Twisted Fates

Chapter 11

Coraline had no clue what she was trying to do.

Perhaps she was trying to buy her friends time to escape.

Perhaps she was trying to face her fears.

Perhaps she was trying to kill the Beldam.

No words could describe her feelings in that moment. She was scared, angry, sad . . . yet she felt free, excited and, undeniably, a little thrilled.

The Beldam did not expect that. With Coraline hiding in her room and practising her control over the newfound magic in her blood, she managed to find a way to shield her friends from the witch. To cloak her own abilities.

Yet she found them anyway.

Coraline lashed out, pushing the Beldam to the ground. "Run!" She yelled at the kids who had just awakened. Leave the house!"

"Jonesy!" Wybie made to grab her, but Kubo held him back, a shake of his head telling him otherwise.

She gave them a stern nod, leaping away from the Other Mother. "Go! Now!"

Trailing behind them, Coraline bolted the door.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Everyone alright?"

They all gave satisfied nods, as Coraline found a place to hide. Using her magic, she created a small area that would hopefully remain undetected by the Beldam as long as she had control.

"You . . . did you just-"

Coraline smiled. "I . . . I guess I do need to explain myself, don't I?"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Wybie had no idea what he had just witnessed his friend do.

She had . . . magic?

"How long have you been hiding this, Jonesy?"

Coraline sighed. "I began having these abilities after I had left the Beldam's world, and after defeating her. For the first time, that is."

"And you didn't think to tell me?"

"You didn't believe me the first time. Plus, you would think I was crazy, you may have told Mom, and they would have sent me to a therapist or something. Would think I was having some mental health problem . . . hallucinating something they couldn't see."

She fidgeted, gently yanking the gloves off of her palms. "I-It scared me, at first. I couldn't perform daily tasks without seeing the ghosts. Unable to sleep due to their whispering . . . until I couldn't take it anymore. I told my Mother that something here made me uncomfortable - and we moved away. Abilities like having visions or dreams of the Other World, seeing the ghosts of the past victims, and even several other Beldams . . . and now, I'm able to manipulate this place. I-I'm scared that I will become like the Beldam."

"Jonesy, your worry tells us that you won't. But, wouldn't the Beldam feel your magic?"

"I am able to cloak it, but it stifles my own ability as well."

She smiled. Something in that grin warmed Wybie's heart. "But . . . aren't you going to make yourself . . . you again?"

"I find that it's easier to fool her this way. Plus, I should be able to undo whatever she's done to me after this is all over, right?"

"Hopefully."

As the friends sat there, chatting, Wybie was surprised to learn many things about their new friends. Kubo was a demigod, Norman could see ghosts, Eggs lived with Boxtrolls, whatever those were, and Sir Lionel's partner, Mr. Link, was a 'Bigfoot'.

Magical entities did exist, apparently.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Guys, I'd better head back to the Pink Palace. 'Mother' will be expecting me. But don't worry, you will be hidden." Coraline winked as she skipped back to the apartment. Wybie felt left out.

"I saw her take the form of my Mother earlier."

"So did I."

"And . . . I saw my Mother." Coraline had finished. "I guess the Other World is different in everyone's eyes . . . "

She shook her head. Something she had to clarify with the Beldam herself.

The door opened seconds before she approached. A figure stood there.

"Wybie."