Chapter Two
Sarah hummed along with the Christmas carols that played on her radio, as she tried to make her way through the snow which had grown steadily heavier the closer she got to the mall. She came to an intersection and was confused. Was she supposed to go right or left? She fumbled through her bag in search of the flier she had received in her mail earlier that week. In doing so, she didn't notice the big black car run a red light and head straight for her. Sarah looked up just as the car hit the edge of her bumper and sent her car skidding. Sarah, luckily, was belted in, and only bruised her head against the window. She sat still for a minute, waiting for her head to clear, and listened top the screech of tires as the vehicle that had hit her tore away into the night. Then, Sarah pulled over to the side of the road to inspect her car. Shivering in the snow, she walked slowly around the car, looking at it from every angle. She couldn't believe it. Not a scratch. How is that even possible, she wondered? Shaking her head at her unbelievable luck, she got back in her car, brushing snowflakes off her shoulders. Turning right at the intersection, she proceeded cautiously through the heavy snow towards the mall.
Up ahead on her right, she saw it and turned into the large parking lot. Lights shone everywhere, reflecting off the falling snow and illuminating the buildings, making each one phosphorescent in the dim night. Sarah slowly made her way through the parking lot and parked, then got out of her car and headed towards the closest of the buildings.
If the outside was beautiful, the inside was even more so. Sparkling Christmas decorations hung everywhere, and soft music was playing in the background. The interior was awash in bright colors of gold, crimson, green, and royal blue. Sarah wandered along, trying to take it all in.
"Wow...this place is worth the trip. It should be an attraction in itself."
As Sarah got on an escalator, she heard "Green sleeves" being played, and smiled as she hummed along with the tune. Then she stopped...it was so quiet. She glanced around. Oh, there were people around her, and they were talking, but there was a distinctive hush in the air, as if everyone was afraid of shattering the crystal-clear quality of the very air around them. How strange...Sarah thought. She got off the escalator at the top, and was about to pass by a store when she decided to go in instead.
It was a Victoria's Secret type place, although its name "Valentine Evenings" seemed to suit it just as well. Sarah ran her hands over the dozens of soft, shiny nightgowns and silk robes that lay around her. This place, too, was so colorful she felt almost blinded by it. Ruby, emerald, sapphire, and amethyst hues leaped out to entrance her already wonder- filled orbs. The air in here made Sarah feel almost light-headed. She stopped in front of a glass counter full of cut glass perfume bottles to steady herself. While standing in front of the perfume, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror beneath them. Her color was high, and she looked starry-eyed. Then she felt a light touch on her hand, and heard a voice say,
"Can I help you?"...
She slowly looked up, and her eyes fell upon a face that she hadn't seen in almost ten years. Two eyes, one a brilliant blue, the other an intense green, bored into her hazel ones.
Sarah didn't think, she ran. Out of the store, down the escalator, heedless of the people she knocked out of her way. She ran. Across the main lobby and headed toward the door with all of her strength. She hit the crash bar and-ricocheted off it. Sarah landed on her fanny, sliding back across the highly waxed floor. She got up again immediately and tried with all her might to push the door open. It wouldn't budge.
Looking over her shoulder, she saw a mop of blond hair advancing slowly. She heard the click of his boots on the floor. Panicking and sobbing, Sarah scrabbled at the door, pushing, banging, kicking. And finally slid to a heap, covering her head with her arms, cowering away from the man who stopped directly in front of her with his arms crossed, Jareth, the Goblin King.
Sarah hummed along with the Christmas carols that played on her radio, as she tried to make her way through the snow which had grown steadily heavier the closer she got to the mall. She came to an intersection and was confused. Was she supposed to go right or left? She fumbled through her bag in search of the flier she had received in her mail earlier that week. In doing so, she didn't notice the big black car run a red light and head straight for her. Sarah looked up just as the car hit the edge of her bumper and sent her car skidding. Sarah, luckily, was belted in, and only bruised her head against the window. She sat still for a minute, waiting for her head to clear, and listened top the screech of tires as the vehicle that had hit her tore away into the night. Then, Sarah pulled over to the side of the road to inspect her car. Shivering in the snow, she walked slowly around the car, looking at it from every angle. She couldn't believe it. Not a scratch. How is that even possible, she wondered? Shaking her head at her unbelievable luck, she got back in her car, brushing snowflakes off her shoulders. Turning right at the intersection, she proceeded cautiously through the heavy snow towards the mall.
Up ahead on her right, she saw it and turned into the large parking lot. Lights shone everywhere, reflecting off the falling snow and illuminating the buildings, making each one phosphorescent in the dim night. Sarah slowly made her way through the parking lot and parked, then got out of her car and headed towards the closest of the buildings.
If the outside was beautiful, the inside was even more so. Sparkling Christmas decorations hung everywhere, and soft music was playing in the background. The interior was awash in bright colors of gold, crimson, green, and royal blue. Sarah wandered along, trying to take it all in.
"Wow...this place is worth the trip. It should be an attraction in itself."
As Sarah got on an escalator, she heard "Green sleeves" being played, and smiled as she hummed along with the tune. Then she stopped...it was so quiet. She glanced around. Oh, there were people around her, and they were talking, but there was a distinctive hush in the air, as if everyone was afraid of shattering the crystal-clear quality of the very air around them. How strange...Sarah thought. She got off the escalator at the top, and was about to pass by a store when she decided to go in instead.
It was a Victoria's Secret type place, although its name "Valentine Evenings" seemed to suit it just as well. Sarah ran her hands over the dozens of soft, shiny nightgowns and silk robes that lay around her. This place, too, was so colorful she felt almost blinded by it. Ruby, emerald, sapphire, and amethyst hues leaped out to entrance her already wonder- filled orbs. The air in here made Sarah feel almost light-headed. She stopped in front of a glass counter full of cut glass perfume bottles to steady herself. While standing in front of the perfume, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror beneath them. Her color was high, and she looked starry-eyed. Then she felt a light touch on her hand, and heard a voice say,
"Can I help you?"...
She slowly looked up, and her eyes fell upon a face that she hadn't seen in almost ten years. Two eyes, one a brilliant blue, the other an intense green, bored into her hazel ones.
Sarah didn't think, she ran. Out of the store, down the escalator, heedless of the people she knocked out of her way. She ran. Across the main lobby and headed toward the door with all of her strength. She hit the crash bar and-ricocheted off it. Sarah landed on her fanny, sliding back across the highly waxed floor. She got up again immediately and tried with all her might to push the door open. It wouldn't budge.
Looking over her shoulder, she saw a mop of blond hair advancing slowly. She heard the click of his boots on the floor. Panicking and sobbing, Sarah scrabbled at the door, pushing, banging, kicking. And finally slid to a heap, covering her head with her arms, cowering away from the man who stopped directly in front of her with his arms crossed, Jareth, the Goblin King.