The Forgotten Portrait:

Chapter 4: The Red Roses's Plight

This place was strange, perhaps needless to say even frightening in its own right, so many oddities happening in the span of less than a minute, more and more things becoming increasingly eerier as she ventured deeper into the twisting, turning hallways of the maze-like gallery, part of her wondering if this place was originally this large in the first place although, it was odd that despite the fact that indeed, the place gave her the chills, she didn't find it all too uncomfortable and was to a point in itself, even somewhat interesting. Though, it was more because she somehow knew her way around to a point, going as far as knowing what to do to be precise.

A single red rose rested in a vase on top of an end table, Eve having taken a hold of it, reaching out, that same sense of familiarity washing over her once again, wondering when everything would be all clear. There was a stinging pain inside her chest, dulling into a throb although uncomfortable all the same, making her ask why she felt something was missing—like a void that could not be filled by anything, more so pronounced right now in this current state of the gallery, silent, dark, and dreary… And although she had a feeling she wasn't really alone—in a more disturbing sense of the word, feeling as if there were eyes on her that gazed with intent of malevolence—it seemed as if she completely was… though, she blinked upon the feel of another kind of gaze, perhaps this time a little more kind though something was strange.

No one was here, Eve recalled. So, she turned her gaze, wondering where… Where are you?... Who… are you? When can I finally see you?... It was odd that she expected the man in 'The Forgotten Portrait' to somehow here her heart's call, feeling she was nearing solving all the mysteries that surrounded him, and yet he was still so far away.

Unattainable. An impossible dream.

She shook that off, concentrating on what was in here and around her as of the moment. Though, as she explored, what met her was a portrait of a dark haired woman when she started looking around, having opened one of the doors to inspect what was contained in the other side, the inscription near it reading,

As the petals wilt, then so too will you wither away…

Her crimson eyes widened briefly, seeing the said portrait move though it wasn't really new, having stumbled upon a few other examples prior. Plus, when you took a step into a painting of the ocean to find yourself sinking in, maybe to a point, you'd expect stranger things. What vaguely bothered her was how it's expression changed though, and to a point, it's form as well. And, consequently, she stepped a few feet back before turning to exit the room, picking up the key she found shining a faint light right by her feet's side, as if truly beckoning her to take it, a vague feeling that everything truly starts here.

Breathing out, she clasped her fingers tightly around it, a determined look in her face although it was, to her, very much strange given she seemed to have a goal, however unclear that was other than the general 'searching for answers.'

…Answers she'd find somewhere in here.


A/N: Thank you for the reviews. It's much appreciated. Oh and to anyone of you who saw this before the edit, I feel so silly, confusing myself with the title when i was already correct. They were all corrected and edited back accordingly and hopefully, the changes are updated soon