Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth.
The Land That Is Not
Chapter Three
She recognized the blond head immediately amidst the whirling vortex of varied colors. A loudspeaker announced the numbers above her, calling for the busy people to step in trains at the platforms behind the security gates, waiting impatiently for their chance to leave the city behind. Granite stonewalls rose all around her, and the bright morning light drifted in through the windowpanes up on the roof of the waiting hall.
"Toby!" Sarah cried out loud, waving her hand.
The boy's head jerked at the sound, he stopped, and a bright smile spread over his face. He sprinted through the people, squeezing the strips of his bright red back bag with his tiny hands. Sarah's heart swelled as he appeared from the crowd. Then the boy reached her, spreading his arms wide-open, and launched himself at her. She embraced him tightly, pressing her face against his head and inhaled deep his familiar scent, feeling the tears surging in her eyes.
Finally, she let go of him, and the boy stepped backwards, grinning mischievously, eyes sparkling in excitement. "Nice to see you, Sarah."
"Rascal," Sarah ruffled his head, pretending to be angry with him. "I should dump you right here and right now. I've heard from your mom you have no patience with your sister." The chastising effect was spoiled by her wide grin.
"Oh, with you?" Toby retorted, voice trembling with concealed laughter, and hastily smoothed his hair back flat against his head to no avail, his unruly mound of hair springing outwards in every direction. Karen often complained to Sarah about Toby's unwillingness to shorten his hair, making it impossible to keep groomed. His wild mane reminded Sarah of the Goblin King far too much for her liking. As usually, he soon gave up taming his hair and met her stare. "At least I haven't wished her off to goblins, unlike someone else…"
"You better not." Sarah reminded him, suddenly worried. His words reminded her about the earlier unnerving week, animating the terror she always felt for Toby. Ever since the incident with Labyrinth, he'd been somehow different. His eyes gained an oddly piercing hue of blue that descended from neither of his parents, and he stopped crying. Even when both Karen and Robert accepted the cure of his baby colic with a relieved awe, Sarah remained vigilant, occasionally consulting Hoggle and Didymus about his progress.
Sarah's premonition proved to be true. Toby's first word occurred while Sarah was babysitting him; she nearly fell off her chair when she heard the toddler utter the word 'goblin', and then laughed, pleased at the sound of his own voice. No, Sarah concluded, pursing her lips tightly together as she stole a wary glance at her brother - Toby was no ordinary boy. He remembered the Goblin King's castle, crystals, the Escher Room, and Sarah chasing after him; he remembered Jareth. Sarah shuddered at the thought of the gaunt man. "I've told you many times it was not a piece of cake."
He tossed his head. "That's not what Hoggle has said," he reminded, giving her a sly look. "According to him, someone used to think it was."
"You should listen to him more carefully," Sarah shook her head, taking him by the hand and heading towards the doors of the entrance hall. "Since I remember quite clearly him also telling me that every time I uttered that precise sentence, something nasty happened..."
"…such as the cleaners," Toby completed.
"Or the oubliette." Sarah nodded approvingly.
"Aw, but 'cmon, Sarah!" Toby pouted. "It would be so cool! I bet I would outrun the whole maze in eight hours."
Sarah snorted. "Cool?" She inquired, her worry increasing tenfold. Toby had always been obsessed with Labyrinth, and she felt his interest had increased even more so now. Sarah suspected Toby was lonely and lacked any true friends. Karen never said so, but Sarah sensed worry in elder woman's tone when she spoke of Toby. In some ways, Toby reminded Sarah a lot of her younger self. "There's nothing 'cool' in whishing your sister away. Even if you knew what I experienced, Labyrinth wouldn't be the same for you. The chances of solving Labyrinth are, even at best, marginal. You've heard that already."
"But you did it."
"Only because I had help," Sarah repeated the same argument patiently.
"Hoggle, Didymus and Ludo would help me too," Toby answered bright-eyed.
"Toby!" Sarah snapped. "You're not wishing Christa away, you hear me," she threatened.
Toby only grinned at her distress, "Who said anything about Christa?"
Sarah's heart jumped in her throat at the implication in his reply and she shivered, imagining it all in her mind. Seeing the dark-clad figure standing in front of her, taunting her. What he looked like nowadays and how he fared, she had often wondered about.
"Think about it, Sarah," Toby pleaded, hanging on her arm. "I could wish you away, and you could finally meet the King and make peace."
"If it only could be that easy," Sarah sighed, her mood cheering suddenly. "I doubt he'd appreciate your gesture very much, and would, most likely, send me straight away to the darkest pit of the castle prisons." She leaned towards him. "You should think about that. While you had the adventure of your life, I would rot in a dark and drafty cell. And what if you were to lose - you wouldn't have a human sister, you'd have a goblin one."
"I wouldn't lose," Toby assured her, but Sarah only shook her head.
"Sorry, kiddo. No deals."
"Aw. You're no fun," he sulked, kicking the ground.
Sarah smiled, ruffling his hair again. "Maybe I can compensate that and buy you a breakfast. I bet you're hungry."
His face lighted up. "If breakfast means pancakes: then yes!"
Laughing, Sarah hugged the boy once again, as they stepped through the front doors and out onto the street.
The day passed quickly while sightseeing in the city. They spent some time at the Harbor, straining their eyes to get a glimpse of the distant Statue, giggling at the long lines of people, queuing for an entry to the ferries. The warm autumn sun shone brightly and gleamed on the surfaces of the high skyscrapers as they made their way to Central Park to watch joggers and eat roasted chestnuts Sarah purchased from a street vendor.
She glanced at Toby, sitting next to her swinging his legs on a bench, his gaze fixed at the pond further away. "How are you feeling? Tired?"
The boy turned his head to look at her. "I'm little hungry and my feet hurt," he confessed.
"Maybe we should get back home?" Sarah mused. "I could prepare dinner..."
She was interrupted as her phone started to ring, and jolting, Sarah nearly flung her handbag from her lap. In haste, she searched for the beeping item from the purse's seemingly endless depths, jostling her way through the bag's contents before acquiring the smooth surface. Without looking to see who called her, Sarah answered, "Hello?"
"Sarah?" A tired voice rasped at the other end.
She made a face, not recognizing the speaker immediately. "Lisa?"
"Who else - an elf?" The woman barked out. Apparently, she had just woken up. "My darling Sarah, please, be so kind and tell me you're not at home!" Lisa begged.
"No, I'm not," Sarah told truthfully, rather puzzled by Lisa's unexpected call.
"Superb! So, what are you doing?"
She gave a fleeting glance at Toby, answering. "I thought I told you last time: Toby's visiting me this weekend. At the moment we're in Central Park and -"
"Oh yes! You did!" Lisa interrupted, her quicksilver-like mind bouncing from lethargy to energy. "And that's great! I'm in Central Park too. Or near to it more like."
"What? You don't live in this direction. " Sarah furrowed her brows.
"I'm staying over night at an," Lisa hesitated, "acquaintance's. It's a long - or rather quite short story," she yawned, and Sarah felt her lips twitching. "Anyway, I'm about to leave his place and need some food. Haven't eaten since yesterday. I'm famished."
"Well, we're just headed home: Toby's hungry and tired." Sarah said, pretending she didn't notice Toby poking her.
"I'm not tired!" The boy hissed. "Say hi from me!"
"I heard that! Sarah: you're outnumbered, and, besides, I know an excellent and reasonably priced restaurant on the corner of the East 67th and Madison! I'll just pull on my clothes. You go and wait for me there; I'll join you in a minute," Lisa exclaimed victoriously.
The restaurant she spoke of was a homely place, with red-and-white tablecloth covered counters, dining groups of families, and waiters. A bulky man welcomed them inside with a wide smile and led them to a free table. Almost immediately after they ordered their drinks, Lisa rushed in, waved her hand and steering through the packed floor to their table.
"Sarah," Lisa kissed her cheek and, taking a chair for herself, sat down. "Hi Toby!" She smiled at the boy, yawned, and grabbed a menu. Dark bags rimmed her eyes; her wrinkled blouse bore a faint scent of both a sweet vanilla perfume and an unfamiliar musky cologne.
"You look fresh," Sarah commented dryly at her groggy appearance. "Out again?"
Lisa puckered her lips while ordering herself coffee, a toast and a glass of orange juice from the waiter who arrived to deliver Sarah's and Toby's drinks. "One might say that. That new Murano store had its opening night yesterday."
Sarah nodded. "I got the invitation too," she glanced at Toby, who sipped his milkshake, a red-and-white straw slotted in his mouth. She smiled, "but I had more important things to attend to."
Lisa shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever..."She poured some milk in her cup, after waiting the waiter to fill it to the brim. Taking a spoon, she plugged it in the mug and slowly stirred her coffee. The high-pitched clinking sound lingered in the air. She removed the spoon, lowering it onto the table and looked at Sarah. "Daniel was there."
Sarah froze, bringing up her gaze. "Oh?"
"Sarah." Lisa stole a glimpse at Toby, who had finished his milkshake and listened to them with an unwavering attention. She sighed. "Why did you act so - unkindly? Daniel's a nice man, and you offended him."
"Lisa, could we talk about something else? We had this conversation a week ago," Sarah groaned.
Lisa's eyes flashed. "Suit yourself. Just thought I'd tell you…" She shrugged her shoulders.
"And now you have," Sarah replied more tersely she meant to. She turned to Toby, "Have you yet decided what to order?" She asked, ignoring her friend's blaming stare, and thankful that for once Lisa agreed to do as asked to and held her tongue.
"She was right, you know?" Toby told her when they finally arrived at her home.
"What?" Sarah spun to get a look at him. Turning on the lights she hung Toby's jacket on the rack next to her dark trench. Toby had been awfully quiet after the dinner, and Sarah had hurried back to her apartment, thinking he needed rest after their long day.
"Lisa, you kind of dumped him, that Daniel-guy," Toby repeated patiently and bent down to untie his shoelaces. "Hoggle said to me it wouldn't last, that you already showed the symptoms," he struggled with the foreign word the way he struggled with the knots of his sneakers' ties. "He said you do it every time."
"Oh? He did now?" Sarah placed her hand on her hips, looking down at him. "I didn't know you shared his concern over my personal life…"
"Don't be a chicken!" Toby plunged out his tongue, straightening his back. "And, anyway, he was right. It didn't last." He frowned. "I honestly never liked him that much. He was kind of boring," he thought for a while and continued, "nice but too boring."
"Toby!" Sarah exclaimed shocked, hearing his words echoing her own earlier thoughts. "You shouldn't speak that way about other people."
He snorted. "What? I heard you saying so to Hoggle."
Her eyes narrowed as she regarded the boy. Finally, Sarah blew out a long puff of air. "Ah, I don't want to talk about this with you, Toby."
He shrugged his shoulders, following her to her small living room, and muttered something that sounded very much like, "As usual…"
Sarah didn't react, pretending she didn't perceive the sound of his half-irked words. Her gaze skimmed over the furniture of her small flat, and she felt some of her earlier tension lift up from her shoulders. The green mantle she received from Procne's mute sister hooked her interest, spread over her couch next to bed sheets Sarah had taken out before leaving to fetch Toby. Sarah had been surprised of both that she succeeded to stuff the cloth in her briefcase without Tereus noticing it and her case had room for it. Sarah had never seen such a material. The fabric was thick yet delicate. When getting home and pulling it out from her case, Sarah could not but gasp at the wonderful image Tereus' sister-in-law had weaved. The figure in the middle had a bird motif: a hawk. Sarah's had nearly burst out in laughter when she recognized the lifelike bird's image that stared at her with bright gleaming eyes. Well, as long as it wasn't an owl, she didn't have problems.
Toby jumped on her sofa, his body thumping hard against the cover of the pillows. Sarah heard the springs squeaking underneath his weight and winced. The boy yawned, leaning back comfortably and reaching out for a remote control. A blue-white tint of TV illuminated the room soon, and his fingers absentmindedly caressed the green textile, trailing over the patterns of the dark hawk.
"I'm jumping in the shower," Sarah told him. "I'll be back soon. You know your way around, right?"
"I'm not a baby," Toby replied proudly. "You don't have to fuss over me." He turned to watch the TV and laughed out loud at the sight of a familiar cartoon character being outmaneuvered by a roadrunner - again. Shaking her head, Sarah left him to watch Looneys, an amused smile playing over her lips.
When she returned, he had spread the sheets and now lay on the couch, reading something while leaning his elbows against his makeshift bed, the TV's sound turned down. Apparently, he liked the gift of Procne's sister, since he had spread the cloth over his bed as a bedcover.
"Toby!" Sarah called out.
"What?" He looked up, perplexed.
"You got everything ready by yourself," Sarah groomed her moist hair curling around her face, enjoying the feel of her comfy sweater and sweatpants. Smiling, she sat next to Toby. "I'm just surprised."
"I told you, I'm twelve!" Toby grinned. "Big enough to make my own bed." He glanced at the book in his hands.
"What are you reading?" Sarah asked curiously, and her forehead marred when she heard his reply.
"This was next to your papers on the table. A Greek poetry book, I guess."
"Oh, that one…" She muttered, cursing silently that she didn't remember to put the book away. "A new customer gave it to me…" she hesitated, "and told me to give it to you."
"What?" He made a funny face.
Sarah shrugged, looking at the table and the papers she noticed beneath the top cover of her table. She frowned, realizing they also included the contract she ought to read through before returning to Tereus. To her displease, Ed hadn't agreed to her request to be left out from Tereus' advertisement campaign, telling her that Mister Hoopoe had called immediately after her departure to tell him about his satisfaction with Sarah and that he wouldn't accept unless it was her doing the plan for the campaign.
"Apparently the book used to belong to his son. After he learned about you and that you were arriving at my place, he asked - no, basically, forced me to take the book and promise to give it to you."
"You don't seem to appreciate his gesture too much," Toby commented, his round face questioning.
Sarah bit her lip, unwilling to explain about her weird experience with Mister Hoopoe. Immediately after the meeting, she briefly considered throwing the book away. Mister Hoopoe and his family had unnerved her more she was willing to admit even to herself. The book, though, appeared quite ordinary, aside from the fact that its covers were made of genuine leather; its thick pages were turning yellow; and its publishing year had been more than a century ago. It was priceless, and she had no heart to give such a treat away.
Toby turned to inspect the front cover, reading aloud the title, "Metamorphoses by Ovid…" He looked back at Sarah. "I've heard the name, I think."
"It's a Roman classic," Sarah sighed, stroking down his hair, heart swelling at the endearing sight of his untamed pile of hair, "and one of Ovid's most famous works. Metamorphosis consists of a collection of different stories and legends about people who go through a change from a human to something else - like an animal."
"I kind of figured that out," Toby snorted. "But why did he want to give it to me if it belongs to his son?"
"Since," Sarah spoke softly, remembering Tereus' anguish again, "he died. Mister Hoopoe, the customer, told me that it used to be his son's favorite book, and he wouldn't have it otherwise than to pass the book on to you."
"He sounds really friendly," Toby commented while leafing through the book's aged pages that shuffled gently at his touch.
Sarah shook her head. "You have no idea. He was a total nutcase." She stared blankly at the TV, her attention straying from the images flashing through the screen, thoughts in her experience with the queer family Hoopoe. She missed the curious look Toby gave her.
"So, have you talked to Hoggle yet?"
Sarah blinked and turned to him. "What?"
"You said you would talk with Hoggle before the weekend, have you done so?"
She averted her gaze, muttering, "I'm sorry, Toby. I was really busy the whole week."
"Sarah," Toby complained, sitting up, and gave her a blaming gawk. "It can't be so difficult!"
"What do you know?" Sarah snapped. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, trying to calm down. "Sorry Toby. This' been a difficult week, and I just haven't got time."
Toby crossed his arms, scrutinizing her coldly. "Well, what prevents you from doing it now?" He demanded.
Sarah shook her head, annoyed at his persistency. "I don't get it. Why do you necessarily wish to speak to Hoggle?"
At her question, Toby's face sparkled to life. "I want to tell him about my biology exam!" He told with a proud smile. "I got an A!"
"Oh, that's great, Toby!" Sarah exclaimed, relieved the boy let go of his nagging, and sobered then. "But why didn't you tell me that earlier?"
"I wanted him to know first! I bet he'd be proud…" Toby told with shining eyes. He lowered his hands against his knees while squeezing the book tightly. "Hoggle taught me the difference between a black and a sugar maple, and the teacher asked me that in the exam! Did you know that sugar maple have more lobes in its leaves, and that black maple kinda droops?" He explained his voice waving with excitement. "Hoggle told me that when you went out with David to say to him you would break off with him."
"Ah, oh yes, " Sarah muttered, blushing. "I remember now." She rubbed her forehead, and then glanced at Toby. "Wait! I didn't know he teaches you!" Despite she tried to push the feeling at bay, her heart coiled form a painful twist of jealousy.
"Nah," Toby muttered. "Only in biology. You know, he's a gardener? He's the best in the whole Underground, Didymus said so - Hoggle also won the Golden Rose this year, it's their first prize. He knows everything about plants!"
"He's my friend. Of course I know he's a gardener," Sarah answered somewhat tensely. "But do they really arrange gardening competitions in Labyrinth?"
"Yeah, they do!" Toby's eyes sparkled from excitement. "Hoggle told that every part of Labyrinth have a separate caretaker. He oversees the work of Hedge Maze, and he has five assistants the King has assigned to him."
"- that sounds a bit too aristocratic for my taste," Sarah frowned.
"Well, it's his kingdom," he shrugged his shoulders.
"Yes. I am aware of that as I have met him," she answered levelly through her teeth, trying to restrain her annoyance.
Toby gave her a thoughtful look, failing to notice her ire. "You should just call him. I'm certain he's over all that stuff already. I know you miss him."
"Toby!" Sarah cried out shocked at his words. "I most definitely do not miss the Goblin King! And even less will I call for him! You're crazy to even suggest such a thing. Have you forgotten that he tried to kidnap you and turn you into a goblin?"
"Only after you asked him to," Toby reminded, frowning at her.
"Hey!" Sarah shook her finger at him. "He had his eyes attached to our family long before that. I saw him often in his owl shape near the park by our home when I rehearsed the play."
"You know, Sarah, not all owls are Goblin Kings in disguise. You should listen to Hoggle sometimes," Toby chimed, and she locked her teeth angrily together, the anger finally igniting to flames.
"Since when have you become the keeper of Hoggle's secrets?" Sarah snapped. "I know what I saw, and there's no way I will call for him." Her eyes narrowed and she stared at Toby suspiciously. "You've been plotting this together with Hoggle, haven't you?" She challenged.
Toby returned her stare with a bewilderment expression playing over his face. "Plotting? What are you talking about, Sarah?" He groaned.
"Don't pretend, mister. Last time he, and now you."
"You're not making any sense!" Toby complained. "How could I plot with Hoggle when the last time I saw him was while visiting you? And as you know, you're the only one who can call him here."
He spoke the truth, Sarah realized, but still the anger didn't subdue. "You have no right to meddle with my personal life," Sarah scowled. "As far as I'm aware, you're not part of it."
"Not part of it?" His eyes flashed angrily as he retreated further away from her. "I'm your brother, for crying out loud!"
"Half-brother." The moment the words fled from her mouth, Sarah wanted to cut off her tongue. The anger disappeared, leaving only shock and terror. "Oh no! I'm sorry, Toby! I didn't mean that!" She stretched her hands, trying to apologize to him immediately, but too late. The boy frowned at her angrily and narrowed his eyes.
"Sure you did." Toby snarled, retreating away, and sprinted on to his feet. "You're such a prig, Sarah!" He swooshed his hand and nearly hit Sarah with Metamorphoses. "Up yours!"
"Toby!" Sarah gasped shocked at the profanity, aghast at her own words.
"What?" He snapped. "Like you wouldn't curse yourself? You know, Sarah, were I to wish you to goblins, I wouldn't even bother running through Labyrinth. I rather take my dreams than you!" Toby spat. Without waiting for her reply, he turned on his heels and stormed away, leaving Sarah stunned in her place. She could hear her bedroom's door banging and her paintings frames' tingle at the force of the thrust.
"I'm such a moron!" She croaked aloud and buried her face in her hands, listening half-heartedly to the faint applauds of a TV sitcom and weakly wondering for a reason at her vicious reaction to Toby's words. For a moment she imagined hearing a high-pitched screech mingled together with television's deriding laughter, mocking her like a cruel joke.
"Stupid! Stupid me."