The audience clapped politely as a red curtain dropped to the stage and the lights faded to black. Echoes of intense drumming halted, the high school orchestra ended the battle music and paused for dramatic effect. A dozen stagehands ran around the stage changing the scenery, Sarah, along with a few other actors, jumped backstage and quickly changed her clothes. After she had slipped on the bulking white dress a couple girls raced forward to help twist her hair into the proper style and brushed her face with makeup. The orchestra started up again, this time the melody was sweet, and light, chimes and bells rang magically through the auditorium.

Sarah's heart beat wildly, the next scene was her debut, her chance to show the talent scouts sitting in the audience judging her every move with a clipboard what she was really made of. This was her last chance, the last play she'd perform in in high school as she was graduating in a few weeks. She could taste the dream of Broadway coming true all she had to do was nail this scene.

The wooden painted moon was in position, she got a thumbs up from the other side of the stage by the director, the girls stepped away as she raced to position, flinging her dress in a large circle on a blue painted floor. The curtain rose, the orchestra faded into silence. A single blue light fell upon Sarah, the slowly the rest of the stage twinkled on, the audience murmured with admiration. The stage had turned into an enchanted forest. Around the edge were vibrant green trees and delicate white flowers sprinkled in glitter surrounding a large blue lake, a lake that Sarah lay upon pretending to sleep. A blue velvet curtain decorated with fairy lights twinkled as the moon arose into place.

This was it, Sarah tried to still her trembling fingers. Ting. A single bell chimed. Ting. Sarah appeared to wake up. Ting. She stood up; a shawl that looked like wings tumbled to the floor appearing to melt away to the audience. Sarah raised her arms delicately like a princess peering around her in confusion. At any moment Aaron, who played the villain, was supposed to come out and talk to her about the spell and she would break into song, the song that would secure her future.

Suddenly something flew by her face. She gasped, almost breaking character. From above an owl fluttered back and forth around her. She ducked as graciously as she could, the audience laughed amused the play was using a real owl. An owl? Hadn't she seen this owl before? Sarah's eyes widened, the owl swooped to the stage, a flash of lightning cracked in the auditorium loud enough a few people screamed. The light blinded Sarah for a second, after a second, she unshielded her eyes and before her was a man she hadn't seen in three years. Someone she never thought she'd see again. A man dressed in gray pants and a puffy white shirt, standing before her with an unnatural confidence. He smiled at Sarah's expression, tilting his head slightly. His unworldly long spiked hair brushed against his cheek. Jareth. The Goblin King.

The audience roared into applause the transformation magic seemed almost real; the director and Aaron stood on the side of the stage baffled. "You?" Sarah whispered, but her mic picked up her voice.

"Hello, my dear, did you miss me?" Jareth's voice miraculously carried across the audience with ease. Sarah's mind raced, what was she going to do? Should she run? No, she couldn't break character, not now. She'd have to carry on and do her best to convince everyone else Jareth was apart of the play. At least long enough for the director to drop the curtain.

"You know I didn't, why are you here?" Sarah answered with a hint of dramatization in her voice. Jareth stepped closer.

"You know, it's frustrating, but I couldn't stop thinking about you." Jareth began to circle around her like a hawk eyeing its prey from above. "To be more precise, I couldn't stop thinking about something you said to me." Sarah's knees went weak as his hot breath danced on her neck, she walked forward a few paces surprised by her reaction.

"And what exactly did I say?"

"Now's not the time to tell." Jareth stepped around her, she saw a strand of her hair fall from his fingers as he passed. Her mind was blanking, Sarah looked at the director for help, how was she supposed to spin this to match the play? Maybe she couldn't, she had to be forward.

"Why are you here?" Sarah lost her acting voice; it was a sincere question. Jareth smiled hearing the change, he pivoted and offered Sarah a slight bow.

"Come with me, and I'll show you." He reached out his hand, Sarah hesitantly accepted it. A swirl of wind whipped around them, brown feathers appearing from nowhere swirled in a vortex blocking the two from view. The wind made the stage lights sputter and shake, instruments fell, papers flew off the stands, the audience screamed adding to the confusion. After a moment the wind died down, and everything went silent. Sarah and the strange man had disappeared. A few people began to clap, then cheer, till the auditorium was filled with roaring applause. What a masterful performance, outstanding scene! The people backstage however were mortified. The director turned to a stagehand worried, "Where did they go?"