-- Well, well. Here it is friends. Coming up immediately after the last one as well. I'm trying to make up for not getting anything out in forever. On a personal note, I'm doing this instead of revising the four papers that I have due in English 101 on Dec. 2nd (yes, I'm in college now). Or studying for Latin for which I am doing horribly in. Oh yeah, now that I'm able to use italics, Sarah's thoughts are in italics. Enjoy. --
Disclaimer: Any original bits of LABYRINTH that appear are only to further the plot and I take no credit for them. At all. I'm sure y'all are getting tired of these disclaimers, but just bear with me. Original characters that appear are mine however (or I'm theirs, haven't quite figured that part out yet). The song Sarah is humming is "Heroes" by David Bowie. Apparently both of us are fans.
Chapter the Seventh
"Well," Sarah pursed her lips, "that was interesting to say the least."
Turning back to view the castle, Sarah became aware of a light growing. Slowly the vista unfolded below her.
So, that's what he meant by 'the Labyrinth'.
Acres and acres of twisting, twining roads snaked beneath her. All were barred by some kind of structure, be they walls or hedges or something Else. Certain pockets definitely looked like their own environs and it appeared to have cities within the grand walls that bordered the whole image. The walls spread out into an impossibly long line, and continued into the horizon beyond the castle itself which stood (as she could now see) on a jagged, high hill.
Sarah blinked and sucked in a deep breath. Blowing out the air, she huffed, "Well, come on feet."
She trasped down the hill. The thudding footfalls were the only sound other than the wind. To keep her mind occupied as she steadily worked her way to the Labyrinth's outer wall, she began to hum quietly to herself.
"'We could be heroes, just for one day…'"
The wind had subsided as Sarah reached the base of the hill. Over her hum-sing she heard the steady tinkling of water. Redirecting her gaze from the looming walls she turned toward the sound.
Immediately her face began to flush. The sound came from what had to be a dwarf. He wore a red skullcap and tan vest which depicted a face on the back; he stood on the edge of a tiny fish pond filled with murky water. He was relieving himself.
"Erhmrahm," Sarah coughed into her hand, studiously avoiding looking at him. From the corner of her eye, she saw him jump.
"Gah-ha!" he sputtered.
The sounds of clangling reached Sarah's ears. Looking over slowly, prepared at any moment to revert her eyes, she studied the dwarf.
He had an overly large, bulbous nose and great, white bushy eyebrows perched upon partially sunken eyes. The eyebrows were incredibly expressive and served to heighten the surprise in his clear blue eyes. His hands were huge when compared proportionally to the rest of his body. The fingers were long and knobby, liken unto an old man's who spent his life as a gardener. Hanging from his belt, nearly touching the small, curled red shoes he wore, dangled a collection of ornaments and jewelry.
The surprise quickly faded from his eyes and a look of scorn took over his countenance, "Oh," he huffed, "it's you."
"Hmm?"
But he was no longer paying attention. Swiftly he grabbed an old spray can from beside him and darted to the scrubby flowers that clung to the massive, worn walls.
Following, Sarah saw what had grasped his attention. From one of the flowers flew out a fairy.
It had long, glass like blond hair and a ten-year-olds youthful face. The diaphanous gown appeared see-through, yet all Sarah could see was the wall behind it. The transparent wings beat like a hummingbird's.
"Oh," Sarah gasped.
Euphorically the dwarf squeaked the spray the spray can at it. The fairy made a mewling sound as it fell to earth.
"Fifty-seven," he cackled.
Sarah gapped in shock, "You monster!"
Swiftly she reached down and scooped the trembling fairy in her hands. "How could y—Ouch!"
The dwarf turned on hearing her yell. Sarah dropped the fairy exclaiming, "It bit me!" Then put the finger in her mouth.
He scoffed, "Well, what'd you expect fairies to do?"
Eh? "I thought they did nice things…like granting wishes."
"Shows how much you know don't it?" he went back to spritzing fairies. "Fifty-eight."
Nursing her pride as much as her finger she spat, "You're horrible."
He stopped again, turning back around, said, "No I ain't. I'm Hoggle. And who might you be?"
"Sarah."
"That's what I thought. Fifty-nine." He'd gone back to the fairies.
"Uh, look, do you think you could tell me where the door to the Labyrinth is?"
He glanced over his shoulder, "Maybe."
Greeeat. "Well, where is it?"
"Sixty!" he triumphed, and proceeded to grind the fairy into the dirt.
"I said: where is it?" she shouted.
"Where's what?"
"The door!"
"What door?"
"The door into the Labyrinth! Gaarrh!" she growled, exasperated.
It only seemed to amuse Hoggle. "A door? Into the Labyrinth? Oh, that's a good one," he chortled.
Sarah glared and felt her hand curve into a fist. Throwing her hands into the air she exclaimed, "It's hopeless asking you anything, isn't it?"
"Not if you asks the right questions," he sniffed a matter of factly.
Sarah's mind ground to a halt. The right questions? Oh dear angels in heaven, this is like when you have to tell someone how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich while assuming his is a Literalist.
"How do I get in the Labyrinth?" she tried.
A little grin lit his face as he turned toward her, "Ah, now that's more like it. You gets in…there."
He pointed behind her. Sarah turned and witnessed a massive twin gate, which hadn't been there earlier, swinging out and open.
Hesitantly she approached the open gates. The inside walls were even more dilapidated than the outside walls. Taking slow steps inside, Sarah saw lichen clinging, dead branches littering, and smuckering. All in all, not the most appealing setting for a stroll.
"Cozy ain't it?"
Sarah 'bout lept out of her skin in reaction to Hoggle's query. He bent over and laughed.
"Bully to you, too," Sarah glared, rubbing her arms.
Hoggle straightened. The glint seemed absent from his eyes. "You really going in there, are you?" concern crept into his voice.
Don't think about it 'cause you'll turn and run. "Yes, I suppose I must."
Hoggle raised an eyebrow. "Alright then. Would you be going left," he turned his head, "or right," he turned his head the other way and gestured.
She turned around in a complete circle. The routes looked exactly the same. Right on down to the dead branches laying across the paths.
"They look exactly the same."
"Well, you're not going to get very far, are you?"
"Well which way would you go?" she asked, not a little snidely.
"Me?" he pointed to himself. "I wouldn't go either way," he tossed his hands and shook his head.
"Well, if that's all the help you're going to be you may as well go bugger off," the sarcasm all but dripped from her mouth.
The gibe landed solidly. Hoggle brought himself close to her and thrust a finger in the direction of her face. "You know what Your problem is? You take too much stuff for granted!" He began pacing, "Take this Labyrinth for example, even if you do get to the center, you'll never get out again."
Pride once again wounded, she replied smugly, "That's Your opinion."
"Well, it's certainly a lot better than Yours!"
Sarah turned her back on him, facing down to the right.
"Thanks for nothing," she said, then murmured, "hooligan."
"Oooh, it's Hoggle! And don't say I didn't warn you!"
"Don't worry, I won't!" she began striding down the path.
Behind her she heard Hoggle 'harumph.' Then, the gates clanged shut.