"Coraline, I'm back!" yelled Marie, Coraline's old friend from Michigan.
"Marie? Is that you?" Coraline responded, running down the stairs to answer the door.
Coraline stopped in front of her door. It was raining outside just like it did when Coraline first moved into the Pink Palace. Coraline placed her hand on the cold brass doorknob unaware if it might be Marie.
It could be just the Beldam. She already fooled me when she disguised as my mother, thought Coraline, but I doubt it. She's already gone!
"Coraline, it's pouring out here! You know how much I hate dirt!" Marie called from the other side of the door.
Just like my parents. Maybe it's a Michigan thing to hate dirt, Coraline thought. Coraline twisted the doorknob. Marie's mousy short brown hair looked black due to the rain. Her smiling face lit up the gray sky.
Coraline spread her arms out and hugged Marie.
"I've missed you so much! I'm so glad to see you!" Coraline exclaimed.
"Oh I know! My parent's got me a plane ticket to come out here, but they only could afford one. They said they'd be coming to Michigan next year but I don't know," Marie said.
"Marie, at least you're here. My mom doesn't cook as well as your parents do, but we might have something in our fridge," Coraline said, trying to make Marie feel like home.
Coraline grabbed Marie by the arm and pulled her to the kitchen. Coraline peeked out the kitchen window. Rain gushed down it like a waterfall.
"Are your parents' home?" Marie's soft voice asked.
"Nope, they're at a 'garden get together' thingy," Coraline mimicked.
"Like always. They haven't changed, Coraline. Have they?" Marie asked.
Coraline immediately knew the answer to that.
"No. But Mom and Dad onced worked in the garden that you see out there. Believe it or not; with dirt," Coraline said.
Marie sarcastically gasped.
*Chatting continued and nibbling on stale bread occasionally happened.*
"I'll take your suitcase upstairs, Marie. After all it's 10:30 at night. We probably should get to sleep just in case my parents come home soon," Coraline offered.
"Good idea. Let's get going," Marie agreed, dragging her suitcase to Coraline.
Coraline grabbed the handle and walked backwards with her hand clutched to the extremely heavy suitcase as she walked up her spiral staircase with Marie following her.
*Two hours passed and Coraline was fast asleep while Marie laid wide awake in bed*
"Coraline?" Marie wondered, "Are you asleep?"
Marie never received a response.
"I can't sleep," she whispered.
Marie took of her sheets and got up from her bed.
"I'm going to get a cup of water. I'll be back up," said Marie.
She tiptoed down the stairs. Marie walked into Coraline's kitchen. Marie squinted as she turned on the faucet below the window. Something was glowing out there.
What is that? Marie wondered. The bright glowing object hurt her eyes. Even when Marie looked away she could see the glowing object.
So weird, thought Marie.
Marie stared out of the window, looking at the mysterious glowing object.
"It's probably an eye illusion or something stupid," Marie said out loud, "but what harm could it do if I looked at it?" she continued
Marie walked out of the Pink Palace door. She followed the glowing object. Suddenly, Marie stopped. It was the well. The well was glowing.
What the? Marie began to think, but her thoughts where too much for her. Marie bent down and opened the lid of the well. Coraline had told her how deep it was. But Coraline didn't tell her what was inside the well.
A key rose up in a pink blanket. Little bits of metal surrounded it. Marie grabbed ther key off the blanket and there was an instant stop of the glowing, but not for long. A doorway in Coraline's apartment started to glow. It glowed brighter than the well. Marie felt as if she was in a dream.
Once again, Marie followed the glow. She heard soft squeaks- like mice-with a little drum. Marie couldn't believe her eyes as she crouched down to the door. There were mice. With drums. In a red suit.
Coraline slowly woke up from the squeals of mice.
"Marie?" Coraline called.
"I'm down here, Coraline," Marie responded.
Coraline ran down the steps two-by-two. She stopped and gave a soft scream when she saw the button key in Marie's palm.
"Where. Did. You. Get. That," Coraline stuttered.
"In the well. It was lit up!" Marie explained.
"Marie, don't think about going in that door. There's a Beldam and she traps you. She has a whole world! It's insane! Don't do it!" Coraline yelled.
"Coraline, you're crazy. A Beldam. Really? That's the best you can do?" Marie said.
"I'm not crazy! There is! It's true! She watches you. She attacks. She's awful!" Coraline yelled, upset that Marie didn't believe her.
"What harm is it going to do? Really. It's just a door, Coraline," Marie said.
"No!" Coraline exclaimed.
But it was too late. Marie twisted the key into the door. Purple in blue swirls reflected in the window. Marie crawled.
"Woah," Coraline heard Marie say.
Coraline knew something had to be done. But she didn't know how to do it. She needed to protect her friend. It was the only thing to do.
Coraline took a deep breath in and crawled in the door way. Marie held the one and only key. She had to give it to Coraline. Coraline knew that she was the only who could hold on to it.
*Coraline and Marie are in the other world*
Coraline heard humming. She instantly knew it was the Beldam.
Be brave, Coraline, Coraline eased.
"Coraline! Woah! This is so cool!" Marie squealed with excitement.
"No. You have to be strong. This is serious," Coraline said. She adjusted her hat and her yellow raincoat that she slipped over her pajamas.
"Coraline, you're such a party-pooper! You've changed ever since you've moved to Michigan," Marie pointed out.
"You're right, Marie. I have," Coraline agreed.
She knew that she had changed. Ever since she first saw the Beldam reveal herself she's been terrified.
"Follow me, Marie. Keep quiet," Coraline whispered, motioning to come with her hand.
Marie shrugged. She was curios why Coraline was so strict.
Coraline walked forward. There stood the Beldam at the stove like she was when Coraline first saw her. She was in disguise as Marie's mother, not Coraline's. She had her buttons back in her eyes and her hand was back. Something happened and Coraline had no idea what.
"I had a feeling you'd come back, darling," said the Beldam, "you can't resist me, can you,"
"I can," Coraline whispered.
"Mm-hmm. Now, Marie. Would you like to play a game with your mother?" Beldam asked.
"My mother?" repeated Marie.
"Yes, sweetie. Your loving mother," the Beldam whispered.
"My mother doesn't play games. She never has. And her eyes aren't-" Marie cut herself off.
"I'm your other-mother. I play games as long as you want me too. And buttons, darling. Buttons," said the Beldam in a soft voice.
Games! How could Coraline not have realized. Games! The Beldam loves to play games Coraline thought. She smirked a little.
"I'd love to play a game," Coraline interrupted.
"Really?" Beldam asked, tapping her buttons with her fingernail.
"Yes," Coraline said.
"Me too!" Marie butted in.
"Good, darling. Your mother is proud of you. What type of game do you want to play," the Beldam asked, grinning.
"Hide and Seek," Marie cheered.
Hmm. How can I work with Hide and Seek? Coraline wondered. That's when she got the idea.
"I'd like to be the seeker, if that's okay," Coraline politely said.
"Fine. Count to thirty. I'll be hidden, "the Beldam said.
"Before you go hide, Marie, you have lint on your pants. Turn around," Coraline said.
Marie turned. In her back pocket of her pajamas the key stuck out. Coraline grabbed it out quickly.
"All better," she said, "now both of you, go hide,"
Coraline pretended to count. She waited until she didn't hear any more footsteps.
"Ready or not, here I come!" Coraline called, with a quick laugh.
Coraline raided through the kitchen pantry, cabinets and the living room closet. She looked for any place she could have hidden a doll. A button eyed doll. She went into her bedroom or her "other" bedroom. That's when she saw it. The doll was behind a needle and thread. From the last time that she was here. Behind the needle stood a doll. Dressed and buttoned like Marie.
Perfect, thought Coraline. She grabbed both the doll and the needle and thread. This was Coraline's perfect plan. She was going to get rid of the Beldam-for good.
"I GIVE UP!" Coraline shouted.
She heard closet doors opening. Coraline ran back into the kitchen.
Marie and the Beldam entered the kitchen together. With disappointed looks on their faces.
"You couldn't find us?" Marie asked.
"No. I found you, but I didn't find her," Coraline said.
"What?"Marie asked.
"You'll understand later. Meet me in the living room, both of you," Coraline turned and walked into the living room.
The fire was crackling. Perfect.
Coraline waited until both Marie and Beldam were sitting down. She reached behind her and grabbed the doll.
"Look familiar?" Coraline asked.
"It's me!" Marie gasped.
"Where did you get that?" Beldam asked through gritted teeth.
"You mean this?" Coraline took the needle and thread out.
"Give that back this instant, Coraline Jones," the Beldam yelled.
Metal legs sprouted out of her dress. Her head grew to a point. She revealed her spider self.
Marie screamed for good life.
Coraline ran up to the Beldam with the needle. She crouched down on the ground, waiting for the Beldam to bend down and grab her. Just as Coraline planned, she did. Coraline sprang up and poked the button with the needle.
"You'll pay for this, Coraline!" Beldam shrieked as her buttons fell out.
As they fell to the ground Coraline realized they were the same exact buttons that she had before. The buttons brought her back. Coraline in shock, threw the buttons into the fire. She watched them melt into nothing.
"Ahh!" Beldam shouted. She was shrinking.
Marie stood up. As the Beldam reached her knee length Marie grabbed her by the point on her dress. She tossed her into the burning fire.
It was over.
Marie reached into her pocket for the key.
"It's not there, Coraline! The key isn't there!" Marie whaled.
"No it's not. It's here," Coraline said as she took out the key from her pocket.
Marie hugged Coraline as they opened the door to the real world. As they got back, Coraline decided the well wasn't enough to keep the Beldam's world away.
As she thought of what had just happened, she made a hot fire. She locked the door plenty of times and threw the key into the fire. It was all done.