For colonelcannibal

[shinyglassballs]

[After this.]

In this particular section of the Labyrinth, the darkness is deep. Red brick corridors meet in cold vaults with high ceilings. It's all lit, but by clusters of bare antique light bulbs whose arrangements seem more organic than planned. On the floor, in corners of the ceiling, small and big like blooms of mushrooms.

It's a lonely place. The colorful flora and fauna of the rest of the maze are gone, and one can't help but feel that this is far into the guts of Jareth's kingdom.

Even if he wasn't the king, it wouldn't be hard to track down his new friend. In the flickering light, just follow the shining puddles of slick blood. A little blond hair, the crumpled pages of Frommer's Guide to England and Scotland... Keep going until the air is thick with smell of gore, and you can hear the sounds of chewing.

Jareth's steps echo down the hallway, but his boots leave no footprints.

"Are you satisfied? You made a quick job of it, but my they did scream, didn't they?"

Comments

[colonelcannibal]

*He laughs.* The wendigo is never satisfied entirely, but it was a lovely meal. The way they begged was very appetizing, too, I must say.

*He sticks a spare finger in his mouth like some terrible cigar.* There's not much left, I'm afraid, but if any of your people are the type to enjoy as I do they can have what's here.

[shinyglassballs]

Jareth smiles, always happy to be an obliging host.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Australian food is so rare to come by. We do appreciate people who come by and sweep up the detritus around here... And it'll only be a matter of time before some of my subjects come by to clean up the leftovers. Circle of life and all that."

Lets see if I can remember how to prose LOL

[colonelcannibal]

"I could get used to this." There's a nasty crunch as he chews on the finger in his mouth. "Good meals and good company, what more can one ask for?

"Perhaps next time you might visit my humble abode, eh? But for today . . . a quick tour would be nice, if you have the time to spare."

LOL basically same dance minus asterisks

[shinyglassballs]

"Yes, it's homey, isn't it? Now where is your humble abode? And what should I call you?"

Suddenly there's a cane in his hands, which he seems to have merely reached into the darkness and pulled out, as if it had been waiting for him the whole time.

He knocks on a few bricks and they swing open, revealing a far more pleasant scene on the other side. Green fields, and the red-orange sky of sunset.

"And by the way, pleasant as it is, it's unfortunate that we get interlopers only once in a great while. You couldn't find meals consistently here. Those two may have been the first unwitting souls in here in... oh, it must be twenty years now. There aren't as many gates to the human world as there used to be."

[colonelcannibal]

"I live at Fort Spencer, in the Sierra Nevadas, and you may call me Colonel Ives.

"A shame that the gates are closing down, but it was a lovely meal all the same." He follows the other's lead through the doorway, taking a deep breath and grinning. It's been close to two centuries, but the simple pleasure of being able to do that never faded.

[shinyglassballs]

"Pleasure, Colonel. My name is Jareth. I'm the king of the Labyrinth here."

The land around them is pastoral. They're just outside of the Labyrinth, and it appears they stepped right out of one of its outer walls. The contrast between this sweet sight and the bloody chamber of horrors they just left is almost comical. Jareth, or maybe the Labyrinth, must be in a funny mood. Drag a body out here and this would be a lovely spot for a picnic.

"Now I can't show you everything as my kingdom is far too big for that. But I can at least get a nice outside view here. Mind the fairies. If you're feeling peckish you could try one, but they will bite back."

The little creatures are positively swarming here, with glittering black eyes and iridescent wings. They're drawn to the two men by the smell of blood but warily keep their distance from the king.

He leans on his cane. "So you're a wendigo? That's an old story. Algonquian, no? How did you end up in the Sierra Nevadas? Seem a bit... mountainous for your kind."

[colonelcannibal]

Ives sits under a tree, and all it would take would be a spare tablecloth and a basket of food to make the picture complete. "I suppose none of them are willing to act as dessert."

He nods agreeably at the first questions, then makes himself a bit more comfortable to answer the last. "I like the cold up on the mountains. More importantly, there was a time when people seeking the far West needed guides. When I was young and new to the change it was a simple matter to lead a few pioneers over those mountains and come back down alone but . . . ah, better-fed. It eased the last bits of my conscience, as well, to tell myself that they might well have died without my help.

"And then one day I found Fort Spencer and I knew it had to be mine."

[shinyglassballs]

"You could certainly try. These things are an important part of the ecosystem, and some of my subjects dine on them exclusively. They're just spiteful and hard to catch, and probably don't taste very good. They don't seem worth the bother."

A little red fairy is close enough to hear Jareth's slander and sticks its tongue out defiantly before flying off in a huff.

"That's a good trick. I think a few of my people have employed the same tactic." He waves to the Labyrinth. Big old maze, lost and lonely travelers. Like shooting fish in a barrel. "I suppose the cold means your kills will keep better if you're saving them for later... Did you want that Fort because it was a better trap? The sort of place desperate people naturally seek shelter in?"

[colonelcannibal]

"I suppose not. They're rather pretty in any case--although there are some surprisingly beautiful desserts to be had as well, hmm?

"That was part of it, yes." He grinned. "It's something of a way station, as well; lots of people coming through when spring comes and the path seems safer. Picking off a few of them is very satisfying."