Chapter One: Gallery of Memory
"Isabelle? Isabelle? Isabelle?" The voice of my older sister moaned at me as I wandered down the street. She giggled and skipped past me as carefree as ever. Her beautiful blonde hair flew behind her as she raced ahead of me. I smiled gently at her as I pushed a lock of my own dark hair behind my ear. "Where are you going Isabelle?" She asked me as she twirled to a stop in front of me.
"I already told you Mary. I'm going to the Gallery." Her lips pouted slightly as she frowned at me.
"But Isabelle! You always go there! Can we do something different, just you and me?" She asked as her big blue eyes filled with cuteness. I laughed but shook my head as she just sulked. Sometimes I feel like I'm the older one, I thought as I continued down the street.
But she was right. I did always go to the Art Gallery. I don't know why but I was just drawn there. Even eight years after my first visit I was still mystified and amazed by the artwork. Mary didn't share my view. She thought it was boring and always got the same frustrated look on her face whenever I mentioned it. I really think she hates the place. I don't know why though. Oh and she REALLY hates my favourite painting.
"I'm just glad it's going to get torn down soon!" Mary grinned as we entered the entrance hall, the Gallery was a large white building and we stepped towards the exhibits. "It's just an eyesore if you ask me." I just sighed and ignored my sister as I wandered down past the old receptionist. He'd been here for as long as I could remember and we'd taken a shine to one another. He often let me stay later then we were supposed to, and he got on well with Mary too.
"Oh hello Isabelle. What a lovely surprise to see you again." He smiled at me as I nodded my head. He waved us by as Mary pulled at my arm. "Hello Mister Thomas." I said as Mary pulled harder. We walked slowly along the hallway and I glanced towards the stairs but Mary was persistent. She dragged me over to the small coffee house the Gallery had built the year before, it had been in a vain attempt to pull in more customers. "Get me a drink Isabelle!" She giggled at me as she pulled and we both walked over to the counter.
"Hello can I help you?" The pretty girl asked as Mary ordered a cup of tea. "Anything for you Miss?" She asked politely as I glanced over at the macaroons. "I'll have one of the pink ones please." I paid for them quickly and followed Mary over to a table near the window. It was a lovely day out, the sun was shining and the trees outside the Gallery were waving gently in the wind. "I wanted to go to the park today," Mary moaned as she sipped at her tea.
"Mary, you're supposed to be an adult. I wished you'd act a little more mature!" My thoughts rushed out of me before I could stop them. I didn't mean for it to come out like that but sometime I just did things without thinking.
"What did you say? I'm mature!" She said sharply as I just shrugged and held my macaroon gently between my hands. For some reason, it made me feel very lonely; I didn't want to eat this on my own.
"I'm seventeen years old. I can go to a Gallery by myself. I just think that sometimes you don't trust me and treat me like I'm nine years old all over again. Why do you even come with me to the Gallery if you hate it so much?"
"I'm your big sister. I worry about you! You shouldn't be coming here and fawning over a bunch of stupid pictures anyway! They aren't real!" Mary's voice was getting shriller as she glared at me.
"I know that Mary. Of course paintings aren't real but you know how much it means to me. I'm going to Art College at the end of the summer. I want to be an artist."
"Why? Artists aren't that great anyway! They're stubborn and stupid and boring! I hate artists and I hate art!" Mary stood up suddenly and grabbed my arm as she pulled me out of my chair.
"Mary? What are you doing? Let me go!" I demanded as Mary kept dragging me. It was starting to hurt now as we left the café.
"No! I don't want you coming here anymore! I don't want to go back with you here! LEAVE NOW!" Her voice was so shrill and her face was so angry. She wasn't making any sense; I'd never seen this side of my sister before. Her hand was so tight around my wrist as she pulled me.
Ib? Is that you?
A voice echoed in my head as a burst of energy made me yank my hand back from my sister. We both stopped as Mary glared at me. Her face was furious and she didn't look like my sister anymore. "Isabelle, come here!" Her voice was low and dangerous as I took a step backwards and shook my head. "ISABELLE!" She shrieked just as the floor began to shake and the lights flickered. I fell to my feet in shock before crawling towards the stairs of the Gallery. Something was terribly wrong with Mary.
I pushed myself to stand up and raced up the stairs away from Mary. She was going crazy. I sighed and rested against the side of a wall. I stared at the name plaque in front of my eyes. "THE FORGOTTEN PORTRAIT" I'd managed to make my way up to my favourite painting after all. I smiled as I looked up but the smile was quickly wiped off my face when I saw nothing in the painting. It was as though someone had erased the picture of the sleeping man completely. The only thing behind the frame was a dark background. I felt tears spring to my eyes. Where had the painting gone?
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The lights flickered horribly as I jumped from someone banging on the window to my left. I glanced back but couldn't see anything. I wandered towards it just as I heard my name being called. It was Mary; she was coming up after me. I don't know why but a jolt of fear made me run away.
I shouldn't be running away from my own sister should I?
"What is going on?" I asked myself as I glanced once more at the painting. It was still empty. I raced past it and wandered further into the dark Gallery.
