ParaNormaline - Chapter 6

- CHAPTER 6 - Savoring Memories -

--Coraline's POV--

"Oh, god… How long has he had this?"
"How do you know he even knew about it, let alone had it with him?"
"Because he's the one that threw it!"
Coraline paced back and forth, staring down at the doll. The Cat just watched her, flicking his tail. "I'd calm down if I were you." He told her calmly. "Calm down? How can you expect me to calm down? I just learned not only that the Other Mother is back, but that she has somehow gotten both me and Norman to her world, and we're BOTH TARGETS!" Coraline held the doll out to the Cat to prove her point. "And as if that wasn't enough, someone's helping her! Lucky us!" she slumped down on the bed in annoyance, glancing down at the doll again. "You aren't going to get anywhere by sulking." The Cat explained, jumping up next to her. Coraline stayed silent, thinking about it. The Cat waited to see if she'd say anything, then continued. "For all you know, he needs you right now." He told her. She gasped silently, looking over at him. "He went to find another exit. If the Other Mother is after us…" her eyes widened and she shot up, making the Cat tense slightly from the sudden action. "He might be in danger!" Coraline exclaimed. "Is that what you're saying?" She asked the Cat, turning to face him. "I said 'for all you know'. I never said that it was the exact truth. You thought of that on your own." He smirked, jumping off the bed.
"Well, I'm gonna go look for him. Just in case." Coraline explained, looking at the doll. "I'll warn him about the Other Mother…" she turned for the door, stopping when the Cat ran in front of her. "You do realize you're putting yourself in danger." He stated. "I have to help him. You can come with me, or I can go alone." She explained simply. The Cat stared at her for a moment, silent. She took a deep breath, then gently moved the Cat out of the way and kept going. "You have no idea where you're going." The Cat started walking next to her. "You're point being…?" She looked down at him, raising an eyebrow. "Can't have you getting lost." The Cat smiled and started walking ahead of her. "Follow me." Coraline obeyed without a word, hoping he knew what he was doing.

--Norman's POV--

Norman opened his eyes slowly, holding his head. "What in the world…" he moaned, trying to get up. His mind was completely blank, and he didn't like it. "Gotta figure this out…" He finally stood up, his legs shaking. He tried to take a few steps forward, stumbling. He turned around and started walking back, practicing. He did this for a minute or two, and eventually he seemed to get used to it. "That was easy." He smiled, turning back again so he could look around. He got a good look around the whole place quickly, thinking. "Let's see… How could I have gotten here?" he thought for a moment, then sighed. "Names… Names first…" he told himself. He searched his pockets to see if he could find a label or something that'd be able to help him.
"Ah, you're awake…" Norman froze and turned to see who spoke. A giant musty blue snake with a light green belly and purple eyes started slithering towards him, and to his surprise he wasn't scared at all. It seemed completely normal. The snake stopped, smiling. "You're confused, aren't you?" she asked. He hesitated, then nodded. "Poor thing…" she cooed in empathy. "Who are you?" Norman backed up a few steps wearily. "Oh, where are my manners? I am Stella." The snake smiled. "… And… Who am I?" Norman asked. Stella tried her best not to smirk. Her plan was working just as she hoped it would. "I'm afraid I don't know!" she lied, 'worried'. "Oh…" Norman looked down at his feet, disappointed. "Don't be sad, little one!" Stella lifted his head up with her tail. "I can help you…" "Really?" "Yes!" she hissed in response immediately. "Just as long as you trust me…" Norman thought about it for a second, uneasy. Before he could answer they both heard someone talking and turned their heads to the entrance, making Norman curious. "Are you sure he's here?" a familiar feminine voice echoed against the walls. Norman's thoughts turned to a girl with short blue hair and gentile brown eyes. She seemed familiar, but at the same time he had no idea who she was. Stella's eyes narrowed and she looked back down at Norman, who was daydreaming. "You stay here." She ordered. "I have to take care of a little pest problem…" she slithered away, and Norman thought of the girl again. "Blue hair and brown eyes…" he murmured, trying to remember who it was.

--Coraline's POV--

The Cat's ear twitched, then he turned to Coraline. "Yes, he's definitely down there. But there's a certain someone with him." He told her. "A certain something, really. I would avoid her if I were you." He explained, turning his head back to the stairs and padding down. "Why? What is she?" Coraline asked as started to follow him. "A trickster." He answered. "She finds her victim, then disguises herself as someone that that person cares for. After she has their trust, she-" suddenly he froze, making Coraline stop as well. "She does what?" she asked. "Shhh!" the Cat snapped, his ear twitching. After a moment he looked back at her. "She heard us." He told her. "How do we get by her?" she whispered. The Cat glanced back at her, then started going forward again. "I'll distract her. You must be quiet." He instructed. She nodded and watched him run off, then continued down the stairs as quietly as she could.

"Norman? Where are you?" Coraline called out softly. She peeked around the corner to see a large room. It looked as if it used to be a dungeon, which made her think that Norman was most likely there somewhere. She walked in and started to search carefully. She double took at the far corner of the room, where she thought she saw him peek around the corner. "Norman?" she smiled walking over. Norman took a step forward, looking her up and down. His eyes widened and he smiled in excitement. "You're her!" he exclaimed. "Yea- wait, 'her'?" Coraline raised an eyebrow, confused. Norman nodded in response before his eyes widened in realization. He groaned and hit his forehead in annoyance. "Crap! Name, name…" "What are you doing?" Coraline asked, shocked. Norman looked at her nervously. "Listen, I'm sorry if I know you, but-" "IF?!" "Yes, if! I don't even know who I am, let alone who you are. I just knew what you looked like for some odd reason…" Norman explained. Coraline looked him up and down, thinking. "You do look a little… Pale…" she murmured, then suddenly realized. "That's what she does!" she exclaimed. "That's what who does?" Norman asked. "The snake!" Coraline exclaimed, grabbing his hand. "C'mon, we gotta get out of here…" she started to drag him out, but he refused to move. "She said she'd help me!" he protested. Coraline groaned in annoyance and turned to face him. "Who're you gonna trust? Me or a GIANT SNAKE?" she asked sternly. Norman stayed silent for a moment, biting his lip. With a look of determination, he started to walk forward. "Let's go." He answered. Coraline sighed in relief and ran in front of him. "Maybe I should lead. After all I actually remember how to get out." She explained. He nodded in agreement and followed her obediently. After a moment of silence, she heard him pipe up. "What is your name, anyway?" he asked, sounding guilty. "Coraline." She answered, trying to sound welcoming so he wouldn't feel as bad about forgetting everything. "Alright… Coraline…" he repeated her name as if it were the most wonderful thing in the world. "Eh heh… and what's my name again?" he asked sheepishly. "Norman." Coraline smiled back at him as she answered. "Norman… Got it." He replied. Coraline suddenly stopped when she saw something move quickly in the shadows. Norman ran into her by accident, making them both yelp in shock. "Sorry!" he apologized quickly. Coraline stayed silent, looking closer at the shadow to identify it. She gasped when she realized what it was. "Don't freak me out like that!" she snapped as the Cat walked out of the shadows. "Besides, aren't you supposed to be distracting the snake?" she asked. "That's taken care of already." He answered, making Norman jump. "T-that cat just talked… Why did that cat just talk?!" he asked, panicking slightly. "I'll explain later." Coraline answered as the Cat started to walk away, following him after a moment. "But for now we'll just worry about getting out of here." She finished explaining just as Norman started to follow her once again.

--Norman's POV--

Norman wasn't sure whether he made the right decision or not. He didn't doubt Coraline of course, he was just nervous about how Stella would react to him disobeying her. At the same time, he wasn't sure what she'd do with him if he had decided to stay anyway. He closed the cellar door gently once they were all upstairs, something on the floor catching his eye as he bent down. He raised an eyebrow, turning to see if Coraline had seen it, but she kept following the talking cat. He looked back over at the glinting object on the ground, going a little closer. It was under an old desk, so he bent down and reached for it, pulling out an old key. He examined it for a moment, then put it in his pocket for safe keeping and went to catch up with Coraline. He probably wouldn't have been able to find her if it wasn't for her scream of annoyance at the front door. "What's wrong?" he asked, rushing up to her. "I forgot about the door being locked!" she hit herself on the head in annoyance. After a moment she sighed, turning to him. "We might be stuck here awhile…" she explained. Norman looked down at his pocket, then smiled. "Maybe not." He corrected. She raised an eyebrow as he pulled the key out and went over to the door. After a moment he took the key out of the lock and pushed the door open, turning to Coraline with a smug grin on his face. "Ta-da!" he sang with a touch of sarcasm in his voice. "How long have you had that?" Coraline asked, coming over as he put the key back in his pocket. "Under a desk." He answered simply. "You're kidding." "Nope." "That thing's the main reason you're memory is gone!" Coraline exclaimed in annoyance. "If we hadn't split up to look for a way out because of this STUPID DOOR being locked, then you wouldn't have went into the cellar and you wouldn't have run into that snake!" Coraline explained, mad. Norman raised an eyebrow, confused. "Erm… I'm just gonna assume that what you're saying is all true." He murmured, trying to think back to what happened to get him down to the cellar. He suddenly straightened up as he saw a shadow coming up from behind Coraline.
"Uh… Coraline?" "Yeah?" "Where'd the talking cat go?" Norman asked, trying to identify the shadow. Coraline looked around for a moment, then looked back at Norman. "He probably just ran off. He does that a lot. Why?" She answered, raising an eyebrow. Norman gulped, pointing at the shadow when he realized what it was. Coraline turned, gasping. "MOVE IT!" She grabbed Norman's hand and booked it out the door as Stella lunged forward, her mouth snapping shut where they had been standing. Se hissed in anger and bolted after them as they ran through a forest of dying trees. "Looks like she made some improvements!" Coraline remarked as they turned a corner, both hearing the snake run into a tree afterwards. "Who?" Norman asked. "The Other Mother." Coraline answered as she pulled him around another corner to confuse their pursuer. "The WHAT?!?!" Norman exclaimed frantically in confusion. He yelped in shock when he suddenly felt himself yanked back by his hood. He looked back in panic to see that Stella had sunk her teeth into it, and was now trying to pull him back. He kept trying to run forward, also trying to ignore the collar of his hood being pulled against his throat. "Norman!" Coraline turned and started to run towards him, but skidded to a stop when he yelled out in protest. "No, keep going!" he yelled. "I won't leave you!" she told him sternly. "I'll be fine! Go!" he glanced back at Stella, trying to think of a way out.
Suddenly he smiled as he heard the threads in the hood starting to snap. He started to pull forward even harder then before, Stella puling harder as well in surprise and determination. After a moment Norman heard a satisfying rip and was sent tumbling forward. Stella reeled back in shock, shaking her head. Norman quickly scrambled to his feet and started after Coraline, his hood now hanging on by a thread on his shoulder. He screamed in shock when he felt himself pulled to the side, a hand covering his mouth. He glanced over to see Coraline, looking at him in worry. She had pulled him into a small, dark place in the trees where Stella wouldn't be able to see them. After a moment they saw the snake slither by and they both froze, praying that Coraline had chosen a good hiding spot. After what seemed like an eternity, Stella went away, letting them sigh in relief. But they still stayed in there a little longer, just to be safe.

"Coast is clear." Coraline told him, squeezing out of their hiding spot. He followed her out, dusting himself off. "Alright, now what do we do?" he asked. "Well, I guess I have some explaining to do…" Coraline sighed, thinking. "Or… We could just get your memories back…" she pondered on it for a moment, unsure of if it was a good idea. "Well considering there's a giant killer snake after us…" Norman trailed off, thinking about it. "Then again, it'd be nice to have some decent memories…" he wasn't exactly sure what to do. He didn't feel all that safe going back to the mansion, but at the same time he couldn't just go on without his memories. "You still have the key, right?" Coraline asked. Norman nodded, feeling for it in his pocket to be sure. "In that case, how about we lay low for awhile. If we don't have a choice, we can always go back." She suggested. "That sounds… Safe." Norman replied, though he still wasn't sure if he was making the right decisions. "Alright then. While we're doing that, I might as well try to explain as much as I can." Coraline decided. "How about we start with this… Who the HECK is the Other Mother?!" Norman asked. Coraline smiled, sitting down on the ground. "I'd take a seat if I were you. I have a LOT to tell you…"