"Can I come in?" Kate asked later that afternoon as she peered inside

her uncle's bedroom.

Uncle Toby looked up in surprise and nodded. "Sure." He was sitting

on the edge of his bed, elbows resting on his knees.

Kate entered the small room and sat down beside him. "I haven't seen

you all afternoon," she told him. "Are you feeling OK?"

Her uncle sighed deeply. "I guess so. Wanted some time to think,

that's all."

"About...?"

"Your aunt, and...the future. Since my wife died a few years ago, I

had been pretty lonely. When Sarah got sick, it seemed only natural

that I should move in and take care of her. She didn't have anyone,

and neither did I. But now that she's gone, the house seems so big. I

don't know what I'm going to do."

Kate leaned over and patted her uncle's time-worn hand. There were

many times that she didn't know what to say to people, and this was

one of those times. She hated herself for not being able to think of

something comforting to say.

"My son wants me to move into what he calls a "Retirement Community".

It's really an old folk's home. Says I'd be better off there, at my

age. It would be "safer" for me."

Kate frowned. "But you don't want to go."

He shook his head. "Would you?"

"No, I guess not."

They sat in silence a few minutes, each one in their own thoughts.

Finally, Kate said, "I was wondering when I should leave. Eddie and

Pat said they would in a few more days."

Deep down, Kate didn't want to go. Not just yet. She had the odd

feeling that there was something of great importance for her to do,

an opportunity that if she passed it up, would never come again. She

felt like she was standing at a crossroads, which really didn't make

any sense at all. That was why she was so hesitant about leaving this

house with all of it's memories. She had the terrible fear that as

soon as she drove away, she would forget everything...that she would

lose something very special. What, she didn't know.

"You're welcome to stay as long as you like," her uncle said

softly. "But I suspect you have a job to get back to."

Kate laughed bitterly. The life she had left behind was not something

she was in a hurry to get back to. In fact, she wished she never had

to return to that apartment.

"What's bothering you, Kate?" Uncle Toby asked suddenly, and when she

looked at him, she thought he seemed very, very wise.

She took a deep breath, wondering if she should confide in her uncle.

She had never told anyone her hopes and dreams, or even her darkest

fears. But, she thought, if there was anyone on earth she could be

herself with, surely it would be her dear Uncle Toby.

"Was Sarah..." she began in a whisper..."Was Aunt Sarah crazy?"

Her uncle didn't seem surprised at her abrupt question. He scratched

his head thoughtfully a minute and then said, "I don't know. I loved

your aunt dearly, and growing up, she was almost more of a mother to

me than my own mother was. She took good care of me, and always told

me stories about the Labyrinth."

Kate let out a startled gasp. "You mean, she was talking about it

even then? I know she said it happened when you were a baby, but I

didn't think...I didn't understand that she persisted with that story

her entire life."

Her uncle nodded. "She did. When I was little I believed it really

happened. I even told the kids at school about it."

"And now? What do you think now?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, Kate. I used to have dreams about being

taken away from my crib. Just short, little glimpses, like a man with

blonde hair, words to a song, things like that. But I always figured

it was just Sarah's story in my brain. Part of me can't believe in

things like that. But I knew my sister, and she never seemed crazy to

me."

Kate bowed her head. "Eddie and Pat think she was. They think that

I'm...that I'm just like her."

Uncle Toby put his arm around her shoulder and drew her

close. "You're not going crazy, if that's what's bothering you."

Kate pulled back slightly. "But I believed in the Labyrinth. Even now

I wonder about it. I don't think it's real, but sometimes when I

remember all the things Aunt Sarah told me, I begin to question it."

"You want it to be real."

Kate looked into her uncle's sad eyes. "Maybe I do. You know, when I

was younger there were so many times I wanted to wish myself away. So

many times, after Mom and Dad had a fight, after a kid at school made

fun of me, I'd run home crying and be so tempted to say the words.

But I never did, because I was half afraid of what would happen."

Uncle Toby was silent a minute. Then, he slowly got up and went to

the closet. "There's something I've been meaning to give you. It was

your aunt's dying wish that you have it." He pulled out a large box

and sat it at her feet.

Kate stared at the cardboard box, with it's yellowed tape keeping the

lid securely closed. "What is it?"

"Sarah's treasures." Was all he said.

She sighed and tenderly touched the box. "Oh, Uncle Toby, I think

I'll spend the rest of my life wondering."

"You don't have to, you know."

Kate raised her head and looked at him questioningly.

"I'm too old," he went on gently. "But you aren't. If you wanted to,

you could find the answer to all of your questions."

"Uncle Toby, what are you saying?"

He lowered his gaze. "Nothing. Just that...you're the only one now.

The only one who can learn the truth."

His cryptic words echoed in her mind as she carried the box down the

hallway and into her bedroom. After locking the door behind her, she

put the box on the bed and began pulling the tape off. What could he

have meant, anyway?

But she knew what he meant. Sighing, Kate opened the lid and peered

inside. Tears filled her eyes as she saw the things her aunt had

deemed "treasures": A couple of stuffed animals in the shape of odd

creatures; "Where the Wild Things Are" with it's binding torn;

bookends that resembled some sort of dwarf; a figurine of a girl in a

white ballgown; a notepad; and at the very bottom, a thin red book.

Kate pulled out the notepad and skimmed it's contents. The pages were

filled with Aunt Sarah's penciled sketches. There were funny little

animals, a maze of walls she knew was the Labyrinth, and on the last

page, the drawing of an owl.

A chill traveled down Kate's spine as she stared at the owl, her

heart began to pound rapidly. Quickly, she reached for the red book

and knew before she opened the first page what it was. Silently she

read, "Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have

fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city, to take back

the child that you have stolen."

What did she have to lose, anyway? If she said the words - if she at

least tried - then she would know if Aunt Sarah was crazy all those

years. And maybe, just maybe, she would know if people called

her "Crazy Kate" for good reason.

Closing the book and taking a deep breath, she said the words that

she had been warned against so many times in the past. "I wish the

goblins would come and take me away. Right now."

And then the lights went out.