Chapter Two: Down in the Underground

Sarah groaned and put her hand to her head. She sat up slowly. She looked around. She was in a dark earthen cave. She recognized this place. It was an oubliette. She pulled herself off the dusty floor and saw in the candlelight the room, as Hoggle had put it, "a place you put people to forget about them".

"Why did the goblins bring me here?" she thought, dusting herself off. Was this the same one she had been in with the so-called "helping" hands? She looked up and saw no hole. She sighed. How would she get out? She sat on a rock and thought of her time in the Labyrinth. She really had missed her friends, whether she would admit that the Labyrinth was real or not. She thought of the time in the oubliette, then she realized "Duh! I've been in this situation before. Didn't Hoggle say there was a door?"

Sarah went over to the wall and felt along the floor with her foot until she hit something. She leaned over and felt the rough wood under her fingers. She smiled and lifted the door. She placed it against the wall and pulled at the handle. She was amazed that on the first try she was out of the oubliette. She hurried down the slimy corridor to the junction she and Hoggle had encountered Jareth at. She turned left and down a ways was the broken wall that they had escaped from. She began to climb the ladder, knowing she would come out in the middle of the Labyrinth. Again the question crossed her mind, "Why did the goblins drop me in an obliette? Why didn't Jareth come?"

Sarah reached the top and climbed out of the pottery. She looked around at the Labyrinth. It was the same, yet there was a strange vibe in the air. She looked around a wall and was shocked at what she saw. There were two guards. Not just any guards, HUMAN guards. Dressed in white with a sun symbol on the uniform, the guards stood at attention. Behind them was a door. She looked down at her jeans and sweater.

"I can't walk around here like this. I wish I had proper attire," said Sarah, knowing something wasn't right. Suddenly, Sarah felt warm and looked quickly at herself. She wore the dress she had been wearing the night Jareth came to get Toby. She took a deep breath and stepped out around the corner. She came up to a guard.

"I would like entrance." The guard looked at her.

"Are you Lady Corintha?"

"Yes, that is I. Lady Corintha," Sarah said, thinking quickly.

"Go in and talk to Franz. He will take you to the slaves." The guard opened the door and Sarah entered. It was a long way down a corridor to a large room. A small wiry man sat behind a desk. He looked up.

"Yes?"

"I am Lady Corinth. I am here to pick out a slave," Sarah said. The man nodded and opened a door and started down yet another corridor. She followed.

Sarah stood behind the bald man as he fished out a large silver key. He unlocked the door and pushed it open. Sarah was horrified to see hundreds of cells with haunting eyes swimming in sockets looking back at her. A tall fat man came up to them.

"Hemel, this is the lady. Her husband has placed a sum for a slave. My Lady, go pick your choice."

Sarah stepped forward. She felt tears prick her eyes, but blinked quickly. She began to grow angry.

'Was this Jareth's doing?' She halted in front of a cell and gasped. In the cell, sat a small hunched figure.

"Hoggle?"

A/N: I know it's short.sorry. Reviews please! "Please sir can I have some more? MORE!!!!?????" Yeah more! (from Oliver!)