Labyrinth Dancer

Chapter 11:WITCH

 witch

1. a woman thought to have evil magic powers. Witches are popularly depicted as wearing a black cloak and pointed hat, and flying on a broomstick.

2. a follower or practitioner of modern witchcraft

3. a girl or woman capable of enchanting or bewitching a man

(Definition provided by Google)

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Inara jolted up in the middle of a dream and nearly fell back onto her bed with irritation. This really wasn't the time she wanted to have a realistic time vision travel back to the past. 

Opening her eyes she looked around and froze nearly cursing out loud as she realized what night it was from the past. Stepping up she cautiously walked to the door to her childhood room and eased through the wood door without opening it. 

She was merely a ghostly figure when she saw the past; no one could see her or hear her; that had taken some time to come to grips with. Especially when she traveled back to a night like tonight. The night her mother was killed; she had been pulled back to this night more than most, she knew it was because it was the last night she saw her mother alive. 

Stepping down towards the kitchen she ignored the storm raging outside as she slowly followed her parents outside into the storm; once again watching herself try to help her mother, her hand unconsciously went to the deep scar on her shoulder from that night and she gripped it as it ached at what she was watching. 

Closing her eyes she opened them and was suddenly at the accident; she could see the car wrapped around the tree and knew she was about to wake up as everything began to get fuzzy. Before she woke back up in her own time though she heard an unfamiliar scream, one that tore at her heart beyond what she could imagine. 

The pain suddenly tore through her like lightning striking her body as her breath began to grow shallower as she began to be pulled out of the vision travel. 

Her eyes shot open and her hands went to her throat as her gaze fell on her father; her fingers tore at his hands wrapped around her throat as she tried to make him let go. 

His silent expressionless face was all she could see; for once his eyes were clear and that for her was far more frightening then the fact he was currently trying to kill her. 

"You're worthless...Just a Witch, no one will ever miss you....." 

*Across Town*

Sarah glanced up as Jareth silently entered her kitchen; not saying a word or making any mention of what may have occurred in the wee hours of the night. It was five in the morning and she had been up waiting for him to return. 

She said nothing for a few minutes, simply poured him a glass of milk and set it before him, taking a seat across from him at her island bar. After a few more minutes of silence and Jareth basically ignoring the glass of milk, Sarah finally cleared her throat and broke the silence. 

"What happened? You look like someone tried to clip your feathers." 

Jareth ignored her crack at his feathery form and sighed softly. 

"She stayed with her father despite the fact she helped her stepmother and siblings escape tonight." 

Sarah stared at him with very little surprise on her face or in her eyes and responded quietly. 

"I'm not surprised." 

At Jareth's exasperated surprised look Sarah gave him a sad smile.

"I've heard on the school grapevine that she defends those who can't defend themselves. She takes on the jocks and their little trophies like she was born to do it." 

She shook her head ruefully and smirked at him. 

"Jareth, I've discovered the amount of superstition this town has about her family line over the few years I've been here. From what I've found out most of the woman in her family have never left the men in their lives, whether it be fathers or husbands. They feel responsible for them and apparently for the town as well." 

The silence that fell lasted for a bit as Jareth seemed to be raking his brain about something. However, as he moved to respond; there was a soft knock at the front door. 

Sarah looked surprised but quickly headed to the door; peeked out of the window and quickly threw the door open to reveal the tiny figure of Inara staring at her feet, her worn out backpack gripped by the strap in one of her hands.