Chapter Eight
Gertrude was frantic by now she had not found a child that would match Jareth’s appearance. Where in the world would she find one. Time was passing by and she needed to find proof of her having Jareth’s child. She was in dire straights. ‘I need to find me a brat! If I don’t he will find me out. Then I will surely loose him!’
She was walking through the Eerie Forest as she decided to consult a witch that lived in a tree trunk. She was a wise old witch but not a very nice one. She was feared and few went to consult her. And those who did knew very well they had to give her a very valuable offering. Afraid yet determined Gertrude was desperate.
The air was cold and fog seemed to creep around her. She could hear unfamiliar noises in the forest and the trail she was told to follow was getting smaller by the minute. The foliage around her began to almost swallow her as she fought her was through them. The thorns snaggin her clothing while scratching her pale skin. Finally reaching her destination she looks up to see a huge oddly shaped tree. In the middle of it was a huge crevice shaped like a cave. There was a dim light inside she walked in slowly afraid of the howling wind that followed her in. The passage way seemed endless as the darkness almost left her blind to see her way through if it weren’t for the dim light shining she would not know which way to go.
She could near noises coming up she heard a rocking chair moving back and forth. She could hear music playing, it was whimsical and yet frightening. Every note pounding on her rapidly beating heart. She could feel wind blowing her from the back almost as if directing her to the noise. The dim light becoming stronger now she could hear a noise similiar to boiling water. She finally saw an old lady’s back. She was sitting on a rocking chair knitting a baby blue blanket. She rocked back and forth in rhythm to the music. Gertrude almost afraid to swallow walked forward trying to look at the witch’s face but at the same time was afraid to. Then the rocking stopped, “I was expecting you my dear, I have already prepared what you will be needing.”
Gertrude paused astounded by the witch’s words. “But, but I have not even…..”
“Yes yes I know you have not told me your problem, yes I know but you see I can see all my dearest. It’s just an old gift of mine. Come now let me show you what you must do.” The old lady placed the blanket on a table near by and stood up barely being able to do so. Gertrude afraid only looked at the old lady struggle. “Come now we mustn’t waist any time. That fake belly of yours will soon need to come off and you will have to produce Jareth’s child. It must be a boy, that way he will be too proud to notice. ” Gertrude began to walk slowly totally surprised to know the witch knew it all. Then the witch turned around all of a sudden making Gertrude flinch at her site.
Barely being able to catch her breathe she tried to act as if she was not horrified by the witch’s face. Her skin was wrinkled and gray her eyes were all white, her teeth were all missing and the three front teeth she had left were yellow. Her hair was long a messy around her face and body. Her nails were yellow and long almost reaching her wrists. A huge mole on her left cheek and at the tip three white hairs. The old lady smiled a wicked smile scaring Gertrude to the bone.
“Oh I know that my beauty and youth are gone but believe me back in my days I was a heart breaker you know. Why all the prince’s hearts where mine and I was their lover. But when the Kings found out about my gifts as I call them. I was exiled here to the Eerie Forests where I have been rotting ever since then. Jareth’s grandfather was one of those kings Gertrude, so I have a bone to pick with him and all of those other kings. I will use your pretend child and he will take over all of the Underground and then I will rise again! I will have my revenge! I will!”
She cackled through a dark hallway holding an old lantern leading Gertrude to another room.
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Sarah was fixing her bed when Ryan called her up yet again,”Good morning, yeah I had a good night’s sleep.” Ofcourse she was lying, she has been crying all night after she awoke from having a dream where she was dancing with Jareth.
“Uh, ok let’s meet there. Does your mother really have to come along Ryan for pete’s sake I think I can pick out our decorations. What do you mean she has experience, Ofcourse she does Ryan she’s been married 4 times!”
Sarah sighed not really knowing what the heck she was doing suffering this torture,”Ok ok Ryan just as long as she doesn’t tell me what kind of underwear I should be wearing to my own wedding!” She hung up on Ryan blowing air into her upper hair. She did not like this at all but hey atleast his mother cared enough to help her out in almost all the arrangements of their know 300 guests and still counting list. Sarah barely had 10 people on her wedding guest list and the rest where all Ryan’s supposedly family and acquainteces. Mostly all his mother’s and previous step father’s and his actual father. Ofcourse Ryan being the nice guy he was could not say no to anyone except ofcourse Sarah.
Sarah finished fixing her apartment and took a shower and placed on some dressy black pants and dressy white shirt and some boots. She placed on some light make up and grabbed her hair in a pony tail. She was on her way. “Wedding arrangements here I come.” She said as she took one last look in the mirror. She paused for a moment thinking about Jareth knowing full well he knew what she was doing. She missed him but she had to what she had to do. It was the right thing.
She jumped in her car and placed on some David Bowie she loved him for some reason. He always reminded her of someone. As she listened she could almost feel Jareth watching her. Little did she know that Jareth was watching her, his barn owl image was following her from the sky. He was always nearby and she knew it.