Of Toys and Costumes
"Sarah. Go back to your room. Play with your toys and your costumes. Forget about the baby." A grin spread across his face, toying with the edges of his mouth.
Her refusal was at the tip of her tongue, her pleas to persuade him to see from her point of view…but…
"If…if I do as you say…I can have my dreams?"
The grin broadened. "Everything you ever wanted."
"Will Toby be all right?"
"Certainly. He'll be in the best of health for the rest of his days, and never want for anything."
She was uncertain, still. "Do you swear it?"
"I give you my word of honor as Goblin King. What is your answer?"
"I accept."
"Sarah! We're home!" Footsteps in the foyer, the rustling sound of hat and coat being put away. "Sarah?" There was no reply. Mr. Williams sighed heavily. Resignedly, he continued up the stairs and stopped in front of the room of the eldest Williams child. Mr. Williams knocked twice on the door. His wife continued past him towards their bedroom.
"I'll check on Toby," she said.
"All right. I'll be a minute. I want to speak with Sarah."
"Okay, but don't be too harsh on her about this evening. I was overreacting."
"I won't." Mr. Williams rapped his knuckles on the door again. "Sarah?" he called. "Sarah, if you don't answer me I'll assume you're asleep and come in anyway." He received no response. "I'm coming in." He had his hand on the doorknob when a scream rent through the quiet.
"Toby!" Mrs. Williams came hurtling out of the other room and ran into the arms of her startled husband.
"Karen! Karen, what's the matter? What's wrong?"
"He's gone! Toby's gone!"
"Gone? What do you mean, gone?"
"Vanished, disappeared, snatched! He's not in his cradle! He's gone!"
"Sarah," Mr. Williams cried, rattling the doorknob, but it was locked. Gathering his strength, he rammed his shoulder against the door and felt the wood give. Once more, and he was through. And there, sitting placidly in the center of the room, her toys strewn about her and dressed in her favorite sea green theater gown, was Sarah. Her hair was done up in a strange, complicated style she could not possibly have done herself, and a crown perched haphazardly on her brow. She looked forward unseeingly, gently swaying back and forth and humming a hauntingly beautiful tune. An echo of a smile played about her face, and clutched in her hand was a perfectly clear crystal orb.
A week after Mrs. Williams entered her bedroom to find that her child was gone, Sarah Diana Williams was admitted to an insane asylum, for, though it was never said, hopeless cases. She would stay there until death took her elsewhere. Toby Williams was never found.
Disclaimer: Anything recognizable does not belong to me, but to other, far luckier and infinitely more creative people.
Author's Note: Greetings, friends! This work and several of my other stories (drabbles, really) were written sometime during the past three to four years, and edited in between. I've finally gotten off my arse to publish these, and a clump of shiny new story-stuff should be appearing in the near future, as I continue working on current fanfic projects. Thanks for reading, and please, do review!