Valentine Cole's Journal

Entry #5

March 27, 1893
Good morning, my journal.
I've gone through quite a horrid ordeal, for I finally know what it's luke to be a ragdoll. And Pearl? She'd nearly perished due to her becoming a porcelain doll. How horrific when she fell... but I am getting a bit ahead of myself, am I not? I will start at the beginning.
As we went through the Acrade, having deciphered the bouquet (buttercups, crocus-childish happiness)
and heading towards Toy Land , losing our memories slowly, we entered. The next part of the challenge appeared, on blocks that stated, Hello, you two, but shortened to read lou2. Then 3 blocks, sporting 3 letters- BYY. Be wise.
Soon Pearl spotted more blocks- ICU.
I see you.
Then, a long, long row of blocks with letters etched on them, arranged in complete nonsense.

LONGNOCRITEEXSKRQVSHDEMSNTKTM

Pearl thought it was a language, Latin. I knew better. It was simply gibberish.
Then, the challenge appeared.

SPELL THE FOLLOWING IN AS FEW LETTERS AS POSSIBLE
ROT
NEMESIS
JEALOUS
SURPASS
HOLLOW
CROOKED
TAUNT
THE REMAINING LETTERS WILL LEAD YOU TO FLOWERS AND FREEDOM

Again, Pearl got annoyed. 'I forget how to read and he gives us a word puzzle?!' I calmed her down, saying that because she couldn't read, she'd pay more attention to the individual letters. Then, we began. Pearl was good at it, soon getting the second clue, nemesis, which means enemy. 'N-M-E', she said. Then I figured out rot-decay, D-K.
Then Pearl complained her foot was getting uncomfortable,so she peeled of her sock, to reveal a horrific sight. Her toes were fused together, becoming a solid block. It- or she, was porcelain. The dolls and toys began to move, creeping toward us. Another Obscurosmith way to slow us down. We quickly figured out the rest, but Pearl was not the only one turning jnto a toy. I was becoming... a ragdoll. We soon organised the rest of the blocks to see that the remaining blocks unscrambled to say ROCKING HORSE. It was the rocking horse near the register. Pearl got up and tottered towards it, she got there but she fell just as I was approaching. With all my might, I threw myself under her- and saved her, due to my soft body.
Slowly, we revived, becoming flesh again. Thank goodness.