Coraline 2 - Return of The Beldam

Chapter 3 - the Spook Shack

As Coraline descended the stairs, her mother's urgent voice echoed through the hallway. "Come on, Coraline, we're running late! Must you always hold us up" The words hung in the air like a warning.

Coraline hastily buckled herself into the car, her eyes fixed on her phone as her mother secured Cora's car seat. The drive to town was a blur of familiar bickering between her parents, their voices weaving in and out of the rain-soaked streets.

"Coraline, Coraline..." her sister's voice trailed off, only to be repeated, louder, more insistent. But Coraline continued to ignore her.

As they approached the grey, foreboding town, a sense of dread crept over Coraline. The streets seemed to darken, as if the very sky itself was pressing down upon them.

The car halted in a parking space, and the family disembarked. Their mother's list of errands was a litany of mundane tasks: the usual groceries, craft supplies for Miss Spink and Forcible, school supplies

"Why don't I take the girls shopping while you finish up?" her father sugested His eyes met Coraline's, but she was already gone, her gaze drawn across the street to a dilapidated building.

The Spook Shack loomed before them, its boarded-up windows like empty eyes staring back. Coraline felt an inexplicable pull, as if the very darkness within those walls called her.

"can we go in there dad?" she asked turning back to look at her father as he nodded and reached out for Cora's hand as they walked towards the shop

Inside, the store was a labyrinth of shadows, the air thick with the scent of aged possessions. Shelves groaned under the weight of forgotten trinkets, each item whispering secrets to the next.

"it looks like an antiect store of some kind, odd I've never seen it here before." her father mumbled as he walked down one of the many isles

Coraline's fingers hovered over a glowing necklace, its red pulse echoing her own racing heart. Suddenly, a soft voice interrupted her pulling her from her trace.

"I've seen that necklace glow many colors, but never red, never so bright. What's your name, dear?" The elderly woman's eyes seemed to bore into Coraline's very soul, her eyes where white and glazed over

"Coraline...." she muttered "Coraline Jones," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper, she had just given her full name to a complete stranger why did she do that

The woman's gaze lingered, as she stepped closer towards coraline her head titling as her words dripped with an otherworldly urgency. "Ah a traveler between worlds, beware my child, for the evil you once vanquished will rise again, stronger than ever. And this time there will be no stopping what is coming"  the old women mumbled In a trance like state, Coraline was about to ask her what she meant but was distracted by Cora's screams coming from the back of the room.

Suddenly Cora's screams pierced the air, shattering the moment. Coraline rushed down the isle to her sister sitting on the floor, with her dad by her side. "its so beautiful please dad can i have it..." Cora pleads as their father smiles, "of course dear, how much for this.." her father asks as the elderly women now stands beside them startling coraline.
Coraline turned and saw her sister staring at miniature replica of the Pink Palace Apartments.

No, that was impossible right?

There was no way

"2 dollars it's been here a while..." she mumbles as Cora smiled, Coraline looked closer everything was perfect from the small little flowers on the window sill, to the tiny stairs that lead down to Miss Spink and Foracables apartment , it was werid Coraline thought as she watched her father pay for Coras house as well as an old english type writer he had found.

It all seemed strange to Coraline, she felt like something bad was going to happen it was a feeling she was all to fimilar with, or maybe it was just a counsecence

Almost instantly she jumps as she feels a hand on her shoulder

"Beware, my dear, an ancient evil follows you. Take this...I can see it following you, take this my dear..." she says handing Coraline the glowing necklace from earlier "when the time comes you'll know what do to..good luck my dear and remember nothing is as it seems..."

Coraline followed behind her father  and Cora, in a hast the necklace still gripped firmly in her hand as they left the store Coralines mother was waiting for them The glowing necklace settled into Coraline's palm like a promise.

As they drove away, Coraline glanced back, watching in awe as The Spook Shack dissolved into nothingness, leaving only the faintest whisper of its existence.