The dungeon seemed dark that night. Sarah could barely see an inch in front of her nose, until a light began to come down the hall. Hearing the clicking of heels, Sarah laid down in the rough hay pretending to be asleep.
"Sarah, wake up."
She stayed silent before answering him.
"Sarah?"
"What do you want?" she did not turn to look at him.
"Get up."
Sarah stayed motionless, the king became irritated and grabbed Sarah's arm bringing her tr fer feet.
"I'm coming jeez…" she pulled away from him, but Jareth did not let her go. Instead, he pulled her closer.
"Wha" Sarah cut off as he put his gloved hand over her pouty lips.
"I brought you a gift." He began to roll a beautifully shaped crystal between his fingers. Staring at it in amazement, Sarah was startled when he stopped.
Giving a devilish grin he asked, "Do you want it?"
"No," she turned away from him even though he was still holding on.
"Are you sure you don't want to see your family?"
Sarah wanted to turn and grab that damn crystal, but she did not want anything from him. How could she trust such a character like the Goblin King? He was selfish, arrogant, and cruel.
"Then forget it."
She turned slowly, "Are you taking me back?"
His laugh was hard on her ears, "No you silly girl. I am just being gener"
"
"What, I thought that after you humiliated me I could leave. I thought that was what you wanted."
"Change of plan." He held out the crystal, "Now do you want it?"
Her throat was dry; "Yes" her ivory hand reached for the crystal, but did not meet its goal. Jareth threw the crystal into the air and then wrapped himself around Sarah.
Sarah pushed his body way from hers, "Don't ….touch me." she looked around. The young girl was at a loss. "This isn't Shady Meadows. Where are…" Sarah looked at the sign above the door. Intensive Care. "We are at the hospital."
The Goblin King simply nodded.
"Kathy" she whispered to herself. Without thinking or knowing where to go, Sarah walked straight through the swinging, off white colored doors.
The tags telling who was in what room were a blur as Sarah ran down the corridor looking for her friend. However, a tag with bright red text stopped the girl; Sarah ran her fingers over the letters as if it were brail.
Toby Williams
"Toby?" her voice mimicked a child's' Closing her eyes, Sarah turned the silver knob.
The room was empty expect for a little boy that lay on the bed. Bruises, cuts, scraps, and tubes coming from everywhere disguised his four-year-old form. As Sarah approached her brother, she saw him take shallow breaths.
Oh God what happened to him? How did this happen to you Toby?
Sarah eased herself to the bed, "Hey little guy." She smoothed back his sandy blonde hair and took hold of his hand.
Jareth stood at the end of the bed. "It says here that he was in a car accident." he put down Toby's hospital charts. The king knew little about the aboveground world, but had enough common sense to know something was terrible wrong with Sarah's little brother.
Toby sighed making a fog on the respirator his chest rose and fell.
Tears tumbled down Sarah's pale cheek, "Toby." she squeezed his hand.
Across from the boy Sarah heard, his heart monitor beeped in a steady tone.
"You have to tell him Sarah, tell him that you love him." Jareth's voice was barely a whisper.I cannot believe I am sitting here watching him die. I don't want to say goodbye, I don't want him to leave me. The ticks from the clock echoed above.
Sarah leaned over her brother and whispered into his baby soft ear, "I love you."
Another sigh came from the boy's body; then the sound of the ticks were drowned out by Toby's heart monitor going flat; 10:02 Toby Williams passed away.
"Sarah we should go." Jareth tugged at her arm.
"No, Toby. Wake up." Sarah shook his now cold heavy hand, "Please? Please don't leave me here."
"Sarah people will be coming. We need to go."
The unbelieving girl kissed her brother on the head and left.
As they walked down the hallway, Sarah turned to see the nurses come running into Toby's room and heard them confirm his passing.
They got to an empty room where the king pulled Sarah close. This time she did not push him away and in one moment, they disappeared.
The throne room was well lit for the evening, setting a comfortable atmosphere. However, that was not the feeling. Sarah broke out of Jareth's arms and walked towards the stairs leading down.
"Sarah…"
She stopped, turned and faced him, "Are you happy now? I'm a broken weak little girl. I have lost everything! Everything I ever loved! Are you happy Jareth?! Will that suffice for your revenge?! Or you would you like to see me in physical pain as well?!"
"Sarah, I'm sorry for your loss. I would never wish this upon anyone. I know Toby was the only person who truly loved you from the aboveground world."
"I don't need your sympathy." Sarah turned on her heal and walked to the first step of the cobble stoned stairs and collapsed into uncontrollable cries.
Jareth walked over to shattered girl and wrapped himself around her.
"Leave me alone." she tried to shove him away but he just held on tighter.
"Sarah, it will be alright. You'll be alright." The Goblin King smoothed back Sarah's hair.
Still not wanting to be confronted by the loathsome king, Sarah tried to bend out of his hold. "You didn't even let me say goodbye…" her tears soaked into his white poet shirt, "He had to have been so scared and…" The young girl finally surrendered and gave into his embrace as she cried harder into his chest.
"Sarah I know that these words will probably bring little comfort, but I am sure he did not feel pain."
The girl could not get out her sentence through her sobs; "Oh Jareth." he pulled her closer, picked her up, and brought her to his bedroom.
Jareth decided that it would not be good for her to be left alone. So laid her upon his bed where he stayed lying next to her, stilling holding, caressing her face, and wiping away Sarah's tears.
How could such a strong girl become so weak and destroyed? I thought that she would be the same stubborn girl. I never wanted this to happen to her even if she destroyed my Labyrinth. Sarah never deserved this… and looked at what I did; caused more pain for her. Taking her away… I'm a monster.
Jareth pulled her closer, "Shhh… Sarah." he rubbed slowly circles on her lower back. Soon they fell asleep.
In the dreary morning, Sarah awoke to find herself alone in the king's bed. "How did I get here?" Looking across the midnight blue bed, she saw her reflection. Puffy, red eyes untamed hair, and wrinkled clothes. Sarah threw the covers off went back down to the dungeons. After bumping into many walls, goblins and tripping over trash, Sarah final made it to her living quarters. There she only found a new uniform and a fresh bucket. While struggling to put on that God-awful outfit, she heard someone coming. Sarah peered out of the collar, which was almost over her head.
"Deary stop puttin' on that thing." Angie stood there with a stole in hand and measuring tape.
"What? Why?"
Angie placed down the stole then pulled off Sarah's dress. The girl shivered in the cold dungeon cell.
"Whyy arre you doooing thhhis?" she chattered covering her breasts enclosed in a black bra.
"Just takin' a few measurements for your gown."
"Excuse me?"
Angie took the last measurement; hopped down then grabbed Sarah's uniform. "The king wants ya to be comfortable here. Ya know because…" the goblin patted Sarah's arm. "Well ya know."
"Well I don't want his gifts and I am going to need that!" the half-naked girl pointed to her uniform, stomping her foot.
"Oh right deary ya will be needin' some sore of coverin' huh?" the fat goblin waddled down the hall and back. "Here this will do for now."
Sarah picked up the crimson cloth; unfolding it, she found it to be a tunic. Tunic? Tunic?! No one in this castle would wear something like this except… "Whose was this?"
"That ragged old thing was once worn by the king himself. He gives us all of his old clothin'. Majesty is a dear soul." Angie put her scaly hand on her heart.
"Don't you have any other uniforms?"
"Nope, Now hurry child."
Sarah struggled to put on the poet shirt, but once on she had bigger problems. The crimson shirt fell to her knees, that was ok, but the slit down the front hit just above the navel.
"How the hell am I to fix this?" Looking around Sarah found a rope to tie around her waist. Then to fix lower cut problem she went to go find Angie. Sarah found the helpful goblin. For the last touch she rolled up the sleeves, now she was ready for duty.
Hauling the bucket to the top of the stairs, Sarah stumbled on the Goblin King sitting on his throne. Bastard.She tossed back her raven hair and setting down the bucket to start cleaning.
Jareth noticed Sarah, "Ah, Sarah did Angie come and take your measurements?"
"I don't need your charity."
All the goblins looked at the poor soul standing up against their king and ran for the nearest exit.
"It is a gift and when I give you something I expect you to take it."
"You think that by giving me a dress it will help me cope with my loss? That by giving me something pretty will make up for you taking me away. Not only the first time, but also when my baby brother just died? What did you think you were going to get by giving me that huh?"
"If I had known that you were going to be so ungrateful I would never have thought of having the thing made for you."
"That doesn't answer my question. What did you think you were going to get from me?"
Jareth turned and walked back to his throne.
"What were you going seduce me and take me for another spin around the ballroom? Oh and after that laugh at me while I confess my deepest love and gratitude for you?"
He clenched and unclenched his fists, "Get out of my sight."
Sarah paced in front of him. "Hmm that wasn't it. Let me try again, you wanted to give me that dress so you wouldn't feel so bad for taking me away?" She looked at him to answer her question, but when he did not the girl went on. "You wanted to start over because you finally realized that you are nothing and you are all alone down here. No one to confront the poor Goblin King when he breaks his favorite toys."
"There is no ballroom, that was your imagination trying making you believe that someone cared for you." Jareth walked out of the room; leaving the destroyed girl to sit in her own misery.
There Sarah stood in the dark throne room when realization hit her, "What is wrong with me?" she sat on the dusty steps of Jareth's throne. "Why do I have to push everyone away?" Sarah rested her head in her hands, The Goblin King comforted me and now I'm telling him his personal problems. No wonder I have lost everything look how I treat people. Toby would probably still be here if I was not so cruel and broke up the family. Her anger at herself and sadness broke out into a loud cry, which did not stop.
Sarah lay on the cool floor; the last tears spilling from her hazel eye. She felt the hot tears slide down her cheek and to the back of her neck; cooling her hot skin. The girl had cried out all of her pain and was now too tired to get up so she stayed on the cobblestone.
After a while, Sarah's back began to hurt and did not think it wise to lay there on the steps. Any dirty goblin could walk in and step all over her. Besides, she knew she needed to finish her chores.
The throne was done and now, the little house cleaner, had the kitchen o. So. Standing by the sink in a daze, Sarah thought of how cruel she had been. If I was him I would have slapped me across the face. I was so mean and all he did was walk out. What if he is truly hurt and... Sarah shook her head, Why the hell should I care how he feels? That jerk took me away from my home and then from my brothers side. Tears began to fall sloshing into the soapy water. Sarah took a plate that was freshly washed out of the sink to be dry, but she was shaking so hard, never making it to the counter. "Damn it!"
Trying to pick up the shards of glass, Sarah turned slicing her forearm on of the bigger pieces. "Son of a bitch." It was a deep gash. "Great." The blood was coming out quick. Wrapping a towel around it, she cleaned up her clumsiness and left for bed.
Sarah could barely see; the hallway was so dark. She walked down the hallway still holding on to her wounded arm. "Shit! Damn this stupid castle I keep running into things." she rubbed her thigh. Sarah went only a few more feet until she gave up finding her way back. Feeling the floor for anything that would harm her, Sarah fell to the ground. Leaning against the wall, she began to rant more, "Where the hell am I? I just want to go to bed." She banged her head against the wall behind her.
Sarah was supine. "What the…" A reflecting object hung above her, it shimmered. Flipping over, Sarah saw, well what she could in the dark, the rest of the room. On the other side was what looked like huge rocks; lined in a semicircle. Above the "rocks" were stairs going up to a platforms. Sarah got off the marbled floor, which was covered with feathers, confetti, and masks. Coming more into the room she could make out tables and chairs edged the misshapen wall. On the tables, faded goblets and rotten fruit were collecting dust.
Taking in the site something on the reflective walls caught Sarah's eye a gaping hole with jagged edges. This is where I mashed the wall trying to get free of Jareth's spell The curious girl began to run her fingers along the wall then notice smaller indentions around the opening. The crevices were the size of a baseball; Sarah saw that not only were they on the walls but the floor and ceiling as well. "Who would throw baseballs around this room? I thought this was a formal area?" bewildered, the girl walked out into the middle of the floor. Not watching where she was going, Sarah stepped on something hard and flat. She moved her foot to the side underneath laid a horned crimson goblin mask, with a bone hand as the handle. Lost in her memories, Sarah was startled when the clock on the draped walls chimed.
"You are not permitted in here," a profound voice echoed across the vacant room.
"You said that there was not ballroom. You lied to me."
Jareth stepped into the room and on cue; the candles flickered to life, "Leave now Sarah."
Sarah now was able to get a good look at the room. Everything was the same as she last saw three years ago. Nothing seemed out of place, except the walls; medium impression now covered the shimmering walls. "What happened to this place?"
"Sarah get out! Before I make you."
"What is going Fir First you tell there is no ballroom now I see that there is and you are hell bent on making sure I don't get a good look. What is your problem with this room?" Sarah looked at him with confused.
"Do not make me tell you again." he stalked over to the girl and grabbed her injured arm.
Sarah gasped ae pae pain and smacked his royal hand away.
"Don't defy me…" Jareth looked at his white leathered glove; soaked now with blood. "Where…" he glanced over at Sarah and saw her trying to shield her forearm.
"I'm leaving ok?" She brushed passed him, however did not make it very far. Feeling one of his hands grab her upper arm Sarah stopped, but did not look into his duel eyes.
"I said I was leaving."
"Let me see your arm."
"It's nothing." She started to move forward again.
"Just let me help you." he took hold of her arm.
Sarah pulled away, "I don't need your help, charity, sympathy, and I definitely don't need you." she kept eye contact with him, then walked out.
Jareth formed a perfectly sized crystal and hurled it at the curved wall. It crashed to all the other indentions. He turned away and ran his hands through his unruly hair, "Damn you, Sarah."