This is to Chichi 89, Eleve Osirian, and Midnightjen for their fabulous support and encouragement.
Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, shape, form, or delusion, own Labyrinth. But I can dream…
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Chapter 1~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sarah slumped against the bathroom door. In the 5 years since her father had married Caryn, her life had been nothing but beatings and babysitting. A few hours of broken sleep was the best she had as a reprieve, since her stepmother had had a baby boy a few months ago. Sarah sighed and made a movement as if to get up when Caryn's voice sounded through the door.
"Sarah! You fucking ungrateful bitch, get your lazy ass out here NOW!" Caryn screeched, giving the door a kick to emphasize her words. Sarah squeezed her eyes closed for a second before opening the door reluctantly. Just as she knew it would, the second the door opened a broom was swinging towards her. She tried jumping back, but it was a futile attempt. Caryn only yanked her forward, slamming her into the opposite bedroom door and continued the onslaught. Each blow was punctuated by a word.
"We feed you, give you a warm place to stay, and warm clothing! And HOW do you repay us?! You are ungrateful- You can't even do the little we ask of you right! How DARE you ask to go out? Fucking ungrateful brat! I should ¾" At this, Caryn broke off as the broom snapped in half. She threw away the pieces and told Sarah to get up.
"Your father and I are taking a trip for a few days. We will be taking Toby, but you will need to stay home from school to be there for the older kids. I expect the house to be spotless when we get back, and you should expect worse if one of the kids complain. Consider yourself warned!" At this, Caryn stalked down the hallway to join Sarah's father at the door, where he was waiting with Toby and the three of them left.
The second the car left the drive, Sarah ran up to her small bedroom near the attic. She read the beginning of the Labyrinth, her favorite book, and sighed.
"I wish the goblins had come and taken ME away before I made this decision," she said, then went to the kitchen. Once she had grabbed her favorite pairing knife, she paused for a second to make sure the children were asleep before laying the cool, sharp edge against her thigh.
"I'm sorry," she whispered to no one as she plunged the knife deep into her tender flesh, dragging it down in a jagged motion and watching the blood flow in a detached manner.
Her last conscious thought was "I wish the Goblin King had come and saved ME before this," before she passed into a blissful state of blackness.