"a real you? What do you mean by 'the real you'? and why? i don't understand"
Thomas Maxfield has received a strange painting during his working time at a museum as an art restoration expert and a museum archivist. However,things started too change...
That one particular Thursday when I was working at a studying room of a museum, which is located near the supply transportation section, I received a ordinary yet odd painting dated approximately around early 90s or so. When I said odd, I mean that painting, it gives off some mysterious vibes that I felt that this painting is a counterfeit. Well....the next thing I know, will be something I don't want to experience again and some dark secrets I unexpectedly discovered
My name is Thomas Maxfield. I'm just a regular 18 years old college student who worked as a museum archivist at a museum of England. Besides of studying for Associate degree for world history and bachelor degree for art history that helps me with my work, i also have 3 years of painting experience all thanks to these Bob Ross painting video I've watched while practicing artistic skills as well as 5 years of mechanical practice that helps to restore damaged items, Apparatus and even paintings.
Anyway, let's get back to it. so when I was on duty, a worker there had delivered me an unknown painting. The only thing I knew is the period, because that worker told me to. "You can actually tell that from the canvas and frames, ya know." The worker explained "probably much older than I thought" "thanks, mate. I'll check it's quality and tried restore it if needed before the boss decided to display it in the gallery" I took the canvas along with the cloth covering it to my studying room. "Oh yeah, before you go..." The worker stopped me for a while "according to the historian that want me to sent this, this painting is a beautiful maiden wearing a blue flower. She needs to be taken care with her absolute needs, no strong lights, no high temperature." I was quite puzzled, a Painting that needs a caring like a royal maiden? This is something I don't expect from any professionals. I sighed after i took a deep breath and replied him before I walked back to the room with the canvas: "roger that, could have just said it's the painting for royalties"
In a great timing after I arrived the painting room, my boss, the museum curator named Albert Castillo came into my room while supervising all his fellow members progress. He saw me holding a canvas walking in and just called me: "oh hey, Thomas. Just received a new artwork eh? Must be a great treasure" his smile is still the same, broad and full of delight, especially when visitors enjoying the artwork and the employees take their job efficiently and seriously. "Oh hey,boss. Well yeah, I bet it sure is a beautiful one." "Can't wait to see the visitors to gaze upon this! And please, don't call me 'boss', it's informal and rude" "oops, sorry....." It's kinda common when he corrected my habit ever since the first day of my job, even though I didn't consider to change it after going part work, part study at the museum for 5 months.
"Alright, now careful there.....gotta watch the sheets, check the temperatures and light..."I muttered to myself while placing the canvas on my easel slowly and carefully. Albert walked to me, confused and asked: "in what reason had make you to place a canvas such a way like how servants serve their master?" He asked, full of curiosity.
"Oh, I forgot to tell you about that sir. But first, maybe you can try and guess what's the painting about"
"Hmmm....a painting of a beautiful maiden of a royalty perhaps? It's no surprise you treat the canvas that way"
"Exactly, sir. From what i heard, this Painting is about a girl wearing a blue flower. She's delicate, you know..." I smiled proudly and turned back to the covered canvas to remove the sheets "now carefully....careful...." The second it removed,it reveals.....
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Nothing.....at all....
I was flabbergasted to it, all I received is nothing but a empty, void black canvas. My curator will definitely be furious and fire me for lying. While panicking, I made up a lie and explained: "well..... perhaps the painting is actually unfinished. Maybe the painter died before he could, but who knows?" I laughed nervously while looking at my curator, who looked furiously disappointed. "And of course, she's waiting someone to complete her. But all who had tried has failed and annihilated, so if you tried upset her a tiniest bit, it's the end for you"
"A painter died before he could paint a girl? A cursed painting that demands painters for her needs? Thomas, I can't believe you would made up such a petty lie like this." Albert shook his head in disappointment as he looked at the empty canvas. "Fine, at the next three weeks,you have to restore this painting before it displayed at the gallery. Don't give me any messes like as you please, understand?"
"Yes sir" I don't even dare to look at him, this is the very first time I fucked up my job. With that order, he patted my shoulder for a little encouragement and cheering ups before leaving. As I looked at him, I sighed, never in my life had I lied to anyone, this is going to get my tongue ripped. But all of a sudden, I heard a "thud". I turned back and saw a red liquid spilled on the floor.
"Oh lord, the crimson red paint!" At first I thought I accidentally kicked the paint of the table but when I touched the "paint", a weird feeling upset my stomach. This is no paint, it wasn't but a spill of blood, fresh from presumably from a human or an animal. Not after that, I felt a sharp scratch at my chest like big cats trying to dismember my torso. I look down and found claw marks over my body. "Oh shit!" I panicked and rushed to my phone calling for help in pain, only to find my screen to be like this:
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It started off with a creepy glitch, and it was covered with red screen, something that don't happen when computers or phones crashed. "Wait....phones and computers don't crash with this colour" again, I was speechless, calming all my nerves. As I put down my phone trying to figure what is going on, the painting....out of nowhere, it changed, as if it painted itself within a blink of an eye:
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It revealed itself as a beautiful short-haired maiden sitting on presumably a stool. Like in the description, she wore a flower on her head and dressed with a pretty dress and a shawl. However, the flower she wore wasn't blue, no....all her features weren't even painted, it's all black and white. I left my jaws hanging while staring at this masterpiece. After a while, a youngling like voice, which i assume to be around 12 to 14 years old, came from the painting:
"Are you the next painter?"
She asked, with a Victorian era British accent in her speech. Knowing that I have experiences in painting, I can only choose the correct choice to stay alive. "Yes, my lady. I'm a painter...." These words came out from my mouth without thinking twice for the consequence I face.
"I wonder if you can paint me..." She asked again, sending chills down my spine.
"Paint this picture,paint the real me...."
"Wait, what do you.....me-" before I asked my question, I felt like my brain suddenly cuts off the whole nervous system, and everything turned dark....
A/n: shout out for SleepyKazoofor gave me the permission wrote this fanfic (not sure if it's copying or not)
