32I want to thank you for stumbling across my first-ever open-to-the-public story. You've been warned.
IMPORTANT!
This is a continuation of a character introduced in "The Meeting", written by WyldeRaven. I can't stress enough how much backstory is in "The Meeting" that brings you to where I begin writing. Seriously, if you haven't read it, there's really no point in you reading this story.
About the writing style:
Dialogue contained within 'these' markings represent shared thoughts, telepathy. Dialogue contained within ...these... is Jareth's inner monologue. It functions something like a spirit guide. It's a separate voice in his head, but it's actually more of a highly evolved portion of his own conscious. It works as his conscience, his advisor, his audience and his critic.
Now, without further delay...
I'm floating. I'm somewhere and I'm nowhere. I can feel my body, but it's like sleepwalking, I'm not really there. I can hear a voice. It's the small part of my mind, the part that's fighting to stay conscious. It tells me I should be paying attention. If only I could.
I'm surrounded by a thick black void. Ahead of me, I can see a small pinhole that I know is reality, but I don't know how to reach it...
I hear something shatter, far away. It sounds like something important. That small part of my mind asks if I'm paying attention yet. Suddenly, a fissure begins from the pinhole filling my vision with light, and then darkness. My eyes are closed, my senses are returning to me. I'm holding something. No, I'm holding someone. My mouth is full of-
"Oh my god, Sen," the words come out in a whisper, her blood dripping from my mouth.
...Her blood...
I move so slowly to react, like I'm trapped again in that black void... Sen would have told me it was Goo of Death. She would have, but she can't now. I can hear her breath coming in soft, weak rasps. In my head, I hear her heartbeat slowing. I lay her down on the grass, as gently as I can with my shaking limbs. The tears stream, and I don't know how to stop them. My lips quiver, my voice a jumble of sobs and moans. Sen would know how to handle this, Sen always carried me through my screw ups.
...You're on your own this time, man, do something...
I have to get her taste out of my mouth. My stomach turns with the thought of the taste. A taste I've always wanted, but she was supposed to give it to me willingly. I wasn't supposed to take it from her. How could I let this happen?
She's trying to focus, her eyes starting to glass over. I mash the back of my wrist against my mouth, trying to rip away the taste. I cut myself on my fang. I-
...You have to help her, Jareth...
I know what I have to do, but how can I? After all the damage I've already done, how could I even consider making her into an abomination? It would be against everything I've ever sworn to myself. I never wanted it to come to this, ever.
...You have to help her, you're the only one who can now...
I put my wrist back to my mouth and turn the cut in my wrist into a gash, then to a ravine in my flesh. I press her mouth open softly and put my wound to her lips. I can only think now, I can't trust my voice to be strong for me. I send a thought to her, maybe the last thought she'll ever hear from me.
'Please forgive me, Sen.'
I can feel her lips close around the wound. I can feel my life ebbing out of me, into her, like a heartbeat in reverse. My sorrow betrays me and, for a moment, I consider letting her take every last drop, in penance for my crime. I know better. She may forgive me in time, but she'd never forgive me for killing myself, even to save her. She'd find a way to resurrect me just to beat me to death if I did that.
Pulling my wrist away from her mouth, the soft suckling noise dies away. It is replaced by her breath coming faster and faster. I know what is about to happen, I can still remember how it felt. I can't bear to watch it happen to her. I kneel close, placing my lips to her cheek, and then I do the only thing I can think to.
I turn inward, I can feel all of my hatred, my self-loathing, roiling around. I bundle it all up and ready myself to use every last drop of it. My footsteps are fast, agile. I'm not even thinking about getting around the tombstones, it's almost as if they are moving out of my way. I can feel a cold chill in the air that wasn't there before, like the whole cemetery has suddenly become very afraid. I know the feeling, I'm starting to scare myself.
I come through the clearing and find the beast still toying with Leah and Reece, still grasping Connor. I stop, trying to find something of the real me inside. In my mind's eye, it's high noon. In my head, it's Thunderdome. In my soul, it's armageddon.
"Aw, is puppy having fun playing with Mommy and Sissy?" I can feel the smirk crawl across my face as he turns his attention toward me. His snout wrinkles in distaste and I can hear the low growl that is his reply.
"Jareth, what the-" Reece tries to berate me, but I silence her with one look. She knows what's going to happen, so does Leah.
'First opening you get, grab Connor and run. Sen's...on her way, she'll catch up to you.' I fire the thought off to the both of them, Reece's eyes acknowledge the words.
'Jareth, what about you?' Leah's thoughts are flooded with concern.
'Be real. If you and Sen haven't killed me by now, what makes you think he can?' It's the only thing I can think to say to get her to cooperate. I can see her eyes, she's buying it.
I turn my attention back to my target.
"Come on, puppy, let's see what you've got."
**That's it for the first installment, I hope everyone's liking what I'm doing so far. Yes, Jareth's a bit darker than he was in "The Meeting", but can you blame him? I promise, he'll lighten up soon. Please, take a moment to write a review, let me know what I'm doing, right or wrong.
Oh, and much thanks to WyldeRaven... I only hope I -and the story- live up to your expectations.**