Prologue

(In Coraline's perspective)

"When I told my parents about it they didn't believe me of course, they just shrugged it off at first, but when I tried to tell them all about it, I guess I had to many details so they thought I was schizophrenic or something, and now they are making me go to a therapist, Wybie this sucks" I complained to Wybie one night, by the old well. The mist was thick that evening, so thick I couldn't see 20 feet in front of me.

"I know, at first I didn't believe you but that hand and the key, eesh, I'll stick to finding banana slugs no thank you." Wybie says kicking a rock by his boot.

An angry meow comes from the mist, "you know you shouldn't throw rocks whyborn, you might hit things" the black cat slinks over and sits next to me.

"Sorry" Wybie says, fiddling with his hands. Do you think the bedlam's hand is still down in this well?" I ask nervously

"Nah, we crushed it with a rock before we threw it down there with the key, it's needle fingers will never sew again" Wybie said optimistically

The cat kept quiet "what do you think bingo" I ask him,

"Don't call me that" he hissed

"What do I call you?" I ask condescendingly

"Cat would be better than bingo" he rolled his cat eyes

"Well, do you think the hand is down there Cat?" I am prying but I want his response, the reassurance would be everything from someone like him, though I would never admit that.

"Probably not" he said and stood u

"Probably not!?" I squak

"Have fun at therapy" he said and slunk back into the forest.

"Cat get back here, the Beldam is gone right?!?"

"Coraline" 'no, no, not this again' I try to forget it but all I can remember is her voice calling throughout the halls of the other house and her button eyes watching me.

"Coraline" 'stop'

"Coraline" it is Wybie, he shakes my shoulder, "come on coraline, let's get you home"

I follow him, I don't even notice when he takes my hand in his, "coraline" the memory stays at the well, and good riddance.

"Mom, I'm home" I call after saying goodbye to Wybie

"It's dinner time, wash your hands and dish yourself a plate, you're late again" My mothers voice calls from the office.

"Sorry, mom" I roll my eyes and wash my hands.

"And you have a therapy appointment tomorrow at 9:00 ok" she adds

'Great, more useless sessions' I think.

The next morning my alarm woke me up at 8:00. I decided to try out a new style the past few weeks, it's been a whole year since the incident with the Beldam. I pull on fishnet stockings, a black skirt, a black tank top and a black sweater woven with purple, it has a skull knitted on the front, I pull on a white beanie, I put in some black earring and I add a little black eyeliner under my eyes, I outgrew my orange gloves a few months ago but I cut of the tips of the fingers so now they are fingerless gloves.

"Mom, I'm ready" she takes a glance at my outfit and shudders, but we made a deal that if I agreed to go to the therapy and I cooperated with doctor Jean then I could wear whatever I want,

"Grab some breakfast and then you have time to go play with Whyborn before we have to leave"

"Mom don't call him that, he doesn't like it, just call him Wybie"

"Wybie then" she amends, she'll forget in a day or two anyway, I don't even know why I try. I make some toast and then pull on my purple doc martens before I leave.

"Wybie- Oh my gosh!" I almost trip over him, he's standing in my yard with that stupid elephant mask on, probably looking for banana slugs again, but I couldn't see him because of the fog.

"You're gonna step on them!" He says and gestures wildly at me to step away,

"Sorry, sheesh" I say indignantly,

"Sorry for shoving you," he picks up the slug that caused the drama and puts it on the fourth stair up to Mr. Bobinskis old apartment. He died a few months ago and his funeral was incredibly boring. Wibey and I snuck off as soon as we could and went to the well.

"Do you have a session today? He asks searching the grass for more slugs,

"Yeah, what time is it?" I ask

He checks his watch, "8:48"

"Dang it I was only out here for like three minutes" I say and kick at a pebble

"Once again, stop throwing rocks, you alway manage to hit me" the Cat steps out from under Mr. Bobinskis stairs.

"Why, you always manage to scare me!"

"Coraline, stop shouting at a cat and get in the car please" my mom says in an exasperated tone.

"Bye Wybie" I say and roll my eyes behind her back, he scurry's off.

"Thank you" mom gets in the front seat "I left my keys inside, I'll be right back"

'Coraline, you can't ignore me forever'

'she has never said that before, 'screw off other mother' I whisper aggressively

'that's no way to talk to you mother'

'You are not my mother!' I think back, I don't know why I am clipping back at my own imagination but I take confidence from putting her in her place, which is the bottom of a well.

My mom comes back and starts the car, we drive into town and to the little office that is my therapist.

"Have you had any more episodes? The beldam speaking to you, or dreams of the door or sand people" doctor Jean asks in a soothing voice

"Yes, today the other mother was whispering about how I can't ignore her and I clipped back at her and she said that's no way to talk to your mother" I reveal grumpily

"So do the voices sound like yours or your real mothers-"

"They sound like what the beldam sounded like" I snap

This session was like all the rest, but over time I accepted that the beldam was fake, the cat kept talking but by then the doctor diagnosed me with clinical schizophrenia so I didn't care anymore, Wybie heard the cat too but maybe it was just him talking and I was miss reading the situation.

25 years later, Coraline and Wybie are married*

I had just given birth to my youngest and last child, now I had three beautiful healthy children, King who was 3 years old and he liked to get messy, BrookLynn was 5 and she had always been a quiet kid, and my youngest; Carmen she was only 3 months old and she was smart, we taught her the ASL for eat, thank you, more and please, she also learned the phrase Fuck you from Brooke who picked it up from some older kids at her daycare.

The Beldam fiasco is a thing of the past now and Wyborn saw someone for a little while just to clear my nonsense from his head, at least it was nonsense, until it happened to my children…