Author's Note: Hi there everyone, this is a series of oneshots for my best friend. Hope you like it. :) Ib and Garry are awesome. Just sayin'.
"How To Save A Life"
Step one you say we need to talk
He walks you say sit down it's just a talk
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
"That so? Heehee. . ." I heard a familiar voice as Mary and I walked across the wide room. We continued to walk nearer to a room and the voice got louder.
"Ahahaha. . oh sure, sometimes. . . yeah yeah. . ." I started to fear that it might be him. I didn't know whether to wish it was another painting or Garry.
"I hear someone talking," Right, and we're in a gallery full of moving artworks that would very like to kill us. "Great observation Mary," was what I wanted to say to her but she wouldn't get me anyway so I just kept quiet.
"Don't see that everyday right? I just ran out you see," My heart started to beat at a very fast rate. I don't think I want to know who was talking. If it was . . . if it was really him, I don't want to know who he was talking to. I forced my feet to move but every step that I took was harder than pushing those headless statues.
"Oh I really love it but it takes a while for sure. . . . " It's not him. Please don't let it be him. God, please don't let it be him.
"Oh you too? Why, we certainly do get along, don't we?" Please. Just. No. The room was getting nearer to us. The voice was getting louder. And I found it harder to breathe.
"Ohohoho. . ." No, it wasn't him. It can't be. But that voice, that unmistakable deep voice. Was it him? Please don't tell me it's him. Please. . . I. . .
"Gary is behind the door. Is he talking to someone?" It was weird that I could hear a slight giggle in her voice as she said the very thing I didn't want to hear.
We were right in front of the door. I readied myself for whatever it was in the room.
"Garry?" I whispered as I approached him. He was sitting down on the floor. He was surrounded by rabbits, the rabbits that I told Mary were cute but I lied. I wanted to get away from them as fast as I can.
I kneeled in front of him, trying to get his attention.
"Whaaa? I don't believe it! Really? Are you for real?" He exclaimed with a silly smile on his face, not really noticing me even though I was in front of him. His purple eyes were unclear.
"Yes, I'm real," I whispered, wishing that everything that was going on in this world wasn't real.
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
You begin to wonder why you came
"Troubled? I know the feeling. You just feel helpless sometimes," I found it odd that even though he was talking to the rabbits; he was describing what I was feeling at that moment.
I felt helpless. I felt scared.
It was my fault that Garry was like that. I knew I shouldn't have left him alone. We were stuck in this world; we don't even know the reason why we were there and how to get out. I wanted to cry and shout.
"Is this really Garry? Something's wrong with him. Maybe it's a fake, I mean, the real Garry wouldn't be here, right?" I had this funny feeling that Mary was trying to make me leave him alone.
But I wouldn't do that. I couldn't do that to him.
It's funny that a while ago I was the one wishing that it wasn't him. But now that I've seen him, I felt it was really him. And I had to find a way to bring him back.
"Don't you think so Ib? Ib. . ."
I ignored Mary as I lifted my hand and slapped Garry with all my might.
His eyes started to clear up a bit. "Huh? I . . . hm? Ib, why are you here?" The heavy feeling in my chest disappeared.
"No. . . no way!" Mary exclaimed with shock in her voice.
"I don't really know what's going on but what were we doing?" Gary asked as he shook his head.
I hugged him and I almost cried. I buried myself in his arms. I felt so safe with him.
I regretted leaving him alone in that corridor. It was my fault that we had to go our separate ways because of that vine. I was so scared but I tried to be brave so that he wouldn't worry. I almost lost him.
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
We were running down the hall. Mary was chasing us with a palette knife in her hand. She wasn't a real person. She was just another painting. I couldn't blame her though, for wanting to get out this world.
It was crazy. We we're almost there. We just needed to find the key in the toy box that was abnormally large and deep and then we were finished.
But she was suddenly behind us.
Mary pushed us down into to the endless darkness.
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you've told him all along
And pray to God, he hears you
And I pray to God, he hears you
I woke up on the black floor and I noticed something wasn't right. . . . .My rose! My red rose was gone! And I couldn't find Garry near me. I stood up and tried to look for them, but all I could see were the red petals of what I think was my rose. . . . I suddenly felt pain all over my body but I ignored it.
I walked around, trying to find Garry. I hope he's okay.
I found him lying on the floor.
"Oof, Ib, are you okay?" Gary asked worriedly. His purple eyes looked all over my body, trying to find if I hurt somewhere.
"I'm fine," I answered, because I knew I was safe with him.
"Ah! That's good. At any rate, this place is full of scribbles, is this the toy box?" He looked around, trying to figure out what was going on. "We fell in from the upper floor . . . after she pushed us . . . well. Let's look for the key and get out!"
"Okay," I answered softly. I suddenly felt weak.
"You look kind of pale. Are you really okay?" his eyes were looking at me again, trying to figure out what was wrong.
"I. . . I guess so, but I lost my rose," I admitted, I avoided looking at him because I knew he would get mad at me.
"What? You lost your rose?! That's not good at all!" He exclaimed and ran a hand through his hair, "You had it before, so it must be in the toy box somewhere! Let's find it!"
We walked around the room when we heard a voice
"Oh, what's this? A present for me? Yey, it's so pretty! Can I have it? Oh, thank you!" We ran towards the voice and saw the blonde girl.
"That. . it can't be," Garry said in a horrified voice when the little blue doll gave my red rose to Mary.
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
"Oh! Ib and Garry! Did you find what you were looking for? But anyway, look it! I just got this, pretty isn't it?" Mary smiled proudly at the rose in her hand.
"Mary, that, that rose," Garry beckoned to Mary. I never saw him look this sad. . . no, he wasn't sad, he was. . I don't know the right word to describe his face.
"Huh? Ah you mean this is Ib's? I thought I'd seen this before," she played with rose in her hand and I felt sick. Her green eyes stared at me.
"Mary, please. Give that back to Ib," He pleaded to her. She just stood there, twirling her blond hair.
"Huh. I wonder. . Ib, you want this back?" she asked sweetly, she was daring me to say yes.
"I don't mind," I answered.
As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you've followed
"What are you saying, Ib? That rose is like your life here!" Garry cried at me then turned to convince Mary, "Mary! Please!"
"Well. . hmm. . . wanna trade Garry's rose? Garry's rose is blue right? I like red and all but I like blue even more!" she then pointed at the creepy doll who gave her my rose. "See, this dolls blue too, isn't she cute? Even Ib said she was cute too earlier. Remember?"
No, I don't remember.
"So? Wanna trade?" she offered and she just smiled her crazy smile
I stared at Garry, trying to tell him that I was fine, that I didn't need the rose.
"Don't give me that look Ib. Don't worry, I'll be fine. Just leave it to me,"
I couldn't understand. I couldn't speak all of a sudden and I just looked as Garry and Mary exchanged words. . . .
"Understood. Please, give me Ib's rose in exchange for mine,"
"Really? You sure?"
"Yes. . ."
And roses.
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he'll say he's just not the same
And you'll begin to wonder why you came
"Be careful with it," he gently spoke and gave the rose to me.
"I'm sorry," I wanted to say more but I. . .
"Ahahaha, why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong, Ib. Right? So don't look down,"
"We'll get back my rose. Let's do our best! I know we're almost there," he tried to cheer me up but I knew he was faking it. I wiped my tears away with my sleeves.
We started walking along the corridor, and I noticed he got a bit slower,
"Ib, wait," His voice even sounded softer. "Ib. . um. . . sorry but. . . could you go ahead? I'm . . uh. . I'm sorry. I don't really know what to say. . ."
"No, I can't leave you," I told him as I walked closer to him.
He looked so pale, just like the first time I met him.
"I don't want to lie to you. . . . . But I don't want to tell the truth either," he sounded so hurt and confused. I didn't know what was happening.
I felt cold all of a sudden. I knew he shouldn't have exchanged his rose with my mine.
"If you need help, I'll come running," He leaned against the wall, I tried to touch him but he wouldn't let me.
"Go on. . ahead." He smiled weakly at me; his eyes were so gentle and full of emotions that I didn't understand.
I had no choice but to follow his order.
And as I walked along the corridor, all I could think about was about how cold and heavy my heart felt and why I had to go.
Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
I came back to the dark corridor where I left him.
I saw him with his back leaning against the floor with his eyes closed. I wanted to see them open and sparkling with happiness.
But he was sleeping right now.
He was sleeping, and I don't when he will wake up.
How to save a life