Alright..I decided that I would put the story into chapters instead of just
one long story. I still want to thank my best friend Amanda for motivating
me to continue with this hobby even though College is getting to me
^_^x..Oh yeah.I can't spell so bear with me o.k.
O.K. You know the drill. I don't own anything except the character Sydney.
What If
By Melissa (aka Angel)
"Oh no Merlin, I don't believe it, its 7:00!" Shouted Sarah as she gazed at the clock tower a moment longer before she broke into a run, with the large sheepdog at her tail. Sarah was already late as it was and she still had to stop at her friend's Sydney's house.
The rain that only started moments ago turned into a downpour and Sarah and Merlin were quickly soaked though. Sarah gathered up her soggy Princess dress in one arm as she sprinted thought the town streets, dodging traffic and startled pedestrians. Soon she came upon the familiar group of houses, and made a beeline to the two story, baby blue one.
Sitting there on a porch swing, as Sarah knew she would be, was her good friend Sydney. Sydney had her nose burred in her favorite fairytale book, she looked up and was surprised to find Sarah running up to her drenched from the sudden storm.
"Hey Sarah," Sydney chirped putting her book down, " whatcha doing here?"
"I.. thought that because. I have to baby-sit again tonight.. I thought you would like to come over for a while." Sarah panted as she trudged up the house steps. Sydney thought a moment, she had nothing to do tonight and was desperate to get away from her own family for a while.
"Sure." She answered.
"Great! I'll see you in half a hour?" Asked Sarah as she turned and quickly hopped back down the steps. Sydney nodded and Sarah turned and continued her run home with Merlin close behind.
Sydney sighed as Sarah disappeared around a corner, then she quickly ran up to her room to safely put away her book and grab a raincoat. As she was putting it on she gazed at her room. It was almost a mirror to Sarah's room, minus the strange stuffed animals and costumes. Sydney fancied dragons and magic, old tails of the Dream World, her walls were covered in bookshelves that were overflowing with books.
Her eyes fell on a photo taken a few years back, of her and her dog Zeus. He was a giant mutt of a dog, he died two years back and Sydney had yet to recover from the loss of her closest friend. When he died she had taken his nametags and put them on a chain. She had only taken them off once, and that was because she had to have x-rays.
Tearing her eyes from the photo she quickly ran a brush though her hair and carefully fastened it with hair ties, put on a touch of her favorite perfume and left the room, calling out to her parents where she was going and when to expect her home. She didn't wait for a answer as she slipped out the door and into the rain.
As always the sight of her deceased friend bought Sydney into a gloomy mood as she quickly stalked up the street. Sarah had been her friend for years, though they had many things in common, they had so much more things uncommon to each other. So much so that Sydney oftened wondered how they ever became friends in the first place.
Sarah was just about to turn fifteen, where Sydney was already eighteen. Sarah was a perfect looking young lady with the darkest brown hair and cool hazel eyes. Sydney could only dream about looking like her. She had unruly curls in her shoulder length hair that was the strangest color. Medium brown with highlights of black, red, and blonde, it was almost as if God couldn't make up his mind about what color hair to give her. She prayed in vain to drop at least fifty pounds, so that maybe she could try on some of Sarah's amazing costumes. But the one thing she loved about herself was her smoldering green eyes. Her father once told her that her eyes would put an emerald to shame.
Sarah was stubborn and outgoing; with so much spirit that sometimes she got into trouble. Sydney was a spur of the moment thinker. She rarely, if ever, took the time to think of things before hand, but she did know when to keep her mouth shut.
All of a sudden she heard a car horn honk at her and she looked up to see Sarah's parents' drive by and wave at her. Sydney waved back, feeling a little better she bounced up the lawn and let her in to Sarah's house. She shrugged off the raincoat and hung it up and ran up the steps to Sarah's room. Sydney found her sitting at her vanity table resting her head on her hands and looking sadly at her reflection. A crack of thunder rolled in the distance.
"Oh! hi!" said Sarah when she saw her walk in to the room. " I wasn't expecting you this early, but no problem."
Sydney heard the sarcastic tone in her voice, " get in another fight with your step-mother?" she asked as she glanced around the room and immediately noticed one of Sarah's favorite teddy bears was missing from his shelf.
"Yes, she acts like I do things like this all the time, I just wish she would leave me alone." Sarah walked over and flopped on her bed. Sydney shifted to hide the missing bear hoping that she would not notice, for Sarah had an amazing temper.
"Be careful about what you wish for." Sydney whispered to herself but Sarah heard her. "Ya, Ya or you just might get it." Sarah sighed. Sydney continued to gaze about the room and noticed that Sarah had a new poster, of clowns. Sydney hated clowns, extremely, and quickly looked away, as another roll of thunder sounded, it was louder this time." Hey do you want to help me make some popcorn?" A smile breaking across Sarah's face. Sydney nodded and turned to leave the room.
"Lancelot!"
'Oops' thought Sidney. Realizing that she exposed the missing bear.
"Some one has been in my room again. I hate that." Sarah leapt from her bed and flew passed Sydney and threw open the door. "I HATE IT!" she yelled
Sydney heard Sarah's baby brother Toby start to cry from the loud words. And followed her to her parents room. She couldn't blame Sarah for being angry, she herself threw a fit if anyone put a toe in her room.
"I hate you, I HATE YOU!" she shouted at her little brother who was now screaming at the top of his lungs. The sound grated on both Sarah's and Sydney's nerves. " Oh someone take me away from this awful place" Sarah said hugging the recovered Lancelot.
Sidney made her way into the room and picked up the crying blonde one year old. She was the oldest out of all her brothers and sisters and cousins and had come use to having to hold screaming babies. But the child squirmed in her arms and continued to cry.
"Toby stop it!" said Sarah taking Toby from her. "What do you want?" Sarah asked him over his cries. "Do you want a story? Fine I'll tell you a story." She set Toby back in his crib. And proceeded to tell the story of the Goblin King, Sidney leaned up on the crib and listened as best she could to the story over the screams. " 'Say you right words' the goblins said. 'And we'll take the baby away to the Goblin City, and you shall be free." Sarah used high squeaky voices for all the goblins.
Sidney had heard something about this story before in a book she had about the Dream World, her parents scoffed at her when she had got the book. Telling her that dreams where just visions we have in our sleep and nothing more. It said something about a ruler of a place called the Underground. The master of the land gave certain persons powers to have as they wished and such. She had thought that is was a wonderful thing, that there may be some one out there listing to their wishes and watching their dreams. Sidney's thoughts where suddenly interrupted as Sarah took Toby from the crib.
"Stop it, stop it, I'll say the words. No I must not" she said sarcastically giving Sidney a wink. Her face then turned serious and Sidney knew that she was about to do some thing dramatic. "I wish.." her voice trailed off to a whisper and was lost in Toby's cries, and a clap of loud thunder. She then held Toby above her and begin to shout, "Goblin king, Goblin King where ever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me!"
A moment passed when Sarah and Sidney held their breath, but nothing happened, Toby only cried harder. Sydney was disappointed, she wanted to prove to her parents that fairytales were real and dreams come true if you wished hard enough. "Oh Toby stop it." Sarah sighed and he placed him back in his crib.
Sidney racked her brain, she remembered the book saying something about wishing children away but couldn't remember what it was.
"I wish I did know what to say to make the goblins come take you away." Sarah said her voice held the sound of defeat as Toby cried harder than ever. "Lets go" said Sarah as she started to leave the room. Sidney followed, angry with the baby for not disappearing and proving her right.
"I wish the goblins would come and take you away." Sidney said as she left the room. Sarah smiled and turned of the bedroom light and turned to head down the stairs.
"Right now"
Abruptly the cries stopped and the house fell into an eerie silence. Sarah paused at the stairs and turned around. "Toby?" she asked softly, not a sound came from the room. Sidney had a sudden strange felling and wanted anything but to go back into the room. "Toby?" Sarah asked again flicking on the light switch, but the light didn't turn on. She flipped the switch a few more times but nothing. Lightning lit up the room in short bursts and thunder sounded, louder than ever. "Toby why aren't you crying?" Sarah was getting the feeling that she was talking to nothing.
" Maybe he fell right to sleep." Offered Sidney as she looked over Sarah's shoulder. They crept slowly into the room. "No, Toby never falls asleep that easily, something is wrong." Sarah said, her voice wavered.
Suddenly a cackling laugh came from the crib, Sarah jump back and gasped Sidney too jumped back but she screamed. She had seen enough scary movies to know that it wasn't a good idea to investigate some thing like this, and she hung back a bit and allowed Sarah to go closer. Sarah slowly walked up to the crib and Sydney held her breath as Sarah reached down to pull back the blanket.
Sarah gasped as she did, for there was no baby in the crib! Toby was gone. Suddenly there came strange noises in the room and something was scratching at the balcony doors. Sidney jumped to Sarah's side as they tried to make sense of the strange happenings. Sydney saw strange little creatures scurrying around the room, poking out of drawers and under the bed. every time Sidney had a chance to see one, it disappeared. Sarah saw them too, they wiped their heads around to see that something was at the balcony doors, it looked like a bird. It was struggling against the glass as if trying to open them. Thunder and lightning only helped the confusion.
Suddenly the two balcony doors flew open and a large owl swooped in, flying straight at Sarah. She screamed and shielded her face with her arms, the owl then tuned on Sidney, and it only flew by her hitting her in the face with its wing. It was so sudden that she didn't have time the react and gasped only after it flew back to the balcony where it landed.
The moment it did, it transformed in to the strangest looking man either girl had ever seen. Wind gushed in the room causing the curtains to billow, and the man's cape flapped around him. Glitter few in also, giving the man an almost magical look, and left a big mess on the floor. Both girls stood rooted to the floor and gazed at the man.
He was extremely tall, and his height was emphasized by his hair, which was fixed so that long wisps of if stuck out in every direction. His hair was sandy blonde and faded to white at the ends. He wore tight leather pants and jacket, which had a collar that reached his ears and ended in a sharp point. His cape settled behind him as the wind slowed, every thing he wore was the blackest of black, even the leather gloves he had on.
His dress told Sidney one thing "Sinister", this was a bad guy, though the smile he gave them spoke otherwise.
"Your him, you're the Goblin King." Said Sarah, her voice held fear in it. The King's smile grew bigger and he shifted on his feet. "I want my brother back, please if it's all the same." Sarah continued.
The King crossed his arms. "What's said is said." The light English accent came though, giving his deep smooth voice an educated sound.
Suddenly Sidney remembered about what the book said about wishing children away. It said that sometimes the child will be truly taken and placed at the Goblin castle forever, and it will slowly turn into a goblin.
"But I didn't mean it!" said Sydney speaking up for the first time, and stepping forward. The Goblin King looked at her.
"Oh, you didn't?" his voice dripped with sarcasm. Sidney focused on his face for the first time instead if his hair. He was older than the girls, his eyebrows where at a strange angle, reminding Sydney of Spock on "Star trek", and he had on strange colors of makeup and eye shadow, which only emphasized how masculine he looked.
Sarah turned to Sidney, her eyes were brimming with tears. "Those words you said.they were the right words?"
"Yes" he King said arrogantly.
"No!" Sidney shouted, "I mean yes, but I didn't know they where the right words." She turned back to Sarah. He own eyes filling with tears. " Believe me.I would never wish Toby away."
"But you did." The King said softly.
" Please where is he?" Sarah asked.
"You know very well where he is," he said baldly.
"Please bring him back, please." Begged Sydney.
"Sarah," the Goblin King stepped into the room and up to them, the girls stood their ground. "go back to your room, play with your toys and your costumes, forget about the baby.Sidney, go home, read your books, and know that your parents are wrong about your dreams. That's all you two really want."
"I cant" Sarah said, Sydney agreed.
Jareth could never understand why when people wish things away, and then when it was gone, they wanted it back. He also couldn't understand why they couldn't just want things for themselves. Like the two girls in front of him, he was offering all they wanted and they refused 'Well' he thought 'maybe I should up the stakes'.
"I've brought you two a gift." He held out both his hands and out of the air appeared two perfect crystal balls, about the size of a baseball.
"What is it?" the two girls asked in unison.
"It's a crystal, nothing more.but if your turn it this way." he began to roll the crystals around, in and out of his hands, and up and down his arms. He had a gift for forming dream crystals and juggling them was his favorite things to do. " .and look into it, it will show you your dreams." The girls followed the crystals as best they could. Their eyes swung back and forth before the crystals rolled back into his hands. "But this is not a gift for ordinary girls who takes care of screaming babies , and agues with her parents." He held them out to them. "Do you want it?" he asked softly. He stood patently as the girls thought, "then forget the baby."
That seemed to bring them out of the hypnotic gaze they had on the crystals, Jareth mentally cursed himself for bringing up the baby.
"I can't" said Sydney. She knew that she couldn't take it and forget Toby, and let Sarah get him back alone, she wouldn't betray her friend that way.
"It isn't that I don't appreciate what you're trying to do for me, but, I want my brother back." Said Sarah. " he must be so scared"-
"Girls" he interrupted sternly, he held out the crystals. One turned into a snake, the other stayed the same. Sidney gasped at the snake, she didn't hate them, she just disliked them, Sarah had no reaction. "Don't defy me." He said. And he threw the snake at Sarah and pitched the crystal at Sidney.
The snake wrapped itself around Sarah's neck, she gasped and grabbed it, when she did it turned into a harmless scarf. She dropped it to the floor, where a tiny goblin appeared under it and laughed at her before scuttling away.
Sidney shielded herself from the crystal, but when it hit her, it hit softly and stuck to her. it then began to roll all around her body, and then it dropped to the floor with a thud before turning into a pile of glitter.
The goblins hiding in the room laughed at them. The girls turned sharply but the only got a fleeting glance at them. They turned back to Jareth who smiled at the hurt look on their faces.
"Your no match for me girls." He said
"But I have to get my brother back." Argued Sarah.
Jareth shrugged and stepped up to stand next to them. It was such a pity that the girls would risk everything, instead of having everything.
"He's there in my castle." He pointed behind him out the balcony. Sarah ran up to the doors, but Sydney lingered. Jareth looked down at her waiting for her to join her friend. But she stayed and stared at him.
Sidney was so startled about how handsome he looked up close that she stared at him and didn't realize that Sarah had left her side. It wasn't until the King gave her a large smile and pointed again out the doors that she realized she was all alone. She slid past the King not taking her eyes off him and then ran up to Sarah. Out the balcony doors was an amazing sight. The neighborhood disappeared and they were looking at a gigantic maze that seemed to stretch on forever. And right at the center of it was a castle. It was tiny in the distance.
While the girls where distracted by the Labyrinth he used his power to silently wisk them to the actual Underground. "Do you still want to look for him?"
"Is that the castle beyond the Goblin City?" Sarah asked.
"Turn back Sarah, turn back before it's to late Sydney." He said shouting a little over the dry gust of wind. It was then that the girls noticed that they where in a different land. Dead trees and bushes littered the desert land. The girls showed one reaction to the new location, and Jareth was impressed by the show of control. No doubt he would have to work on breaking that control once they where in the Labyrinth.
"I cant, don't you understand that I cant?" said Sarah turning back to the maze. " Nether can I, it was my fault, I need to help find him." Sydney added turning also.
"What a pity" Jareth whispered.
"It doesn't look that far." Offered Sydney hopefully, maybe they would be able to find him quit easily. The girls jumped as Jareth appeared between them.
"It's further than you think, time is short." He looked at both of them for any signs of backing out. When they stayed silent he straightened up and pointed to a clock that appeared hovering on the air. The clock had numbers one to thirteen. "You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before your baby brother becomes one of us.forever." Jareth and the clock faded away as did his voice. "Such a pity" he added before disappearing all together.
Sidney had a new watch that doubled as a stop watch and she quickly pushed a button on it to start the time. Seconds tick by as they stood at the top of the hill.
"The Labyrinth." Sarah sighed "Come on Sydney lets go." They trooped down the hill and approached the outer wall of the Labyrinth.
O.K. You know the drill. I don't own anything except the character Sydney.
What If
By Melissa (aka Angel)
"Oh no Merlin, I don't believe it, its 7:00!" Shouted Sarah as she gazed at the clock tower a moment longer before she broke into a run, with the large sheepdog at her tail. Sarah was already late as it was and she still had to stop at her friend's Sydney's house.
The rain that only started moments ago turned into a downpour and Sarah and Merlin were quickly soaked though. Sarah gathered up her soggy Princess dress in one arm as she sprinted thought the town streets, dodging traffic and startled pedestrians. Soon she came upon the familiar group of houses, and made a beeline to the two story, baby blue one.
Sitting there on a porch swing, as Sarah knew she would be, was her good friend Sydney. Sydney had her nose burred in her favorite fairytale book, she looked up and was surprised to find Sarah running up to her drenched from the sudden storm.
"Hey Sarah," Sydney chirped putting her book down, " whatcha doing here?"
"I.. thought that because. I have to baby-sit again tonight.. I thought you would like to come over for a while." Sarah panted as she trudged up the house steps. Sydney thought a moment, she had nothing to do tonight and was desperate to get away from her own family for a while.
"Sure." She answered.
"Great! I'll see you in half a hour?" Asked Sarah as she turned and quickly hopped back down the steps. Sydney nodded and Sarah turned and continued her run home with Merlin close behind.
Sydney sighed as Sarah disappeared around a corner, then she quickly ran up to her room to safely put away her book and grab a raincoat. As she was putting it on she gazed at her room. It was almost a mirror to Sarah's room, minus the strange stuffed animals and costumes. Sydney fancied dragons and magic, old tails of the Dream World, her walls were covered in bookshelves that were overflowing with books.
Her eyes fell on a photo taken a few years back, of her and her dog Zeus. He was a giant mutt of a dog, he died two years back and Sydney had yet to recover from the loss of her closest friend. When he died she had taken his nametags and put them on a chain. She had only taken them off once, and that was because she had to have x-rays.
Tearing her eyes from the photo she quickly ran a brush though her hair and carefully fastened it with hair ties, put on a touch of her favorite perfume and left the room, calling out to her parents where she was going and when to expect her home. She didn't wait for a answer as she slipped out the door and into the rain.
As always the sight of her deceased friend bought Sydney into a gloomy mood as she quickly stalked up the street. Sarah had been her friend for years, though they had many things in common, they had so much more things uncommon to each other. So much so that Sydney oftened wondered how they ever became friends in the first place.
Sarah was just about to turn fifteen, where Sydney was already eighteen. Sarah was a perfect looking young lady with the darkest brown hair and cool hazel eyes. Sydney could only dream about looking like her. She had unruly curls in her shoulder length hair that was the strangest color. Medium brown with highlights of black, red, and blonde, it was almost as if God couldn't make up his mind about what color hair to give her. She prayed in vain to drop at least fifty pounds, so that maybe she could try on some of Sarah's amazing costumes. But the one thing she loved about herself was her smoldering green eyes. Her father once told her that her eyes would put an emerald to shame.
Sarah was stubborn and outgoing; with so much spirit that sometimes she got into trouble. Sydney was a spur of the moment thinker. She rarely, if ever, took the time to think of things before hand, but she did know when to keep her mouth shut.
All of a sudden she heard a car horn honk at her and she looked up to see Sarah's parents' drive by and wave at her. Sydney waved back, feeling a little better she bounced up the lawn and let her in to Sarah's house. She shrugged off the raincoat and hung it up and ran up the steps to Sarah's room. Sydney found her sitting at her vanity table resting her head on her hands and looking sadly at her reflection. A crack of thunder rolled in the distance.
"Oh! hi!" said Sarah when she saw her walk in to the room. " I wasn't expecting you this early, but no problem."
Sydney heard the sarcastic tone in her voice, " get in another fight with your step-mother?" she asked as she glanced around the room and immediately noticed one of Sarah's favorite teddy bears was missing from his shelf.
"Yes, she acts like I do things like this all the time, I just wish she would leave me alone." Sarah walked over and flopped on her bed. Sydney shifted to hide the missing bear hoping that she would not notice, for Sarah had an amazing temper.
"Be careful about what you wish for." Sydney whispered to herself but Sarah heard her. "Ya, Ya or you just might get it." Sarah sighed. Sydney continued to gaze about the room and noticed that Sarah had a new poster, of clowns. Sydney hated clowns, extremely, and quickly looked away, as another roll of thunder sounded, it was louder this time." Hey do you want to help me make some popcorn?" A smile breaking across Sarah's face. Sydney nodded and turned to leave the room.
"Lancelot!"
'Oops' thought Sidney. Realizing that she exposed the missing bear.
"Some one has been in my room again. I hate that." Sarah leapt from her bed and flew passed Sydney and threw open the door. "I HATE IT!" she yelled
Sydney heard Sarah's baby brother Toby start to cry from the loud words. And followed her to her parents room. She couldn't blame Sarah for being angry, she herself threw a fit if anyone put a toe in her room.
"I hate you, I HATE YOU!" she shouted at her little brother who was now screaming at the top of his lungs. The sound grated on both Sarah's and Sydney's nerves. " Oh someone take me away from this awful place" Sarah said hugging the recovered Lancelot.
Sidney made her way into the room and picked up the crying blonde one year old. She was the oldest out of all her brothers and sisters and cousins and had come use to having to hold screaming babies. But the child squirmed in her arms and continued to cry.
"Toby stop it!" said Sarah taking Toby from her. "What do you want?" Sarah asked him over his cries. "Do you want a story? Fine I'll tell you a story." She set Toby back in his crib. And proceeded to tell the story of the Goblin King, Sidney leaned up on the crib and listened as best she could to the story over the screams. " 'Say you right words' the goblins said. 'And we'll take the baby away to the Goblin City, and you shall be free." Sarah used high squeaky voices for all the goblins.
Sidney had heard something about this story before in a book she had about the Dream World, her parents scoffed at her when she had got the book. Telling her that dreams where just visions we have in our sleep and nothing more. It said something about a ruler of a place called the Underground. The master of the land gave certain persons powers to have as they wished and such. She had thought that is was a wonderful thing, that there may be some one out there listing to their wishes and watching their dreams. Sidney's thoughts where suddenly interrupted as Sarah took Toby from the crib.
"Stop it, stop it, I'll say the words. No I must not" she said sarcastically giving Sidney a wink. Her face then turned serious and Sidney knew that she was about to do some thing dramatic. "I wish.." her voice trailed off to a whisper and was lost in Toby's cries, and a clap of loud thunder. She then held Toby above her and begin to shout, "Goblin king, Goblin King where ever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me!"
A moment passed when Sarah and Sidney held their breath, but nothing happened, Toby only cried harder. Sydney was disappointed, she wanted to prove to her parents that fairytales were real and dreams come true if you wished hard enough. "Oh Toby stop it." Sarah sighed and he placed him back in his crib.
Sidney racked her brain, she remembered the book saying something about wishing children away but couldn't remember what it was.
"I wish I did know what to say to make the goblins come take you away." Sarah said her voice held the sound of defeat as Toby cried harder than ever. "Lets go" said Sarah as she started to leave the room. Sidney followed, angry with the baby for not disappearing and proving her right.
"I wish the goblins would come and take you away." Sidney said as she left the room. Sarah smiled and turned of the bedroom light and turned to head down the stairs.
"Right now"
Abruptly the cries stopped and the house fell into an eerie silence. Sarah paused at the stairs and turned around. "Toby?" she asked softly, not a sound came from the room. Sidney had a sudden strange felling and wanted anything but to go back into the room. "Toby?" Sarah asked again flicking on the light switch, but the light didn't turn on. She flipped the switch a few more times but nothing. Lightning lit up the room in short bursts and thunder sounded, louder than ever. "Toby why aren't you crying?" Sarah was getting the feeling that she was talking to nothing.
" Maybe he fell right to sleep." Offered Sidney as she looked over Sarah's shoulder. They crept slowly into the room. "No, Toby never falls asleep that easily, something is wrong." Sarah said, her voice wavered.
Suddenly a cackling laugh came from the crib, Sarah jump back and gasped Sidney too jumped back but she screamed. She had seen enough scary movies to know that it wasn't a good idea to investigate some thing like this, and she hung back a bit and allowed Sarah to go closer. Sarah slowly walked up to the crib and Sydney held her breath as Sarah reached down to pull back the blanket.
Sarah gasped as she did, for there was no baby in the crib! Toby was gone. Suddenly there came strange noises in the room and something was scratching at the balcony doors. Sidney jumped to Sarah's side as they tried to make sense of the strange happenings. Sydney saw strange little creatures scurrying around the room, poking out of drawers and under the bed. every time Sidney had a chance to see one, it disappeared. Sarah saw them too, they wiped their heads around to see that something was at the balcony doors, it looked like a bird. It was struggling against the glass as if trying to open them. Thunder and lightning only helped the confusion.
Suddenly the two balcony doors flew open and a large owl swooped in, flying straight at Sarah. She screamed and shielded her face with her arms, the owl then tuned on Sidney, and it only flew by her hitting her in the face with its wing. It was so sudden that she didn't have time the react and gasped only after it flew back to the balcony where it landed.
The moment it did, it transformed in to the strangest looking man either girl had ever seen. Wind gushed in the room causing the curtains to billow, and the man's cape flapped around him. Glitter few in also, giving the man an almost magical look, and left a big mess on the floor. Both girls stood rooted to the floor and gazed at the man.
He was extremely tall, and his height was emphasized by his hair, which was fixed so that long wisps of if stuck out in every direction. His hair was sandy blonde and faded to white at the ends. He wore tight leather pants and jacket, which had a collar that reached his ears and ended in a sharp point. His cape settled behind him as the wind slowed, every thing he wore was the blackest of black, even the leather gloves he had on.
His dress told Sidney one thing "Sinister", this was a bad guy, though the smile he gave them spoke otherwise.
"Your him, you're the Goblin King." Said Sarah, her voice held fear in it. The King's smile grew bigger and he shifted on his feet. "I want my brother back, please if it's all the same." Sarah continued.
The King crossed his arms. "What's said is said." The light English accent came though, giving his deep smooth voice an educated sound.
Suddenly Sidney remembered about what the book said about wishing children away. It said that sometimes the child will be truly taken and placed at the Goblin castle forever, and it will slowly turn into a goblin.
"But I didn't mean it!" said Sydney speaking up for the first time, and stepping forward. The Goblin King looked at her.
"Oh, you didn't?" his voice dripped with sarcasm. Sidney focused on his face for the first time instead if his hair. He was older than the girls, his eyebrows where at a strange angle, reminding Sydney of Spock on "Star trek", and he had on strange colors of makeup and eye shadow, which only emphasized how masculine he looked.
Sarah turned to Sidney, her eyes were brimming with tears. "Those words you said.they were the right words?"
"Yes" he King said arrogantly.
"No!" Sidney shouted, "I mean yes, but I didn't know they where the right words." She turned back to Sarah. He own eyes filling with tears. " Believe me.I would never wish Toby away."
"But you did." The King said softly.
" Please where is he?" Sarah asked.
"You know very well where he is," he said baldly.
"Please bring him back, please." Begged Sydney.
"Sarah," the Goblin King stepped into the room and up to them, the girls stood their ground. "go back to your room, play with your toys and your costumes, forget about the baby.Sidney, go home, read your books, and know that your parents are wrong about your dreams. That's all you two really want."
"I cant" Sarah said, Sydney agreed.
Jareth could never understand why when people wish things away, and then when it was gone, they wanted it back. He also couldn't understand why they couldn't just want things for themselves. Like the two girls in front of him, he was offering all they wanted and they refused 'Well' he thought 'maybe I should up the stakes'.
"I've brought you two a gift." He held out both his hands and out of the air appeared two perfect crystal balls, about the size of a baseball.
"What is it?" the two girls asked in unison.
"It's a crystal, nothing more.but if your turn it this way." he began to roll the crystals around, in and out of his hands, and up and down his arms. He had a gift for forming dream crystals and juggling them was his favorite things to do. " .and look into it, it will show you your dreams." The girls followed the crystals as best they could. Their eyes swung back and forth before the crystals rolled back into his hands. "But this is not a gift for ordinary girls who takes care of screaming babies , and agues with her parents." He held them out to them. "Do you want it?" he asked softly. He stood patently as the girls thought, "then forget the baby."
That seemed to bring them out of the hypnotic gaze they had on the crystals, Jareth mentally cursed himself for bringing up the baby.
"I can't" said Sydney. She knew that she couldn't take it and forget Toby, and let Sarah get him back alone, she wouldn't betray her friend that way.
"It isn't that I don't appreciate what you're trying to do for me, but, I want my brother back." Said Sarah. " he must be so scared"-
"Girls" he interrupted sternly, he held out the crystals. One turned into a snake, the other stayed the same. Sidney gasped at the snake, she didn't hate them, she just disliked them, Sarah had no reaction. "Don't defy me." He said. And he threw the snake at Sarah and pitched the crystal at Sidney.
The snake wrapped itself around Sarah's neck, she gasped and grabbed it, when she did it turned into a harmless scarf. She dropped it to the floor, where a tiny goblin appeared under it and laughed at her before scuttling away.
Sidney shielded herself from the crystal, but when it hit her, it hit softly and stuck to her. it then began to roll all around her body, and then it dropped to the floor with a thud before turning into a pile of glitter.
The goblins hiding in the room laughed at them. The girls turned sharply but the only got a fleeting glance at them. They turned back to Jareth who smiled at the hurt look on their faces.
"Your no match for me girls." He said
"But I have to get my brother back." Argued Sarah.
Jareth shrugged and stepped up to stand next to them. It was such a pity that the girls would risk everything, instead of having everything.
"He's there in my castle." He pointed behind him out the balcony. Sarah ran up to the doors, but Sydney lingered. Jareth looked down at her waiting for her to join her friend. But she stayed and stared at him.
Sidney was so startled about how handsome he looked up close that she stared at him and didn't realize that Sarah had left her side. It wasn't until the King gave her a large smile and pointed again out the doors that she realized she was all alone. She slid past the King not taking her eyes off him and then ran up to Sarah. Out the balcony doors was an amazing sight. The neighborhood disappeared and they were looking at a gigantic maze that seemed to stretch on forever. And right at the center of it was a castle. It was tiny in the distance.
While the girls where distracted by the Labyrinth he used his power to silently wisk them to the actual Underground. "Do you still want to look for him?"
"Is that the castle beyond the Goblin City?" Sarah asked.
"Turn back Sarah, turn back before it's to late Sydney." He said shouting a little over the dry gust of wind. It was then that the girls noticed that they where in a different land. Dead trees and bushes littered the desert land. The girls showed one reaction to the new location, and Jareth was impressed by the show of control. No doubt he would have to work on breaking that control once they where in the Labyrinth.
"I cant, don't you understand that I cant?" said Sarah turning back to the maze. " Nether can I, it was my fault, I need to help find him." Sydney added turning also.
"What a pity" Jareth whispered.
"It doesn't look that far." Offered Sydney hopefully, maybe they would be able to find him quit easily. The girls jumped as Jareth appeared between them.
"It's further than you think, time is short." He looked at both of them for any signs of backing out. When they stayed silent he straightened up and pointed to a clock that appeared hovering on the air. The clock had numbers one to thirteen. "You have thirteen hours in which to solve the Labyrinth before your baby brother becomes one of us.forever." Jareth and the clock faded away as did his voice. "Such a pity" he added before disappearing all together.
Sidney had a new watch that doubled as a stop watch and she quickly pushed a button on it to start the time. Seconds tick by as they stood at the top of the hill.
"The Labyrinth." Sarah sighed "Come on Sydney lets go." They trooped down the hill and approached the outer wall of the Labyrinth.