King of Hearts

5.

Due to the incredible force, Val lands painfully on the floor. She tries to do her best to comprehend the current situation but she cannot find a proper explanation. Panic tickles her mind and body, as she examines her new surroundings. She's breathing heavily.

Val isn't in the museum anymore, that's for sure. She landed on a cobblestone pavement in an unknown alley. Val stands up and gazes around, trying to find out where she is, but again, she has no clue.

A tall dark purple lantern is standing opposite her. Judging by the rusty look of it, it won't light up much of the area, but it's not necessary by the bright daylight anyway. Now that she thinks about it, it is actually quite warm and sunny, for an afternoon in February.

She is surrounded by small medieval-looking houses of every color. Mint green, coral pink, lemon yellow. Every building wears a different shade. Val notices thin yet long cracks in the walls of some houses. She wonders, how secure it is to stand next to such old buildings.

Val hears voices and children's laughter from somewhere, but no one is in sight.

Wasting her time, examining old buildings in an unknown alley won't help her find out what is going on.
Finally, she decides to explore the place. She turns corner after corner, hoping this doesn't turn out to be a labyrinth.

Has she fallen asleep, all of a sudden? No, Val usually has control over her body. Besides, how could she fall asleep in a museum?
Perhaps she is being pranked? Perhaps she is being recorded and her friends are probably laughing at her.
No, this can't be a prank, unless she was drugged. She saw that white light flashing out of the painting, she touched the watery surface, and she has heard that strange voice. She might have lost her mind. Either that or this is all a dream. Val has no other logical explanation. It's impossible to find one.
It's not the time to think about what makes sense and what doesn't. First, she needs to get out of here.

Although she must admit, it is a very pretty place. Almost magical. She feels like she's in a Disney movie. It looks like a scene of a fairytale of a children's book. 

A small peachy orange shop that is currently closed according to the sign on the door, shows odd pastries from the shop window. Green and gold cakes, teal and magenta jars of liquids, plates with purple, white, and pink biscuits curved like the shell of a snail or a turtle. "Lulu's Sugary Home", it says above the pearl framed entrance.
An intense scent of roses tickles Val's nose, as she passes a window of a pastel pink house. "Rose' Rosy Bookland", indicates the name of the shop. Its door is decorated with royal blue and creamy white roses. The front steps are literal books stocked over another.
The view is simply beautiful. Val is so mesmerized by this strangely whimsical place, that she barely notices the voices growing louder. She is sure to be very near to a crowd because she hears more than children's laughter now.