Drabble #201: Shattered

[redwolf]

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

Shattered

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.

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Comments

Narrative

[redwolf]

Word count: 500

Sarah and Bishop were relaxing by the fire in the castle’s library as they indulged their mutual passion for trashy romance novels. Sarah was struggling through her choice of reading material. While the sex scenes were steamy enough, she was underwhelmed at the billionaire trope, having difficulty in suspending belief to accept this was a secret romantic looking for a soul mate, when reality repeatedly threw up examples of them being weird, venal monsters who could only improve the world if they were fed into an industrial shredder.

Restraining herself from hurling her book into the fire as she skimmed through another example of financial imbalance, Sarah glanced at the cover of Bishop’s book. “What’s yours about?” Sarah asked as she noted a woman surrounded by several men who seemed to be having great difficulty in wearing a shirt.

“It’s a reverse harem,” Bishop responded without looking up from the page.

“What’s that when it’s at home?” Sarah set her book aside, deciding that life was too short for poor books, or at least tropes that didn’t hold her interest. “Gang rape fantasy? Cooking, cleaning and yard work?”

With a sigh, Bishop looked up and explained that the genre is a group of men cooperating to fulfil all of the female main character’s needs, whatever those needs may be.

Sarah took a quiet moment to mull the possibilities of having multiple Jareths, but after his efforts that morning, she decided that aside from having a spare to perform public duties so she could keep the original in her bed, that one seemed to be a perfect fit. She slapped Bishop’s leg in response to his knowing chuckle at her expression.

Jareth and Rook had been deep in discussion since joining them after their afternoon of film appreciation. From the rising tone of their voices, it seemed they were in a snit after watching commentaries of a film they had previously enjoyed. If Sarah was hearing correctly, they had just watched the same movie three times and the narrated commentaries had put the film into a new light that disappointed them both.

Sarah shook her head, quietly explaining to Bishop that if the lead actor and director have separate commentaries then you should be prepared to have your illusions shattered.

It seemed that the actor had offered suggestions that would have elevated the film dramatically, all of which had been shot down by an arrogant director in their first outing. Having learned nothing from the experience, the director then used the commentary as an opportunity to denigrate everyone on the shoot while playing the victim. It was no surprise that while the actor was still in demand, the director had faded into obscurity. The industry was small enough that no one would willingly work with them again.

“I shouldn’t need to remind you that disappearing people without a wish is frowned upon.”

Jareth waved her admonishment off, but Sarah suspected the director would be haunted by goblins for the foreseeable future.

Going Away

[apachefirecat]

Word Count: 500



"SARAH!"

Sarah winced. She couldn't believe her father these days! They had been at odds ever since he had decided to remarry, but there had been a part of her that had managed to hold out hope that some small part of him may yet love her -- until the shock therapy had started. He was just as willing to do anything the doctors decided was for her "own good" as he was to bend over backwards to please her stepmother, and nothing pleased that woman more than seeing Sarah in pain.

"Sarah!" He tried to gentle his tone, but it was too late. It was all too late. "Sarah, please! The doctors only want what's best for you!"

"NO!" she screamed back at him. "Don't you see, Dad?! They don't want what's best for me! They just want what's best for society! They want me to be like everybody else! I can't! Don't you see? I know -- "

"Sarah, I know you believe the dreams -- "

She stared at him, aghast. Slowly, she shook her head. "You just don't get it, do you? They're not just dreams!" She turned away from him as her never-ending well of tears began again. She felt like she was shattering inside, and her mind was taken back to when the walls all around her seemed to shatter. That had been an illusion, an illusion manufactured by a very clever mind that had sensed to rule her and the poisonous peach he'd made certain she'd been given by her one trusted friend in that place -- in any place at the time.

Sarah didn't have friends in this world. She never had had any friends here. Her bottom lip trembled. She found herself whispering heatedly as her tears surged and she felt powerless to stop them, to stop anything that was happening to or around her. "Mom would have understood -- "

"DON'T TALK TO ME ABOUT YOUR MOTHER, NOT WHEN YOU'RE IN THIS KIND OF SHAPE BECAUSE SHE LEFT US!"

"That's real nice, Dad," Sarah countered. Her suddenly low voice seemed far more menacing than any of the screaming they'd both been doing since the doctors had left their latest decision which, to her stepmother's glee, was to send her away from her Dad and Toby what they promised would be a short time, "only until she was cured", but Sarah knew would be the rest of her life. She'd never stop believing! She might convince them otherwise, if it took it to be free, but she would never give up hope for Jareth, his people -- her friends --, and their Underground land.

"Blame the woman who isn't even here to defend herself!" Perhaps it would be for the best, after all. Going away would at least get her away from this creature that wore her dad's face but was clearly only a pawn of her stepmother. She could plan. She could scheme, and she could find a way to rejoin Jareth and the others where she belonged.


The End

Re: Going Away

[redwolf]

It looks like Sarah's world Above is narrowing. How will she find a way back Underground when she's being imprisoned and harmed at her family's whim? 🦊🧡

Re: Going Away

[apachefirecat]

This has actually been a head!cannon of mine for years, and not just for Sarah. I've actually done crossovers a long time ago with others in this same "forced therapy" to reshape their minds the way their parents want with Sarah, Alice, Dorothy, and I think there have been some others once upon a time... Far too many years to remember now!