The door to Sarah's abode flung open aggressively and she irritably stampeded through the hallway, groaning loudly. Immediately, Karen sprung from the living room and rushed over to her, as if she'd been waiting for her all afternoon. She cocked her head to one side, like a confused sparrow, watching her stepdaughters every move.
"Sarah, what's wrong? Did you and Lysander have a fight?" Karen placed her hands over Sarah's teary cheeks, as the girl snivelled, nodding as her eyes welled up with sorrow.
"Oh dear. I'm sure it was nothing. You'll sort it out. You always do!" Karen could feel Sarah trembling before her, and for the first time she draped her arms around her and offered her a cordial hug. This both shocked and comforted Sarah. She had never known Karen to act so motherly. Even with Toby, she chose to be the firm kind of parent. Nonetheless, Sarah allowed the hug to continue, and in a strange way she felt a deep amount of solace in her stepmother's arms.
"I've been acting so unreasonable, haven't I?" Sarah admitted.
"It's not your fault, Dear. Its not been easy for you, especially with your father being away at such a time as this. What you need is something to take your mind off things...So, here's a thought. Why don't you come with me to my work party tonight? Its my colleague Kathy's birthday?"
"Oh, I don't know. I'm not really in the mood to go to a party. Plus, I won't know anybody."
"Of course you will. You know Kathy's daughters, Mary and Susan. And you'll be with me. It'll be just the thing to bring your confidence back up. How about it?"
The last thing Sarah wanted was to be surrounded by a horde of human faces. But if these so-called Threats really were after her, she'd feel safer if she were around others. It would also help to get Karen off of her back if she could see her being sociable and "normal" for one night.
"Well what about Toby?" she asked.
"I'll arrange for a baby-sitter." answered Karen, who had already picked up the phone ready to dial the numbers.
"Okay, I'll come." Sarah agreed, unenthusiastically, but secretly pleased that Karen felt the need to mother her so badly.
"Wonderful! Now go and get yourself ready. The taxi will be here at seven."
Sarah went up to her room and replaced her sweater and jeans with a stylish black dress. She brushed her hair so that it hung loosely over her shoulders, and applied a light coating of make-up. Finally, she completed the outfit with some large gold hooped earrings. Of course she didn't look as glamorous as she did at the Labyrinth's ball, but by human standards she still looked incredibly attractive. She stared tiredly at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were flooding with emotions; sadness, lust, anger, betrayal. She couldn't believe how much had happened to her in the past two weeks.
"Taxi's here!" yelled her stepmother from downstairs.
"Coming!" she responded, taking one last longing look in the mirror.
Admittedly, Sarah did feel a little better at the party. She willingly congregated with her stepmothers friends, who complimented her on her timeless glamour and well-bred manners. They made her feel good about herself, and for a while she forgot about her mother, Lysander and Jareth - at least for a little while. She drank champagne all night, and even danced for a while. Karen looked on, happy that Sarah was enjoying herself for the first time in weeks.
"I'm just going to the ladies room." Sarah commented to her friend Susan after the song had finished.
She swaggered out of the main hall and down a small corridor where she finally found the ladies bathroom. She walked in closing the door behind her. Whilst in the cubicle, she began humming to herself, a familiar melody which had always haunted and soothed her at the same time. As she continued to hum, she failed to notice that she was no longer alone. Someone else had entered the bathroom. Casually, she finished up, left the cubicle and headed over to the sink to wash her hands. Sarah gasped, frightened by the sudden intrusion of a stranger. A middle-aged curly brown haired woman, who was innocently fixing her make-up in the mirror, had startled her.
"Sorry. Did I scare you?" the woman asked, smiling politely.
"No, its fine. I just didn't realise anybody else was in here." she replied, feeling a little embarrassed that she had practically been singing with a stranger close by.
"Don't worry yourself, Honey. We've all had a little too much champagne." She smiled, before gazing at Sarah in a peculiar way, as if she had just become conscious of who she was talking you. "Are you Sarah Williams?" she asked.
"Yes I am. Do I know you?" Sarah asked, re-applying her lipstick in the bathroom mirror.
"I'm Tania. I know your stepmother, Karen. She was telling me that you used to do a bit of acting?" Tania placed her hands on her upper body and plumped up her breasts. Sarah didn't like to pass judgement, but the phrase mutton dressed as lamb scrolled across her mind.
"Well, I had a few classes when was little. It was nothing really." Sarah frowned at the thought of Karen discussing her with everyone like she was her own daughter.
"Oh, you see I was just wondering, because I have an audition, and I wanted somebody's opinion on the monologue that I prepared. But I understand if its too much trouble." Tania tossed her hair away from her face and pouted, as if she was some kind of supermodel. She didn't look like an actress. Sarah assumed she was trying to make up for her wasted youth, which was probably spent drinking, smoking and sleeping with every man who called her 'pretty'.
"Oh no, it's no trouble. I won't be able to give you expert advice or anything but I'll have a listen. Let's hear it!"
Tania smiled, thankfully, took a deep breath after clearing her throat. Sarah tried her best to not sneer at how ridiculous she looked.
"A curse to you is what I bestow, to salvage the lives of the ones I know, you; the girl whom we all fear, a maiden so fair should ne'er interfere, I give thou the gift of the tainted hand, since power and peril, you seem to withstand, for gold shalt not spring from your sacred touch, but danger will come to those you love much."
As she spoke these ,words she threw her hands about and shouted the like she was one of the witches from Macbeth. Even Sarah had to admit that she was not good. Still, she tried her best not to laugh at the woman, who seemed absurdly happy with herself.
"That was…that was really…something." Sarah scanned her brain for the right words, but there were no words. Tania was clearly not an actress, and Sarah knew she never would be.
At that moment, Lysander burst through he door, appearing nervous and exhausted. He was dressed in all black, which greatly contrasted to the pastel clothing he usually wore. His blond curls were now tinged with dirt and slick against his forehead.
"Sarah!" he shouted, with dread in his tone. His face was red and grubby.
"Lysander, what are you doing in a girls bathroom?" she yelled, jumping back in surprise.
"This is urgent, Sarah!" he bellowed, then paused to look at Tania, who for some strange reason found the entire situation amusing. "Who is she?" he questioned.
"She just a guest at the party. Her name is erm…erm…"
"Tania!" the woman interrupted, still grinning.
"Yeah, that's right! Tania." repeated Sarah.
"You mean you don't know her?" Lysander asked.
"No, we've just met, she was just showing me her monologue because she's auditioning for…"
"Oh no! You've already listened to her!" interrupted Lysander, who glowered at Tania menacingly. "What did you say to her?" he shouted.
"San, leave her alone! What's the matter with you?" cried Sarah. "I'm so sorry about him. He's been a little stressed lately." she said, turning to Tania.
"Oh, it's fine" Tania claimed, suddenly appearing rather nervous.
"No, it's NOT fine!" he roared, which stunned Sarah, for she had never known him to be so irate. He stormed close to Tania and scowled, eyeing her up and down with with a furious intent. "She's evil!" he growled.
"Oh, I'm not listening to this. You have gone crazy! Let's go, Tania!" Sarah marched towards the bathroom door in protest. For the first time in ages, she had enjoyed a nice normal night and now it had been ruined by her meddlesome "friend".
"Sarah, wait I need to tell you something!" called Lysander, who tried to dash after her. However, as he reached for the door an immense force jerked him back. That was when he realised that Tania had grabbed hold of him.
"You're not going to tell her anything!" she instructed evilly, with her vicious glowing red eyes leering into his. Then, without haste, she raised her hand and punched his face. The force of her fist was so strong that he flew across the bathroom, leaving him unconscious on the floor. Her killer heels kicked him cruelly, before she carelessly paraded out of the door. She watched as Sarah fled down the corridor and muttered a few callous words to herself. "My work is done, Master." she said, with a haunting smile fixated on her face.