4. Head First.

They walked giddily, and gingerly, not hurriedly through their surroundings, their arms linked. They knew what would probably happen if they didn't take notice of each other, and they had to get the centre together to get Gareth.

"We haven't been menaced by Jareth yet. Do you think he's saving it up?"

"I," Star stated significantly, "don't want to see Jareth. I want to get Gareth and get back to my life." She ignored the side ways glance off Red.

"Really?" both of them whipped around to see Jareth lounging insolently, like a cat against a remarkably clean tree for the filthy forest.

"Maybe we should just shut our mouth here..." Redaura warned.

"Yes! Really!"

Jareth smiled with all the seduction and charm he owned. It didn't make Star feel any better. "So how" he asked rhetorically, "are you enjoying my Labyrinth?"

"Um...no comment." Star said carefully. "If you want," she said with false cheer, "I'll give you a run down at the end!"

"I shall hold you to that," Jareth told her, with a hint of a smile twisting his lips. In the background Red groaned. Jareth whipped round to face her. Redauras eyes widened involuntary, Jareth noted with satisfaction her fear.

"Saying something, /Red/."

"N...no."

"Sure?"

"Yes."

"Well, you have five hours left."

"We have more than that!"

"Cheat!"

"Bet you wouldn't win if it weren't for that!"

Jareth raised his eyebrows at them; they went quite a way into his hairline. To late they shut up as he faded into the darkening woods. When they where sure he was completely gone they hurried on. Star plunged downwards, again.

Red's throat was raw with screaming, but she still managed as she was pulled sown after. It echoed around and around the hole and her head. She was /so/ tired. The force of smooth white hands lowering them down by their clothing was

*Oh no, head first.*

To her relief she was suspended firmly by her ankles, where she was dropped abruptly to land painfully on her hands jarring her arms. The grid above them clanged shut like the final nail in the coffin, the final shovel of earth on a fresh grave. If they couldn't get out...

/An oubliette. A place to put people and forget about them./ When the thirteen hours where up if they didn't get out, Jareth would at least come to gloat, wouldn't he?

How where they going to get out? There was a noise in the depths of the hole, in front of where they had their backs pressed against the dank walls.