3. An Occasional Dream
Two days later, the sun rose, and the city of Manhattan awakened. A fresh-faced Sarah stood in a shabby loft in a rundown old building on the lower east side. The floor was covered with mats. Various punching bags and practice dummies hung from the ceiling on chains. Nobody else appeared to be around... "Hello..!...Mr. Anderson?" Sarah called. There was no answer. "Anybody here..?"
"We know you're here.." said a voice softly, as the light flickered on. Sarah jumped and span around to find Mr. Anderson standing inches behind her. He was a black man in his fifties, built like a fireplug with arms of twisted iron and an amiable smile... "You should always know what's comin' up behind you." he said, grinning widely. "This time it's good news…I'm Benji, Benji Anderson…
"Sarah Williams…" She shook Benji's hand... Sarah felt energized, sporting a vest-top and capri pants. At this moment in time, she was ready for anything!
"So…you wanna learn to take care of yourself…"
"That's right…" she asserted.
"Because something bad happened...to you" he said knowingly. Sarah nodded. "…And you don't want anything like that to ever happen again…"
"Never." she said.
"Okay…Now I don't teach none of that oriental stuff -- no Kung Foo, no egg foo yung. This is New York City, so what I do teach is New York City streetfighting, mean and dirty. Only philosophy that counts around here is, doing whatever it takes to come out alive...You use what you got. Let me see your shoe…" Sarah reached down and took of her left sneaker. She handed it to Benji, who abruptly whipped it across the head of a dummy, then drove the heel into it's temple. "You can kill a man…with a shoe…now it ain't fancy, it ain't pretty, but it works - if you got the stomach for it."
"When do we start?" she asked determinedly.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
Sarah started to head home in the cool hours of the evening. The electric blue sky began to show signs of obscurity, telling Sarah that she had to get home as soon as she possibly could... But instead of taking her normal route, she was drawn to a dark alleyway. In a daze she crept down the murky side street and followed the faint sound of a haunting melody she remembered from long ago. She knew it was dangerous to be alone in a dark place but she couldn't help herself..., something was pulling her along, as if by magic! She continued trudge down the narrow lane until she reached a dead end. Sighing with dissappointment she turned around and began to make her way back, but suddenly a gloved hand clapsed her shoulder. Stunned, she quickly jumped and turned around, but immediately smiled when she saw the two captivating eyes she knew so well... Sarah was amazed to find that she was no longer in the dark alleyway, but she was in the Labyrinth, just outside the Goblin City, and the sky no longer dark, but a sweet pastel blue. She smiled.
"I knew it was you." she voiced, gazing in awe at the handsome Goblin King, who this time was dressed in silver and white. He smiled with infinate charm as he took her hand and lead her into the castle where she found herself surrounded by all of her old friends including Hoggle, Ludo, Sir Didymus, Ambrosias, The Fire Gang and even the goblins...! Jareth lead her towards his throne and sat her down. She was shocked, but happy to see him slowly crouch down on one knee. Sarah squealed with delight, as Jareth gazed lovingly into her eyes.
"Sarah, will you m--?" he tried to say, but his words had become distorted. "Will you ma--?" But she coudn't hear him. The entire room began to spin, and the goblins started to roar with laughter. The castle shuddered and shook and pieces began to crash down to the floor. Jareth tried to reach out for Sarah, but something yanked him backwards causing him to fall to the ground... All of a sudden Mike came into view. He was dressed in a black bomber jacket and carried a large street-knife in his hand. He leered wickedly as he raised the knife to Jareth's head.
"Don't!" Sarah tried to scream, but no sound came out of her mouth at all. Mike let out a piercing cackle before stabbing the knife right into Jareth's forehead. Instanty, Jareth shattered into a million pieces of dust and ash. Sarah screamed again... This time she could hear herself! She abruptly sat up and looked around at the familiar bedsheets she comforted herself with every night... After all that, it was only a dream.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
The next day, Sarah ambled through the New York Police Department Data Center. She had been at her job for less than a week, yet she promenaded through the building like she owned the place. In the last eight months she had let her hair grow long and she had gotten herself in tremendous shape. She wanted to feel like nothing could ever harm her again... Stopping at a computer terminal, she saw Vincent, a stylish young Puerto Rican operator who was "interfacing" with the master data bank... "Vincent -- do you have those addresses for me, yet?" asked Sarah.
"Yeah, I got 'em!" he replied, irritably handing her a printout. "Here, take 'em…"
"Thanks, I appreciate it…"
"You should appreciate it. I'm doin' all your work."
"Oh I'm sorry, the D.A.'s really got me running. They're testing me…"
"Who you kidding?! I know the way you uptown girls operate. You swing in here, shed a few tears for humanity, and then you go shopping."
"That's not true!" she claimed.
"It's not, huh?" he said, looking at her security pass. "Sarah Williams…let's check you out…" Vincent began to punch in data on his computer keys. Sarah's name and vital statistics appeared on the screen...Next, a summary of a police report under the heading, VICTIM - AGGRAVATED ASSAULT...And then, a gruesome full face photo of Sarah and her scars taken before surgery...Vincent looked stunned. "Oh God... I'm sorry Sarah…" he said.
"Don't be...It's an old picture.." she said with a smile.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
In the meantime, an atmosphere of sadness hung over Jareth as he loitered about the underground. Abe sat reading another one of his books while Jareth lounged at the other end of the room, juggling a few of his crystal balls that he pulled miraculously out of his sleeve. Abe sighed, for he knew exaclty what was on Jareth's troubled mind. "She can only bring you unhappiness…" he said.
"Then I'll be unhappy -- but I can't forget her. We're still connected…" he said adamantly. Abe shook his head sadly, but Jareth continued... "I can feel what she's feeling, I know what she's thinking -- when she's frightened, when she's happy or sad…"
"Jareth, your senses -- your empathic powers are quite extraordinary. It's your gift. And these powers have been heightened by the concern, the love that you feel. But don't let your feelings destroy you…" begged Abe.
"Maybe, I have no choice…"
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
Back in the N.Y.P.D. Computer Data Center, Sarah sat beside Vincent at the computer terminal... "Listen, I need some help and it's a little tricky. A woman was attacked by mistake -- by three men…and I wanna find out if these men ever went after their intended victim." she explained.
"You got the date of the mistaken attack?" asked Vincent.
"Last April 12th…" she said, without hesitation.
Vincent looked at her, knowing this was something special, something personal... "... Aggravated Assault?" he asked. Sarah nodded. Vincent began to punch in the details, and on the terminal screen a long list of pending cases started to appear -- well over a hundred... "Whoa…a lotta guys hittin' on a lotta women out there…" said Vincent. "Can we narrow this down – em… the make of the car ?"
In a flashback, Sarah tried to picture the automobile that she had been forced into, but her memory of that day was hazy. "Some kind of van…I don't know…" she said.
"How about the intended victims name?"
Sarah remembered something that the stocky guy said when he grabbed Sarah from behind.
"...Hey Sophie, you going home alone tonight?"
"Try Sophie…" she incited.
Vincent typed in the additional data... The computer factored in the new data and searched the list of cases. It located three cases of aggravated assault with victims named Sophie... "Okay, here are all the 'Sophies'…" said Vincent. "Em, let's punch into the files…" The statistics of the first case appeared on the screen...Vincent brought up a case file... The vital statistics appeared -- and then a picture of the victim: a young black woman with a swollen jaw... "Mmm mm -- let's try the next one…" he said. The statistics of the next case appeared: VICTIM - AGGRAVATED ASSAULT: SOPHIE CARLTON. Her picture appeared on the screen. She had been badly beaten about the face. Despite her bruises and lacerations the resemblance to Sarah was striking. Vincent kept looking from the picture on the screen to Sarah.
"This could be it. Let's pull the file…" Sarah instructed.
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
Later on, Sarah arrived at Sophie Carlton's house. She stood in the musty hallway of her apartment building and knocked on her door. She could tell that the people living here were poor, and working-class, as the corridor was filled with the smells of alcohol and cigarettes. She waited for a few moments, then knocked again. "Who is it?" called a timid female's voice.
"Sophie Carlton?" asked Sarah.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"My name's Sarah Williams. I'd like to talk to you…"
The door partially opened, the chain still locked. Two frightened eyes peered out at Sarah. Through the space in the door Sophie's face could be seen. She bore a strong resemblance to Sarah. Sophie, apparently, was not slashed, but one side of her face seemed dead, as if she had suffered nerve damage from her beating. "What's this about? You a cop?" she asked. "I told you people to leave me alone! You've caused me enough trouble!" she yelled.
"Sophie, you're not the only one they hurt."
"What are you talkin' about?"
"They got you and me mixed up". Sarah pulled back her hair, showing the scar along the side of her face. "I think this was meant for you Sophie…"
Sophie stood in the doorway, trembling, speechless...She shook her head and started to cry. "Go away!…" Sophie closed the door. Her cried could be heard on the other side.
"If you'd like to talk to someone who understands how you feel-- call me." Sarah said though the door, hearing the other woman weep, fighting back her own tears...
OOOOOOOOOOOOO
A while later, Sarah came into her bedroom wearing an eggshell nightgown. Just the sweet smell of Lavender that flourished throughout her room illustrated the immense difference between her's and Sophie's lives. She couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Sarah had managed to overcome her fears of the incident but it seemed like Sophie still lived in terror... On Sarah's bed was a pile of legal briefs and case books. She slipped under the covers, picked up a trial transcript and began to read... Suddenly, she heard a strange sound. She looked around trying to identify it -- then, after a few beats, returned to her reading... She heard the sound again -- a creaking just outside her bedroom window...
She immediately turned off the light and fetched a gun from the nightstand... Silently slipping out of bed, she edged along the wall to the window... Just as she reached the window, she spotted a shadow moving outside on the fire escape. She threw open the window and took aim... "Hold it!" Sarah yelled, pointing the gun in the shadow's direction. Hidden in the silhouettes, crouched in a corner of the creaky old fire escape, stood a large form and two burning eyes. "Don't move..!"
But in the twinkling of an eye the figure vanished into thin air. Sarah ran over to where she saw the shadow, but nothing stood in it's place. She scoured the air and searched through the trees, but could see nothing expect for a small white owl -- it's eyes piercing through hers. "Wait a minute…" she whispered, remembering the man who could take the form of the graceful bird. "Jareth…!"
The owl shuddered, eventually yielding to her discovery and flying elegantly back onto the balcony. In a fluttered, it stylishly transformed back into the enchanting figure of the Goblin King. "My apologies, Sarah…I shouldn't have come." he said nervously.
"No, no, I'm so happy to see you…" Sarah smiled. It appeared that she had forgiven Jareth for everything that happened to her when she was fifteen years old. The things he did for her eight months ago had more than made up for it.
"I didn't mean to frighten you…! Why do you posses a gun? Nobody else has threatened you have they?" Jareth looked at the weapon with a tinge of fear in his eyes. He knew that if anyone on Earth found out he was a Goblin King he may have to face the end of a foreboding pistol like that one.
"Oh, no, of course not…! I work with the police department!" she said... Sarah noticed the way Jareth was staring it her. "What…?"
"Your face...They fixed it…" Jareth seemed to be amazed at what humans could do to a person. He thought it would take a lot of magic to clear her scars... He was wrong.
Sarah smiled. "Yes... Come in…" she said awkwardly.
"No, I have to go, now…" he said with apprehension. Yet he did not move a muscle. "I shouldn't have come here…"
"I'm glad you did."
"I wanted to see you. There are things I wanted to tell you…"
"Me too. There are so many things I wanted to tell you…"
"I know…" he replied.
They both smiled at each other, relieved that they felt the same way. Even after all this time they still both longed for something more. Sarah admired the way Jareth's hair fluttered in the midnight breeze. She felt glad that he hadn't changed his appearance since she first met him. There was something about his unearthly guise that made her quaver with excitement. "It's been hard, Jareth...
"Yes…" he agreed, adoring the way her large green eyes reflected the silver moonlight.
"I'm learning to be strong…"
"I know -- Sarah, I feel the things you're feeling, when you do."
"I don't know what…" she said, unsurely.
"You don't have to say anything. Just know it's true --and that your pain is my pain. Sometimes almost as if we're one…" She looked at him in wonder... He was so romantic within the way that he spoke, like every word was meant to absorb within her heart. "...But now, I have to begin to forget…" he said painfully.
"...Forget me?" she asked.
"No... I'll never forget you. But I must forget the dream of being part of you." he said.
"Jareth…" she choked.
"I came here because I wanted to know that you were well -- and to see you one last time."
"I won't see you again..?"
"I've seen your world. There's no place for me in it...I know what I am. Your world is filled with frightened people. And I remind them of what they're most afraid of…" he said quietly.
"Their own ignorance…" she said, nodding.
"...Their aloneness." he corrected.
"...Yes." she said after a long pause. Silence lurked about the balcony as the two lost souls bathed in the esscence of each other. So many things they wanted to say, but couldn't. So many things they want to do, but couldn't... There were many questions that Sarah wanted answered. She knew that she couldn't fully trust the Goblin King until she knew every single reason behind his cruelty towards her and her brother all those years ago. But right now, all she wanted to do was embrace him.
"The man -- your friend…"
"Mike...?
"Do you love him?" he asked, hesitantly.
"No -- I don't love him." Sarah wanted to make this very clear.
"...Find someone to be part of, Sarah... Be happy…" he said, backing away. "Good-bye…"
He started to disappear... "Wait... Not yet... There's still time, it's still dark... Don't leave…" she said, reaching out. He came back into focus and looked at her, his firey eyes full of longing. "Are you hungry? Thirsty? I'll make you some tea if you like."
Jareth looked at her cautiously, confused as to why a girl he once tricked and decieved was so desperate for him to stay. Nevertheless, he was glad. "Yes...yes, tea would be lovely."
Sarah went back inside and made her way to the kitchen. Jareth followed cautiously, gazing around the apartment as if he had just entered a chamber of secrets. After all, he spent nearly all of his time locked away underground, he was bound to be curious. No longer could he just pop in and out of people's bedrooms anymore, as there was no Labyrinth for him to disappear back to... He walked over to the living room and stood in the centre, evaluting every chair, table and object in the room. It seemed as if he was suspicious of everything in the human world, and who could blame him?... Finally, he took a seat on the quaint rose-coloured armchair and waited patiently until Sarah arrived with his tea. She came in with a tray full of tea and biscuits, and handed him a saucer.
"Thank you." Jareth noticed that Sarah looked a little nervous, as she poured his tea. He knew why. As a teenager she had seen him as nothing more than a menacing Goblin King, a fairytale figure. He had teased her about her petty fantasies and childish ways, and now, many years later, he was sat in her living room and she was serving him tea...! Sarah sat opposite him and they both sipped in silence, thoughts racing through their mind as their mouths tried to word the many things they wanted to say to each other. But nothing came out. Everything that needed to be said was already known from the way they gazed at each other... Suddenly, Jareth placed his finished cup and the saucer and stood up. Sarah shuddered as he walked away. He was leaving already?
But instead of heading to the balcony he walked over to the book shelf, and pulled out a shabby old book which had browned throughout the leaves. He raised his eyebrows at reading the title of 'Great Expectations'. Sarah was unsure if he was surprised she read such literature or if he was simply curious about the novel itself. She watched him carefully turn the pages before hesitating to speak. "I...I could read it to you."
Jareth stared expressionless at her. She was already beginning to regret was she had just said, but then he smiled and nodded...
As night began to fade and the sky turned purple, the silhouettes of two figures huddled close together on the fire escape. Sarah was reading to Jareth, just as he had done so for her back when she was in recovery. "... And as the morning mists had risen long ago, when I first left the forge, so the evening mists were rising now, and in all the broad expanse of tranquil light they showed me, I saw no shadow of another parting from her."