Chapter 8: Magic Has Its Price
It is the afternoon; school is over for the day and Cheyenne makes her way home through the school bus. As she walks to the Pink Palace Apartments, she spots Wybie's Welding helmet in the middle of the grassy field. With kindness, she plans on dropping it over to his small shack before going home. Cheyenne makes a few knocks on the door and speaks saying "It's Cheyenne," before waiting a few seconds for a response.
No one response…
"I'm coming in, okay", Cheyenne says as she turns the knob of the door.
As soon as Cheyenne opens the door shack, a loud yell from the side of her startles her.
"Ahh!", yelled Wybie while holding a baseball bat in his hand.
Cheyenne screams and drops Wybie's helmet. By surprise, Wybie drops his bat as well.
"S-sorry!", Wybie says nervously. "I thought you were the creepy demon who came out of the well roaming around the place". Wybie scratches his head and looks down with embarrassment.
"Demon?", Cheyenne replies. "Something came out of the well?"
"Y-yes", Wybie says. "I saw it with my own eyes. It could be anywhere by now-"
A rambling noise from the bushes stops the conversation. They both stand in silence and look at each other, then they look back at the bushes.
"I think it's here", Wybie says in a whisper.
Cheyenne moves closer to the bushes to see what it possibly could be. Out of nowhere, a big unnatural spider comes out and tries to aim for an attack. It squeals as it comes fast at Cheyenne. With fear, Cheyenne covers her head and couldn't react fast enough to the monster. Surprisingly, nothing happens. She opens one of her eyes to see what could've happened only to see dust all on her clothes and arms.
Wybie looks in shocked at what he saw.
"What happened?", Cheyenne says to Wybie.
"It tried to attack you, then it turned into dust", Wybie says trying to speak clearly.
Cheyenne looks at her necklace to see it glowing brightly. She finally has come to the conclusion the necklace her mother gave her was true of magical essence.
Coraline awakens from her slumber in the late afternoon. Someone comes and opens her room doors gently.
"Here Coraline.", Mrs. Jones says with a bowl of chicken noodle soup in her hand. "You're going to be brand new by tomorrow, okay?"
"Thanks", Coraline says as she grabs the bowl from her mother.
"Blow on it. You don't want to burn your tongue, but don't blow too hard; you might wet your bed.", said Mrs. Jones.
Mrs. Jones gives Coraline a warm kiss on her forehead, then she leaves the room to finish up her working tasks.
As Coraline sits up on her bed blowing at her soup, she looks at the window as she stares into the warm color sky. With interest, she goes up to her window, then suddenly she feels puzzled. The well's lid is open with black foot tracks on the green grass on the shallow hill.
"That's weird", Coraline says under her breath.
She doesn't remember leaving a trail track on the grass, nor does she remember leaving the well's lid open. Coraline runs outside to see what could've gone down while she was sleeping. With no clue of what it is, she runs to Wybie's shack to see if he left the trail tracks on the grass.
"You are so getting in trouble by your grandma", Coraline says as she walks near Wybie and Cheyenne.
It took her a few seconds to realize something had happened while she was gone.
"Okay… what happened now?", Coraline replies.
"The well.", Cheyenne comments. "Creatures are coming out of the well."
"That old man was right. He told us that if we didn't stop bothering it, bad things would happen", Wybie comments.
"This isn't good", Coraline replies. She starts to feel tight on the stomach and nervous as to what new problem has arisen on the reality world.
"I don't think things will get better any sooner", replied Cheyenne.
"We should come up with a plan then", Coraline replies.
"Or we could find that old man for advice…", Replied Wybie.
"Your right Wybie, for once...", Coraline replies.
"Wait… you're kidding right?", Wybie comments.
Coraline looks at Cheyenne and Wybie while giving off a smile that she is up for another trip tonight.
"You're more courageous than me Coraline", Cheyenne comments. "Besides, I'm quite tired."
"Well. I guess I will go with you Wybie", Coraline replies.
"Oh n-no Coraline", Wybie replies surprised. "I have homework to do. I'm homeschooled and I don't think I would be prepared for this."
"Well, then I guess I will go by myself then", Coraline says.
Coraline leaves and waits for twilight to reach. She goes into her house and grabs her yellow raincoat and her side bag. She brings her flashlight and a couple of snacks in case she goes hungry.
"Mom! Dad! I'm going to sleep now, and I need all the beauty rest that I can get!", Coraline yells as she is in front of her door.
"Ok, Hun! See you tomorrow morning!", yelled Mrs. Jones.
Coraline's parents head to their room and Coraline finally was able to deceive her parents so they could go to bed as well.
Coraline quietly leaves her home and heads to the well.
"I have to find Charlie and ask him what is possibly going on?", Coraline says to herself.
"Coraline…", whispered Cheyenne.
Coraline becomes started and frightened until she sees Cheyenne's face.
"That was a good one", Replied Coraline.
"I think you might need to borrow this", Cheyenne holds out her enchanted necklace and gives it to Coraline.
"What's that?", replied Coraline.
"It's a protection against the evil. You're going to need it down there.", replied Cheyenne.
"Thanks", said Coraline.
Coraline opens the lid and feels a gust of cool air hit her face. The well doesn't look as alluring as it used to be. It looks like a free ticket to hell.
"Be safe…", commented Cheyenne.
Coraline looks at Cheyenne before she leaves and gives her a look that she got everything under control. Coraline dives deep into the well until she could hit the water. She makes it safely to the other side. However, the world looks terrifying and dark. The sky is dark red, and the floor of the world is covered with black fluids. The village looks abandoned and disoriented.
"CHARLIE!", yelled Coraline. "Where are you!".
Coraline walks through the other world wondering where he could be. She heads into a further wood to see if he would be near.
"Charlie! Please tell me where you are!", yelled Coraline again.
"You should shout like that", replied Charlie the black cat. "They're everywhere and are very hungry."
"I need your help.", replied Coraline. "There's been traces of the other world's creatures sited at the Pink Palace. You've got to help us."
"I did warn you not to go down this wormhole Coraline.", replied the back cat. "This entity has a mind of its own. The Beldam was just a slave to it. Now I'm its new slave."
"What are you saying?", replied Coraline.
"What I'm saying is that magic comes with a price", replied the black cat. "No matter how much I try to avoid the effects, they will always find me. The Beldam was able to keep this realm intact due to the sacrifices she would commit. When the entity doesn't get what it wants, it would do awful things to you. This is no fairytale, nor is there a happy ending to this at all. The best thing you could do is leave and stay with your family while I try to bound this place and find a way to destroy it. For now, I will put a protection spell from keeping this place from overcrossing. However, you must be aware that I am not as strong as I thought I would be. MY powers will become weak eventually."
"This is really bad.", replied Coraline. "What's going to happen to you?"
The black cat disappears and transforms into his human form. With magic, he enforces a purplish energy force at a monstrous creature who tried to attack Coraline from behind.
"Don't worry about me", replied the black cat/ Mr. Fulton.
He takes something out from his cloak and hands it to Coraline. Two enchanted rings ordained to protect those who wear them from evil entities.
"I have no use to this, nor can I wear it as my essence has been tainted.", replied Mr. Fulton. "Take it. Give one to the young boy and the girl at the Pink Palace. This is all I have to give."
"Thanks", replied Coraline. "I'm counting on you."
"Hurry and go now. I must bound this place without you in it.", said Mr. Fulton.
A bunch of monsters from afar start to lurk towards Coraline trying to make a sacrifice for the realm.
"Run!", yelled Mr. Fulton in his feeble voice.
Coraline runs t the well before any creature could try to take her away. She falls into the well hoping to never come back and makes it to the real world safely. Although she is goo for now. She still worries about the home and possibly the world becoming in grave danger.