Wonderer's Wish World: An Empty Land

Country Road, Take Me Home

Despite the fact that the journey to the portal took a week and a half, including all their stops, the walk back felt like it took ten times as long. It was torture, every footstep felt like lead, and each time Kipo set her foot down, she felt like she'd never be able to lift it again.

She did, though. She had to, just like the rest of her companions: Luz, Kris, Mabel and Coraline. Forward, and away from that place.

A couple times, Kipo had paused, and stopped, and opened her mouth. The rest paused, too, all looking over to her, and while Luz looked hopeful, Kipo couldn't follow through. She knew... she knew that they should go back, and do everything in their power to help Alice and Dib, but... technically... they'd already tried.

When the roller coaster spat them out of the portal, it literally flew off the rails that took them there like a rocket, but it didn't go very far. Kipo wasn't even aware that they came back until they had crashed into a tree, completely totalling it before rolling across the ground, eventually coming to a stop just before the cliff.

For a second, none of them had moved, too stunned to even form coherent thought. Kipo's head pounded painfully, and when she blinked, it got even worse. Everything was... bright. The sun shined down on them like it was trying to fry their eyes off, and eventually, Kipo had to clothes her eyes until the pain subsided.

Suddenly, Coraline shot up from her seat, throwing her hands up in the air and cheering.

"We did it!" she cried, and her voice sounded thick as if she was about to cry from joy. "We're home."

Coraline reached over and shook Kipo's shoulder. "Hey, I did it! We're home again!"

Kipo turned to stare at her, and whatever expression was on her face, it stopped Coraline in her tracks.

"Wh-What...?" Coraline asked, her voice suddenly quieter, and a lot shakier. "We're home, right? Why wouldn't we... where are we?"

For the first time, Coraline looked around, her brown eyes running over their surroundings. Her face was pinched, and she squinted around.

"Where... Where are we?!"

"I'm sorry," Kipo told her. "But I don't think this is home. It's just..."

Kipo fumbled, unsure of how to finish that sentence, while Coraline stared at her incredulously.

"It's just what?" she demanded. "What is this?"

Before Kipo could formulate a coherent response, something came crashing out of the trees. Despite herself, Kipo jumped.

"Kipo! Kipo! Get out of there!" A familiar voice shouted at them, and Kipo looked over.

"Huh? Mabel?" Kipo asked, surprised. That wasn't who she was expecting to see. Kipo's eyes scanned the trees, but there was no sign of him. Where was Dib?

Meanwhile, Mabel had reached the roller coaster cart, and she had grabbed Coraline's arm, pulling on it insistently.

"Hurry, you all have to get out!" Mabel cried, but Coraline ripped her arm away.

"What are you doing?" Coraline demanded, glaring down at Mabel. "This thing isn't going to explode, you know! Who even are you?"

Kipo started to move, reaching across and preparing to try and mediate the situation, but before she could, Mabel was yelling again.

"You have to!" Mabel cried, and she latched onto Coraline's arm again. "This was where Dib died! He fell of the edge of the cliff in his own trap!"

Kipo froze, and even Coraline seemed to pause for a minute, even though she didn't even know who Dib was. However, that didn't really matter. The anguish in Mabel's voice was enough for Coraline to let Mabel pull her from the roller coaster.