Chapter 9

Hoggles courage

They were now at a rickety bridge over a extremely large gorge; West said "there no way on this here planet I'm crossing that death trap. There must be another bridge, a safer bridge somewhere off the path" but then as he attempted to leave the path he hit something that felt smooth and cool like a wall. "OK, I don't mean to alarm anyone but I think there's an invisible wall or something along the side of the path that's not allowing us to leave."

Toby said "what"? He checked the other side of the path and came to the same problem.

Lacey asked "what are we going to do now? How are we going to get to mommy"?

"it would appear to me we have only two options her. One, we tell Jareth we give up which I don't think any one of us in our right mind are intending on doing any time in our life or two, we cross the bridge."

West said "are you kidding Tobes crossing that bridge is suicide. Even if it could take our weight no bridge in this condition could ever take Ludo's. How is he suppose to get across".

Toby said "hey look," he pointed across to the other side of the bridge "there's a readymade safer looking bridge on the other side. I didn't notice until the wind turned it right side up. Now I can't tell because it's so far away but I'm guessing it's the same length as this bridge."

Hoggle said "but as West clearly pointed out this bridge is suicide and to get to that bridge we need to be on the other side."

Toby said "what we need is a scout to go over there".

West said "are you bonkers? Whose gonna go over there?

Sir Didymus said "I volunteer".

Toby said "no offence Sir Didymus but we need someone fast. Someone who can scoot over there quickly. Now I know your quick but we need someone so fast they can avoid being caught by the goblin kings guards for say eleven years or so". He noticed Hoggles eyes almost pop out of the sockets when he said that.

West could also see where he was going with this and said "whoever did it would have to be small too."

Toby replied "I agree small, almost weightless so I nominate".

Before Toby could say it Hoggle said "NO, NOT ME".

Toby said "Hoggle, we're losing time we need you to go over there".

Sir Didymus added "besides you got over the bridge in the bog with no problems"

Hoggle said "that's different, I was too concerned with getting out of the stench".

Ludo added "smell bad"

Sir Didymus said "I still don't know what the fuss was about I couldn't smell anything".

Hoggle replied "I still don't believe anyone could not smell that stench with how strong it was and I'm too much of a coward to cross that bridge".

Toby said "please Hoggle, stop making excuses because I for one know fear is not an issue here. Do you remember when you disobeyed Jareth by leading Sarah onto the next level of the labyrinth except to back to the beginning? Or how about when you saved her from the fireys or even when you fought the giant mechanical goblin. You did what you did despite you were afraid. Sarah used to tell me courage isn't the absece of fear, it's doing what you know is right even though your afraid to help the people you care about. This time is no different by crossing this bridge you're helping Sarah."

Hoggle walked to the bridge, he closed his eyes and ran across and got the bridge on the other side of the bridge which thankfully was long enough to everyone to get to the other side.

Jareth stormed into Sarah room and she smiled knowing the means of his bad mood and said "I see you finally found the door, took you long enough, would I be right in guessing they're doing well".

"Your little family and trio of misfit friends are getting through that path quite quickly already they've got past riddles of stone, the temptation of dreams and bridge of courage."

"I told you they're good, Toby's a smart boy, Lacey knows her puzzles, West's judgement is second to none, Hoggle's braver than even he knows, Sir Didymus moral compass is always pointed due the right thing and Ludo's special ability can be helpful but that's not his only good trait."

Jareth said "nice to see that flame of your spirit isn't out yet because as I said it will that much sweeter to see it extinguished".

Sarah said "but first they have to lose and as you mentioned they're doing quite well".

Jareth said "but when they get here there's one more thing Toby must do for you all to get home and this time it won't be as simple as reciting lines from a book".

Sarah asked "then what does Toby have to do"?

Jareth said "I think I'll save that for later but I will tell you it is something we both did when you left last time. Read into that anyway you like." He conjured a crystal and turned it into another peach and held it out to Sarah.

"Because of you I never eat anything unless I know where it came from. I'm still having nightmares after the last peach you gave me."

"You loved the crystal ball room, I know you did".

"Love it, how could I love it? I didn't know what the hell was going on".

"Well I guess the nightmare you continue because once they lose I'm planning on finishing that dance you ran away from" and he left. Sarah sighed in frustration then her eyes rested on the mirror and thought now she was in the labyrinth it might work".