Crystal Waterfalls
By: Meagan
Email: crazy_sparkleness@yahoo.com
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own anything...well...except for Roxy and all this stuff in my room that I paid for...but nothing related to the Labyrinth...unless you want to count the video of it that I bought...
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: I am going to start writing chapter 3 once I am done typing this so it won't be long before I update again. I just have one question to ask at the end, about chapter 3. So don't forget to read the note at the end. You already know about italics used for thoughts. Remember, reviews are your friend and keep me from quitting. As long as you review I know there are people out there that want to read my work.
~~~Chapter 2: Shortcuts and Dead Ends~~~
Jareth glared at the two crystals in front of him. Both crystals showed the exact same scene. This is not how this is supposed to happen. Sarah is supposed to have to go through the jungle while Roxy has to go through an even more difficult version of Sarah's first journey.
Jareth threw the crystals as hard as he could at a wall. He didn't even get a little satisfaction as they shattered into a million pieces. All the goblins in the throne room fell silent and stopped whatever they were doing.
The Goblin King stood up and started to pace. He had to interfere this time. But how? His eyes light up as he figured out the perfect plan to separate the two Williams girls. He produced two new crystals and hid them in the cloak he was now wearing.
Sarah hugged her cousin as soon as she landed. That was when she noticed the earphones. "That was why you seemed so happy to have your backpack." Both of them laughed and continued down the path.
Soon they neared a path that led away from the one they were on. They slowed down and approached it with caution. Then Roxy heard a grating noise identical to the one she heard when she started her present path.
"There is someone else going through the Labyrinth." Roxy whispered to Sarah. They exchanged glances before walking even more carefully.
Once they were within five feet they could hear pounding and scraping coming from the side passage. Roxy stuck her head around the corner first. There, pounding on a very solid stonewall, was a young man in a cloak. He heard the girls behind him and whipped around to face them.
He was about the girls' age, about 6 feet tall, slim build, dark spiked hair, and the brightest blue eyes. He was wearing brown cotton breeches and a tan cotton shirt. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of Sarah and Roxy in their jeans and t-shirts (Sarah had appeared in the clothes she had set aside for after her interviews). Roxy raised her eyebrow as well.
"What are you doing here? And who are you?" Roxy asked.
The mystery man bowed. "My name is Darren. I am a messenger for a neighboring kingdom. The Labyrinth has changed much since I last had to deliver a message to the Goblin King. I seem to be lost." Sarah smiled, glad to have someone to help them, while Roxy was suspicious of the man.
Sarah introduced herself and cousin. "My name is Sarah. This is my cousin Roxy." Roxy glared at her cousin before jumping in the conversation again.
"Do you know the long corridors in the beginning of the Labyrinth?" Roxy took his nod as a yes. "Have you ever gone down the right one?" Again he nodded. Sarah was wondering where Roxy was going with her questions. "Have you ever talked to a little blue worm?" Darren nodded with a glimmer of hope in his eye. Sarah's eyes grew huge as she came to a realization.
Roxy continued. "Then would you happen to know of the path across from the worm's home?" Nod. "Well, this is the path that goes to the left, and supposedly goes straight to the castle." Sarah's mouth fell as Darren smiled.
"Wonderful. I know exactly where we are." Darren stepped out into the main path and looked in the direction the girls were heading. "That way may be the safest but it is by far the quickest and shortest. If you don't follow the correct number of turns at intersections you will be no better off than if you went right instead of left."
Sarah grew excited while Roxy still wondered if Darren had been sent to get them off the right trail. Sarah walked over and stood next to Darren. "Well then, could you show us the way?" She smiled brightly. Darren nodded and started walking with Sarah close behind.
Roxy kept her distance. She had a bad feeling about Darren. She unpaused her music but kept it low, so she could still hear her surroundings. She didn't want to get so distracted that Darren would be able to get her separated from her cousin.
As time wore on, Roxy noticed that the two paid little attention to her. All of Darren's attention was directed at Sarah. Sarah was acting as if Roxy didn't exist. Then Sarah asked if Darren could help her see over to wall. He looked longingly at her and replied, "As you wish." That was when the light bulb turned on in Roxy's head.
So this is how he doesn't interfere? Wait, that means that this is the fastest way to the castle. It would be too easy if we just had to follow this road. He can't let us take the easy way. Roxy smiled. She would fool him.
It wasn't long before they came upon another side road. Darren recognized it. "This is the second side path. We will take the third one." He held out his arm and Sarah took it. Roxy almost gagged.
Roxy started to hang back even farther. The critical aspect of her plan was for the two people in front of her to forget about her. Soon she lost sight of them for a few moments. That was when she heard Darren say they had made it to the third side path.
Darren led Sarah down the side path. As soon as they had gone 10 feet, a wall appeared behind them. Darren and Sarah had a feeling there was something missing but dismissed that notion. Sarah was happy to have an escort, and such a cute and charming one at that.
Roxy came upon the side path to find it blocked. She smiled. Perfect. I bet they don't even realize that I am missing. I wouldn't be surprised at all if there are no forks in the road. Darren said that trying to convince us to trust him. I thought Sarah would have learned from the last time. Oh well. If she loses, that is all her fault. She turned up the volume and started to hum along with the music.
Sarah was being led through a jungle that looked a little too much like the one she had avoided. But I have Darren as a guide. I will make it to the castle in no time. She didn't seem to remember that her cousin was on the same quest as she was.
She was deep in conversation with Darren about her last visit to the Labyrinth and her life afterwards when she heard a twig snap. Darren assured her that it was most likely some little creature searching for food. Sarah relaxed and continued her story. Right before she got to the part where Roxy wished them away, she heard another noise only it was louder and closer than the last one. Even Darren turned to see what it was.
"Are you sure this was a good way to go?" Sarah was starting to panic now that it sounded like some huge creature was heading their way.
"I can handle this. Don't worry." Darren pulled out a sword from his cloak. Sarah gasped and hid behind him. They started to back up until Sarah didn't feel any ground behind her. Before she could warn Darren he had stepped back some more and knocked her into a hole.
The fall wasn't far but as soon as she landed, something covered the hole and blocked all light. Suddenly, torches lining the walls of the tunnel burst into flame, lighting Sarah's new path. She had no choice but to continue forward.
It wasn't long before she realized she was in an underground version of the Labyrinth. She snorted at the thought. I already was in the Underground Labyrinth. Now I am going through one that is in the ground. The irony was not lost on her. Might as well continue. I have only so much time to get to the castle. I wonder how much time I have left. She shrugged and continued on her way.
Roxy wasn't having such a hard time. Her road never branched off so she never had to worry about taking the wrong path. She thought she was going to have the easiest time getting to the castle. But she didn't know of the danger ahead.
Sarah's luck was turning around again. The path she was on was like the one Roxy was one, no intersections and no branching off. She was having the same attitude as Roxy, that she would have an easy time getting to the castle.
That was when her path abruptly ended, again. This time it wasn't a steep cliff wall that ended in a jungle that appeared before her. This time it was a cliff on the side of a gigantic waterfall.
When she looked up from the ledge she was on, she could barely make out the top of the waterfall. There was also a long drop before the cliff came to the river below. A small lake had appeared at the base of the waterfall before the water continued on its way up the river.
The only things going for Sarah were the ledges on the cliff, as well as some hand/foot holds. She sighed before turned around to start the climb down. After a few minor slips, Sarah had made it to the bottom. As she looked up at the waterfall and cliffs, she realized what was in the rocks. Crystals. The cliffs seemed to sparkle and shine in the light. That was when she heard a twig snap again.
Sarah twirled around expecting to see a monster waiting to eat her. She sighed in relief when she saw that it was only Darren. "You scared me! Don't ever sneak up on me again!" Darren could only laugh. Sarah glared at him. "So you think this is funny, huh?" She marched over to him and stood in his face.
Darren had a hard time covering the shock and surprise at Sarah's actions. "What do you plan on doing then?" He hoped he sounded nonchalant. He got scared when Sarah grinned evilly. He didn't realize what was happening until he felt the cold water hit his skin.
Sarah stood triumphantly over the shocked and soaked Darren. "That is what you get for laughing at me." Darren tried to reach for her hand to get out but Sarah just backed away. She shook her head. "I am so not falling for that trick."
Darren pretended to be hurt. "Don't you trust me?"
"I didn't say that. I wouldn't even trust my best friend in your situation." Sarah had the feeling again that she was forgetting something. Darren saw that and tried to think of what could be missing, since he had the feeling as well.
Darren stepped out of the water and wrung out his cloak. He was about to step closer to Sarah when she held up her hands to stop him. "First you tell me how you found me and what the hell was it that was stalking us!"
Darren chuckled. "Fair enough. The 'beast' was merely a Fiery looking for his friends. I directed him back to his forest. I was able to find you because I knew where the tunnel you landed in led. I didn't know it was there and open until you fell in. I came as fast as I could."
Sarah accepted Darren's reply and took one step closer to prove it. She wished she had taken five steps backwards when she saw the mischievous glint in Darren's green eyes. Before she could scream she was being pulled into the lake.
She came to the surface and gasped. "That was *cold*! Meanie!" Sarah shoved Darren away. Darren didn't take the hint, either that or he ignored it. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her into an even deeper part of the lake.
He let go of her hand and swam to a boulder that was near the falls. Sarah followed and joined him on the rock, looking at the waterfall. "Beautiful, aren't they?" Sarah could only nod. "They are called the Crystal Waterfalls. There are more scattered around the Labyrinth. This one is called the Giant, because it is the tallest."
Sarah looked confused. "If there are more, then why didn't I see one the last time I was here? Are they a new addition?"
Darren shook his head. "You either have to know where they are or accidentally fall into a tunnel that leads to one of them. They are well off the traveled trail."
They sat in silence, just staring at the water cascade down the cliff wall. It wasn't long, though, before Darren swam to shore. "If you want to dry off quicker, then sit down in the sunny piece of grass." Sarah did as she was told and sure enough, she was completely dried off in less than 10 minutes.
Sarah stood up and stared at Darren in amazement. "How did...how did you...um...I am confused."
Darren laughed. "The magic makes the light work faster at drying clothes. That is a good thing because it is not smart to be walking around the Labyrinth soaking wet." Sarah didn't even want to know what he meant by the last part.
As they started to walk away, Sarah took one last look at the waterfall. She had a sinking feeling that something, or someone, was missing from the experience of seeing such beauty. She knew that it was important for her to remember what she had forgotten, but she just couldn't put her finger on what was lost.
Darren felt the two crystals he had hid in his cloak. One showed Sarah with him while he couldn't remember what the other one was for. He couldn't see what a crystal was made to show unless he knew the subject of the crystal's image. All he knew about the mystery crystal was that it was giving off an energy signaling that danger was approaching. He just didn't know what, or who, was nearing the danger.
Roxy was enjoying herself immensely as she walked along the path. There were no more blind turns and the road was getting more even. She hoped that Sarah's journey was as easy as hers. What she didn't know was that Sarah was trying to remember Roxy as she walked through the woods with Darren.
Roxy was oblivious to the faint outline in the road ahead of her. She continued to hum along with her music as she got closer and closer to the one trap that was placed on the fast path to the castle.
Once she stepped on the trap door she had no time to react before she was falling down a deep hole. The air around her was thick and oppressive. Roxy passed out before she landed.
Roxy landed in a heap on the floor. She was unconscious and had no idea that the fall was over. But the eyes watching her knew she was there.
~~~Author's Note~~~
Ok, time for a question. What are some bad childhood memories for Roxy to have? Remember that she has only lived with her mom and was never a very social child. Please send ideas to me at crazy_sparkleness@yahoo.com that way I am sure to get them. I will be starting part 3 once I have this posted so I will need those ideas that way I can add them if I think they will work. I don't want to be almost done with chapter 3 and then have to go and change it all because I have something to add. Oh, and did any of you notice the small inconsistency between part one and two? Don't ask me where I am going with it because I didn't even realize it until I was typing this part. I decided to keep it and work with it later. Well, I hoped you liked this part. I will be updating this and Safe At Home tomorrow, I hope. I hope to update all my stories before school starts and then add another chapter for each on the weekends. But that is just a plan. School likes to ruin all my plans. *sigh* Please review and send in those ideas.
