The Darkened World

The Park

A/N: Okay only after I published the chapter did I realize that the title had nothing to do with it. I had this nice little scene all planned out and then I go and get side tracked! I just want it to be known that today was an emotional roller coaster and I am sleepy. After this chapter I am going to sleep and the next update will be unknown because it is fair week here in Medina and I am a 4-h kid. Though, luckily, I have no animals to show...I pity those people. Again getting side tracked but too tired to care...

Sarah had become aware that someone was sitting next to her, though when she looked over the seat was empty. Halfway through the movie she could have sworn she felt something brush up against her arm but attempted to ignore it. 

However, when a voice whispered "You bring a ten year old to a movie about a man killing his wife?" Did Sarah truly hate the fact that she had her own personal ghost. It would appear that the Goblin King would refuse to remain forgotten. Even though she had never truly forgotten...it would have been impossible. 

Luckily, the juvenile Fae kept any other remark to himself and Sarah was able to enjoy herself until the end. Once the lights turned on and she had Toby out of mall, Sarah finally let herself relax. Being in a building with the Goblin King was not on her to do list and she liked being in the open. That way, if an immortal being decided to make an attack she at least had no doors he could freeze shut. 

Even if it did leave more areas open for attack. 

Lord she had to stop watching those old war movies. 

"How has school been going?" Sarah questioned, though second grade did not seem that exciting when she was in it. In fact, she lucidly remembered her father asking her the same question, though she could not remember her answer. 

"Good, I got an outstanding on my social studies project. We had to make a short story so I wrote about a goblin that liked to eat my homework." Sarah raised an eye brow at Toby. 

"Has a goblin ever eaten your homework before?" She questioned with a wry smile. 

"Loads of times, though they don't really like math but I can't blame them for that." Like every other normal ten year old math was the worst subject for Toby, no matter how much his older sister tried to help him. 

"What did your teachers say about that?" Sarah questioned as they walk to the park, it was too nice a day to drive. 

"Mr.Davis gave me a gold star for creativity but Miss Jones told me that next time I should complete the homework and that lying was bad." Toby stated as he looked down at his shoes.

"It's not your fault if Miss Jones has the imagination of a gnat." Sarah said and then quickly added "repeat that to any one and give up ice cream rights for a year." Toby nodded in submission as they reached the park that had, at one time, been Sarah's refuge. 

"Next time we should just do a movie marathon inside." Sarah grumbled as a breeze sent a shiver down her spine. 

"Fine miss anti-sociable." Toby stated with the look of a little kid who knew they said something out of their word league but hoped they used it in the right situation. 

"Do you even know what that means?" Sarah questioned, a question that Toby choose not to answer. 

"Can you push me on the swings?" He asked and was soon seated upon one of the old plastic blue swings that had been around since Sarah was ten. In other words, the old swings were creaky, squeaky, and likely to break. Which just made them all the better to a ten year old kid who never seemed to get hurt.  

As all ten year olds are want to do, Toby jumped off when he reached the highest his little legs, and his older sister's arms, could take him. And like most ten year olds he regretted it when he hit the ground and his entire body was jarred by the impact. 

The siblings ended up beneath an old red maple tree that was Sarah's "thinking" tree and made shapes out of the clouds. 

It was at this time that Sarah saw something in the corner of her eye. Something that should not have been there. 

"Sarah, what is that?" Damn alert ten year olds, Sarah thought as she tried to come up with an explanation. She had hoped that he wouldn't spot it.

The dog like creature sat back on its hunches and stared at the two humans with a slightly cocked head, as if he was pondering what such creatures were doing in his forest. 

"As far as I can tell, it's a Pooka." Sarah said as she took in the strange red eyes that lacked a pupil and the pure black sheen of its fur.

"Oh...can I pet it?" Toby questioned with a sudden interest as he jumped to his feet. Sarah grabbed him before he could dart over to the creature. 

"No, Pooka's are known in Ireland to take the form of a horse and take drunken people are crazy rides through farmers' fields and the such. It does not normally harm humans, but it would be our luck that a rabid Pooka seeks us out. Besides, it is time to head home or else we will be late for lunch. Unless you want to deal with an angry mother." The mere mention of an angry Irene was enough to force the thought and existence of the Pooka out of Toby's mind.  

As Sarah walked Toby back to the house she could not help but notice the barn owl that followed them. Though, this time, Toby didn't see the strange creature and if he did the boy didn't know well enough to question why a barn owl was out in broad day light. 

Sarah had to admit that Jareth made a handsome owl, if only he would stay in his cute form. Though even when he was in his other form his beak and talons were still more than sharp enough to inflict harm to humans. 

Jareth, himself, was enjoying his time of watching the two mortals. Toby was an alert and curious boy, he reminded Jareth of himself at such a time. Though Jareth would have ignored the warning to stay away and would have petted the Pooka. In fact, the Goblin King had been hoping Toby would get closer to the Celtic fairy. 

Close enough to step into the fairy ring that the Pooka stood in the middle of, anyways. Jareth had known it was a weak trap and almost destined to fail, his Sarah was not one to throw caution to the wind. Unless someone she loved or cared for was at risk, then she would become quite careless and easier to trap. 

After all, a human's ability to care for other's and their careless love made them highly reliable but also weak. 

Jareth would win the game before Sarah even realized she was a player, already she had denied being a player. What she didn't know was that this game of their's had never ended. From the moment she had stepped into his realm to the moment she had left it. Just because she got out of the Labyrinth did not mean that their time as players ended. They would always be two adversaries attempting to out maneuver the other, but that was what made her so interesting to him. 

Sarah Williams was able, at times, to out maneuver him, she was his equal in intellect and power. It would be a waste if she did not use her intellect in a more pleasurable way. He only hoped she saw things as such.