Drabble #188: Squeak

[redwolf]

...we had a nice response to the drabble prompt of Drabble 187, with entries by apachefirecat and redwolf and comments by apachefirecat and redwolf

For this prompt, we continue with our one-word/phrase drabble roots:

Squeak

Tell us all about it. Labyfic-style, of course.

Given our entries from recent months, let's continue with the suggested limit of 500 words. Though remember that shorter pieces are most definitely welcome!

Your entry should take the following format, posted as a comment on this entry:

Word count: # of words
$your_beautiful_drabble

I'll be running weekly challenges in the space around jalenstrix's monthly challenges.

You can see our current collected suggestions here.

Remember: Feedback is LOVE. So do reply to your fellow labyficcers' drabbles if so inclined. (Though be careful of concrit unless specifically okayed by the author beforehand. Authors generally write for love.)

Comments

Curiosity

[redwolf]

Word count: 500

Sarah’s initial impression of the fae was that, as a species, they were breathtakingly beautiful. An opinion that was quickly countered by the appalling behaviour of the upper class towards Jareth and the Goblin Kingdom. Attempting to assassinate her did little to change that stance.

Formal gatherings were a viper’s nest of attempting to determine if the glorious creature greeting you was planning to kill you, bed you, discuss trade negotiations or simply exchanging empty pleasantries. It was exhausting.

Walking through Goblin City, for all its chaos, was preferable. The locals left them be, but when engaged, leaned towards being polite rather than obsequious. Jareth was a master at polite small talk in social situations, but he held a genuine fascination for craftsmen and his interest in their work was always something Sarah found endearing. He seemed to be a magnet for artists and makers and they would quickly find common ground in their discussions.

Sarah had assumed this was due to Jareth’s long familiarity with his subjects until she witnessed similar behaviour when they travelled Above. While it was impossible to miss that he would always draw the eyes of women, and many men as well, it was never something that concerned her, as any advances were always politely rebuffed. However, when she left him alone for five minutes, she’d return to find him surrounded by the most unexpected of people.

A recent trip to Melbourne had seen her walk out of a building to discover that Jareth had bonded with a pair of enormous tattooed men who unfortunately sported dental health questionable enough to make her wonder if they were part goblin. The men were wearing items of clothing bearing vaguely familiar branding. Until this point in time, it had never occurred to Sarah that purported outlaw motorcycle clubs were internationally franchised.

They were clustered around a couple of highly customised motorcycles, admiring the paint job and the tooled leatherwork of the seats and saddlebags. One of the gentlemen was the artist and he was explaining to Jareth how he did the intricate pinstripe detailing. His enthusiasm had caught the attention of a gaggle of pale, black clad, young ladies wearing platform boots, who were shielding themselves from the harsh sunlight with delicate parasols.

When Sarah joined the group, both the ladies and the bikers were almost squeeing in excitement over the usage of skulls and spiderwebs as design elements and the differing techniques required for their execution.

Sarah shook her head fondly as she warmly greeted Jareth’s new friends, smiling at the joy an unexpectedly shared interest had brought to disparate people who may not have otherwise crossed paths.

It didn’t seem to matter where they went, Jareth easily found elegant ladies who hand made pastels, retired teachers who volunteered to repair musical instruments for underprivileged students, punk watchmakers, artisans who made confectionary or artificial flowers on century old equipment, and they were all more than happy to share their passions with an interested and curious audience.

Re: Curiosity

[apachefirecat]

I can definitely see Jareth having an avid interest in this very thing, and these very sets of people, as did Bowie. <3 Great job, as always!

Re: Curiosity

[redwolf]

I think it would be more interesting than conversations with the gentry 🦊🧡

Gift

[apachefirecat]

Word Count: 500



Everyone in the Labyrinth had a job. Rather they liked it or not, each being had a role to play. Many grumbled about their positions, but there were a few, like Sir Didymus and Wyrm, who loved their places in the scheme. As Queen, Sarah watched over all of her subjects and tried her best to steer their King, her beloved husband, in the right directions whenever a situation arose. She had come, over the years, to care for all of them, but there was still one subject, who went unnoticed and unbothered by all but the girls who traversed through the Labyrinth, with whom she had yet to reconnect since her early days.

She had not seen this particular Gnome since her own early days, first solving the Labyrinth. She had never actually made his acquaintance then, but she had heard of him on occasions since. She knew the marks had to be changed, and she still remembered how frustrated she had been when she'd discovered her marks had been being changed. And then Jareth had explained to her one day that the Labyrinth was designed in such a way that every mark she had made on its "floor" had actually been on this one Gnome's door.

And now, Sarah had come back to his door. She'd placed her gift and hurriedly walked away, going as far as she could without actually losing sight of the door. Sure enough, as soon as her footsteps faded, the stone slid out of place, and a tiny man appeared. Profanities, something to do about an aardvark oddly enough, spewed from his mouth, but they silenced with a surprised squeak when his eyes fell upon the tiny, holly wreath she'd crafted and left for him.

She watched as he carefully lifted the wreath and tested its tiny boughs with his gnarled fingers. His head lifted, and he looked this way and that several times before spotting her. Sarah smiled tentatively. He held up the wreath in question but did not speak. She nodded and called out, "Merry Christmas."

From the distance, she saw his face light up. What once had been dark became light. The features of an old man lifted into a much younger soul. He clutched the wreath hurriedly to his chest and darted back into his hideaway, sliding the stone firmly back into place behind him.

Sarah smiled. Once, she would have thought that a rude reaction to her gift, but that had been long ago, before she'd come to know the Labyrinth's subjects. The Gnome was pleased, she could tell, and maybe it would bring a touch of warmth to his cold, dark, and dank home. Maybe this Christmas, he wouldn't feel quite as alone.

Maybe he'd even come for the party, but when she mentioned this to Hoggle later, the Dwarf just snarled, "Bah!" His hands waved dismissively. "He never comes out." But maybe he'd at least be a little happier, and a little less lonely this Christmas.


The End

Re: Gift

[redwolf]

This was incredibly sweet 🦊🧡

Re: Gift

[apachefirecat]

<3 Thank you! Glad you enjoyed, and sorry for the LATE reply!