She’s confused in more ways than one.

You’re still sitting on the end of the bed, idly browsing your phone, when you feel Sarah begin to stir once more.

Quickly, you pivot in place to better look at her, and try to take on a casual pose.

You see Sarah shift for a moment, before her bluish-green eyes slowly flutter open, swivelling around the room as she lays still.

Eventually she spots you, lets out a soft gasp, and scrambles to sit upright, pushing her back against the headboard.

Her voice is calm and level as she speaks, “who are you?-“ You see her take another quick look around the plain guest bedroom, “-and… where am i? This… this doesn’t look like…”

You exhale the beginnings of a chuckle, and stand before answering her, “Sarah, my name is James, and you aren’t in the Labyrinth anymore.” You pause, thinking a moment, “Although… you’re still a very long way from home.”

She looks confused for a moment, her thick eyebrows furrowing expressively “How do you know-?“

Sarah seems to drop the question, and shifts her way off of the bed, standing and wiping some invisible dust off of her jeans, not paying you any mind.

She walks slowly, as if afraid the floor will give out underneath her, to one of the beige wallpaper covered walls and runs her fingers over it, feeling the texture.

She then taps on it a few times with her knuckles, tilting her head as if to hear if it’s solid or hollow inside.

Sarah turns to you, a sudden panicked, pleading look in her doe-like eyes, “but- if I’m not…”

Again, another quick look around the room, “where’s my little brother? Where’s Toby!?”

She takes a few steps towards you, her hand open, outstretched, “oh- please, you have to take me back to the labyrinth. I have to rescue my brother, please!”

You see her breathing increase in speed, panic threatening to overtake her, and so you put up your hands up in a calming gesture, “Toby-“ you emphasize his name, “is at home, safe.”

Some of Sarahs panic subsides, only to be replaced with more confusion. You continue, “i made sure of it, although i should mention it cost me a fair bit extra.”

Sarah blinks a bit, shaking her head questioningly. “Cost you?”

May as well get to the point.

“Yes, it cost me. As in i purchased his safe delivery home.” You pause for dramatic effect, “just as-“

Another pause, and you see Sarah take a half step back from you. “Just as… I purchased you, Sarah.”

She lets out a weak nervous laugh, and you see her eyes flicker briefly to the door behind you. “W- what are you taking about?”

You continue, “see… i live in a world, similar to your own. Except in mine, one can buy and sell people as easily, and as legally, as someone might buy a piece of furniture.”

Sarah opens her mouth to say something, but closes it, staying silent. You see she’s shockingly composed except for a slight tremble you spot in her hands.

You explain further, “and, we procure these people, from- well… from our popular fiction. Books, movies, television shows… it’s hard to explain in a few words.”

Sarahs mouth opens slightly, and she squints her eyes in a shrewd expression of realization.

“of course-“ her voice grows elevated, exasperation with a tinge of anger creeping in “-this is another trick isn’t it!?”

Sarah huffs a bit, and you watch with amusement as she confidently strides past you, making for the door.

You wait until she’s extending her arm out to reach the doorknob, before you speak suddenly with authority “don’t touch that door.”

She pulls back sharply, as if afraid of being burned by the unassuming metal handle. she gives you a quizzical glance, before examining the door further “Why? Why shouldn’t i touch it?”

You’re taken aback by her odd question, and you scratch your head a bit before answering her with an awkward laugh. “Uh, it’s not exactly a puzzle Sarah. I just don’t want you to leave.”

She exhales deeply in annoyance, before oddly, giving you a genuine apologetic look. “Well I’m sorry, but if you’re not going to help me…”

You see her think for a moment, “wait, do you know how i can get to the castle? At the centre of the Labyrinth?”

You can’t help but grin as you shake your head from side to side.

Sarah looks unfazed, apparently expecting your response “it feels like no one knows how to get to it.”

You watch as she seems to only stare at the door for a time, trembling, with an expression of horror slowly creeping into her features before suddenly she lets out a girlish squeal of pain. “Aaaoww!”

She nearly collapses to her knees, and claps one of her hands over her forehead, squinting, trying to blink away the aftershocks.

You walk over to her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, “I wouldn’t push it if i were you. Try too hard to defy an order and it’ll give you a migraine later.”

Sarah pushes away from your touch, stumbling a little to the centre of the room. “What are you talking about!” Her voice is shrill and panicked, “this doesn’t make any sense, this isn’t fair!”

You see a few tears roll down her soft cheeks, and watch as she places both hands atop her head and begins pacing, wracking her brain.

“If I can’t leave through the door…” Sarah practically runs to a blind covered window, ripping open the fabric and revealing the darkened world through the glass.

A mundane open stretch of green lawn leading to a neighbouring home, hardly something you’d see in an 80’s fantasy film.

She looks wide eyed for a moment, whipping her head around the room.

You can practically feel the dread emanating off of her in waves.

You watch her jog across the room again, to a stretch of wall beside the door.

She pushes against the wall with all her might, perhaps expecting a panel to open, before she gives up with a squealing groan of frustration.

You watch her raise both arms and try to slam the wall with closed fists in anger, but as she does so a mod kicks in, preventing her from deliberately damaging private property.

Her fists decelerate rapidly, and make impact with the wall sounding quieter than the whimper of mild, mod induced pain that follows.

This is getting difficult to watch.

“Sarah! I told you, this isn’t a puzzle. Now sit down!”

You move to drag a chair over, facing the bed, and not even looking to watch Sarahs cry of surprise as her body follows your orders against her will.

When you sit down and look up again, Sarah’s sat across from you on the bed. Her eyes are wide and fearful, her cheeks are flowing wth tears freely now, and some snot is just starting to escape her nose.

Considering the brutal activities you partook in with Arwen only just a few hours ago, the sight of Sarah crying proves to be a VERY unexpected gut-punch.

You feel your stomach twist in knots, accompanied by a roaring guilt that, after a moment, you manage to quell with practiced efficiency.

Sarah chokes a bit before starting “you’re him again aren’t you!? You’ve disguised yourself before!” You see her wipe some tears away on a billowing sleeve before continuing, “this isn’t fair, I have time left! This isn’t how it works…”

Roughly you lean over to her, gripping her by both of her shoulders, “listen to me Sarah. I’ve already told you, your brother is home, you aren’t in the Labyrinth anymore.”

You hear her breathing slow slightly, coming back from near hyperventilating, and she looks you in the eye.

You continue, “i have the receipt, i can prove it to you.” You reach into your pocket, drawing out the folded papers within and dropping them on the bed beside Sarah.

Quickly you add, “any sensitive information you read on those papers may never relayed to anyone other than myself, that’s an order.”

Sarah gives you a defiant look, before warily grabbing the paper and scanning the printed information, eyes moving slowly left to right.

A few more fresh tears slowly drip from her face, wetting the paper she’s shakily holding. “This can’t be real…”

You stand, making your way to the door, and calling out behind you for good measure, “wait here.”

Exiting the guest bedroom, you walk a few steps down the adjoining hall before finding your mother standing there, a sympathetic look on her face.

“She’s having some difficulty adjusting then sweetie?”

You try to chuckle, shrugging your shoulders “they always do. I mean, I expected it.”

Your mom purses her lips in an empathetic way, before brushing some nonexistent dirt off of your shoulders and adjusting your hair with a finger.

“Oh James… i know how much you like her, ever since you were a boy you-“

“Mom!” You cut her off, an awkward laugh forcing itself out of your diaphragm.

She laughs in response, an embarrassed blush on her face “oh, sorry sweetheart i just-“ She pauses, looking at you with sudden concern.

“James, sweetie, you’re shaking…”

Looking down you find your mother is correct, and you both see and now feel your entire body trembling violently. Suddenly aware of it, you also feel an unexpected mental fatigue, as if you’d just gone through some great emotional turmoil.

You try to brush it off, and reply to your mother simply, “ah… too much caffeine today.”

She raises her eyebrows sceptically, clearly not believing you, but not pushing the matter. “Alright… well I’m going to read a bit before bed, I’ll be in the office if you need me.”

She stands on her tippy toes to reach you, planting a kiss on your cheek “goodnight” you give her a hug in return, replying “goodnight, mom”

You watch her depart for a moment, before continuing on your way and down the steps to your apartment.

Looking around for a time, you quickly find what you’re looking for, an old laptop with a disc drive, and a DvD copy of Labyrinth.

You spend around twenty minutes, preparing the video player and waiting for the laptop to adequately charge, before you ascend the stairs and make your way back to the bedroom Sarah is in.

Opening the door you see Sarah sitting still on the bed, arms wrapped around her legs and head buried in her knees.

The receipt lay on the floor, wrinkled with two distinct hand shaped crinkles, as if she had tried and failed to tear it apart.

Walking up to her, you place the laptop on the bed, opening it up and getting her attention with a snap of your fingers.

You see Sarah look up with a sniffle, her face both tearstained, and fresh with moisture. She looks at the laptop, scowling in confusion.

Her usually pleasant, calming voice comes out as a croak “what’s this?”

“It’s a miniature computer, and uh… T.V.” Sarah looks up at that, staring at you in bewilderment.

You shake your head, “that’s not important, press this to play- “ “and this to pause-“ “I expect you to watch all of this, I’ll collect you in the morning.”

With that, you leave without another word, leaving Sarah behind, and making your way back downstairs.

So, this was a very technically difficult chapter to write.

Not to mention the characterization, something I'm usually(and unfortunately, obviously) not too anal about, but in this case i tried to put in some extra effort, Sarah being a fresh out of the box character after all.

Tell me what you think! I know this is supposed to be my “lots of sex, less of plot” thread, but i can’t resist a slight emotional foil for my usual hedonistic fuck-fiend MCs.

Regardless, for this thread, sex is still my primary goal.