Chapter Thirteen: So Cruel
Gildan's Note: One more chapter after this~
Sarah sat up quickly and looked around her; here was her room, just as she had left it days ago. But it wasn't days ago, looking at her clock she could see that only two hours had passed since she decided to take a nap. She had wished for the greatest adventure of her life, but it hadn't felt over! It wasn't nearly over, not with the new adventure she was supposed to share with Jareth.
She hopped out of her bed, but she didn't know where to go. She had to get back to the realm of her wish, but she didn't know how. Would it work if she wished? She closed her eyes and tried, but nothing happened.
There was a knock on her door.
"Uh-come in." she said.
It was her father.
"Oh, hey." She said sighing, but not because she was still mad about the trip, but because she was sad that she was here.
"Guess what?" he asked.
"Uh…what?"
"Your stepmother is home early, the car is back, it's only 10 o clock, the shore trip could still be on…"
"Oh-oh great." She replied.
"Do you not want to go?"
"No, I do." Sarah said, trying to act happier.
The family piled into the car and they were off to the beach. Sarah's stepmother was now going, but Sarah didn't care at all. When they arrived her parents attended to Toby, and Sarah left on her own for a walk.
The waves were lapping gently at her feet, but in the distance she could see the larger waves crashing down. She breathed in the salty air, and eventually she had walked far enough away from anyone.
She stopped and walked a little bit into the surf, letting the waves hit her calves. Was she condemned to her old life forever? This time she knew that she would never forget what had happened. Her throat was dry, but she couldn't cry. She thought of Ludo, Hoggle, and Sir Didymus, and of course she thought of Jareth. Would she ever see them again?
She found herself screaming at the ocean, she could barely hear herself over the sudden, heavy waves.
"It isn't fair!" she found herself yelling at last.
She sighed, "I say that so often, I wonder what my basis for comparison is?"
"Well you did leave me once, twice doesn't seem very fair now does it?" came a soft voice from behind her.
She whirled around. "Jareth!"
Jareth stood in normal human clothes, but like Sarah his shoes were gone, and his pants were rolled up slightly so that the water wouldn't get them wet.
"How did you know I was here?" she asked. "Here like, back in my world?"
"I had a feeling, Warrick came running to me, talking about you being gone. I searched for you but couldn't find you. So I figured you were here, when I got to your house you weren't there either. I used some magic of course, to finally find you." He smiled.
"I thought I wouldn't see you again. I was getting scared that maybe I would forget, but I don't think I ever really could, not a second time." She walked a little closer to Jareth.
"I don't think you would either. But Sarah…"
"What is it?"
"I do have to go again. I have a few things that I have to do first." Said Jareth quietly.
"When will you be back?" she asked.
"I can't really say. But I WILL be back, I can guarantee you that."
"I don't want you to leave again." Tears welled in her eyes.
"Oh Sarah." Jareth said, wiping a tear from her check, "I'll be back before you know it. And I won't leave again, or you won't leave, whichever it's happened so many times so many different ways." He laughed gently, and Sarah smiled.
"Okay." She said. "I guess I can wait a little longer."
They kissed once more, and Sarah was left standing on the beach alone.
Weeks passed, and still Jareth didn't return. Sarah packed away the last few things into her suitcases, ready to board the plane to London for her first semester at college.