The Labyrinth Sequel

Chapter 7

When morning comes again in the castle I am still in the library going through the books. This time I am looking for the magic of words in the Labyrinth, and still holding out hope for the chapter on the Goblin King and how to turn him back.  

By now the pile of books I have read is bigger than the books I haven't, and I am getting to the end of the pile I have. Once that is done, I don't know where I will go from there. For now, this is all I can do and hope for.

Toby and Hoggle have been keeping busy cleaning up after me and helping by grabbing more books. They went to sleep for the night at one point, but I refuse to give up with how much little time we have left.

It was probably early this morning when the earthquakes started. Hoggle thinks that the holes have almost reached the castle, and that the foundation is beginning to give away. Once that happens, the castle will fall, and we will be out of options.

So despite what I believe to be a rising fever, I stayed up all night, hid my hands well, and continued to think and read. There is no time for breaks.

"Sarah," Toby asks while waiting for me to finish my book, "You look red, and tired, and puffy. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I wave him off.

"He's right Sarah, you ain't looking too hot right now. Maybe you should take a break. You might be getting sick." He says.

"Can't." 

They leave me alone after that, but Hoggle leaves the room for a bit, and when he returns the King is with him. I only roll my eyes and slide my hands further under the table. There is no way we are having this conversation.

The King flies over onto the table and looks at me. I try to pull myself together so that he doesn't know anything is wrong, but he starts chirping and hopping around so much I assume he thinks something's up. I sigh and hit him on the head with a book.

Thankfully, he flies over and lands on Hoggle's head.

"Sarah, I think it's time we give up." Hoggle says with a sad sigh.

"Are you insane? We can't just give up!" I scream.

"You are driving yourself to death, and we know there isn't anything in those books that can help. You tried your best, and that's all we can ask for." He says.

"No, no, no!" I scream, "We still have time! I don't care how sick I am, I will keep trying until the end."

"Sarah-"

"No, Hoggle, we still have some time. Just give me a little time!" I beg.

"Sarah, I don't have anymore time." He says, holding up his left arm.

I stare in horror as his hand and the rest of his arm begin to disappear. He gives me a 'what are you gunna do?' look and shrugs. The King, who had been sitting by him flies off and lands on the table, watching him.

"No, no, this can't be happening! Not you Hoggle!" I cry.

"There isn't anyone left now, Sarah," he says sadly, "It's just you, Toby, and Jareth left. You might not disappear, because you don't belong here, but there isn't anything you can do now."

"There has to be something..." I sob.

"You tried so hard, and I knew you would. I'm just thankful that you were here with me when things went to hell. Made things less lonely, you know?" I can tell he is holding back tears.

I can't say anything now, I can only cry. Toby, who was playing on the chair, sees what is happening and begins to cry as well. This time he is crying in fear. Fear or what is about to come, and the fact that even his big sister can't stop it.

"Bye Sarah..." He says as his body melts away, becoming nothing more than dust in the wind. (Did you sing it there?)

I kneel on the ground by where he stood, my face covered in tears. All my friends are gone... Hoggle, Ludo, Didymus... To add insult to injury, the tower begins to shake again, this time so much that I am thrown to the ground again.

Toby, who is a few feet away from me, begins to scream.

"Sarah, what's going on!" He cries, unable to get to his feet to come over to me.

"It's okay Toby!" I call out to him, "I'm here. Come here, quick, I'll protect you!"

I don't know what I am supposed to do. The building is coming down now, and the shelved in the library are toppling over this was and that. The only thing I know how to do now is put my arms around him, and pull him to my chest.

Somewhere far away the King screeches, and there is a flapping of wings that is drown out by the massive thunder of rocks being pulled apart. The ground under my feet buckles, and Toby and I scream as we fall through the floor. A rock cuts off my bandages, and somewhere in the roaring chaos Toby is ripped from my arms.

I scream, trying to grab onto him, but the darkness is everywhere, and even his screaming for me is drown out by the noise. Something hits my head, and I black out, still tumbling down into the darkness.

My eyes open and my senses are greeted with silence. There is no noise, no sound at all. Even my own breath seems silent against the grey landscape.

Looking around I notice that the castle has come down. Somehow, through the insanity, I ended up on top of the rubble, and the only thing injured is my hands, which have begun to ooze blood and bacteria. Slowly and painfully I try to get up, but my fever is too great, and I sink back down again.

"Toby?" I call through a muffled voice.

There is no answer. In the silence I try to hear for him, hear his breathing, hear his heartbeat. But all I can hear is silence.

"Toby?" My voice cracks as tears choke me again.

Slowly, and painfully, I roll over onto my stomach and push myself onto my knees. Somewhere comes the sound of flapping wings, and soon the King lands on a rock near me. He hops around, looking me up and down to see if I am hurt.

"Toby..." I sob, letting my head droop.

I can't see him on top of the pile... And I can't move to dig for him. Any moment now I am going to collapse, I know it, but all I can think about is Toby. Toby who might be hurt. Toby who needs me. Toby who I got into this mess in the first place.

"Please..." I beg anyone who is listening, "Please..."

The King hops closer and nuzzles his head against my arm. I want to put a hand on his head, but my arms won't work anymore. 

"I don't care what I have to do..." Sobbing, I fall forward until my face is even with the Kings, "I don't care anymore, as long as it will bring Toby back to me. I don't even care if I die, just please... let him be alive and okay!"

I gasp as another round of sobs overtakes me, and I try to bury my face into the King's soft white feathers.

"TOBY!!!!" I scream, letting all my sorrow flow from me.

The King turns, and looks at me with tear filled eyes. I meet his eyes, and try to will away my own tears so that I can face him.

"Okay Jareth," I let his name roll off my tongue, "If my words have any meaning like Hog- like he said, then please, bring Toby back. Bring them all back, and make this place whole again. If I'm going to die, then that would be my final and only wish."

My head spins and a blackness threatens the corners of my vision. Without thinking about it, I lean in and kiss him on the beak. Toby wanted me to kiss the frog, and that is all I can do now. I kiss him again on the head, and on the eyes, and on his beak a dozen times, hoping, praying, that something will happen.

He waits for me to finish with his eyes closed, and eventually my head drops to the stones, unable to hold it up on my own anymore.

My arms are burning, my hands are numb, and my body is on fire. When I close my eyes I can feel myself drifting away from the pain and into a much more peaceful place.

"Please..." I whisper, and then dive into the peaceful darkness.