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Laughter filled the October night as Coraline and Wybie walked up the dirt path towards the area where their homes met.
They both had their hands tightened around the handle of the wagon, making sure it didn’t slip from their grasps as they pulled it up the hill. They were laughing at something Wybie had said as the Cat walked around, the both of them having gotten tired of riding in the wagon. It might have had something to do with him being a little scared of them accidentally letting go of said wagon.
“So when are your parents going to be back from the party?” Wybie asked as they finally made it to flat ground so it wasn’t too hard to pull the wagon that was half-way filled with candy.
“I’m not really sure,” Coraline explained as she kept her eyes on the trail, making sure that they didn’t trip over anything that might be on the trail. “Mom said sometime after midnight like one or so,” She said with a shrug as she smiled down at the Cat, who was rubbing up against her legs once more. “So I’ve got another few hours before I should head home,” Coraline said as she turned her smile to Wybie, who smiled back.
“Cool, that gives us plenty of time to split the candy,” Wybie said as he threw up the arm he wasn’t using in excitement. “Grandma wants me home by at least twelve-thirty,” He said as they neared their usual meet up spot.
“Huh, usually she doesn’t want you out passed eight,” Coraline said as she looked at her friend, both of them hearing a meow coming from the Cat who agreed with Coraline’s statement.
“Yeah, I know, but after what happened last year she’s been a little more relaxed,” Wybie explained before he carefully knocked against Coraline. “I guess I have you to thank for that,” He joked with a smile, making Coraline giggle a little as she knocked back against him.
“Well, if you hadn’t stocked me, I wouldn’t be here right now,” Coraline mentioned giving her friend a soft smile as leaves crunched under their feet.
“Like I said before, it wasn’t my idea,” Wybie stated as he looked down at Cat who was currently walking between them, an almost smile across his face as he looked up at the both of them.
Coraline smiled back at him, just like she always did before she stumbled slightly as Wybie come to a stop. Coraline looked at him for a moment before turning her head to look in front of her.
She let out a soft sigh of relief as she saw why Wybie had stopped, and that was because they had come to their usual meeting spot.
Coraline found it sort of poetic how the place where she had nearly died had become one of her favorite places on Earth.
She looked over the place for a moment, noting that nothing had changed since they had last been there yesterday. Somewhere deep down inside of her Coraline knew that this little area would never change much, but it had been imprinted into her mind to look for any changes just in case a certain witch found a way to come back.
She looked over the planks of wood that were across the well before letting her attention drift to the fall tree trunk that she and Wybie often used as a place to sit. Her eyes then went to the pile of rocks not far away, which Cat usually used as his place to nap.
“Everything look good?” Wybie asked waiting patiently to move, having gotten used to Coraline’s routine by now and he let himself relax as she nodded her head in response.
“Everything seems fine to me,” Coraline said before turning her attention to the Cat that walked past them and into the little area they often found themselves in. “Everything seems okay to you?” She asked knowing that the Cat before them knew more about the witch than either of them ever would and that’s how Coraline wanted to keep it.
For a moment none of them moved until the Cat nodded his head in the way that he did before quickly making his way towards the pile of rocks and placing himself on top of them.
“Looks like we’re safe,” Coraline said with a little laugh, and soon Wybie joined her as they both pulled the wagon of candy towards the log from them to go through.
As they sat down of the old wood hearing it creak under them, they quickly pulled their empty bags of candy so they could begin to divide it up.
That sat in silence for a few moments as they went through their candy and enjoyed one another's company. During the time of silence, Coraline let her eyes wander once again.
From where she Wybie, and Cat sat she could see the Pink Palace down before and she could see that the light in Mr B’s floor was on. Coraline wondered if he was training his mice or if he was waiting to see her come home so he could make sure she was safe. She liked to think that it was the latter of the two knowing that Mr. B often saw her as his granddaughter, which made her heart warm at knowing that fact.
After taking in her home she turned her head to look up the hill where Wybie and his grandmother lived, though thick trees covered it she could see a few lights peeking through the woods showing that Wybie’s grandmother was waiting up for him just like she always did when he was out.
Finally she pulled her gaze back towards Wybie and Cat, who didn’t seem to notice Coraline zoning out for a few moments. Coraline smiled at that and tried to hide the giggle that wanted to leave her as Wybie looked over a chocolate bar.
“Think it’s been poisoned?” Coraline joked as she knocked against Wybie once more before looking back at her own candy and picking up a spider-shaped peanut buttercup.
"Nah, I'm just trying to see if it's the good stuff," Wybie said with a laugh as he looked over the chocolate before putting it in his bag and going to pick up another.
"The good stuff?" Coraline asked, giving Wybie a look that screamed she knew he was crazy but she was okay with it.
"Yeah, you know milk chocolate," Wybie explained as he looked over the new chocolate bar in his hand. "No one wants dark chocolate especially during Halloween," He said giving her a look that dared her to disagree which made Coraline roll her eyes once again.
"Some of us actually have taste," Coraline teased as she quickly snatched the candy bar from Wybie's hands and throwing it in her own bag causing Wybie to pout.
"You're mean," Wybie whined but it was clear from the sound of his voice that there was no bite in his words.
"And you're weird," Coraline shot back causing Wybie to laugh this time instead of her. As Wybie's laughter stopped Coraline looked at him for a moment before reaching down and grabbing a small back of candy corn. "But I'm glad you're my friend," She said and watched as Wybie froze for a moment before a soft look crossed his face.
"I'm glad you're my friend too, Coraline," Wybie admitted a small blush growing across his face as he reached down to grab a pack of sour patch kids to put in his bag.
As both of them sat there in silence with one another neither noticed the Cat giving them a smug and knowing look as he watched the two blush from just being with one another.