Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OCs. The book, movie, and my everlasting love for both belong to Neil Gaiman and Laika.


Charlie Williams looked out the car window at the grey world. In her lap was a beaten up sketchbook. So far her mother's hometown was pretty bland. Comparing it to her home in NYC; it was like comparing a game of chess to a trip to a theme park. This is the place where her mom grew up. No matter how many times Charlie visited it, she was never impressed. She always thought her mother's hometown would become more exciting every time she came, but instead, it seemed to grow blander.

Charlie looked over to her mother, Coraline Jones, who had her eyes trained on the road, so Charlie could only see half of her face. Even only seeing half of her mother's face, she could see the resemblance between them. They had the same dark brown hair except, her mother has been cutting and dying it blue since she was twelve. While Charlie's hair was long and still it's natural color. While her mother was pale, Charlie was slightly darker due to her father. The most visible feature that was the same was their freckles and their bright brown eyes.

She looked up at the hill that she and her mother was driving on, at the very top was a pink house. The sign at the bottom of the hill said "Pink Palace Apartments". To her, the house looked nothing like a palace and the pink paint seems to be fading; the entire house seemed to blend in perfectly with the grey scenery. Her grandparents have been living in one of the apartments since her mother was twelve years old.

Now Charlie and her mother were moving in with her grandparents for the summer, so her mother could recover from the affair. She still couldn't understand why her father did it. The thought of her father made Charlie scowl.

Coraline took notice of her daughter's face scrunched up into a scowl. She slightly shifted her head so she could semi-face her daughter.

"How are you feeling?" asked Coraline. "Fine," responded Charlie. "I know I tell you this every time we go to see Grandma and Grandpa, but tell me if-" "If I have any weird dreams about little doors opening, people with buttons for eyes, rats, or magical worlds where everything is better," finished Charlie with a smirk.

"You are to never-" "Never go near the well in the woods," "And if you find-" "Find a doll that looks exactly like me, to hand it over to you so you may dispose of it. I swear Mom, you are acting like we are in your novel The Other Mother," answered Charlie with a smirk. "Sometimes I still think I am back in the novel," muttered Coraline.

Coraline looked up the hill to look at the Pink Palace, concern and worry were written on her face. Nothing has happened since she locked the door and disposed of the key. She had brought Charlie to her parent's house for years now and the Other Mother hasn't tried anything. So nothing can happen.

"How are you feeling sweetheart?" asked Coraline. "I'm fine," replied Charlie as she gazed out the window. "No, how are you really feeling?" asked Coraline again.

"I'm fine, Mom," repeated Charlie. "Ok, but if anything is bothering you, please let me know," replied Coraline. She then turned on the radio to fill the silence between her and her daughter.

After a few more minutes, Charlie felt the car stop and she looked up to see the faded and ancient Pink Palace. As Coraline parked the car, Charlie jumped out of the car, ignoring her mom's yelling to her about not jumping out of a moving vehicle. As she made her way to the front porch, the front door flew open to reveal her grandfather, Charlie Jones.

"There's my second favorite Charlie," he said with a smile. "Second favorite? I thought I was your only favorite Grandpa?" asked Charlie as she wrapped her thin arms around him. "Well I gotta love myself first," he replied, "How are you doing kiddo?" "I'm good," she answered quickly. "Charlotte, sweetie how are feeling you?" asked her grandmother, Mel Jones, as she walked out onto the porch. "Fine," she replied.

"How are you sweetheart?" asked Mel over Charlie's head. Everyone turned towards Coraline. "I don't know, Mom," she replied. "Come on, let's get the two of you inside. Charlie, bring their bags into the house," said Mel as she wrapped an arm around her daughter's shoulders and led her inside.

Charlie was about to hop back to the car to get the bags, but her grandma yelled from inside the house "Not you Charlie, I meant the other Charlie. My second favorite Charlie."

Charlie smiled wickedly at her grandfather as she skipped her way into the house.

An hour later, when the two Jones, one former Jones, and one Willams were sitting around the small kitchen table drinking lemonade, there was a loud pounding at the door.

"I'll answer it," said Charlie Sr. as he stood up to answer the door. From the kitchen, you could hear Charlie Sr.'s footsteps on the wooden floor, the clicking of the front door unlocking, the creaking of the opening door, and the loud voice of Charlie Sr. as he said: "Coraline, Charlie, come see who's here."

Coraline and Charlie both got up from the table and stepped into the hall. At the end of the hall was a lanky man with light brown skin, wild curly dark brown hair, and light brown eyes. Next to him was a boy around Charlie's age who looked like a younger version of the man, except his hair only seemed more untamed and curly. It was Wybie Lovat and his son, Wybourne Lovat Jr., but he preferred to be called Junior.

"Wybie!" cried Coraline. "Jonesy!" replied Wybie as he pushed past Charlie Sr. The two best friends rushed down the hall and hugged in the middle.

"How are you doing Jonesy?" asked Wybie. Coraline's smile slightly fell; "Alright, I guess. But I feel a lot better now, Village Stalk," she answered. "Oh, will you ever drop that nickname? It has been what? Twenty-eight years?" "Time flies, old-man," "The only old-man I see is Mr. Jones over there," he joked. "OLD MAN?! That it's Mister, get out of my house," yelled a smiling Charlie Sr.

"There's my favorite Charlie, come over Jonesy Jr," said Wybie as he let go of Coraline. "Uncle Wybie," said Charlie as she walked into his open arms.

"How are you doing kid?" as Wybie as he released her from his arms. "I'm fine," she replied.

"Hey Junior," said Coraline from behind them. "Hey Aunt Coraline," responded Junior as he hugged Coraline. "Junior," said Charlie. "Charlie," responded Junior.

"Well not keep this party in the hall, come into the kitchen, I'll pour the newcomers a glass of lemonade," said Mel from down the hall.

As the group of six chatted in the kitchen, Coraline pulled Wybie out of the room and whispered: "Has there been any signs of her?" "Not in over twenty-eight years. Jonesy, you defeated her, there is nothing to fear," he responded "You know she has eyes everywhere," "And yet you made sure there are rat traps in every corner of this house. You put new wallpaper over that door and convinced your parents to put that giant bookcase in front of it. It's impossible for her to try anything," reassured Wybe. "But, I've never brought Charlie here for more than two weeks. She's going to be here for three whole months. That gives her plenty of time to try something," "Coraline, she is most likely dead now," stated Wybie.

As the two of them whispered, Junior looked over at Charlie. She made a gesture towards the door and he nodded. "Dad, can Charlie and I go on a hike in the woods?" he asked. "Yeah, just make sure the two of you-" "Stay away from the well," finished Charlie and Junior in unison.

The two quickly grab their coats from the back of their chairs and raced for the kitchen door. "Do the two of you have your-" "Gloves? Yes, we do," the pair answered in unison again as they held up their gloves. With that, Charlie opened the door and the two raced outside.

The two made their way through the bright garden full of red tulips and turnips. As they entered the woods, they passed the tall grey trees, listened to the sound of fallen leaves breaking under their boots, smelled the cool and wet air, and they felt the eyes of something on their backs.

"So how are you doing, Charlie?" asked Junior. "I'm fine, and why does everyone keep asking me this?" she responded. "Your parents are going through a divorce and you're fine? I hardly believe that. Now, how are you really doing?"

Charlie was silent for a minute. "I don't know. I feel angry and confused I guess," she finally said. "Are you angry at your mom or your dad?" he asked. Charlie merely shrugged her shoulders and walked a little faster. Junior quickly rushed after her.

"Wait, Charlie lookout for that hill!" yelled Junior as he ran up the muddy hill she was on top. Charlie turned around confused, but it was too late for she slipped down the hill.

"Charlie, are you alright?" asked Junior as he rushed to the bottom of the hill. "Yeah, I'm fine. My coat and pride aren't" she said.

Junior began to help her up when something caught his eye and he froze. "Junior what is it?" asked Charlie. She turned towards what he was staring at and she froze too. Their eyes were upon a muddy and old rotted wood circle surrounded by mushrooms. It was the well their parents always told them to avoid. They felt something's eyes were burning holes into their backs.

"What they don't know won't kill them," whispered Junior, as if he was afraid the well would open up and devour them. "But what our parents know will kill us," whispered Charlie as she stood up "I've always wondered why they've never wanted us to go near it." "From what I've heard from the locals, it is so deep you can see a sky full of stars in the middle of the day," "So they don't want us to fall in. Well, why didn't they just say that instead of always being so ominous!" yelled Charlie.

"Maybe there is an evil demon at the bottom and anyone who falls in will become its prey," joked Junior. Charlie snorted before saying "I wonder what is down there," "Probably just water," responded Junior "But if you want to take a look, my phone is waterproof and I have a fishing rod in my backpack," "You keep a fishing rod in your backpack?" "Yes, don't you?" joked Junior as he slipped his bag off his shoulders and set it on the muddy ground.

The two carefully lifted the rotted wooden cover and peered down the well. All they could see was endless darkness.

Junior pulled out the fishing rod and his phone and tied the line around his phone. He turned it on and said "Now video call me,"

Charlie nodded and pulled out hers from her muddy coat pocket. And swiped through her contacts till she found his. She pressed the video call and watched him answer it.

"Now I'm going to lower it down and we'll see through your phone what is at the bottom," he said as he carefully lowered his phone into the well.

"What do you see?" asked Junior. "Nothing yet," she answered. They sat in silence, waiting for five minutes when Charlie jumped up and said: "Stop I see something!" "What do you see?" asked Junior. "It's dark but it looks like a blue bag," she answered. Junior began to reel up his phone. When his phone was returned to his hand, he sent the hook back down the well.

"Do you feel like something is watching us?" asked Charlie. Junior nodded his head.

After another five minutes, Junior shouted: "I got it!" "Reel it up!" shouted Charlie. As the blue mass was being brought to the surface, Charlie and Junior felt the eyes become even more prominent. Like it was a creature hiding in the plants, getting ready to pounce on them. "And here it is," said Junior proudly pulling up the dripping blue mass.

"It's just a blanket with a string tied around it," said Charlie with disappointment. "Hold on, there is a key tied to the string," said Junior as he held it up. It was a small and black key, with a button on the end. Junior untied the string and tossed the key to Charlie.

"What was wrapped inside?" asked Charlie as she inspected the key. "Just a rock and a bunch of needles. The blanket is ripped though, it looks like something tried to claw its way out," said Junior, pulling out his phone and taking a picture of the blanket.

A loud cry, almost like a roar came from behind them. The two children jumped away from the well as a thin black mass rushed towards them and pushed the rock and blanket back into the well. The mass turned to face them, and it was a thin black cat with big bright blue eyes.

The cat glared at the two children, daring them to do that again.

"Charlie! Junior! Comeback! It's getting dark now!" called Coraline from the Pink Palace.

The two looked up and saw the sky was going from a light grey to a darker grey. "We better head back," said Junior. "Right, but let's cover it up," replied Charlie as she slipped the button key into her pocket. They quickly picked up the heavy cover piece and placed back where it belonged.

"Wait! What about all these needles?" asked Charlie. "Just leave them, they're just a bunch of needles," answered Junior as he repacked his backpack.

"All set?" asked Junior as he stood up. "Yup," answered Charlie. "Great," he said before turning to the cat, "Easy kitty, we are going now."

They turned away from the cat and the well and towards the hill; beginning their hike back down to the Pink Palace. As the two hiked and chatted, Charlie slipped her hand into her pocket. Wrapping her gloved hand around the small black button key.


That is Chapter 1. I hope you enjoy. Please leave a review, I am always open to constructive criticism.