CHAPTER FIVE
Sarah woke up to the smell of coffee brewing. She got out of bed, slipped her slippers on and headed downstairs to the kitchen. Karen was standing in the kitchen, almost finished with making breakfast. "Oh, good morning, hun. Did you sleep well?" Karen asked. "Yeah, I was out like a light." Sarah replied. "Okay, well your father and I have a reservation for brunch with a few of our friends and then we were going to spend the afternoon going antique hunting over in St. Charles. Can you stick around the house and keep an eye on Toby?" "Yeah, it's no problem, maybe I'll take him over to the park or something." Sarah said. Her father came into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. "Oh, and by the way Sarah," he said "we think Toby has been developing an imaginary friend, so don't think too much of it if you hear him talking to thin air." "Okay, thanks a lot, Sarah. You don't know what a big help you are!" Karen called over her shoulder as her and Robert headed out the front door. Sarah poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table, then stood up and decided to go see if Toby was up yet. She walked up the stairs and heard Toby talking. It wasn't clear because she could see his door was closed. She stood next to his door and pushed it open. Toby was sitting on the floor of his bedroom in his pajamas, his back to Sarah, trying to read a book, "T-th-through d-dan- dangers unt-told, and h-hardsh-ships un-un num- num." "Through hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city to take back the child that you have stolen." Toby turned around and looked at Sarah, whose face was pale white, her hand clasped over her mouth. "Toby, where did you get that book?" "Hey Sarah, I found it in a box in the attic, I was learning to read it. Did you ever read this book to me, it sounds familiar?"
Sarah dropped her coffee cup, and it shattered on the ground. For a second she didn't even notice, then Toby started to walk towards her and she said "Oh, Toby, hang on, you don't have anything on your feet." She picked him up and carried him over the broken mug and set him down in the hallway. "Sarah, what's wrong? Are you mad at me?" "What? No, of course not, munchkin." Toby went downstairs to watch cartoons while Sarah cleaned up the mess. She sat on the floor, leaning her back against the door. How could she have forgotten? The Labyrinth was such a turning point in her life, and she had completely repressed all her memories of it. Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus... Jareth. She froze when she thought of him. The peach, of course! "That's why I hate peaches!" Sarah thought. And she had right reason to, the guy was a total creep, drugging her with fruit and locking her in a crystal ball with a bunch of dancers?? Sarah picked up the last shards of the broken mug and walked downstairs.
"I don't know, Jareth. She's upstairs; do you want me to get her for you? Okay. bye. I will." Sarah heard Toby's voice floating in from the living room. She jumped down from the third step up and ran into the living room. Her brother was standing there alone. She got down on her knees so that she was eye to eye with Toby and grabbed him by the shoulders "Toby, who were you talking to?" "Jareth." "Where is he?" "He left, but he gave me something to give to you." Toby held out his hand and Sarah gasped. Her brother dropped the miniature crystal ball into her hand. "He told me to tell you it was a keepsake, now that you remember."
"Jareth!!" Sarah stood up and shouted. "I demand that you leave my little brother alone! Leave us all alone, we don't want you here!!" "Sarah, no! Jareth is my friend!" Toby cried. "Toby, you don't know what you're talking about, he is a very bad man." "You're just saying that because you're scared." "What are you talking about Toby, I'm not scared of him!" Sarah said indignantly. "I never said you were scared OF him, you're scared because you used to have feelings for him and you don't know what will happen if you see him again." Sarah stared at Toby, her mouth hanging open from shock. She dropped down onto the couch and tried to think, but her mind was too troubled. "Sarah," Toby sat on her lap and stroked her hair, "Jareth needs your help, that's why he's been here, talking to me. Mommy and Daddy can't see him whenever he comes, so they think I made him up. But YOU know he's real. He told me that you even went to his world before. Can we go there sometime Sarah?" "Toby." Sarah said tiredly, "the reason I was in his world was to get you back. Don't you remember? He kidnapped you, and I had to get through his Labyrinth before I could get you back." "That's so cool! So I was in the underground too!? Aww, Sarah, can't we go there again, just for a few hours. Why can't we go today, Mom and Dad won't be home for hours and hours!" "No, Toby, I refuse to go there again." Toby looked at her like he was going to cry, and he ran upstairs and slammed his door. Sarah sighed, she didn't like making him upset. The phone rang. Sarah went and picked it up. "Sarah, it's Karen. There's massive storms out here in St. Charles, and most of the roads have been flooded. Your father and I are going to stay at a hotel and hopefully be back by tomorrow. It all depends on the conditions then. The storm is supposed to be heading in your direction, so be careful and don't go outside, okay?" "Yeah, sure Karen."
Sarah went into her room, and sat in front of the mirror. She had only called her friends once, she didn't know if it would still work. She heard a rumble of thunder and glanced out her window. It looked like the huge storm was headed over here, after all. Sarah settled herself, she stared at her reflection in the mirror and said "Hoggle, I need you." Nothing happened. Sarah laughed at herself so being so stupid, but inside she felt like she was about to cry. She stood up and started to walk away, when the mirror began to get hazy, and Hoggle appeared. "Sarah. is that you?" Hoggle said. Sarah turned around and a huge smile broke onto her face. "Hoggle!! How are you?" "I'm. I'm good. If you don't me me askin' yeh, why'd ya stop talkin' to me?" "Oh, Hoggle I am so sorry. I don't know why, I guess I had myself convinced that the Labyrinth was nothing more than a fairytale. How is everyone over there??" "Good, good. Erm, Sarah there is something you should know, though. Jareth, he. he hasn't been quite right since you left. For months after yeh left, he moped around and nobody saw him during the day. And now, well. to be honest, he's changed the Labyrinth completely. Even the time frame. It's been twilight for the past few days. Sarah, I think we need yer help. Nothing else has worked." "Hoggle, what can I do, though? Oh., oh dear god, if he's as out there as you're saying. he's been here talking to my little brother! Hoggle, I'll be back in a little bit, I HAVE to tell Toby that he must not talk to Jareth anymore!" "Sarah, wait!" Hoggle shouted, but Sarah had already run out of her room and down the hallway.
Sarah walked into Toby's room just as he said "I wish the goblins would come and take Sarah away right now!" "Toby, no!!" He turned around and smiled at Sarah "Now we'll get to go to the Labyrinth!" "Toby, do you have any idea what you have just done! We can't go there, it's too dangerous!" The storm was getting worse and worse outside. Toby ran downstairs, with Sarah running behind him. They stopped in the living room, where there were two glass doors that lead out to the deck. Sarah's back to them as she tried yet again to explain to Toby that the Labyrinth was too dangerous for him. His eyes widened, and for a moment she thought she had gotten through to him. But then, the glass doors flew open and an owl flew into the room. "Dammit!!" Sarah exclaimed, and shut the doors. She turned around, and there was the Goblin King, in his full glory, wearing black leggings, a black vest, and velvet black gloves. "Well, well well. it has been awhile, hasn't it Sarah darling?" "Not long enough," Sarah snarled. "It's good to see you haven't lost your feistiness, love. Well, hello there Toby. How are you?" "Hey, Jareth! Can we go to your castle!?" "Toby, don't talk to him!" "Sarah, what's wrong? Do you not trust me?" Jareth said, feigning a look of shock on his face. "Think long and hard about that one, you dumbass." Sarah replied, rolling her eyes. Jareth stared at her for a long moment, tempting her to say another angry quip, but she kept quiet this time, and stared right back at him. He turned back to Toby and said "Toby, since you asked me to take your sister away, I'm going to do just that. But there are certain rules in the Labyrinth. For example, someone as young as you isn't allowed to solve it. But don't worry, I have a surprise in store for you." "Jareth, you are not taking me away just because a six year old child asked you to!!" "Sarah. We play by my rules, not your's. Now, if you don't mind, I would like to get back to my home.
Sarah woke up to the smell of coffee brewing. She got out of bed, slipped her slippers on and headed downstairs to the kitchen. Karen was standing in the kitchen, almost finished with making breakfast. "Oh, good morning, hun. Did you sleep well?" Karen asked. "Yeah, I was out like a light." Sarah replied. "Okay, well your father and I have a reservation for brunch with a few of our friends and then we were going to spend the afternoon going antique hunting over in St. Charles. Can you stick around the house and keep an eye on Toby?" "Yeah, it's no problem, maybe I'll take him over to the park or something." Sarah said. Her father came into the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. "Oh, and by the way Sarah," he said "we think Toby has been developing an imaginary friend, so don't think too much of it if you hear him talking to thin air." "Okay, thanks a lot, Sarah. You don't know what a big help you are!" Karen called over her shoulder as her and Robert headed out the front door. Sarah poured herself a cup of coffee and sat down at the table, then stood up and decided to go see if Toby was up yet. She walked up the stairs and heard Toby talking. It wasn't clear because she could see his door was closed. She stood next to his door and pushed it open. Toby was sitting on the floor of his bedroom in his pajamas, his back to Sarah, trying to read a book, "T-th-through d-dan- dangers unt-told, and h-hardsh-ships un-un num- num." "Through hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city to take back the child that you have stolen." Toby turned around and looked at Sarah, whose face was pale white, her hand clasped over her mouth. "Toby, where did you get that book?" "Hey Sarah, I found it in a box in the attic, I was learning to read it. Did you ever read this book to me, it sounds familiar?"
Sarah dropped her coffee cup, and it shattered on the ground. For a second she didn't even notice, then Toby started to walk towards her and she said "Oh, Toby, hang on, you don't have anything on your feet." She picked him up and carried him over the broken mug and set him down in the hallway. "Sarah, what's wrong? Are you mad at me?" "What? No, of course not, munchkin." Toby went downstairs to watch cartoons while Sarah cleaned up the mess. She sat on the floor, leaning her back against the door. How could she have forgotten? The Labyrinth was such a turning point in her life, and she had completely repressed all her memories of it. Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus... Jareth. She froze when she thought of him. The peach, of course! "That's why I hate peaches!" Sarah thought. And she had right reason to, the guy was a total creep, drugging her with fruit and locking her in a crystal ball with a bunch of dancers?? Sarah picked up the last shards of the broken mug and walked downstairs.
"I don't know, Jareth. She's upstairs; do you want me to get her for you? Okay. bye. I will." Sarah heard Toby's voice floating in from the living room. She jumped down from the third step up and ran into the living room. Her brother was standing there alone. She got down on her knees so that she was eye to eye with Toby and grabbed him by the shoulders "Toby, who were you talking to?" "Jareth." "Where is he?" "He left, but he gave me something to give to you." Toby held out his hand and Sarah gasped. Her brother dropped the miniature crystal ball into her hand. "He told me to tell you it was a keepsake, now that you remember."
"Jareth!!" Sarah stood up and shouted. "I demand that you leave my little brother alone! Leave us all alone, we don't want you here!!" "Sarah, no! Jareth is my friend!" Toby cried. "Toby, you don't know what you're talking about, he is a very bad man." "You're just saying that because you're scared." "What are you talking about Toby, I'm not scared of him!" Sarah said indignantly. "I never said you were scared OF him, you're scared because you used to have feelings for him and you don't know what will happen if you see him again." Sarah stared at Toby, her mouth hanging open from shock. She dropped down onto the couch and tried to think, but her mind was too troubled. "Sarah," Toby sat on her lap and stroked her hair, "Jareth needs your help, that's why he's been here, talking to me. Mommy and Daddy can't see him whenever he comes, so they think I made him up. But YOU know he's real. He told me that you even went to his world before. Can we go there sometime Sarah?" "Toby." Sarah said tiredly, "the reason I was in his world was to get you back. Don't you remember? He kidnapped you, and I had to get through his Labyrinth before I could get you back." "That's so cool! So I was in the underground too!? Aww, Sarah, can't we go there again, just for a few hours. Why can't we go today, Mom and Dad won't be home for hours and hours!" "No, Toby, I refuse to go there again." Toby looked at her like he was going to cry, and he ran upstairs and slammed his door. Sarah sighed, she didn't like making him upset. The phone rang. Sarah went and picked it up. "Sarah, it's Karen. There's massive storms out here in St. Charles, and most of the roads have been flooded. Your father and I are going to stay at a hotel and hopefully be back by tomorrow. It all depends on the conditions then. The storm is supposed to be heading in your direction, so be careful and don't go outside, okay?" "Yeah, sure Karen."
Sarah went into her room, and sat in front of the mirror. She had only called her friends once, she didn't know if it would still work. She heard a rumble of thunder and glanced out her window. It looked like the huge storm was headed over here, after all. Sarah settled herself, she stared at her reflection in the mirror and said "Hoggle, I need you." Nothing happened. Sarah laughed at herself so being so stupid, but inside she felt like she was about to cry. She stood up and started to walk away, when the mirror began to get hazy, and Hoggle appeared. "Sarah. is that you?" Hoggle said. Sarah turned around and a huge smile broke onto her face. "Hoggle!! How are you?" "I'm. I'm good. If you don't me me askin' yeh, why'd ya stop talkin' to me?" "Oh, Hoggle I am so sorry. I don't know why, I guess I had myself convinced that the Labyrinth was nothing more than a fairytale. How is everyone over there??" "Good, good. Erm, Sarah there is something you should know, though. Jareth, he. he hasn't been quite right since you left. For months after yeh left, he moped around and nobody saw him during the day. And now, well. to be honest, he's changed the Labyrinth completely. Even the time frame. It's been twilight for the past few days. Sarah, I think we need yer help. Nothing else has worked." "Hoggle, what can I do, though? Oh., oh dear god, if he's as out there as you're saying. he's been here talking to my little brother! Hoggle, I'll be back in a little bit, I HAVE to tell Toby that he must not talk to Jareth anymore!" "Sarah, wait!" Hoggle shouted, but Sarah had already run out of her room and down the hallway.
Sarah walked into Toby's room just as he said "I wish the goblins would come and take Sarah away right now!" "Toby, no!!" He turned around and smiled at Sarah "Now we'll get to go to the Labyrinth!" "Toby, do you have any idea what you have just done! We can't go there, it's too dangerous!" The storm was getting worse and worse outside. Toby ran downstairs, with Sarah running behind him. They stopped in the living room, where there were two glass doors that lead out to the deck. Sarah's back to them as she tried yet again to explain to Toby that the Labyrinth was too dangerous for him. His eyes widened, and for a moment she thought she had gotten through to him. But then, the glass doors flew open and an owl flew into the room. "Dammit!!" Sarah exclaimed, and shut the doors. She turned around, and there was the Goblin King, in his full glory, wearing black leggings, a black vest, and velvet black gloves. "Well, well well. it has been awhile, hasn't it Sarah darling?" "Not long enough," Sarah snarled. "It's good to see you haven't lost your feistiness, love. Well, hello there Toby. How are you?" "Hey, Jareth! Can we go to your castle!?" "Toby, don't talk to him!" "Sarah, what's wrong? Do you not trust me?" Jareth said, feigning a look of shock on his face. "Think long and hard about that one, you dumbass." Sarah replied, rolling her eyes. Jareth stared at her for a long moment, tempting her to say another angry quip, but she kept quiet this time, and stared right back at him. He turned back to Toby and said "Toby, since you asked me to take your sister away, I'm going to do just that. But there are certain rules in the Labyrinth. For example, someone as young as you isn't allowed to solve it. But don't worry, I have a surprise in store for you." "Jareth, you are not taking me away just because a six year old child asked you to!!" "Sarah. We play by my rules, not your's. Now, if you don't mind, I would like to get back to my home.