"Ugh… I hit my head…" Garry sat up groggily. He looked up to find Ib in front of him. "Ib… Are you okay?" She nodded, and he heaved a sigh of relief. "Ah! That's good. At any rate…" He looked around. "This place is full of scribbles… Is this the toy box? We fell in from the upper floor…" His expression darkened. "After she pushed us… Well, let's look for the key and get out!" He looked back at Ib, who looked white as a sheet. "You look kind of pale. Are you really okay?"
"I can't find my rose…" Garry's eyes widened, and he started glancing around, trying to spot it.
"What?! That's not good at all! You had it before, so it must be in the toy box somewhere! Let's find it!" He really was worried about her. He had come this far with Ib and had actually grown quite fond of the nine-year-old. As they were walking around looking for her rose, he felt something under his foot. He bent down and picked it up. It was the pink key. At least it was something, but it wasn't her rose.
"Ohhhh, what's this? A present for me?" His head whipped around to the familiar voice. Mary. She was speaking to a blue doll that was handing her something. When he realized what it was, it sent a chill down his spine. It was Ib's rose. "Yaaay, it's so preeetty! Can I have it? Oh, thank you!"
"That… it can't be…" He ran towards her, Ib trailing behind him. "Mary!" She looked up.
"Oh, Ib and Garry! Did you find what you were looking for?" Neither answered. " But anyway, lookit! I just got this! Pretty, isn't it!" Garry swallowed nervously.
"Mary… That… That rose…" Mary looked at it, then her eyes widened.
"Ohhh, you mean this is Ib's? I thought I'd seen it before!"
"Mary, please… Give that back to Ib." Mary looked disappointed.
"Huh?… I wonder…" She turned to Ib. "Ib… You want this back?" Ib nodded, her eyes wide. She was so pale she might have been mistaken for a ghost. Mary smiled. Garry swallowed. He didn't like the look on her face. "Well… Hmmm… Wanna trade Garry's rose?" Garry's heartbeat shot through the roof, and butterflies quickly found a way to his stomach. Ib stood still. "Garry's rose is blue, right? I like red and all, but I like blue even mooore!" Mary gestured to the doll next to her. "See? This doll's blue! Isn't she cute? And I know Ib likes to pet cute things!" Garry felt a drop of sweat roll down the side of his face. "…So? Wanna trade?" If he didn't trade, he would be handing Ib's life over to Mary. And yet, if he gave her his rose, he knew she would destroy it. She absolutely hated him, that much was obvious to anyone. And he knew this was exactly what she wanted. He glanced down at Ib, who was staring at him. She obviously didn't want him to do it, but she didn't want to die either. He couldn't bear to look at her.
"…Don't give me that look, Ib…" He glanced away, knowing perfectly well what he had to do. He had to make sure Ib got out. She had so much more of her life to live than he had of his. He looked back at Ib and attempted to smile. "Don't worry… I'll be fine. Just leave it to me." He turned to Mary, trying to keep his voice from shaking. "Understood. Please, give me Ib's rose in exchange for mine." Mary looked him dead in the eye.
"Really? You sure?" Garry wanted to hope that he would somehow live through this, that he and Ib would both make it out somehow. But he knew that was impossible. He looked her in the eye right back. "Yes." The exchange was over in the blink of an eye. Garry stared at Ib's rose. He couldn't make himself look at Mary. She started to laugh and then ran away. He closed his eyes. He had to be strong. For Ib. He turned and knelt down in front of her, and gave her rose back to her. "Be careful with it…"
"I'm sorry…" Ib was looking at him, on the verge of tears. Garry looked at her in surprise. He tried to be cheerful. For her.
"Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong, Ib. Right? So don't look so down!" He felt the first pangs of pain. Mary had started already. He was running out of time. Be strong. Be strong. "And my rose… Well, we'll just catch Mary and get it back! Let's do our best! I know we're almost there!" He hoped Ib didn't see past the mask of cheerful confidence he had put on. He looked around, and realized everything had a blue tint to it. Not only that, the complacent dolls suddenly looked menacing; the mannequins, terrifying; and the mannequin heads were floating and prowling. And the pain was getting worse. "Wh-What…?! What's with these guys? Ib, be careful!" He and Ib ran, with him guiding her to the stairs that Mary had taken. As soon as they reached the steps, the artworks abandoned the chase. He and Ib slowed down, then he felt a new burst of pain on his side, accompanied by bone-chilling words of a children's game.
"Loves me…" Mary's words echoed in the hallway. He glanced down. Ib didn't seem to notice his flinch.
"Loves me not…" A groan escaped him, and Ib started walking faster. They weren't going to make it.
"Loves me…" Garry stumbled and fell on his knees. He couldn't even walk, nor could he pinpoint where the pain was even coming from. It was everywhere. Ib stopped walking and knelt beside him.
"Ib… um… Sorry, but… Could you go ahead?" She didn't move. "I'm… uh… I'm sorry… I don't really know what to say…" He couldn't tell her he was about to die, she was only nine. And yet… "I don't want to lie to you… But I… don't want to tell the truth either…" He could hardly hold himself upright. "If you need help… I'll come running…" He wouldn't look Ib in the face. "Go on… ahead…" After a pause, he saw that she got up, and he heard her footsteps echo in the hallway as she left him.
"Loves me not…" He dragged himself over to the wall, and leaned up against it. His breaths had become shallow and ragged.
"Loves me…" He felt something in his pocket, weighing on his chest. He shakily reached in it and pulled out the object. His lighter. He should've given it to Ib. She could've used it…
"Loves me not….!" He couldn't move anymore. He couldn't even feel pain anymore.
"LOVES me!"
