Labyrinth the Novelization by A.C.H. Smith

Author:A.C.H. Smith [Smith, A.C.H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781613982709
Publisher: Archaia
Published: 2014-02-18T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER X

NO PROBLEM

Hoggle was hoggling around the hedge maze still, minding his own business, and most of all minding that that girl had gotten his jewels. He’d tried to please both her and Jareth, and that’s what you got for trying to please everyone. No baubles.

When Sarah screamed, he heard her. It stopped him in his tracks, which were heading for the start of the Labyrinth. He listened, heard a second scream, wrestled with his rudimentary conscience, came to a decision, and began to run in her direction. He knew his way around this place better than the stupid goblins in the castle. “I’m coming, missy,” he shouted.

He galloped around the corner straight into a pair of knees.

Jareth was wearing his cloak and looking quite handsomely fiendish. “Well,” he said pleasantly, “if it isn’t you.”

“It isn’t me,” Hoggle told him, trembling.

“And where are you going, hmm?”

“Ah. . .” Hoggle was staring at Jareth’s boots. “Ah. . .,” he said in a different tone of voice, to hold his audience’s attention. Then he spent a little while scratching his backside, suggesting that a person can’t be expected to answer a question while he’s plagued with an itch.

Jareth was content to wait, with a smile on his lips.

“Er. . .” At last Hoggle came up with it. “The little missy, she give me the slip. . . er. . . but I just hears her now. . .”

Jareth’s eyes narrowed.

“So I’m. . . er. . . er, I’m going to fetch her and then lead her straight back to the beginning. Just like you told me.” He wished the King of the Goblins would kick him, or pelt him with slugs, or do anything, anything but smile that nerve-racking, pleasant smile.

“I see,” Jareth nodded. “I thought for a moment you were running to help her. But no, you wouldn’t. Not after my warnings. That would be stupid.”

“Ha-ha,” Hoggle agreed, with a trembling heart. “Oh, ha-ha-ha. Stupid? You bet it would be stupid. Me? Help her? After your warnings?”

Jareth elegantly inclined his head to examine Hoggle’s belt. “Oh, dear,” he said, seeming concerned, “poor Hoghead!”

“Hoggle,” Hoggle growled.

“I just noticed that your lovely jewels are missing.”

“Uh. . .” Hoggle looked down at his sadly unadorned belt. “Oh, yes. So they are. My lovely jewels. Missing. There now. Better find ’em, eh? But first,” he promised in a profoundly reliable voice, “I’m off to fetch the little missy back to the beginning of the Labyrinth.” He thought of trying to wink, but decided not to. “Just like we planned,” he said, and started to march obediently away.

“Wait,” Jareth told him.

Hoggle froze. His eyes closed.

“I have a better plan, Hoggle. Give her this.”

With a wave of his left hand, Jareth produced a bubble from the air. In his hand it became a crystal ball. He waited for Hoggle to turn around and tossed it to him. Hoggle caught it. It had become a peach. Hoggle looked at it, dumbfounded. “Wha—what is it?”

“A present.”

Hoggle’s eyebrows beetled. “It. .

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