A/N: This chapter and one more, and its done. Review, let me know what you think! Thanks much!
Chapter Twenty: One Alone
And this was all... this was the end. She looked down at his slowly-cooling body, looked down at the knife in her hand. To have the power to bring the end about, to have the strength to choose: and to have the heart that made her cry after everything was said and done.
The interior of the castle beyond the Goblin City was cool and dim, and full of the oddest things Sarah had ever seen. Considering that she had just made it through the Labyrinth, this was saying something.
Five minutes.
Five minutes.
Only five minutes.
Her heart pounded and she gulped— her throat dry as a desert, she wanted nothing more than this to be over so she could be at home, with a drink in her hand, a movie on the TV, and all she had to worry about was what to wear to school the next day. No, strike that. Make it a weekend, and all she had to worry about was— nothing. The worrying was done by her parents, and she was free as only a child could be.
She saw then that she had too much imagination for her own good, for there she was standing stock still in the hallway and a minute had gone by without her even realizing it.
Utterly unseen by her, Jareth stepped out from behind a pillar.
He stood behind her tall and dignified— leaning forward, he blew gently on her neck, his breath icy cold and slightly damp, and she shivered, but did not turn around.
He began to speak.
"She awoke one dreary day
To find her mind had gone astray
So minus reason, without rhyme
She drew near the hill, began to climb—"
Sarah heard the voice, but didn't know where it came from. All she knew was it made her want to stand still, stand still and never move, and she couldn't let that happen.
She lost another half a minute fighting with herself.
Jareth went on, his voice smooth and soothing, strange and beautiful and seductive, whispering to Sarah to let it all go, leave cares behind— to stay here with him forever.
"Half black with blood, half white with snow
The Labyrinth lay far below
She climbed onwards, her spirits drunk
The earth beneath seemed to have shrunk
She was alone and yet she knew
She had companions many, too
They dart about, sigh in her ear
As if to say, "We're here, we're here!"
Their pitches sharp, their tones were sad
The voices slowly drove her mad"
Sarah took in a deep breath and pushed herself forwards.
Ahead of her in the long hallway, a clock—
Its hands pointed out the time to her, shouted at her and blared at her, but she had to blink at it several times to finally understand.
She had sixty seconds.
"Before they could become a face
She breathed in deep, jumped into space
And as she fell from up so high
She sprouted wings, and learnt to fly..."
Sarah closed her eyes tightly and shouted, "Its not fair!"
"Isn't it?" said the voice of Jareth in her ear. "I wonder what your basis for comparison is."
This time, she turned around, but he caught her gaze with his and she turned as he walked around in front of her again, so she was facing the clock.
"What are you doing here, Sarah?"
"I came for my brother," she said, gritting her teeth. "Give him back— we had a bargain."
He raised his eyebrows. "This bargain we had— I don't suppose you have anything in writing, bychance."
Tears stung her eyes.
"You can't go back on your word! I made it all the way here through the Labyrinth in the time you gave me. Now give me my brother, please!"
She thought she heard Toby cry, somewhere off in the distance, but she couldn't be sure.
He stood in front of her once more, and his eyes seemed almost kind.
"Sarah," he said, "I ask for so little from you. Fear me— love me—"
She blinked slowly and looked at him through her tears.
"Erik told me—"
He curled his lip spitefully.
"He told me what he wanted from Christine— to own her, to possess her. You can't ask that of anyone— you can't own someone unless they give you permission, and relinquish themselves. And I do not give myself up." Her chin trembled as she fought for control, tried to turn her tears into a glare. "I belong to me."
The coldness was there again, back in his steel gaze.
"A true bargain, then," he said. "You make it to that clock before time runs out, and I shall give you your brother and you will never hear from me again. On the other hand, if you do not— you give yourself to me, entirely, and that will be the end of it."
He didn't wait for an agreement— she had no choice.
He stepped around behind her and she heard his voice in her ear.
"You wouldn't be unhappy— I would slave for you, Sarah, move worlds and murder men—"
Her eyes fixed on the clock, and she tried desperately to make herself move. But time went on, leaving her behind. She could not take a single step more.
The clock began to strike.
She wavered on the balance between victory and defeat and, slowly but surely, began to fall on the losing side.
Then there was a flash of black beside her, and a burst of action in front of her eyes.
As the clock chimed out the hour, it came crashing down.
Erik stood in the midst of the wreckage, breathing hard, hair falling over his face and his eyes blazing.