Ib すべて一人で (Ib All Alone)

Running down the uncomfortably dark stairway at a hurried pace, Ib and Garry made their way into the gallery. It was just as dark as the stairway had been and there wasn't a soul in sight. Ib took hold of Garry's tattered coat with her tiny hand shaking ever so slightly. He cupped his hand over hers and smiled warmly. "I believe our journey is coming to an end Ib." Crimson red eyes met his violet stained eyes as Ib nodded her head slowly. The pair walked at a brisk pace towards the place where this all had begun. They cringed as they passed the painting of the Lady in Red, not sure as to if she would drop down from the wall and crawl towards them with a strong thirst for blood as she had done many times before during their short stay in this strange world they had found themselves apart of.

Everything was strangely… still. Garry was thankful for the sudden quietness after enduring so many horrific events. I think my heart will be alright after all, he thought. As they rounded the corner and walked a little ways ahead, they came to that painting.

Fabricated World

"Garry… what's that first word? I don't know it," Ib said sheepishly. Ib was only nine years old so she hadn't come across words such as this. Garry chuckled slightly, "That word is 'fabricated'. It's kind of a big word I guess." He scratched his purple hair and looked to be in deep thought. Ib tugged on his coat, "What's wrong?"

"Well… we found the painting. Now what should we do?"

Just as Garry muttered these words, the frame around the gigantic mural disappeared in a flash of light. Ib and Garry jumped back in fright at the sudden development that had just taken place. "T…That was scary," said Ib who's grip on Garry's coat grew stronger by the second. I spoke too soon about my heart.

Garry cocked his head to the side and put his hand up to the painting, "I wonder…" He placed his hand into the mural and a huge smile formed on his face as he looked at Ib, "This is the way out Ib! We made it. We can finally go back to the gallery. You can see your mom and dad again!"

Garry didn't need any more proof that this was the way out as he leaped with complete faith into the mural. Ib stood still for a moment as she mustered up the courage to jump as well. Before she could, a familiar voice drifted into the dark gallery. "Ib! Thank goodness I finally found you dear."

Ib turned quickly to her left as her mother approached her with open arms. "Ib what's going on? Are you coming? It's not scary. You just have to jump into the mural."

Ib was not listening to Garry's voice as she locked eyes with her mother whom she hadn't seen in what felt like an eternity. "M…mom…"Ib stopped herself from jumping into her mother's arms. What if this is another trap…

"Ib how many times have I told you not to talk to strangers? Let alone follow them around."

"Ib come on! It will be alright. I promise you"

"Ib listen to your mother! Don't go anywhere with this stranger."

"Ib I'll pull you over. Give me your hands!"

"Ib come with your mother."

"Grab my hand…"

"IB!"

What should I do? I just met Garry but… he didn't give me any reason not to trust him. This is my mother though… I can't disobey her. I missed her so much… and I get to see dad again as well…

Ib's eyes looked as if the life had been sucked out of her tiny body as she began to walk towards her mother.

"Huh… wait. Ib what are you doing? Where are you going?! IB!" Garry shouted as his hands began to bang on the mural that had now been sealed once again.

The young girl stretched out her hand to her mother as she walked towards her. Garry dropped to his knees and began to feel his eyes filling with tears, "Ib..."he whispered, "no one is there."

A Week Later

Ib woke up in her sunlit room and stretched in her bed. She hadn't been feeling well for quite some time now and her condition seemed to have been getting worse. I should tell mom and dad about this. They'll know what to do.

Ib swung her legs out of the bed and walked carefully into the living room where her parents were sitting on the couch reading. "Mom… dad… I don't feel so well," Ib muttered as she fell to the ground. Her parents jumped out of their seats and ran to their daughter's side. "Ib! What's wrong dear?" said her mother, her voice laced with concern. Her father placed his hand on her forehead, "She doesn't seem to have a fever…"

She groaned as the pain her body grew worse and worse. Soon, the voices began to fade around her. She looked at her mother and father. Their mouths were moving, but no voice could be heard. What's goi—

Ib's thought was cut short as the horror of her past crept upon her once again. Her mother's comforting face had, for a split second, resembled the head of the grotesque blue rag dolls of the dark gallery. Ib backed away as her parents looked towards her. Their mouths still moved, but no voice was heard. Ib glanced at her father and his strong paternal face had resembled that of the white mannequin head of the dark gallery. Noticing that their illusion had begun to break, the faces of her mother and father turned deranged as they looked at her with wicked grins. Ib had backed up into a wall and looked horrified. She had spent these past few blissful days with her "parents", but she had noticed her strength slowly fading from her over time. Now she understood why.

The illusion broke completely and she found herself lying on a cold floor in the middle of a dark room with her hands and feet tied together. Surrounding her were the Lady in Red paintings in their various colors, mannequin heads with bloodstained tears streaming down their faces, headless mannequins in varying colors knelt before her, as well as a familiar blonde girl with a green dress. Ke. Ke. Ke.

Maniacal laughter filled the tiny room as Ib looked up to see a young girl sitting by her feet. It… can't be…

The laughter ended as the blonde girl crawled near Ib's head and sat comfortably on the floor. "Missed me Ib?" Mary said with a giggle. Ib's eyes grew wide with terror as she tried to break free from her restraints without much luck. "There's no point in trying to run now Ib. You're almost dead!" she said with a sweet smile. Ib could tell that the blonde girl was not lying to her. She could hardly move because her body had become limp. "You've been sitting in this room all this time Ib! Too bad that stupidly dressed Garry escaped. I could've used his life essence as well to insure that I could get out of here. But your life essence was surprisingly strong! You should be all that I need."

Ib tried to scream for help, but her voice had now escaped from her. She glanced around the room once more and saw a stream of light leaving her body as it drifted towards Mary. "Luckily I wasn't alone while you were asleep. The other creations kept me company," Mary said as she leaned down towards Ib's face. "Remember when I asked you if we had a chance to get out of here, would you pick either me or Garry to leave with you?" Ib nodded, or so she thought. Her body was not responding to the signals that her brain was sending it. "Heh. Well I'm sure you regret choosing Garry now don't you?"

With that statement, Mary covered Ib's nose and mouth with her hands and suffocated the little girl. After a few moments, Ib was dead. Her tiny body laid lifeless in the middle of the room as the creations jumped around in a joyous dance. Mary laughed and got up triumphantly. "I did it! I finally can leave this place!"

Mary stood still as a light shined in front of her. She touched the ball of energy that formed in front of her face and it turned into a large, golden rose. A real rose.

The blond girl turned to the other creations and bowed her head slightly, "I will miss you all." She turned towards the door and sprinted out of the room, leaving Ib's lifeless body behind her. Mary raced down the dark stairway into the grey gallery room until she reached the Fabricated World mural. She raised her yellow rose to the painting and the frame disappeared before her eyes. This is it.

She leapt into the painting and wound up on her bottom in the middle of a bustling gallery. Her head whipped back and forth in surprise from the sudden commotion of shuffling feet and laughter. "Okay… now to look for the two people in the painting that was in the room from before…" Mary thought aloud. She rose to her feet and began to walk towards the reception desk of the gallery.

"Mary! Where are you?" a feminine voice called out. Mary turned around and saw the beautiful, auburn haired woman with the same piercing crimson red eyes as Ib had. The woman approached the blue eyed girl and pat her head gently, "I've been looking for you dear. Your father and I have been so worried. We couldn't find you for hours!"

Mary didn't know what to say. She looked at the woman and uttered the only word that came to mind, "M…mama?"

The woman smiled and placed her hand on Mary's cheek," Has someone suffered from memory loss? Of course I'm your mother dear." A man approached the two of them and stood next to Mary, "Ah Mary there you are! We were worried sick. Where were you?" Mary looked at the man and her eyes began to tear up, "Papa…?" The man placed his hand on Mary's forehead and looked at her quizzically," Who else would I be dear?" he said with a smile on his face.

Mary burst into tears and hugged them both tightly. She finally had a mother and father to love her, even at the cost of someone else's life. "Let's go to that café that you love so much and try those macaroons." As the family began to walk out of the café, Mary noticed a purple haired man staring at a painting with a sad look on his face. "I'll be right back," Mary said as she walked over to the man. "What are you looking at mister?" The purple haired man looked at her out of the corner of his eye, "This painting… the Lady in Red. Something about it makes me feel nostalgic and sad. I can't stop looking at it." Mary looked at the painting that the man was looking at. It depicted a young girl in a white and red outfit with piercing crimson red eyes. The young girl was clutching a red rose with one petal to her chest while a tear streamed down her face. Mary stared at the painting for a few seconds and smirked.

Heh.