The World Falls Down

It all happened sooner than Jareth had hoped. He watched hungrily as the dwarf hobbled behind the group, strengthening his nerve to give Sarah the peach. The group all complained of empty stomachs, and the timing could not be more perfect. The sunlight was continuing to fade on the horizon, and the forest slowly closed in on them as it did every night. Twilight was upon the Underground.

Finally the dwarf spoke: "Sarah…"

"Yeah?" she replied.

Yes! Jareth shouted in his mind. Yes, Hobble, give her the peach!

"Uh…here."

"Oh, Hoggle!" She took the peach from his hand, appreciation filling her eyes. "Thank you! You're a life saver!"

Sarah ogled the fruit in her hand, only to savour it for just a moment longer. Then she took a large, juicy bite out of the peach. Hoggle looked away ashamedly, and Jareth, from far away in his tower, let out a huge cry of delight.

Realizing almost instantly something was wrong, Sarah stopped. "This tastes strange…"

"Oh…" Hoggle began to back away, his face contorted by guilt.

Sarah began to feel dizzy, and already she swayed on the spot. "Hoggle, what have you done…?"

"Damn you, Jareth… and damn me, too…" Hoggle fled.

Jareth was still way up in his high tower, but now he sat on his windowsill, sending out his myriad crystal balls like bubbles. The spell that the peach held within it kept Sarah in a state that would meld her mind and the mind of the spell's conjuror. In this state she was highly hallucinogenic, and he, the conjuror, had control of what she could and couldn't see.

Jareth had created a world—a small world—that meshed his and Sarah's ideas, dreams and thoughts. Though Sarah was far from him physically, they were connected through the crystal balls, and they had ensnared her within Jareth's world. Here, he would capture her at last.

The world was a dizzying and a contorted misty-white, that was not unlike the gleam of a bubble. Devious figures (no doubt a design from Jareth's mind and from his memories of Esitrea) danced dreamily between Jareth and Sarah, laughing and singing as they went.

From across the world, Jareth's eyes grasped hold of Sarah, who, trancelike, glided across the marble floor in a large, white dress. The dress she wore was a creation of Sarah's mind, and Jareth was thankful for it. He could not have imagined a dress more fitting. It hung low below the crevice of her collarbone, and showed the alluring curves of her slender, elegant neck. The sleeves of her dress as well as at her hips were puffed up like cotton, contrasting her small, delicate shape. Almost giddy with the way things were going, he could not help himself but to sing. The words came without thought and without delay:

"As such a sad love, deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel…"

Jareth removed his mask, and Sarah met his eyes, entranced by both him and the masquerade. Her red lips were parted as if she were constantly on the verge of asking a question. Her brown eyes were opened wide with hope and curiosity. They hid nothing. Jareth met her gaze, but it was his turn to seduce her. He pulled himself into the shadows of other dancers, taunting her playfully.

"Opened and closed within your eyes, I'll place the sky within your eyes…"

Sarah followed after him. It was obvious that Sarah's memories had been erased, another useful side effect of the spell. She was a clean slate—oblivious to all that Jareth had done and would do. Jareth felt himself captivated by the world as he followed behind her longingly. All he wanted was Sarah.

"A love that will last within your heart, I'll place the moon within your heart…"

Sarah appeared to grow more and more apprehensive, and she darted, in fey-like fashion, between the figures. Jareth could see that her eyes were not unlike his own; they hungered for something, someone. Jareth slid away, smiling to himself. She wanted him as much as he wanted her.

"As the pain sweeps through, makes no sense for you… every thrill has gone, wasn't too much fun at all…"

Jareth followed behind her, not unlike how a predator stalks its prey.

"But I'll be there for you... as the world falls down…"

Increasingly frantic, Sarah pushed her way past the floating masqueraders. Her hair was thick and curled, and knotted with silver ribbons that dangled down her back; they weaved gracefully with her head as she sought for Jareth.

"Falling in love…"

She swirled in circles, cornered by dancers. Then, freed, she continued onward in pursuit of the masked man.

"I'll paint you mornings of gold, I'll spin you valentine evenings…"

A quick look to the clock told Jareth that he'd had his fun. He had to seal the spell—or there was a chance she could break it. At this point, though, Jareth wasn't worried.

"I'll leave my love between the stars…"

He freed himself from the shadows, and Sarah stared awestruck at his grandeur. His jacket was speckled with stardust, and his eyes were as dark as night. He took her hand, which she gave willingly. They locked eyes and didn't let go.

"As the pain sweeps through, makes no sense for you…"

Her figure was smaller and more fragile than Jareth had imagined it to be; despite all the times he had craved it in his mind. Still, Jareth noticed, there was an innate strength to her, not just within her eyes. He whirled her around himself, dancing to the sound of his own song, and he held her body close.

"Every thrill has gone, wasn't too much fun at all…"

Jareth's fingertips quivered just above Sarah's fine satin dress. Too often he'd imagined the moment where he was allowed to touch her, as she had now so willingly letting him do. He felt triumphant and overjoyed, but nervous and—could it be—afraid?

Afraid of what? Jareth heard himself think. Losing her? Losing this?

He felt his shoulders shudder, but kept his face stern. She could never know that she had this kind of power over him.

They twirled, bodies together, gliding on the dance floor. "But I'll be there for you, as the world falls down…" he sang to her, their eyes fastened to one another.

Fixated too much on his thoughts and enchanted by Sarah's beauty, Jareth failed to notice her increasing wariness.

"Falling in love…"

Sarah gasped and as they spun, her eyes went wild with realization.

"Falling…"

The clock tolled twelve. Jareth was too late—he'd meant to kiss her to seal the spell, but she struggled wildly from Jareth's hold and in his nonplussed state he did nothing but watch her flee without a second look back. Jareth's heart went cold and icy, like the spirit within him had been whisked away.

She doesn't love me. Jareth heard a voice in his head say. She doesn't want me.

His power waned, Sarah needed only to take hold of a table chair and throw it at the glassy walls. They shattered—along with the world Jareth had created inside it.

A/N: I really feel like this is my most symbolic chapter, and of course, I wanted it to be. I wanted it to be symbolic not only of the film and what Jim Henson created, but of my own character inventions that I created. I hope that they are both appreciated here.

P.S. Poor Jareth…