Nine-year-old Ib is on a visit with her parents to an art museum, which soon takes a twisted turn as the lights go out and the famous Guertena's exotic pieces of art become all too life-like.
- WARNING: This is not a regular story. The chapters aren...
I walked down the hallway when I saw the man still facedown on the ground.
I thought that perhaps he would wake up this time, so once again, I tapped him on the shoulder and shook him. Thankfully, he began stirring slowly.
".....Mmm.........." He slowly placed his palms on the ground and pushed himself up, though he hadn't noticed me yet. ".......... What's this? The pain's gone..... ah?"
As his eyes slowly scanned over his surroundings, he took notice of me standing timidly a few feet away.
"Eeek!" He jumped to his feet and stumbled backward. "Wh... what is it NOW?! T-There's nothing left for you to take, I tell you!!"
There was obvious fear in his voice, but I could also sense a bit of anger as well. Had this man been trapped in the gallery as well?
The man himself wore a blue tattered coat atop a light-green T-shirt. His purple hair covered his left eye though, and his height caused him to tower over my small figure.
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Suddenly, his gaze softened, and a look of realization appeared. "W... wait... Dear me," He stuttered. "Could you be... someone from the gallery...?!"
I nodded quickly but remained weary. This man didn't seem the stable-est of people.
The man smiled at my answer however, then said, "So you are! Oh, thank heavens! There's someone here besides me!"
He asked me a few questions about how I had entered the gallery and gotten lost as well as the creatures I had encountered along the way.
After talking for a few minutes with him, he said, "So I see... You don't have any clue how things got to this point, either. It would seem we wound up in very similar situations, I have to say... Even down to these roses. Wounds appear on me when my rose loses its petals... I thought I was a goner there... Thank you for getting it back."
I looked up at him as he smiled down. He seemed kind enough, and he was the first person I'd met in the gallery. I guess I could trust him after all... Maybe he could help me get back to my family.
"Now, first things first..." He started. "We'd better find a way out."
I nodded my head in agreement.
"I think I'll go mad if I stay in this dreadful place for too long..." His face turned solemn as he seemed to be thinking of some memory. I wondered if he missed his family too...
The man then turned to me with shock on his face. "Ah, I still haven't asked your name. My, that was rude of me!"
He shook his head at his own "rudeness" as he called it, then smiled down at me once again. "Well, my name's Garry. And you are?"
"Ib." I said in a small voice. I wasn't the most talkative person in the first place. I'd always been kind of shy before, so I didn't say much.
"Ib... Ib, you say." After saying my name a few times to get a feel for it, he stepped forward a bit so that I stood behind him.
Garry then clenched his fists and raised his right arm dramatically toward the ceiling. "I can't very well leave a girl to wander into danger, no, no." He said to no one in particular. "... So I'll go with you, okay? Now, let's go, Ib!"
Garry grabbed my arm and started walking down the hall with confidence and determination in his steps.
I didn't know what to think of his mood swings, but I figured I was safe with him for now at least.
As the two of us walked past the painting with it's tongue wiggling about, it spit out a sticky substance like the first time I'd encountered it. The spit landed in front of Garry and he suddenly fell to the ground in surprise.
"HYEEEEEK!" He screamed.
I laughed a bit as he stood up and brushed off his coat nervously.
A slight embarrassed blush appeared on his cheeks as he stared at his feet. "I... I was just a bit startled! R-Really, that's all it was!"
Garry rubbed the back of his neck and composed himself. "Anywayyy... Let's keep going, and watch out for such bizarre things as that!"
He carefully stepped around the spit on the ground while sweat dropped down his forehead from such intensity.
I sighed quietly. This was going to be a long day...
(A/N) YAY!!! You met Garry!! He's my favorite by the way... Anywho... to continue with your story, read Part 51
