Chapter 4: The disappearance
It is the afternoon; the sun is an hour away from setting at the far west of the landscape.
"Okay, I was able to get the camera functioning", Wybie says as he holds a camera projector that is connected to the bat drone. "We'll be able to see where the bad go and hear anything that could be down there".
"Something's not right…", Cheyenne replies.
"What do you mean?", Wybie comments.
"There's supposed to be a glowing light… I don't understand", Cheyenne says softly.
"We should still check it out in case of anything. Who knows, this well could possibly lead to the other end of the earth!", Wybie.
"Oh really?", Coraline says with irony.
"I mean it could be possible. No one knows the end of this well around here.", replied Wybie. Wybie turns to Cheyenne and gives her the camera projector that would track the drone. "Here, you can hold it while I scavenger down the well".
Before Wybie turns on the drone and starts to fly it inside the well, they all look at each other embracing the fact that what they are doing is something they have never done before.
"Okay this is kind of awkward…", Wybie says to break the silence.
"Okay then maybe you should get started.", Coraline replies directly.
Wybie starts to fly his bat drone. At first, he had to adjust and get used to driving the drone down the well slowly and steadily to not damage it. As soon as he was able to control his momentum, he starts to lower the drone slowly down the dark well. He lowers the drone farther and farther down the well for a long while, never reaching the bottom. Cheyenne and Coraline look at the camera screen and see nothing but the well's wall lowering every time the drone goes further down.
"It has been over 5 minutes and we still haven't reached the bottom.", complains Coraline.
"This isn't no ordinary well either.", replied Wybie. "I asked my grandma about the well, she knows very little about it other than people shouldn't be around it. After all, who could rescue you if you ever fell down this well?"
Suddenly, a windy noise from the well starts to be heard. The walls also start to widen, but no noise of any water seems to be heard. Out of nowhere, the drone starts to break up and lose connection. In a little glimpse, a bright blue light appears before the drone completely turns off.
"What's happening?", replied Cheyenne. "This is very strange."
"I think we went too far to the point that the camera stopped working.", replied Coraline. "Wybie, did your electro bat run out of batteries?"
"What… No?", Wybie says while looking bewildered. "the drone can't be broken. I fixed it up pretty well and test run it multiple times."
Wybie looks at the camera screen to see that it is shut down.
"Aw, man! This can't be happening now!", Wybie says in distress.
"Well, this is just great," Coraline replies. "Maybe the batteries were low."
"The drone doesn't need batteries. All you have to do is charge it with a charger.", Wybie says.
"Well, something went wrong with the bat.", Coraline replies as she gets the last words.
Wybie tries to fix the camera projector while Coraline proceeds to look down the well. Cheyenne spots something from a distance in the woods. She doesn't take her eyes off it but looks in fear. Then she realizes that it's a man.
"You guys… look", Cheyenne says while gawking at the thing she sees.
Coraline and Wybie stop what they are doing and become aroused. The man is tall, skinny, old, and has shoulder-length hair with grey streaks all over. His clothes are like nothing of the fashion of the world he is standing in. He has a long hat and a green cloak covering his bright colorful clothes inside. His eyes have dark circles around them and he looks somewhat malnourished by his face.
"Should we leave?", replied Wybie.
No one answers but looks at the old man wondering where he was from.
"Hello, there children!", he says enthusiastically. "Does this happens to be the Pink Palace Apartment estate?"
"Uh. Yeah, it is.", replied Wybie. "Do you need anything?"
"Oh no. I just happen to live around here a long time ago before this place was ever built.", the old man replies.
"Who are you?", Coraline asks interrupting the man. The voice sounds familiar to Coraline but she can't seem to connect it to a face.
"My name is Mr. Fulton.", the old man replies. He changes the subject to speak about the well. "I would conclude that you children are exploring this well.. Why so?"
Wybie nervously gives a watered-down explanation to the old man until he was interrupted: "W-we just wanted to check it out and see-"
"You should stay away from this well and never explore it ever again", Mr. Fulton says passive-aggressively and with a quick tongue. "This well is no place for children like you guys to be in, do you understand?", he says with a stern voice.
Mr. Fulton starts to look a bit suspicious and cautious to Coraline, Wybie, and Cheyenne. Mr. Fulton looks strange and seems to be very defensive about the well. His tone and presence become a bit feared by the kids.
"I think it's best for you all to leave it right now. I've seen unnatural things come out of it", Mr. Fulton replies.
They all flea to the Pink Palace Apartment and go near Wybie's shed. Cheyenne turns around one last time only to see Mr. Fulton looking back at her with a stern look. Mr. Fulton waits for them to leave out of sight and does an unnatural thing. With the work of his hand and magic (it seems), he pulls out the bat drone without touching it and breaks it. He leaves hastily and disappears into the woods with no trace of existence.
"Should I tell my grandma about that man by the woods?", Wybie asks.
"No", replied Coraline. "We won't ever get to know what could be hiding in the well if you tell your grandma. We're just going to have to avoid him with all cost."
Coraline looks at Cheyenne and tells her that she shouldn't go to the well although she plans to go there tonight.
As soon as nighttime arrives, Coraline stares at the well through her window waiting for something unusual to happen. Ironically, the well starts to glow again. Adrenaline hits Coraline and she starts to make her way downstairs while putting on her yellow coat to leave the house. She brings a rope in case she ever gets stuck and can climb out and a small bag. Coraline is prepared and doesn't fear the unnatural things that seem to occur within her life. As soon as she arrives there, she sees Cheyenne already there. She has opened the well's led all the way and looks captivated as she stares at the glowing well.
"Cheyenne! What are you doing?!", Coraline yells while whispering.
Cheyenne looks up startled as she wonders who called her name. Suddenly, something grabs hold of her wrist and ends up pulling her in the well to a long fall. Cheyenne screams as she falls down the well. Her screams also fade away until Coraline couldn't hear her anymore.
"Cheyenne!", Coraline loudly yells this time. Coraline doesn't hesitate and runs to the well.
With a little hesitation, Coraline becomes scared and thinks about what Mr. Fulton said to her. However, Coraline would regret not searching for Cheyenne as she was the last one who saw her.
Coraline then remembers how strong she was able to be free from that old witch who tried to take her own life away; for Coraline has beaten death before. With great valor in her eyes, she falls in the well and fades away slowly. The well's portal and glowing light start to fade away after Coraline and from there, the trace of Coraline and Cheyenne's disappearance becomes unknown.