Sarah raced to the door only to stop suddenly when she saw the keyhole. Turning back to the wrinkly little man, she pointed. "It's locked, I need a key!" She called out. Slowly the little man ambled up to her, squinting. "Aye, so it is. Hmm." He grunted before indicating to a small ledge. "There's the key."
Sarah clutched at it but was unable to lift it. After struggling with, she turned back to him. "If I can't lift it how can I open it?" She demanded angrily.

The little man chuckled. "Did you even try to open it?" He asked, clearly amused by her. Sarah glared at him and turned the knob. The door sprang open and a maze of tall stone walls lay before her. Tentatively she stepped inside the door unsure of which way to go. She looked back and the man shrugged. "I try my best to stay out of there and out of His way! You should do the same." Sarah shook her head, determined not to give up and set off. The door slammed close, leaving her alone to navigate through the labyrinth.

Sarah chose to take the path that led right, so she began jogging. Her eyes searched the walls, looking for any openings that led through to a different section. After what seemed like hours, Sarah finally decided to switch to the left path so she began to back-track the way she'd come. After walking for a few minutes, she realized that nothing looked the same. Stopping, she looked at each side of the labyrinth walls but nothing was familiar. Placing her hand on the wall, the cool stones beneath her fingers, she pushed and pulled but it wouldn't budge. She walked a bit further down and tried again.

After repeating these actions over and over, her spirits began to sink and she pounded on the wall with all her might. "It isn't fair!" She screamed at the wall, hitting it again. Tears of frustration formed and began to slip down her cheek. Suddenly she became aware of tiny voice. Wiping her face, she glanced around, looking for the source of the voice. "Allo, down here!" She heard it calling to her. This place is driving me crazy! She thought as she turned to walk around some more.

"Oh for the love of..." the small voice continued to speak so Sarah glanced quickly around. Peeking out of the stones, she saw a little blue worm looking at her. No, she thought, that can't be who is talking to me. Still, she stepped closer to the worm. "Allo." It repeated looking intently at her. "What are you on about?"

"I can't find any way out." She stated, still inwardly questioning her sanity. The little worm looked at her and then looked back at the wall. "The labyrinth is full of openings, you just aren't seeing them. Now, would you like a nice cup of tea?" He offered, nodding towards the crack behind him. "I suspect the missus will be wanting to meet you too. Just a little cup and maybe a biscuit or two?" Sarah couldn't help but smile even though she was preoccupied with thinking about how to get through the labyrinth. "No, thank you. I best be on my way, I need to find my brother."

She started back the way she'd been going when once again the voice stopped her. "Oh no, dearie, you don't want to go that way!" He cried out, his little red scarf twitching. Sarah turned and began back the other way, calling over her shoulder. "Thank you! Maybe we can have tea another time." She followed the path he'd instructed her to follow, hopeful that this would all be over soon.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jareth reclined in his throne, the baby on his lap. His goblins were gathered around him, making as much noise as possible. He rubbed his temple with his free hand, a headache threatening to set in. He opened his eyes slightly, studying the baby. He was surprisingly quiet for as young as he was. Perhaps he would make a great goblin leader one day; someone who Jareth could fully rely on. The baby gurgled and reached out his tiny hand, desperately trying to reach the crystal ball.

"Yes, that's your sister, isn't it?" He asked softly, his eyes riveted on her form mirrored in the ball. She was father along than he'd thought possible. She'd struck him as more of the passive type than active. But that was life, full of surprises. His thoughts strayed to his Sarah, so long ago. Now she had definitely been proactive, pursuing him until he'd fallen hopelessly in love with her. And when she had grown weary of him... He felt his grip on the crystal tightening and heard the slightest creaking. Taking a deep breath, he forced the memories back into the recesses of his mind. He passed the baby to the nearest goblin and strolled out onto his terrace to get a better view of his kingdom and the labyrinth that lay below. How far will you get? He wondered.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sarah had followed the path for quite awhile when she heard a noise. Peering ahead, she spied two strange looking doors. As she got closer, she thought she could see two guards in armor - one standing in front of each door. But the closer she got, the stranger they looked, kind of like the Jacks on the faces of cards. Like they were two different men spliced together at the waist. As she came to a stop in front of them, she was shocked to hear one speak.

"And who might you be?" The top of the right guard asked. She was so amazed at the talking half-men that at first she could think of nothing to say. "I don't think it knows what we're saying, Don!" Said the right guard's lower half. Both halves of the left guard grunted in agreement. Finally Sarah found her voice. "I'm so sorry, but do you know how to get out of here?" The guards (all halves of them) whispered amongst themselves before replying. "Aye." Said the left top-half in a wheezy voice. "We do."

"But only our top-halves know and one of them is a liar!" Cried out the bottom right-half, with the left chiming in in agreement. This set off the two upper-halves into a deep argument that would have lasted for hours if Sarah hadn't interrupted them."Quiet! I don't have time for this!" She shouted, ending their disagreement. "Now, which way is out?" The tops looked at each other and then both shrugged. Glaring, Sarah got as close as she could, examining them intently. Finally she decided that the left top-half had more honest looking eyes.

"Is this the way out?" She asked him gently. He stared her in the eyes before shaking his head vigorously. "Nope, not this way." To which the other top-half vehemently opposed. She had had enough and so she firmly grasped the handle of the right-hand door. Turning the knob, she stepped through into darkness and suddenly she was falling.