CHAPTER 12
PRINCESS SIGN UPS

WITH each kill they made, Coraline felt more guilt. She told herself that this was okay; that they were doing something good. Maybe they were, but the humanitarian inside of her couldn't excuse murder for good. Well, she technically wasn't doing the killing. She was an accomplice. Was there truly blood on her hands?

Yes, there was. There definitely was. But she refused to admit it to herself. Coraline continued to justify the crimes as much as she could. It was becoming harder as the number continued to rise. By the end of November, they had killed two rapists, one pedophile, and three serial killers.

"It's just our own better version of the Purge," Michael assured once. "You know, for us good guys."

He didn't get it, which made Coraline ask herself who was more psychotic out of the two of them. In Michael's mind, this was all for Coraline's happiness, so she could use her visions for something worthwhile. He burnt people to the ground. He turned others to ash. He made brains explode from the inside out. Michael killed these horrible humans for Coraline, to show her the kind of love and loyalty she deserved. It was his way of honoring her. Coraline would never understand that.

The members of board game club were the only people who truly recognized her friendship with Michael, and for that, she was grateful, despite Greg's disapproval. Eloise was happy that Coraline found someone else who understood her, and Billy ... well, Billy just thought Michael was cooler than all of them combined. Greg, on the other hand, would constantly use his big brain to remind Coraline "how bad this relationship would end if people found out." Coraline would normally roll her eyes and tell him that he was being overdramatic. "Hardly anyone here knows what he looks like anyways," she'd argue. "We're fine."

Amongst all the news of murders occurring around town, Coraline Avery was chosen as top student of her class in November. Even rebellious murderers can keep up with their good grades if they really tried. Everyone was talking about her again, forgetting the local killings that were happening almost once or twice a week. Her school picture was posted on the main bulletin board near the entrance of school, serving as a constant reminder that she was front page news. Crazy Coraline was rising to the top once more.

People were looking at her again, but not with terror or pity. They were staring at her with admiration. Besides the geek squad, who thought she didn't deserve to be put on a pedestal yet again. But here Coraline was: top student of the month, preventer of future crimes to come, and – according to Michael Langdon – a prophet. What else could she ask for? Maybe someone did have big plans for her. This was only the beginning.

She broke apart from Eloise as her friend headed to her own class. Eloise was enjoying the newfound attention to, seeing as she was Coraline's closest friend at school. Coraline adjusted the straps of her backpack and walked to her American History classroom, taking note of her former clique staring at her with actual fucking wonder. Turning her head to the side, she saw her face on another bulletin board, amongst the chaos of flyers and job listings. She approached the board while eyeing one paper in particular.

WINTER BALL PRINCESS SIGNUPS!

Coraline stared at the flyer with an eyebrow raised. She had already been planning to attend the Winter Ball as a rebellious statement for labeled psychotics around the world, but ... she hadn't thought about Winter Ball Princess. Now that her reputation was rising again, signing up Winter Ball Princess didn't seem like such a bad thing. It could even be the first step to becoming Prom Queen.

The flyer was lined with snowflakes and white sparkles, with six spots available for applicants. Only two lines had names on them. The first was Quinn Merrick, leader of the Mathletes and Coraline's current enemy. The second Coraline's picture went up for top student, she was on Quinn's hit list. Quinn Merrick had been top student for five straight months and wasn't ready for anyone to take her crown. Upon seeing her name on the signup list, it seemed to Coraline that she was looking for a new crown to wear.

The second name was Heather Beaumont, Amalia's twin sister. Coraline never knew Heather well, even though they had been in the same clique. When she had been better friends with Amalia, the blonde girl would go on hideous rants about how shitty Heather treated everyone around her. Heather wanted everything, and she'd do anything to get it. Amalia used to insinuate that Heather was jealous of Coraline, and once she fell off the top of the social pyramid, Coraline guessed that might've been the best day of Heather's life. It was the best time for her to go after the things she wanted, Winter Ball Princess included.

A ballpoint pen hung right near the flyer. Coraline debated on picking it up and writing her name down. She hesitated for a moment. The old Coraline wouldn't have. She would've immediately written her name at the top of the flyer, not bothering to follow the lines, just because she wanted to be the first name written down.

"Be careful. Heather will put up a good fight."

Coraline heard the voice on her right and turned. Amalia Beaumont leaned against the bulletin board, slinging her blue messenger bag over her shoulder. Coraline looked over her shoulder at her former friends, who were staring at Amalia with confusion. She finally glanced back to the blonde girl and shrugged.

"Nothing I haven't handled before," she replied.

Amalia smiled softly. "Right, right. I remember when you beat my sister for Spring Fling Queen two years ago and Heather almost ran on stage to rip the flower crown off your head." She giggled at the memory, and Coraline silently wondered just why Amalia Beaumont was talking to her now.

The blonde's eyes shifted to the Winter Ball flyer again. "So," she continued, "do you think you'll win?"

Coraline pursed her lips. "I don't even know if I'm going to do it." She lifted her chin, questioning if Amalia was suddenly challenging her. "Are you going to run?"

"No, definitely not," Amalia replied, waving her hands around. "Not my scene." She paused and tilted her head to the side. "If I'm being frank, I don't think it's your scene either, Coraline. You've always been better than these things."

The other girl blinked. Amalia stepped back with a smile and waved delicately. "I gotta get to class. It was nice talking to you." She spun on the heel of her pretty sandal, but looked over her shoulder once she was two feet away. "Oh, by the way, congrats on winning student of the month. You deserve it more than that mathlete stuck-up."

Coraline waved with a confused expression. She watched Amalia walk away with Nate Ashworth, who tried linking an arm around her shoulders, but she shoved it right off. Coraline swallowed hard and looked back at the Winter Ball Princess flyer. Her conversation with Amalia made it easy to walk away.

•••

Shane McMannen was the county's local heroin dealer, responsible for many deaths around town. It was his main job. On the side, he charged patrons four dollars for a water bottle and put liquid butter on popcorn at the old movie theater. But again – just a side job. Most nights, he would meet his customers in the back alley, right behind the theater, and give them their weekly – or even daily – supplies.

Coraline liked to think he was a serial killer. Everyone always had their suspicions about the twenty-year-old theater employee, but there was zero evidence to back it up. Coraline used to write about her first visions in a locked journal, and once she went through them with Michael, she found the exact evidence she needed. During the summer, she had a vision of Shane's regular dealing, except he was handing heroin to an old friend from middle school she recognized – Harry Briggs. She immediately went to the internet after reading this journal entry, just to find anything on the state of Harry now. However, there was wasnt't any stories, because Harry Briggs was dead. From an overdose.

That's what happened to all of Shane's customers. He'd keep providing until they died, and then he'd move onto the next person. He didn't care about the people he was murdering. He didn't care about the families he was ruining. All he cared about was money. For that, he deserved retribution. "Like the disgusting excuse for a human he is," Michael had said.

They cornered him on a usual night of work. Coraline had to wait until Francesca was asleep before slipping out of the house with Michael and waiting for the theater to close for the night. Once every light was off, Shane stepped outside the back door and looked around. A dim streetlight glinted above his head. Michael and Coraline hid in the shadows, watching him light up a cigarette as he waited for his customer. Coraline glanced to the boy next to her. His bright eyes were so clear, even in the darkness. She gestured for him to go with the plan.

Michael walked further into the alley, allowing the orange light to finally shine down on him. Coraline lingered a foot away from him and noticed Shane jump back once he saw them. "I'm waiting for someone. Who are you two?" He asked, squinting his eyes at Michael, and then to Coraline. He leaned back for a moment. "Hey, do I know you?"

He probably did. Shane had been a senior in high school when Coraline was a freshman. When she became uber popular in sophomore year and he started community college, she remembered him continuously sliding into her DMs, even though his explicit words to her were highly illegal.

Michael narrowed his eyes towards Shane. "Who are you waiting for?"

"That's none of your fucking business, buddy," Shane replied, walking forward to be at Michael's eye level. "Get the fuck out of here."

"I will when you ..." Michael chewed his bottom lip, looking at Coraline from the corner of his eye. She stepped forward, but he held her back. "I will when you get out of my face."

Shane laughed mockingly. He was an inch from Michael. They stood at the same height. Shane's cigarette blew smoke in Michael's nose. Coraline swallowed hard, reaching out to intervene, but Michael wouldn't allow it.

"I said, 'Get out of my face.'" Michael repeated, suddenly shoving Shane back. This wasn't a normal shove, though. With the power coursing through him, Michael pushed Shane back by several feet, causing his spine to hit the brick wall with an unmeasurable force. Coraline heard the wind pass by her ears within seconds.

Shane held the wall as if his life depended on it. His teeth chattered, hands trying to hold himself up as he stared at Michael and Coraline with pure terror. He made sure the cigarette was still dangling from his mouth. Michael didn't give him another moment to speak. Using his right hand, he waved two fingers in Shane's direction, causing the cigarette in his mouth to shrivel up. The cigarette then delved into Shane's mouth, sinking deep within his jugular, before it immediately caught aflame.

Coraline watched Shane open his mouth and begin to choke. He breathed fire. Flames flew from his throat, coloring his insides a mixture of yellow and orange. He heaved and heaved, but there was no use. Blood seeped from his eyes. It was a sight out of a Saw movie, and Coraline fought the urge to look away.

Michael moved his hand in horizontal direction, waving it back and forth. Within a second, Shane's neck snapped. A huge crack sound echoed in the wind. He fell onto the ground, hitting the pile of trash bags littered by the theater's back door.

Coraline chewed on the inside of her cheek, watching the blood dry on Shane's face. His mouth hung open as he sunk further into the trash bag pile. She then walked forward and kicked his leg with her boot. No response. "Dead," she whispered, pulling up her hood when the wind picked up.

Michael appeared by her side. "I did good, right?"

He was grinning down at her, and she reflected the same expression. His smile was always contagious and full of excitement. She felt his hand brush her own, but before he could move away, Coraline laced their fingers together. Michael's lips parted at the gesture, and he squeezed her hand in his.

"WHAT THE FUCK?"

Coraline knew that voice. She stared straight ahead, unable to move to check if her suspicions were correct. The familiar sound of heeled sandals was the only thing she could focus one. She didn't even hear Michael whisper to her, "Coraline, what's going on?"

Amalia Beaumont. She found them.

Coraline didn't have a moment to think. Before Michael could utter another word, she was tugging on his arm, dragging him down the dark alleyway. She ran faster than ever before, almost slipping on the gravel from the fresh rain that poured an hour ago. Her breathing was irregular. Her grip on Michael was rigid. He didn't question any of it; he just followed her.

In the distance, she heard Amalia yelling, followed by the screams of others. "Someone call nine-one-one!" She ordered as a crowd gathered. "SOMEONE CALL THE FUCKING COPS!"

No finger prints. No evidence. All of it was done by magic, and it was well-deserved. But Coraline would remember Amalia's shrieks forever.

•••

A/N: Hi the finale of Season 8 is literally so soon and I'm Anxious!!!!! Depending on the ending, we might just be goin ✈️ AU

ALSO WOWZA y'all really went in on the Jammin' Jams playlist lol. Figured I would also drop in the link for the official playlist of Hungry Heart because it slaps!!!!!!!