Coral woke up the next day and had forgotten about last night's dream. Her mother still looked angry that she had gone to meet Another Mother. Her father was sitting next to Toby watching TV.
It was Saturday and it was boring. Coral thought of asking his mother to stay at least there in front of the house, but the expression on Coraline's face was not the friendliest. Then she crawled up beside her father and went to watch TV too.
"You know you should not have gone to see the Other Mother, right?" Wybie asked absently without taking his eyes off the TV.
Coral rolled his eyes.
"At least it's very colorful there." It does not look anything like the boredom here.
Toby looked at her, his eyes glittering with interest.
- What's in there? - He asked, his voice curious.
- The grass is much greener and softer ...
- Enough! - Coraline said, appearing in front of the Television covering the view of all. "You're not going to talk about the other world around. Forget it was there. And if you say any more word about it. God help me Coral, I do not know what I'm going to do with you.
Coral was silent, Toby looked startled, even Wybie. They never saw Coraline so angry.
That Saturday was the longest and most tedious of all Coral's life, it took so long to pass that when it was over, Coral thought he was already 80 years old. It was already night and everyone had already gone to their beds. Coraline seemed pleased that Coral had not talked about the other world for the rest of the day and was now going to sleep more quietly. But she was wrong. Coral was very curious.
Coral took sneaky steps to the door of his parents' bedroom and heard the following conversation:
"I need to understand that ..." was the voice of his mother whispering. "How can he do that?" It showed the way for her!
"First, you have to calm down. Wybie spoke normally. "And second, you need to ask him."
- He promised to help us. If he turns to her side, everything will be lost. - Coraline's voice now looked rather worried.
"He's not as powerful as her, you know that. Wybie paused for a second and continued. "You know who's really strong." You know who can really defeat her.
- This will not happen. We do not have to defeat it. As long as the passages are well locked it can not hurt any children.
"But if she gets her heart and her eyes ..." Wybie paused.
We need to protect Coral. She can not go back there.
"The Other Mother is so furious, I can feel it from here. These walls seem to vibrate with her fury. It will never stop. She needs to be defeated once and for all. But for this to happen, you must allow it."
"I'm not going to risk their lives, especially when it comes to my child. My children. I have to protect them. I'm from Blood."
Coral suddenly remembered last night's dream. Was it real then? That dream really happened.
"It's fate, dear, especially after what happened to her son." Wybie said.
- That poor child. - Coraline sighed. - For centuries. This will never end.
"Do not worry, my love. Everything will work out. Let's go to sleep.
And then, everything was silent. Coral went back to the bedroom, was stunned by everything she had just heard. "That poor child," Coraline said. So was the other mother's story true? And your dream too? What really was the truth? Coral looked at the window, the sky outside was well lit by the moon. And Coral wanted answers, he was not sleepy at all. He wanted to know who this person was stronger than The Other Mother. Wybie seemed convinced that this person would be able to destroy the otherworldly monster once and for all, but Coraline was afraid of that. She needed answers and had until dawn to search for them.
Coral managed to get out of his house faster than he imagined. She ran into the dark forest, not afraid. She had a flashlight in her hand and a sharp knife in the other. She would get her answers one way or another. There was the old and large Tree, the gate was there and she entered determined.
The night in the Other World was more beautiful than one could imagine. There were more stars in the sky and they seemed to laugh at you. There were more flowers in the grass, and everything was so colorful. How could all this be evil? It did not seem as late as it really was. Coral decided to look around, not enter the Other House now, she wanted to catch The Other Mother by surprise.
"You know she can not be surprised, do not you?" Coral looked, and the only creature that was near her was a skinny Black Cat.
- Anyone can be surprised. - she said.
"The Other Mother is not quite a person." The Cat stepped forward a few steps ahead of Coral. "And anyway, she created this world. You sure know you're here."
"And what are you doing here?" Coral asked, remembering the story his mother will tell him. "I thought the Other Mother hated cats."
- She hates me. - The Cat jumped after something Coral did not see and disappeared.
"I do not like you either." Coral whispered to the Cat, knowing he was not there to hear. Or was it?
She continued her walk. If the Other Mother knew she was there, then she had no problem exploring, if she wanted her dead she would have caught her already.
The Other World seemed too big. Larger than her mother would describe, maybe the Other Mother had made some changes, or maybe her real mother had lied about the fun content she had there.
Right in front of him was a large pool with brown goo. Coral came over, stuck his finger, and then sniffed. She stared wide-eyed.
- This is chocolate!
A large pool of milk chocolate. And now Coral noticed that everything around him was edible. It had granulated as if it were earth, ice cream as if it were flowers, and several candies everywhere. How could that be bad?
Coral plunged into the chocolate without thinking. Made the biggest party. And he began to wonder how cool it would be if there were other children there.
"That's good, is not it?" The Other Mother was standing outside the pool. Coral was startled to see that woman identical to his mother. He would never get used to it.
"Why do not you have other children here?"
"Because your mother keeps them from coming in." She does not want you to have fun.
Coral stopped to think for a second.
"What happened to your son is really true, is not it?"
The Other Mother looked slightly irritated.
- He is dead. What's done is done. - She said flatly. "But you can have fun, and you can bring other kids if you want."
"Can I bring my brother?" Coral asked. And at that moment, she no longer remembered what she had gone to do there. I could not remember any more questions, I could not remember anything else. I just wanted to know how to have fun.
- You can bring anyone you want.- Coral noticed that the Other Mother's eyes flashed and it was strange. For a second the fear began to run through her body.
- Need to go.
"But you just arrived."
- I really need. Coral was now genuinely suspicious. When he left the pool, his clothes were a chocolate cake. "I need to bring other children." Coral said it to escape.
- Great! Then you can go. And come back soon.
Coral ran and thought never to return there. It felt strange to see the other mother's eyes shining. Probably her true mother was always right. Before she left, the cat appeared in front of her.
"You're not coming back, are you?"
- No way. - Coral said.
"But you do not have to, she already got what she wanted." Cat seemed to be smiling. And Coral felt even more afraid.
Coral ran as fast as he could. What did the cat mean by that? She did not want to know and would never come back. Now everyone could live in peace.
When she came out of the forest it was already dawning, and her parents were outside, as were the two Amandas, and Balt, and also one more boy. The boy of your dream. He looked more handsome in real life. But Coral did not think much of it, she knew she was screwed and the scolding would soon come. But when she approached, her mother seemed desperate.
She grabbed Coral's arms and shouted:
- Where's Toby?