The Devil You Don't

The hallway was dark. And it seemed wrong. Coraline had only been in a hospital a handful of times in her life, and never as a patient. Unless, perhaps, being born counted, and she could hardly remember that far back. But the few hospitals Coraline had ever visited had always been well-lit, their hallways stark white, with lots of people scurrying about--some visitors, some patients, many staff.

But this was the complete opposite. Most lights were completely out, save for the red emergency glow of exit signs, fire routes, and other vital information. Flashing colors from television sets briefly illuminated rooms with each change of the camera, but no other overhead light was visible. Coraline felt as though she were in a hospital that had been long abandoned, but she could sense the presence of people.

Is it lonely where you are, in there

Dad?

Does the darkness know your name?

Does Mom?

What's it like?

Can you feel? She said her blood turns to ash

Laughing.....

Dad, do you know what you've done this time to me?

Slowly but purposefully, Coraline made her way down the hallways, stepping on the black and white checkerboard floors with determination. She was unable to make out the signs that pointed out the ways to different areas and departments, but for some reason, it didn't matter. She was certain she knew where she was going. A set of double doors stood in front of her, blocking her way. She scowled at a sign marked "Authorized Personnel Only." She wasn't about to let something like a rule stop her now. She pushed on the doors, but they would not give. Sighing, Coraline tried to stick her fingers into the tiny crevasse in the center to force the doors apart, but after twenty second of groaning and getting nowhere, she relented, blowing where the nail on her left index finger had given out, the nail breaking and its coral paint flaking away in a gash. She frowned at the detriment to her manicure, but there were more important things to consider, like getting past the door. She looked to her right, taking note of the security card reader on the wall, surmising that it must hold the key to getting in. Unfortunately, Coraline was fresh out of key cards. Stamping her foot in annoyance, she turned behind her to see if anyone was paying attention. She took some relief that she hadn't seemed to rouse any suspicions, but then, the hallway was so dark that she couldn't clearly see if anyone was coming in her direction, anyway. But clearly, she wouldn't be proceeding any further without being granted some kind of permission. She wasn't certain why she felt she needed to go through those doors, but it was as though every fiber of her being was begging her to. The urge was becoming almost primal, like finding something to eat when you haven't eaten all day, or running to the bathroom when you've been holding it for hours. And now, it seemed, she was going to be made to be patient. And patience was something that Coraline thoroughly disliked.

Turning away from the double doors, she decided to explore farther, doubling back to the rows of patient rooms adorning both walls. The soft glow of a television set illuminated the walls and front window of the room closest to her, and Coraline allowed her curiosity to get the better of her. Quietly, she stepped into the doorway of the room, deciding to pay a visit to its occupant. Cautiously, she entered the room, walking past the empty bed closer to the door to look in on the patient that lay on the other bed farther inside. As Coraline cleared the first part of the room, her eyes were immediately drawn to the TV set. The screen was flickering, and white snow filled the image. The patient had probably fallen asleep. Frowning, she turned to check on the patient and see if she could somehow make them more comfortable, but the instant her head rotated to the left, it was as though the very blood in her veins froze solid.

Inside of the bed was a doll. A life-sized doll, like the ones her Other Mother had created in another world she still tried hard to forget. Whoever or whatever lay in the bed bore the resemblance of a real person, breathed like one, smelled like one, even felt like one. But the black buttons in place of its eyes was all Coraline needed to know that whatever it was, it wasn't human. What was this place? Some kind of hospital for the Beldam's creations?

No, that couldn't be right. The Beldam was largely powerless now. True, Coraline had recently spoken with her. But without the key, she was trapped on the wrong side. Shutting her eyes, Coraline dredged up the horrible memories of her final escape from that place, with the eyes of the Ghost Children and the snow globe that held her parents. The Beldam screaming at her as she wrenched the door shut and the passage began to collapse. 'I'll die without you, Coraline!" The demon had howled as Coraline fled, never looking back as the monster desperately professed its love for her.

Somehow, in her soul, Coraline knew the Beldam's words to be true. It would die without her, because she was not just a meal that had gotten away. Coraline had locked the door and thrown away the key, dooming the Beldam to slowly starve to death. It had just recently as much as admitted it to her in her own words. But still, the Beldam's death appeared to be long in coming, and it might be much longer still. Coraline knew that she was only the fourth child to have been lured in over a hundred years, so her Other Mother clearly did not to feed often. Was it possible this place was her doing?

Burning eyes, can't forgive you

Lonely moon drives on...

And deep in me...your illusion

What you see in me

Is..........

Choking down her fear and disgust for the thing that inhabited the hospital bed, Coraline rapidly backed out of the room, now finding the darkness of the hallway to be almost welcoming. At length, she released a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding, before backing into the central kiosk that composed the Nurses' Station. "Can I help you?" A voice from behind her asked. It was horrifyingly familiar. Coraline wished that whoever had spoken sounded like anyone else.

"What is this place?" Coraline asked, somehow knowing she wasn't going to like the answer.

"It's a place where we come to be born...and to die." The answer was curt and harsh, as though she were being scolded for answering a question she should've known the answer to. "We've been expecting you, Coraline. We've been waiting for so very long..."

Gulping audibly, Coraline turned around towards the voice, coming face to face with the nurse. And she used every last drop of her soul's willpower not to scream as she stared into the black, buttoned eyes of what she could only call her Other Self.

"No...no this isn't real, you're not--"

"Oh, but we are, Coraline." Her Other Self smirked. "We are everywhere."

Almost immediately, the doors that Coraline had been so desperate to go through flung open, two more soulless versions of herself wheeling an empty gurney, stopping at the Nurses' station. Coraline tried to wrench herself free of their grasp, but their grips were like steel talons, somehow feeling far stronger than any of the creations her Other Mother had whipped up. Unceremoniously, they dropped her onto the gurney, then began bonding her wrists and feet to it. "What do you think you're doing, stop it!" Coraline squirmed and protested, trying to wriggle free, but her struggle was in vain. Once her bondage was complete, her Other Selves released their hold and began to wheel her towards the doors. Immediately, Coraline began to test the knots she had been fastened with, but there was hardly any give.

The double doors parted as Coraline's Other Selves accessed the security control, and they rushed her through as quickly as possible, with little concern for the roughness of the ride. "Where are you taking me, Beldam?!" Coraline spat as she was propelled through hallway after hallway, taking a series of frightening turns that never seemed to end. At least, that is, until Coraline spoke up. The plucky young girl's words stopped her captors in their tracks.

Each of the copies looked down upon her, then spoke simultaneously. "That name has not been known for centuries. You know of her?"

Coraline put on her best scowl. She would have crossed her arms over chest had she been free to move them. "Oh yes, we're acquainted. We were very close, she and I." Coraline hoped she was confusing them. Technically, there was truth in her words, loathe as she was to admit it. The bond between herself and the Beldam, Mother and Daughter, Predator and Prey, was complex at the best of times and downright unpleasant to dwell upon most others. "She was clever." Coraline said at length. "But not as clever as me. Still, I suppose in some kind of twisted way, the Beldam helped make me the girl I am today."

The doll version of her standing at the foot of the gurney covered its ears in disgust. "You will stop this blasphemy! We do not speak her name." Its lips curled into a snarl, causing Coraline to wonder if she appeared that frightening to others when she was upset. A brief recollection of fearful looks on Wybie's face when he had incurred her wrath confirmed her suspicions.

"Let me go." Coraline said angrily, not willing to be ordered around by automatons. In response, the doll versions of her flung the gurney forwards, propelling it down the long hallway and crashing through another set of double doors, this one uninhibited by security. The gurney's passenger screamed in terror as the doors blew apart like toothpicks, then proceeded to carry her down a short staircase into a large, open room, that darkness had enveloped all but the foyer of. Mercifully, the gurney began to run out of steam and began to veer ninety degrees, slowly coming to a stop. The cessation of motion finally caused Coraline to stop screaming, but a quick look at the blackness of this new location combined with what she could only describe as a presence began to worry her once more.

"This probably comes as no surprise, but we've been expecting you, Coraline." The voice was rough and feminine, slightly familiar, but overall frightening and calloused, as though her Other Mother had swallowed a piece of coarse sandpaper. Futilely, Coraline struggled against the knots that held her firmly in place. Never before had she felt so completely helpless. She swallowed a lump that was forming in her throat. She would never let the Beldam or anyone else see fear within her.

"I don't care if you have!" Coraline spat at the disembodied voice. "I'm not afraid of you I never have been!"

The response that they young girl received was not one she would have expected. Rather than a verbal reply, there came a horrible grinding sound, like metal being forcibly scraped over stone and other metal. And it was growing louder, or rather, it was coming closer. Instinctively, her eyes shut, wanting to protect her from whatever horrible sight that approached, but Coraline's will forced them open again, refusing to be afraid of the unknown. As her vision began to focus on the figure that approached, things began to become more clear. Whatever was coming, it looked just the like the Beldam, the very last time Coraline had seen the witch, in her Other Mother's living room. The creature's face was cracked in place, like paint that had flaked off with age. And the metal scraping sound came from the way she, or at least Coraline assumed it was a she, dragged two of her metal legs along the ground. But this was certainly not the Beldam. The facial features were different, and even at her worst, the Beldam had always gazed upon her with that perverse look of love in her black, buttoned eyes. This new creature's gaze was soulless. "What do you want with me?" Coraline asked, focusing on keeping her voice steady.

"It's really quite simple, child." The Beldam-like creature smirked at her in a way that made Coraline want to vomit. "We want you to give birth for us."

Coraline screamed.

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO

And her scream continued as she sat bolt upright in her bed, nearly shrill enough to shatter the glass of the Pink Palace's ancient windows before Coraline once again became aware of her more familiar surroundings. Her brain rebooting like a computer, she suddenly clamped down on her vocal theatrics, catching her breath. Finally allowing herself a moment to relax, she let her head fall back to the pillow, her gaze drifting up to the chain of faux dragonflies that framed the posts of her bed. Breathing deeply, she nearly screamed a second time when a black blur startled her by pouncing onto her mattress. "It's just you, Cat." She reached out to pet her somewhat mangy friend. Her purred in response to her gentle touch, and she stroked his chin tenderly, glad to see the face of a friend.

Did you have that dream again?

Release, breathe

You're receiving what you said

Said she "Never mind."

Emptiness, dead eyes, and lost what you found

Maybe....

There, on the edge, is your hope, but you don't look down

Why?

A loud knock on her door brought her back to reality. "Coraline!' Her mother called, sounding very annoyed. "Coraline! Honestly, you'll wake the neighbors! Is everything all right in there?"

Coraline winced, knowing she had to think of a good cover. "Um, yeah, I'm okay mom. I just thought there was a mouse in my bed, that's all. False alarm!" She could hear her mother's anger although the older woman said nothing, but at least it was no longer being directed at her.

"If that crackpot Bobinsky lets even one of those filthy rodents into our part of this house, so help me..." Her mother's voice trailed off as she walked away from her daughter's bedroom.

Coraline waited until she was certain her mother had gone before breathing a sigh of relief. The sun was beginning to spill in through her bedroom window, prompting her to get moving. "School' she muttered as made to get out of bed."I'd better get ready--"

Her thoughts were completely interrupted by the hiss of Cat. His entire body began to bristle with hate. "Cat, what's--" This thought, too, was left unfinished as Coraline followed the feline's gaze to her nightstand. There, neatly sitting with a somewhat smug look upon its face, was another Coraline doll. But instead of orange pajamas, this doll was wearing a white nurses' uniform, complete with white cap and matching red cross. This time, Coraline fought the urge to scream. Her anger overcame here, and she seized the little effigy, squeezing it mercilessly before finally slamming it into her mattress in disgust. "We've got to tell Wybie as soon as he comes." She muttered, launching herself out of bed. Immediately, Coraline went to her closet, pulling her school uniform off of a hanger and launching it towards the bed. She threw open her dresser and grabbed fresh socks, panties, and an undershirt, then quickly changed out of her pajamas, replacing her old undergarments with the fresh ones and finally climbing into her accursed school uniform, a symbol of conformity she loathed. Finally dressed for the day, Coraline spent half a minute brushing her hair, wincing as the few snags she found were yanked free. Lastly, she applied her favorite dragonfly barrette just behind her right bangs, "Let's go, Cat." She called after her friend and part-time pet, at least, when he wasn't spending time with Wybie.

Coraline bounded down the stairs in a hurry, wanting to skip breakfast but knowing her mother would never allow it. She wandered into the kitchen, where her Father sat reading the paper. "Good morning, Dizzy Dreamer!" He announced cheerfully, peeking his head out from behind the local news section.

"Dad..." Coraline moaned, but it did little good. Her father always saw her as his little girl, and though she hated admitting it, she knew in her heart she always would be. She was a willful girl, much like her mother, but that also meant that Charles Jones often ended up playing the referee between the two of them.

Coraline poured herself a bowl of Lucky Charms, a trophy of the battles she had had with her mother in the past about eating. Her mother preferred that her daughter would eat something more nutritious for breakfast, but her father had ruled that Coraline could choose her own cereals. It hadn't gone over well with "The Boss," but Charlie vindicated himself in his wife's eyes by making his daughter eat a variety of disgusting vegetables at dinner that Coraline was certain were outlawed in forty-eight states. Unfortunately, it seemed, Oregon was one of the two holdouts.

"Mom says you saw a mouse this morning." Charlie said evenly.

"Thought I saw." Coraline corrected, remembering her little white lie. "Turns out I was wrong. Besides, even if we did have mice, I'm sure Cat would catch them for us."

"I don't know, Coraline, he's a little old and mangy for that."

"Way to inspire him, Dad." She rolled her eyes, grabbing milk from the refrigerator and pouring it onto her cereal. She scooted into her seat and began spooning the cereal into her mouth. It was already beginning to grow late, and Wybie would certainly be here in five or ten minutes to escort her to the bus stop, same as every morning. "Where's mom?"

"She's off to the printers." Charlie explained. "The publisher ordered a supplement to this year's catalog and they want it in next month."

"Is she going grocery shopping too?" Coraline hoped.

"Probably afterward, why?"

"Do you think you could tell her to pick up some chicken, dad? It's been a long time since you've made your famous fried chicken."

"Well..."

Coraline begged. "Please...."

"We'll see." Charlie smirked.

"Thanks, dad." Coraline smiled, finishing her cereal and kissing him on the cheek, knowing she'd won. She placed her bowl in the sink. "I need to get my books." She said over her shoulder as she walked out of the kitchen and across the main hall to the living room.

As expected, Coraline saw Cat standing in front of the small door, scratching at it with his claws. "Cat!" Coraline warned him with an angry yell, and he backed away from the small portal, hissing sharply at the entity on the other side.

"Coming to my defense, Coraline?" Her Other Mother asked from behind the door. Coraline scowled. She had assumed the Beldam would be asleep during the day, saving its strength.

"No, I just don't feel like listening to mom complain about scratch marks on the walls." The blue-haired girl explained.

"I see." The Beldam stated quietly. "Well dear, your friend here seems quite agitated. So tell me, did you get another 'love letter?" The Beldam asked, curious.

Coraline frowned, not knowing if it was a wise idea to tell the truth to her Other Mother. But common sense ultimately told her that there was no harm. At least, none that she could see. "Yes." And that was when Coraline got an idea. "I had a dream last night."

"A dream?" The Beldam asked.

"Yes. I was in a hospital. At least, I think it was a hospital. But it wasn't like any hospital I've ever been in. It was dark and creepy and filled with big doll versions of me....and there was something like you there, too."

"What?"

"Something like you. Only bigger and..." Coraline chose not to finish the thought. Calling the creature from her dream more frightening would only end up looking like a compliment to the Beldam.

The creature on the other side of the door said nothing for some time, as though digesting this information. "Sound familiar?" Coraline asked when she received no response, somewhat proud of herself for having bested the Beldam on some level.

"It wasn't a hospital, Coraline. At least, not in the true sense of the word. That's just a representation, something your mind substitutes so it can understand."

"Oh really?" Coraline scoffed, unimpressed. "So what is it really, then?" She asked, wondering if the Beldam would give her an accurate answer. But any reply was cut off by the sound of a doorbell. "Wybie." Coraline whispered, her heart beginning to beat faster at the thought of telling him what was happening. "We'll finish this later." Coraline stood, heading for the front door.

There you go, saying nothing

Here's my mind unclear

Or, could it be?

Maybe something has a hold of me

Like.........

"Coraline!" The Other Mother called, and something about her voice made Coraline stop in her tracks. She couldn't ever remember the Beldam sounding so sincere before, not even when the two of them had first met.

"What?" The girl asked, impatient and yet somehow unwilling to shut out the voice of her nemesis.

"It wasn't a hospital, Coraline." The Beldam spoke earnestly.

"What then?" The girl asked, having no time to play games so early in the morning

"It is the place where I was born."

OoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooO

Author's Notes

Wow! I must say, I'm very impressed by the sheer numbers of reviews that have trickled in for this story over the last week. I never expected to see such an overwhelming response, so a heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you that have been left wanting more of this story. I'm very glad to have reached so many fans of this amazing film, and I thank you all for the opportunity to entertain you on what I hope will be a regular basis—at least until I finish the story.

There seems to be some confusion about my presentation of the door, so allow me to try and clear that up. Coraline does not possess the key, that's still in the well she dropped it into at the end of the film. The door remains firmly shut. But because it is carved out of the wall, there are very tiny spaces where Coraline's mother cut open its framework near the beginning of the film, including the usual space between the floor and the bottom of the door. As such, things like sound can easily filter through, and very tiny objects can also be passed. Coraline does not send the entire doll to the Beldam, as it would not fit through the door. She sent strands of the dolls hair through the bottom of the door, that's all. I hope this clears up anyone who was confused.

I spent considerably more time on this chapter, running over things in my head and trying to create an atmosphere that would be truly menacing to Coraline, but at the same time, not wanting to push the envelope so far that her usually plucky, precocious nature would no longer be believable. There are things about Coraline's character that I find to be extremely special and unique, and while I enjoy the prospects of challenging her throughout this story, I am trying to be mindful of her psyche as I fear somehow taking away or burying the best parts of her personality. I confess that in my ten years of writing fanfiction, I have never before worked with a character quite as unique as her, so please bear with me as I slowly feel her out, I'll try not to make too many bumps and mistakes along the way.

I've really got some terrific plot ideas in my head for this story, but I decided to stop short of revealing the bigger picture just yet. While a large part of me wants to show everyone what's going on, I'm a big believer in always leaving your audience wanting more, and so that's what prompted me to leave off where I have. I know, I know, you all want to know what happens next. All I can ask is that you trust me—I do promise to make it worth your while.

I'm sure that many of my readers are waiting for the introduction of Wybie. I know, I purposefully teased his arrival in this chapter. To be honest, I had originally planned to put a few more scenes in, but I still feel that overall, this is the best place to end the update. Hey, I've got to do something to make you all want to come back again, right?

One thing to note, the song lyrics I interspersed throughout this chapter in italics are from a song called "O.R.T." It was written by Akira Yamaoka and performed by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn. It can be found in the horror video game Silent Hill: 0rigns. While the official soundtrack can only be imported from Japan, you should be able to hear it over You Tube if you like. Try doing a search for "Silent Hill 0rigins song 1" or "Silent Hill 0rigins O.R.T." and you should be able to find it. Please do bear in mind that the Silent Hill series has always been rated M and tends to specialize in disturbing imagery, so if you scare easily, you might want to be cautious. I really don't think that you'd find anything to terrifying or disturbing while searching for this file, but I don't want to be the one you blame bad dreams on! That said, I hope you enjoy it.

That about wraps things up for me. I had a fabulous time writing this chapter, and I look forward to posting the next one. In the meantime, please don't be strangers, and in addition to your wonderful reviews, feel free to send your questions, comments, compliments, complaints, love letters, death threats, marriage proposals, and ransom demands to:

Lord Malachite

02/17/09

6:18AM, EST

E-mail: ranger(underscore)writer(at)yahoo(dot)com

AIM: Asukaphile26