The Legend of Darkness: A Labyrinth Fanfiction

Shattered Reflections

It took Sarah some time to calm her nerves. She had witnessed many things in the Labyrinth, but nothing anywhere near what she experienced in the hedge maze today. That thing, she refused to call it a goblin, wanted to kill her. And she held no illusions that she would not have survived that chase if Hoggle hadn't helped out when he did.

Fortunately, she was able to get a hold of herself before they arrived home. She didn't know if Rhonda would say anything to Irene, but Sarah didn't care. It wasn't a secret that she hated mazes. Of course, rushing out of there with barely a goodbye probably didn't help her case any. Her step-mother would understand. And if she didn't, Sarah could always point out the lost kid. Irene was pretty paranoid about losing Toby, and Sarah knew that she had every reason to be. The Goblin King had taught Sarah that lesson very well.

Speaking of Toby, he had been very silent during the ride back. He just kept watching her. She didn't know if he was waiting for her to ask him something or maybe for another crazy situation. Of course, he could just be tired, it had been a long and active day. Of course, if that was true, the Bog of Eternal Stench smelled like roses now.

It was actually a relief to see Irene in the kitchen. The cup of coffee and a plate of cookies were a nice touch too. Nothing was said for a time, Irene was too busy putting Toby down for a nap. Sarah felt that she needed a nap herself. The events of the day had sapped her energy. It was not a fun feeling.

Irene came back in and pushed the plate of cookies closer toward her, "Rhonda told me what happened. Why she thought it was a good idea to have a kid's party there, I'll never know. She also told me that you bolted as though someone was chasing you. Want to talk about it?"

That was the great thing about Irene. She didn't push for an explanation for something like this. Sarah hadn't understood what a true gift this was until her little trip through Wonderland. She kept busy by nibbling on a cookie and sipping her coffee. Part of her wanted to tell Irene everything, but she knew better. A trip to a padded cell was not her career goal.

She could always tell Irene a twist of what has happened. Her step-mother knew that she'd had nightmares for years. Everyone just assumed that the bad dreams were because her mom walked away to find her own dreams on the stage. Sarah let them think that. It was better than them thinking she had gone crazy and believed that rocks would rescue her.

With a shrug, she said, "Just felt like I was in one of my nightmares. That and my crappy sense of direction pretty much killed that party for me. I hope Rhonda wasn't insulted by how I acted."

Sarah actually liked Rhonda. The thought that the older woman might think she was rude didn't sit well with her. If anything, it would make things awkward the next time Sarah tried to lend a hand at another kid's shindig.

Irene answered with a worried look, "I get that. Nothing like getting lost to make you feel like crap. Don't worry about Rhonda. I don't think she'll be having another outdoor party anytime soon. She was worried about you, and so am I. I know everyone has nightmares, but I'm starting to wonder if there is more to yours than you're letting on. If you don't feel comfortable talking to me or your dad, find a friend. Just talk to someone. Can you promise me that?"

Sarah shrugged again but didn't say anything. What was there to say? There really weren't any options for her. Maybe she could write it for a creative writing project. If she got it out, it might leave her alone. As the image of Hoggle in the maze flashed in her mind, she knew it for the lie that it was. This was never going to leave her alone.

After some prodding, Irene convinced Sarah that she should have a nap. After her step-mother nudged her a few times, she finally settled into her bed. Part of her was hoping that she didn't dream, the other part wanted her to. If anything, she might get a clue on what was going on. She had a feeling that ignorance was deadly in this situation.

The first thing she noticed was that is was cold. Not chilly, or cool, but bone searing cold. The kind that made a person would wonder if they would ever be warm again. The next thing she noticed was that she wasn't alone. A beautiful girl stood in front of her. The sadness in her brown eyes made Sarah's heartbreak. Who was this girl?

In a soft melodic voice, the girl spoke, "Don't make the mistake I did. Be strong and have faith in your heart. He will try to make you doubt it. Do not be deceived. Your heart knows the truth, though your mind has not figured it out yet."

Well, this was certainly different. Sarah didn't feel threatened. The girl didn't seem to pose any danger, but she had learned long ago that one should never take anything for granted. With that in mind, she resisted the urge to reach out and touch the girl. She didn't need to borrow more trouble.

The dark-haired girl smiled, "Do not be afraid of being a fool for love. That's how you know it's true. When you are willing to play a fool and cast your dignity to the side. I must go now. He is getting close. Be careful of the darkness. It is waiting to take hold of this world and it can do it through you."

And just like that, the girl was gone and Sarah was back in her room. It was a change from the other dream, but it still filled her with dread. She felt like a pawn in a very deadly game of chess. The bad thing about pawns is that they're disposable.

Her musings were interrupted by a soft tapping on her window. Looking out, she saw a white blur of what could be wings. It seemed that Jareth was keeping a close eye. She didn't know how she felt about that. She really didn't know how to feel about any of this, and that could be a very big problem.

OOOOOO

Hoggle looked to the white owl that was perched on the branch above him, "You can't just let her keep going like this without telling her. It ain't right. They almost got her. Then where would we have been? Dead! That's where. Your pride is gonna get us all killed."

The owl just blinked and then flew off. Leaving a frustrated dwarf shaking his head as he watched.