A Syncopated Groove
Chapter 6 -
"Oh I see through the darkness
My way back home
The journey seems endless
But I'll carry on
The shadows will rise
And they will fall"
- "The Path" - HIM
Madison screamed as she dropped backward down a shaft that suddenly appeared beneath her feet. She had no time to react and try to move or grab at the top.
She soon realized her fall was being impeded by things sticking out of the sides. They felt like large, thick leaves or maybe some type of fungus. While the thought made her shiver, right now it was her only chance from going splat wherever this hole ended.
She was falling too fast and this vertical passage seemed to go on forever. She wasn't sure which scared her more. Possibly dying in a horrible drop, surviving said drop but being seriously injured then dying a slow death, or falling forever. This place was magic after all, maybe this was a bottomless pit?
By blind chance, her wrist landed smack in one of the things, which automatically closed firmly around said body part.
Ok maybe this was even worse, maybe the things were Venus fly traps and she was going to be eaten!
But then when no pain came from a bite, she gasped in relief while dangling from her arm.
She glanced down the tunnel to see how close she was to the bottom, but all she saw were outlines of whatever these things were. She craned her neck up and the opening seemed very far away. She was so screwed.
As she peered back down, with some blinking, she was able to see what had a hold of her: a hand. That's what the passage was lined with, countless hands, groping air like reeds underwater. What The Fuck?
Now she felt sick to her stomach, she was in the grip of a hand with no arm or body attached to it and with no way to release herself.
She was twisting, freaking out, "Help!"
Her continuous movement caused it to let her go and she started falling again, but not very fast due to all the appendages slowing her descent. Constantly sliding, and what felt like groping, against parts of her body.
"Stop it! Help!"
She was writhing, trying to grasp at anything. Her hand brushed against one of them, it responded immediately by grasping her firmly.
Right as she was debating possibly using them to climb up, like a ladder of sorts, she felt a tap on her shoulder.
To her bewilderment, she saw that hands to one side of her face had contrived to form into a face of sorts. Using finger and thumb circles for eyes and two of them working together to shape a mouth. Then the mouth spoke to her.
"What do you mean, 'Help,'?" it said, We are helping."
Another 'face' to her other side continued,"We're Helping Hands."
Suddenly she felt the hands reaching for her, taking hold of her legs and body. Gripping her thighs, legs, ankles, neck, butt. Oh My God! Was she going to be molested by bodiless hands? Would they shred her clothes and do unspeakable things? Or tear her apart after breaking her neck?
The horrible scenarios just wouldn't stop invading her mind.
"You're hurting," Madison replied, trying to adjust her position.
Now there were many more faces around her, watching. They were even blinking!
"Would you like us to let go?" One of them asked.
Then she felt herself slip down the shaft until she yelled, "No!"
Instantly she was held again by many of the handsy appendages.
Another face said," Well then, come on, which way?"
"Which way?" she asked.
"Up or down?" Another one asked.
Now they just started chiming in, her hearing the voices but not always seeing which formation of hands it belonged to.
"Come on come on."
"We haven't got all day."
"Well, it's a big decision for her."
"Which way do you want to go, hmm?"
"Yes, which way?"
Madison contemplated. The idea of having them handle her the whole way up to the light that seemed so far away seemed kind of dampened. She was already going to have so many bruises, going up was going to be uncomfortable and possibly painful.
Down was unknown, an abyss. But her bag had already slipped during her fall and it had all of her supplies. Neither way seemed appealing, but.."Well, since I'm pointed that way, I guess I'll go down." The movie couldn't be 100% correct, right? It would just be too weird. Not that this whole situation wasn't strange on its own, but what were the chances?
"She chose dooown."
"She chose down? Ha!"
Many of the faces were snickering.
"Was that wrong?" she panicked, as they started handing her down the tunnel.
"Too late now," one of them answered.
They held her momentarily above a manhole cover while they removed it, then dropped her carefully through it.
The bottom hands waved at her, the cover was dropped back in place with a clang, then all was silent.
She was now in pitch dark. She sat in shock for a moment, then slowly reached around the dank smelling area for her bag. Hoping to avoid any unpleasant creatures or anything else she'd rather not come into contact with.
She managed to find it not far from her spot and hugged it to her, worrying. She never truly had been afraid until now. The realization was setting in that she may die here and never return home.
The Goblin King watched her silent face in his crystal. "She's in the oubliette," he observed.
The goblins around him cackled wickedly, dancing around with merriment.
"Shut up! She should not have gotten as far as the oubliette," he said. "She should have given up by now. Especially with me rerouting her from the direct path to the castle."
They froze, their heads turned to look at their King. One ventured to say, "She'll never give up."
"Won't she? The dwarf's about to lead her back to the beginning. She'll soon give up when she realizes she has to start all over again." He smiled as he finished speaking, then laughed.
The goblins weren't sure what their reaction should be, so they stayed silent until Jareth said, "Well? Laugh."
They all launched into cackles and snickers, once again starting their chaos.
Jareth peered at the crystal a moment longer, once again proud of his soon to be Queen for getting so far. Even after he had set her back already, she forged on, determined. But surely now she would admit defeat? He would graciously accept a trade of her for the boy. Then they would live as the humans would say, Happily Ever After.
He threw back his blond head and laughed in his smoky tone, then threw the crystal ball into the air where it vanished like a bubble, with a touch of glitter.
Madison sat still where she had been deposited, frozen with her arms around her pack.
Now she was wishing she had braved the bruises and chosen up. She would be in the light right now.
After a little while she heard a scratching sound. She gasped out loud, "Who's there?"
"Me," answered a gruff voice, laughing.
She heard another scratching, then light flared. Hoggle stood illuminated by the wall.
"Oh it's you," she blew out a breath as she stood up, hoisting her bag over her head after she reattached the strap that had slipped loose, causing its initial fall.
"Yes well, I knew you were gonna get into trouble the moment I met you. So I've come to give you a hand," he walked over to a section of the wall that surrounded the hole. She gazed at where she was, now that there was light.
He crossed his arms,"Oh, you're looking around now, aren't you? I suppose you've noticed, there ain't no doors. Only the hole." He laughed.
She rotated around, confirming that he was right, there was no exit.
When she had turned back to face him, he continue with his arms spread out,"This is an oubliette. The labyrinth's full of them."
"Really?" she was walking around now. She was also remembering the movie. Every time she thought she was deviating from it, she seemed to get right back on the path. It was really starting to irritate her. But she couldn't be rude, he was her only way out if she remembered correctly.
She looked down at him,"Ok so I'm gonna cut to the chase as I don't have time to be reciting some preordained script. An oubliette is a place you put people to forget about them. I need out of here and you know a short cut right? But I don't want out of the whole labyrinth, so if we could make a deal for you to take me as far as you can?" She kneeled down to look him in the eyes.
He seemed to be getting used to her jumping ahead. He patted her arm,"It gets a lot worse from here on in. Nice young girl. Terrible black oubliette. You needs to get out of the whole place."
She caught sight of chain of ornaments dangling from his belt. Still kneeling, she asked,"You like jewelry don't you?"
"Why?" he asked hesitantly, backing up slightly.
She pulled her bag in front of her and pulled off her carabiner attached to one of the metal clasps. On it was a blue and green beaded bracelet that was too big for her slim wrist, but she had wanted to keep it. She unhooked it and held it up,"If you just get me as far as you can, I'll give you this."
He pretended to not be interested.
"I mean, if you don't want it, then fine." She got up and started wandering away, sliding the bag behind her, still dangling the bracelet once she reattached the empty carabiner.
He stuttered for a second,"Uh um..tell you what. You give me the bracelet and I'll show you the way out of the labyrinth." He followed her.
She turned around,"I'm sorry? But do I look stupid? I am trying very hard not to be rude, but trying to trick me is just low. Either you take me as far as you can, meaning into the labyrinth and not out of it, or no bracelet."
"What is that anyway?" he asked.
She held it down in front of his face, "Plastic."
"Ooooh. Ok I don't promise nothing but...I'll take ya as far as I can, then you're on your own, right?"
She nodded her head,"Right."
He confirmed,"Right." Then he took the bracelet from her hand and slid it around his wrist. "Plastic!"
He hobbled over to the side and pushed a dirty canvas of sorts out of the way, revealing a wooden board. "Here we go."
He hoisted it up to the wall, showing that it had a doorknob on it. He pulled it open to be greeted by pots and pans, she even glimpsed a broom still inside.
He kicked the bric-a-brac with his foot, muttering,"Damn. Broom closet." Then he turned to face her,"Well, can't be right all the time."
He closed the door then moved the knob to the other side and opened it, revealing a dimly lit tunnel. "Ah, this is it. Come on then."
As they made their way down the passage, she looked around. The walls were made of carved rock, seeming to sparkle. "Is everything glitterfied here?' She mumbled to herself.
They quickly came to a fork in the path and he continued down the one on the left with no hesitation,"This way."
Immediately after, she heard a booming voice,"DON'T GO ON!" Thankfully her memory continued to prove to be exceptional, as she had a suspicion they'd be running into these things.
They were giant faces carved into the rocks. The facial features moved, including the big mouths.
They continued on as she and Hoggle walked.
"Go back while you still can."
"This is not the way!"
"Take heed and go no further."
"Beware. Beware."
The rounded a corner away from the path of warnings, but then encountered more.
"Soon it will be too late." One stated behind her.
Hoggle finally acknowledged them and turned to her for a second,"Eh. Don't pay any attention to them. They're just false alarms. You get a lot of them in the labyrinth. Especially when you're on the right track." He continued his short steps on, her following behind.
She already knew what they were, but was tired of fighting against the explanations, so she just let him go on. She needed to conserve her energy and it seemed the more she tried to waylay everything, the more it just fought back and kept on going.
After he got done explaining, another carved face piped up,"Oh, no, you're not."
Hoggle faced him,"Oh, shut up."
"Sorry just doing my job."
"Well you don't have to do it to us."
The next face started,"Beware, for the.."
Hoggle held a hand up,"Just.. forget it."
"Oh pleeease, I haven't said it for such a long time."
Hoggle turned around as he had already started to pass it,"Oh, alright. But don't expect a big reaction."
"No no no, of course not." It cleared its throat then continued in a deeper voice,"For the path you will take will lead to certain destruction." Then in its normal voice,"Thank you very much."
All of a sudden a crystal ball went rolling by their feet. Hoggle muttered,"Oh..no.."
They turned a corner and saw the crystal jump into a hat that was upturned on the ground by a blind beggar sitting with his back to the wall in the shadows.
The beggar turned his face toward her,"Ah, what do have we here?"
"Uh, nothin," Hoggle backed up.
"Nothing? Nothing?! Tra la la!" The beggar rose up. His facade was lifted away to reveal the Goblin King.
Hoggle was frozen and Madison gasped in surprise. He was wearing a brown leather jacket with an uneven collar, a white poet's shirt underneath that with the sickle shaped charm bouncing against his chest as he moved, an obscenely tight grey pair of pants, riding boots coming up almost to his knees, and black gloves.
It was also interesting that more light flooded the tunnel with his appearance. She scoffed inwardly at the pompous arrogance that he had to broadcast his importance.
Hoggle broke his petrified state,"Your Majesty. What a nice surprise."
Jareth looked down at the dwarf, "Hello Hedgewart."
Madison refused to interject in this confrontation, even though she had a feeling she was expected to say 'Hogwart.'
The dwarf replied,"Hoggle, Your Majesty."
Jareth cocked his head,"Hoggle can it be you're helping this girl?"
"H..helping, in what sense?"
The King flung the cloak away he had been holding since showing his true form,"In the sense that you're leading her towards the castle." He put his gloved hands on his narrow hips.
"No, I was taking her back to the beginning, Your Majesty."
Madison did pretend to act surprised as she didn't know how much the King knew about the movie,"What?" She stared down with a shocked expression.
Hoggle spoke directly to Jareth,"I told her I was gonna help her solve the labyrinth, a little trickery on my part..." he laughed slightly. Jareth had kneeled down, pretending to listen intently with his hand to his chin, as Hoggle continued."..but actually.."
Jareth interjected, "What is that plastic thing round your wrist?"
"Oh!" Hoggle hid his arms behind his back for a second, then pulled them back out. "Oh, this!" He laughed nervously. "My goodness, where did this come from?" He stared at his wrist intently, like the bracelet had appeared by magic.
Jareth straightened back up sighing,"Higgle.."
"Hoggle," the short creature interjected almost absently, as if he was used to doing it a lot without thinking.
"Yes..If I thought for one second you were betraying me, I'd be forced to suspend you headfirst in the Bog of Eternal Stench." He advanced toward Hoggle as the latter backed up.
At that declaration, Hoggle fell to his knees, gripping the King's leg,"Noo, Your Majesty. Not the Eternal Stench!"
"Oh yes Hoggle!" Jareth shook him off his leg to fall over.
Then he turned to Madison. He slowly walked toward her with his hands behind his back. "And you, Sarah. How are you enjoying my Labyrinth?" He placed a gloved hand on the wall above her head and leaned in.
She had had enough of these games. She refused to say it was a piece of cake and have the cleaners sicked on her.
She stared him straight in the eye, as she crossed her arms in front of her, "Look Mr High and Mighty, this is getting ridiculous. You've already cheated, switching the straight path to the castle so I was still forced to take the obscenely long way. I am sick of pretending. No, this is not easy. I would be stupid to say otherwise, but you have to have more important things to do besides playing games with a mortal girl?" She raised an eyebrow at the end.
Jareth was surprised, though he kept a schooled face outwardly. He had been expecting her pride to declare that it was easy and he would conjure the cleaners.
Once again she proved that she was his mate in every way. He was starting to enjoy the verbal sparring that had been initiated when she made the wish. Some men may prefer a simpering, unintelligent girl, but he preferred a woman that had her own mind. He wanted a mate, not an ornament. He hoped she would be his match in the bedroom as well. He looked forward to exploring that in depth.
"At this moment, Precious, nothing is more important than your journey in my labyrinth," he smirked, leaning so close that he was pressing against her crossed arms.
She frowned, "Also, how do you know my real first name?"
The smirk widened into a full grown wicked smile,"Perhaps the answer to that will be incentive for you to give up this charade, hmm? You cannot win. No one has. I promise to go easy on you if you surrender now."
She dropped her hands in outrage and poked him in the chest,"I will not! I will beat your ass if it's the last thing I do!"
"Careful Dear, starting to tread on dangerous waters." Couldn't let her get too out of hand. It was a fine line.
She glared into his mismatched eyes, then laughed. "This is more of a circus than a labyrinth. Your monkeys bow to your whim because you use fear to control them. That is NOT the way to be a great ruler."
He stared at her with a blank expression. He didn't back up, but stood up to his full height to intimidate her.
She continued, beyond incensed at him,"Well guess what Your Majesty?" She mocked his title,"This is NOT my circus, nor are the creatures here my monkeys." She started to walk around him, noticing Hoggle gaping with his mouth open, at the exchange.
Jareth spent enough time Aboveground to know she wasn't being literal, but in other words was saying she wasn't playing his game anymore. That none of this was her problem. He also was angered at her saying he wasn't a great ruler. How dare she? She would learn to curb that tongue. It was time to teach her a lesson.
"Well, if it's not your circus, then perhaps you won't mind upping the stakes, hmm?" A thirteen hour clock appeared in mid air. He rotated his finger, causing the clock to wind down a few hrs.
"That's not fair!" she blurted.
He finished taking hours off and the clock disappeared. "You say that so often. I wonder what your basis for comparison is," he said as he circled her.
She didn't think she said it much and as King she would think he wasn't forced to keep on the nonexistent script. Whatever, she shrugged.
"Just more cheating," she said aloud.
"I think it's time you find out just how very much this is your circus," he grinned enough to reveal the pointed canines, as a crystal ball appeared between his gloved hands. She was starting to learn just how bad that was. It usually meant things were going his way, which didn't bode well for her.
Before she could react, he threw the crystal down the tunnel. A backlash of glitter blinded her and when she could see again, she gasped.
A/N - The last chapter was kinda short, at least for this story. My other Labyrinth fic MNSAA tends to have short chapters. So this one is over twice the length of those. Think of this chapter as "in beat" (refer to the prologue and the author's note with the description of what a syncopated groove is). The next chapter will be out of beat. hehe
Not any feedback from the previous one so I hope this chapter helps.
