Drabble #252: Thunder

[redwolf]

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

Thunder

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

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Comments

Humidity

[redwolf]

Word count: 500

Sarah felt the pull of a wish and took a deep breath as the magic altered her clothing to something suitably menacing before it transported her Above. Jareth made a showier entrance, soaring in as an owl and transforming to stand at her side.

She took a brief moment to compartmentalise her work persona from her wife persona, because Jareth in his full Goblin King grandeur gave her the urge to climb him like a tree and the Goblin Kingdom monarchy coupling on a wisher’s bedroom rug did not make for the right first impression.

With her game face on, the residual transportation magic evaporated and Sarah felt like she’d walked into a swamp. The humidity was so heavy it was a physical weight. Her body’s reaction was to perspire in an effort to cool her down. A valiant effort that did little aside from make her feel as if she was melting. Jareth, of course, looked as fresh as a daisy.

As she was silently beseeching the weather gods for a thunderstorm and making a mental note to learn how to use her magic to, if not negate the humidity, at least make herself comfortable, the wisher flung herself at Jareth.

“Is Charlie okay?” The little girl wrapped around Jareth’s leg looked up at him with a tear streaked face. “Her puffer’s empty and she can’t breathe and I was so scared.”

The compact of the wish gave Sarah the details of the wisher to allow her to react appropriately, but sometimes deeper information wasn’t revealed until it was triggered by the wisher’s behaviour.

Hazel had been babysitting her younger cousin, but her aunt hadn’t returned home. She’d called her mother, who had told her to stay with Charlotte while she tracked down her sister. That had been twelve hours ago, Hazel had since been unable to contact her mother and the muggy weather had caused her cousin’s asthma attack.

The wish magic informed Sarah that the aunt had escaped a violent marriage and both children had been coached to not contact authorities in an emergency due to her uncle being in law enforcement. Unfortunately, the aunt’s night out had ended when her husband had stumbled over her and Hazel’s mother met a similar fate when she went looking for her sister.

Jareth picked Hazel up and pointed out the window. “Charlotte is there in my castle, beyond the Goblin City. She’s in the infirmary and her asthma is being treated.”

“Thank you, Mr Goblin King.” Hazel buried her face in Jareth’s neck.

Sarah wondered at a child who was so terrified that wishing her cousin to the goblins was made as a desperate need for medical assistance when the adults in her life had vanished.

“Would you like to see her?” Hazel nodded as Jareth shared a look with Sarah. They couldn’t leave this child for her uncle to find, but there were rules. “Say your right words.”

“I wish the goblins would take me away. Right now.”