Disclaimer: I do not own "Labyrinth".
The Land That Is Not
Chapter Six
The burning pain in his chest urged him forward. He couldn't rest. The blurry edges of the landscape slid by; towering houses changed to trees, bushes and lifeless planes of dust, sand and rocks. His bones and muscles ached. He couldn't breathe. He barely saw the dark shape in front of him, knowing in his feverish mind he was near to the end of his journey.
He didn't slow down as the building appeared into his sight: little hut hid in the shadows of the looming mountain. Unable to control himself, he saw the pale yellow walls approaching him, growing in size. He fought, his muscles trembling from the exhaustion and fright. He cried out in terror as the distance closed down.
o O o
The tips of the sunbeams cast their first pale light over the ground. The languid fog hovered just over the grass; the dew glimmered on the grass and trees; and yonder over lie the spirally outlines of the Goblin King's castle. Out of nowhere, a pair of hawks appeared in the pale morning sky, slowly gliding downwards.
The moment Sarah's clawed feet touched the ground, fire churned through her body; a burning ache forcing her to whimper aloud. The world shifted in front of her eyes, becaming hazy. Deformed dimensions of her surroundings bulged and bubbled as if boiling. She moaned, digging her nails into the soil, and only after a while became aware of the pain the grass that dug in the skin between her fingers and nails caused. She let out a frightened gasp, staring at the moist lawn level with her eyes, the morning dampness wetting her jeans and shirt.
Hastily, she scrambled on her knees, and her eyes fixed at a pair of unclothed masculine legs standing opposite of her. She looked up and blushed.
"I have kept my word," the god told her, hair shining golden in the morning light, eyes flickering deliberately as he watched her crawling at his feet. "We are in the Goblin King's land." He tilted his head, pointing towards the castle beyond, and stepped closer.
"Thank you," Sarah croaked and, accepting his outstretched hand, staggered up with wobbly legs.
The god frowned suddenly. "Are you sure about this?" he confirmed and placed her palm against his warm torso, gently rubbing her fingers. "I could take you away, show you so many other wonderful places that lie behind the gates of the skies - if foreign lands are that which fascinate you. I am allowed to travel back and forth to all the worlds. A word from you, and I would take you to the stars…" He stole a sneaky glance at her.
"I appreciate the offer, I truly do." Sarah shook her head, trying to pull back. "But I have to say no. I have a brother to save." She puckered her lips annoyed at his persistence.
"Yes, that is what you told," the god muttered, sighing, keeping her fingers confined against his chest. His heart trembled like a wild drum. "It's always the same with you mortals…Stubborn, you never seem to understand that which would be for your best."
"Were your siblings in trouble, wouldn't you try to help them?" she inhaled sharply. "I can't abandon Toby to the Goblin King! I love him too much!"
"I plead, but in vain." A cheerless smile manifested on his face, making him appear more human, almost vulnerable. As the sight of his expression stole Sarah's breath away, he stepped closer, letting go of Sarah's hand. "It appears your heart has already been lost," he mused while stretching to stroke a lock of her hair from her eyes. "The blossom blooms, but not for me." His eyes grew dark, "Yet, I want to give you a gift."
Sarah didn't even have time to flinch as the god stepped right next to her, snaking his arms around her waist.
"Young mortal woman. This will be my gift to you, a reward for the trust placed on me. You have arrived in a hostile land alone, and I pity you, knowing what the future has in store for you." He placed his lips on her forehead and whispered, "With my blessing go with your quest." He shifted his mouth against her eye, placing a soft kiss on either side, "Let no evil fool you. Shall every charm planned to deceive you, be revealed at your sight. This I give you," he paused while locking his stare with Sarah's and, jerking her closer, whispered huskily, "and this I take from you - a sweet breath from your lips, destined to kiss someone else."
Before she could refuse, his mouth hooked on her mouth hungrily, like savoring of and feeding from her. She felt his fingers running over her skin, her neck, and caressing her earlobes as he compelled her to give in to him, subduing her with his mouth and tongue. His kissed her wildly, fervently, and Sarah yielded breathlessly; and shivering.
At last, he unfastened his mouth from her, pulling further, and watched Sarah's flushed face. With a flicker of a pleased smile playing over his features, he slid a finger over her swollen lip. His touch tickled and warmed at the same time.
"Lets it be said that the swift-footed Hermes has lost his touch, even if this time he may have been too slow." He released her, stepping back. "I bid you now my farewells, sweet maiden. May you find that what you seek from the Goblin King…" after saying so, he bowed, and, in front of her eyes, started to shift.
Stunned, his taste lingering in her mouth, Sarah stared at the god, now only a familiar, silver-winged hawk. After screeching one single piercing cry, the bird spread its wings and took off, soaring towards the pale yellow line of the morning light, quickly disappearing from her sight.
Sarah sighed, tenderly touching her sore lips, and then shook her head, stealing a fleeting glance at the Goblin King's castle. The sight of its dark towers and outlines made her heart tremble – with worry, fear, or excitement? She couldn't tell. She inhaled the unearthly, flowery scent lingering around and noticed the glowing and sparkling trees surrounding her. Absentmindedly, Sarah stroked her hair, the pale shafts of light tickling her face.
"One obstacle passed," Sarah murmured, "another one to run into." She still needed to find the place they had agreed on to meet with Hoggle. Looking down at her sneakers, she spoke out, "Well, what are you waiting for? Come on, feet!" She sprinted and dived into the dark forest.
The forest remained the way Sarah remembered. Eerie silence lingered amidst the trees as she stole her way forward through a narrow pine path hidden beneath the undergrowth. The trees whispered and rustled, and nervously Sarah glanced around, at the trunks glimmering and glittering from the morning dew. The wind howled through the branches, and the angry rustle accompanied her as she walked deeper in the forest, the ominous chill seeping through her bones.
The little birds twittered sitting on the boughs, their songs mingling with the hiss of the leaves like they were telling a story to each other. Their sounds were oddly familiar, and she shifted her head, listening keenly to the birds and the trees, almost understanding their wordless tale.
The deeper she got, the dimmer the light grew. The trees leaned towards each other, narrowing the path, and forced her to slow down. Walking became more like a struggle. Sarah pushed the branches and bushes aside, hunched and crunched down on her knees, cursing the trees as if they were preventing her from going further on purpose. She screamed when a branch nearly hit her in the face. She ducked, stopped and bit her lip, looking around. The trees were wavering, the leaves rustled with an angry tone. And then she heard a voice, a mix of a whisper and a howl.
"Go away!"
"Who's there?" she demanded, pulling herself upright.
The wind grew stronger, the leaves rustled. "Human child, begone!"
Sarah raised her chin, "I'm not afraid!" she lied, glancing around the green surroundings. "I've learned that things are different here, and there's more than meets the eye."
The voice grew stronger, echoing around her. "Why are you here?" the speaker asked, turning harsher like the wind that blew through her. "You're not welcome anymore."
"I'm here for Toby!" Sarah snapped, refusing to be intimidated. "I won't leave until he's returned back to me!"
The forest fell silent, and Sarah felt a change in the environment - the wind died, the light turned colder. Her heart trembling she spun nervously around, trying to see through the impenetrable surrounding greenness. Then, her hair stood up. She froze and slowly turned in place.
Sarah gasped. Something, like a form of every possible different green, a glowing aura shimmering around her, or him, was approaching her.
It was an odd creature - made of leaves and branches. Its feet were a pair of frail old logs, its mossy hair dangled down its back. And its eyes were like bottomless pools of dark water. It appeared from nowhere, walking toward her, and stopped right in front of her, looking at her with dark alien-like eyes.
"You shouldn't have come…" The voice rushed in her ears loudly even though she couldn't see a mouth.
Nervousness churning her chest, Sarah forced herself to stay still and meet the creature's dark stare. "He stole Toby! I won't allow that!"
It closed its eyes, breathing out a twittering of birds, rustling of leaves and a soft wind that brought along a faint scent of mold, flowers and wet moss.
"Yes. We - I know," it answered at last, taking a step forward. "The boy's in danger, but you have no right to return. You denied us. You don't belong here," it accused her.
Sarah back-stepped, "I didn't understand then," she stammered, baffled with the bitter tone of the forest creature, trying to defend herself. "I had a family. I couldn't abandon them, or abandon Toby."
"Stupid girl", the creature spat. "You nearly destroyed it all, and now you even failed to protect the boy!"
"But I'm here to save him!"
"He's out of your reach!"the creature hissed. "You did your trip in vain."
"He's not here?" Sarah whispered through parched lips, terrified. "But I thought," her voice died.
"What? That the King would snatch him?" the creature snapped. "You don't get it, do you?" it hissed, circling around her slowly, ominous silence falling on Sarah.
"What?" Sarah watched it warily as it walked around her.
It stopped suddenly, right in front of her face, leaned closer, and the leaves and branches forming its face moved. It was smiling, Sarah realized then.
"You already lost him, and not only now."
The angrily hissed words made her shiver and raised a bitter taste in her mouth. She gulped, "But I won!" she all but cried. "I beat the King, I solved the Labyrinth!"
"Won?" It let out a sound - half a snarl, half a laugh. "You nearly destroyed everything."
"I don't understand," Sarah stammered, backing away from the creature.
"Of course you don't!" it hissed. "Time and time again you've shown your lack of wisdom, prudence and compassion. You care of nothing but your meager desires."
"What gives you the right to judge me?" Adrenaline coursed through her veins, her heart trembled, but she tried not to care while pulling back her shoulders. "You don't know me! You don't know about my life!"
It moved so fast. Suddenly, its hand grasped her throat; it lifted her up, dangling her from its wooden hands. She coughed and wheezed beneath the stone-hard grip, trying to rip off the fingers that pressed her gullet and prevent her from breathing.
The creature brought her closer, tilting its head while watching her pointless struggle.
"Careless and meaningless words that have little importance. I should destroy you for your crimes," it told her, and Sarah shivered at the emotionless tone, trying to rip herself loose.
She hit and kicked, but nothing appeared to affect the creature. Desperately, she gasped for air, scraping the creature with her nails. The world started to spark in her eyes, turn to black when, unexpectedly, it let go of her. She fell on the soft lawn, laying still and breathing heavily, trying to regain her composure. Tears burned her eyes as she looked up.
"I've done nothing to you!" Sarah cried, trembling, trying to crawl up on her feet, but her legs had no strength. She panted loudly, and her throat ached. "Why are you punishing me?"
It didn't pay attention to her. Instead, it was staring straight ahead, musing aloud. "The boy is lost now, also from me… " Then it shook its head, looking down at Sarah, and grimaced. Sarah saw its face to move. A huge hole that appeared on its face revealed a set of dry sticks and branches. It took a step closer, wobbling and creaking like an old tree. "And you have no further use for us..."
Sarah screamed, throwing her arms to cover her head, waiting to feel its relentless hands on her once more. Instead, she heard an angry hiss, and then only the quiet rustling of the leaves. Shivering, Sarah peeked through her arms.
It was bent over her. A dark gleam shimmered in the depths of its eyes, a looming promise of what it intended on her behalf. Then, oddly, it smiled, pulling itself straight.
"No," the words echoed around the forest. "There's still something you can do. You may live, for now."
Hastily, Sarah scrambled backwards from the forest creature, bewildered by her sudden salvation. She licked her parched lips. "Wh-what do you...?"
"Sh," the creature hissed annoyed. "Don't tempt your fate, human." It raised its moss-covered arm, stretching wooden fingers towards the crown of the trees and the hidden sun. For the time being nothing happened, then Sarah heard a crack, and the bark of its arm split open. She gasped, as a tiny twig with delicate leaves protruded through the creature's rough bark-like skin, shivering in the gentle wind. The creature lowered its arm, bringing it in front of its face, and gently cut the twig off.
It looked back at Sarah, keeping the tiny branch in its hands. "The King knows not, of yet," it said, hesitating. "And there've been…difficulties in conveying messages through. He needs to know."
Sarah shivered, a memory of the face of the Goblin King appearing in her mind, a sense of upcoming dread raising goosebumps on her skin. "You want me…?" She had no time to finish the question.
"Don't look so astonished," the creature rasped aloud. "This is why you're here, after all. Not because of your priceless brother." It leaned closer, lowering its voice. "Don't think you could ban us from your heart simply by your childish refusal."
Sarah stared at the creature, her mouth agape, uncomprehending its words.
"Eat it," the creature offered the branch to Sarah, "Just to make sure there won't be difficulties…"
Sarah couldn't find words, shivering at the bitter tone of the creature, and shook her head in denial.
"No?" it mocked her, tilting its wooden head. "Little human, you're not in a position to prevent me. You walk on my soil and trespass the land I created together with the King, to protect and nourish that which was dead and void of time. You brought the change, and I do not forgive…"
"You're?" Sarah croaked, but the creature only hissed, and the leaves in the surrounding trees shivered as a furious echo along with its words.
"Don't be so astonished, child! Surely you realized the King's strength springs from the land, just as much as the land reflects the King's heart." It let the twig fall in front of her feet. "If you want to reach your precious friends, truly save your brother, eat it."
Something sunk deep within Sarah's heart at those words; a sense of nervousness churned her chest.
"But," she whispered, eyeing the small twig lying on the ground, "if I eat it..."
"You have the whole eternity," Labyrinth-creature mocked her, bending closer. "Your infinite ever after. Isn't that what you wanted, Sarah?"
She shook her head, trying to back off. She couldn't even scream as it grasped her head, forcing her face to the ground. The wet moss, the sharp needless infiltrated her nostrils, and Sarah only barely managed not to scream as the forest-creature pressed her down unyieldingly. Her hands groped the ground as she struggled to free herself. Panicking, she felt the wooden fingers pushing her deeper to the ground, the mold and moss blinding her sight and preventing her from breathing. Her ears caught up its words, like an angry rustle of leaves.
"Nnnnnn," she mumbled, still trying to resist.
Yet, the hands kept her firmly against the ground. Through her panic, she realized she couldn't win. She could die here, on the clutches of relentless incarnated country; dreamland as she had naively believed it to be before. She ceased struggling, and felt the fingers ease their pressure, then, pull back.
She didn't move, lying face down.
"I tell you, your brother is not here. "
"You lie," Sarah stated flatly, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground.
"Why should I?" the words were cold.
"You want revenge." Sarah looked up, leaning against her arms. "You want to fool me so that the King can punish me, so that you can have both my brother and your revenge…"
"Stupid human!" the creature snarled. "It's enough punishment to have you here. "But," it bent closer, "rest assured that you won't find your brother in the Underground."
She looked at it, narrowing her eyes. "Why then?" she queried. "Why keep me here?"
It hesitated, pulling itself upright. "My reasons are my own."
"That doesn't answer my question," Sarah accused.
It gave her a long look, until it finally spoke, "I need your help to find the boy."
Sarah snorted. "What good can I do if I'm not able to leave the Underground?"
She jerked as the creature snarled angrily, stepping closer. "Sarah, you subdue. You accept. That is the price of coming back."
She sniffled, meeting the creature's odd alien-like eyes; and, finally, without a word, stretched her trembling hand towards the little twig lying in front of her eyes. She felt the creature's eyes on her while holding the plant in her dirtied hands.
"If you want my assistance," it purred softly, and Sarah looked at it through her hair dangling on her face. Surprisingly, the creature appeared almost serene, its dark mossy hair fluttering around its face like a dark pile of leaves and plants the gentle wind swayed. "If you want the King to help you to find our precious Toby."
She didn't move, staring at the creature.
"For Toby," she whispered at last, her eyes itching, and before she could come to her senses, stuffed the plant into her mouth.
It tasted - normal. Like the branch of a tree would normally taste like, bitter and bland. Sarah chewed the bark in her mouth, swallowing down the pieces of wood along with her fears and tears. She looked up at the wooden Labyrinth-creature, secretly wondering the reasons for its actions.
"Now, Sarah. Get up. Continue your little run and look for your treacherous friends," the creature said. "I shall not prevent you further, and the trees will allow you to leave."
"But you," Sarah gasped the dull taste of the wood lingering in her mouth.
"Don't you worry," the creature mocked her. "You can be certain that you shall be found...sooner than you think." It smiled through the branches of its mouth.
"What will he do?" she whispered hoarsely, shivering.
It fell into silence and confessed, "That…I don't know. But, you can be sure, he won't be happy."
"What can I say?" Sarah sniffed, lowering her eyes to her hands. "Will he even help me?"
"He will. Your brother is important to me just as well as to him. Just tell him," the creature hesitated as if not certain. The forest around appeared to hesitate along with it, falling into a lingering silence, waiting for its words. Only a distant bird somewhere dared to raise its voice; its cheerful melody sounded like blasphemy. Finally, it spoke, "Tell that the future is obscure. The wind blows too strongly, and birds' song has become foul. Unless you find Toby, all will be lost."
With these words, it turned around, leaving Sarah alone. Trembling, Sarah remained in her place, rooted to the ground, tasting the bitter bark in her mouth. It took ages until she finally was able to get up.
The journey through the forest didn't take too long. Just as the Labyrinth-creature had said, the trees shifted and straightened, revealing a way through the whispering woods. Their voices remained low and angry, and even when Sarah didn't quite understand their speech, she understood enough to realize they were furious.
Hardly able to prevent herself from sighing with relief, she finally cleared the forest, and reached its edge. Sarah stopped, savoring with her eyes the familiar viridian green, well-tended hedge plants of the Hedge Maze she saw. Clear light-blue sky bent over the hedges, and further afield the distant dark lines of the mountains emerged in the horizon.
With newly found energy, Sarah hurried down the sloping hill, over the branches and small shrubs protruding from the ground, running straight in the Hedge Maze.
The destination Hoggle had instructed her to come to was a small, secluded square within the maze with tarnished stone pillars and statues. She stopped and looked around, nervous and fearful up until she noticed Hoggle hiding behind one of the statues, a crude sculpture of a peeing dwarf. Just the mere sight of his red cap and white blouse reignited her hope.
"Hoggle!" she cried softly, and the dwarf leapt, almost turning around and running in another direction. He looked in her direction, wide-eyed. His shoulders dropped as he recognized her.
"Sarah…" Hoggle hurried to her, gripping her tightly from the hand. "Thank heavens ye're alright!" he panted and shook his head. "It's not safe. Ye have to return, immediately!"
Sarah felt the tears burning her eyes again, and the worry and freezing dread made her sway. "I cannot," she whispered hoarsely. "He's not here."
"No!" Hoggle cried, trying to pull her along. "Ye're wrong. I just saw him," he continued, dragging Sarah across the square.
Sarah stopped, pulling Hoggle to her, both terrifying hope and fear strangling her throat. "Toby?!"
"No!" Hoggle almost shouted. "The King! He knows!"
Sarah shook her head, unable to banish the nagging feeling that she shouldn't have agreed to the forest-creature's demand, should have kept her head. She moistened her lips and asked with a small voice, "What?"
Her heart froze at the sudden sound. She jerked straight, recognizing the speaker immediately, even after all these years...She shivered at that dark and husky male voice, lazy words tearing her consciousness.
"That there was a reason to follow Hogbrain."
Faintly, like behind a curtain or heavy fog she heard Hoggle's scared yelp. Sarah stared blankly ahead at the lush hedge plants, for some reason noticing the tiny white buds waiting for to blossom. Like in a dream, slowly, she turned around; and saw the Goblin King.