Not Long At All

Chapter Twenty Nine

Sarah's POV:

      A wave of dizziness pounded over me, the world spun around me. Closing my eyes, I pressed a hand against my forehead. It had come on with such intensity that I didn't even have time to worry about what was happening. I tried pushing myself up to sit, but direction was confused and I couldn't tell if I'd succeeded. 

      Then, all at once, everything stopped. 

      I stood, my feet shakily planted on the ground. Slowly, one after the other, I opened my eyes to see the stone wall in front of me. Confused, I frowned, my gaze sweeping up to the tall ceiling and the intricate stonework that lined it. There was a flutter in my heart- I knew where we were.

      Excitement pushed out of my chest and my head snapped from side to side as I took in the room. Yes- my eyes landed on the throne, the round back and the dingy silken fabric that hung from it. Yes! I knew where we were! I knew where we were!

      My smile was ecstatic and I turned to see Ziggy, his ring fingers pressed under his eyes as he looked at the wall in front of him. He caught my stare and turned his towards me. Giving a small smile, he flexed his fingers in front of his face and laughed. But then his eyebrows lowered and he held his hands on his hips, turning his elbows in as he bent over, "Dizzy..."

      I quickly made my way over to him, holding onto his frail shoulders to keep him balanced. He leaned into my hold as I scanned the room for everyone else. Hoggle sat in the middle of the floor, Didymus laying at his feet and giving faint moans. My eyes passed where Ludo stood in an archway, finally finding David. He stood near an entryway set of stairs, his arms crossed limply over his chest, the color gone from his face.

       "David?" I watched him in concern.

      His eyes stared blankly at the floor across from him, his breathing ragged. I tried again, "David?"

      This time he looked to me, but his eyes were wide and unfocused. Suddenly they cleared and his breathing became panicked as he searched the wall behind me. I could see it coming, his shoulders raising as he spun towards the wall. Bracing a hand against the wall, he vomited into the corner where it met the stairs, his body wracked with the force.

      I bit my lip, cringing but not wanting to look away in case he'd need help. Beneath my hands I felt Ziggy turning to look, but I held him firm, pushing his shoulders the other way. Hoggle, however, I couldn't stop and he glanced over his shoulder, giving a sickly groan as he turned back away. 

      David stood with his head hung into the corner, leaning into the arm that held him up. Taking shaky breaths, he closed his eyes, a strand of saliva dripping from his open mouth. I drew my eyebrows, worried. Suddenly a hand touched mine and I realized it was Ziggy trying to stand up. I'd been keeping him pushed down. 

      Quickly, I let him go and he stood, brushing hair from his forehead before turning to see what he'd missed. We watched David, concerned but unsure of what to do. His breathing was beginning to steady, but his free arm still hung limply by the side, his fingers trembling. 

      I took a step towards him, "David? Are you okay?"

      Holding a hand out to stop me, he nodded, breathless, "Yeah. Just..."

      He let his arm drop back to his side, breathing deeply through his nose. Suddenly from behind us there came a loud SCASH! and everyone turned to see the small goblin that stood in the doorway, broken plates scattered at his feet. With widened eyes, he stared at David, "Your... your highness?"

      David frowned at him, not seeming to put the pieces together. Trying to give him time, I stepped forward, "Fritzy?"

      The goblin's round eyes found me and he blinked, "L- lady Sarah?"