DISCLAIMER: I have no right to claim Labyrinth and its characters as my own. Etc.
As the World Falls Down
"In which Sarah is still selfish, and the Goblin King is still in love with the girl with cruel eyes."
Chapter 11: It is tragic, plain and simple
– – –
Unfortunately, understanding does not always bring with it acceptance.
Death was, is, and always will be sad. No matter what science, religion, or hope say about being in a better place, the people left behind never are.
It is tragic, plain and simple. No matter how many of one's family and friends die, it will always hurt. It will always be felt.
No matter that one has barely-known it a few days, a couple of months, or known it intimately all your life.
Because unfortunately, simply knowing will never save one from hurting.
Thus, I appear before her. She is dry-eyed, and very much tired.
I offer Sarah her dreams, once again. They are warm, and shining brightly as when I first offered. It feels so long...
"It has been long time, hasn't it?" she asks casually, even as she waves away the offer of her dreams.
I sit beside her, as I did some... some time ago, even as I wonder if we are still talking about her dreams.
"They died together, you see. Karen and Toby. They went Christmas shopping, and I declined their invitation because I've always done my shopping early, to avoid the rush. Avoid the snow, and the ice."
"Toby was a delightful child," I find myself saying. Because what else could I offer? I have never truly learned how to comfort a grieving woman in the millennia that I lived.
But for the first time, I wondered to myself, if I should've learned – or at least tried to – to offer comfort, since the first time I failed to offer such. To Sarah. For Sarah.
"That's generous enough, thank you. But you don't have to. It's enough. I failed to appreciate it then, but I appreciate it now."
Does she? I wondered. "Do you truly, Sarah?"
"Yes."
And I suddenly just knew.
So this time, I left it at that.
– – –
TBC.
NOTE (06.30.11): The End is so close...