Part Six - An End to Childhood
The morning after her return from the Labyrinth Sarah had packed away the remaining objects scattered around her room. Though many of her toys she had given to Karen to pass on to Toby, there had been a select few that she had decided to hold onto in a keepsake box above her wardrobe. There toys such as Betsyboo, Little Horsey and Flopsy were snuggled together below more commonplace items that Sarah had decided to put there merely because it seemed such a waste to throw them away.
There had been various shades of orange and pink lipsticks that had been barely worn, but now appeared so childish in colour. Sarah was thinking of speaking to Karen about going on a shopping trip together but had delayed asking her when she had heard about the planned excursion to the zoo.
Finally her room had been a blank canvas, ready to be injected with some form of personality, an idea of who the girl was who had been able to complete the Labyrinth and defeat the Goblin King. The problem was that with all the excitement of that day Sarah felt as though she had lost herself within the maze, and at the moment was bereft of a personality to inject into the room. It almost felt as though in leaving the labyrinth Sarah had also left behind a part of herself. A part that even now was wandering helplessly within the twisting corridors, being stalked by the creatures that populated their dark recesses and the man that inhabited that darkness so well - the Goblin King. Sarah felt different somehow, as though her encounter had changed an integral part of her and yet she was uncertain as to why. She had spoken the words and the relief had been so intense as to verge on the hysterical, it had meant an escape and she had fled.
As the Labyrinth faded Sarah had realised not only had she escaped the grasp of the Goblin King but she also wouldn't have to face her father and explain where his only son was.
She wouldn't have to confess that in a moment of weakness she had wished Toby away, and for those few moments had truly meant it. It was only then that Sarah had realised that part of her had always expected to fail the challenge of the Labyrinth. She had always expected to have to return home and explain herself to Karen and her father. Perhaps the Goblin King therefore had been justified in taking Toby, for even if it had been only for a second she had never wanted to see him again, ever. If she was completely honest with herself even though she regretted her words she still believed that it had only been the explanation of his disappearance that she had dreaded really, rather than the prospect of loosing her brother. Whilst in the Labyrinth it had been so easy to forget about the brother that she hadn't even asked for and become preoccupied with her own problems and desires.
For mere moments it had seemed to her that if there were no Toby then things could go back to the way that they were. Her father would be able to spend more time with her and actually be interested in what she had to say. She would once again receive the letters and parcels that her mother had regularly sent her, at least she had until Karen had had Toby. Now at best, the reminders that she did still have a mother out there, somewhere, were infrequent.
The last parcel that she had received from her mother had contained the music box with the dark haired figurine that danced to some tinkling music that Sarah found familiar but was unable to name. The features were so fine that if you looked really closely you could see the fine lines around the eyes and mouth that formed the serene expression the figurine held. As soon as she opened the parcel she had loved the present instantly and used to wake in the middle of the night just to wind the music box up and watch as the figure spun gracefully around.
It didn't matter to her that, like the last, this parcel had contained no note from her mother or that the parcel had been two weeks late for her birthday. It was proof that her mother still loved her, just as Karen loved Toby. And that even though they could not be together Sarah was in her thoughts.
Always.
The morning after her return from the Labyrinth Sarah had packed away the remaining objects scattered around her room. Though many of her toys she had given to Karen to pass on to Toby, there had been a select few that she had decided to hold onto in a keepsake box above her wardrobe. There toys such as Betsyboo, Little Horsey and Flopsy were snuggled together below more commonplace items that Sarah had decided to put there merely because it seemed such a waste to throw them away.
There had been various shades of orange and pink lipsticks that had been barely worn, but now appeared so childish in colour. Sarah was thinking of speaking to Karen about going on a shopping trip together but had delayed asking her when she had heard about the planned excursion to the zoo.
Finally her room had been a blank canvas, ready to be injected with some form of personality, an idea of who the girl was who had been able to complete the Labyrinth and defeat the Goblin King. The problem was that with all the excitement of that day Sarah felt as though she had lost herself within the maze, and at the moment was bereft of a personality to inject into the room. It almost felt as though in leaving the labyrinth Sarah had also left behind a part of herself. A part that even now was wandering helplessly within the twisting corridors, being stalked by the creatures that populated their dark recesses and the man that inhabited that darkness so well - the Goblin King. Sarah felt different somehow, as though her encounter had changed an integral part of her and yet she was uncertain as to why. She had spoken the words and the relief had been so intense as to verge on the hysterical, it had meant an escape and she had fled.
As the Labyrinth faded Sarah had realised not only had she escaped the grasp of the Goblin King but she also wouldn't have to face her father and explain where his only son was.
She wouldn't have to confess that in a moment of weakness she had wished Toby away, and for those few moments had truly meant it. It was only then that Sarah had realised that part of her had always expected to fail the challenge of the Labyrinth. She had always expected to have to return home and explain herself to Karen and her father. Perhaps the Goblin King therefore had been justified in taking Toby, for even if it had been only for a second she had never wanted to see him again, ever. If she was completely honest with herself even though she regretted her words she still believed that it had only been the explanation of his disappearance that she had dreaded really, rather than the prospect of loosing her brother. Whilst in the Labyrinth it had been so easy to forget about the brother that she hadn't even asked for and become preoccupied with her own problems and desires.
For mere moments it had seemed to her that if there were no Toby then things could go back to the way that they were. Her father would be able to spend more time with her and actually be interested in what she had to say. She would once again receive the letters and parcels that her mother had regularly sent her, at least she had until Karen had had Toby. Now at best, the reminders that she did still have a mother out there, somewhere, were infrequent.
The last parcel that she had received from her mother had contained the music box with the dark haired figurine that danced to some tinkling music that Sarah found familiar but was unable to name. The features were so fine that if you looked really closely you could see the fine lines around the eyes and mouth that formed the serene expression the figurine held. As soon as she opened the parcel she had loved the present instantly and used to wake in the middle of the night just to wind the music box up and watch as the figure spun gracefully around.
It didn't matter to her that, like the last, this parcel had contained no note from her mother or that the parcel had been two weeks late for her birthday. It was proof that her mother still loved her, just as Karen loved Toby. And that even though they could not be together Sarah was in her thoughts.
Always.