any of them."
The Goblin King laughed, Sarah not finding any humor scowled. "My dear, dear little Sarah. That decision isn't for you to make, is it?"
A/n.
First, I would like to thank all of you for reading. :D I am hooked in the Labyrinth and thought of making my own story about them.
I would like to share my reasons for making another story. Recently I've been diagnosed as Bipolar 2 and it has affected me as a person. I can no longer take it and well.. writing helps me relax. It's as if I'm on a different universe and my problems don't exist... :D Before writing this, I've been really down and depressed again because of what they've found out. The closest to me are not at all that supportive and some of them are even pressuring me to not be bipolar anymore. It sucks since, I don't even want to be one. :(( I can't change over night and the pressure is...grraaaaawr.
But my real reason for writing this is to remember this day.
I would like to dedicate this story to my schoolmate who died yesterday October 5, 2012. I never knew her personally but the it hurts to know somebody has died. I'm dedicating this to her. She thought me a very valuable lesson: live life. With her death, I am reminded of all the other persons who have went ahead. One boy who went ahead of me was just a day younger than I. He was accidentally shot in the head during New Year's Eve and breath his last on New Year. It was a tragic death. Another batch mate of mine died a month before our graduation, a day before our prom. We never enjoyed that day knowing we were not complete. Their death has struck something in me. I am grieving for them and the loss of their loved ones. They were all too young... And they have given me the lesson to fully appreciate life because everything is uncertain. So my dear friends, please live your life.
I am sorry if I have burdened you with my author's note, this will be my longest I swear. But I wanted to share this to you once again: LIVE LIFE.
Thank You.
I