Chapter 2 Flight
"So how was your date last night, Sarah?"
Sarah glared at Irene from over her bowl of Cornflakes. As far as she was concerned, her disastrous date had been as much Irene's fault as it had been Jenny's. Irene had really pushed the idea, remembering that it was through a blind date that she met Sarah's father. She had also convinced Robert that it would be a wonderful idea before Sarah could get to him and explain why it would not be (leaving out the part about her falling for the villain in her story book, of course). Therefore, it was with her father and stepmother's blessing that Jenny was able to rope Sarah into the worst date of her life.
"Awful," Sarah answered curtly before returning to her cereal.
"Why is that, Sarah?" Robert asked as he put Toby in his highchair. He looked at his daughter with concern in his eyes.
Sarah sighed. "Because he was rude and obnoxious. That's why."
"So no wedding bells anytime soon?" he asked jokingly. Robert knew that bother Jenny and Irene had been thinking along those ludicrous lines.
"I'm only sixteen, Dad," she said as she took her now empty bowl over to the sink to be rinsed.
"I know. Just checking." There was a smile in his voice. He was glad to hear Sarah's indifference towards boys (as far as he knew). He was still trying to wrap his head around the idea of her dating—every father's worst nightmare.
Irene spoke again. "Do you have any plans for today, Sarah?"
"None, yet. Why?"
"Your father and I were going to go shopping for a new sofa for the living room. We were wondering if you could watch Toby while we're gone."
"It'll only be a few hours, Sarah," Robert interjected. "You can take him to the park or something. Make sure you put him down for a nap. Nothing too hard. We'll be back before you notice we're gone," he promised.
"And the evening will be yours to spend however you want," Irene added.
"Yeah, sure. Piece of cake."
"Thanks, Sarah," Robert said before returning to Toby. Irene was engrossed in some gardening article in the paper. This left Sarah standing at the sink feeling rather awkward. She sighed quietly and headed back towards the stairs and up to her room.
In truth, she welcomed the prospect of watching Toby for the afternoon. It gave her an excuse not to make plans right away with Jenny and at least she would not be once again caught in the monotony of normalcy. Not to mention the fact that Toby had really grown on her in the past year. He kept things simple—not normal but simple. Sarah did not think there would ever be anything truly normal about him after their joint adventure a little over a year ago. He was as marked by the Underground as she was. There would be no escape from the magic for him, just like there was none for her. Sarah wondered how this would affect him when he grew up.
Sarah sprawled out on her bed and stared at her ceiling. Warm summer air came in through her open window bringing with it the sounds and scents of summer. She could hear the playful squeals of her neighbors' children playing in the sprinkler in their front yard. She could hear a dog barking and an occasional car driving by. She smelled the intoxicating fragrance of summer flowers filling the air. It all slowly lulled her to sleep and for the first time in four months, Sarah dreamed.
Her dream did not match the pleasant atmosphere that surrounded her in the waking world. It was dark and cold. At first, all her mind's eye saw was swirling mist that clouded everything else. Then the mist began to give way. She saw a face…a face she worried she would never see again. However, her joy was tainted by how this face appeared.
To say that this man had suffered would be an understatement. Agony was written in every line etched in his beautiful face—horrible, ruthless, agony. Sarah watched in horror as he flinched again and again as if some unseen force was torturing him. It would not have surprised her in the least if that were indeed the case. Through gritted teeth, she heard him say, "It's going to take more than that to make me relinquish my claim."
"Oh, really?" a voice sneered. "If you say so."
Jareth screamed.
"Sarah? Sarah? Wake up, Sarah."
She felt a prodding on her shoulder as her father tried to shake her awake. Warm, bright reality slapped her in the face as she woke up and realized it was all just a dream.
"Are you alright?" Robert asked. His question was a valid one. Sarah was still twitching and had just the faintest bit of moisture on her lashes.
"Yeah, Dad. I'm fine," she replied though her voice broke. "I just had a weird dream. That's all." Weird doesn't even begin to cover it, she thought wryly.
"Oh. I see. Well, Irene and I were going to head out now. Toby is currently playing in his crib. You should make use of the day. It's nice outside. Take Toby to the park before it gets too hot."
"Okay, Dad."
Robert kissed Sarah's forehead before striding out the room. Sarah stared blankly after him, trying to return to reality. But she could not stop her slight frame from trembling.
Sarah did not move from her bed until she heard her father's car pull out of their driveway. She would not have moved at all if it had not been for Toby. He was calling for her.
"Sawah! Sawah? Sawah!"
"Oh, Toby," she sighed.
Sarah crossed the hall into Toby's small room. He was sitting up in his crib, waiting expectantly for her. His chubby cheeks pulled into a grin when she arrived at his door. He stretched his arms up, indicating that he wanted her to hold him. She smiled and lifted him from his bed.
"You know, you're getting a bit big for this, Toby." She laughed at his frown, as if he could understand what she was telling him. How did her father and Irene miss the intelligence that radiated from his baby blue eyes that was clearly not normal? Sarah silently guessed that it was their denial of magic that made them so blind to the glaringly obvious.
"How do you feel about going to the park? Wanna go feed the duckies?" she asked him.
"Duckies! Duckies!" he crowed.
Sarah tousled his blonde curls and took him down to the kitchen to grab the loaf of Wonderbread they had in the cupboard. This would be good for them both, she decided. She needed to get out of the house where her dream still felt so vivid. She needed to get out into the sunshine where such nightmares could never touch her.
She tucked Toby into his little, red wagon along with his diaper bag (he did not really nit anymore, but it put Irene at ease). She let Toby hold the bread bag in his lap.
When they got out into the sunlight, Sarah felt her breathing steady. It was like she had been underwater for an extended period without taking a breath and now her head was breaking the surface. In the heat and brightness of the sun, it was easy to convince herself that her dream was simply that, a dream. She told herself it was just a product of her worrying about Jareth for the past several months.
Sooner than Sarah thought possible, they were at the park. The familiar willows' limbs fluttered in the breeze, as if welcoming them into its arms. The pond and bridge of her childhood memories beckoned to her. She heeded the call. This was a place where she could believe in magic without nightmares tainting it.
She quickly situated Toby near the pond's edge by a small flock of ducks basking in the cool pool of water. He squealed with delight as they came close to him once he offered the breadcrumbs. She sank down beside a tall oak and smiled with maternal warmth that she only recently realized. Occasionally, a soft breeze would rustle through the trees and ruffle Toby's and her hair. It would break the surface of the pond, causing the water to ripple in strange formations. The sun's rays danced across the waves, casting the light in various shapes and contortions. Sarah gazed into the water, mesmerized by the glittering illusions. Once, the waves took the form of a dove flapping its wings. Another time it shaped itself like a grand ship sailing the high seas. And at one moment, Sarah swore she saw the ripples take the shape of the Goblin King's beautiful, smirking face; she blinked and it was gone.
Sarah could not have been more relieved when Toby grew tired and complained that it was too hot outside. She packed them up and walked slowly home; Toby had fallen asleep in his wagon and was snoring softly.
The house seemed empty when they returned home. Of course, it was empty. That was to be expected but there was no sense of homecoming as Sarah carried Toby through the picture-lined halls to his room. She realized that it had not felt like home since…well, since she had returned to the Underground. She had left her heart there; like the house she stood in, she was empty.
Sarah tucked Toby into his crib and planted a light kiss on his soft forehead. His face had a dream-like quality. His lips parted and he breathed deeply. Sarah, not for the first time in her life, felt envious of her little brother. She would have loved to succumb to such a peaceful oblivion. It hardly seemed fair that he was allowed to. With these thoughts buzzing around her head, she closed the door quietly behind her.
Her footsteps were lazy as she crossed the length of the short hallway to her own room. Her hand hesitated on the doorknob. A strange feeling, almost like a premonition, shocked her body so that she was completely frozen, her hand locked onto the knob, gripping it like a vise.
This is silly, she chastised herself. It's just your bedroom. There's nothing weird in there. Or that was what she tried to convince herself. It was easier said than done. After perhaps a minute or two of just standing awkwardly outside her room, Sarah gulped down the bile that filled her mouth. Her hand twisted the knob with a jerk and she practically kicked the door in.
The sight that greeted her was beyond anything she had expected.
She first noticed the boots—leather, black, stiletto and thigh-high. They flowed almost seamlessly into the form-fitting, black pants. Next a billowy charcoal blouse surrounded by a midnight cloak, enveloped alabaster skin. Auburn curls tumbled to the figure's waist and framed a porcelain face marred by a puckered, pink crescent on her cheek. Sapphire and emerald eyes looked up from the withered sheet of parchment clutched in her hand.
"Tatiana!" Sarah gasped.
The girl flung herself into the arms of her lost friend, clinging to her with all the might she possessed. Sarah was acutely aware of how close she was to sobbing for joy. It truly was a miracle to have her tangibly there. Just when Sarah was losing hope, Tatiana had returned. That had to count for something.
The Fae sighed exasperatedly. "Sarah, this hardly is the time or place for heart-felt reunions."
Sarah stiffened at the hardness of Tatiana's words. She pulled away to examine the immortal's expression. Her face looked strained; her jaw was clenched and her full lips were pressed into a thin line; there was a crazed look in her mismatched eyes. It was as if Tatiana was a wire pulled taut and could snap at any moment.
"What do you mean?" Sarah asked, cocking her head to the side.
"No time to explain. I have to get you out of here. Now!"
"I can't leave Toby," Sarah pleaded as Tatiana gripped her wrist.
"Oh, yes you can. Believe me; Toby will be safer when you leave."
"But my parents—"
"Listen to me! They are coming for—"
Something that sounded like an explosion erupted downstairs. The house shook and Sarah fell to the floor with a frightened shriek on her lips. Amidst all the chaos, the distinct sound of a toddler crying could be heard.
A string of profanities hissed through Tatiana's clenched teeth. She yanked Sarah up and over her shoulder; Tatiana was deceptively strong. Sarah protested while Tatiana's attention turned back to the parchment gripped in her hand. Rapidly, she murmured strange, throaty words with one sinuous breath.
CRASH.
Sarah's bedroom door was blasted off its hinges. Blinding light meshed with white smoke crept sinisterly through the threshold. Sarah felt Tatiana's breath hitch.
"Hold on tight," she murmured as she took a defensive stance. Sarah wondered exasperatedly how one could hold on in her position.
"Give us the girl, Tatiana," a high pitched, male voice ordered. Sarah craned her neck to see the speaker but found it to be an impossible feat.
Tatiana laughed mirthlessly. "Over my dead body."
"That can be arranged," a second speaker hissed.
Tatiana made no reply to their goading. So low that Sarah had to strain to hear it, she whispered, "Three, two, one…now!" A clap of thunder resounded. The Fae and the mortal had vanished.
Tatiana hit the ground running. She weaved through enormous boulders at break-neck speeds causing Sarah to bounce violently over her shoulder. Tatiana chanced a glance over her shoulder; her eyes widened at the sight of their pursuers. She pushed herself to move faster.
Sarah had a good view of the trackers from her vantage point. There were twenty of them: thirteen men and seven women. All were garbed in white from head to toe. In the lead was a lean male Fae with angular features and a fierce glint in his eyes. On his flanks were two female Fae whose every movement was an extension of the other's. Something that looked very much like fireballs were clenched in their fists. Sure enough, they hurled them in unison at their moving target, missing Sarah and Tatiana by mere inches and scorching an unfortunate tree to ashes.
The leader bared his teeth in frustration. His hands became claws as energy built up in his palms. He roared, releasing the attack. Tatiana was not so lucky this time. One of the blasts missed her by no more than a centimeter but the second one hit her squarely on the left shoulder. She cried out in agony, falling to the ground. Sarah went flying; she landed twenty feet in front of her.
Gasping for air Tatiana snapped her head to look behind her. Their pursuers were gaining on them. She stumbled to her feet and rushed to Sarah. She cradled the barely conscious human in her arms as she took off again.
She pushed her limbs to their limit until they were screaming in protest. Just a little further, she mentally panted. With one final burst of energy, she ran the remaining hundred yards to her destination with the trackers on her heels.
She collapsed the moment she felt the protective barrier envelop her. As far as her pursuers knew, she had vanished to a different location. They would continue on to the decoy rendezvous without thinking for a second that they had been duped. Tears pricked her eyes; her breathing had become laborious and it had nothing to do with the exertion she had just endured.
Sarah had rolled a few feet away from Tatiana when she collapsed. She now groaned as her body notified her of the damage. Her head pounded and her ribs ached. She rolled to her side and tried to force herself into a sitting position. Her body shrieked in protest but she managed it. She glanced over at Tatiana and stifled a gasp. The Fae's shoulder had a singed appearance and it slowly oozed blood and other liquids down her arm. Furthermore, the wound seemed to gradually grow in area. This was truly ghastly.
Sarah forced herself to get up from the ground and help Tatiana up as well. She was eternally grateful that Tatiana was still conscious; she would have never been able to carry her if she was dead weight. She draped her friend's arm over her shoulder and together they limped in the direction Tatiana pointed them.
A few minutes later, they were greeted by a man pacing back and forth in front of small cave opening. His head snapped up at the sound of their approach and his anxious face turned agonized. He rushed to their side immediately, seizing Tatiana into his arms and relieving Sarah of her burden.
"What happened?" he demanded of Sarah, although his eyes never left woman's he still clutched to his chest.
Sarah was not sure how to answer. The shock that had kept her relatively quiet throughout the pursuit was wearing off and she was unsure what to make of the chaotic images thrashing in her head.
"We were followed," Tatiana croaked. "I arrived at Sarah's house literally moments before the others did."
"What happened to your shoulder?" the man asked in a strained voice.
Tatiana managed to grimace as she replied, "Maximus' chief of police got a lucky shot. It's nothing, though."
"That is not nothing!" he cried out. "We must get you to a healer at once. Both of you," he added turning to look at Sarah's bruised and battered appearance. "Come, I'll carry you myself," he said to Tatiana.
"I can walk!" she snapped. She pushed away from the concerned Fae, squared her shoulders, and stalked off through the opening in the cave, limping slightly as she did so.
The man sighed and motioned for Sarah to follow him.
A thousand miles away from that cave was a sprawling, snow-white city. At the center of the city was a glistening palace whose magnificence was unparalleled anywhere else in the Underground. Deep below the castle's dungeons was a chamber devoted to muffling the shrieks of the tortured inhabitants.
On this particular day, there was but one inhabitant; they had been occupying the space for quite some time. Four months, to be exact. On the cold floor there lay a be-gloved man with shaggy blond hair and mismatched eyes. His skin was sallow from the lack of sun exposure and his cheeks were sunken in. He lay perfectly still, breathing in shallowly, as if playing dead. The only sound in the chamber was the impatient tapping of a shoe on the stone floor.
"Maximus, darling, I'm growing bored of this. What are you waiting for?" whined a petite Fae with golden plaits of hair and matching golden eyes.
"I'm waiting, Lucinda, dear, for my brother to realize that playing dead isn't fooling anyone. He needs to realize now that he only has two options: either relinquish the labyrinth to me or face my wrath. Which will it be, Jareth?" he sneered at the figure on the floor.
The tortured Fae made no reply. "Such a pity," Maximus sighed. "You know I really hate to do this." His lips curled back, exposing a deranged smile as he watched his little brother writhe on the ground before him.
A door creaked open. "What?" barked the Fae king, turning away from the twitching man at his feet.
A male Fae with angular features opened the door widely and said, "I have news concerning the human girl, Sarah Williams."
"Well?" the king demanded. The figure on the floor perked with interest, as well, at the sound of her name.
"My team and I were able to track her down but your sis—I mean the enemy got to her first. They set a false trail and escaped."
Maximus' face rapidly reddened until it was solid crimson. "They what?"
"My lord, Tatiana took her back to the Underground. My team has already set out to locate the rebel whereabouts. I can guarantee we will find her."
The assurances of the police chief had the king smiling wickedly. He trusted them implicitly to find her. Nobody escaped once his secret police set their sights on a person. This Sarah character would be no exception. They will find her, and they will bring her back alive. The unfortunate human girl may be the key in obtaining what the king needed.
Maximus turned back to trembling man at his feet. "Well, Jareth, I wonder if you will remain so obstinate in your opposition when it's Sarah writhing on the floor in agony. You might want to think about that." With those parting words, Maximus, tailed by Lucinda, strode out of the room.
A tortured cry like no other pierced the night air and carried even to the inhabitants of the city sleeping soundly in their beds.
Author Note: Hey everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you are thinking by clicking that little button that says REVIEW!
