Coraline Murphy

11.

Previously...

"Shes probably starting with hypothermia, Tommy! She's not even shivering." Polly knelt in front of Coraline and took her face in her hands.

...

Polly turned to him. "Tommy, I need you to run a bath - just luke warm. We are going to need to bring her temperature back up slowly or she'll go into shock."

...

"Tommy! Quick!"

His aunts call made him scramble to his feet, and he burst into the bathroom before he'd had a chance to think.  Luckily, Coraline was fully dressed in clean trousers and a shirt, but she was lying flat on the floor, whilst his Aunt was leaning over her.

"Shes just collapsed. She was doing fine, and she's feeling warmer, but she just dropped." Pollys worry was making Tommy panic. He dropped to his knees beside her and felt her neck for a pulse.

"Her pulse is really slow and weak," he said, his teeth gritted.

"She needs a hospital, Tommy," Polly said, knowing he wasn't going to like it. "We cant look after her here. She's really sick."

...

1 minute later, Coraline was bundled safely into Tommy's arms, and he left the house quickly to head to the hospital, wishing he had a car. One day, he thought, as he trudged through the snow, her small body held tightly against his own.

....................................

1908 Small Heath, Birmingham

Mr Turner, Coraline's teacher at the local school, approached the tattered wooden door in the run down area of Small Heath. Looking upwards at the patched windows and cracked brick work, he marvelled at how anyone could live in any sense of comfort in this area. He shook off his musings, straightened his jacket and drew himself up to his full height, ready to face whoever might be on the other side of the door. He knocked smartly, three raps, and waited.

"Yes?"

He was a little startled to see an older woman open the door, her hair scrapped back out of her face in some sort of bandana whilst she yielded a broomstick. Behind her, Ada Shelby was peering out at him.

"Mr Turner?" Ada's voice startled him, and he cleared his throat.

"I'm looking for Coraline Murphy," he said, the sentence sounding contrived and rehearsed as it left his lips.

"And what would you be wanting with 'er?" The woman's voice was wary, as laced with suspicion as her eyes were.

"I, erm, I wanted to bring her some extra work to see her through the holidays."

"Is that so?"

He hesitated. "Is her father at home?"

"He is at work. You wanted to speak to him?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Oh heavens, no." The relief had escaped him before he could contain himself professionally, and he caught a hint of a smile on the woman's face, and her expression softened. "Look, Ms..."