Chapter 3

That random tune Meah had slipped into in the store was still playing in her head after she had gotten off her shift. It had been so haunting, so beautiful. She had no idea where it had come from. She knew she'd never heard it before. And there was no way she had made it up on her own. She had a talent for music, but she'd always had trouble composing. It was something she had tried once, but she had gotten blocked almost right away. She kept replaying it in her head the entire drive home, not touching the radio once. She wasn't one to drive in complete silence. It normally annoyed her. She just couldn't bring herself to listen to anything else.

The started humming as she pulled into her driveway. She put the car in park, turned off the engine, and stepped out, closing the door behind her. She threw her bag over her shoulder and headed up the sidewalk to the porch. The light was on which meant her mom was still awake. Sarah worried about Meah. More so lately than she had before. It was confusing to Meah because she had never done anything to cause her mother to worry. Maybe it was because she was leaving for New York soon. She'd be leaving her mother home alone. Her father had left them when Meah was four. No idea why. He was home one day and gone the next. It was a huge change, but Sarah and Meah had gotten through it.

"Mom! I'm home!" Meah called out as she closed the front door behind her.

"In here, honey," Sarah's voice replied from the direction of the living room. Meah walked down the hall and poked her head in the sitting room to find her mother sitting on the couch by the fire, reading a book. Sarah looked up and smiled at her daughter. Meah walked over and sat on the couch beside her, leaning against her side for a moment. Sarah set her book down on the end table, put her arm around Meah, and gave her a light hug.

"How was work?" Sarah asked, looking down at Meah with bright green eyes. Meah had always been jealous of her mom's eye color. She had inherited her father's extremely dark eyes instead.

"Work was fine. We weren't busy so I got to play the piano for a few hours on and off," Meah told her. She left out the part about the song, though. Something told her that it was something just for her. Something not to be shared with anyone else.

"Well that's good," Sarah replied.

"Yeah. I'm going to go shower, but maybe we can watch a movie after," Meah suggested, looking up at her mother questioningly.

Sarah smiled.

"That sounds like a good plan to me."

Meah smiled back, jumped off the couch, and left the room.

Sarah listened to her daughters footsteps go up the stairs. She loved that her daughter had such a passion for music, but she felt left out sometimes because she couldn't share it with her. She had never had an affinity for music. Acting was always more her style. Her ex-husband wasn't into music either. Sarah had no idea where Meah's talent came from, but she was glad that she had it even though she seemed more interested in music than other people. That's what worried Sarah the most about Meah moving to New York. She knew there would be more people like Meah at Julliard. Those so interested in music or acting or dancing that they had no time for relationships or friendships. Sarah didn't want her daughter going through life alone. She wanted her to meet people and make friends more than anything. But Meah seemed content as she was, so Sarah wouldn't push her. She'd come out of her shell when the time was right. She treasured the fact that Meah would rather spend time with her than go out with people her age. She knew she'd grow out of it soon and start her own life. Best to enjoy it while it lasted.

Meah threw her bag on her bed, walked into the bathroom, and turned on the water, letting it heat up while she gathered clean clothes and took off her makeup and jewelry. After she was clean and dressed in a tank top and shorts, Meah blow dried and brushed out her long hair. She could never let it sit wet. It always dried strange on its own. Once she had finished drying her hair, she stopped and looked at her reflection. She stared into her own eyes for a few moments.

As she stared, her vision blurred a little just as it had earlier that day. Her eye color started to change in the mirror as well. One turned green, and the other turned blue. Meah's eyes widened, and her reflection slowly faded away until she was staring back at a complete stranger with blonde hair and mismatched eyes. Meah backed away from the mirror, but she couldn't look away. The boy tilted his head to the side slightly and smirked knowingly at her.

"I'm dreaming. I've got to be dreaming," Meah whispered as her back hit the opposite wall.

The boy's smirk widened.

"You're certain about that, Meah? Are you really dreaming?" He asked, a British accent rolling off his tongue. His voice was smooth and deep. "Come closer, darling. I won't bite."

His voice and eyes were hypnotic, and Meah found herself doing as he commanded. She moved closer to the mirror, studying him as she did so. She stopped at the counter and rested her hands on the tile.

"Who are you?" She asked him. She didn't know if she was dreaming or not, but she wanted an answer either way.

The boy leaned forward, his face inches from hers now. He didn't answer. That smirk on his face grew wider.

"Come closer, Meah," he coaxed, his eyes piercing through hers.

She subconsciously leaned even closer to the mirror, completely mesmerized.

Suddenly, the boy reached through the mirror and grabbed Meah's arms. She let out a shriek, but it was too late. He pulled her through the glass, and Meah's whole world went white.

Sarah jumped off the couch at her daughter's scream.

"Meah?" She called out. Hearing no answer, she darted out of the room and up the stairs. She rushed to Meah's room and threw open the door. Her eyes scanned the room, but there was no sign of Meah. Sarah bolted around Meah's bed toward the bathroom. The light was still on, but Meah wasn't there. "Meah?"

Still no answer. Her eyes scanned the room and fell on something bright red poking out of Meah's bag. Sarah's blood ran cold. It couldn't be. She moved over to the bed and pulled out a familiar tiny red book.

"No," Sarah whispered.

After her trip into the labyrinth, Sarah and tucked the book into the back of her dresser drawer. She had hidden it away for years. Once she had married, it had gone into a box in the attic of her old home. How had Meah ended up with it?

But Sarah knew how. And she knew where her daughter was. She sat down on Meah's bed and put her face in her hands, sobbing. The Goblin King had stolen her daughter. Sarah knew it with every fiber of her being. She had beaten him, and now he wanted revenge.

"Jareth! Show yourself, you bastard! I want my daughter back right now!" Sarah screamed, rising to her feet.

She waited a few moments, but he didn't appear.

"Please. Please give her back," she whispered.

Still nothing. Sarah sank back down onto the bed. Meah was strong. She was her daughter after all. If Sarah could face the Goblin King and win at the age of fifteen, then Meah definitely could. He'd lose once more.

At the same time in the Underground…

Kristopher shimmered into life outside of the labyrinth with Meah unconscious in his arms. He had wanted to wait for her to come to him, but he had grown impatient. Their connection in the music store had sparked an intense desire in him, and he couldn't wait any longer. He set her down on the grass under a tree. She'd be confused when she woke, but she was a smart girl. She'd figure it out and call for him. Then he'd step in and tell her what she would have to do to win her freedom. He crouched down beside her and brushed a loose lock of dark hair off of her face. His breath caught. She was really here, and he had no intention of ever letting her leave.

He rose to his full height, towering over her small form. She stirred and that was his cue to leave for now.

"Let's play, Meah."