Darkness becomes her //JackxElsa

Eleven

Beat Down

ONE DAY. I'D GIVE IT ONE DAY,

I woke to bruised elbows, an achy forehead, and a stiff back. And, if the red behind my eyelids was any clue, a shaft of sunlight spilling through the window. I squeezed my lids closed as a shadow blocked the light. The floorboards creaked. I opened my eyes.

Every muscle froze. I was looking straight into the blue eyes of a small white alligator.

"Pascal, this is Elsa," a tiny feminine voice whispered.

It was Coraline-on her knees, leaning over the sleeping bag, a burgundy, jewel-encrusted mask pushed atop her head-holding a small white alligator directly in front of my face. All it had to do was snap and my nose would be history.

I held my breath, afraid to breathe on its milky skin.

Finally Coraline sat back on her heels and turned the alligator to kiss its nose. "Good, Pascal," she whispered, and set him on the floor, pulling the half-mask down over her face. The corners swept up into points adorned with two small feathers.

Pascal waddled away and out the door.

Releasing my breath, I sat up, unsure of what to say to the peculiar girl, who had returned to her staring. Her tiny white hands were laid flat on her knees, and the black dress she wore looked like it had once been a woman's cocktail dress. She had on tights underneath, or they might've been knee-high socks meant for an adult, but whatever they were, the disappeared under the hem of the dress. Her shoes were boys penny loafers and a size too big.

"Was that your alligator?" I checked the door to make sure Pascal hadn't decided to come back in.

"He is no one's." Coraline cocked her head. "He likes your hair. Its like his skin."

Without thinking. I reached up and shoved a loose strand behind my ear, forgetting that I'd unwound it before bed. What I wanted to do was gather it up and shove it behind my shoulders, but for some reason I didn't want Coraline to think the hair meant anything, so I left it hanging long and loose, veiling the sides of my face, the ends resting in my lap.

"He likes my teeth. They're like his teeth," Coraline said, her large eyes blinking through the holes of the mask.

I stayed still, almost frozen. "Why are your teeth like his, Coraline.?" I braced myself, hoping the question wouldn't set off and make her go all fang-girl on me.

"To eat things, of course." Her head cocked. "You are different." Then she stood and walked out with silent steps despite the heavy black shoes.

I watched her disappear from view, a little confused and thrown by how much she fascinated me. But it was more than the masks, and her sharp teeth. Coraline made me feel softer inside, like some kind of weird big sister/mothering instinct was being awakened. I guessed it was the same feeling Eugene and Rapunzel had when they first met me-just an explainable connection or need to care. I shook my head. Didn't matter, though. I'd be gone tonight.

I went to drag my gaze away from the door when Jack passed by, his head turning. It was clear by falter in his steps that he didn't expect to see me sitting there.

My stomach flipped. Heat stung my checks. His blue eyes drew me in like two fascinating pools of ice. Yeah, and ice is cold, you big dummy.

But he wasn't looking at me, I realized; he was looking at my hair. Just like everyone else.

It seemed like forever, but in reality, it was only a second or two before his gaze dropped and his footsteps continued on.

I blinked out of my haze, quickly gathered my hair, and began twisting it as I got to my feet and headed after him. "Jack!"