Sarah tossed and turned trying to free herself from a part of the cage that was too close for comfort. The shark things circled and banged the cage, trying to crush it in. Sarah looked around trying to remind herself of the riddle's answer. Thousands of pictures coursed through her mind. She began repeating the riddle silently to herself as the bars bent more and more, and proceeded to split and scratch her.
Sarah moved as far as she could over (which wasn't very far) and tried to keep herself from being stabbed by the bars. Sarah continued moving trying to keep her position from the sharks.
'Oh my God, I'm going to die. This really is the end.' Sarah began praying. She prayed to any God anywhere, that if He would show her the answer, she would go to church for the rest of her life. Suddenly, little tiny flames that were red began to light in the water. Sarah stood watching the red glowing flames in the water. Just as she thought she had the Labyrinth figured out, everything changes itself again. Just then Sarah thought to herself. Red nose. These things were red and looked like flames.
"Maybe..." Sarah thought aloud to herself "Is she a fire?!" She yelled up to Jaive and her friend who waited above the water. The sharks charged at the cage again and the bars that were already bent, went even more inwards and split, penetrating Sarah's skin in the side of her stomach. She screamed when she saw the blood pouring out of her and into the water. The sharks knew they had hit her and smelled the blood and began ramming the cage some more. She didn't dare move anymore. the water was red and she could barely see. She thought again.
She knew now it had to do something with flames.
"The longer she stands the shorter she grows..." Sarah whispered to herself "It has to be something with a flame. Maybe it's a lantern! No, um, Sarah think quick!" Another shark rammed into the cage and the cage began falling apart the bottom was seperating from the top. Sarah knew she was athletic but she knew she had a snowball's chance in hell of trying to swim away from them so she wan't going to risk it.
The little flames seemed to dance around. Somehow silently yelling the answer was easy. But the sharks kept pounding the concentration out of her. Sarah continued to panic looking around her at the flames. 'Um...I've got it!'
"She's a candle!" With that the sharks, the cage, and the ocean around her faded away. She found herself above where she had been before the underwater nightmare had begun. Sarah looked around for the woman but had seen nothing. She dropped down on her knees and panted. She was now feeling the after-effects of fear. Her heart was racing, her adrenaline was pumping, and she was confused. She had no idea how much time she had left and estimated she must've had 5 minutes left because that thing took so long. She looked around her and rolled on her back.
"Thank you, God. Thank you for showing me the answer." Sarah said out loud to herself as she took deep breaths and didn't move at all.
"Who's God? I don't believe I've met him." The woman's voice came back again. Sarah at the moment was too tired.
"Go away, I don't want to hear it!" Sarah said with a groan in her voice. Jaive continued with her amused stare.
"Good job, Sarah. But beware, that was an easy one." Jaive walked to the water and smirked looking in the water. The flames still swam underwater and appeared to almost smile as they metamorphed from being flames, to water nymphs. Jaive didn't understand why the nymphs would just take it upon themselves to help Sarah, a mere mortal, answer a riddle and save her from death. Jaive stared at the willow tree, and saw as it appeared to be moving by itself.
"You can stop trying to impress her now, you know." Water manifested into the shape of a woman and walked foreward.
"Oh, Jaive, you're no fun." Jaive looked unamused
"Melina, you know I stopped acting childish at 400. That's when everything stopped being funny." Melina looked shocked at Jaive.
"You used my name..."
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Jareth walked out of his chambers, unable to sleep or take the nap he so desperately needed. He hadn't eaten and couldn't think straight. Sarah wondered through his mind, running his Labyrinth. Refusing his offer. He didn't understand how the human mind worked. Usually if they want something, they take it. He rubbed the tiredness from his eyes and went to the throne room.
"Good evening Sire. Taymos is here." Ridder waddled over by Jareth guiding him to his throne. Jareth felt as though he had what mortals Aboveground referred to as a hang-over.
"Thank you again, Ridder." A tall shadow waited for Jareth in the darkness. As Jareth walked forward, that shadow seemed to fall forward to greet him.
"Your highness." The man said offering a low bow to Jareth.
"Taymos, this had better be important. I have other business to attend to just now." Taymos walked around Jareth.
"Ahh, yes, the old I- don't-want-to-speak-with-you-so-I-can-cry-myself-to-sleep thing. Why should I leave you Jareth? So you can break your heart over this girl again? You mustn't put yourself through this. It's torture."
Jareth moved again to the window. "I can't help it, Taymos. The way she makes me feel by watching her. It's-It's-It's this wonderful feeling I get from knowing that she still has a place in her heart for me...just can't describe it. It's wonderful and yet it's making me sad at the same time. I think it's...love."
Taymos looked disgusted.
"Love is stupid. It's only purpose is to corrupt everything you have. You can live without it, Jareth." Taymos looked towards the window. Love is not in everything, and yet it is still beautiful. Let her go." Jareth moved swiftly back towards Taymos.
"And what do you know?" Jareth's arrogance shown through like light through a thin sheet. "Why have you come here anyway? To insult me, or to try to take over my kingdom?" With that Jareth looked out the window waiting for a reply. Taymos looked over at Jareth and smiled deviously.
"Of course not, Jareth; I'm your friend..."
And alas, another cut! I'm sorry for taking so long but I've just gotten over a virus and I couldn't type or think, and appearantly, it fried my brain, otherwise it'd be better. I'M SORRRRRRRRRRRY!!! Please don't kill me! ;; And don't forget to review, (flames will be laughed at)