Chapter 1. The Wanderings of Another
She looked up from the window, the rain seemed to drizzle over as the day had passed. A red tattered book was propped against the window sill as blue eyes followed the lines of the text. The pages of the book had seemed yellowed and aged with a sense of wonder, yet kept in good condition spite the age. If only the stories were real. And if only she could be as happy in real life, as she felt within the imaginary confinds of her book.
"Jacki??" She heard her uncles call throught the house downstairs....he must have gotten home from work. "Coming Uncle Toby!" The figure then abruptly rose from the chair, running down the stairs with a childish grin on her face. She walked down the hallway and into the living room. She watched him not remove his coat, and clutch his keys tightly within his hands. "Jacki..I've got a business trip to attend to.-.." he wasnt able to finish his sentence before Jacki's moan intervened. "Again? This is the third one this month. How can you keep doing this Uncle Toby?" She gave a loud sigh before sitting herself down on the couch with a unhappy plop. "It will only be for a week this time, and the neighbors will only come to check on you this time...I believe your old enough to stay alone. They'll come over once every night at about 8:00 to make sure your fine.." She rolled her eyes, she was 16 and he still treated her like she was 11. "I dont need anyone to check on me!! Ill do just fine by myself. " He gave her a stern look.. "Dont ignore them..or lock them out..They are reporting right back to me." She gave him a glowering look before standing up and shouting at him. "You still treat me like Im a KID!!"
She turned around with a whirl of long black hair, before stomping upward towards the stairs, and then to her room. The door delivered a satisfying slam before she sat within her chair against the window, clutching the small red book tightly. Small crystal like tears fell as her head leaned against the cold glass, as small droplets of water fell against it outside. "I wish I was somewhere else...away from here." She whispered before hearing the door downstairs shut and lock. Her Uncle had left. She was alone once more. ALone like she always was...alone. The way it had been since her mother died. The way it had been since she had come to live here.
Several hours had past, and she had forgotten all about being alone and angry. She was lost within her text. The cover of the book could be easily seen "The Labyrinth" It read. She then came to her favorite part..and then read it aloud, looking into the mirror as she did so.
"Through the dangers untold
and the hardships unnumbered
I have fought my way here to the
castle beyond the Goblin City
to take back the child
that you have stole,
for my will is as strong as yours,
and my kingdom as great...
You have no power over me."
And then as she said it the mirror began to swirl, and a figure came into view. She took in a gasp as she saw who it was. The man that her mother used to tell her about in her bedtime stories...The man that had haunted her dreams at night...The man from The Labyrinth. Jareth. She knew him by name...but not by face. But it was recongizeable as she realized who it was. And within his hand a crystal as he gazed into it. She saw what he saw. Within the crystal, was a picture of her reading her book against the window. She closed her eyes and turned away from the mirror. It was only a dream. She DID NOT see this. She looked back...it had dissapeared.
She stared at the mirror for minutes at a time before setting the book on her dresser. She had watched the mirror as she set down the book slowly. What was happening to her...why did she see such things?. Eyes looked about, till they caught a picture of her mother. Hands moved to clutch the figure, before curling into a ball against the floor with it. She missed her mother so much. Every passing day seemed harder and harder to over come. The memory of her mother seemed only to live in pictures and faded memories of her mind.
Tears fell as she stood up slowly, reaching upward, grasping to dresser for help to get up. She bent down to clutch the picture...She walked to the bathroom, barely able to see through her salt covered vision. She walked down the hallway, using the door frames as supports as she moved along. She couldnt stand the pain that arrived, so acutely each time as she looked at the photograph.
The light in the bathroom was dimmed, given only from the hall light as she closed the door. She reached for a bottle of pain killers. She looked into the mirror as she filled a glass with water and took as many as she could. The whole bottle was emptied by her. She swallowed them all, and then the glass dropped from her hands. The room seemed to swim..she gripped onto the sink as the world swirled about her. She gave one last look into the mirror. This was it. And she saw his face staring back at her.
Chapter 2. Saving Someones Pain
Unaware of her dangerous intentions he watched her in the darkness...watched her as she had since she was born. The Goblin King's curiousity had seemed to be aroused from watching her drop to the floor suddenly. Eyes narrowed...as he took a closer look. He was her mothers only true enemy. As he saw jacki take her fall, he dove to catch her....to save her. Second thoughts.
Blue eyes opened slightly, and she gave a cry...The pills had not done there job. She was still alive. Her eyes would just not focus...her room was never this bright. She rolled over, and where her alarm clock should have been, was a picture of her mother in her younger days. The exact picture that she had, had hung on her mirror. She looked about her room. This wasnt her room. Where the hell was she?!?!? A figure stirred in the corner, and eyes focused quickly to it. She looked into his face as he approached the bed..Then..she realized...exactly where she was.
(not finished yet. Feb 2003 CTS )