"An exploring and finding-things game," Coraline explained, sipping her water. "That was after she locked me up behind the mirror, with the children she'd taken before. They were all trapped in there because she had their souls. So when she let me out again, I made a deal with her. If I could find my parents and the ghost children's souls, she had to let me go. And if I didn't then I'd stay with her forever."