The day slowly passed, the time nearing for the ceremony at the school. Sarah was not as enthusiastic as her parents would have hoped as she prepared to leave the house. She hesitated in the yard, turning to look back at her childhood home "to say goodbye to that part of her life" she pondered as she took a deep breath and climbed into the family car. Her eyes never left the house as the car backed out of the drive, turned and drove away. She watched, till the house grew smaller and eventually disappeared with a turn of the wheel. With that she turned back to face forward, her babbling little brother next to her in his car seat. She smiled sweetly to him "Swara" he offered a bit of carrot stick he was munching "no thanks munchkin I'm not hungry" she kissed him lightly on the forehead and settled back for the remainder of the journey, her thoughts falling back to the strange events of last night once again.
She stood at the bottom step leading to the stage looking up. Slowly names were read off, each student in turn stepping forward to receive their diploma, switching of the braid and handshake before leaving the stage. It all seems so surreal. She waited as they reached the T's, her attention drawn to a small laugh, a giggle by the curtain as it swayed "I could have sworn" she said to herself "no just imagining things" she pushed the thought away as the line moved forward. Then it happened again, a small evil giggle, scrapping under the stage and the turn of the curtain, but no one else seemed to notice "goblins?" she thought as she began to scan the immediate area for any more signs. She couldn't outright yell at them or call them out, she was just recently thought to be normal and if she started shouting that there were goblins, she for sure would lose that label and once again take on the label of freak. She sighed as the line again moved forward. Williams, always last in line and last to receive the diploma, again she sighed. Finally she was on the stage, next to cross and receive her diploma. Slowly she stepped forward, beginning her short journey to the end of this part of her life. Just as she reached for the diploma and hand to shake as practiced, everything froze. Her principal stood still as a statue. She dared to peek at the crowd to find they too were frozen. Her dad mid picture, her step-mother dabbing a non-existant tear, Toby looking absoulutly bored.
"Sarah" a voice came silky smooth as a breath so faint she could have missed it fell upon her bare neck.
"Jareth" she managed as she turned to face the Goblin King. She looked down to see two small green goblins standing attention next to him "What brings you here?" she asked, trying to be brave and ask as if these type of meetings occur each day.
"Ah Sarah" he began as his hand raised and he again traced her jaw "You have remembered then" he stated more than asked as he ran his gloved finger along her face "So grown up" he said in almost a whisper.
"What do you want?" she asked again, trying to maintain her composure.
"I have come to offer you your dreams once again" he said simply as he withdrew his hand.
"Why" she asked "Why now, why come back now of all times and I thought you hated me for besting your labyrinth?" she questioned further as she stepped back.
Jareth dropped his gaze, a smile ever so slight crossed his feartures before he spoke "Did you not revisit the memories I gave you?" he asked softly not demanding as before. He looked up, his mismatched eyes boring into her emerald orbs "I ask for so little and offer so much, you have no idea precious Sarah."
She stepped back "I can't accept…I…I..I have to stay for" she started "Because I have to stay because this is where I belong, right?" she finished. A sharp pain tore through her head as she finished, then her arm and leg. She looked up to him, bewilderment and pain filling her face "What's happening?" again pain ripped through, much worse than anything she had ever expereicenced. She raised her hand to her line of vision and was met with blood soaking them. Her scream filled the air as she noted cuts forming, and blood rushing from them. Again she looked up questioning to him.
He knelt next to her now, taking her blood covered hand in his, he stared down at how small her hands truly were, a woman-child actually. "Sarah, I am offering you and escape, if you stay, you will not survive" he held her hand loosly "you were meant for far greater things."
She fell forward onto him, pain wracking her small frame. Slowly he uncovered his hand once again and placed it on her forehead "I'm sorry" he whispered.
Lost in thought, she never saw the truck coming, but then neither did her Father who was driving. It was Toby's small scream that alerted her seconds before all she could hear was the crushing of metal. The Truck slammed into them on passenger side, her side. She was thrown into the car seat and pinned. Toby's cries filling her ears as she became aware of her own injuries. Everything was a blur. She could hear men yelling, sirens blaring and her brother crying softly next to her "It will be alright Toby" she managed. He couldn't see her, but hearing her voice calmed him. Then more noise, tearing of metal as the jaws of life were used to cut off the top of the car. She watched, half aware, as her brother was lifted from the tangled mess. She passed out as they started to free her.
She lay in the hospital bed, unwaking, now for two weeks. Her vitals were stronger than the doctors could have hoped for, she just hadn't woke up. Her legs had been mangled beyond repair, and were amputated. Her Step-mother never left her side. Karen stared what had remained of her bright talented step-daughter. Just a few short weeks ago, her future had been so bright, but now, now they were not sure if she would ever wake up and if she did she would be handicapped for the rest of her life. The doctors were not able to tell them how bad the damage had been to Sarah's spinal cord, only time would tell as the swelling went down. All the hopes and dreams she had had for Sarah were fading fast and replaced with just the girl surviving. She sat back in the chair and stared out at the warm summer afternoon sun, what kind of life will the girl have if she does wake up?
Lost in a dream…………………………………………………………………………….
Dreams were the place you found solace, adventure, love, danger and terror. Hers had become a place of escape. She was somewhat aware of what was happening to her body. She knew she could no longer feel her legs and the pain that she did feel when she reached for a waking state sent her right back here, lost in a dream of the past.
She dreamt of her childhood, of her Mother, of her Father. She dreamt of humdrum everyday events, school and babysitting. She was reliving her memories, her life. She again went through the labyrinth and bested the King, though this time she tried to slow her adventure down, to find she couldn't. Memories didn't work that way, they were what they were, the past. Her dreaming stopped as she neared her last memories. As if walking through the corridors of her mind, she reached the final door, one she refused to open. She knew what lay on the other side, pain and misery. Her life had been ripped from her, her dreams stolen. "Stolen, yes Stolen" she repeated as she turned from the black door. She stood now in a meadow, a meadow outside the walls of the Laybrinth and called for the one she knew she needed. "Goblin King" she called "Oh Goblin King I must talk to you now" she yelled.
"I usually only come to the request of a wish Sarah" he paused flicking a nonexistent piece of dirt from his white shirt "But for you I will make an exception" he smiled, most likely the first genuine smile she had ever seen cross his features.
"Is that what you meant by giving me my dreams?" she asked "you would spare me a life of misery?" she pointed to her left where the black door still stood suspended in the air.
Jareth walked up to the door "Sarah, do you know what is behind this door?" he asked.
"My reality" she answered.
"Well one reality awaits you there" he replied as he turned to face her, with a flick of his wrist a crystal appeared and he began to roll it about in his hand "You have a choice, you may remain here in this reality or you may venture back to that reality" he looked up at her, meeting her gaze.
"What is the price you ask Goblin King" she asked "if I chose this reality?"
"Nothing more than I asked before" he replied "Do you understand now, young Sarah, what I asked before?" he closed the small distance between them.
"I can't remember the words" she began, her brows scrunched in concentration "you asked that I love you, fear you, do as you say and you will be my slave." She looked up to him "you love me?"
