By the end of the school day, Ib was exhausted. After that dream she had during class, she felt as if there was something watching her , and it wasn't just her classmates. In the hallways, the student artwork followed her. Around every corner she could swear she saw a shadowy figure move. There was even a point in class where a student started flickering the lights as a joke and Ib screamed in terror, earning her a lot of looks by her peers.
She wrote all about it in her notebook as she waited outside the school. Without Mary, Ib was sitting alone amongst the sea of elementary schoolers. Most of her classmates were talking to friends before their parents picked them up. Ib was used to this. Up until a few weeks ago, this was how it used to be. Then she entered the art gallery, coming out with a treacherous sister.
It was strange, however, to return to her solitude after days of Mary's constant talking. Mary may not have remembered her time in the gallery but she was as talkative as ever. She'd bombard Ib with any question that came to her head, oblivious to the fact that Ib ignored her with disdain.
Most of the questions were about the world in general. A lot of them were things Ib could explain easily, enough to satisfy Mary and keep her quiet for a little bit. Questions like why birds fly south for winter or why the leaves change color.
But then there were questions that Ib didn't have an answer for. Things like why leaves are shaped the way they are or what the exact color of a sunset is. It made Ib think, and sometimes she'd ask a teacher to see if they had an answer. She would never admit that to Mary though. Never.
Ib looked up from her notebook and turned her attention to the sky. If Mary were here she would be pointing out every cloud, saying that it was some sort of animal or ship or whatever else came into her mind. But Mary wasn't there, leaving Ib alone with the sky.
Ib watched the clouds stroll by for a bit, silently observing. She stayed like that for several minutes.
"Rabbit." She said to herself. Above her, a looming cloud had taken form into the fluffy creature and was now making its way across the sky. It made her smile.
Rabbits have always been her favorite animal and nothing could change that. Not even the art gallery. When she found herself in a room of glass rabbits, it gave her a strange sense of comfort. Garry, on the other hand, seemed to be more disturbed by the rabbits than anything else.
Ib's heart dropped at the memory. She had meant to ask him why those rabbits had scared him so much in that room, but now she'll never get the chance.
Maybe it was the red eyes. They were kind of creepy. Ib thought, trying to find an answer. Wait, does that mean he thought my eyes were creepy too?
No, that couldn't be the case. Garry was too kind to be ever think that. But what was it then?
Maybe there was something more to it. Garry had always been cautious, and if he didn't trust something there was usually a good reason for it.
Maybe Mary knew the truth behind it.
The idea of asking Mary was insane, but if Ib didn't do anything about it the mystery would haunt her forever. And if Mary really did regain her memories of the gallery, then she might know something. After all, she was a part of the gallery. If anyone knew the truth behind it all it would be her.
Ib saw her family's care roll up to the school. As she got up and gathered her things she made a decision. The next time she was alone with Mary, she'd swallow her hatred and ask her about the glass rabbits in the gallery. And if Mary is willing to cooperate, Ib will have some closure on one of the many things haunting her mind.
AN: I am so very bad at keeping up with things. The last two months were hectic. But hey I got a new chapter up so that's good. I hope you enjoy.