Chapter Two: Welcome
I don't know where I am and everything hurts. Not really the first time that's happened in the last few years but I don't want to think about that.
The lights are out. Everything is too dark to see. I wonder if I'm there. I wonder why I hope so. I stand up. From the light of the blurred moon in the window, the room looks about the same. Same bed, same table, same me. Despite that, something is off. I hear a humming noise. It's faint, but I can just make it out. Maybe I really am crazy. Maybe I'm not.
The humming is louder now.
I see a light shining from underneath the door. Now I know something isn't right, it's purple. I look to the walls. My Sharpie lines are still there, but they're coated in glitter. I run my fingers over the wall, getting some on my fingertips.
The humming is getting closer and it's easier to hear. It sounds like hushed voices. I can barely hear what they're saying, but as they get closer, their words become clear.
"She's back!" I hear one say. It then cackles with glee. I grimace at the high noise.
"I can't believe it!" Shouts another. This one is obviously not attempting to be quiet and I smirk when it makes a noise of pain. One of its friends smacked it.
"I wonder where the chicken's have gone." I raise an eyebrow at the last voice and take a few steps closer to the door. Yep, I'm definitely back. Goblins are idiots, and while the doctors at the hospital are pretty similar, their voices don't sound human.
I wonder where Hoggle is and if I'll be allowed to see him. I wonder if him and Ludo and Sir Didymus will even remember me. I wonder if they'll let me apologize. I left without even saying goodbye. Our final talk was Irene's last strike. I was out on my ass in five seconds flat.
I step closer to the door. I wonder what will happen since I wished myself here. Running the Labyrinth wouldn't be a problem if I had to, I'd done it before.
Then again, this was my escape hatch. Did I want to go back to the hospital? I shake my head to jostle the thoughts out of it. I couldn't be caught thinking things like that and it made my brain hurt.
I grasp the handle of the door. There really is no turning back now. I sigh and turn the doorknob, pulling it towards me. I step out into the hallway and into the darkness. That was odd, I thought I heard voices.
"Is that her?" I jump a little bit when I hear a voice beside me in my ear. I turn to find nothing there.
"Why is she so ugly?" I furrow my brow and glare at where I heard the second voice come from.
My mouth drops open when I turn to see the door that I came through has disappeared. I am in serious trouble. Darkness wasn't good. Darkness was always bad. My mind flashed back to the Oubliette and I forced myself to shake it away. That was one place I never wanted to be again. My heart hammered as I felt movement down around my ankle area.
"Oh shut up you! The Master wouldn't want to hear you saying things like that!" I look down to see where the third and final voice came from and scream. Two beady red eyes glow up at me from the darkness and below them, a rack of sharp, pink teeth.
I look up when I see a light shining out of the darkness in the rectangular shape of a door. My stomach drops when the silhouette outlined in it speaks.
"What wouldn't you like me to hear?" It's him. God Almighty, I'll take the darkness.
"N-nothing Master. We was just observing the girl!" the one who called me ugly stammers. I smirk, if there's one thing he is good at, it's making people uncomfortable.
"What girl?" He doesn't know I'm here yet! Hallelujah! He places his hands on his hips as he waits for their flustered response.
"T-the girl in the painting, Master. T-the one in your room." What was that thing talking about? I look to the man -provided he's human- in the doorway and I notice him stiffen. The light from the doorway extends out when he waves his hand, bringing it closer to me. I hear him suck in a sharp breath when the light illuminates my face.
"Sarah." He says. It isn't a question, there is a warning in his voice. "Do as I say and look down, very slowly." I nod, and let my eyes travel towards the ground. I let out a very embarrassing squeak when my line of sight reaches my ankles.
"W-what?" I ask. Down around my ankles in clusters are the mot horrific things I've ever seen. Their fanged mouths drip with foam and saliva, their red eyes are soulless. They stand no taller than six inches and their gray skin is cracked and peeling. Some are missing limbs, and all of them are looking very, very angry.
"Don't scream, Sarah. Remain still." Surprisingly, I listen to him as he waves his hand again, widening the long rectangle of light. I hear a sizzling noise and I gasp when I look down to see the monstrous little creatures scurry away to the darkness.
My heart doesn't slow down and my breathing comes in short, fast bursts. A part of my mind is scolding me for being stupid enough to come here, another part just wants to fall asleep and wake up back at home.
I listen to the later, letting my eyes close as my vision goes blurry. The last thing I remember is falling and hitting the ground.