Drabble #83: Just when you thought it was safe
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labyfic...we had a quieter response to the drabble prompt of Drabble 82, with entries by the marvelous
3iggy and me (your intrepid drabble proposer jalenstrix), and commenting love by the both of us.For this prompt, we continue with our one-word/phrase drabble roots, relying on a phrase that signals exciting times ahead:
Just when you thought it was safe
Uh oh...something is clearly happening, and happening right now. Tell us all about it labyfic-style.
Given our entries from recent months, let's continue with the limit for this month 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
Drabble: $your_beautiful_drabble
I'll aim to get the next drabble challenge out on the first Friday of next month (September 6).
I'm also very happy to take suggestions if something in particular strikes your fancy -- comment on this post or PM me with your suggestions. 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.)
no subject
2019-08-24 01:51 (UTC)Author’s Note: Set in the universe of The Beast Within, where Jareth takes Sarah as his apprentice after she successfully beats her way through the Labyrinth.
How bad could it be? The words hung in my memory like a sing-song taunt as I looked at the foreboding vista before us. You’d think I know better by now than to even think things like that when it came to Jareth. Clearly, I had more to learn.
And Jareth, for reasons unfathomable, had taken it upon himself to teach me. One didn’t look a gift nephil in the mouth, particularly when he had a wealth of knowledge I really, really wanted, and he was willing to share. Which explained how I found myself staring at...this.
The slime alone was nearly overpowering, let alone the random shifts of the squishy ground in the yellow-greenish light. I swallowed hard, my eyes watering at the stench, and breathed through my mouth. “I thought you said we’d start with something simple today.”
“What do you think this is?”
The stench was working its way down my throat. “I think this is your sadistic streak showing through, sensei.”
He flicked a finger, and my perceptions fluttered in a kaleidoscopic mishmash that left me heaving inches from the foul ground.
Great. My jeans were now soaked through with substances better not pondered. After a moment, I straightened. “Okay, point made. That was your sadistic streak.”
“So much to learn, and so arrogant. You have no idea what sadistic is.”
I could see where this was heading and clasped my hands together in proper penitence. “My apologies for mentioning anything about sadistic. I’m an irritating apprentice and damned lucky you’re willing to teach me about the Chaotic Zone. Okay?”
His half-smile was all the answer I got.
Irritating bastard. “So, sensei, what simple thing are we doing here?”
His smile widened into something definitely more malicious. “Perception shifting.”
“And we had to come here to do that? Instead of, say, a nice comfy good-smelling coffee shop somewhere?”
“Proper motivation is the best teacher.”
“I really hate you sometimes.”
“Only sometimes? I must be losing my touch.” He flicked a finger again.
The world spun and I found myself heaving again.
He snorted. “Hopeless. You must control your mind, girl. I’ve told you countless times.”
I wiped my mouth. “This is our second lesson on the subject.”
“I shouldn’t ever have to tell you anything more than once. No matter. That’s why we’re here.”
The ground suddenly rumbled in a distinctly organic manner.
What the...he wouldn’t. “We’re in something’s mouth, aren’t we?”
“We are until you can manage to shift your perceptions enough to get us out of it. Or rather, until you can get yourself out of it. I of course will be on my way shortly.” He cocked his head to the side. “This beastie is just waking up, I think. I suspect our scents are just now penetrating its salivary glands.”
I stared at him.
“I suggest you stop thinking about creative ways to torture me, and focus on shifting your perceptions. Here, I’ll get you started.” He waved two fingers in a swirling gesture and the familiar miasma of visuals began flooding me as the bastard phased right the hell out to safety.
A thick dollop of slime landed on my shoulder. I heroically ignored it and the fact that my stomach was trying to crawl up my spine.
Breathe. Focus.
I reached for that glimmer of mental sideways that Jareth had showed me at the coffee shop last week. I would definitely be fantasizing about nephil-torture later on, but for now, I had to get the hell out of here.
Ah, there it was. And if that sideways glimmer had flickers of sunlight hair, crystalline eyes, and a devil mouth in it that I wanted to either kiss or smash my fist into, well, that was just par for the course at this point.
I stepped, leaving putrid slime and certain doom behind for whatever further delights awaited me on Lesson Day. Goddamned nephils.
no subject
2019-09-15 20:24 (UTC)no subject
2019-09-24 12:29 (UTC)no subject
2023-01-31 21:06 (UTC)no subject
2019-09-15 21:47 (UTC)Outside her window, the trees had burst into an array of color—autumn sweeping her paintbrush across the hillside. Sarah leaned against the kitchen counter, fingers wrapped around a coffee mug and smiled as she gazed out the window.
Curling her toes inside their fuzzy socks, she wondered if anything could be so peaceful. Some random acoustic playlist poured from the phone. The day was just starting, the coffee was strong, and her kingdom was great.
Of course, the subtle shift of the air in her little cottage shattered all hopes she may have been entertaining regarding a cozy day in. A book would have been nice, maybe a cheesy rom-com, but just when she’d thought it was safe…
Without turning around, Sarah set her coffee down, grabbed a second mug from the open shelf, and filled it full of coffee—black, two spoonfuls of sugar. Only after it was all ready did she turn, and hold the mug out to the Goblin King leaning against the kitchen island, before picking up her own coffee once more.
He took it without comment, seemingly perfectly at ease among the dish towels and early morning light. Dressed in green and gray she thought he appeared oddly subdued.
The Goblin King yawned, before taking a drink from her Keep Calm and Carry On mug. It seemed fitting.
“Long night?” she asked.
“Prolonged,” his quicksilver voice replied as his blue eyes found hers.
Something in her chest tightened. His visits were unpredictable and thus far benign, but they always left her unsettled.
“How so?” Sarah took a sip and waited.
“Goblins,” Jareth replied succinctly. “Goblin festivities to be exact.”
“Tell me more,” Sarah grinned.
“It involved the toe-wrestling championship,” Jareth sighed.
Sarah nearly lost a mouthful of coffee, “Toe-wrestling?” She sputtered.
“I really don’t want to talk about it. Suffice it to say I wasn’t involved, overly much…officially, I had to observe the entire thing. It was trying, but someone has to be king.”
Sarah couldn’t imagine spending her nights viewing goblin toes. It sounded utterly revolting. Ok, it was probably hilarious if you had the right attitude going into it.
“Are you here in your private an personal capacity then? No kingly duties for the present?” Sarah asked as she pushed away from the counter and traveled to the living room sofa, plopping down amongst the covers and pillows.
“I’ve bought myself some time—left a scarecrow on the throne. They probably won’t notice I’m gone. They were still celebrating,” Jareth said, settling down beside her.
Suddenly this all seemed a little too cozy. But wasn’t that what she wanted? A cozy day in?
Sarah aimed a sideways glance at Jareth. His mug was on the table next to hers, his eyes closed as he slouched on her sofa.
“My toes are quite nice,” Sarah said suddenly.
The Goblin King opened one eye, just a little bit. “I’m sure they are,” he opened both eyes, his languid gaze deceptive. She could feel the sudden awareness her words had kindled.
Sarah leaned toward him, brushed a feather light kiss across his lips.
“Are you teasing me?”
She didn’t get a chance to reply. The Goblin King had yanked her foot out from under the cover and removed her fuzzy sock.
“These are certainly not the toes of a toe-wrestling champion, but I bet they are ticklish.”
His smile was positively devilish.
Maybe cozy wasn’t what she’d wanted after all.
no subject
2019-09-24 12:32 (UTC)no subject
2023-01-10 08:48 (UTC)no subject
2023-01-10 08:45 (UTC)Manifest
2023-01-10 08:50 (UTC)Drabble:
Jareth escorted Sarah around the studio. She had seen the finished works in the gallery and while she was fascinated to see the artworks in progress and how they varied wildly in style and medium of execution, it was the methods of creation that were eye opening. There were sculptures in many materials that she expected to see in a studio, but not the crafts.
She recognised the floor loom, but not the mechanical monstrosity attached that looked like it had escaped from an overengineered player piano. Jareth explained that it was a Jacquard machine that simplified the process of weaving the gorgeously complex damask fabric she could see emerging from the front.
The many pieces of coloured glass laid over what she learned was a cartoon delighted her and she itched to see what it would look like with sunlight streaming through the design.
She’d made linocut prints as a child, but here the technique was being used to handprint a roll of wallpaper. There were rugs and tapestries and mosaics, with many of the disciplines overlapping in ways she did not expect. It was a mix of arts and crafts that was both overwhelming and exciting.
“This is all a business?” Sarah was trying to make sense of the neatly sketched plans for an improbable geometric sculpture of interlocking shapes than indicated it was to be machined from various metals.
Jareth shook his head. “Not at all. This is purely recreational, we create for the sake of creating rather than being constrained by the dictates of a commission. Over time our output gets to the point of taking up too much room and we need to thin the herd.” He ran a finger over a wooden figure that was cobbled into a formwork of scrap timber containing a now set resin. “There’s not much of a market Underground, but we have a lot of contacts Above and do quite nicely.”
Sarah had invested so much of her time in becoming a good student and then putting those skills to work in business that she’d lost the free time to devote to expressing her creativity. While she may have been forced back into the role of student as she got up to speed with the culture of the Underground and her own developing magic, it wouldn’t be forever and the studio had awoken a long dormant urge.
“I notice you’re the subject of many of the pieces.” They’d circled back to Jareth’s still drying painting.
“Not all of them.” Jareth grinned wolfishly. “You’re welcome to join one of the life modelling sessions, but rules dictate that all participants must take their turn as a model.”
Sarah blushed. “I don’t think I’m quite ready for that.”
Jareth wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear. “Perhaps I could arrange a private session.”
“I can’t imagine we’d get much art done.”
“I don’t know.” His voice dropped lower as his lips brushed her ear. “I can be very creative.”
Re: Manifest
2023-01-31 21:08 (UTC)Re: Manifest
2023-01-31 21:19 (UTC)