The Beldam's story: Coraline

Coraline Joans (part 2)

Vermin came into the bedroom and jumped up on the seat where the Other Father had been. I sent him to work on the garden, making it match her face for tomorrow night. A little trinket that had worked in the past on other children. Plus myself in the real world. Seems such a trivial thing, but it worked. Vermin stretched out his back before letting out a purr.

"Is this Vermin or Abel?" I asked, scratching him under his neck. His bright blue eyes staring up at me.

"It's me. Abel is fighting quite a bit in there but over here I have the high ground." He laughed at his words, then looked at me. "Sorry, pop culture reference." He shook his head before continuing. "But when we cross over there Abel can take over this form far easier." He rubbed his body along mine and let out a purr. In return, I scratched under his chin again.

"I had a thought." Vermin began,
"What if we make her a friend as we did for the last girl."

"Aggie," I corrected him absentmindedly, fiddling with a piece of my dress. It was the same material from the day I fell down the well hundreds of years ago. My grapple with reality. My link to home

"Aggie," he echoed. "Well, what if we make her friend. Suzie's grandson. Wybie something. Then they can have fun and lure her in more."

"Are you sure that would work?"

"It worked with Aggie. Plus Coraline doesn't like the real one so this one will be great. She is isolated in the real world so having a person she can talk and play with will help her want to stay here permanently." The way he said permanently sent a shiver down my spine.

He pushed his head against my stomach and said, "come on! If we get Coraline quickly then Wybie might come looking for her. Two children to eat. Think of that." At his words, my stomach made a sound similar to whales calling to each other. I looked at his little face and he winked at me with a large blue eye.

"Alright, get me the parts and I'll make a Wybie."

***

"Nice of you to bring this cheddar, Coraline." I was cooking a meal that I thought she would like. I had in the clothes that her mother never wore. Without the injury, her real mother had upon her neck.

"Cheddar. Oh, mice bait." Once again I sent her off to see the garden. Something that shocked me when I first moved to the now called 'pink palace' and worked on previous children quite well. Clicking my fingers, the meal was complete. No need for the illusion anymore. Three plates sat clean with cutlery on either side. A meal with steam rising off the top wafted through the air and hit my nose. That was one thing I missed. Food.

Through the window I watched Coraline. Her blue hair was a beacon, easy to follow. She moved through the gates cautiously, taking in the surroundings as if her eyes were cameras.
"Grow" flowers sprouted and shone bright reds and yellows, following her up the stairs. A few little ones begin to tickle her and she falls to the ground. Even though I couldn't hear her, the giggles were delicious to imagine.

Cue the Other Father. On his machine, he marched over to the tickled her and like a knight in shining armor, helped her mount his horse. Together they took to the skies where Coraline saw all the work that the Other Father did, with my instruction of course. Even with the window shut, I heard her say 'this is amazing!'. The Other Father said something in response and in return, Coraline clung tighter to the flying hopper so she could lean out a little further and take it all in. Hook, line, and sinker. We have her closer than ever. My stomach began to rumble again and the thought of two children to eat within the next ten years sounded, for lack of a better word, delicious. 

Coraline kept the flowers, they were clutched tightly in one of her hands when they got back to the house. The other tangled in her hair, trying to get the windswept look out of it. ''Welcome back, Coraline. Did you see the garden?'' She nodded, her eyes focusing on the food behind me. Without words, I stepped aside so she could start to eat. While we ate, Coraline complained. She talked about her real parents and how they are all wrapped up in some garden catalog. How the new kid she lives near (''why-were-you-born'') is strange and wears some mask whenever he rides around. She complained about the neighbors and how strange they appeared to her. Mr. Bobinski and Mrs. Spink and Forcible. 

While Coraline was talking I absentmindedly fed the flowers my meal so it looked like I was eating. They guzzled it greedily, leaning forward in their vase and taking the food out of my hand.  I didn't notice that Coraline had stopped talking and was now staring at me. She cocked her head slightly to the side, why do so many of the kids do that? Maybe it's a way to perceive the world differently. A different angle and suddenly the confusing aspects of the world will fall into place. If only a change in perspective was enough in this world. 

I was running out of soul sand. I don't really know why. The moment I finished crafting the Other Wybie I went to make Mr. Bobinski for their adventure after dinner (a jumping mice performance) but the sand was gone. My bag of tricks was empty. Vermin came in and told me that I may need to take the last of what made me human to make a bit more and finish the job. Then we could use some of Coraline and Wybie to fund the adventures of the next child. But all I had left was my lungs and my heart. I refused. Instead, I took all of the rats I had practiced on nearly a hundred and fifty years ago and put them to use. Using the little flecks of soul sand under my fingernails I gave one of the rats the ability to talk like Bobinski and sell the act. 

When I noticed she was done I began to clean up the plates and placed them in the sink, a tedious chore to sell my act. 

''Mr. Bobinski has invited you to his jumping mouse circus. So you're father and I will clean this up and you and your 'friend' can head upstairs.''

''Friend?'' That tilted look again. I moved and grabbed the Other Wybie, he had been waiting patiently behind the door. 

''You ready?'' I asked him. This creation had the most soul sand I had ever used. If I had forgotten I would think he was an actual child from the Otherworld. 

''Am I really not allowed to speak to her?'' He asked, his voice quiet so Coraline didn't hear him. 

''Yes, you are there to be seen and not heard.'' He looked down and frowned, his upside-down smile shifting the energy in the room. ''Hey!'' I grabbed him roughly by the shoulder, forcing him to look up at me. I smiled, a silent threat. He reciprocated the gesture. 

The two of us came back into the kitchen. Coraline rolled her eyes and said ''hello Why-were-you-born. Hello?'' Other Wybie smiled and nodded, showing that he heard her, tilting his head to the side. What is it with that! I tapped Other Wybie and the two of them left the house to the next adventure. 

''I hope he doesn't blow this.'' 

''Why didn't you just make him mute to begin with?'' Vermin jumped onto the now empty table.

''So if Coraline eventually wants a person to talk to I don't have to use more soul sand. I just tell him that he is allowed to speak to Coraline.'' Vermin rolled his large blue eyes and headed back out to the garden. Keeping a watch that everything was going well. God, I hoped it was. 

***

Coraline returned tired, slugging her feet on each step towards her bedroom. Wybie, myself, and the Other Father followed her with light feet, trying not to break her out of her tired trance. We smiled at her and reaffirmed our love for her as she fell asleep and drifted back to the real world for the morning. 

''She's nice.'' Other Wybie muttered before leaving down the stairs to my sewing room. The Other Father moved silently to the garden, his pumpkin tendencies kicking in. 

I stayed in Coraline's room. Alone. 

*** I hope you guys enjoyed this part. Sorry, it took a while to get each part published, Year 12 is harder than expected. I hope you guys are all having a good day!***