21Lost in Regret
Chapter 1 of ?
A Dream...
*****************
When Sarah first came home from the Labyrinth she hated Jareth.
He had caused her so much pain. She spent her remaining years
in high school trying to forget every part of her journey into
the Labyrinth, including her new found friends. She studied
hard, played sports, and participated in plays. Sarah even
dated - quite a bit. She soon became bored of each new boy-
friend though. They just didn't measure up. She kept looking
anyways, never quite sure just what it was they never measured
up to.
Her studying paid off and Sarah got a free ride at a pricey
college near home. She even got to live on campus. Two years
into her four year program, Sarah began to have dreams. Dreams
of her long ago journey through the Labyrinth. She drempt of
Hoggle and Ludo and Sir Diddymus. She had dreams she was fall-
ing through the helping hands. Mostly though, she would dream
of Jareth.
Sometimes Jareth frightened her, manacing and powerful. Some-
times they danced as they had long ago. One particular dream
is what began Sarah's downward spiral into depression.
***
One night Sarah had a dream where she saw herself as she had
been while defeating the Goblin King. Only now she could see
Jareth's face. His longing, his hopes, and his love.
She awoke with a start that fateful night and found tears in
her eyes. She only had a week until she graduated and she had
already finished her final papers. Sarah found herself spend-
ing her week of free time journeying to the park where she used
to recite the words of her storybook. Only now she didn't
recite fantasy from the pages of some book. She went over true
memories of her past. The more she analyzed her time in the
Labyrinth, the more depressed she became.
How could she have been so blind. Jareth - the Goblin King -
had loved her. Of course. She told Toby as much before he
was even taken away...'He had fallen in love with the girl.'
Sarah realized how foolish she had been. He HAD rearranged
time for her. She HAD asked him to take Toby. She HAD
exhausted him with her expectations. She expected him to be
frightening. She expected him to be mean and cruel and even
ruthless. As Sarah thought back she remembered his eyes.
Haunting and beautiful, just as his voice had been, both times
he sang for her. So full of emotions she just couldn't under-
stand fully at the age of 15. Now though, at 22, Sarah
understood completely. She had found an amazing man who loved
her with his entire being, and she had foolishly rejected
his love.