Soon a white light surrounded the bed and with a pop, the creatures, the girls, and the bed disappeared.
The three girls awoke to the sound of somebody grumbling.
"What the…Where are we?" Taryn asked looking around. Lynn sat up and rubbed her eyes. There were two little creatures grumbling as they walked around. They definitely weren't room service.
"Well, we aren't in the hotel room anymore, that's for sure." Lynn said getting up off the bed. Taryn and Peregrine followed suit and they stood looking around in their rumpled clothing.
"It… it really worked." Peregrine whispered. Her friends didn't hear her, because the minute she spoke, a man appeared in front of them.
"Ahh, you are finally awake," the man said. "Now, Peregrine I believe it was you who made the wish, was it?" he asked turning to her. She was startled by his different coloured eyes. Peregrine nodded, looked at her friends, then down at the ground.
"Perry, what is he talking about?" Taryn asked looking at her friend.
"I…" she cleared her throat. "I wished that we would be far away from the horrible things in the world last night, after y'all fell asleep."
"You...you wished…" Lynn stuttered then turned back to the man. "Who are you?" she demanded.
"I am the Goblin King. Jareth, if you wish," The man gave a haughty nod of his head.
"I wouldn't be that haughty if I were wearing tights." Taryn spoke up. "You've had your fun at Perry's expense. Now take us back to the hotel."
"This land is made of magic. We aren't in our world anymore." Said Lynn who had been looking around and examining the world surrounding them.
"Right you are. Welcome to the Underground." Jareth confirmed.
"Then wave your hand and send them…us back." Peregrine spoke up. "I didn't mean my wish. I take it back." She said all this while looking at the ground and clenching her fists. Her leaving the world was one thing, but forcefully taking her friends was another. If getting them back meant she had to go back, then so be it.
"It isn't that easy. You made the wish, and the wish can not be undone." Jareth raised his hand to stop the protests. "However, there is away for you to earn the right to go home." The girls looked at him, waiting for him to go on. "You have thirteen hours to complete the labyrinth." He waved his hand towards the maze below the hill they stood on. "If you all make it, you will all be sent back. If one doesn't, that one will have to stay. The clock will stop ticking as soon as the three of you step foot within the castle or if the time runs out." And with that, the Goblin King disappeared. The three looked at each other and shook their heads simultaneously. It wasn't a dream.
"Well, c'mon then. We haven't got all day." Lynn said leading the way down the hill to the maze. They found the gate standing open and when they walked in they were confronted with what seemed to be a never-ending hallway.
Taryn looked around then exclaimed, "Ha! It's an optical illusion. Run your hands down the wall and look for an opening." As an afterthought she added, "Don't press any strange looking buttons though. This thing might have more booby traps than an Indiana Jones movie." They each trailed their hands down a wall, Taryn and Peregrine on the right, Lynn on the right. Lynn cried out and the other two turned to her.
"I found it, I found it!" Lynn danced around. Taryn and Peregrine shared a look then pushed Lynn through the opening, turned right and came to what seemed to be a courtyard in the middle of a maze. There were many outings stemming out from the courtyard.
"Which one do we take?" Peregrine asked looking at each opening. None of them had any distinguishing marks, they all looked the same.
"Perhaps," Lynn said, "Perhaps if we follow twisted logic we will defeat the labyrinth sooner. Now, logic would tell us to take the opening that is closest our destination. That would be that opening." Lynn pointed her hand to one across the way. "Twisted logic, however, advises you to take the opening nearest you. That would be this one." She pointed to a opening to their right. It was the only door within three feet of them. They looked at each other and without a word all turned and walked through the nearest opening. They followed the path, mostly making right turns when the time came, until finally Lynn stopped and sat on a rock.
"I'm hungry." She whined and suddenly she was holding a sandwich.
"Lynn, you have got to teach me that." Peregrine said as she tore off a corner of the sandwich and popped it in her mouth. Lynn was staring in amazement at the sandwich in her lap.
"I've never been able to do that before." She whispered in disbelief.
"Well, do it two more times so we can eat and be on our way." Taryn said and joined Peregrine on a nearby rock. Soon they were all munching happily on sandwiches.