Chapter 6- Mary and Clara

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After a few steps, I heard, knock, knock, knock. What was that just now? It wasn't those thuds, just three small knocks. It sounds like a walking headless statue. Eeek! I scared myself and started looking around for it. Turns out there's nothing here. There's a way to a violet door and I think that's where it came from. But I don't wanna go there. "It's ok, Ib. We don't have to check that out. The statue probably blocked it from the inside. We'll have to go around." said Garry.

It's true. We'd better get going.

To our left, we saw a rope maze with three "non" walking statues. We'd rather not go there. It'll probably trap us in there while all the statues are moving towards us. We didn't go to the maze and headed forward. From across, we saw a painting of a cherry blossom tree. The petals are falling from the painting. Wow, for once there's a beautiful painting here. A petal landed on my nose so I picked it. The petal looks healthy and it feels smooth. I feel sorrowful somehow. . . . . Oh, my rose. The stem grew a few sakura petals. Weird. Now this rose isn't ordinary. "It looks much beautiful now, Ib." said Garry.

"Yes it is. But, how did it become like this?"

"Maybe the painting's meaning resonated with yours causing your life and this one to be one."

"How do you know that?"

"I just thought of it."

"Okay. Let's go."

We pressed on. There's another violet door there. It's locked. "What's this? There's a panel here. . .?" said Garry. I wonder what's the panel for? There aren't any buttons there. "Where aren't getting anywhere. Let's look somewhere else."

"Okay. Let's try the door over there." I pointed behind us there's another door. It's unlocked. As soon as we got through the door, we suddenly saw a headless statue blocking the way.

Garry figured right. He told me to step back a bit and he moved the statue out of the way. We got through the door and saw the way we went in from. Another correct guess. Oh, there's a writing on the wall beside us, it says,

"What is the name of the large floor painting in the exhibition?"

That big fish painting where I fell from? I forgot the last word. . . .

"What was it? Something of the Deep. . .?" Garry's also thinking of it. I wish I remembered that. Hmm. . . .

Ah-!

I said, "Abyss of the Deep!"

"Oh? Yes, yes that's it! 'Abyss of the Deep'! Good job, Ib!" said Garry.

"Hehe. Thanks!" I replied.

We went back to the door with the voice panel. We both said at the same time, "Abyss of the Deep. . ."

The door clicked and we got inside.

There are a few bookshelves on the side and a large painting of a crack that is red and black. "What's this painting?" I asked.

"The title is, 'Separation'. Hmm... What an off-putting painting."

Then, the lights suddenly went out. "W-What happened to the lights?!" I exclaimed. 

I quickly grabbed Garry's hand out of fright. "It's good that you're fine, Ib. Wait there, let me get my lighter." said Garry. 

I can't see all that fine. It's so dark. I heard something click a few times. Must be his lighter. But the light is small and still too dark to see. We also heard wind gust through the room. Hmm? Now this room smells like paint.  

After a while, the lights came back. "What is this?!" Garry exclaimed. The walls and floor are painted with spray paint in letters. Some say, "Stop", "Please", "Don't kill me". This is very creepy and scary. I don't wanna stay in this room for long. "Ugh. This isn't good for my mental health." said Garry. We then, left the room.

There's a large lettering in red on the wall outside.
"A notice to all visitors. There is a strict ban of fire-starting implements.
Please refrain from using matches, lighters, etc."

"I think it's better if we leave. I have a bad feeling. . ." I said.
"Yeah, let's go." replied Garry.
We went back to where we saw the painting of a cherry blossom tree. On the floor there, we saw red foot prints. We followed those prints and it led to an opening in an wall.
We walked as I said, "Were these here be--Ah!" I wasn't looking to where I was going and I bumped someone. She fell down. Oh man, I feel quite embarrassed now. I quickly helped her up, "I'm sorry!" she stood up and smiled while saying, "Oh!"
She's not from here, I think and she looks like a real person. . . .So that means. . .!
"Are you from the gallery too?" asked Garry. She answered, "Yeah! I was looking for someone--" she continued to explain her situation. It's like me and Garry's situation now. We let her join us to escape because we all knew that it was too dangerous for someone like her to be wandering around this kind of place.

She smiled when we asked her to join us. "Thanks!" she exclaimed. "By the way, what's your name?" asked Garry.
"Mary." she said. She put up a startled face like she forgot something. Then she went back and dragged another person with her to us. "This is my sister, Clara." said Mary as she holds her arm. "Nice to meet you." said Clara. She looks like the shy type. She's looking down on the floor.
"I'm Garry."
"And I'm Ib."
Clara looks more bright now. She said, "Nice to meet the both of you!" while putting up a cheerful smile. "All right! Now that we have more people, we can continue with our spirits high!" said Garry.

We continued on. After walking a while, we saw a vase so Garry and I used it.
"Say Mary and Clara, Ib and I have roses. Do you also have one?" asked Garry.
"Oh, I do! It's yellow!" exclaimed Mary then Clara, "Mine's pink!"
"Ah, so you do," Garry explained, "You two keep those safe. Don't lose it and don't give it to anyone and--" his explanation was disturbed by Mary, "Wow! Ib's rose is red! I like yellow and pink too! Oh! And blueee!" Garry looks a bit irritated and he said, "Please, learn to listen. Anyways, let's go."

We saw another message on the wall. It says, "Which one is it really?"
I guess we have to choose whatever's ahead of us. Ahead we saw two ways. There's a painting in the middle column, "Flowers of Jealousy". Well, I don't see a flower though. Just its shape. 
"I'll try the door there." said Clara as she goes to the door on the right side. "Then I'll check the door there." said Garry as he points and goes to the door on the left side.

Clara's back. "It's locked there." she said. Then Garry, "The door's open there, let's go."
We followed Garry to the left door. As we got inside, we saw a painting of a cute pink bunny with red eyes in the far end. Then there were bunny ornaments on the side of the room on a long table and two small bookshelves on both sides of the painting. I couldn't help but pick up one of the bunny ornaments. They're so cute! "Oh my gosh! They're so cute!" shouted Mary. "Yeah they are!" I shouted back. I looked back to show Clara and Garry the ornaments but they looked pretty freaked out by it. "What's wrong, Garry?" I asked and also Mary, "Yeah, are you okay Clara?"
"This room and that painting, why must it be so unsettling?" said Garry.
Clara also agreed, "Yes it is. I feel so uneasy and I feel like I'm being watched. . . ."
What's wrong with them? They don't think that these ornaments are cute? Well, we have different opinions anyway. I put back the rabbit ornament and also Mary. Suddenly, an ornament jumped off from the table and broke. I got startled by it and went to see what happened. It's broken to pieces. There's something glinting there. . . .Ah, another key. It's a violet one. I took it and kept it inside my pocket. Then we all headed outside the room. 

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