Crystal Waterfalls
By: Meagan
Email: crazy_sparkleness@yahoo.com
Rating: PG-13...as far as I know...
Disclaimer: I don't own the Labyrinth...Jim Henson and some other people do...I am not them...I am just a lowly fan with way too many story ideas...
Summary: Sarah is out of college and living with her cousin. But her world gets a jolt when her cousin, Roxy, finds her Labyrinth book and says a few choice words...
Author's Note: Don't ask me where I am going with this or what I am thinking. I just had this idea and it all just sort of flowed onto the paper. I had no direction and even wrote myself into a few seemingly dead ends. Luckily I was able to write myself out of them. I am going to have a few chapters written ahead of what I send to you, that way you won't have to worry about my updating. But any ideas are welcome for nothing is set in stone. Enjoy and please, REVIEW!!! Oh, one last note. Unless you are familiar with my other stories, italics is for thinking.
~~~Chapter 1: Words and New Adventures~~~
The alarm rang early one Monday morning. Sarah groaned but still managed to force herself out of bed. She hated waking up before 8 a.m. During college, her favorite days were when she had only late classes. But those days were rare. Sarah had hoped that once she graduated she would be able to sleep in again. No such luck.
It seemed that all appointments for interviews had already been scheduled for the afternoon, leaving only the early morning open for Sarah. Sure, most of those she knew were taking the summer off. Yet that meant that they would have less job offerings and more competition once they decided to check out the job market. Sarah knew that by starting her job search this early she would be able to miss the 'Summer Rush', as it was called. It seemed all college students couldn't just stop taking the summer off.
But while they vacation in Cancun, I will be getting myself a stable job with benefits. Then while they are rushing to find a job I will take my vacation. Sarah thought happily as she changed into her interview suit.
Sarah walked into the living room and poured herself a cup of coffee from the pot that was on the counter between the kitchen and living room. She then proceeded to sit down in the leather recliner. That was when she saw the little red book lying next to the couch. She cautiously bent over to pick it up and then just laid it in her lap.
Sarah ran her fingers over the title. She had no idea how it had made it to the living room. The last time she checked it was in the lower right corner of her bookcase. Then she noticed the bookmark sticking out. She turned to face the other bedroom door that was partially open. Sarah knew exactly how her Labyrinth book had gotten into the living room.
Roxana was Sarah's cousin on Sarah's dad's side. Roxy, as she preferred to be called, had lived in rainy Portland, Oregon, with her mother. She would call Sarah on major holidays, Sarah's birthday, and whenever anything exciting happened. They both had gotten along whenever they met, which seemed right since they were the same age.
Somehow, Roxy had found out the exact colleges that Sarah was going to apply to and then applied to them herself. Roxy got accepted to then all, even the ones that didn't accept Sarah. Roxy had the grades to get her into almost any college. Even though she had been accepted to Harvard, she still chose to go to the same college as Sarah. It was some university in Los Angeles, California.
Sarah was able to go to an out-of-state college because of her scholarships. Roxy could go to any college because her grandparents (on both sides) were rich.
Roxy was shy until you got to know her, and then she could just be a little crazy at times. Certain things got on her nerves, causing her to get angry. She loved to lock herself in her room and just read, play video games, surf the net, or watch movies all day. She even dabbled in creative writing. Everyone said she had talent but she lost interest too easy to finish most of her stories.
She also had a love for Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Action/Adventure story lines. She rarely watched anything where the events could happen in real life. That was why she loved to hear Sarah tell the story of her trip through the Labyrinth; though Sarah just said that it was a story she had heard somewhere.
I bet she has realized by now where my story came from seeing as she has read the book. I bet she thinks I was just retelling it if I was placed in such a situation. I wonder how she found it. I had it hidden well. Sarah thought this while sipping her coffee.
Then she heard sounds coming from Roxy's room. She didn't have to wake up early yet she was still getting up at an unheard of hour. That was when Sarah got a feeling that something bad was going to happen in result of Roxy reading the Labyrinth.
Sarah placed the book on the coffee table and went to get herself some breakfast. When she entered the living room after eating her oatmeal, she noticed that the book was gone from the table. She started to panic. She shook her head and mentally slapped herself for overreacting. What harm could be done from reading a book?
Her eyes snapped at the closed door as she heard talking coming from within. She walked quickly to the door and pressed her ear against it. Roxy was reading from somewhere near the beginning of the book.
No! She is close to reading the Words! Sarah froze in her spot. She couldn't move even though she desperately wanted, and needed, to. Roxy paused right before she got to the Words. Sarah let out her breath and relaxed a little. Then Roxy spoke again.
"Hm, I don't know anyone by that name. I know! I can rewrite it, changing the brother's name to that of Sarah and me. I am a genius!" Roxy exclaimed. Sarah still couldn't believe that Roxy had been able to become more outgoing and less mad-at-the-world. Roxy had even gained social skills at college.
Sarah suddenly found that she could move again. She burst her way into the room but she was too late. "I wish the goblins would come and take Sarah and me away, right now!" Roxy didn't shout but she was a little loud. Instantly the lights flickered and then all was dark. This just had to happen early enough in the day, or morning, to be dark outside. It also didn't help that Roxy had dark curtains, which were closed at the moment.
A breeze mysteriously appeared when suddenly the window flew open and glitter flew everywhere. Sarah turned away briefly before facing her worst nightmare. There he was, just standing there. She felt her mouth drop open.
Jareth, the Goblin King, smirked at the sight of Sarah. He knew that she would be surprised. Her cousin was another matter. Roxy was giving off her famous smile-smirk, something no one else could duplicate. She was not at all surprised. Jareth glared at her, his expression clearly saying How can you not be shocked? How dare you not be shocked! Roxy just grinned back.
Jareth broke the silence. "It is nice to see you again Sarah. I see that you are surprised to see me again. I myself was shocked when I heard your cousin's wish. Yet she seems to find this all funny." Jareth turned his attention back to the laughing Roxy. So did Sarah.
"Why are you laughing?" Sarah hissed. Roxy shock her head. Sarah rolled her eyes and turned to glare at Jareth. "I don't care why you are here but you can leave now."
Jareth shock his head, as in to say no. "I can't. She wished you two away. Now you must go through my Labyrinth, separately, to save yourselves. Don't you have some interviews to cancel?"
Sarah's mouth dropped, again. "You have been spying on me?!"
"No," said Jareth, " it wasn't me. It was the Labyrinth. It keeps track of all who try to solve it and keeps a book as a record. Before I came I quickly read the last chapter to see where you are in life."
Sarah's eyes narrowed. "I bet you have a lot of fun reading about when I was having a difficult time in my life."
Jareth sighed. "I have never touched one of those books until today. I don't know why the Labyrinth keeps such extensive records. They are useless to me unless someone wishes away another person for a second time."
Sarah still looked skeptical. Roxy cleared her throat. "Don't you have some calls to make, Sarah?" Sarah sighed and walked over to Roxy's phone. She dialed a number.
"Hello? Rob? Hi, its Sarah…Just fine, thank you…I am calling because a family emergency came up and…yeah…thanks…I'll call when things get settled down…bye." Sarah hung up. She turned to face Roxy and glared. "There, are you happy now?
Roxy shrugged. "Let's just get this over with." Before Sarah could reply, they were in the Underground. "Whoa! This is the Underground and Labyrinth?" Roxy spun around on the very hill that Sarah started on when she was forced the first time to solve the Labyrinth.
Jareth shook his head. "I must say this now so you don't get too over confident and smug. There is a little chance that you will find anything in your purses of use." Roxy had a backpack purse while Sarah had a purse over her shoulder.
Before there could be a reply, Jareth made a 13-hour clock appear. "As you know, you have 13 hours to complete my Labyrinth. If you reach the Castle beyond the Goblin City, then you will be sent home. If you don't and fail, then you will be stuck here, forever."
Jareth let it set in before continuing. "You will each start at a different entrance. If you do find each other, do know that it won't last for long. Roxy, you will start at the entrance Sarah used for her first time here. Sarah, you will be starting at a different entrance, and no, you can't help her find the way in. The obstacles you both shall face may be different from those Sarah encountered her first time. The Labyrinth has changed a lot in these last 8 years. If you do make it to the Goblin City and beyond, then you will find that it has changed as well. I did have to rebuild most of the City and part of my Castle after the encounter with Sarah."
Sarah noticed that Jareth was mostly saying this to Roxy. She blinked and she was somewhere else outside the Labyrinth. Jareth moved up right beyond her to whisper in her ear. "This is where you will begin. You will find my Labyrinth much more challenging. So much has changed that I rarely have to interfere. Remember, 13 hours." And then he was gone.
A shiver ran down Sarah's spine. She was 23 years old yet he still had that effect on her. She shook her head and headed for the outer wall. She saw a faint outline and pressed hard in the middle. A door silently opened in front of her. And thus she entered the Labyrinth for the second time.
Roxy had been left on the hill, alone. She swung her backpack around so she could look into it. She smiled when she saw the contents. She was very happy that she was holding it when she said the Words. She had the luck of having something that even if it didn't make the trip easier, it would at least make it more enjoyable.
Once her pack was secure on her back, she felt a presence behind her. She could feel his breath on her neck.
"You best be starting on your way. You only have 13 hours. Do not expect what Sarah has told you to be of any use. I expect you won't see much of me, but I will be watching you." Jareth started to fade away.
Roxy abruptly turned around to face the disappearing Goblin King, with arms over her chest. He quickly rematerialized. Roxy smirked. "I hope you don't think you are intimidating. You can't scare me into giving up before I even start. I am ready to accept any outcome." And with that she turned around and strode toward the entrance.
Jareth immediately left the hill and appeared on his throne. She is the first to not be shocked by my appearance or frightened by me. She is ready to accept any fate put before her. I will have to keep a sharp eye on that one.
He produced two crystals from the air and set one on each arm of his throne. One allowed him to watch Sarah while the other was so he could watch Roxy. He was not going to let them surprise him.
Back in the Labyrinth, Sarah found herself going down another never-ending corridor. Only this time she didn't have a choice on which way to go, she had to go straight. She carefully examined the walls on either side but she couldn't find a single opening. After what seemed like an eternity, she found a side passage. But to her dismay, it was a dead end either way she looked.
Every single side passage ended a couple feet in. Finally, to Sarah's excitement, she could see an end to her corridor. Then her luck turned sour again. When she saw the end, she saw *the* end of the corridor. All of a sudden there was no more road. Before her was a steep cliff that ended in a forest. There was no place to go except down. Sarah sighed. This is going to be a long day.
Roxy's situation seemed to be the same as her cousins. No matter how thoroughly she checked the walls, the only openings she found were dead ends. Then all of a sudden she found an opening that actually led somewhere. She turned to face the wall opposite and saw that there was a small hole. She leaned in close and heard noise coming from the hole.
She heard a noise coming closer so she backed away. From the hole came the Worm. She smiled. "Hi there. Which way should I go down that passage?"
The Worm was a little surprised. "Oh, 'Allo! I didn't see you there. Well, the way you go depends on where you want to end up. I, myself, recommend going right."
"That is the way you had my cousin Sarah go. Where would I end up if I went left?" Roxy inquired.
"Left you say? Why that takes you directly to the castle." The Worm said truthfully.
Roxy's eyes grew big. "If I go left I will be taken right to the castle?" The Worm nodded. She took that as a yes. "That is wonderful. I was contemplating on going that way but now I am definitely going to the left. Thank you so very much."
Roxy jumped up and hurried down the left path. The Worm just shook his head. "Should have gone the other way. Don't see why anyone would want to go to the castle."
Before she had gone 10 feet, a grating noise was heard behind her. She twirled around to find her path blocked. She had no choice but to continue forward. She laughed evilly, opened her pack, and pulled out her MP3 player. She turned it on somewhat quietly and started on her journey.
After what seemed to be an eternity of slight curves and sudden turns, Roxy decided to climb a wall to see where she was. She turned down the volume of her MP3 player so she could hear sounds around her.
Amazingly enough, Roxy was able to find footholds in the wall and the climbing vines helped as well. She chose to climb at a sharp corner. Roxy almost fell backwards when she saw what was to the left of her path. There, standing before a jungle valley and a steep cliff, was her cousin. And Sarah looked completely lost.
Roxy struggled to find her voice as she paused her MP3 player. "Sarah, look up." Sarah turned to face the wall to her right. And there was her cousin. Sarah's mouth fell open. Roxy grinned sheepishly. "Were you looking for a way out of your predicament?" Sarah grinned and started to climb up and over the wall.
~~~Author's Note~~~
I hoped you enjoyed that first part. Now I am going to type up chapter 2 after I start chapter 3. Don't worry about 'Safe At Home' though, I will get to it soon enough. I have been busy with work and school will be starting soon. This story is easy to write so it won't take me long to write chapters for it. I am at a critical point in SAH so please, just bear with me. I am just lucky that I was able to find time at work to write this story. I just couldn't find it right to write SAH at work. Plus, I write SAH as I type; I don't write it out first on paper. Well, read and review. I live for reviews. I need to know that you are like it so I know to continue. Thanks.
