That night, the dream came again. It had disrupted her sleep many
times, always occuring when she least expected it, always taunting
her with memories. Memories of things she had once longed for and
knew she would never be able to have. Memories of him.
It always started out the same way. She was standing in a large
bubble, and the room before her was filled with velvets and silks and
pearls. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceilings, and the walls
seemed to be made of diamonds. People were dancing in long, slow,
seductive movements, and they were all wearing ornately carved masks.
As she took a step forward, music began to play. She didn't reconize
the tune, but found herself softly humming along to it. There were
words in the music, romantic and haunting at the same time. Her eyes
searched the crowd, as if she was looking for someone, but even she
had no idea who she was seeking.
She caught a glimpse of herself in a gold-gilt mirror, surprised at
how different she looked. Her hair was done up in an elaborate
upsweep, and she was wearing a scarlet gown. The gown had mounds and
mounds of silk, so much so that she felt she was nearly drowning in
it. Ruby earrings dangled from her ears, and she saw that her cheeks
were flushed. She looked beautiful, more beautiful than she had ever
looked, and she wished she could keep on dreaming forever. Why did it
matter if she awoke? What did she really have to go back to? How
could she ever trade this gown for jeans and a sweatshirt? How could
she ever go back to the pizza parlor after a night at the ball?
Suddenly, she felt all eyes on her. She turned to see all the dancers
staring at her openly, questioningly. She noticed that she was the
only woman without a partner, that she had come to this party very
alone. And she was the only one without a mask.
A handsome dancer approached her, and she thought he was going to ask
her to dance. She took a step toward him, only to realize he was
looking at someone else. She was not the object of his desire.
Kate swirled around, the music louder now, and she swore she heard
the masked dancers laugh. They were laughing at her, because she was
alone and no one wanted to dance with her. No one wanted her at all.
She felt tears sting her eyes. Hadn't it always been this way?
She felt a hand on her elbow, and looked down to see an old woman
smiling up at her. The woman was short and elfish, and Kate wondered
if she was a goblin. She wasn't dressed for a ball, and she sported
no mask, either.
"You are looking for someone," the woman said cryptically.
"No one will dance with me," Kate whispered, hearing the pain in her
own voice.
"That's because they aren't the ones for you," the goblin answered
back. "He's searching for you, you know."
Kate frowned, puzzled. "Who is?"
"He is. He has no partner either."
Kate shook her head. She had no idea what this strange little woman
was talking about.
"Look," Kate said, impatient, "I don't know what you mean. You are
speaking in riddles. I just don't - "
Suddenly, the woman gasped. She was staring beyond Kate, into the
crowd. "There he is!" She cried.
Kate turned, feeling as though the entire atmosphere had turned into
slow motion. The music had stopped, the dancers had stopped, and it
felt like time itself has ceased to exist in this dream-world. Her
eyes widened as she saw a tall, slender man a few feet away from her.
He was dressed in a royal blue jacket, and blue glitter dusted his
long, blonde hair. He was by no means traditionally handsome, yet
there was something about him that struck her. He was mysterious and
seductive, and when his eyes met hers, it was as if a bolt of
lightning had seared through her very soul.
Jareth.
His lips turned up in a slow smile. He had come for her, this she
knew.
Kate sat bolt upright in bed, sweat and tears pouring down her
cheeks. She was shaking all over, and her pulse was roaring in her
ears. It had seemed so real, as it always had. Slowly she got out of
bed and went to the window, putting her fevered forhead on the cool
glass. The dream had tormented her for years. She loved and dreaded
it at the same time.
Kate shivered and wrapped her arms tightly around herself. Coming
here had brought so many memories flooding back. Would she ever be
able to forget them?