How's it going, guys? Summer heat is killing me. That and summer classes too. Pain in the ass they are. So anyway, here's chappy 3!

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what? Oh! I forgot the disclaimer?! *gasp* Oh my glob! I didn't!

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Fine. I. don't. own it. Happy, lawyers?

I grabbed her petite arm and pulled her to my side. I wrapped my hands on her waist and ran to the door shutting it close, collapsing when it was shut. I couldn't care less about the mannequin, who fell when it tried to cross the torn canvas. My breath was short and fast. My heart was beating so fast I can hear it in my heart. I kept Ib close as if she was my life line.

"S-Saki, can't breathe…" gasped Ib.

I loosen the hug. My head was on her shoulder. I'm sure she noticed that her shirt was damp now. Yes…I'm crying.

"Ib…Ib…Ib…" I repeated like a mantra, my voice shaking. I can't help it…I'm scared. Scared for Ib and myself.

I felt her small hands on my back. She was comforting me. And as much as I don't want my pride as the elder one hurt, I couldn't care less. Ib could've died then. I couldn't imagine surviving this twisted place alone.

"Don't scare me like that again…" I muttered to her.

"Sorry, Saki…"

I removed my head on her shoulder and smiled softly. I patted her hair. "Thank you, Ib. Sorry your companion is a scaredy cat."

Ib shook her head and smiled back. "It's okay, Saki."

I stood up and brushed my shirt. I was still a little shaken. I helped Ib up and watched as she fixed herself. I notice she was still clutching the key on her hands. I smiled and patted her hair once more.

"Good job Ib, you got the key!" I said trying to erase the sad atmosphere.

Ib smiled. "It's nothing." She said with a small blush.

I grinned. Then I remember the painting. "We should apologize to Mr. Ant for ruining his painting…"

And so we did. He was really disappointed with the destruction of his painting. He said it was okay but…it still made me feel guilty. Dammit. With a heavy heart, we moved on to the next room.

What the …The wall looks like…a cat? Wait there are two big eyes and a pair of pointed ears. Yeah a cat. Then there's a fish shaped hole on the middle. The mouth I presume. There were two paths on our left and right.

"Which way?" I asked.

We picked the left one and saw a room with many walls. Waaaayy too many walls. As we pass by the wall with a black stick drawing, texts appeared below it.

"Play hide and seek?"

Ib and I looked at each other then to the text only to realize that the stick man was gone. And there were yellow buttons under the curtained walls.

"I guess we'll have to find him," I said out of nowhere.

Ib nodded and took my hand. We stopped at the wall next to it and pressed the yellow button. Inside was a picture of a crescent moon. All of a sudden, the room dimmed. It made me jump, gasp and hug Ib.

I sweatdropped and reluctantly let go. "E-erm…sorry Ib."

Damn that was embarrassing. Not to mention, incredibly bruising to my pride as an adult. So we moved on to the next. I pressed the button to reveal… a woman. A naked woman. I immediately covered Ib's eyes as the portrait screeched and slapped me. That –insert swear- hurt!

"Ow!" I growled. "Fuck you, lady! I have boobs too!"

I could've sworn I heard a 'they're nonexistent!' yell from the lady. My temple throbbed at that. Oh that bitch is going down!

"Saki, my eyes…" said a slightly irritated voice of Ib.

I stirred us away from the naked picture before taking my hands off her eyes. It was cute when she pouted at me. I smiled and ruffled her hair. Now to find the stick guy. There are one…two…three…four…five…five walls that still have curtains. So which one? Hmm…

"Right here, Misa."

I turned to the voice to see something blurry. A ghostly hand of a kid pointing at a particular wall. Wait, WHAT?! I rubbed my eyes and blinked to see the hand gone.

"Saki, are you alright?"

"I-Ib did you see that?" I asked, a bit shaken.

Ib tilted her head, silently asking me what I saw. I shook my head and massaged my temples. I feel an incoming headache from all of this.

"I-it's nothing special, Ib. I think I have a good hunch where that stick man is hiding."

I led her to the wall where the hand-shudder- pointed and pressed the button. I sweatdropped as a message appeared besides our stick man.

"Found me, you get prize."

We heard a soft thud. We followed it to the "A Chef's Talent" portrait and picked up a fish head, a wooden fish head. And it clicked.

"Oh, I get it! You need to feed that cat a fish. Now we need is the tail!" I turned to Ib and said, "Let's find the other part, shall we?"

Ib nodded. We left the room and back to the cat room. I leaned on the wall for a while. I feel tired. I looked to Ib, who was winded as well and smiled. "Let's take a break first, Ib. I'm sure you're tired too."

I sat down and took a deep breath. My body hurts like hell. I suddenly remember that sign.

"When the rose rots, so will you rot away."

Ib looked at me with confused red eyes. I turned to her and held the pink rose with only 5 petals left. "I think this rose represents our life span in this place. Look at mine, this rose used to have 10 petals and now it's only 5. And my body hurts a lot now. So Ib, be mindful of both your rose and your body."

"Are you gonna be okay, Saki?" asked Ib.

I pumped my fist. "Yeah, I'll be fine Ib. It hurts but I can bear it." I stood up. My body ached in protest but I decided to ignore it and forced a smile at Ib. "I think we need to move."

So we got the tail part from the broken porcelain head. It's funny that we didn't notice it moving as we were preoccupied by the vase. It turns out that the water in the vase restores the petals and my health. Basically, I feel great!

We place the fish on the hole. We had to plug our ears due to the ear-shattering meows we heard. The hole disappeared to reveal a path to the next room.

I groaned as the meows ended. "Ugh, my ears are bleeding." I turned to Ib. "Are your ears well?"

Ib nodded. She looks annoyed at the sound too. And it was too cute I couldn't resist squealing inside my head.

We headed to the next room. My eyes widen as a blast of nostalgia hit me. Why is this room so familiar?

*sigh*

I can't wait until Garry comes.

Up next is wiggling tongues, hanged doll, liars and creepy painting ladies who looks as if they want to rape someone.

Ja ne!