I loved the art museum the moment my parents and I stepped foot into the building. There were so many old, weird pictures and strange words that I couldn't understand, but it was so nice and new. I hadn't expected to like it as much as I did. However, there was one thing that I didn't like very much: how lonely I was, being in that museum. Yes, there had been people walking around and murmuring to themselves on the art.

I wished I had never come here.


Mary was scary-looking, more so than before. Her yellow hair was messy and her blue eyes were big and angry, staring at me. The palette knife she held in her shaky hand made me nervous more than her eyes. I could see a blue rose petal sticking in her long hair.

"Get away from there, Ib. Now." Even her voice was scary and shaking. "Get away from there!"

I didn't know what to do. I was afraid that if I did move, she would try to hurt me with the knife. I stayed where I was, completely still, gripping my own red rose in both hands.

"Ib, get away from there!" she repeated.

"I came to find you, Mary." I said, surprised my voice was strong.

Her face lit up, the angry look in her eyes gone. "You came to find me? You want to be my friend, too?"

"No. I need Gary's rose back. He's hurt. Give it back, Mary."

She got scary again, her knuckles white as she held the knife tighter. I shivered as the knife was pointed at me.

"You care only about Gary? He's so dumb, Ib. You're dumb. Why would you want to be friends with a boring, old adult?"

"He's my friend, Mary." I said, frowning.

Mary's eyes turned to slits, glaring at me like I had been the one to do something wrong to her.

"You want Gary's rose? Fine! Here it is." She smiled sweetly and took out a green stem from her pocket, only three little petals left on it. "This is all that's left of him, Ib! All I have to do is pluck the last ones off…then he's gone."

"Give it back, Mary! Gary needs that!"

She giggled and waved the remainder of the flower around her, then at me, teasing me. She wasn't going to give it back. Mary wasn't so nice.

"I'll give it back." She said, which got me to gasp and smile, but saw she wasn't smiling anymore. I stopped, too. "I'll give it back, Ib. But only if you do something for me, okay?"

"…okay." I agreed. Anything to get back Gary's rose.

"I'll hand you the rose, but you have to give me your rose in return. Okay, Ib? Okay?"

My heart was pounding loudly in my chest as I looked down at my rose, looking so pretty. I didn't want to give Mary my rose. I knew that if I did, she would do what she did with Gary's rose. I didn't want her pulling out my petals, but if I didn't…

Gary needed his rose back.

"Well, Ib? Are you sure you want to give up your rose for his?" Mary asked, smiling again. "Your rose could get hurt, you know."

I gazed down at my beautiful blossom sadly, feeling as if this would be the last time I would ever see it. Did I dare risk giving scary, mean Mary my rose?

"Oh, Ib!" She sang, getting my attention. "Watch this!"

I gasped in horror as she plucked away another blue petal from the stem, letting it float to the ground and then stomping on it, looking happy with herself.

"Stop it, Mary!" I shouted.

"Give me your rose, then, Ib." Mary said quietly, holding out her other hand.


I made my choice and walked towards her.