Chapter 8
Coraline's POV
Before I headed back home, I looked back at the well I had almost fallen into. I thought about what that Wybie kid had said, "If you fell from the bottom and looked up you'd see stars in the sky in the middle of the day."
Curiosity got the best of me at that moment. I tried looking in the little hole to see how deep it went, but I saw nothing but pitch black. I picked up a pinch of mud and dropped in the little hole. I waited, waited, waited for a sound until it finally hit the bottom and my eyes widened with fear.
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I went downstairs and into the kitchen the next rainy morning. I saw my mom on the table on her computer, writing her catalog for her garden. I stared outside and began to itch the hand I touched my magic dowser with which turned out to have poison ivy.
"I almost fell down a well yesterday, Mom," I said as I put the bag of seeds next to the kitchen window.
She replied with an "Mhm."
I went on, "I would've died."
My mom once again replied with a "that's nice."
"Hmm." I turned to her, "So, can I go out? I think it's perfect weather for gardening."
My mom, being the bum that she is, told me no. Her excuse was, "Rain makes mud. Mud makes a mess."
"But, mom, I want stuff growing when my friends come to visit. Isn't that why we moved here?" My mom stopped typing and looked at me.
"Something like that. But then we had the accident."
"It wasn't my fault you hit that truck." I crossed my arms.
"I never said it was."
"I can't believe it," I said while scratching my hand. "You and Dad get paid to write about plants, and you hate dirt."
She snapped. "I don't have time for you, Coraline, and you still have unpacking to do. Lots of unpacking.
"That sounds exciting," I replied sarcastically while rolling my eyes. She rolled her eyes back.
"Oh. Some kid left this on the front porch."
She handed me something that was next to her that was wrapped up in newspaper. I opened it a little and saw a note attached.
'Hey, Jonesy. Look what I found in Gramma's trunk. Look familiar?'
-Wybie
As soon as I saw that name, I wanted to gag. Ever since he scared me and started being all smart, he definitely wasn't a friend. I opened up the package to see a little doll that looks exactly like me. "Huh. A little me? That's weird."
Interrupting my thoughts and sense of creepiness, my mom asked, "What's his name anyway?"
"Wybie." I replied in disgust. "And I'm way too old for dolls."
My mom rolled her eyes as I walked away to go bother my Dad. I found him in his "business room" typing his catalog. "Hey, Dad. How's the writing going?" I wait as he gives me no response. It's like I'm not even here. I try to grab his attention again. "Dad!"
He turned to me. "Hello, Coraline and Coraline doll." I looked at the doll proudly.
"Do you know where the garden tools are?"
"It's... it's pouring out there, isn't it?"
I gave a frustrated and annoyed look. "It's just raining."
"Hm, What'd the boss say?"
"Don't even think about going out, Coraline Jones!" I strangled the doll to show sympathy when I yelled my name."
He smiled. "Hm, then you won't need the tools." I sighed and pushed the door. It made a creak and I knew what I had to do to get what I wanted. I pushed it back and forth and it bothered my dad.
He finally couldn't take it and gave a frustrated "ugh." "You know this house is 150 years old." Carelessly, I said, "So?"
"So, explore it. Go out and count all the doors and windows and write that down, list everything that's blue. Just let me work."He knew, of course, blue was my favorite color. He went back to typing and I went out on my search for blue things. I took my doll with me as I wrote my first "list of blue things"—twelve leaky windows.
After I killed a whole bunch of bugs in my shower, got my hair drained, fixed the stupid carpet that kept making rolls on its own, and turned off the light where the water heater was which turned off the electricity and delete all of Dads work...hehe oops—I went into the living room where I saw the most boring picture ever and another four windows with no doors. I went to grab Little Me until I realized it wasn't there. Ugh. I began searching and saw Little Me behind a cardboard. I moved it away and as I did, I discovered a mini door which seemed to be covered behind the wallpaper.
"Hey mom, where does this door go?" I shouted out.
"I'm really, really busy."
"I think it's locked.Pleaseeee!"
She came over with a frustrated look with her hands on her hips. She looked at the door then at me and crossed her arms as she asked, "Will you stop pestering me if I do this for you." Without hesitation, I put my held my hands and begged like a sad dog. "Fine!" She left and came back with a black key in a shape of a button.
