II.
So she did.
She couldn't recognize the face. Something familiar about the voice, but-
"Sarah." She looked up at the Man, confused.
"How do you know my name? Who are you?" Sarah whispered. The Man frowned, holding
out his hand. Enshrined within was a glass ball; he rolled it around in his palm before, delicately
balanced upon a gloved finger, he offered it to her. Sarah took the glowing sphere, sitting up,
wide-eyed as a child.
She was standing on a rocky precipice. The Man was there too. He was laughing. And there
was a clock. But something was wrong with the clock. It had thirteen hours on its face. She
looked east, and there was a maze. And a castle inside the maze. But it was a rather large
maze. A labyrinth even …
The scene changed; she was climbing, climbing – another maze, this one contained and
bizarrely lit – thousands of staircases, turning this way and that, ascending, descending, no
where to go, nothing to do but climb …
Sarah dropped the ball, watching as it rolled to the edge of the bed and fell – shattering into dust.
"You're him … aren't you?" she began to shake all over. "Y-you're the -" the Man smiled wickedly.
"Of course I am. Such a pity … you spoilt everything …" He laughed, then turned to face her
sternly. "What I'm more interested in is why I'm here. Why is that, Sarah?"
"I – d – d – don't – " The Man grabbed her wrist, glaring into her eyes.
"Don't play games, Sarah. Why have you summoned me?" she furrowed her brows, not understanding.
"I didn't. I … wouldn't …"
"But you have. You called out so pathetically that I supposed something horrible had happened …"
he smiled wickedly, "but you were here, all alone, sleeping like … a baby."
"I must have been … dreaming …" he laughed again, doubling up as he realized what she had done. His
cold eyes twinkled. Sarah was stunned. "No … I couldn't, I don't even – I didn't!" she looked at him in
panic. "I didn't say anything, I didn't, please -"
"What's said is said."
And before she could protest further, Sarah found herself standing in a dimly lit hall. Torches burned
brightly from sconces littering the walls, casting dancing shadows flickering every which way. But the
shadows stopped, and seemed to turn. She stared.
The goblins stared back at the girl, momentarily halting their perpetual commotion. The room was silent.
The past echoed all around the dark chamber. Swirling, escalating to a climax …
Your highness! Your highness! The girl! The girl who ate the peach and forgot everything! She's
here with the monster and Sir Didymus and the dwarf are with her! They got through the gates
and they're on their way to the castle!
"This … can't …"
Is this what you're trying to find? So much trouble over such a little thing …
"be happening …"
She should have given up by now …
Jareth lay sprawled upon his throne, grinning madly.
"Welcome."
And she screamed and screamed, because they told her it wasn't real, they told her again and
again and again, until she forgot, and she knew they were right, and she couldn't believe again,
and she wasn't able to believe again ...