I wrote the next chapter :) Anyway, this is the start of Snow's adventure into the World of Guertena. Enjoy :)
(?)
She looked so pretty, almost doll-like when I saw her. Her hair was down her back in an icy platinum blonde colour with a big grey bow at the back of her head. Her skin looked ivory, a touch lighter than my own. Her eyes, when I opened one, were lilac…a strong purple that seemed to contrast with her colour tone. Her lips were pale pink and her cheeks stained with a faint blush. She was in an odd outfit. A short black skirt that went mid-thigh with a black lace edges. Black thigh high tights adorned her legs with dark brown shoes on her feet. Her white shirt stopped at her elbows with a slight puff and she wore a black waistcoat. On the right breast pocket was an emblem…St. Anastasia's High School.
This was done with silver thread that shimmered in the limited light. Her shirt was open a little to show her throat but also the grey/silver ribbon around her neck. It was tied perfectly by a trained hand. A necklace hung from her throat, which I pulled up to look at. A silver locket with a picture inside…of two girls. One was Snow while the other was unknown. Compared to Snow's cool colour tone, this girl was warm. Her skin like warm chocolate and her eyes a deep brown. Her hair was black and in a straight weave style. She was wearing the same outfit as Snow, so this must be what a school uniform looked like. Both girls has charm bracelets so I looked to Snow's wrist and found one there. So were these girls…friends?
I looked Snow over once more, seeing nothing of interest before placing the ledger near her right hand as it reached out and her left hand looked to be cushioning her head. Her legs overlapped and for an outsider, you would think she was asleep. It was only when you saw the blood staining the collar of her shirt from a split lip, the small lump on her head and the bruising on her cheeks and neck…that made you think this girl had been through so much more. From here, I could see one foot, or rather her ankle, was slightly swollen. But all that would pass…and she would be my friend…but not right now. Now I had to find the others…
(Snow)
"Ow," I croaked, "my head hurts."
I raised one hand, my left, to cradle my aching skull. I opened one eye slowly, and then the other before focusing on the bare blue wall in front of me. Where was I? I sat up and felt oddly…lighter. I looked down, and noticed my satchel was missing.
"No!" I called out as I touched my person, "no!"
That had my wallet in it, and the pamphlet…and the ledger. Damn it all! I would need that ledger, and here I was…after dropping it somewhere in the Abyss that was the deep. The shark was probably eating it as I thought about it. I looked down…to look at my hands, when I spotted the medium sized ledger I had been certain I had dropped. Silver writing told me it was the Art Gallery's with their address printed in bold.
"How had it ended up there? It was in my bag…?" I asked as I picked it up to hold.
It was warm, almost as if it had been put on a radiator for the last few hours rather than being on the floor for…
I wasn't sure of the time anymore, and something told me, time stood still here. I opened the ledger and saw my name, though now it was written in blue with a sparkle pen. It looked like a moonlit night, something I enjoyed seeing when I could. Jamille would have loved to own that sparkle pen, and when I thought of her, my hand went to my locket. She would know what to do right now, if she was still alive.
She had gone on a trip with her brother, somewhere in France and they were robbed. But the thieves hadn't stopped there, and now the only thing I had left to remember Jamille by was my charm bracelet. She had picked my charm, a silver bird, and I had picked hers, lipstick. Since her death, her mother had been returned her bracelet, and now Jamille's charm hung from my wrist beside the silver bird. I would never forget her, never want to forget her.
So I stood slowly, knowing it was not smart to stay here for longer than was truly necessary. But no sooner had I stood, that a shooting pain went up my leg from my ankle. I gasped, and leaned against the wall to try and understand what had happened. I then remembered the disembodied voice telling me to move before pushing me down half a flight of stairs. So my ankle was sore, and I would need something to wrap it. I took off the shoe and it eased the pain a little…but I looked odd with one shoe on. So I removed the other before lining them against the wall, collecting the ledger, and looking at my surroundings.
It was a blue corridor, nothing really to write home about. There were two paintings, almost identical in nature with what appeared to be stone stairs leading down to another level. But the colouring was different and what I would have perceived to be the water. One was blue, like my favourite coat and the other was red like lava…or Jamille's favourite lipstick, after purple and black. And then I realised they were mirrors of each other. Neither was the same, they were the exact opposite. Water to lava, the rock formations in opposite directions. Jamille would have loved this.
The ledger warmed so I looked down and opened it. Something was forming words on it, so I looked closer to see it was the child. The sparkle pen continuing to write:
"Go past the water before the lava, and find the embodiment of your soul," it said so I looked past the water picture and started walking. I reached the bottom, and spotted a small table made of mahogany. A crystal vase sat atop it filled with sparkling water, almost like there were diamonds present. But resting within the water, was an emerald green stem which led up to the prettiest black rose I had ever seen.
I had only ever heard of black roses before, known them to be only darker reds or maroon coloured roses that had absorbed black ink over time. But this one, was pure black with drops of dew on the petals. It had a few petals, and I counted out ten before I saw a bulb in the middle with more petals left unopened. It was a treasure in itself as I picked it out of the water. I felt a sting in my heart, and wondered what had caused that. I looked at the rose before twirling it, and decided to pluck one feather light petal free. It came off easily…but I gasped as pain in my heart spread. I dropped to my knees before putting the rose back in the water. The rose sparkled and the petal regrew, and my heart stopped aching. What had just happened?
I got to my feet slowly, putting my hands on the table. I picked the rose up once more and plucked the same petal, felt that pain in my heart before putting it back in the water. It regrew as if it had never happened to begin with.
"So I have to avoid having these petals removed, by anything," I said softly as I picked up the rose again.
I looked to the small table and saw there was a door, but the table was blocking it. I picked up the vase and put it on the floor before moving the table away from the door. I put the vase back and put my hand on the door handle. It opened easily and revealed a small room. One portrait hung from the wall, a woman with turquoise coloured hair. Her eyes were closed in happiness and her hair appeared to be exceeding the frame. I walked closer to see it, and kicked something. I looked down to see a pretty blue key and picked it up. A click told me I had triggered something, so I looked to the door and then to the woman. Her eyes were open now, and watching me. They blinked and her lips turned up into a smile.
"You're here for her," the woman said softly, "she has been ever so lonely since her father left her."
"Who?" I asked before lifting the ledger, "the child?"
"A child, yes, a never-aging child," the portrait replied, "one who needs company beyond our frames. You will find her, or she will find you. But until then, you must stay alive."
"Is my life…?" I asked her, not sure how to phrase the question.
"Your life is linked to that of the rose's. If the rose wilts, you will die and not even the child can bring you back. But there are vases with special elixirs to restore the wilted rose."
"So…this rose…is my life?" and the woman nodded, "and something wants to kill me?"
"Many portraits have lost their minds over the years, abandoned for too long. They will not see you as a friend, and will consider you their prey. Protect your rose from them, unless you do not wish to see her. Then give me your rose, and I will end it for you as quickly as I can. No child deserves to have her hopes dashed. So make your choice."
"It doesn't matter that I am older?" I asked and the woman shook her head, "am I much older?"
"It may not appear it, but the child is older than you," the woman answered, "do you wish to continue?"
Curiosity urged me to look for this girl, while basic logic said I shouldn't leave this spot. I could hand over this rose to the woman, and she would…kill me? Would I return to the art gallery?
"This will be your tomb," the woman said with a frown, "you will be lost to those beyond our world. Anyone left behind…will lose you."
"So my choices are to die now…or die later?" I stated and the woman shrugged her shoulders.
"You may find salvation and return to the world you came from, and the rose will be returned to you in its true form."
"What is it exactly?" and I looked at the black rose.
"Your heart and soul, so protect it. Many lost souls wander these halls, possessing pieces of art to frighten or maim the friends of our young child. So be aware, that what may appear beautiful, may be as artificial as your hair colour."
"Hey!" I said, "my hair is naturally this blonde."
"I'm surprised," she replied, "now make your choice so I can start combing my hair."
I looked at the rose, wondering if I would ever get to see my parents again. I didn't want to be entombed down here, I think that frightened me more than death itself. To know I could possess something and aim to kill another, or hunt them down to maim them. It upset me so I held the rose over my heart, and the woman knew what my answer was.
"You will find the child in the room of the red lady, with hair the colour of gold and eyes like sapphires," the woman said as she pulled up a comb from another piece of her picture, "but remember what I have said. Your rose is linked to your life, so know its value."
"And some portraits here will want to hurt me," I said and she nodded before sighing, "what?"
"Portraits and statues," she said, "we are an odd bunch. So please go, and take care."
She hummed to herself as she combed her hair, which I took as an end to our conversation. I turned before she stopped humming.
"Young girl?" she called and I looked back, "give me that rose for but a moment."
"You won't kill me?"
"I give you my word," she replied so I handed her the rose.
She found a pair of scissors and cut a few strands of hair before cutting the stem of the rose. She tied the remains of the stem around the hair and then caught my hand. She pulled it into her picture and wrapped it like a bracelet on the opposite wrist of the charm bracelet. She wrapped it up to my elbow in pretty turquoise hair before it turned an emerald green like the stem and I felt my heart relax.
"The new stem should make it easier for you to travel with," she said before smiling, "please take care…"
"Snow," I replied and she smiled a tad brighter.
"I am the Woman Of Turquoise," she said before motioning for me to leave.
"Goodbye," I said and she nodded before I opened the door and left her.
"She was nice," I whispered as the door closed and I looked down at the rose, "and the stem is tight. It should stay there quite easily. I think I'll have to pour some of the elixir on my wrist if I want to restore the rose…should anything happen to it."
I took to my right and walked past the picture of rocks in blue and then in red. It seemed I had made my choice, I was going to continue on and find this girl. But there were things out there that wanted me dead. Things…statues and portraits, possessed by spirits that were entombed here. Would it drive me mad? Would I be unable to reach the child? I saw another ledger like my own, but this one had another name written in it…Ib. So was this a person who was alive right now, or someone to look out for. But first things first, I needed a weapon, something to protect myself with…and I was sure the rooms here would offer it to me.
I spotted a new door near a picture of a fish. But it didn't catch my eye as I put the blue key into the lock and opened it. I heard it unlock and took a deep breath…before stepping further into this artistic nightmare…
So what do you all think? I named the Portrait of the "Woman Of Turquoise" because she didn't have a name in the game. So Snow now knows the story...well, what to look out for anyway. And she's made up her mind about finding the child. Do you think she made the right choice? And what do you think about Jamille? Will update as soon as I can :) Thanks for reading and please remember to review :)
