There was only silence. Sarah repeated firmly, "I need you."
But there was no one there.
It used to be she barely had to start the words and all of them would be there with her, filling her bedroom with their cheer and their noise (that strangely enough, Irene never seemed to hear). But she had drifted away from them, made friends and ties in the real world, discovered a whole new and exciting life for herself… She had grown up.
She blinked away tears of frustration and touched the mirror.
"I need you," she said desperately. "I really and truly need you this time."
No one came. She closed her eyes. So that was it. She had left them so they left her. How could she have done this? How would she get to Toby? He must be so scared…
"Hello my dear."
Where would he be now? Why would Jareth take him now?
"Dearie, do you hear me?"
Dearie?
She looked up and there, in the mirror, stood the old junk lady.
"I imagine they couldn't hear you my dear." She stretched out the words "my dear" in a crooning voice cuttingly sweet. "They're at a loud ball right now in the castle, yes they are. Hasn't been one in years and years now, hmmm."
She disappeared from the mirror and Sarah jumped when her voice came from behind her.
"Don't feel too badly my dear. Here, isn't this a nice little teddy bear, hmmm?"
Sarah accepted the old bear wordlessly and set it on the dresser, not terribly interested in the lady's commentary on her possessions.
"They're at a ball?"
"Oh, of course my dear. Everyone is at the ball."
She cackled.
"Why aren't you at the ball?" asked Sarah.
"Oh they wouldn't have had room for me my dear. There's a lot of people in the castle today, don't you know? I couldn't very well leave all my precious things behind now, hmmmm?"
"Oh."
The old woman hobbled through the room, her back even more loaded down than the last time Sarah had seen her, and paused to exclaim over Sarah's old toy chest.
"I need to get back into the Goblin City. I'm looking for my brother."
"Oh him. I imagine he's at the ball too my dear," said the junk lady, poking around in the chest with delight.
"Why would my brother be there?" Sarah demanded.
"Because everyone's there my dear," replied the junk lady distractedly as she dug through the chest.
"Please… can you help me get there?"
"Aren't you the one with the power my dear? You can go there now."
Sarah frowned. "Power? I don't understand. What power?"
The woman cackled.
"My dear, you have the power to bring our king to his knees. He has no power over you, hmmm? Your kingdom is as great, hmmm?"
"But-"
"Just wish it my dear. Wish. Didn't you know you can travel as you please, hmmm?"
"Wish?" Sarah murmured. She turned back to the mirror. "Wish?"
She closed her eyes.
Wish.
Just as Sarah spoke the words that took her back to the place she had successfully escaped from so long ago, another spoke the words that freed him from the same world and tied it to an unwilling other. In the same instant she appeared suddenly on the castle steps, clad in shimmering silk and lace, he reappeared in a different world, standing outside a familiar apartment building under a streetlight, smiling up into a darkened window, before turning and walking down the street, his steps light and hopeful.
Chance can be so cruel.
TBC
xxx
Well, what do you think? I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. This is the second version of it. I was originally going to have Sir Dydimus answer her call, but I decided things shouldn't be too easy for her so I rewrote the whole thing. Sorry Lady Galriee! I wrote this at 3AM - spot the typos and I'll send you a virtual hug!
Thanks to the last chapter's reviewers, Lady Galriee, Labyrinth Mistress (at the end of the movie, Sarah said "I need you" to the mirror and they all appeared in her bedroom and partied), and FordFugitive (interesting name!).
Please take a moment of your time to click the review button below. Just a word or two would make me so happy.