Chapter 7~ Good or Evil?

Sarah opened her eyes gradually. She felt dizzy, and a bit nauseous. She turned her head to look at her arm. It seemed as though someone had put new, real bandages on instead of pieces of Jareth’s cape…

"Oh my god!" Sarah whispered. "Where am I?" She looked around the room. The room! It…it was a hospital room! How did she get in a hospital room?

Okay-retrace your steps. Sarah told herself, sitting up slowly so she didn’t get even dizzier. You were going to change your shirt and then you felt faint and everything got dark…

"Miss Williams, are you feeling okay?" A tall man in a white coat with a clipboard came into Sarah’s room. He smiled at her and looked at her chart. "I’m Doctor Riley. Now, from what your chart says…you cut your arm, you lost a vast amount of blood, and you passed out?" Sarah nodded and pushed a lock of hair out of her face.

"Um, this may sound unusual, but-am I…on Earth?" Sarah stared Dr. Riley. His smile faded and his expression was confused.

"Yes, Miss Williams."

"Sarah, please."

"Yes, Sarah. This is Earth. Why do you ask?"

Sarah shrugged, trying not to sound like a lunatic.

"Oh, no reason." She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them. "Dr. Riley? Could you do me a favor?"

"Hmm?" Dr. Riley was checking her chart again, smiling to himself.

"Could you call my dad and my stepmother?"

"Already done." He grinned, then seemed to remember something. "I almost forgot. Would you like to meet the man who brought you in?" Dr. Riley heard his name over the intercom and glanced at his watch.

"Sure," Sarah agreed. Maybe I dreamed it. She thought. Maybe I got cut here Aboveground and someone brought me in and maybe this is all a dream.

"Sarah?" Jareth poked his head in her room as Dr. Riley left. "You feeling all right? Can I come in?" Jareth sat in one of the two chairs across from her bed.

"You brought me in?" Sarah’s look of surprised made Jareth chuckle.

"Yeah. The story is that you were in that park again and you cut yourself. I, too, was walking through and happened to notice you had passed out. How’s that?" Sarah couldn’t help but laugh.

"Wow, you could be a writer," she said sarcastically. "But I don’t think my dad and Karen will buy it." Jareth sat up in his chair.

"Your parents are coming to the hospital?" He looked alarmed.

"Yeah. Why?" Sarah sensed he was up to something.

"Never mind."

"You touch them and our deal is off!" Sarah tried to keep her voice just above a whisper so one would think Jareth was trying to murder her.

"Sarah, I don’t believe you!" His voice also above a whisper. "I wouldn’t do that." But Jareth still paced the room.

Mr. and Mrs. Williams ten minutes later. Sarah was greeted with hugs and kisses and questions. Even a gurgle from Toby-who’s parents couldn’t find a sitter for.

"Hey, babe," Sarah greeted. Jareth glared at Toby from behind the door. It was obvious he was still jealous, but he’d controlled himself best he could.

"Oh, Dr. Riley, what happened?" Karen looked worried-a little too worried. Sarah figured her stepmother was just putting on a show for her father.

"Well, Sarah cut herself somehow and then Mr. Jareth King…" the doctor stopped and looked around the room. "Where is that guy? He keeps disappearing. Odd fellow."

"I bet," muttered Sarah under her breath. She whispered to Toby, "If he touches you, he’s gonna get it!"

Jareth waited until no one was looking and stepped out from behind the door. Toby immediately began to cry and Sarah wasn’t surprised.

He remembers me, Jareth thought. Sarah gave her brother back to Karen and laid down in her hospital bed.

"Ah, Mr. King," addressed Dr. Riley.

"Jareth, please."

"Yes, Jareth. These are the Williams. Sarah’s parents."

Mr. Williams shook Jareth’s hand and smiled politely. Karen shifted Toby in her arms and did the same.

"Thank you so much," she grinned. "You saved her life."

I love her. Jareth wanted to say. And she’ll love me someday. We’re going to be married, and then she’ll see. She’ll see what I’m really like. But he didn’t say it.

"I’m sure she’d have done the same," Jareth assumed. Sarah couldn’t believe this. He was really kissing up.

"No, I would not have!" She yelled, making Toby cry harder.

"Sarah!" Mr. Williams shouted. "That’s what you have to say after this man brought you in?"

"And gave blood for the transfusion," Dr. Riley spoke up.

Sarah was stunned. She felt faint again, but she took a few deep breaths and waited. He better have a good explanation! She thought.

"I just…she needed it fast…she lost a lot, and-" Jareth was really pouring it on, pretending to be modest and all.

"We thought we'd lose her." Dr. Riley interrupted. "We'd just run out of O type blood and there wasn’t anybody who matched her blood type for the transfusion-except for him." He pointed to Jareth who was turning red with embarrassment. "He gave the blood, we gave it to Sarah, and here she is, alive and nearly well."

Mr. Williams was ready to hug this man for helping his daughter, but instead shook his hand again.

"Jareth," mumbled Karen. Sarah heard her say it, and she focused her attention on her stepmother. "Where have I heard that name?" She shifted Toby in her arms again and thought. "Excuse me, Jareth-what did you say your last name was?"

"King." Jareth, too, got a little suspicious.

"King," Mrs. Williams repeated. Suddenly it clicked. "Do you have actor friends from a place called the Underground Theater?"

Jareth and Sarah eyed each other, both getting nervous.

"What are their names?"

"Um…one was Ludo-a big, hairy beast. The other one was…Sir…" she tried to remember, "Sir…Didymus. Yes, and he had a dog named Ambrocious."

Sarah and Jareth glanced at one another again.

"Yes, I know those three. What of them?"

Mrs. Williams laughed softly and sighed. She handed Toby to Sarah’s father.

"They came to my home yesterday and spoke of how my stepdaughter, was doomed to marry a Goblin King. Jareth of the Underground. I thought that was pretty humorous at the time."

"When was this?"

"Yesterday, I think. Yes, because I remember that dog. It looked so much like Sarah’s dog, Merlin."

Sarah, who had been staring at the floor, looked up and held her breath.

"I see. Well, Mrs. Williams, I’m sure it was just a joke. I’ve never heard of a ‘Goblin King’ before." He turned to Sarah and stared deep into her eyes. "Have you, Sarah?"

For all she was worth, Sarah wanted to tell her parents that this so-called "life-saver" was indeed the Goblin King and that she hated him. She wanted to have her father hug her and keep her safe from what the Goblin King called "happiness". But all she could say without crying was,

"No, never. Why would I have?"

Jareth released his harsh stare and turned back to Sarah’s stepmother.

"Say I was this ‘Goblin King’," Jareth made disgusted quotation gestures with his fingers-as if he couldn’t possibly be the man he spoke of, "I wouldn’t dream of forcing Sarah to marry me. I hardly know her!"

At this, Sarah raised her eyebrows and her jaw dropped open. This was going too far! What was going through Jareth’s mind? He was lying to her parents-right in front of her! And who knew what Jareth would do once she was well enough to leave the hospital. It’s not like he’s going to kidnap me again while I’m recovering. Sarah knew. He cares about my health and safety.

Sarah stopped her thoughts about "Evil Jareth" right there. You’re being mean, Sarah. He brought you here, he gave you blood, he cares about you.

But he kidnapped you! Another part of Sarah’s thoughts-perhaps the Evil Jareth region-began to fight with her current thoughts.

Yes, but he was decent at times.

Sarah stared down at her right arm. The bandages were just beginning to show little red blotches of blood coming through. Rapidly, the tiny blotches became bigger.

"Um, Dr. Riley?" Sarah pointed to her arm and the stains of blood coming through.

"Oh! Well, young lady, you’re going to need some new bandages."

"What’s happing? What’s wrong?" Karen asked, panicking.

"Nothing, Mrs. Williams. Sometimes a cut will get bumped or touched the wrong way, and then the bleeding starts again. I’m sure a new compress will do the trick. But I’ll have to ask you all to go to the waiting room for a time."

All three visitors were about to protest, but Toby burst into tears again, and Mr. Williams could see he was fussy because he was tired.

"Sarah, I think we should go home and put Toby to bed. You understand, right?"

"Of course, dad."

"We’ll come and visit later, dear." Promised Karen. Sarah flashed her an angry "Don’t-Call-Me-‘Dear’ Look.

"Fine." Sarah said flatly.

"Perhaps," suggested Jareth as they all turned toward the door, "I could talk with you later about what happened?"

"NO!" Shouted Sarah. Everyone faced her and, shocked, watched her face grow red. "I mean, I’d like to talk to Mr. King (it sounded so funny to call him that) after Dr. Riley changes my bandages."

Jareth looked puzzled. What’s she up to now? This better not be anything to try to get out of the marriage.

"Would that be alright, Dr. Riley?" Questioned Jareth.

"I can't see the harm in that," the doctor agreed.

"Until then," said Jareth, getting a glimpse of his precious fiancée before Dr. Riley shut the door.