Chapter 6- Severe Punishment

Sarah spent most of her morning the next day reading books and hearing her stomach grumble. Jareth hadn’t brought her anything; maybe he meant what he’d said.

She’d just finished reading Guliver’s Travels when someone knocked on her door.

"Yeah?" Sarah closed the book and sat up on the bed.

"It’s me."

"Of course it is."

Jareth walked in, carrying a large tray.

"What’s that suppose to mean?" He asked angrily.

"Never mind," Sarah rolled her eyes, annoyed. She sighed and saw at the food on the tray. "What made you change your mind? Oh, I forgot: you lost yours." Jareth’s face turned red. He set the tray on a near by table, fearing he’d break it if his temper got out of control.

"You know, Sarah, you could easily go back into the Oubliette." He threatened. Sarah shrugged.

"Won’t be any different than in here." She offered. "The only difference is that there’s more light in here, but not much more."

"You’d better change your attitude," warned Jareth. "I won’t marry such a defiant, unrespectable girl!"

"Good!" Sarah lay back on the bed, grabbed the next book on the pile, and, pretending to ignore Jareth, began reading.

"You know what I meant." Jareth closed the door behind him. "So, you’ve only got six days left. What do you plan to do?"

Sarah glimpsed up from the book. Jareth had that stupid grin on his face again.

"I figure I’ll read, eat, and sleep. And if I feel like it, I’ll even try to get along with those idiot Goblins of yours. They tried to get me killed a few times, but other than that, I’m sure we could sing ‘Kumbya’ together or something!"

Jareth wasn’t sure what "Kumbya" was, but he didn’t give it a second thought.

"Watch your words!" He snapped suddenly. "You’re lucky I came up here and brought you food."

"Lucky, lucky me," muttered Sarah. She turned a page in the book. "Go away."

"Why should I? I live here."

"I said go away!" Sarah flung the book she was reading across the small room-just missing the Goblin King’s head. She knew she was being a baby, and she didn’t care.

"How dare you!" Jareth shouted. He pulled a crystal from the air and aimed toward Sarah, then drew back is arm and pretended to throw it at her.

But before he could stop himself, Jareth acidently released the crystal. It shattered on the bed post and a large shard flew at Sarah.

The next thing she knew, her arm was throbbing.

"What did you…?" Sarah stared at Jareth, wincing in pain. She looked down at her right arm and cried out. It was bleeding through her sleeve and it hurt to move it. Sarah flinched as she carefully rolled up her sleeve. "Why did you...? What have you done?!" She cried. A large, gaping cut had stretched from her wrist all the way up to her elbow. She carefully pulled the shard out, causing the cut to bleed more.

"I…I…oh, Sarah…" Jareth toppled over his words. He hadn’t meant to do this. He only wanted to threaten her like he had in the Labyrinth, so Sarah would shape up. But nothing like this…

Sarah let tears of pain fall gradually down her cheeks. She instantly forgot who she was dealing with and began treated Jareth like a person.

"Do you have anything that resembles a First Aid Kit?" She asked.

"A what?"

"Any bandages or disinfectant or anything?" Sarah rolled down her bloody sleeve and pressed on the cut. She’d once learned that applying pressure on a wound helped slow the bleeding. "Wait-can’t you just stop it with your magic?" Jareth shook his head.

"No, I cannot. It was only meant to be a warning, so that I can’t reverse it."

"Oh, great!" Sarah got off the bed, and, holding her bleeding arm, opened the door and rushed out of the room, Jareth right behind her.

"Where are you going?" He wondered.

"Do you have any clean water?" Sarah answered, ignoring his question.

"Yes, of course." They entered the Throne Room. "Guards, get some water!" Sarah stopped and turned around, her face surprised.

"You’re trusting them to get water?" She questioned. "This outta be good."

"They may be idiots, but they’re the best help I have around here!"

One of the Guards rolled his eyes. Here we go again with the fighting! He thought. You’d think they were married already! Sheesh! He left when he thought Jareth was eyeing him. It took fifteen minutes, but the Guards brought back a bowl of what appeared to be lake water. But that’s not what Sarah though of it.

"You call that clean?" She complained.

"What’s wrong this time?" Jareth demanded.

"First of all-it’s brown water. Second of all-there are things floating in it."

"And?"

"And I could get sick from it; my arm could get infected!" Sarah rolled up her sleeve again. The blood still gushed from her arm.

* * * * *

It took an hour, but they finally stopped the bleeding. Jareth tore some cloth pieces from his cape-despite Sarah’s objections-and wrapped them around the cut.

"I’m really, very sorry, Sarah," apologized Jareth.

"That’s okay." Sarah said flatly.

"How’s your arm?"

"It stings, you dope. How else should it be?"

Jareth was about to make a rude reply, but stopped himself. There was an awkward silence, too awkward to handle, and Sarah broke it after a moment.

"Thanks." She looked up at him as she lay back on the bed, and smiled a little. He wasn’t really evil. He just needed to learn how to show kindness more often.

"I’m to blame, but you’re welcome." Sarah saw it again-that entity in his eyes. She’d seen it before. It was the goodness inside him, trying to reach out but failing.

"Could I change?" Sarah pointed to her blood-soaked shirt.

"Sure," Jareth permitted. He turned to go, about to close the door behind him, when he quickly turned back. "Are you going to be okay? You lost a lot of blood. Do you feel dizzy or weak?"

"No, I’ll be fine." Sarah assured him. She gave him a weak smile and lightly patted her arm. Jareth wasn’t so sure, but he seemed convinced enough.

"Okay. Eat breakfast and maybe get some rest?"

Sarah nodded. Jareth smiled and closed the door. Sighing, he started to walk down the hall when he heard a sort of thud. He ran back into Sarah’s room and gasped in shock.

Sarah had passed out on the floor!