Twisted Fates

Chapter 16

The boy raised by boxtrolls knew that the creatures were magical, of sorts, but he was human.

Eggs was certain that he was, at least.

He glanced left and right, trying his best to calm himself down.

Norman had been missing for a while, and Kubo had turned. What was going to happen next?

Looking in his bag, Eggs pulled out a box. Slightly dented and flattened, but he hugged it. It was his source of comfort.

Winnie was asleep, and he smiled at the girl's face. She was there for him when no one else was. Faced many horrors with him, and they would go through this together, too.

Finally deciding to rest, he lay beside Winnie, nodding at Lionel. He insisted on staying up, and Wybie was also fast asleep at this point.

Then, he closed his eyes and let his mind drift . . .

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

Lionel was bored.

The children were great fun, but this was a dangerous world. And he didn't have any of the gear to capture any of it.

As if on cue, he heard a thud nearby. Deciding to investigate, Lionel dashed in the direction of the sound.

A man-like figure hulked over him, and he knew exactly who it was.

Mr. Link.

He looked at the bigfoot and waved him over, the stomping of his feet loud enough to attract attention.

He led his friend back to their secret camp, and they sat there, chatting for a bit.

"How did you get down here, buddy?"

"I fell down a hole."

Lionel grinned. Finally, someone who spoke his language.

"This is a dangerous place. Be careful."

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

The children awakened to the towering man.

Lionel just smiled. "Kids, allow me to introduce Mr. Link, my partner in crime."

The three just waved awkwardly and sat down.

"We need to come up with a plan to help them!"

The man took up a spot next to the boy named Wybourne, and Mr. Link sat next to him. "Indeed we do."

They sat there, unsure of what to do. Then, Wybourne said, "We need to go in and confront her."

"Coraline said to stay-"

"Well, she's not here, is she? Besides, we don't have much of a choice right now."

Winnie and Eggs sighed, knowing that he was right.

Lionel looked up. "We still need a plan of action."

"Right."

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

No one was there.

At least, that's what Kubo was seeing.

Total darkness.

He blinked his eyes several times. What was this horrible nightmare?

He couldn't move. He couldn't do anything.

He hoped someone would come and save him.

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

Norman had no clue where he was.

His eyes were open, yet he saw nothing - not even himself.

There were no sounds, just complete silence.

"Hello?" He tried, and realised that he couldn't speak.

There had to be someone that could help him . . . anyone . . .

He closed his eyes and muttered a silent prayer to himself . . .

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

"So, one of us will distract her, while the others find Norman, Kubo and Coraline?" Wybie asked.

"Ye-"

"She would know."

They jumped, turning to face the black cat that stood by them now. "Only one person had fooled her before, but I'm not so sure she'd fall for it again."

"Coraline," Wybie murmured under his breath. "What did she do?"

The Cat gave a very un-cat-like grin. "She played a game . . . and played it just as the Beldam would. Only, she played it in her favour."

"And how did she do it?"

And so the Cat told them.