In the centre of the pain...
'Please... 'Let... me...'
'Go...' The pain was stronger, but Sarah had grown used to it; she could stand with a little effort. It must have been a while, though, because Toby was gone. She gathered herself, to get off of the kitchen table, but the surface she had slept on gave way beneath her hands. The bed was softer than before, and an angry but hushed voice murmured close by.
'What do you mean, you led her to my door? Here's the door, and she - obviously - isn't here.' 'I swear, I saw her to the door! See for yourself, in the crystals!'
Quiet as the voices were, her head reeled. Falling back onto the bed, she moaned softly. Quick footsteps, then a weight beside her on the mattress. A cool hand rested on her forehead.
'A fever...'
Rushed movement, and confusing whispers forced Sarah back into darkness. After some time, a damp cloth rested on her face. Kind hands caressed her back as the pain intensified, and she jolted up, retching...
'No, please, hold on...'
'Hold on... Sarah, hold on!'
'Toby... shove off.'
Rolling onto her side, Sarah drifted in the darkness until sleep overtook her. Toby shook his head, and left her to sleep in the kitchen. 'You'll have a flat nose in the morning!' He whispered, more concerned than joking, and headed up the stairs to his bed.
University was quickly becoming a bore. Sarah had nothing against the Classics; to be truthful she loved ancient Latin and Greek, and mythology was her favourite - if not best - subject. Even so, she felt far too worn out to enjoy her lessons. In the silence when the lecturer took a breath, she found herself wishing that there was rain - bitter and depressing as it was, to fill in the deadly quiet air.
When she really thought about it, it wasn't the rain she didn't like, it was...
...The thoughts that accompanied it...
'...Since she had eaten six seeds, she was condemned to spend half of each year in the underworld...'
Blinking, Sarah lifted her head off of her desk. She had heard the tale of Persephone often, and she liked it well enough, but there was something in the sentence that made her listen closer...
'This is, of course, the pagan Greek rationale for the changes of the seasons. The beautiful daughter of fair weather is taken to the land of the dead, eventually resulting in half a year of death for nature - winter and autumn, and half a year for life - summer and spring. However, the Isles of Britain have a slightly different 'Underground' system. In Irish mythology - originally that of the Keltoi- the "Otherworld" is a land on a slightly different plane of existence than ours. Located beneath the earth's surface, it is supposedly reached by openings in hills, faerie circles, and the like. The most interesting thing is that contrary to all other mythological under-worlds, this land is one of unsurpassed bounty and beauty. Just one taste of food from the Otherworld, or one glimpse of its inhabitants was said to cause a sickness of longing; After returning to the mortal world, all experiences paled in comparison.
'Many have been said to waste away, body and soul, out of yearning for unattainable spectres...'
Sarah started, dropped her pencil, and sat up straighter. Something deep inside her mind had connected...
'Of all the stories of the Otherworld, most frequent are those in which handsome fairies invite mortals into the realm. These mortals enjoy their stay, but after a while grow homesick. Reluctantly returned to the Earth by their lovers, the humans realise that centuries - not years - have passed while they walked under the ground, and they are doomed to wither slowly in a lonely existence...'
Taking notes, Sarah barely noticed when her fingers began to numb. The feeling grew, and crept up her arms until she could not ignore it. Icy shards pierced her skin, and she nearly cried out loud for want of warmth. Closing her eyes, she tried to imagine warmth....
...Warmth...
...Warmth, and comfort...
...Comfortable. Sarah rolled over and sighed. And blinked. Was that loud thump just then... Shoes crowded around her face, hands reaching down to jolt feeling back into her numb shoulders and arms. 'Miss Williams, are you...'
'...Are you okay?'
I'm fine... I just dozed off...' Blushing slightly, she pulled herself up. Daydreaming in lectures was okay, but falling into the aisle... 'Well, I suppose I can only say that the look of shock on Miss Williams' face would not have been dissimilar to that of Gwawl, as he realised what Rhiannon and Pwyll...' Relaxing slightly, Sarah picked up her bags and left the lightly sniggering class. She needed a rest, and it would all be okay. She would be fine.
I'm fine.
'Good to hear it.'
She was lucky enough to reach the bottom of the stairwell before noticing.
Who... who was that?
'Me.'
Don't play games. Who is that? I know that's not my voice.
'I didn't say I was you.'
Argh! Who are you? Your voice is familiar...
...
Are you still here?
Hello?
Sarah shook her head, leaning against a wall. 'I must be losing my mind. Voices in my head... no. It's just stress, and emotional fatigue.'
Toby sat cross-legged on the floor, watching Sarah with a disinterested stare. 'What'cha doin, Saaarah?' Turning pages and taking notes, she simply shook her head. 'C'mon, tell me!' 'Fine. Homework. Now go away.'
Here! The Otherworld. Gateways found at Sidhs(sacred hills), lakes(occupied by Each Uisge etc), and by ethereal travel - i.e. the spirit- journey similar to that of a Shaman. Usually accompanied by a protecting spirit...
'What kind of homework, Sarah?'
... time frame - one man spent a night with his lover, and returned after three centuries. Another spent a day, and returned to find his betrothed already married for ten years to another...
Toby groaned, and pulled a sheet from the pile she had accumulated. Reading aloud, he interrupted her train of thought.
'Food and the Otherworld: Eating food from the Otherworld causes insatiable yearning for more. Eating food or any matter while in the Otherworld connects one eternally to the faerie realm. Many are required to remain in the Otherworld permanently or periodically. See Greek - Persephone. Japanese - Izanami and Izanagi...'
'Toby! Leave me alone!'
Waving the paper, he smirked at her. 'You still zone out, don't you?'
'...'
'Hah! Knew it! So... did you eat something, then?'
'If you know what's good for you, you'll drop it. I'm going to bed.'
Staring at her dark roof, Sarah smiled to herself. She was feeling a little better, actually. Despite drifting off in her mythology lecture, there had been no distortions of reality. She hadn't been that motivated about her study for a while, either. Of course, she had always had an interest in that sort of thing... Yawning, she rolled onto her side. She would sleep, and dream, and wake up in her room again. Those last few weeks... ah, months... she must have been too worn out. So worn out, that she'd started to think...
That it was all real. But now that I've gotten some rest, it's all coming together again.
Warm, dream-like morning. Sarah kept her eyes closed to the world, and burrowed deeper into her pillow.
'Mmm... need more sleep...'
'Well that's fine, but could you let go of my arm first? I do have some things to do today...'
'Get out of my head.'
'To get out of your head, I'd have had to be in there in the first place.'
A staged shudder and quiet snigger displaced the sense of peace that she had woken to. Warily lifting her head, she braced her arms on her pillow, and sat up.
My pillow looks odd. Eugh... sore eyes. It looks like...
'Aack! You!'
'Are you always like this in the morning?'
Sarah glared at the... humanoid (no real man... no, no human at all, could ever wear light-blue tights and retain their dignity!) on the bed and tried to comprehend how her pillow had turned into...
'Are you listening to me?'
'Huh...' Looking up, she noticed a rather disgruntled Goblin King watching her.
'Listening to what? I'm not going to listen until you get out of my bed, and...'
He held up a hand, and pointed to the sheets, which were decidedly not light blue, but instead red satin. 'This is my bed. And I was just asking you why you happened to appear overnight. The first time you showed up, it was entertaining. But to keep on barging in like this is rude and uncalled for.'
'Whoa. I'm not the one who's invading other people's thoughts, now, am I?'
'Invading!? You've been reaching out to me, starting conversations and then running off like some prank-telepath. That's a far cry from invading. And talking about invading, I'd like a little private space.'
'Private space? Yeah, when you send me home.'
'Make your own way back. I tried to be hospitable. I sat through your angst, I didn't complain when you sat on me last week, and I've managed to display mild concern when you started fainting right and left.'
Sarah shrugged, and put as much distance between her and the... the...
'The Fae.'
Thank you. Between me and the Fae... hey!
'Get out of my mind. You? Hospitality? You're deluded..'
Standing, he glared at her.
'Fine. Be that way, ungrateful sod! You're not welcome here anymore. Go away.' Waving his hand, dismissing, in her direction, he stalked out of the room.
'Go away? How can I go away when I didn't come here in the first place? Ooh, I hate that... that...'
What is he anyway? I mean, apart from the "Goblin King". There's no way I'm participating in his ego-trip by calling him that.
'Well if you want to be that way, I guess you can call me Jareth.'
Aargh! Get out of my mind, pervert!
'Uh, excuse me, but you're the one projecting loudly.'
Projecting?
'With your mind... duh. Now, be quiet. I have important business to attend to.'
Like what, your hair?!
'...Hair?!'
Karen frowned at Sarah, and walked in heels over to the front door. 'No. Business as in work. I hope you're not going to sulk all day, Sarah. I honestly thought you'd grown out of that stage.' Sighing, she shut the door behind her and left in her car. Sarah lay on the floor of the kitchen, listening to the tires roll over gravel. The pains had gone, and she had woken in peace, but a dull ache promised to grow stronger later in the day. Taking her gut at its word, she took a handful of painkillers with her to her bedroom, passing Toby on the way.
Okie. I've posted a bit, now, so I think I'll sit back, and see if anyone actually enjoyed reading this before I do more. Reviews will make me very happy! And a happy writer is one who doesn't kill of the main characters. Just an empty threat there, to keep you on your toes! But please, review, if you have heart!
'Please... 'Let... me...'
'Go...' The pain was stronger, but Sarah had grown used to it; she could stand with a little effort. It must have been a while, though, because Toby was gone. She gathered herself, to get off of the kitchen table, but the surface she had slept on gave way beneath her hands. The bed was softer than before, and an angry but hushed voice murmured close by.
'What do you mean, you led her to my door? Here's the door, and she - obviously - isn't here.' 'I swear, I saw her to the door! See for yourself, in the crystals!'
Quiet as the voices were, her head reeled. Falling back onto the bed, she moaned softly. Quick footsteps, then a weight beside her on the mattress. A cool hand rested on her forehead.
'A fever...'
Rushed movement, and confusing whispers forced Sarah back into darkness. After some time, a damp cloth rested on her face. Kind hands caressed her back as the pain intensified, and she jolted up, retching...
'No, please, hold on...'
'Hold on... Sarah, hold on!'
'Toby... shove off.'
Rolling onto her side, Sarah drifted in the darkness until sleep overtook her. Toby shook his head, and left her to sleep in the kitchen. 'You'll have a flat nose in the morning!' He whispered, more concerned than joking, and headed up the stairs to his bed.
University was quickly becoming a bore. Sarah had nothing against the Classics; to be truthful she loved ancient Latin and Greek, and mythology was her favourite - if not best - subject. Even so, she felt far too worn out to enjoy her lessons. In the silence when the lecturer took a breath, she found herself wishing that there was rain - bitter and depressing as it was, to fill in the deadly quiet air.
When she really thought about it, it wasn't the rain she didn't like, it was...
...The thoughts that accompanied it...
'...Since she had eaten six seeds, she was condemned to spend half of each year in the underworld...'
Blinking, Sarah lifted her head off of her desk. She had heard the tale of Persephone often, and she liked it well enough, but there was something in the sentence that made her listen closer...
'This is, of course, the pagan Greek rationale for the changes of the seasons. The beautiful daughter of fair weather is taken to the land of the dead, eventually resulting in half a year of death for nature - winter and autumn, and half a year for life - summer and spring. However, the Isles of Britain have a slightly different 'Underground' system. In Irish mythology - originally that of the Keltoi- the "Otherworld" is a land on a slightly different plane of existence than ours. Located beneath the earth's surface, it is supposedly reached by openings in hills, faerie circles, and the like. The most interesting thing is that contrary to all other mythological under-worlds, this land is one of unsurpassed bounty and beauty. Just one taste of food from the Otherworld, or one glimpse of its inhabitants was said to cause a sickness of longing; After returning to the mortal world, all experiences paled in comparison.
'Many have been said to waste away, body and soul, out of yearning for unattainable spectres...'
Sarah started, dropped her pencil, and sat up straighter. Something deep inside her mind had connected...
'Of all the stories of the Otherworld, most frequent are those in which handsome fairies invite mortals into the realm. These mortals enjoy their stay, but after a while grow homesick. Reluctantly returned to the Earth by their lovers, the humans realise that centuries - not years - have passed while they walked under the ground, and they are doomed to wither slowly in a lonely existence...'
Taking notes, Sarah barely noticed when her fingers began to numb. The feeling grew, and crept up her arms until she could not ignore it. Icy shards pierced her skin, and she nearly cried out loud for want of warmth. Closing her eyes, she tried to imagine warmth....
...Warmth...
...Warmth, and comfort...
...Comfortable. Sarah rolled over and sighed. And blinked. Was that loud thump just then... Shoes crowded around her face, hands reaching down to jolt feeling back into her numb shoulders and arms. 'Miss Williams, are you...'
'...Are you okay?'
I'm fine... I just dozed off...' Blushing slightly, she pulled herself up. Daydreaming in lectures was okay, but falling into the aisle... 'Well, I suppose I can only say that the look of shock on Miss Williams' face would not have been dissimilar to that of Gwawl, as he realised what Rhiannon and Pwyll...' Relaxing slightly, Sarah picked up her bags and left the lightly sniggering class. She needed a rest, and it would all be okay. She would be fine.
I'm fine.
'Good to hear it.'
She was lucky enough to reach the bottom of the stairwell before noticing.
Who... who was that?
'Me.'
Don't play games. Who is that? I know that's not my voice.
'I didn't say I was you.'
Argh! Who are you? Your voice is familiar...
...
Are you still here?
Hello?
Sarah shook her head, leaning against a wall. 'I must be losing my mind. Voices in my head... no. It's just stress, and emotional fatigue.'
Toby sat cross-legged on the floor, watching Sarah with a disinterested stare. 'What'cha doin, Saaarah?' Turning pages and taking notes, she simply shook her head. 'C'mon, tell me!' 'Fine. Homework. Now go away.'
Here! The Otherworld. Gateways found at Sidhs(sacred hills), lakes(occupied by Each Uisge etc), and by ethereal travel - i.e. the spirit- journey similar to that of a Shaman. Usually accompanied by a protecting spirit...
'What kind of homework, Sarah?'
... time frame - one man spent a night with his lover, and returned after three centuries. Another spent a day, and returned to find his betrothed already married for ten years to another...
Toby groaned, and pulled a sheet from the pile she had accumulated. Reading aloud, he interrupted her train of thought.
'Food and the Otherworld: Eating food from the Otherworld causes insatiable yearning for more. Eating food or any matter while in the Otherworld connects one eternally to the faerie realm. Many are required to remain in the Otherworld permanently or periodically. See Greek - Persephone. Japanese - Izanami and Izanagi...'
'Toby! Leave me alone!'
Waving the paper, he smirked at her. 'You still zone out, don't you?'
'...'
'Hah! Knew it! So... did you eat something, then?'
'If you know what's good for you, you'll drop it. I'm going to bed.'
Staring at her dark roof, Sarah smiled to herself. She was feeling a little better, actually. Despite drifting off in her mythology lecture, there had been no distortions of reality. She hadn't been that motivated about her study for a while, either. Of course, she had always had an interest in that sort of thing... Yawning, she rolled onto her side. She would sleep, and dream, and wake up in her room again. Those last few weeks... ah, months... she must have been too worn out. So worn out, that she'd started to think...
That it was all real. But now that I've gotten some rest, it's all coming together again.
Warm, dream-like morning. Sarah kept her eyes closed to the world, and burrowed deeper into her pillow.
'Mmm... need more sleep...'
'Well that's fine, but could you let go of my arm first? I do have some things to do today...'
'Get out of my head.'
'To get out of your head, I'd have had to be in there in the first place.'
A staged shudder and quiet snigger displaced the sense of peace that she had woken to. Warily lifting her head, she braced her arms on her pillow, and sat up.
My pillow looks odd. Eugh... sore eyes. It looks like...
'Aack! You!'
'Are you always like this in the morning?'
Sarah glared at the... humanoid (no real man... no, no human at all, could ever wear light-blue tights and retain their dignity!) on the bed and tried to comprehend how her pillow had turned into...
'Are you listening to me?'
'Huh...' Looking up, she noticed a rather disgruntled Goblin King watching her.
'Listening to what? I'm not going to listen until you get out of my bed, and...'
He held up a hand, and pointed to the sheets, which were decidedly not light blue, but instead red satin. 'This is my bed. And I was just asking you why you happened to appear overnight. The first time you showed up, it was entertaining. But to keep on barging in like this is rude and uncalled for.'
'Whoa. I'm not the one who's invading other people's thoughts, now, am I?'
'Invading!? You've been reaching out to me, starting conversations and then running off like some prank-telepath. That's a far cry from invading. And talking about invading, I'd like a little private space.'
'Private space? Yeah, when you send me home.'
'Make your own way back. I tried to be hospitable. I sat through your angst, I didn't complain when you sat on me last week, and I've managed to display mild concern when you started fainting right and left.'
Sarah shrugged, and put as much distance between her and the... the...
'The Fae.'
Thank you. Between me and the Fae... hey!
'Get out of my mind. You? Hospitality? You're deluded..'
Standing, he glared at her.
'Fine. Be that way, ungrateful sod! You're not welcome here anymore. Go away.' Waving his hand, dismissing, in her direction, he stalked out of the room.
'Go away? How can I go away when I didn't come here in the first place? Ooh, I hate that... that...'
What is he anyway? I mean, apart from the "Goblin King". There's no way I'm participating in his ego-trip by calling him that.
'Well if you want to be that way, I guess you can call me Jareth.'
Aargh! Get out of my mind, pervert!
'Uh, excuse me, but you're the one projecting loudly.'
Projecting?
'With your mind... duh. Now, be quiet. I have important business to attend to.'
Like what, your hair?!
'...Hair?!'
Karen frowned at Sarah, and walked in heels over to the front door. 'No. Business as in work. I hope you're not going to sulk all day, Sarah. I honestly thought you'd grown out of that stage.' Sighing, she shut the door behind her and left in her car. Sarah lay on the floor of the kitchen, listening to the tires roll over gravel. The pains had gone, and she had woken in peace, but a dull ache promised to grow stronger later in the day. Taking her gut at its word, she took a handful of painkillers with her to her bedroom, passing Toby on the way.
Okie. I've posted a bit, now, so I think I'll sit back, and see if anyone actually enjoyed reading this before I do more. Reviews will make me very happy! And a happy writer is one who doesn't kill of the main characters. Just an empty threat there, to keep you on your toes! But please, review, if you have heart!