Drabble #257: Pattern

[redwolf]

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

Pattern

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

Turbulence

[redwolf]

Word count: 500

It had taken Sarah a little while to recognise the patterns of wishes. She had initially assumed all wishes would be similar to her own and reacted accordingly whenever she felt the pull of the Labyrinth. She was quick to learn that this was often akin to walking into a fast food restaurant in a formal ball gown.

Jareth had been incredibly patient as he coached her through the differing calls. As a monarch, she felt them all, and had been surprised that not every wish required their presence.

When a child was wished away in a parent’s last hope to cure them, not only were the Goblin King or Queen present, but the appropriate Underground personnel were alerted. The goblin retrieval team took the ailing child directly to the prepared infirmary without remaining Above to cause mischief.

Other calls invoked just the goblins and their talents for chaos. Sarah would still feel them, but they lacked the urgency of child related calls. She would occasionally wonder if she should be more concerned, but eventually decided that if someone was silly enough to wish for the goblins to deal with an office printer, then they could deal with the inevitable relocation of toner from the inside of the machine to the outside.

There were regular calls from people afflicted by dementia who kept wishing to see a pet named Goblin. The goblins who attended didn’t seem to mind the pet food offering or grooming session that came with the job and were always delighted at returning Underground to show off their ribbon bedecked hair and freshly polished armour.

Sarah had felt a wish earlier in the day and parsed it as a request for the Goblin King. These were usually quick jaunts Above and she thought nothing of it until she missed Jareth at dinner. Not feeling anything amiss she retired to their rooms before summoning a crystal to investigate the delay.

Jareth was stretched out in the sleeping pod of a commercial aircraft. A small girl was curled into his chest, her hand fisted in the fur of the wolf that lay on his other side. A flight attendant opened the pod door and quietly placed refreshments on the tray table, smiling at Jareth as if he was the most doting father in the world. Sarah had to wonder what the Labyrinth was showing the attendant to explain why a child travelling alone was now accompanied by a Goblin King and a wolf, who were not on the passenger manifest.

Jareth may have been able to turn into an owl, but he was less than thrilled at being trapped in an aircraft. The Labyrinth had sent along Rook as an emotional support wolf to assist in the wish of a terrified child who had encountered turbulence while flying alone. The wish hadn’t been fulfilled until the plane had reached its destination and the child, now clutching a plush owl and wolf, disembarked into the arms of a waiting parent.