three creaky springs

[buttonless]

[Creak. Creak. Creak. Creak.

... Creak.

There's the distinct sound of springs over the journal, a bit after midnight - possibly a trampoline, to those familiar with the sound. Bet it's pretty annoying, huh? It goes on for several minutes, then stops with a gentle thump as Coraline hops off onto the floor, stumbling a bit.]

Okay, so this wishing thing can be pretty awesome. My parents would never let me have a trampoline in my-

[... She stops short.]

My parents wouldn't ever...

[Parents... She can't picture them. No matter how hard she focuses, she can't picture her parents. It's like she's just... forgotten. That's not possible, is it?! She still knows their names, and she can picture their gardening catalog and her mom's snow globes. But when she tries to imagine them disapproving... ]

... Something isn't right.

Comments

[billiardsplz]

You can bet something's not right, Adventure Girl.

[buttonless]

Adventure Girl?

[billiardsplz]

Whoa, that was a slip of the tongue!

[buttonless]

Yeah? Where'd it slip out from?

[billiardsplz]

My mouth, duh.

[buttonless]

You know what I mean. Why did you call me that?

[Interrogation, liek woah!]

[billiardsplz]

'Cause that's my nickname for you.

[onlyanapple]

Care to elaborate for those of us who can't read minds over the journals?

[buttonless]

[Oh hey it's that really rude guy!]

It's none of your business.

[onlyanapple]

What? You suddenly don't feel like sharing any more?

[buttonless]

Not with a jerk.

[Yep, real mature there.]

[onlyanapple]

[That gets a chuckle]

Wow, I actually missed you, you abrasive little pest.

[buttonless]

[Way to make an impression on a girl, Crowley.]

You're doing an awesome job of showing it.

[ectobabble]

Oh, no. [she can probably already hear the wibble in Ray's voice] You ... oh, Coraline, don't tell me they're your loss ...!

[buttonless]

My-

[Wait, she remembers hearing about those things.]

But I can still remember them! Everything about them...

[Except, of course, for their faces.]

[ectobabble]

... [he knows that tone. carefully] But?

[buttonless]

I just can't picture them. What they look like, I mean.

[Oh crap oh crap oh crap]

... Do you really think...?

[ectobabble]

.... That it could've just taken their images from you? I've never heard of it before, but that doesn't mean it isn't possible....

[buttonless]

[She mulls over this for about five seconds, and then-]

This really sucks.

[jammin_with_ed]

What's wrong, Coraline?

[buttonless]

This stupid castle is what's wrong.

[jammin_with_ed]

What did it do?

[buttonless]

It took something. And I think I figured out what it is.

[jammin_with_ed]

You figured out your loss?

[buttonless]

I think I just did.

...

Ed? What's yours?