Labyrinth Pt. II

14. The Right Way

We've been arguing back and forth whether or not we should open a door or go back and find a path we missed. The key hasn't burned bright or signaled in anyway that it wants us to go through it, and I'm getting SLIGHTLY irritated.

 
"For the last time, Sarah, just because the key isn't glowing doesn't mean we need to go back." He has had enough of me, but I still feel like we should trust the key. "I'm going through this door, with or without you."

"Don't be silly. We need to stick together." I rolled my eyes at his brash statement.

 
"Then you are coming with me through the door."

"When there were two doors here one of them led to certain death. What if the remaining door Nyx left, is THAT door?"

 
"It's not. I got rid of that after you left. To be quite honest neither of those doors led to "certain death". It was all a trick. Quite a clever one if I say so myself." He waved his hand in the air dismissing my argument. "Why do you feel the need to trust the key that the faerie gave you? After all, it could very well be a ruse."

 
"I ju-"

 
I stopped short. Why was I so reliant on the key that was given to me by the very person who wants Jareth to die? He could be using the key as a way to mislead us. I was so adamant on us going through the Doorway the key "chose", that I didn't stop to think that it could be a trick. I knew there were no other pathways that we missed in this tunnel. I was wasting time arguing.

"Fine. Let go through the door," I acquitted. I stood up and went behind Jareth. He opened the door slowly. I internally prayed that Nyx didn't switch the doors.

 
Many people use the phrase "blinded by the light" or "don't go to the light". The only thing I could think of in this second was those two things. I was 1) very blinded by the light, and 2) had an ominous feeling about the light that was hitting us. Probably because I couldn't see what was scaring the light due to being blinded by it.

 
Once my vision settled and my eyes dilated, I could see very clearly the scene before me.
The light source was none other than the sun that wasn't yellow but white. It touched a landscape that was a winter wonderland of death. Dead trees, with icicles hanging precariously from the branches, melted areas of grass, where no live grass was found, animals frozen in place, the air was so crisp that it hurt to breathe. It was a beautiful thing to see, but you could feel the danger emanating from the surroundings.

 
"That bastard." Jareth was furious. His shoulders were tight and his fists were clenched.

 
"I'm guessing the winter wonderland is his doing?" I stepped around him to walk further in to the area. The snow crunches under my steps. It was beautifully morbid. I could have sworn I saw one of the frozen creature's eyes move.

 
"Are they still alive in that ice?!" I grasp his arm in shock.

 
"Probably." He was so nonchalant about it. Like it was a normal thing to see. "I can't believe he ruined it! It was beautiful!"

"Not the last time I was here..." I gave him a doubtful side look.

 
"I told you already. I changed things when you left." He rolled his eyes. "It was quiet a scenery. Tall trees, bright flowers, lush grass..." when I turned around to face him, I saw his eyes look in the distance as he remembered what was. There was sorrow beneath his anger. "The best part was it lulled unknowing guests in to a false sense of security." His eyes went bright and his smile looked gleefully dangerous.

 
A high pitched snicker made me jump. I looked around to locate it's source. It wasn't a friendly sound, which made me nervous. Jareth grabbed my wrist and led us farther in to the white landscape.

 
"That sound means trouble. We need to keep moving." Talking loud enough so just I could hear him from behind. His long legs made it hard for me to keep up when he was walking fast. Damn his height!

"Your mood changed quickly... What do you mean trouble?" I huffed out of breath.

 
"That noise most probably belonged to a gnome."

"You mean those garden ornaments weird people have in their yard?" I was confused.

 
"What? I don't know what those are. Gnomes are small creatures with sharp teeth. Their hands have talons on them that are serrated. They have an acute sense of smell for blood. Specifically human blood."

 
"Eeep!" I squeak in fear. I'm human....

"If we stop for too long, they will catch your scent and track us." He slows down and looks around. He doesn't stop completely. "I have a notion that if there are gnomes here, then there are a few other things here that want to kill you." Then in an after thought, "And most probably me too."

He makes us take a sharp left. We walk a few yards and pass many beautifully frozen trees. He slows us down again and drops my wrist. My lungs are burning with a need for oxygen. My vision blurred and my stomach turned. I knew this feeling and it couldn't be more ill timed.

 
"Ugh... it's happening again-" I don't even know if the goblin heard me. I blacked out and felt my body's strength give out. Nyx wanted another chat.