Chapter thirteen,
Six months and a wary visit
Six months since Ray's dance with the Goblin King, and Sarah was glad she was still in contact with her "missing" friend. Like she had told Ray in her letter, no one really seemed intent on looking for her. It was just "Okay, Ray's gone, oh well. Moving on." that almost made Sarah cry, how little people really cared.
But at least she knew Ray was alright. At least she could still talk to Ray. At least she still cared. And Ray seemed to be enjoying herself plenty in the Goblin City. That still sent shivers up Sarah's spine. She knew that the Goblin King couldn't ever get to her ever again, but she was worried for Ray. What if he was just toying with her? What if it wasn't real, the feelings Ray had for him?
With summer break coming to an end, Sarah was worried she wouldn't have as much time to write to Ray, to make sure she was still okay. But, they only wrote a few times a week now anyways. "I'll live." she said, walking home from her walk in the park. "And Ray seems to be doing alright." Sarah shrugged, walking into the house through the back and picking up the letter on the windowsill.
She went up to her room and opened the letter. Ray had gotten wax and used the seal for her shop to close her letters now. It was pretty cool to say the least. Now Sarah didn't have to remember to send her letters with and extra envelope.
Sarah unfolded the letter and read it.
"Sarah,
I'm glad that you still care enough to worry. But you see, this is the reason I wanted to leave; no one wanted me there. Yeah, I had you and maybe a few others, but from what you're telling me, you're the only one who really cares. And I like that, thank you.
But moving onto more happy news. Toffee J. came back. He woke me up this morning. So cute! Oh, and theres a masquerade ball this weekend. I'm going to stop by that mask shop again to try and get an idea for what to wear, and I want to know, what would you like to wear?"
Sarah stopped for a moment there. "Did she just write what do I want to wear?" she asked herself. Sarah read on to see.
"Yeah, I can see your face right now: WTF, RAY?! Hehe, but yes, I just asked what you wanted to wear. The King sent me two invites; one for me, and one for you. I don't really know what he's up to, but I'm sure it'll be alright.C'mon , you don't have to dance, I rarely do. You just have to cling to me and have some fun! You can say you're going camping in the woods behind your house or something and disappear for a few days! It'll be so much fun to see you again. And you can see the shop, meetBornia and the girls, see Toffee J. and I can show you around a bit."
Sarah was interrupted by the calls of her stepmother. "Sarah, honey! There's a letter for you down here." she called. "Coming!" Sarah said, getting up and getting the letter.
Sarah had to wait to open her new letter and continue Ray's until after dinner. Ugh. She has the worst timing.. Sarah complained, glaring at Karen for a moment, before going back to finishing her food.
When she was allowed away from the table, Sarah went back up to her room and continued Ray's letter.
"A note came with the invite for you, it said "Send this to the mail house, it'll get o Sarah from there." and I did so. I hope you got it. It looks like an ordinary letter, with the to address and the return address, but if you look at it, the return address makes no sense. Anyways, that's your invite. I didn't open it, promise.
Hope to see you soon!
~Ray."
Sarah stared at the other letter. The return address on the other envelope. It did make no sense.
"G.O.B. Lin King
P.O. box # 654
Center Goblin City, NW 09876"
Well, at least Sarah knew that the invitation got here. And maybe it made some sense.... In a really really really strange way that only Ray and Sarah would understand. "He makes no sense." Sarah said, looking warily at the envelope. "Here goes nothing..." she said, opening it.
The letter inside the envelope looked like the letters that Ray sent, except the handwriting was very fancy and neat, and in a shining green ink. I really don't want to read this.. Sarah thought, a knot had formed in her stomach. It's probably some sort of trap. He's using Ray to get to me. her chest was starting to throb. But Hoggle said that he couldn't hurt me anymore. Does that mean even if I do go, he won't be able to hurt me? Oh I just don't know. Sarah sighed. "Hoggle, I need you." she whispered. Her parents were still awake, but Sarah needed help now, she couldn't wait until everyone else was asleep.
Hoggle appeared in her room a few minutes later. "Sorry for taking so long, I had to figure out where Ray's shop was again, I was invited to a masquerade ball. Really strange. But anyways, I'm where,what'd you need?" He asked, seeming almost just as uncomfortable as Sarah about going to the ball. "Um, I was invited to the ball too." Sarah said uncertainly.Hoggle looked as if he was about to scream so Sarah shushed him. "Everyone it still awake. So we need to be quiet." she said in hushed voice.Hoggle still seemed baffled. "How does he expect to get you to the Labyrinth? He can't touch you!" Hoggle said, mimicking Sarah's thoughts. "I don't know, but I'm sure it explains everything in this letter. I'm just too scared to read it." she said handingHoggle the letter.
Hoggle read over the letter several times before he spoke to Sarah. "You can wish yourself into the Labyrinth for the duration of the ball, and a little more so you can find a dress that fits and a mask. "Hoggle said, handing the letter back to Sarah. "Like Ray did, but it would only be temporary. That's the extent of his power with you." he said with a sigh. Sarah let go of the breath she hadn't known she was holding. "Really? You sure?" she asked.Hoggle nodded. "It says everything on the invitation." Sarah looked down warily at the letter. "Calls me if you need more help, but I have to go now."Hoggle said as he faded away.
Sarah didn't know how long she spent just looking at the invitation. Finally she brought herself to read it, it was just a piece of paper with words on it. It wasn't like it was going to comet to life and drag her back to that horrible place.
"Dear Sarah,
I know you don't want to here form me, but I thought, since you and Ray talk so much, you would like to see her again.
I'm having a masquerade ball this weekend, and I thought it would be convenient for you to come then. Ray would love to make you a dress. She's quite good at sewing now if you hadn't heard.
If you do decide to come, wish a hope you do, find a good time to disappear, give yourself at lest an extra day or so, Ray needs to make your dress still, and then wish yourself here, to the Goblin City, for however long you will be staying. Since you can't stand to have me around, I'll send my goblins to take you to Ray's shop. When your time is up, you'll be sent home. Easy as that.
So hurry, you don't have much time.
~Goblin King"
She read. Sarah didn't know what to do. She had two days to decide.
Sarah spent the next two days couped up in her room, only leaving when she had too. Should I go? she would ask herself over and over again. Finally she decided. "I'll go. But only for Ray. You hear me?" she asked the air around her, knowing that he might as well be hiding in the shadows, watching her every movement. "I'm only going for Ray. This has nothing to do with you!" and that was it.
Who's house could she pretend to be going to? A sleepover. The whole weekend. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. There were a few people, but Sarah needed someone who had easy-going parents that went to bed early. "Nikki, maybe..." she said, thinking about it. Yeah, she coudl sya she wa going to Nikki's, and her parents knew not to call late, and Sarah and Nikki did get along enough to have a sleepover now and again.
Sarah got the phone form downstairs, to make it seem like she was calling someone. Once back up in her room, Sarah began to pack, simple things that she wanted to take with her. And if she left for her "sleepover" with no bag, her parents might ask more questions than Sarah could handle.
"Dad?" Sarah asked, walking down the stairs with her packed bag. "Sorry this is so last notice, but I thought Nikki and I could have a sleepover this weekend. Two nights. It's been so long, and her parents already said we could." she said in, trying her best to sound like she normally would in this sort of situation. Her dad took the bait. "Oh, yeah. Sure honey, just be careful. You want a ride?" he asked, going for his keys. "Uh, no. I'm good, we're meeting at the park for a bit first anyways." she said, maybe a bit too fast, but her dad shrugged it off. Good save. she told herself. "Alright then. Be careful. Have fun." her dad said and she was out the door.
Sarah held Ray's letter and the invitation in her hands. She bit her lip, but wished herself away anyways. "I wish the goblins would take me away form here, just until Sunday afternoon. Right now." she said, closing her eyes.
The giggles and horrible chuckles of the goblins came form all around her. Sarah was frozen to the spot. "This way, hehe." said horse little voices from the bushes. "Yeah, hehe, come this way." they told her, drawing her into the woods. "Just a little bit more, hehe."
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