Coraline panted as she raced past the rats. She hopped over bushes, calling Wybie's name over her shoulder. The shadow only seemed to get closer as they darted through the darkness. It wasn't getting them any further.
"You disobeyed..." it sang. "And that's a naughty thing to do."
Coraline swung the metal pipe she'd torn from the water heater at the air, looking every which way for Wybie. He was running back to the back of the house.
"Wybie!" She called, hurrying after him, but easily being sent flying by the thing.
"That's enough," an all-too familiar voice said. The Other Mother stepped forward, placing a hand on the creature's arm.
It's curly, straight, frizzy, flat, blue, red, brown, blonde hair framed its narrow, round, bloated, skinny, sharp, dull face as it looked up at the Beldam. So many different skin and eye colors. Different outfits knit together onto the body.
"It's alright, Dear." The Other Mother knelt down and pat the thing's head. "I will handle this now. You go back to bed. I'll tuck you in soon."
"Wh-What the heck is that thing?" Coraline choked out, scrambling back to her feet and holding the pipe, ready to strike.
"My child. Souls and lives can be very filling. So I knit it up like the doll."
Coraline's eyes widened. That's why she hadn't seen any dead bodies. She ate most of them then used the leftovers to make the ultimate project.
"It's like making a cake. Such hard, effort-filled work is all worth the wait by the end. It'll taste amazing compared to all of the peas and carrots i've been feeding myself all this time."
The Beldam sneered. She still kept the appearance of Norman's mother.
"That's because I have to be back soon for lunch. Can't spend much longer. He might change his mind."
Corlaine furrowed her eyebrows.
"What do you mean?"
"He was so much easier to convince than you. Just quiet down the lovestruck Wybie, happy up the depressing Coraline, and give life to little Aggie and he fell right into my trap."
"He would never go to the likes of you." Coraline's voice cracked, which earned a satisfied smirk from the older woman.
"I really should be going back to lunch. Good night, dear."
With a sudden swish, darkness and pain clawed at Coraline's vision.
************************************
Norman sat patiently at the table and his Other Father waddled over. He placed a plate of Turkey, bread, mashed potatoes, and other foods of the like in the center of the small, round table.
"We should probably wait for your mother."
As if on cue, the door opened and closed behind them and in walked the Beldam.
Norman gave her a small smile and he noticed his Other Father place something else on the table.
"This looks amazing. Thank you for this," she beamed over to the older man. "Let's dig in."
Norman stuffed his face. It all tasted delicious. Much better than his actual father could do.
"So, i'm sure you're just dying to know what the surprise is." His Other Mother wiped at her mouth with a cloth and reached behind the turkey.
In her hand was a neatly wrapped box.
Something fluttered deep inside of Norman, but he ignored it. He took it from her as she handed it.
He faked confusion at the sight of the two round buttons and needle with thread.
He knew what the Beldam would say and interrupted her in the midst of her speech.
"Yes."
***********************************
Coraline woke up to someone shaking her. She groaned, feeling numb and sore.
"Coraline!" Wybie hissed.
Two blurry heads looked down at her. She mumbled something that she didn't even understand.
Two black buttons came into view and her breath caught in her throat.
What she was looking at was someone very unfamiliar. Not the Other Wybie like last time or even the Other Mother coming back to split her open.
A girl with straight, dark brown hair. She smiled in relief at the sight of Coraline sitting up.
"I'm Agatha... The Other Aggie, I mean." She stood up and helped Coraline onto her feet. "No time for explanations or introductions. Norman's in trouble."
