I wanted to get this up sooner but I couldn't get my internet to work so sorry.
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"I'm so lost! Why do we even need to know the sexual reproduction system of a plant anyways? I'm so going to fail."
Sarah tapped her pen softly against the desk watching Abigail's outburst, as the girl collapsed with her hands on her head to the desk. "Come on Abby," Sarah said pulling the Biology book out from under the girl. Being an aspiring actress Sarah felt that Abigail was severely overacting her distress. However on a closer inspection of the disheveled girl before her Sarah began to wonder. Abby did indeed look bad; her face was hollow and a desperate look darted across her features. Was Abby really just this stressed out over biology?
"Come on Abby," Sarah repeated, "Look it's not that bad. I'll help you out." The look on Abigail's face was one of such relief Sarah was taken aback. "We'll start with pollination, alright." A ringing sound stopped Sarah from continuing as students began to pile out of the class.
"Damn," Abby said, "Sarah you got to still help me, please I can't study for the test on my own. I don't understand any of it."
Sarah hesitated; the day had not gone well. She had seen Brian a couple of times throughout the day and each time he had given her a sad look before hurrying off. The only thing she wanted to do was to crawl into bed and sleep. She had never seen Abby so strained as she did now and Sarah didn't feel she could say no. "Okay just for a couple of hours though."
"Thanks Sarah I'll pick you up after school okay," Abby said gathering up her books, "and Sarah I'm really sorry about this."
"It's not a problem." Sarah sighed feeling quite certain that she hadn't made the right choice.
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Sarah sat down in Abigail's kitchen feeling worst than she had the entire day. Abby was busy feeding her baby sister Stephanie; the tawny haired girl was making quick and vigorous movements while feeding the baby, almost as if she was afraid to touch her. "Here," Sarah said taking a shaking spoon out of Abby's hands, "I'll do it, I've a little brother."
Abigail looked grateful as she pulled quickly away from the baby she had been feeding. There was something immensely wrong about the way Abby was acting but Sarah could not guess what. "Did you want to get started on the biology homework?" Sarah asked wiping Stephanie's mouth.
"Yeah," Abby said, "We should go up to my room."
Abigail took a reluctant step towards Stephanie, but Sarah waved her hands away. "I'll get her," Sarah said lifting Stephanie out of her eating chair. Again a look of relief swept over Abby's face that Sarah was sure shouldn't have been there.
Abby lead Sarah up the stairs and into a white room, with a small twin sized bed, a desk and chair, and a large window facing the door. Sarah entered cautiously something about the room made her very uncomfortable. A sound of a lock clicking made her spin around, the baby Stephanie clutched tight in her arms.
Abby stood against the locked door watching Sarah with sorrowful eyes. "I'm so sorry Sarah, I wish it wasn't you." A strike of lighting sounded outside.
There was a chill in the air, Sarah didn't know what was happening but she knew that her only hope was the door standing behind Abby. She lunged at Abby careful to keep Stephanie from being hit in her fight. Abigail however was not burdened by any child in her arms and was therefore able to make swifter and stronger movements to prevent Sarah from reaching the door. Even when Sarah as a last resort scratched Abigail's face drawing a bloody line across one of her cheeks the girl still refused to give way.
Something banged against the window pane. Sarah turned to see white feathers beating wildly against the rain spattered glass. The window flew open in a blaze of white light filling Sarah with an unearthly knowledge. "Jareth," she whispered as a shadowy figure stepped into the light.
"Hello Sarah. Did you miss me?"
"What are you doing here?" Sarah said staring deep into the mismatched eyes of her childhood foe. She tightened her grip on the child in her arms, there was only one baby in the room and she'd be damned before he touched it.
"I'm here to collect what's mine, come on now Sarah you know the story better than anyone." Jareth took several steps towards her so that were he to stretch out an arm his fingers could just close around one of her wrist.
"No one has been wished away Goblin King, you can't have the baby." She looked down at Stephanie to assure herself that the baby was still there.
"Your right no one has been wished away this night, however previously I think you'll find that you're wrong." Jareth's eyes trailed over to Abigail, who was crying silently still guarding the door.
Sarah followed his gaze to the girl behind her. "Abby what did you do?"
"I'm so sorry Sarah," the girl blubbered, "I can't lose my sister."
Sarah felt a shimmer of pity for the girl who had betrayed her, Jareth on the other hand laughed. "Really Sarah you would think by now that you would expect your friends to betray you. Who was the first one Hogwash wasn't it?"
"Hoggle."
"Of course, now Sarah just be a good girl and give me what's mine." He extended a hand towards Stephanie, forcing Sarah to press the baby against her chest to avoid his hand.
"Jareth I won't give you the child."
"Sarah I'm going to take what's mine, with or without your permission."
"You have no power over me," Sarah nearly shouted at him. Jareth gave a cruel smile, and pain entered Sarah's world. Her heart felt like it was being torn from her chest. Looking down she saw Stephanie's tiny hands buried deep inside her chest. The babe smiled up at Sarah sharp fangs protruding from its gums, gold devious eyes stared into hers.
Sarah yanked the creature from her chest, and threw it to the floor. The goblin that had been Stephanie gave a cruel laugh and scurried over to Jareth. A red object stuck out from his grubby fist. The goblin climbed up Jareth's leg and on to his shoulder handing Jareth the contents of its right hand, before hopping off and out of sight. The object looked about the size of a piece of fruit, like an apple or a peach. Jareth touched it to the pendant around his neck and the thing dissolved into it.
Sarah began to feel dizzy. The room was spinning faster than a ballerina in a show. Everything was blurry, the dimensions seemed to split, divide, and loose all solidity. "Everything," Sarah whispered, "everything's…"
"That's right Sarah everything is dancing." Jareth moved forward enclosing Sarah as she fainted into his arms. He stared at her for a long while, tenderly pushing her locks of hair from her unconscious face. Then he lifted her bridal style carefully ensuring that even in her slumber she would be comfortable.
Abigail watched from the door as Jareth handled the sleeping Sarah as if she were made of glass. Abby thought of the way the Goblin King had treated her, scratch marks trailed down her neck gave truth to that. But the way he treated Sarah was such a contrast to his brutal treatment of her that Abby could hardly believe it. Then she understood.
"You're in love with her."
Jareth's head snapped up to look at her, as if he had forgotten she was there. "Most definitely," he said his gaze returning to the girl in his arms. "Your sister is in her crib."
"How do I know your not lying? Or that that thing isn't back?" Abigail said staring at the girl she betrayed instead of at Jareth. "I can't let you take her if Stephanie's not back."
Jareth gave her an indifferent look before vanishing with Sarah. Abigail didn't wait; she raced from her room and into her parent's room where Stephanie's crib was. Inside the crib sat Stephanie looking every bit the angel she had remembered her to be. "I'm so sorry sweetheart," Abigail said lifting her sister from the crib, "I'm so sorry Sarah."
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Please review I appreciate it
