Title: The Next Voice You Hear

Author: Leelee

Summary: Jareth trapped in his owl form, doomed to eternal torment.

"You have no power over me!" Sarah cried. Yet still her hand reached out to touch the crystal. But she had said the words. She had finally realized the truth - I had no power over her.

The crystal exploded soundlessly before her fingers could grasp it, though. And with it, my heart wrenched into pieces, scattering into the winds, forever lost . . . forever . . .

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I perched on the tree branch, watching with my owl eyes through the window. SHE was in there. She, who had broken my heart, who had beaten my impossible labyrinth, who had destroyed it with her victory, and lastly, she who had condemned me to this form . . . forever . . . forever . . .

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 I flew off, as night once again set in. It had been another day of sitting in the tree outside HER window. Another day of eating bugs and scrounging for mice. Another day of anguished longing. Longing to have the power to once again reorder time. Longing to be able to change back to my
humanoid form. Longing to know the way back to my Labyrinth. Longing for HER to reverse this evil spell she has cast over my fate...Fate that would most likely end with me dead before a fortnight was over.

I flew off, rising higher and higher into the dark blue sky. Ahhh, flying. The one joy I had left in my pitiful life, if one could even call it a life anymore. I closed my slitted owl eyes, reached deep inside to the familiar pool of my magic, and *pulled*.

Nothing happened.

I plummeted for a long moment, struggling to recover my bearings and force my ragged wings to beat the air. I flew back to the tree outside HER home, knowing that I was forever defeated . . . forever . . .

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That was my last attempt to return to my home, to my place of birth. I resigned myself to my new life. I would live, as an owl, forever. Curse that girl. Curse her innate powers that were unbeknownst to her. Curse her!!

Sustaining my anger tired me. I dropped my beak to my chest wearily, and fluffed out my feathers, preparing to rest for a while. Not sleep - as a bird I could no longer truly sleep. But it would do. It had to. I would be in this form forever . . . forever . . .

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I awoke with a start, sensing, with now-abandoned magic powers, that SHE was doing *something*. Something arcane. Something that called me, tugging at the edges of my mind. Something powerful . . .

I hopped daintily down to the branch near HER window. I peered in the window, trying to see what SHE was doing . . .

If I had a mouth instead of a beak, I would have gasped at what I saw . . .

SHE sat in front of her dressing table mirror, staring at her reflection broodingly. Her delicate fingers clutched a small red book to her chest. Her eyes seemed strangely moist.

"I'm all alone," Sarah whispered to her reflection. "I'm - all - alone!" she repeated, biting off each word with anger and pain clearly heard in her voice. Even though the scene unfolding before me should have been invoking pity and sympathy, I felt a strange surge of hope course through my
feathered prison.

She was going to say it. She was going to say the words!

"I wish . . ." she began, the words whispering out of her tender mouth. "I wish . . ."

Say it! Say it, damn girl! Free me from my misery! Give me back the power to return to my kingdom! SAY IT!

"I wish . . ." her lips trembled with anticipation. It had to be anticipation. It could not have been fear. What could she be afraid of? She had the power in this situation, not I.

I waited, every muscle in my body quivering, shaking. My heart beat against my breast, demanding release from this body. Free me, girl! Only you can do it! I would have screamed at her, but the voice I had would do no good.

"I wish I had another chance." There.

That was it?

Those were not the words.

I would not be freed. Never. I would be in this form forever . . . forever . . .

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Sarah stared at her reflection. Her reflection stared back. It seemed to beg her to say it. To say the right words this time. She was stalling, she knew it. Sighing in defeat, she began . . .

"I wish the goblins would come and take . . ."

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I am free!