Disclaimer: I don't own anyone in the Labyrinth Fandom except Amelia, her parents (both of them), Emma, her parents, Amelia's brothers, her grandmother, and Emma's brothers.
Chapter 2 Words Have Power West Chester, Pennsylvania 2005
"Amelia!" a woman of about forty called up the stairs to a younger woman who was in her bedroom. "They're going to be here soon!"
A crashing sound was her only answer.
"Be down in a sec Mom!" the young woman, Amelia, called down from her bedroom door as she tied her brown leather boot on.
Amelia's mother rolled her eyes in despair as she gathered her coat, purse, and bible together. Minutes later Amelia sat in the dining room at the electric organ playing a song over and over again annoying her parents and brothers. She didn't hear the doorbell ring or the thunder of her two brothers racing to the door to be the first to open it. But she did feel a small hand tugging urgently at her pant leg. Startled Amelia looked down into the brown eyes of a four-year-old Chinese-American girl.
"Emma," Amelia said smiling down at the little girl. "Do you want to play a song with me?"
The little girl nodded as Amelia slid off the music bench before lifting Emma up onto the bench just as Emma's mother walked into the room.
"Thanks for watching Emma Mia," Mrs. Chen said as Emma started pressing keys at random.
"It's my pleasure Mrs. Chen," Amelia said as Amelia's mother walked into the room. "Hey Patti," Denise greeted her friend. "Mia your father forgot that he's taking your brothers and Becky to the movies," she continued apologetically as Amelia stared at her mother stunned.
"But Grandma's here. Right?" Amelia quickly asked.
"Yes," Denise said as Amelia heaved a sigh of relief. "And Mr. Chen has Chris and Ben so it's just you and Emma tonight."
"All right now go," Amelia said shooing the two women out the front door as Emma continued to press the keys on the organ at random. "You're going to be late for small group."
Waving goodbye to the two girls Denise and Patti got into Patti's car and drove off to small group. Amelia locked the front door before turning back to Emma who was still playing at the organ.
"So Emma," Amelia said leaning against the arch. "What movie do you want to watch?"
***********
Two movies later Emma was starting to get bored.
"Mia can you tell me a story?" Emma asked staring up at the young woman sitting next to her.
"Sure," Amelia said. "I know a story that will really interest you."
"What's it called?" Emma asked curious.
"Labyrinth," Amelia grinned as she tugged at a lock of her chestnut curls. "Once upon a time there was a young girl named Sarah who was a dreamer. She longed to be an actress like her mother who had divorced her father when Sarah was about two years of age. Her father remarried when she was twelve to a woman named Karen. A year later her father and stepmother had a baby boy whom they named Toby. Now they doted on the baby more then they ever had on Sarah. Another year passed Sarah turned fourteen and Toby had his first birthday. One night her father and stepmother went out but that's another story. Now Sarah had been acting out her favorite play, Labyrinth, in the park earlier that day and had some of the lines still running through her head. Now Toby had been crying almost non stop since her parents had left and Sarah was very angry.
'What do you want?' Sarah demanded of her brother. 'Do you want a story? Huh? Ok. Once upon a time (Sarah said) there was a beautiful young girl whose stepmother always made her stay home with the baby. The baby was a spoiled child who wanted everything for himself and the girl was practically a slave. But what no one knew was that the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl and gave her certain powers. So one night when the baby had been particularly cruel to her, she asked the goblins for help.'"
Amelia stopped because Emma had tugged on her sleeve.
"What are goblins?" Emma asked confused.
"They are small creatures about two to three feet high and they come in all different shapes," Amelia said. "And they are very fond of mischief and practical jokes."
Emma nodded satisfied.
"Sarah continued with her story," Amelia said. "''Say your right words,' the goblins said, 'And we'll take the baby to the Goblin City, and you will be free.' But the girl knew that the King of the Goblins would keep the baby in his castle forever and ever and turn it into a goblin, so she suffered in silence.'"
Amelia stopped noticing the expression on Emma's face.
"I can stop if you want," Amelia said brushing the hair off of Emma's forehead.
"No I want to find out what happens to Sarah and Toby," Emma said.
Amelia smiled.
"'Until one night when she was tired from doing housework and the harsh words of her stepmother and she could no longer stand it,' Sarah said as she kneeled next to Toby's crib as Toby continued to cry. 'Oh, all right! All right! Knock it off. Come on. Stop it! Stop it! I'll say the words. No, I mustn't say…' Sarah had taken Toby out of the crib by now and now held him above her head. 'I wish…' Sarah said. 'I wish…' Sarah paused to remember the words. 'I can bear it no longer!' Sarah exclaimed. 'Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me!' Nothing happened and Toby continued to cry. 'Oh, Toby, stop it!' Sarah snapped as she let her baby brother drop to her hip. 'I wish I did know what to say to make the goblins take you away.' Suddenly she paused thinking. 'I wish…' Sarah murmured. 'I wish…' Sighing Sarah laid the baby in the crib before turning from the crib and walked to the bedroom door. 'I wish the goblins would come and take you away,' Sarah said to her brother. '…Right now.'"
Suddenly the lights went out plunging them into darkness. Crying Emma threw herself at Amelia, who had frozen in shock when the lights had gone out.
"Mia," Emma whimpered clinging to Amelia. "I'm scared."
"The fuses must have blown out," Amelia mused as she stood up. "Emma, I'll be right back. Ok?"
Emma nodded her eyes wide with fright. Amelia walked down to her dad's wood shop to check the fuses, which were working perfectly, which confused her.
"Emma the fuses are fine," Amelia said as she walked up the steps from the wood shop. There was no answer.
"Emma?" Amelia called surprised. "Emma, are you okay?"
Walking into the family room Amelia stopped in shock. There were goblins everywhere but no Emma.
'Oh no,' Amelia thought horrified. 'I wished Emma away to the goblins.'
And with that she banged her head on the pantry door repeatedly causing the goblins to stop what they were doing and stare at her fascinated. This was how the King of the Goblins found her still beating her head on the pantry door and the goblins laughing hysterically. Puzzled the Goblin King strode over to the girl and pulled her away from the door.
"Do you do that often?" the King asked curious.
"What?" Amelia asked rubbing her forehead, her eyes closed. "Wish children away or beat my head against doors?"
"Beat your head against doors," the King said bemusedly.
"Almost all the time but mainly against walls or my hand," Amelia said as she opened her eyes.
The Goblin King stared at the young woman in front of him in shock.
"Sarah?" he spluttered in surprise.
Amelia blinked owlishly at him before laughing.
"What is so amusing?" the King asked annoyed.
"You calling me Sarah," Amelia said between giggles. "I've been called Amanda and Annetta but never Sarah."
Suddenly she stopped laughing realizing something. Glancing at his chest Amelia squeaked as she shot backwards away from the King of the Goblins' arms.
"You're him aren't you?" Amelia whispered startled. "You're the Goblin King! I want Emma back right now, please."
The Goblin King smirked as he took in Amelia's appearance. Loose, white poet shirt, jeans, and brown leather boots. On her right wrist was a silver bracelet with a little silver heart dangling from the clasp. On her right hand was a gold Claddagh Ring. Her waist length, chestnut hair was pulled back into a low braid that was causually tossed over her right shoulder with curls hanging down in front of her ears.
"What's said is said," he said crossing his arms over his chest.
"Look I didn't mean it and Emma isn't even mine to wish away," Amelia said as she fiddled with her bracelet.
"Annetta…" he said as he stalked toward her. "Go back to your room. Play with your dolls and write your stories. Forget about the child."
The king continued to walk toward Amelia who backed up to keep some distance between her and the king.
"My name isn't Annetta," Amelia growled as her back hit the sliding door that lead into the dining room. "It's Amelia. And I'd rather not forget about Emma."
The Goblin King smirked as he placed his hands on either side of Amelia's head effectively trapping her.
"German," he mused as he locked mismatched eyes with emerald green ones. "Hard and industrious worker."
"Yes," Amelia whispered. "And I want Emma back."
"She's there in my castle," the Goblin King said as he stepped away from her pointing out the terrace door. "Do you still want to look for her?"
Ducking under the King's arm she rushed to the terrace door Amelia opened it and stared out, for the first time, at the Underground.
"It's beautiful," she murmured.
"Yes it is," the Goblin King whispered gazing at the young woman.
"Is that the castle beyond the Goblin City?" Amelia asked the king who stood behind her. "Turn back Amelia," he said earnestly. "Turn back before it's too late."
"I can't," Amelia said as she turned to face the king. "Don't you understand that I can't?" The king grimaced as Amelia turned back to the view of the Labyrinth.
"Such a pity," he murmured eyeing Amelia's figure.
"It looks like fun," Amelia mused aloud.
"It's harder then it looks and time is short," the Goblin King said into Amelia's left ear making her jump about four feet into the air. "You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before your little friend becomes one of us forever. Such a pity…"
He faded from view as Amelia stared out of the Labyrinth.
"I'm gonna get such a headache from this," Amelia muttered glumly.
'If Sarah can do this so can I,' Amelia thought as she headed down the hill toward the entrance of the Labyrinth.