The Labyrinth Sequel

Chapter 4

"Smell... Bad..." Ludo says as he exits the tunnels.

"You're right, this is bad. I don't remember it like this!" I say.

But surprisingly, there is less Bog than there is stench. Like the swamp from before there are many large black holes lining the area where the Bog used to be. All that is left is the smell from where is used to be. I guess all the rocks that had been coated in the stuff are now just stinking up the area.

"I guess where ever everything goes once they disappear must be pretty stinky..." I mumble to myself.

It could have been a funny thought, if it hadn't been such a sad one. So many people and things have disappeared, that even the famous Bog or Eternal Stench is gone as well. This thing is moving too close to the castle for my liking. We have to hurry and get there so I can stop it. Or at least... try to stop it.

"Where do we go now? Last time we couldn't find our way there without.... Didymus! He was here last time! Maybe he is still here!" I cry taking off in the direction of the bridge. Last time he wouldn't let us cross, so maybe he is still there guarding the bridge.

When I get to the bridge, I don't see him, and he doesn't pop out from his tree to tell me not to pass. But maybe he is still somewhere around here....

"Didymus? Are you here?" I call, hoping for a reply.

The Bog is filled with onto silence. I look around in desperation, not knowing what else to do. The bridge was destroyed when I had crossed it last, and though it has been rebuilt since that time, he might have felt he no longer needed to guard it and left to go closer to the castle.

"I guess we just have to move on without him." Hoggle says with a shrug.

"You don't think that he..." I trail off, not wanting to finish the thought.

"Nah, the little guy must just be closer to the castle. Once Jareth disappeared he probably took it on himself to protect the castle at all costs, or whatever." He says waving my worries off.

"Do you think he is with Toby right now? Maybe he saw them coming into the castle from outside and took it on himself to take care of him." I try.

"Don't get your hopes up," Hoggle snorts, "The Goblins wouldn't have come in from outside. For them it would have been easier to just go right back into the castle when they came back. If he is there, he wouldn't have seen them or the little brat."

"Oh..." I say sadly.

"Toby.... Good..." Ludo assures me.

"Thanks." I say taking his hand again.

We head across the new, and more sturdy bridge, and head off towards the castle through the woods. It occurs to me that last time I was here I never made it through the woods with the others. Hoggle had given me the peach, and when I had woken up I had been in the junkyard. How much further would we have to go before we get there?

Just the thought of the peach makes my stomach turn, and growl at the same time. I haven't eaten anything since dinner last night with dad and my step mom. Hopefully there will be some food when we get to the castle.

At the edge of the woods I can see the castle off in the distance. Down below us is the junk yard, and beyond that the gates to the Goblin City. And then the castle. So we aren't so far away, although the junk yard is pretty big. It is going to take us a while to get over it, even if we are hurrying.

"To think there is still so much junk..." Hoggle shakes his head.

"Where does all the trash come from?" I ask as we begin descending the hillside over looking the junk yard.