Ib's memories were fuzzy the moment she stepped through that painting. What had she been doing?
Her white shirt was rumpled, her crimson skirt seemed a different, ghastly shade of red, and her hair was a mess. Where were her parents?
Her heart was heavy with bereavement. She wish she knew why this was so. As little girl wandered along the aisles of the gallery, looking for the familiar pair amidst the crowd of strangers, her scarlet eyes flicked up periodically to glance at the art along the walls. She wished she knew why every time she passed a picture a wave of nausea washed over her. What was it about these paintings that made them so alluring to people anyways? They were nothing special. Shaking her head, the young girl continued her search for Mom and Dad.
Her gait faltered twice on her quest; once in front of a headless, sleek black mannequin and again as a portrait of a woman came into view. Instinctively, Ib flinched as she walked in front of each, hurrying along passed the audience. They were just paintings, weren't they? Why-

Her train of thought was interrupted as she trotted down a tiny flight of stairs. Her parents were there, in the lobby. Alongside them was a girl with wavy blonde hair. She looked nothing like them. A chord struck inside Ib and she flinched, much akin to the reaction to the portrait of that odd woman and creepy sculpture. She wished she knew why.

Straining her ears, Ib could hear them talking.
"Hey Mommy! What's for dinner tonight?" The other young girl asked.
"Come now Mary, talking about dinner already?" The woman chided, her hair short and brown.
"Well it's 'cause I'm hungry!" That girl…She was so familiar…But who was she and how did she know her parents?
Ib stepped closer. The head of gold waves, along with the body it was attached to, whirled around. The girl it belonged to had on a jade dress and bright blue eyes that sparkled when they fell on Ib.
"Mom! Dad! I found her!" She chirruped with a finger pointed at the brunette.
The couple turned around and the woman, Ib's mother, came rushing forward and stared down her nose at her daughter with a look of disapproval.
"My word, you've been gone long! Where did you get to? I wanted to see the exhibits with you!"
The small crimson-eyed girl probably should've been ashamed to have run off, which she guessed was what had happened since her mind was still foggy, but instead all she felt was relief and dove forward, embracing her mother's waist.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled, soft voice muffled by the fabric of her mother's shirt. For some reason it felt as if she'd run a marathon, and now it was over and time to rest.
An unexplainable weight seemed to life from Ib's shoulders; a world full of threats that she suddenly didn't need to worry over anymore. All of this was just as perplexing as it was refreshing, but the brunette settled more towards the peaceful aspect. Her mind was just too tired. Hopefully the static in it would clear and she could remember what all this was about, but that would be later. Now all she wanted to do was go home and sleep. Maybe eat a macaroon or two.

"Well, I guess we're all tired," A male voice interrupted, belonging to Ib's father as he peered over at his peculiar little brown-haired daughter. "I suppose it's time we headed home."
"Can we get dinner first? Mommy? Daddy?" A jolt was sent up the merlot-eyed girl's spine as that other girl, Mary, spoke up. It felt wrong. She shouldn't be calling them that. They weren't her parents!
…Were they?
She pulled away from the comforting form of her mother and wound her fingers in the hem of her skirt, following the trio to the family car. She was too tired to think about that.
Once everyone was in the automobile Ib let her head rest against the window. The rest of the family had chatted away but she was very groggy and registered next to none of it.
The chipper blonde was in the seat next to her, playing with Ib's brown locks as the other girl slid her hands into her pockets. Her fingers brushed against something crinkly. A wrapper? Instinctively her little hand enclosed over the delicate object.
"If you're tired you can go ahead and go to sleep, sister! I'll wake you when we get home, just promise we'll always be together, Ib!"
She nodded wordlessly and let her eyes slide closed. She was so silly. How had she forgotten she had a sibling?
Mary reached for one of Ib's hands, grasping onto one with a desperate fervor the brunette found odd. In doing so Mary unintentionally found the candy, which was pulled straight out in the palm of the blonde. Her eyes were as wide as oceans as she looked at the hard sweet.
"A candy? Oooh, gimme!" she squealed, swinging her legs, unwrapping it and greedily popping it into her mouth.
"Yummy!"

Another jolt pierced Ib and drove through her like a nail, a pang far more painful than the last, but she was too exhausted to act on it. She sat there with her head propped against the window while they drove. She wished she knew what all this pain meant. The voices in the car began to dwindle to low murmurs as Ib let herself begin to drift off into the world of dreams. As her eyes finally closed in slumber a tear slid down her cheek, adding to the list of things she didn't understand.