Coraline 2: The Return of the Other Mother

Chapter 12: The Moon

A peculiar feeling settled over her, one Coraline hadn't felt in a long time. Bravery. Coraline smiled to herself and whispered, "I'm coming to get you. There's nowhere to hide anymore." Making her way down the hill, Coraline approached the home through the garden, which sat motionless, as if preparing to strike. The snow had stilled in its fall, freezing in the air, as if the air was too cold for it to continue to fall. The snowmen stared menacingly at her as she passed, following her movement with their button eyes, but she ignored their stares as she continued her march towards the back door. Without a care, Coraline causally pushed the head of the Other Coraline snowman off. As she stepped over the head, she flung a vulgar gesture in its direction, tossing her hair over her shoulder. Snow crunched under her boots, but Coraline felt none of the cold as she stared at her target.

The door grew closer now, and as Coraline stepped up onto the porch, the door swung open silently, beckoning her inside. Coraline took a couple of steps forward, knocking her boots hard against the doorframe. In a singsong voice she hardly recognized, she yelled into the house, "Oh mother, I'm home!" Coraline was met with silence.

Carefully, she looked through each room for clues. What could the Beldam not live without? What was real here in a world of make believe? She didn't even know where to start. She gazed out the window of the living room that she had wandered into, seeing that the moon was now a bit fuller than it had been an hour ago. Her eyes shifted around the room, landing on the little door. It looked harmless enough, and as Coraline leaned down to open it, she realized it was locked. A realization came to her.

Coraline stood, dusting her jeans off. First thing first, she needed to find the Other Coraline and figure out what had happened to Wybie and Willow. From there, she would capture the rest of the Beldam's soul and end this for good.

Coraline stepped into the hallway and walked towards to mirror room, unsure of where to look. She stared at her reflection and touched it lightly, seeing a hint of misery on her face. The grim look was quickly wiped away, since she had no idea what sat on the other side.

"Are you in there Wybie?" She said tentatively. Only silence followed. Coraline quietly continued, "I'm so sorry I got you into this mess. It had nothing to do with you or Willow, I just... I just had no idea that it would be this hard. That unwrapping my nightmares would be this destructive. I can't believe I was so selfish." A small tear trickled down her cheek, making its way to her chapped lips. It tasted like salt and frustration.

"Oh boohoo, the poor little girl is crying again. How pathetic. Do you do anything else besides stand around and look at your reflection all day?" Coraline whirled around to see her twin standing before her. She had changed again into an outfit similar to her own, covered head to toe in black. Her hair was disheveled, and her skin was paler, beginning to chip off in some places, leaving sand on the floor around her. The Other Coraline looked like a nightmare stepped off the page.

She took a clumsy step forward, leaving more sand in her path. "What? Rat got your tongue? Don't worry Coraline, once I get my hands on you, everything will go back to the way it should be." Her head rolled to the side, as if seconds from falling off her head.

The Other Coraline rushed forward, her hands reaching wildly for Coraline. Coraline frantically sidestepped her, and the lookalike slammed into the side of the mirror. Her shoulders shook from laughter, releasing more sand into the air, not turning to face Coraline.

Coraline frantically reached into her bag, seeing what Mrs. Lovat had packed her. Before the other one could turn, Coraline responded, hoping to distract her. "I am not afraid of you. You're just a stupider and uglier version of me!"

"That's not what lover boy said. I think he found me... quite enchanting." As the monster recovered her footing, Coraline found what she was looking for. The Other Coraline's head turned, and her mouth opened into a wide smile, revealing needles for teeth. Before she could pounce, Coraline grabbed Wybie's mask she had stuffed into the bag and slammed it against the Other Coraline's face.