Those Cruel Eyes Edition 1

Chapter 26

"What do you think is the next task?" Emmeline asked Jareth as they made their way out of the desert land and into a stone part of the Labyrinth.
"Well, I'd assume it would be difficult," Jareth said, not looking at Emmeline. "The further we go, it seems to get worse... I honestly don't know Emmeline, and that concerns me. I'm so used to know what's coming up next and what's going on."
They continued silently onward. Soon, trees were growing out of the stone floor and the walls surrounding them vanished. Emmeline looked around at her environment, taken aback at the sudden change. They were in a dense, marshy background, reminding Emmeline of the swamps in Louisiana.
"I don't like this," Emmeline said quietly. Jareth looked around as well.
"Looks fine to me," he said.
"It's too... quiet. Too still..." she was right. Nothing was moving, no sound other than the squishing noise of their feet on wet moss. Soon, Emmeline heard something.
"It sounds like a violin..." she said softly, listening intently. Gradually the song grew louder, filling Emmeline's very soul with sadness and longing. She found herself following the music, desperate to comfort the depressed soul creating the enchanting music. She started to walk forward, unaware of anything but the music. Her eyes beaded with tears as her own miseries flashed behind her eyes. Jareth saw Emmeline's hypnotic state and forced his fingers in his ears. He searched around desperately and found some moss on a nearby tree. He ripped up the moss and stuffed them in his ears, successfully cutting off the evocative music. He grabbed some more and reached for Emmeline. He pulled her to him; her eyes were glazed over and red, directed towards the source of the music. Her face was contorted, as if seeing unendurable horrors in her sightless eyes.
"No," she mouthed desperately, tears streaming steadily down her flushed cheeks.
"Emmeline!" Jareth called out, trying to get her attention. She did nothing, almost as if she were deaf to everything but the music. She struggled with him desperately, like a trapped bird. Jareth reached with one hand to her ears, stuffing the moss in them to block out the music. She broke free and the moss fell out, and she began to run to the source. Jareth followed her, stopping at a small lake. A young man was there, playing a violin while sitting on a mossy rock. Emmeline had paused, then began to slowly walk toward him. It was then Jareth noticed the boy's wet hair tangled with lake weeds.
A Kelpie, he thought, filling with horror.
"Emmeline! No!" he ran to her just as the Kelpie grabbed ahold of Emmeline's arm and dragged her into the depths of the lake.