Title: Patchwork

Chapter Six: I Found You

Started: 5/21/2010 10:34:11 PM

Edited: 5/15/11 01:02:39 AM

Story Quote: It was definitely the fear.

"Wybie," Coraline wailed. She crawled through the slosh to the fallen boy. His face contorted underneath the mud into an expression of pain and anxiety. In a shaky, jostled kind of way Coraline shook his shoulder. He gave a harsh and mournful groan before falling silent again. "Wybie?" Coraline tried again, this time a pitch higher and louder. She shook him hard but was given no reply. This time when she pulled her hand away she felt something coating her fingers. It was thick like paint and a smooth red color like ink.

Dark ink. Deep dark red ink.

Blood.

Panicked eyes scanned over his back. Through the black material it was possible to see how the ghastly fluid seeped through. How? There was no sign of a rip nor tear in the coat. She didn't know what to do. She was scared. Again, she whined, "Wybie, c'mon, you've got to get up! Come on!" He remained lifeless and unmoving. Her body was beginning to shake. Nerves were completely shot by this point. Her hand subconsciously sought out his, trying to ground herself. The trembling could not be stopped.

Snap! Crunch! Rustle!

Coraline could barely hear the breaking foliage past the thudding of her heart.

"Cor...ne..."

Her parents.

"Mom! Dad!" she wheezed, barely able to force the sounds from her constricted throat. "I found him! He's hurt, come on!"

The frantic noises got louder and louder, until Coraline could hear their worried shouts above her. Her teary eyes traveled back up the muddied slope to the top, and the sheer amount of relief at seeing their faces was enough for her to breathe a little easier. To stop and think. What was she doing? Why was she being such a cry-baby? As Charlie and Mel slid down the hill, Coraline wiped the traces of rouge tears from her face, replacing the water trails with swipes of gritty mud.

When her parents reached the bottom, Charlie was first to speak. "Coraline? Are you alright? Are you hurt?" He placed a hand on her cheek so that she looked to his eyes. She could see his concern, his worry for his little girl. Indignation rose up in her and her customary frown fell into place.

"I'm fine," she said, voice still raw. She hated it, the way she let her weakness show. She was stronger than this, dangit! There was no reason to let this dweeb get to her so bad. Wybie. "Dad, he needs help. He's bleeding real bad."

Mel was crouched over the boy, trying to lay him back from his awkward position, but when she rose her hand away from him to fix a stray lock of hair, she was met with the same realization as Coraline. Charlie was over at her side in a flash. Her parents shared a brief moment in which they looked deep into one each others' eyes before Charlie bent and scooped up the boy into his arms. The look of pain that held there made Coraline's stomach flip.

But she kept her mouth shut.

"Mel, go for help, find a doctor," said Charlie, trying to keep the wounded boy in his arms from as much pain as possible, "and I will take Wybie back to the house. We've got to hurry." No more words were spoken as they ran off, back towards the Pink Palace Apartments. Coraline sat in the mud for a moment, disbelieving. Did they really just leave her there? Alone? Even after all she'd done. They just left. She looked blankly to her knees in the mud.

Then she stood and followed after them.

Coraline was pacing furiously outside her bedroom door. The creaky floorboards did little to ease the stifling silence that permeated the air. On the other side of that door, Wybie was being examined by the doctor. She didn't understand why she wasn't allowed inside. She should have been! Was she not the one who found him? Didn't that give her the right? Steam could have been billowing out her ears by the way she was fuming.

Well, what if they didn't know she was looking?

There was about an inch of space between the floor and the bottom of the door. She just wanted to know what was going on. She crawled onto her hands and knees and placed her eye to the space. At the edge of the bed Wybie's grandmother sat, facing her grandson on the bed. The doctor was leaning over him, with his back to her; it looked as if he had a roll of white gauze in his hand . However, that was all she was able to tell. She could not see the boy on the bed, and that infinitely infuriated her.

Then the doctor moved.

Wybie looked like death warmed over. His dark skin was a pallid hue, making him look downright ghostly with the dark rings around his eyes and the mud and grime on his body. He looked frail, so very fragile. Coraline had always known him to be a lightweight, but this just made her sick. Her eyes strayed to the bandage wrapped tightly around his chest, and she had to look away.

She sat down and leaned her head back against the door. "What do you think happened, doctor?" Gannie Lovat asked worriedly. Coraline could hear her shuffle her chair to get closer to the bed. She pressed her ear closer to the wood.

"Well," he started slowly, "it seems to me like the wounds on his back and arms were caused by a short and sharp object. Given the state of his jacket at shirt, I would have to assume that the wound was inflicted whilst they were removed. Now, the other various scratches ans cuts could have been caused by the same weapon, or they may have been caused by tree twigs or things of the like."

Coraline closed her eyes and thought to herself. Of course, those cuts and scratches could have been from twigs, but the most likely answer would have the be that cat. Now, that was a thought. Where had the cat been through all of this? Wasn't he usually stuck to Wybie's side twenty-four/seven? Maybe he knew something. She scurried away from the door to begin her search for the mangy feline.

Said cat had been on the rooftop of the Pink Palace ever since their return. He was perched beside the window leading to Coraline's room, listening to every word, seeing everything. The gash on his back, the marks on his body...yes, he had seen and recognized them both.

But they were on the wrong body.

Wybie, this world's Wybie, should not bear those wounds. The monster, that copy should. Not his friend. He inhaled deeply to try and calm the nervous thoughts buzzing around in his mind. He needed to go back there, to sort this mess out. Was this one of her tricks? Another way to try and ensnare that naïve girl? No, this incident would surely have the opposite effect. Then again, having such a tragedy occur would surely enhance the appeal of that fabricated world.

His ears pressed back against his skull.

How clever, he thought sullenly. Using the boy to get to the girl. It was just like her to think this way. In this sick and twisted way. White hot rage was boiling up inside him. How dare she use his friends in such a way?

"Cat! Where are you, cat?" The shrill voice made his fur stand on end. Alright, he would go now. Let the girl be preoccupied with her search. He was going to get to the bottom of this.

Her search had turned up fruitless.

The stupid cat was nowhere to be found within range of the Pink Palace. He was probably still wondering around in the woods somewhere. Wuss Puss! She sauntered into the parlor. The little door caught her eye immediately. Now that was a good idea. The other mother would know how to console her. She would understand what she was going through. And she wouldn't be caught up in anything else, either. She could spend all her time with Coraline and Coraline alone.

She quickly slid across the floor to the door and slipped her fingers into the crevice. She pulled, but the door remained tightly shut. Her eyes narrowed into a heated glare at the offensive slab of wood. Why was the door locked? Oh, who would do something like that? Mom. What, she doesn't have time to say a single word to her after finding Wybie, but she finds the time to lock the only way to the Other Side? That was so like her!

Storming off, Coraline began to grind her teeth. Well fine, if that's the way she wanted to play it, she would just go find the key herself! She rounded the corner into the kitchen.

"Oh, there you are, Coraline. Go get in the car. Your father needs to drop off the catalog and we need to get you a school uniform." Mel picked up the car keys from the kitchen table.

"I don't want to pick out some dumb uniform. What kind of prison makes every kid dress the same way?" Mel ignored her and went out the door. Nothing new there. She blew a stray lock of hair out of her face.

She would just have to get the key when she got back.

Other Wybie's cheek stung sharply as he was dragged along the concrete floor of the basement. He was dying, he knew it. That must be it. He was in so much pain! Dust and sand trailed along the floor in his wake. Was that from him? Was that the sand from his own body? How much could he lose before he would be no more? For a brief moment, he wondered it he could truly die from this, like this, but those thoughts didn't last long before he was upturned on the table.

Oh god, he was back on the table.

The Beldam loomed over him, with that plush stolen face, with that sickly sweet smile curved into her lips.

"Look at the mess you've gotten yourself into, Dear. You've gone and ruined some of my best work." She lifted his right forearm to show the shredded fabric. Was that his arm? Other Wybie couldn't look. It was too much. "Don't look away, you little puppet." The Beldam grabbed his face to force his button eyes to meet hers. "Now listen to me. This will be the last time you inconvenience me by making me fix you. You're almost becoming more trouble than you're worth."

He couldn't move. Whether it was from the pain, the fear, or a mixture of both he couldn't tell. But whatever it was he was paralyzed with it. She smiled even sweeter.

It was definitely the fear.

Her hand fell to her side pocket, from which she produced a spool of thread and a silvery white needle. The needle glinted with the same malicious light as was in the Beldam's eye.

And then she began her work.

Unbeknownst to both in the basement, a spectator had stopped by to watch the show. From outside the small cellar window, the cat sat silently, his tail twitching back and forth as he observed. Every needle poke, every pull of thread, every silent scream. He watched it all, and as he watched a new and horrible thought occurred to him. This one wasn't a monster. This one had a soul. This one felt the pain. And if this all was true...

...then what had he done?

Ending Song Time!

"With the hope they understand,

No, you know you're just a boy,

So grow up and be a man,

Little baby, you kick and you scream, you whine,

victims pay the price eventually,

so cross and see your life."

Song: Mother Superior Artist: Coheed and Cambria