"Ees zees your haoose?" I asked in my girly Russian accent. Yes, I am back. Apparently I did survive the pond, but that's a different story. "Yours too Esther" my new mother responded. I immediately left the car as soon as it was parked. I pranced into the not-so-pink palace, taking in the view. I guess it's habitable. Not really impressive, but habitable. "Anyways, heres your room pumpkin" the dad cheered, leading me upstairs the crappy looking place. I was introduced to a simple bedroom. Purple bedding, pirate toy chest, a Disney princess vanity set, easel and paints and a TV. "You like?" the mother asked. "I love" I responded with my angelic smile.
"I'm home" a voice called from below. I followed my new parents downstairs to greet my new sister. We caught a 12 year old girl peeling off her yellow raincoat, revealing her grey uniform. Her short blue hair framed her face. My new sister turned around, her brown eyes examining my pink frilly dress and blue ribbons. Freckled face met another freckled face. "I'm Coraline" she introduced. "Hello Carroline. My name ees Esther" I bowed like a princess. She rolled those brown eyes of hers, face palming. "Its Cor aline" she corrected. "My apologies" I responded. She just rolled her eyes again, mentally commenting on how old fashioned I am I guess. "Coraline, can you show Esther around while we get to work" our mother suggested. "Fine. Just let me get changed" she responded, already going up to her room.
I went up as well, entering mine instead. I honestly don't understand why she would want to escape that uniform. It was just a grey blazer and plaid skirt with a tie; nothing too drab. Uggh, kids these days. I opened my suitcase, revealing the few things I had available to bring with me. I immediately hid my make-up in the vanity set, refusing to allow anyone to discover it so easily. Opening the toy chest, there were already a few items available for me. Finding a large enough stuffed animal, I hid my special bible in there. I then went to my paintings, hanging them up one after another. This is when Car-I mean Coraline walked in. "k, I'm ready" she announced. I turned to see her in a blue and white stripped t-shirt and jeans with pink converse sneakers. What has this generation brought to the children? Her brown eyes then scanned my pictures. "These are really good Esther. I'm impressed" she complimented. All I can do is smile like the angel I pretend to be. "How did you get so good?" she asked. I went and used the same words I used on the Coleman's. "I jahst khad a lot of time to prracteece I guess" I answered, hanging up another picture. My gaze darkened at the portrait of the saarne institute. "Heres an idea" her voice yanked me out of my glare fest. I looked at my supposed older sister, faking a curious glance. Okay, maybe it isn't a fake. "Why don't you do a portrait of me?" she suggested. I simply smiled, flashing my fake teeth. "I vould be khonored to" I replied. "Great. Anyways, time to be your tour guide" she joked. I simply let a girly giggle ring.
Coraline and I explore the crappy looking place. Habitable, but still crappy. Coraline guided me through each room, and all I can do is put on my angel disguise. She even introduced me to the neighbors. The Mr. Bobinsky guy is clearly a freak, and those old bags downstairs only reminded me why I should be blessed to look almost exactly like a child. Though it was one room that specifically caught my attention. It wasn't for the multiple leaky windows, or for the blue boy painting. It was what seemed to be a tiny door that sat in the corner, peaking behind the piece of furniture. I studied the scene carefully. It barely peaked out from its hiding place, and I guess there was a reason it was hidden. And if there was a reason, maybe I shouldn't question it. So that's what I did. I never pointed it out or let the "older" girl know I had seen it. Besides, she had her guard up in this one room anyways.
"Well, I'm out. Wanna come Esther?" Coraline invited once the grand tour had ended. "Okay Corraline. Please jahst geeve me a second" I smiled with a Russian accent. "Kay. I'll be waiting on the porch" she grabbed her yellow raincoat. The girl with blue hair then disappeared outside. I smiled evilly. I snuck into that room. I pushed that piece of furniture aside. You can say that curiosity got the best of me. Just as I suspected, there was a small door. I traced my finger over the claw marks on the bottom corner. What happened here?
No matter, I tried to open it. No luck. "Mahst be locked" I concluded. Still, if the Jones family keeps trying to avoid this spot, then it's the perfect place for me to hide some stuff. Maybe any evidence before I burn it. I smiled wickedly at the thought of my first kill. I tried prying this small door open. Apparently whatever made the claw marks managed to lift the small corner of the door; so I know that something was behind this. My pulling had failed as well though. I stared at the lock intently. I then tried my last option: picking the lock. Thankfully all the years I spend doing this have taught me more than how to use a knife. I removed a couple hair pins, sticking them in there. I grinned in success. I lifted the door open like flipping a page in a book. I was then disappointed at the results.
My brown eyes ended up staring at a wall of bricks. Bricks? I didn't understand this of course. I mean, the door lifted up in the corner, something must've come out of it. My disappointment wasn't really announced in sadness; I simply slammed the door back violently. Yanking the hairpins back, I stuffed them back into their original place. I violently scooted the furniture back into place, making it look like I never snooped around here in the first place. I stomped out of the room infuriated at my find. Brreecks! Jahst a dahmbass vall of brreecks! Dammeet! I forced myself to calm down once I met Coraline. "What took you so long?" she asked. "I speelt ze orrange juice" I lied. She rolled those brown eyes again. "Anyways, were gonna meet Why-were-you-born at the well" she announced, already on her way. I just followed her like a lost puppy, never leaving her side. I wondered who this person was, but I figured we'd meet eventually anyways. I stayed silent for the rest of the trip.
"Hey Jonesy. Hey, person" a dark kid greeted us. I flinched at the nickname he gave me. "Esther, meet Wybie. Wybie, meet Esther" Coraline introduced us. I decided to put my angel act in motion. "Eet's a pleasure to meet you" I bowed like a princess. He just shook my hand with his muddy skeleton gloves. I cringed in disgust, wiping the mud onto Coraline's coat. They just laughed at me like the little kids they are. It's my turn to eye roll at them. I finally bothered to study this kid. His skin tone reminded me of a warm cup of coffee, though his amber eyes were kind of intimidating in color. He had a mess of curls he called hair, and some black coat with grey stripes. Behind him was what looked like a dirt bike, with some helmet/mask thing hanging from one of the handles? Apparently he had painted a skull face on it. Did I forget to mention how his hunching over made Coraline look taller than him?
"Hmm, I've once heard that Esther was a Persian name. It means Star. Hmm, wonder why your parents named you that. Oops, did I make you feel bad about your birth parents? I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you. Really. Anyways, where you from?" he blabbed. OHMYGOD. I'm stuck having to be "friends" with a chatterbox. At least I know who to kill first. Reason 1: total annoyance. I believe he's already demonstrated that. Reason 2: he talks too much. If he found even the most minor clue to my secret, instant blabbing subject. I can't have that. "I am frrom Russia" I responded. "Cool. Never met a Russian orphan before. Oops, I did it again didn't I? Why do I keep talking about your troubled past? What is wrong with me? You think the word orphan and you automatically think of an interesting history you just have to know. Is that weird to you? Ohmygoodness! Of course it isn't. Stupid! Stupid! Ow!" Coraline finally shut him up with a punch in the arm, just like I wanted to do so myself. "You never know when to shuddap, do you Why-were-you-born?" she said my thoughts aloud; not the why-were-you-born part though. Though I am kinda asking that myself.
"So how much longer do you think it'll take to finish that tree house?" Coraline asked captain annoying. I think you know who I mean. "I'd say just a couple more boards to nail in. it'd be finished by now if we didn't get rained out that day. Trust me; Granma was not happy to see me come home sopping wet. You know-" he finally noticed Coraline making a circle with her finger, asking him to get to the point. Still doesn't save him from death. "Should be done a few hours after we get back to work" he finally finished.
Then a voice rang from the distance "Wyborne!" it rang. Hmm, female, obviously old. "Which won't be today. Gotta go on Granma duty. See ya" he took off on his dirt bike. Hmm, I see where his nickname came from. "Well, once we got that tree house finished, we could play in it. You're invited" Coraline told me. I just gave her a simple thank you. She then fished her phone, checking the time. "We got to go to; though I'd recommend walking very slowly" she announced dinner time. I decided to add a girly giggle. More eye rolls. So that's what we did. Walked back home, very slowly. I mean like snail with a limp slow.
In the end, I'm glad we took so long to make it to dinner. Apparently Daddy's idea of a home cooked meal was a lump of, whatever it was supposed to be. Thankfully, there wasn't too much left when we showed up, though we still had to dine in. "hmm, slime or bedtime. Bedtime it is then" Coraline excused herself from the table immediately. I looked at the adults of the house. They were eating it just fine. "Mommy, Daddy, are you sure zees ees edeeble?" I asked. "Of course. Now eat up pumpkin" he urged on. I looked at the lump that was slapped onto my plate. Picking up my fork, I cautiously placed the mystery food into my mouth. And yeah, I ate it. Got rewarded with some kiddy Popsicle. I went to the thing called the bathroom, washing the food from my fake teeth and brushing my real ones. Before heading off to bed, I peeked into Coraline's room. Apparently she had a secret snack supply to keep her alive. I never let her know I was there though. I finished setting up my paintings and black light, enjoying the true nature of my art. Finally, I removed my make-up and went to sleep.