Chapter 1
A Forgotten Past
It happened four years ago, when Ib and her parents visited the Guertena art gallery. Ever since then she could never recall this strange feeling. Like something was missing from her life. But what? No matter how hard she tried she just couldn't remember. Every now and then Ib would have these strange dreams. The kind where everything seemed real. In her dream was of a young man in his early twenties, wearing a large blue coat, along with brown pants and green shirt. Ib had no idea who he was but she had this strong feeling that she knew him. And the gallery.. the paintings.. the very thought sent shivers down her spine. It felt more like a nightmare, like being trapped in another world. But there was also one more person. A girl, who looked about the same age as her, but all she could remember was the girl's long blonde hair. These gaps in her memory bothered her at times where she would spend hours trying to figure out what Really happened at the gallery.
"Oh no! This is horrible!" Sounding shocked, the voice came from the living room.
"What is it dear?"
"This is terrible.." Ib's mother covered her mouth as she focused her attention towards the television.
Ib who heard her mother from the kitchen came to see what the commotion was. Looking at the T.V she seen the news reporter behind a large crowd.
"...Now there aren't any casualties but the great works of artist Guertena are burned along with the building. Not too long ag-" Cutting off, Ib's father turned off the T.V and sat down beside his wife.
"All of his art.. it's so sad.." Disappointed, Ib's mother buried her face into the palms of her hands.
"I know dear." Ib's father comforted his wife as Ib herself remained silent.
Even though the news broke out, Ib felt like the gallery being burned wasn't real at all. It wasn't that she couldn't accept reality, but there was this nagging feeling that the gallery is still alive somehow.
Leaving the living room, Ib went straight to her bedroom where she needed to complete last night's homework.
A couple of hours had passed since she begun on her math homework, it was tricky work but she felt confident in her answers. Interlocking her fingers together, she raised both arms up in the air to get a good stretch. She needed it after sitting in one spot for so long.
Checking the time, she could see it was now 9:40pm, and that she needed to sleep in a few hours. Figuring that she had some spare time she would continue one of the novels she started not to long ago. Pulling open the drawer next to her bed, she opened the page where the book marker was and had begun reading the first line.
We're friends, aren't we?
"..!?" Gasping at the sudden voice, Ib quickly scanned her surroundings but came to realize she was the only one. Obviously she was, but she could of sworn she heard someone's voice just now.
"I'm just imagining it." Shaking her head, she concluded that it was just her imagination. There was no need to scare herself. Ib figured she was just tired, so she closed up the book and got up to changed into her pajama's. Then curled up under the covers and turned off the lights where she closed her eyes and slowly went to sleep.
Come play, come play Ib!
Reopening her eyes, she quickly got up with her red orbs scanning the room once again. Turning on the lights she almost felt relived that there was nothing. But that voice, she recalled in her head. Ib was certain that voice sounded familiar but from where?
"The gallery.."
End Chapter
Author's notes: Hello readers. I haven't been doing any writing for awhile. But I'm back with another project. As you guessed it, Ib. I plan to follow up on the ending "Memory's Crannies" since I've gotten that ending twice, haha. I hope you enjoy this one and I'll see you in the next chapter. -TSK
