Something's are worth waiting for...
DISCLAIMER : I DO NOT OWN ANY OF JIM HENSONS CHARACTERS I DO J
CHAPTER 2
After her time in The Labyrinth, Sarah grew up to be a beautiful, independent woman. Finishing high school with top marks, she had gone to college in New York, with dreams of being a writer. College had been everything it promised to be, with grown up experiences and firm friendships forged. She graduated that with top marks too and the firmest of friendships with Kirsten. However, after college, it had been difficult finding her place in the writing world, writing dozens of manuscripts and having them all rejected. Kirsten had taken a 9 month employment contract as a cruise ship entertainer and with money becoming tighter by the second and at a risk of losing their beloved apartment; Sarah was forced to find any kind of job going. Money was money after all and being 25 now she had plenty of time to become a writer. Priorities and all that.
Within no time at all she had managed to get an interview for a shift worker at the Wal-Mart down the street. She wore her navy-blue pants suit that she had worn for countless other interviews but this time, instead of putting her hair up into a bun she wore it down. Stopping just outside the store, she took a few deeps breaths before going inside. The fluorescent lights momentarily blinding her, she walks towards the nearest available employee. Clearing her throat she says "Um, Excuse me, I'm here for an interview with a Mr Markus Walken ". The employee, a middle aged woman called Lyn, turned and looked Sarah up and down. Sarah could have sworn she saw sadness in the woman's eyes as she looked her over. Before Lyn could open her mouth to speak, there was a booming voice right behind them that made Sarah jumped about a mile into the air. Whipping round quickly she saw a man making a bee line for them. Clean shaven, suit wearing with an arrogant swagger, this man stopped right beside Lyn and Sarah and said "there you are Lyn, Kelsey needs help in aisle 6..." he trailed off as his eyes landed on Sarah. She felt uncomfortable, like she was being undressed by him with his eyes. "Yes, Mr Walken" Lyn said and practically ran off in the opposite direction. "And who are you, may I ask?" he purred at Sarah. She was momentarily struck dumb. Although this wasn't the first handsome man to purr at her, it just wasn't him. No, don't think about him, it brings too much pain! Coming to her senses, she held out her hand and said "Sarah Williams. I'm here for the interview" "Ah yes, I've been expecting you" he says, taking her hand and firmly shaking it, twisting it subtly to see that there is no hint of a engagement or wedding ring. Good, he thought, smiling inwardly in a sinister way. Sarah realised he was holding onto her hand just a tad longer than she liked so she wrenched it out of his grasp. He scoffed, unfazed by her reaction and said "You'll fit right in here, your hired" She gaped at him and managed to stutter out "what? Are you not going to interview me properly?" "No need" he says, waving his hand as he starts to walk away "see you tomorrow" he shouts over his shoulder. Sarah couldn't believe her luck. Unfortunately that luck was to be short lived.
Fast forward 10 months and the only good thing to happen was her best friend Kirsten had come back from her job abroad the ship and resumed her bedroom in the Apartment. Having saved up a great deal, Kirsten was in no hurry to get another job just yet but instead made sure that their Apartment was clean and tidy and there was always a hot meal and a chilled bottle of wine waiting for Sarah when she got back home from her 9-5 day. They spent many an evening laughing about the good old days of college and gossiping about the absent men in their life. Kirsten had left many broken hearts on the cruise ship but Sarah was the one with the broken heart. She knew of the one person who could heal that break but she was sure he had died those 10 years ago...
"What about that manager guy you work with?" Kirsten asked one night, on her third glass of rose they were sharing "fuck what they say about working and sleeping together...I did" she winked with a knowing smile " I bet you did" Sarah said, throwing a cushion at her "are you on about Markus? Ew No! He's way too creepy" "Oh, I don't know, I've seen the way he looks at you" Kirsten said "Hmmm, so have I". Sarah was starting to suspect that the only reason she got the job in the first place was because Markus wanted to get into her pants and, handsome though he was, she wasn't interested. There was just something about him she couldn't put her finger on. Unfortunately for Sarah, she was going to find out soon enough...
Stacking the last can of beans onto the shelf, Sarah straightened and sighed. Checking her watch she was relieved to see she had half an hour left before her shift ends. It was Friday and Kirsten had promised her a round or 2 of cocktails. Smiling at the thought, she wheeled her L shape back the warehouse. She had just dropped it off in the loading bay and turned round to see that her path was blocked by Markus. She automatically took a step back. He was smiling at her, his smile looking deadly. He walked closer and shut the warehouse door behind him. "So Sarah, what are we going to do about this chemistry between us?" Oh, Shit Sarah thought, time to play dumb. "What do you mean, Mr Walken?" she asked, standing straight and keeping eye contact. "You must realise there is something there. I'd like to test exactly what that is. I'll make it worth your while" he said, his grin getting more predatory. Ok, Sarah, dumb didn't work, time to lie instead. Whilst thinking up a good and convincing lie, Markus had closed the space between them and before she realised it he was standing in front of her and, reaching out, took a lock of her hair and started to caress it. Alarm bells started sounding loudly in her head and before she knew what she was saying, she blurted out "I'm sorry, Mr Walken, but I have a boyfriend" "Hmm, is that so. Funny though, I've never seen him nor have I ever heard you mention him until now. Don't be a prick tease, Sarah." Her face flushed and she smacked his hand away. Drawing herself up to her full height she looked at him with furious eyes and said "I do have a boyfriend and if he knew what you were doing right now he would punch your teeth down your throat, Sir" she ended sarcastically. She made to walk past him but he grabbed her by the arm and slammed her back against the wall. Pain laced up her back. "Liar" he hissed into her face, inches away from hers. "What's his name then, this gallant boyfriend of yours?" "Jareth..." She whispered.
Several things happened at once: a mysterious wind whipped up out of nowhere, pulling stock off the warehouse shelves around them and some of the light bulbs blew. Before Markus had time to register what was happening, he was thrown backwards forcefully from Sarah, slamming his head into the opposite wall and crumbling into a heap on the floor, unconscious. The wind died down immediately after Markus fell down. Standing in front of Sarah now, in his Goblin armour and black cloak billowing, was someone she thought she would never see again. Her heart thudding violently in her chest, she manages to stammer out "Jareth...?"
"Sarah" he breaths her name as if it was holy, rushing to her and catching her and she drops in a dead faint.
End of Chapter 2.
