AN: You thought that was it? On nononno. I apologize to everyone who is
expecting more then this drabble. And I just wanted to mention that I do
not smoke nor do I think it is cool. There are reasons for making Sarah a
smoker besides the aesthetic of a dark haired New Yorker chain smoking.
There are reasons that people chain smoke. So please, no more 'it's out of
character' whining.
-
Strangely Divine II: Chapter One: An Occasional Dream
-
"I swear to god, I'm going to kill myself" Sarah hissed into the phone.
Emily's laughter bubbled over the line. "I told you that would happen if you got a job. Sarah Williams is just not meant to be a contributing member of society."
Sarah rolled her eyes "I, unlike you, need a paycheck" she paused "Besides, it's not that bad. I'll only have to kill myself if they ask me to fix the copier one more time"
As if on que, a weedy, balding man in his early forties that worked in the cubicle next to Sarah knocked unceremoniously on her cubicle wall. "Sarah, the copier's broken again, can you fix it?" he asked in his weedy, bland voice. "Kay, Thanks" he said without waiting for her answer and strode away.
"Jesus... I'll call you back later, Em" Sarah sighed
She managed to drag herself over to where several of her coworkers stood huddled around the malfunctioning copy machine. They were all sipping coffee or hideously large bottles of water as they stared with bland eyes at the gyrating machine.
"Hmmm" Said Sylvia from accounting. "Sarah can you do that thing again?"
"Yeah," chimed in Steve from marketing. "That thing that turns it back on"
She pushed past them, her low heels clicking dully on the carpeted floor, to kneel in front of the copier and pry off the front panel. Immediately a spurt of black ink shot out and splattered across the stark white of her blouse. Oh well, it was a cheap polysynthetic blouse. It didn't matter. Sarah wiped at the stain, only managing to stain her hands in the process and then pressed a few button and replaced the panel and it was good as new.
"Nice" Steve from marketing nodded and offered her a high five.
Sarah turned away from him and headed back to her desk. It was time, she decided, for a cigarette break. Since her final return to the aboveground a month ago she had tried to quit smoking, drinking, moping and partying and get a normal job. So far she'd managed to get a job but as for drinking and smoking were concerned she'd tripled her usual amount. As for partying, well, she was basically fucked. There wasn't any time for moping because her days usually were consumed with waking up, fighting her hang over, going to work, napping when no one was looking, smoking like a chimney on her breaks, coming home, going to someone's party, getting shit faced on any chemical that wasn't heroin (because Fiona was still kicking that and Sarah wasn't quite ready to admit to that level of hypocrisy yet), passing out where ever she landed and then doing it all over again the next day.
Sarah really hated her job but it was a distraction. She now worked for a publishing company, which essentially meant she worked with a lot of other sad sacks with English degrees who hadn't fulfilled their dreams of writing a best seller. It was possibly the most depressing work environment one could hope to have.
She had her smoking break, managing to squeeze in two and half cigs in the five minute period. She waited through four seemingly endless hours until she was aloud to leave at five. She took the subway back up to the village. Upon entering the apartment she was on her third cigarette since climbing out of the subway station into daylight and headed straight for the liquor cabinet.
Emily ambled into the kitchen, yawning and stretching in the early autumn sun that streamed in through the large windows. "Napping is my favorite thing in the world" she sighed and then paused mid yawn seeing Sarah's face and the state of her ink stained shirt. "God, what happened to you"
Sarah pulled out a bottle of absolute vodka and poured herself a glass. "I need a shower" she mumbled, pushing past Emily.
Emily watched with a half amused half disturbed look on her face as Sarah drained the contents of the glass and stomped into the bathroom. The sound of running water met her ears and Emily sighed again, thinking there would be no talking to her friend tonight. She was a bit worried about Sarah, to be honest. She was acting rather, well, worrisome.
Suddenly, Emily was sure she saw movement, like the flutter of wings outside the large windows looking down on the city. She stared at the window for a bit, the only sound in the apartment being that of Sarah's shower. Slowly, Emily moved towards the window, careful not to frighten the little owl that fluttered precariously outside the glass. Her fingers moved as if on their own accord up to touch the glass in front of the bird and it quickly flew away.
"I am going crazy" she mumbled, and then recalled the events of the summer and retracted that statement.
She decided to get the mail, it was around the time of the month when her parents sent her a check for one living cost or another. That was always something to smile about. And Sarah looked like she needed some serious cheering up.
Emily pattered out to the elevator in bare feet and rode down to the lobby. She waved and George, the doorman and Sam, the super who was fixing some of the faulty cable lines in front.
They never got much mail. A few bills, more then too many fashion magazines and mail order catalogues. Then Emily saw the thick pale cream colored envelope that was lodged between Vogue and Land's End. She placed it on top of the pile and glanced around to make sure no one else thought something was strange. It wasn't so much the envelope that was strange, it was more to whom it was addressed to in curling silver script.
Lady Sarah Williams de Lexelit New York City, North America The Aboveground
Emily practically ran back upstairs, gaining odd looks from George and Sam as she hurried out of the lobby and back into the elevator. She could barely contain her excitement as she rushed back to the apartment. Once safely inside she threw the other mail on the counter and practically screamed when Sarah emerged from her room wearing pj's with her wet hair falling around her shoulders.
"What's that?" she asked as Emily danced over to her and thrust the heavy envelope into her face.
"A letter" Emily tittered "From you know where"
Sarah paled "Oh really?" she asked moving to sit on the couch. "That was nice of them"
Emily physically deflated "You are such a—a not fun haver"
Sarah laughed and rolled her eyes "I'm sorry" she said "I just—it's too weird. All of it." She shrugged "Him"
Emily fell onto the couch next to her and waved the envelope in her face. "Go on Lady Sarah of Lexelit. Open your letter"
Sarah took it limply and slid her finger along the seal in back. The letter fell open in a shower of silver and gold glitter in her lap. She sighed, brushing some of the glitter off her shoulder and thinking about how Gwen used to complain about the mess.
"Lady Sarah Williams de Lexelit" she read aloud "This is a letter of invitation—blah blah blah--- wedding of Lady Gwendolyn of Calais and Captain Ilareo of Surpentine –ugh, god this is long winded, um, in four nights hence a guard will be sent to retrieve you and a guest of your choice at thirteen o clock—underground time." She rolled her eyes. "Right"
"You're not going?" Emily asked, her eyes going quite wide.
"No"
"Why the hell not? I thought this lady Gwendolyn as your friend" Emily demanded "She would want you to be at her wedding, I know I would be right hacked off if you didn't show up to mine just because your ex would be there"
"It's hardly the same thing" Sarah shook her head "He isn't just going to be there, he's going to be everywhere. You don't know what he's like when he's mad--- really bloody annoying—and kind f frightening if he wants to be. I don't want to be any where near him ever again"
Emily crossed her arms. "Uh huh" she said knowingly "You still want him"
Sarah screwed her face up, feeling the frustrated tears pressing at the back of her eyes. "I'm not kidding, Em" she said "That's a fairytale, that is. It isn't real"
"Well, from what I saw" said Emily, her voice much softer as she touched Sarah's arm "Jareth was quite real"
"I know" Sarah sighed "It's just more difficult to think of him that way"
-
Four days later at around midnight found Sarah and Emily sitting on the couch, waiting patiently for this so called 'guard' to arrive. Sarah was slumped in her seat hoping they would just forget bout her and not send anyone. Emily sat on the edge of her seat, nearly panting with anticipation.
"They're not coming" Sarah complained "Come on, we're dressed we may as well go out"
"No" Emily insisted "I believe in this, it will happen. I will get to see fairies and elves"
Sarah rolled her eyes.
They waited in silence for a few more minuets and then Sarah stood up. "Fine you can wait, I'm going down to the knitting factory to entertain myself" She got no further then a few steps away form the couch when she was stopped by a shower of sparkles and light and suddenly there were five people in the room.
"Jesus Christ on a Bike!" Emily shrieked, slapping her hands over her mouth as she took in the three people, two men and a woman. One of the men was Dolan, weathered and ragged, he looked around the apartment with fascination etched onto his face.
"Amazing," he murmured, spotting the television and then the kitchen appliances and then finally the view of the city out the window.
"Lady Sarah!" it was the younger Taliesin, rushing forward to kiss the lady's hand. "I'm so glad to see you, Lady Sarah. We miss you ever so much in the Underground"
As Taliesin introduced himself to Emily Sarah looked at the other girl. She had pale blonde hair and a heart shaped face and she was very pretty. Although small, the girl was curvy and even though she looked young there was an air of seniority to her. Sarah caught her eye and was about to smile when she caught the seemingly dead look there.
Sarah decided this girl was scary and turned her attention back to Taliesin.
"Taliesin, come see this, it's amazing" Dolan was saying, ushering the younger boy over to the window. They both gasped and awed at the metal and concrete structures of light and power.
"Naomi" Taliesin said to the blonde girl "This is simply the most—"
"We should go, prince" short and abrupt, her voice was cultured but cold.
Taliesin sulked back to the center of the room and Dolan followed him. The girl threw her arms out to the side and sparks so clean they looked like they could slice right through you shot out of her hands. "Let us be gone" she said, sounding aggravated.
Dolan and Taliesin threw there arms out as well and more sparking and magiking ensued. Emily clutched at Sarah's hand in excitement. Half a blink later they were in the middle of Salisbury plain and being rushed towards the stones. Dolan pulled out a pocket watch with the hands nearly pointing up at thirteen. "Four seconds" he said with a dry laugh. "Nice and close"
"Too close" Naomi said coldly "The Prince is weighing down our ability to reorder time"
Taliesin blushed bright red under her glare.
"His mother thought it would do him good to see the Aboveground" Dolan shrugged
Naomi looked irritated "For what purpose" she mumbled
"What's that?" Dolan chuckled
When she gave her answer they were standing in the courtyard of the castle with a fair number of royal guards and family members standing about. Sarah was pleased to see that none of them were Jareth or Aislinn but rather Cymboline's side of the family. Despite being very much past his bedtime, Gareth waited with sleepy eyes next to his Nanny and Mother.
There were bows and hugs and kisses and good to see yous. Gwendolyn was beaming like someone had just returned her puppy and chatted with Emily while letting Ilareo hug her from behind. Sarah found herself being pushed through it all and then the midnight party retreated back to their castles with the aid of their servants and maids.
Sarah said goodnight to Gwendolyn and Emily and took her leave in her old room. It was clean and still stalked full of the clothes she'd been given from Madame Tournoirelle. Sarah half expected some grand surprise of love from Jareth to jump out of her. Or perhaps a cruel trick. Or maybe a cruel gift, like a rose or some other trinket. That seemed to be right up his style. But no, the room was empty. Sarah changed into her night gown and climbed under the covers. The castle was just settling and she found the noise soothing.
There were so many things that she was supposed to be feeling and couldn't quite bring herself too yet. Such as happiness for Gwen and Ilareo. Instead she replaced that with the selfish desire to be back in New York, drinking herself silly and watching whatever band was on at the Knitting factory or Arlene's Grocery. That was where she belonged, Sarah thought. That was where she needed to belong, not here.
She let out a shaky breath that quickly accelerated into tears, and as had happened many nights before, she cried herself towards a nightmarish sleep.
AN: That was horrible. I apologize. More terrible JS to come. I promise. If I don't get lynched for being such an awful writer.
-
Thanks:
Kaio: Ah, you're the best at reviewing. I'm sorry this is sucking so badly. I didn't mean to make it that way.
Cheers Darlin: I know hangs head in shame I'm just a bad person with a bad memory.
Panther Princess: hahahaha. I know, I about had a heart attack when I remembered the story and that I needed to update it.
Remember to REVIEW!!
-
Strangely Divine II: Chapter One: An Occasional Dream
-
"I swear to god, I'm going to kill myself" Sarah hissed into the phone.
Emily's laughter bubbled over the line. "I told you that would happen if you got a job. Sarah Williams is just not meant to be a contributing member of society."
Sarah rolled her eyes "I, unlike you, need a paycheck" she paused "Besides, it's not that bad. I'll only have to kill myself if they ask me to fix the copier one more time"
As if on que, a weedy, balding man in his early forties that worked in the cubicle next to Sarah knocked unceremoniously on her cubicle wall. "Sarah, the copier's broken again, can you fix it?" he asked in his weedy, bland voice. "Kay, Thanks" he said without waiting for her answer and strode away.
"Jesus... I'll call you back later, Em" Sarah sighed
She managed to drag herself over to where several of her coworkers stood huddled around the malfunctioning copy machine. They were all sipping coffee or hideously large bottles of water as they stared with bland eyes at the gyrating machine.
"Hmmm" Said Sylvia from accounting. "Sarah can you do that thing again?"
"Yeah," chimed in Steve from marketing. "That thing that turns it back on"
She pushed past them, her low heels clicking dully on the carpeted floor, to kneel in front of the copier and pry off the front panel. Immediately a spurt of black ink shot out and splattered across the stark white of her blouse. Oh well, it was a cheap polysynthetic blouse. It didn't matter. Sarah wiped at the stain, only managing to stain her hands in the process and then pressed a few button and replaced the panel and it was good as new.
"Nice" Steve from marketing nodded and offered her a high five.
Sarah turned away from him and headed back to her desk. It was time, she decided, for a cigarette break. Since her final return to the aboveground a month ago she had tried to quit smoking, drinking, moping and partying and get a normal job. So far she'd managed to get a job but as for drinking and smoking were concerned she'd tripled her usual amount. As for partying, well, she was basically fucked. There wasn't any time for moping because her days usually were consumed with waking up, fighting her hang over, going to work, napping when no one was looking, smoking like a chimney on her breaks, coming home, going to someone's party, getting shit faced on any chemical that wasn't heroin (because Fiona was still kicking that and Sarah wasn't quite ready to admit to that level of hypocrisy yet), passing out where ever she landed and then doing it all over again the next day.
Sarah really hated her job but it was a distraction. She now worked for a publishing company, which essentially meant she worked with a lot of other sad sacks with English degrees who hadn't fulfilled their dreams of writing a best seller. It was possibly the most depressing work environment one could hope to have.
She had her smoking break, managing to squeeze in two and half cigs in the five minute period. She waited through four seemingly endless hours until she was aloud to leave at five. She took the subway back up to the village. Upon entering the apartment she was on her third cigarette since climbing out of the subway station into daylight and headed straight for the liquor cabinet.
Emily ambled into the kitchen, yawning and stretching in the early autumn sun that streamed in through the large windows. "Napping is my favorite thing in the world" she sighed and then paused mid yawn seeing Sarah's face and the state of her ink stained shirt. "God, what happened to you"
Sarah pulled out a bottle of absolute vodka and poured herself a glass. "I need a shower" she mumbled, pushing past Emily.
Emily watched with a half amused half disturbed look on her face as Sarah drained the contents of the glass and stomped into the bathroom. The sound of running water met her ears and Emily sighed again, thinking there would be no talking to her friend tonight. She was a bit worried about Sarah, to be honest. She was acting rather, well, worrisome.
Suddenly, Emily was sure she saw movement, like the flutter of wings outside the large windows looking down on the city. She stared at the window for a bit, the only sound in the apartment being that of Sarah's shower. Slowly, Emily moved towards the window, careful not to frighten the little owl that fluttered precariously outside the glass. Her fingers moved as if on their own accord up to touch the glass in front of the bird and it quickly flew away.
"I am going crazy" she mumbled, and then recalled the events of the summer and retracted that statement.
She decided to get the mail, it was around the time of the month when her parents sent her a check for one living cost or another. That was always something to smile about. And Sarah looked like she needed some serious cheering up.
Emily pattered out to the elevator in bare feet and rode down to the lobby. She waved and George, the doorman and Sam, the super who was fixing some of the faulty cable lines in front.
They never got much mail. A few bills, more then too many fashion magazines and mail order catalogues. Then Emily saw the thick pale cream colored envelope that was lodged between Vogue and Land's End. She placed it on top of the pile and glanced around to make sure no one else thought something was strange. It wasn't so much the envelope that was strange, it was more to whom it was addressed to in curling silver script.
Lady Sarah Williams de Lexelit New York City, North America The Aboveground
Emily practically ran back upstairs, gaining odd looks from George and Sam as she hurried out of the lobby and back into the elevator. She could barely contain her excitement as she rushed back to the apartment. Once safely inside she threw the other mail on the counter and practically screamed when Sarah emerged from her room wearing pj's with her wet hair falling around her shoulders.
"What's that?" she asked as Emily danced over to her and thrust the heavy envelope into her face.
"A letter" Emily tittered "From you know where"
Sarah paled "Oh really?" she asked moving to sit on the couch. "That was nice of them"
Emily physically deflated "You are such a—a not fun haver"
Sarah laughed and rolled her eyes "I'm sorry" she said "I just—it's too weird. All of it." She shrugged "Him"
Emily fell onto the couch next to her and waved the envelope in her face. "Go on Lady Sarah of Lexelit. Open your letter"
Sarah took it limply and slid her finger along the seal in back. The letter fell open in a shower of silver and gold glitter in her lap. She sighed, brushing some of the glitter off her shoulder and thinking about how Gwen used to complain about the mess.
"Lady Sarah Williams de Lexelit" she read aloud "This is a letter of invitation—blah blah blah--- wedding of Lady Gwendolyn of Calais and Captain Ilareo of Surpentine –ugh, god this is long winded, um, in four nights hence a guard will be sent to retrieve you and a guest of your choice at thirteen o clock—underground time." She rolled her eyes. "Right"
"You're not going?" Emily asked, her eyes going quite wide.
"No"
"Why the hell not? I thought this lady Gwendolyn as your friend" Emily demanded "She would want you to be at her wedding, I know I would be right hacked off if you didn't show up to mine just because your ex would be there"
"It's hardly the same thing" Sarah shook her head "He isn't just going to be there, he's going to be everywhere. You don't know what he's like when he's mad--- really bloody annoying—and kind f frightening if he wants to be. I don't want to be any where near him ever again"
Emily crossed her arms. "Uh huh" she said knowingly "You still want him"
Sarah screwed her face up, feeling the frustrated tears pressing at the back of her eyes. "I'm not kidding, Em" she said "That's a fairytale, that is. It isn't real"
"Well, from what I saw" said Emily, her voice much softer as she touched Sarah's arm "Jareth was quite real"
"I know" Sarah sighed "It's just more difficult to think of him that way"
-
Four days later at around midnight found Sarah and Emily sitting on the couch, waiting patiently for this so called 'guard' to arrive. Sarah was slumped in her seat hoping they would just forget bout her and not send anyone. Emily sat on the edge of her seat, nearly panting with anticipation.
"They're not coming" Sarah complained "Come on, we're dressed we may as well go out"
"No" Emily insisted "I believe in this, it will happen. I will get to see fairies and elves"
Sarah rolled her eyes.
They waited in silence for a few more minuets and then Sarah stood up. "Fine you can wait, I'm going down to the knitting factory to entertain myself" She got no further then a few steps away form the couch when she was stopped by a shower of sparkles and light and suddenly there were five people in the room.
"Jesus Christ on a Bike!" Emily shrieked, slapping her hands over her mouth as she took in the three people, two men and a woman. One of the men was Dolan, weathered and ragged, he looked around the apartment with fascination etched onto his face.
"Amazing," he murmured, spotting the television and then the kitchen appliances and then finally the view of the city out the window.
"Lady Sarah!" it was the younger Taliesin, rushing forward to kiss the lady's hand. "I'm so glad to see you, Lady Sarah. We miss you ever so much in the Underground"
As Taliesin introduced himself to Emily Sarah looked at the other girl. She had pale blonde hair and a heart shaped face and she was very pretty. Although small, the girl was curvy and even though she looked young there was an air of seniority to her. Sarah caught her eye and was about to smile when she caught the seemingly dead look there.
Sarah decided this girl was scary and turned her attention back to Taliesin.
"Taliesin, come see this, it's amazing" Dolan was saying, ushering the younger boy over to the window. They both gasped and awed at the metal and concrete structures of light and power.
"Naomi" Taliesin said to the blonde girl "This is simply the most—"
"We should go, prince" short and abrupt, her voice was cultured but cold.
Taliesin sulked back to the center of the room and Dolan followed him. The girl threw her arms out to the side and sparks so clean they looked like they could slice right through you shot out of her hands. "Let us be gone" she said, sounding aggravated.
Dolan and Taliesin threw there arms out as well and more sparking and magiking ensued. Emily clutched at Sarah's hand in excitement. Half a blink later they were in the middle of Salisbury plain and being rushed towards the stones. Dolan pulled out a pocket watch with the hands nearly pointing up at thirteen. "Four seconds" he said with a dry laugh. "Nice and close"
"Too close" Naomi said coldly "The Prince is weighing down our ability to reorder time"
Taliesin blushed bright red under her glare.
"His mother thought it would do him good to see the Aboveground" Dolan shrugged
Naomi looked irritated "For what purpose" she mumbled
"What's that?" Dolan chuckled
When she gave her answer they were standing in the courtyard of the castle with a fair number of royal guards and family members standing about. Sarah was pleased to see that none of them were Jareth or Aislinn but rather Cymboline's side of the family. Despite being very much past his bedtime, Gareth waited with sleepy eyes next to his Nanny and Mother.
There were bows and hugs and kisses and good to see yous. Gwendolyn was beaming like someone had just returned her puppy and chatted with Emily while letting Ilareo hug her from behind. Sarah found herself being pushed through it all and then the midnight party retreated back to their castles with the aid of their servants and maids.
Sarah said goodnight to Gwendolyn and Emily and took her leave in her old room. It was clean and still stalked full of the clothes she'd been given from Madame Tournoirelle. Sarah half expected some grand surprise of love from Jareth to jump out of her. Or perhaps a cruel trick. Or maybe a cruel gift, like a rose or some other trinket. That seemed to be right up his style. But no, the room was empty. Sarah changed into her night gown and climbed under the covers. The castle was just settling and she found the noise soothing.
There were so many things that she was supposed to be feeling and couldn't quite bring herself too yet. Such as happiness for Gwen and Ilareo. Instead she replaced that with the selfish desire to be back in New York, drinking herself silly and watching whatever band was on at the Knitting factory or Arlene's Grocery. That was where she belonged, Sarah thought. That was where she needed to belong, not here.
She let out a shaky breath that quickly accelerated into tears, and as had happened many nights before, she cried herself towards a nightmarish sleep.
AN: That was horrible. I apologize. More terrible JS to come. I promise. If I don't get lynched for being such an awful writer.
-
Thanks:
Kaio: Ah, you're the best at reviewing. I'm sorry this is sucking so badly. I didn't mean to make it that way.
Cheers Darlin: I know hangs head in shame I'm just a bad person with a bad memory.
Panther Princess: hahahaha. I know, I about had a heart attack when I remembered the story and that I needed to update it.
Remember to REVIEW!!