Is This Love Real?

Chapter Six
A Runner’s Determination

The dawn was gray, and Sarah could here the soft drips of water falling from the gutter. The rain had stopped little under an hour ago, and she knew already that the day’s weather was going to be crummy. It would be too damp to sit in the grass, and the sun wouldn’t come out to dry the night’s rain.

Arching her back up, Sarah stretched languidly as she furrowed back into the soft mattress and woke up slowly. It was then her mind came around and registered that she felt a weight compressing her chest. Opening her eyes slightly, she peeked down. There she saw, leisurely splayed across her, Toby, who was still sleeping soundly.

Scrunching her eyes together, she replayed the events of the previous night. It was funny, how after waking up she didn’t feel as though any of it was a dream, where before, prior to Toby’s reassurance, she had surmised it could be nothing else.

Gently sitting up, with more effort for the added weight, Sarah carefully lifted Toby from on top of herself. Setting him back down, she smiled as he grasped for what would have been her, finding only the pillow she’d been laying on. When he seemed to settle down again, she quietly crept to the door and left.

Her clothes were dry, but it was chilly and she opted for slipping on her jeans from the previous day. She would go home today; no matter what arguments Karen threw at her. It was ridiculous; she was eighteen and had her own apartment. Classes started in a couple days, and she was far from being settled in.

Was that all she’d do? Go back to the city, to school? Would her life fall back into place, as though she didn’t know it was possible to go back?

Her heart was crying out, aching to be heard. Last night, before she’d gone to bed, her mind was so consumed that her body ached and was restless. Now, after going back to the Underground for no more than a half hour, the feeling had intensified. If anything she had hoped that when she woke up this morning, she wouldn’t have to worry about keeping good on her promise to Toby. Toby didn’t want her to leave, and she’d been crossing her fingers that whatever need had been present was fulfilled upon her little visit. But, it hadn’t. If anything, her need was greater now, and she couldn’t understand why.

Why did she long to be in the Underground? Had this wistful feeling slowly built day by day, ever since she last spoke with Hoggle? Or perhaps it was the sudden appearance of Thomas. A reminder of the Underground and its reality, right in front of her, offering her a chance which she secretly longed for. But, she’d turned Thomas down.

Playing games with an unknown opponent was far from wise. Sarah had learned this fundamental rule the moment she agreed to play with Jareth. So, she hadn’t taken the bait. And, while she was far from regretting her decision, she couldn’t help but wonder ‘what if?’

Now she knew ‘what if’. Without the help of others, or so she thought, she was capable of going back. Of course, she didn’t understand how exactly, but she was confident she could do it again.

Washing her face and brushing her teeth seemed to wake her up fully. Skipping down the stairs two at a time, she landed softly and made her way to the kitchen, where the sweet smell of French toast was wafting it’s way through the rest of the house. Coming to the doorway, Sarah saw Karen flipping a piece of toast over the stove and Mina sipping a cup of coffee at the table.

Sarah noticed a sly and amused smile play across Mina’s face as she stared forward, looking intently at the grain of the wooden tabletop.

“Morning” Sarah greeted.

“Hey there sleepy head.” Karen replied, flipping another piece of toast.

Sarah noted that the time was eleven. Waking up a minute past eight was sleeping half the day away in Karen’s view. Sarah had come to feel the same way, getting up early even on weekends. But, last night she’d gotten little sleep, and needed what extra hours she could get.

“I hope you’re hungry.” Chanted Karen, as she added two slices to an already large stack of French toast.

“Actually,” Sarah interrupted the morning routine, knowing she couldn’t eat before she ran, “Can you hold that thought for a half an hour?”

Frowning, Karen put one hand on her hip, “And where do you think you’re going?”

“Running” she answered with a bright smile, knowing this excuse was age old and plausible for anything.

“In that?” Karen asked incredulously waving her hand, which still clutched the spatula, up and down at Sarah’s outfit.

“No,” Sarah said slightly less cheerful than before, Karen’s hold on her would soon begin to cut off the airflow. “I’m sure Mina didn’t come here for nothing-”

Mina cut her off, “Yeah, I came for Karen’s cooking!” she exclaimed jovially with as much sincere sarcasm as she could.

While Karen chuckled and turned back to the stove, Sarah pressed on, “You brought my clothes right?”

“Yeah, yeah” Mina waved her off, picking her mug back up and sipping the steaming light brown liquid.

“Thanks!” Sarah said quickly as she hastened to leave the room, only to call back into the kitchen, “Where are they?” her voice was coming from the living room.

“Probably right in front of you, they’re on the couch!” Mina called back, careful to not raise her voice too loud.

“Ah!” Sarah exclaimed.

The bag Mina brought over had a fresh set of clothes for the day. And, her friend had been kind enough to remember Sarah’s drive for running all the time, as there was a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, which she frequently wore when going for a jog.

Slipping into the downstairs bathroom, she donned her unfashionable shorts and shirt. There was a pair of worn out sneakers in the foyer closet, which would suffice for her run.

Back in the kitchen, Karen and Mina were laughing about something as Sarah walked in, “What’s so funny?” she inquired, stretching an arm across her chest.

“Nothing. I was just telling Karen all about these pictures I took, so adorable, I could hardly contain myself when I took them.” She smiled up at Sarah. “By the way, while you’re out, could you pick my film up for me? I dropped it off this morning at the CVS near the park. One hour photo, so it should be done by now.”

“Sure” Sarah agreed, knowing the stop would be on her way. Before she left the room, she walked behind Mina and pulled the girl’s hair band out, “See you in a bit!” she waved bye, walking and bending her head over to pull her own hair back with Mina’s hair band.

With a deep breath and a sigh of relief, Sarah made her first step from the porch, then another and another, down the small yard to the street. No matter what the problem of the day might be, she always found some solace in running aimlessly.

The first couple blocks loosened her muscles up nicely, and as her foot hit the curb after crossing the road she picked the pace up. Not consciously thinking about where she was headed, her feet took her closer to the woods.

Past Mrs. Birch’s house, cutting through an old classmates yard, the small expanse of trees, which served as the local forest came into view. Few leaves had fallen, while most were bright, vivid colors. Even against the gray cloudy sky, they were bright and alive.

Again, she picked up her pace, driving herself faster towards the line of trees. The pavement of the dead end street was broken and misshapen. In a general concave shape, a thicker sheen of water had collected. Her rapid footsteps hardly rested on the ground, but with each touch the water splashed underfoot, slapping the blacktop. With a little extra jump, she was past the curb and on to soft ground. The terrain was quite different. She preferred the grass course to the cement. It was the difference between track and cross-country.

The scent of the woods was alluring, an aroma which was specific to the season and damp weather. Wet leaves and bark, with the crisp and chill fall air.

Deep and steady breaths, as her breathing fell into a set pace. But, she didn’t like the pattern. This was the part she loved most, pushing herself as far as she could go. Reaching her limits and then pushing even more, so that her limits were extended. Her coach said this was why she excelled. So, she upped the pace yet again, daring her lungs to keep up with her feet.

It was an all out sprint at this point, none too wise when navigating a path through clustered trees, but far more enjoyable. There was hardly a straight path for her to continue on, as it was more a sprint and dodge technique, darting through and around each trunk, and jumping over any obstacles in her way.

A clearing came, and it was a smooth stretch, only littered here and there with fallen branches. Beyond she could hear the honking a few lingering geese. Roughly four hundred meters left, she could just see the surface of the water, the small lake she had grown up playing make believe around.

This was where her mind felt a fleeting freedom from all matters and restraints in her life. Now was the moment, the time, for her to fly. Pumping her legs and filling her lungs as controlled as she could, she sped up. The blood was pounding in her ears, the ball of her feet seemed to tap the ground as she pushed further, strived to move faster. So long, were her strides that the branches didn’t matter.

Closer still, her hair was whipping back, since the hair band had fallen out long before. With her eyes focused on the water, looming closer as it was her destination for no particular reason, she blinked. In that fraction of a second, when her eyelids obscured her sight, making the world disappear for the briefest of moments, an image flashed in her mind. The Labyrinth, with its beginning maze of narrow stonewalls. What she first perceived as a never-ending path, expanding to an imperceptible point on the horizon.

The memory of that time, her first lesson upon entering the maze, and the image of what she first perceived as an ongoing path through the maze, seemed to overlap the environment before her. The water became that imperceptible point, which was too far off to discern, and too far away to give her any assurance of reaching. The narrow stonewalls, which held such illusive powers to disguise what was right before her very eyes, became the towering trees. The open path, marred and littered with branches and other assorted trash which she didn’t bother to examine for fear it was alive, became the leaves, roots, and fallen twigs and limbs from the maples and oaks of her childhood ‘Sherwood Forest’.

If her heart could afford to skip a beat, it would, as her eyes suddenly drank in the surroundings. Long gone was the park and pond she’d been running to. Now, she was racing, if possible, even faster, through the Labyrinth. While so many twists and turns looked the same, she was certain the long narrow stretch she ran along now was the same one she traveled before.

It was different now though. She was no longer the little fifteen-year-old girl she had been, but rather at eighteen, a vague resemblance to her former self. Her spirits were not so easily trodden upon, as she reached out for the horizon, setting her goal on the impossible and not feeling the least bit disconcerted.

Sweat trickled down her temple, her heart pumped furiously wanting nothing more in the world than to meet the challenge set by its owner, and let Sarah’s feet carry her off to her destination.

She didn’t know how long she kept at it, running madly, never wavering. She knew her body had reach its’ usual limits long ago, but somehow it didn’t matter when her mind was spurring her onward. The temperature was colder here in the Labyrinth, and her lungs were suffering for it. Rosy cheeks and numb nose, her breath came out in white puffs, which she saw no sooner than they were left behind. The horizon was no closer, and there was still no visible end, yet her legs kept moving as if with just another strong stride she’d make it.

For the fleeting thoughts that did pass through her mind, she registered that she was again in the Underground. She also realized a connection between her two visits. A strong memory or thought was the trigger. The night before, she could think of nothing else but the Underground, and as she ran along this morning her surrounding gave her such a feeling of déjà vu that her world had changed. Far from being a master at the process, she at least knew where to begin, and that was with sheer will power. A want or need to be here, a dominant thought of being here.

‘Here, in the Labyrinth,’ her mind spoke, ‘with old friends, and…’ even her thoughts stuttered on his name, ‘…Jareth.’ She finally admitted.

The Goblin King’s name triggered another thought, “Toby!” she gasped out, breaking the inhaling and exhaling motion which was letting her move so swiftly. She had stupidly broken her promise already.

The moment her brother’s name left her lips, the world around her changed again. In the blink of an eye, she was back, only ‘Sherwood Forest’ was long behind her, and she was approaching the rail of a site seer’s spot along a platform bridge. Instinctively, she hurdled over it, knowing she was moving too fast to stop without painfully crashing into it and then flipping over anyway.

From her inertia, she sailed out and over the water, with gravity slowly winning and dragging her straddling hurdlers form down to the glossy surface. There wasn’t time for her to think, and she was just lucky that as her foot broke the surface, creating the start of a big splash, she had inhaled deeply. The rest of her followed, with a loud splashing sound. Still moving, as if in some awkward dive, she struggled against the denser surroundings, needing air desperately. Deep breath or not, she was entirely winded and couldn’t last long without large amounts of oxygen.

It was times like these that she realized just how hindering a pair of shoes and baggy shirt could be when swimming. Her arms climbed their path upward, finally breaking the surface again and feeling the air above. With her head in tow, she arched back and gasped, treading water for a short bit, before swimming to the shore.

‘Dammit, if all of these blunders had to happen during this time of the year!’ she thought, resentful at the luck she was having with water and cold weather.

Crawling out and staggering hunched over, she moved up onto the grass and lay down. On her back, she was splayed out, chest heaving, lungs stinging, and blood pumping. She could feel the throb of veins in her head, the strum of her heart against her breast, the twisting of her stomach as it threatened to put an end to whatever exertion she’d been doing. Luckily, she hadn’t eaten recently, so it didn’t matter.

Sarah lay there, until her teeth began to chatter. It was times like these that she wished she had more fat on her body, but as a runner and athlete she had less than an average amount, and while it gave her a sinful figure, it was coming back to bite her in the ass.

Groaning, she rolled over and pushed herself back onto her heels. Stunned and shocked from the cold, she forcibly resumed her jog, wanting to keep warm. She went up the small bank and curved onto the dirt path. Taking the path around, she moved onto the bridge, which she had so recently made track practice out of, and cut through the park. Mina wanted her pictures, and since it was on the way, she might as well pick them up as asked.

**

Awaiting Hoggle’s return, with news he had long ago predicted, Jareth paced his throne room. Alone in his fortress of solitude, all Goblins long ago sent back to the city, he grew restless. As a man of action, he dealt badly with having to wait for anything.

Midnight leather armor was carelessly strewn on the throne itself, while he took leisure to pace in black boots, breeches, and loose shirt. The dark and accentuating clothes only made his silver blonde hair and mismatched eyes stand out even more.

The clicking of his boots resounded through the stone room, which was sparse without its’ usual occupants and carried a much more desolate echo at even the faintest of sounds. Jareth was quite possibly the least patient man in the Underground at the moment. Ten months! For nearly a year he had waited and watched as Neigelée and her people scuttled around the issues they were having. He had waited, while the Kingdom of Glacemer made hesitant and suggestive actions. A few unauthorized visits here and there, or incidents of battle between a few from his own kingdom and theirs. All simple matters which he could easily ignore and not go to war over. He was not a war god, and sought no offensive fights. However, he grew tired of this petty game. A war was now inevitable, and far be it from him to take it sitting down.

Hoggle would be back, confirming his suspicions, and then he would act. But, for now, he had to wait, pacing back and forth.

It was then he felt it. How familiar it was now that he allowed his mind to reason that the disturbance could come from Sarah. The other night, no, last night, time was difficult for him to keep track of recently; he had felt the same presence. His eye was able to reach the farthest corners of his kingdom, and his senses were attuned to every creature’s presence. Though vague, as he was far from recognizing each individual, Sarah’s presence was unmistakable. Even last night, his mind had a fleeting moment where her name came forth, but so unreasonable was the idea that the intruder could be her that he scarce gave it more credence and buried her name again. Imagine his surprise when he realized she had come back, older and with eyes as clouded and mysterious as his own.

Now, he felt her again. With annoyance, his breath had hitched the moment he pictured her form from last night again, standing before him, shivering and sodden.

Shaking his head of an image, which lead to nothing but a despicable longing and want, he conjured a crystal. It took little for him to settle on what he sought to view, where a few years ago he’d have to take a moment to concentrate and focus. Her face filled the delicate orb.

There was again an involuntary, and most unwanted, hitch in his breathing, and what he owed to surprise, a faltering beat of his heart. Her cheeks were flush, and her lips plush and parted as she gasped for air. The determination he saw in those emerald eyes stilled his movements, all pacing ceased. As her raven dark hair whipped wildly behind her, she ran. The logical questions of why she was here or why she was running didn’t even cross his mind. Captivated, he stared on, watching her form, running madly and faster than most creatures he’d seen, and far more swift than any mortal he’d ever encountered. It seemed aimless, no reason behind it. She just kept running and running.

As he watched, seeing the resolve in those eyes, his own breathing increased, as if he too were there along side her. There was something vaguely familiar about this whole scene. It took a few more moments of forced thought for him to realize what it was. When she had first entered the Labyrinth, he had scoffed at the feeble attempt she had made to find an end to the deceiving initial stretch of the maze. How easily she had given up, following the path but a few jogged steps before pouting and sulking.

Now, he seethed, she was a wholly different person. Surely after making her way through the maze once before, she knew the impossibility of reaching an end that way. And yet, if anything her pace only quickened. The determination in her eyes never wavered, there was fire and passion dancing in their depths.

Then, there was something else, an emotion reflected as if from his own eyes, during this unguarded moment. It was longing. ‘Of course!’ his mind pointed out, ‘Only such emotions could bring her here.’

He saw her lips move, and he heard her call out a name. For a moment he had been almost certain she’d called his name, taking an assumption for her longing to be for him, but his mind was corrected as he registered her call. ‘Toby’ she had cried. And then she was gone.

Brows furrowed in consternation, he just stared at the vacant crystal. She was gone, along with all sense of her; she was gone from the Underground. Once again leaving him hanging.

“Toby,” he muttered, remembering her half brother’s name. “Toby!” he now shouted in resentful rage, throwing the orb across the room, where it smashed against the hard wall.

Running a gloved hand through his hair in frustration he gripped his hair briefly, wanting another object to hurl.

In his violent anger, he failed to notice the new arrival. Hoggle stood cowering before him, looking more haggard than usual, with a dismayed air about him, which meant the news was worse than predicted.