Coraline Young, a 26-year-old lone survivor, desperately searching for her younger brother as the world crumbles around her. Hope dwindling as days turn to weeks. Aimlessly she wanders through the wilderness, chasing ghosts and guesses, too stubborn...
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A long time ago. Before the dead joined the living, before chaos enraptured everyone and everything in its path, yet somehow Coraline's world crumbled one piece at a time.
A brief look in the bathroom mirror as you adjusted your violet colored pearl earrings, last year's birthday present from your parents. You sometimes wondered if it had been a figment of your imagination, they'd been waiting for you in the living room with the jewelry box and half-genuine smiles. You'd eaten dinner together as a family and for the first time in a long time they'd made small talk with you. Now it angered you how happy it had made you, how such a small thing as minimal acknowledgement from your parents was worth excitement.
You exited the bathroom, walking past your father who sat on the couch, a book in hand.
"Dad" you tried getting his attention, your voice low, not wanting to disrupt his peace and quiet, as he called it, which seemed everlasting.
"I'm gonna go visit grandma, it's been awhile"
He didn't give you the time of day, eyes rooted on the pages before him, bewitched by their content. You longed bitterly for even just a hum of recognition, a brief look in your direction, yet seemed to always settle for less than you deserved.
Yeah, with every passing day your birthday a year prior seemed more like a glitch in the universe. One of the painfully few pleasant memories with your parents.
Outside a slight chill hung in the air, a cloudy day. You bought flowers on the market down the street, those who brightened even the greyest of rooms, wanting to give your grandmother something lovely - a subtle reminder for her tired mind, that before the petals withered and fell you'd be back with another bouquet.
You made your way to the nursing home.
Grandma Faith, the only one in the family who seemed to give a damn. Besides Jamie, but he's still just a young boy. She'd kept you sane throughout the years. But you weren't allowed to visit her often. She, the only person your parents seemed to ignore more than you, leaving you both equally lonesome mere miles apart.
Some of the staff greeted you as you walked towards her room, entering gently. You smiled warmly at the elderly woman lying on the bed, her silver curls a vision of wonder.
Just as you'd predicted the previous bouquet of flowers was about ready for replacement, its heads bowed down low, having done their duty devotedly - and you honored your promise to be back before they fell.
"Hi beautiful" you said as you stroked her hair, planting a tender kiss on her forehead.
She smiled up at you, though it didn't quite reach her eyes, a distant gleam to them. You pulled a chair towards her bed, sitting down with the flowers in your lap.
"I know it's been awhile-"
"Are you new, darling?" she cut you off.
Your heart sank into your stomach as you just sat there. Wondering if you'd misheard, you spoke hesitantly.
