Chapter 28 - Gatekeeper!

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A/N - A very short chapter today! I feel really crap. Nuff said.

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What was left of the quintet (which technically was now a trio again) met up on the
other side of the bridge.

"I can't believe those guys got killed twice!" said Hilarity. "Someone must really have
it in for them." There was an awkward silence. The mouth of a giant cave loomed
ahead. It's pitch blackness was decorated here and there by small lamps attached to the
walls and the air was exceptionally cold.

"It's the entrance!" cried Jareth "We made it!"

"Oh! We are so cool!" said Hilarity gleefully. They hugged, joyful at the thought that
their journey would soon be over. There was an angry growl from behind them.

"No need to get jealous Tom." Hilarity protested.

"I didn't say anything!" said Thomas.

"But, you just made an angry noise."

"No I didn't."

"Well then..." she looked back at Jareth.

"Don't look at me!" he said.

"Well if it wasn't you, and it wasn't you..." said Hilarity with confusion "And it wasn't
me! Then that must mean there's...."

She was interrupted by another sinister growl, followed by the biggest (that is to say
only) three headed dog she had ever seen stepping out of the cave's entrance.

"Oh Bugger!" she shouted. "We forgot about him!"

"Stand back!" cried Jareth and drew his sword bravely to face the monstrosity. The
middle head bit the blade off so all that was left was a jagged steel stump and a
handle.

"Throw some food at it. It might get distracted." said Thomas. Hilarity quickly obliged
but all she could find was the last loaf of Goblin bread. Still it was worth a try! She
threw it at the beast with all her might but the left head caught it in its mouth and
swallowed it whole. It looked mightily pissed off, probably because the stuff tasted so vile.

"I think the Goblin bread just made it angrier, Tom!" she yelled as the creature began to
advance. "RUN!!!"

They began to retreat when Jareth suddenly remembered what the demon in the beer
hall had told him. The dog could only be rendered defenceless if you played it music.

"No! Wait! If we play it music, we can send it to sleep." he called to the others.

Some time later, after a few stirring rounds of "Isn't she lovely" by Stevie Wonder, the
great beast lay in a peaceful slumber, dreaming about chasing giant sticks and
whatnot.

"Well, that was easy!" said Hilarity to Jareth "But what I don't understand is where did
you get that Stylophone from?!"