Coraline 2: The Return of the Other Mother

Chapter 9: The Maze

The air wasn't cold. That was the first thing Coraline realized as they stepped into the night, carefully crunching snow beneath their feet. A light breeze moved through her hair, and instead of feeling the blistering cold that made her nose run, she felt a slight warmth and smelled a hint of peppermint. Snow fell from the sky, lazily making its way to the ground. Each snowflake was perfectly formed, and when she reached out a hand to touch them, they didn't instantly melt. Coraline marveled at the delicate shape balancing on her fingertip, until she realized it was shaped like a button. Coraline snapped her hand closed in disgust, and she looked to her left to see Wybie smiling at her.

Coraline shot him a peculiar glance, and he coughed, surprised. "Sorry, it's just been awhile since I've seen you so excited about something."

She put her hands on her hips, annoyed. "This isn't the first time I've been excited about something. And anyways, I don't like anything she creates." Wybie gave her an incredulous look, shaking his head, and stepping carefully behind one of the snowmen, hidden from view. Coraline stared at the snowman that resembled her, with a small smirk and button eyes that almost twinkled. The Other Coraline looked taller, more intimidating than herself. Coraline cocked her head to the left, self-consciously twisting at her tangled hair. Is this what people wanted when they imagined Coraline?

She was quickly pulled from her thoughts when a warm snowball slammed against her arm. Whipping around in shock, Coraline stared at Wybie, who was pretending to be gazing at the trees. His small smile escaping his lips gave him away, and Coraline immediately returned the favor, with a larger and faster snowball straight to his face.

"Hey!" They both laughed as he sputtered out warm snow. He playfully shoved her, and Coraline landed in the snow, giggling. The snow was warm to the touch, like the fleece blanket of her dreams. She quickly began to form snow angels, and Wybie joined her, both covering each other in snow dust as they frantically waved their arms. Getting up, they admired their work, smiling down at the little angels.

He turned to her, wiping some ice off of her nose. "Okay, perhaps you have a point. This is pretty magical. And warm snow? Complete game changer."

She giggled, wiping some snow off the top of his head. He shook his head like a dog, covering her with flakes. "I suppose it isn't half bad, but we still need to stay focused." He saluted like a soldier, and they continued walking towards the woods.

"What makes you so convinced that this party is at my grandma's?"

"Because I know her, and she loves to have a grand finale set in the place you feel safest." Coraline looked around, and while the trees glowed and looked jolly from afar, she could feel eyes watching each step she took through the snow. She quietly added, "And we both know the Pink Palace was not the place I felt safest."

They were being observed from afar, with nothing stopping their trek through the snow, but Coraline still felt uneasy as they continued down their usual path. There were no squirrels or birds that chittered as they passed, and the silence was worsened by the lack of wind. Coraline was used to the haunting melody that rang through the trees, but to be met by silence and still air was much more horrifying.

Wybie didn't seem to notice, as he continued to chatter and tell her more about how the logistics of warm snow was impossible.

"I mean when snow melts, it either becomes water or freezes back over into ice, which is even more uncomfortable if you ask me."

The woods were eerie around them, and Coraline began to feel more uncomfortable. Her eyes darted back and forth, hearing small footsteps pitter around them. They weren't alone.

"It's not that I don't think the Other Mother lacks in creativity, I just don't understand how it's possible for her to create these worlds that don't even slightly follow the laws of—"