The Beldam's story: Coraline

Day One

''Here you are miss. Hope that it's everything you wanted.'' A young man hands me a key, tipping his hat that's blocking out the summer heat, looking up at the house. I smile at him softly, not wanting to give a verbal response. My shoes make a clacking noise as I walk up the few steps to the door. My new door. The bright pink paint of the walls creates a happy and joyous tone. It seems to mock me. Months and months of planning brought me and a large handful of others here to create a new town. Somewhere where we can be free from other people and their opinions. 

The house is big. Too big. Multiple rooms that I will need to fill with tasteless possessions. Downstairs there is a dining room and a living room, a kitchen, and a study and a large assortment of random rooms to fill the four walls. Upstairs is my bedroom and a sewing room. The place that I will spend the majority of my time. Sewing clothes that he will never get to wear. Making dolls that he will never get to play with. I will make them and then I will put them into his room. On the bed that he will never sleep in. He will never jump on the bed and I will then get angry at him. Only to change my mind because I love him too much to get mad at him. Because he was perfect. My baby boy. 

''Do you like the house, Belle?'' A voice from behind me says. I turn around to see James standing in the doorway to the living room I have found myself in. 

''Yes, it is exactly what my husband and I wanted. Plenty of room for William to play.'' My voice is soft, trying to speak through a lump in my throat. I heard James sigh and walk closer to me. He places a hand on my shoulder and I tense up. 

''Do not do my husband this indecency by touching my shoulder. I am his and his alone.'' James let go of me, putting his hands up by his shoulders in surrender. Obviously not wanting to cause trouble with me. 

''I apologize. But he did die six months ago. Don't you think that it's time for you to move on?''

''And my son died that day too, remember that! Should I forget about him as well? Have another child to replace my William!'' My voice became shrill and three spiders walked out of the walls and over to my shoes. Spiders and I seem to have a harmonious relationship. Ever since I was a little girl spiders would crawl around me and on my palms. My mother would scream when I brought them home. But they were my friends so my mother had to cope. I moved my shoes slightly so the spiders could crawl up it. James looked down just in time for the spiders to disappear up my leg. He visibly shivered but didn't comment.

''We will have your store in the middle of town ready for you to start selling clothing by the end of next week at the lastest. Until then if you could create a selection of clothing for our citizens to see it would be greatly appreciated.'' James was all business again, the moment from before long gone. I nod at him, my armor up again after my outburst.  

''Have you looked at the garden? The builders and I decided to make the main garden match your beauty. There is a lovely little well surrounded by mushrooms down the hill. You should go and have a look this afternoon.'' James said, trying to make conversation. I nod again, I didn't understand why they made a garden with my face but I just agreed. I stare at James, wondering if he had anything else to say. He didn't. I stayed silent hoping that he would get that I wanted him to leave me alone with my thoughts and my new house. He gets the message and slowly backs out of the living room. 

''If you need me I will be in the center of town working on some business.''

''Okay, Mayor James,'' I say with a slight smile. Wanting to end this conversation on a light note.

''Have a good day, Grand Dame Belle.'' He smiled as he exited the house. Leaving me alone with my thoughts once again. I slowly walked down the hallway and up the stairs to my sewing room in the corner. The builders had already placed my sewing machine and assorted cabinets in here for me to begin making clothes as soon as I moved in. I sat down in my chair with wheels, a concept that still baffled me a little bit, and opened a drawer full of buttons. I pulled out a small green one, rolling it in my fingers. 

''Here you go William,'' I whisper to myself, holding my hand out and letting the button go. But my boy wasn't there to catch the precious little object. His hands weren't reaching up the try and grab the small object out of my hands. It clattered to the wooden floor and the loneliness echoed around the room. 

We had been working for so long on the settlement of this new little town that we decided to go to the beach for the weekend. Me, my husband Charles, and my little boy William. It was the day before we were going back to the work. Sunday. The sun was going down so we decided to go and have one more swim at the beach. I sat on the sand by myself as I watched Charles and William paddle around in the water. William had just turned five and loved nothing more than swimming in the waves. It filled me with so much joy to see our little perfect family. I closed my eyes for a few moments. Letting the bliss of where I was washed over me. I opened them to the sound of Charles calling William's name. When I looked up he was no longer there. Charles called back to me that he would swim down to see if he had just decided to go and see the fish under the waves. I watched Charles go into the water just before a massive wave crashed over where they stood. A few seconds passed and the water was dragged back. Neither of my boys resurfaced. I ran to get the police but they told me not to worry about it. They thought that I was being delirious and that the boys were probably at home and I should run along and put the dinner on like a good wife. Their bodies washed up on the same beach the next morning. Charles was clutching William in his arms. His last fatherly job before he drowned. He wanted to make our son feel calm as he died. 

Before I realized I was making a little set of pajamas for William. Knowing full well that he would never wear them. I just needed to use my hands and make something. I place a button from every color of the rainbow down the front of the shirt. With each button that I sewed on, I could hear my son's voice like silk. 

''Can you put rainbow buttons on the shirt, Mummy?''

''I can't William, I don't think that Frank would appreciate it if I put rainbow buttons on his shirts.''

''Can I have rainbow buttons on my shirts?''

''I promise one day, William. I will make you an entire outfit with rainbow buttons on it.''

''Promise?''

By the time I finish the pajamas, the sun has set over the new town and I was working by dim candlelight. The soft green material and rainbow buttons became the most important thing that I owned. Scraps of fabric and string scatter around me as evidence of passionate crafting. When I get invested in a job day could go by or the house could burn down and I wouldn't notice. I push back my chair, standing up, my eyes not leaving the garments of clothing in my small hands. William's room was set up as if he was going to move in here with me today. I couldn't bear to part with all of his furniture and toys from when he was alive. So I keep them in here as a memory box. I lay the newly made pajamas on the bed as if he was going to jump into them for bedtime.

''I promise, William.''