...We're leaving here tonight
There's no need to tell anyone
They'd only hold us down
So by the morning's light
We'll be half way to anywhere
Where love is more than just your name...
The years seemed to go faster then Coraline thought they would. She started off homeless, living as a beggar on the streets, until a wealthy man saw her and took pity on her. He invited her to stay with him until she was old enough to look after herself. She was worried at first but the man seemed trustworthy, and apparently he had a very good reputation, so she took the offer. She lived far away in a raver large, yet cosy house in the middle of a valley for a long time after that. The man and his wife became like parents to her, but she knew they could never replace the ones she left.
There wasn't a day gone by where she didn't think about her parents, or how they must have felt when they found out she left. She always wondered if they still remembered her, or did they just forget after all these years. She prayed that they still thought of her once in a while, though she didn't deserve it. She had acted rationally out of fear and her family and friends had to pay the price. She would always regret what she did. She would always hate herself for it too. She wished she could go back, but was scared. What if they were so mad at her for leaving that they didn't want her back?
These thoughts would haunt her for many nights, they had soon replaced her fears of the small door and what was inside it. This was her new reason to cry herself to sleep. Guilt would take over her life until the day she died.
So now, at twenty five years of age and working in a British country pub, Coraline Jones wanted to go back home.
"I mean, If I go home to my real mum and dad, then I'll know how they felt ten years ago, and all these problems will go away right?" she asked while serving a large, near drunken man his third pint of beer. Angela, her wealthy second 'mother', shrugged her shoulders while cleaning the bear glasses. "I dunno sweetie, I mean you got a good life here don't you? Me and the hubby love ya, our son Tim should be popping the question anytime soon and due to business going up, we got more money then whats good for us! Going back could change all this."
Coraline sighed, "I know, but... I just feel like I need to see them again. It wont be forever, I just need to know if my parents are okay and if their not planning my death."
"Trust me, I understand where you coming from, but think of it: You go back, mammy and daddy are all happy, then BAM, you can never leave again without breaking their heart" Angela said while gesturing with her hands.
Coraline slumped her shoulders, "But I'm twenty five, they'll know I'm too old to be treated like a kid, right?" Angela laughed, "Please, my Timmy is twenty eight, but in my eyes he's only a little baby" she said while looking across the bar and waving to her son who was playing darts with his friends.
Coraline watched as Tim ignored his mother and instead looked to her and blew her a kiss. Coraline rolled her eyes as he walked forward and leaned his elbow on the bar in the smug way he seemed to have with him 24/7.
"Hello you sexy blue thing, how 'bout a drink for the guy who's made you the luckiest girl in the world?" he asked with a cocky grin. Coraline gave a nervous smile as Angela watched them with a motherly happiness.
She took in a deep breath, "Of course... dear" she replied while giving him what he wanted. Slowly he flexed his muscles and leaned further on the table. "So hot stuff, I was thinking this weekend you and I spend quality time in the country hotel not far from here. It comes with all the things a girl could want, a hot tub, a spar, heart shaped bed for two, and the best of all: me!" he said while taking her hand.
Coraline's top lip rose up in the corner and her eyes stared widely. Quickly she shook her head and faked a smile. "Gee, uh... I-I don't know what to say" she mumbled.
"Great, we'll go Friday, I already booked a room for us to share..." he trailed off. Coraline's mouth widened a little, she didn't want that to happen!
"Tim, I-I am so sorry, b-but uh... this weekend I'm going to Ashland Oregon to finally see my parents again" she said while pulling her hand away. Tim looked to his mother as if expecting her to do something that would change her mind, but all she did was look at her confusingly.
After seeing his mother was no help, Tim turned to Coraline, "Don't worry babe, I totally understand. And you don't need to ask, the answer is yes" he said.
"I'm sorry, what?" she replied. "I'll go with you too meet your parents, I'm sure they'll fall in love with me and then they'll love you even more" he said is if she had begged him for the past hour.
"What? No! Sorry, Tim... I need to go alone first, m-maybe next time o-or something" she said quickly. Tim stared at her is if she had just said the unthinkable while Angela just bit down on her gloss covered lip.
"Uh o-okay, dunno where that came from but... okay" he muttered dumbstruck under his breath. Coraline forced a small dreaded smile. No backing out now, she was going home.
Light snores echoed in the back of a yellow taxi as Coraline rested tiredly from a long day of travelling. She had spent the past eighteen hours on a plane, on the railway and now in a car. It was enough to make anyone exhausted.
She stirred when a loud voice from the front called to her and woke her from her sleep.
"Hey blue head, were here! Fifty bucks!" the cab driver yelled.
Coraline yawed while stretching her arms. She reached into her purse and gave the man what she owed.
"She ya around" he said while counting the money. Not bothering to reply, Coraline got out the car and took her bags out of the boot. She watched as the taxi drove off, leaving her on the side of the muddy road.
Butterfly's started to fly around in her stomach as she slowly turned around. Faintly, she could just see the very top of the Pink Palace tower. The Tower that was just above her old bedroom, and the place Mr. Bobinsky used to keep his mice in.
She quickly took in a deep breath and reassured herself that everything was going to be okay. She picked up her bags and walked down the road.
The butterfly's got worse as she saw the sign saying Pink Palace slowly coming into view. She was so close to seeing her family, her real family... her crazy neighbors and friends!
Then with no warning, the dread and worry was replaced with excitement as she started running as fast as could down the road. Laughter left her lips as she entered onto the drive way.
She couldn't wait to see that old, worn down, creepy looking house as she...
She stopped.
Her bags fell to the ground with a loud thud as she stared in horror at the old house.
It was ruined. The paint was nearly all gone, the wood had large cracks in it and most of the windows were covered up with large wooden boards. Tiles from the roof were now resting on the floor, broken in tiny peaces while the metal stair way that lead to the top flat had poles missing in the sides. This place had never looked so horrible. It was a nightmare!
How could anyone live here?
... if they lived here...
Coraline quickly ran to the middle apartment and banged her fists against the door as loud as she could. "MUM DAD!" she yelled out. Suddenly the door flew open, showing that the lock was broken.
Coraline walked into the house. She expected to find it empty and ruined but it wasn't. Well it was a bit, but all of her parents stuff was still there. The old table and chairs in the kitchen, the sofa and snow globes in the parlor, everything.
All there stuff was here, but they wern't.
Distressed, Coraline walked outside and closed the rotten door behind her. She sat down on the porch steps and rested her head in her hands. Her eyes started to well up with tears as thoughts of the Beldam killing them after she left ran through her mind.
Suddenly, faint voices snapped her from her thoughts. She gasped and looked up in hope. She quickly got up and ran to the side of the house where the noises where.
But when she found them, she frowned. It was only a weird couple fighting in the top flat... wait? What were they doing in Mr. B's apartment?
She watched as a dark haired man, maybe in his late twenties, yelled at a woman while pushing her out of the flat.
"Stay out you little Bitch!" he yelled while slamming the door.
"Got to hell along with those sluts you've been seeing!" she yelled back before walking down the steps angrily. She past Coraline with a glare. "When you see him tell him I'm leaving him for real this time" she said, thinking she was another one of her husbands 'friends'.
Coraline stopped her, "No wait, please. I'm sorry but... do a Mr. and Mrs. Jones live here?" she asked. The woman stared at her before shrugging slightly, "Yeah, middle apartment, but their not in, their on some work trip or something for a week" she answered.
"What? Aw man!" Coraline groaned, annoyed from the bad timing.
"Look, I'm staying at my mates house okay, if you need anything else then go see the landlord" the woman said, still annoyed herself, before walking to her car.
Coraline's eyes went wide. A small smile crept onto her face.
"Wybie!"
Yaay finally figured out what to do with this story :D
To be honest I was a bit worried about uploading this in case I made a mistake in the story line
if you think this way will work then let me know in the reviews please
and Thanks to the 9 people who reviewed the first chap =D
BTW Note how very good I was, only mentioning Wybie once in this chap, this story is not going to be about him... he just has a big part in it.
But NO! I'm staying strong... will not... give him... full attention...
Whaaaaaa this is gonna be hard! T^T