Chapter 16

~Ib~

Garry and I were beginning to get a little worried. We were debating over whether or not to go inside when Kasey walked through the door. She raised her eye brows when she saw our relieved expressions. "Miss me?" she said, chuckling.

"Kasey?" Garry said. "Where's Terra?"

"She should be right behind me," Kasey replied. She glanced over her shoulder. When she didn't see Terra, she shrugged at us. "She's kinda slow. But don't worry, she's fine."

"What about you?" Garry asked. "You didn't get hurt, did you?"

She shook her head.

"And Mary...?"

"We... took care of her," Kasey mumbled.

Garry arched his eye brows. "Really? What exactly did you —"

Just then, the door opened. Terra came out, adjusting her pony tail. The three of us stared at her as she walked over to us. She smiled when she saw us.

"Terra," Garry breathed. "You're oka—"

Suddenly, Terra threw her arms around his waist and drew him close to her. She pressed her lips against his. At first, he looked completely shocked, but then he closed his eyes and kissed her back.

Kasey's mouth dropped open. After she recovered from her surprise, she squealed silently, not wanting to interrupt their moment.

When they finally pulled away, both their faces were flushed. They looked mildly embarrassed for having shared a kiss in front of me and Kasey, but they got over it quickly.

"Garry... Thank you... For everything," Terra said to him.

"Don't worry about it," he replied, grinning. "Now we're even."

She laughed. "Actually, no. I saved you twice — when we first met you, and just now."

Garry opened his mouth to respond, but Kasey cut in. "...Terra," she said, staring at Terra's arm. "You're bleeding."

Terra glanced at her hand. "When the glass shattered, it must've cut my hand a bit..." she murmured. "I didn't even notice."

I was about to offer her my handkerchief when Garry ripped off a small piece of his coat. He wrapped the fabric around Terra's hand. "There," he said. "Now I've returned the favor."

She smiled. "Garry, you didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to," he said, returning the smile.

We stood there for a moment, wordlessly staring at each other. Finally, Kasey said, "So... You guys totally don't like each other, right?"

Terra laughed. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Keep rubbing it in. I'll get you back, though, so you'd better watch out." She grinned evilly.

Kasey giggled.

"Anyway, we'd better get going," Terra said. "I don't think we have that much longer until we're finally out of here."

We went back inside and then walked out the other door in the room. We found ourselves in the sketchbook world again. Using the pink key we got in the toy box, we opened the pink building in the middle area. The room was no longer drawn in crayon. There were stairs leading down. There were even more stairs after that, but then it started to get darker. After we finished going down the stairs, we came across an awfully familiar place.

Kasey gasped. "It's the gallery...!"

She was right. It looked like an exact replica, except that it was very dark. There were still no people around, but we expected as much.

Even though we were in a rush to find a way out, I asked if we could look around for a bit, and if they could read me some of the words I wasn't able to understand before. They agreed, and we started with the first floor.

The big floor painting that got us into the twisted gallery was indeed titled "Abyss of the Deep." The description said, "A world where man will never stand... To realize that world, I decided that I would engrave it within the canvas." I sighed, thinking about all the events that occurred today.

The large painting with the red figure scolding a blue child was called "A Well-Meaning Hell." I still didn't really get it, though. The notice near the painting read, "Welcome to the World of Guertena. We truly thank you for attending today. We're currently holding an exhibition for the great artist Weiss Guertena. We hope you deeply enjoy the art of the late Guertena, whose creations carry such mystery and beauty both."

The rose sculpture was called "Embodiment of Spirit." The description said, "Beautiful at a glance, but if you get too close, it will induce pain. It can only bloom in wholesome bodies." I remembered when Terra had mentioned the word "wholesome" back at the gallery, before everything got crazy.

Another painting I couldn't read before was called "The Sky Seen From A Hill." The silver bench displays were called "Twinkling of Crystals and Stars." The four paintings hanging in a row that I wasn't able to read were titled "Serpent's Spirit," "Glass of Antipodes," "Horizon View," and "Beach Isolation." That was everything from the first floor, so we went upstairs.

The painting next to "The Hanged Man" was called "Couplet Towers." The painting near the white couch display was titled "Still Life on Table."

Another painting they read for me was called "Misshapen Diamond." The painting the elderly couple was looking at was titled "Spectacle of Century's End."

The big pink ball with swords sticking in it was called "Wariness." The sculpture of the melting blue woman was called "Fusion."

Finally, we found the painting that started it all. The picture was a bit different, however; it seemed to have changed to a picture of the real gallery. I could make out the big fish painting, the "Fusion" sculpture, and a few people that were gathered around...

I couldn't read the first word, but the title of the mural was "? World." The description said, "Once you go in, there's no going back. All your time here will be lost. Will you still jump in?"

"What's this big mural... 'Fabricated World'?" Garry read.

Terra peered at the picture. "Hey, isn't that... The former gallery?"

"Wait, so if we jump into this, we'll go back there?!" Kasey exclaimed.

"I think so..." Terra said.

"But how are we meant to jump into a painting...?" Garry asked.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light. When the room faded back to normal, we realized that the mural had changed. The frame surrounding the picture was now gone.

"Look!" Kasey pointed at the mural. "The frame...!"

"Now might be our chance...!" Garry proclaimed. He took a couple steps back and then leaped into the picture. "Yes! I'm really in! Hurry up, you three!"

Terra, Kasey, and I got ready to jump in after Garry, but before we could, a voice rang out in the air. We all turned around. A figure stepped out of the shadows. It was... our mother. "Ib!" she said. "I finally found you!"

I furrowed my brow. Why was she only speaking to me? How come she wasn't acknowledging Kasey or Terra?

"Sheesh... I was looking everywhere! Don't just go running off places on your own!" Mother went on. "Your father's waiting for you too, see? Let's go, Ib!"

"Girls? Hey, what are you doing?!" Garry called. "Hurry up and come over!"

"Ib! How many times have I told you?" Mother said. "Don't go following strangers!"

I glanced at my sisters. They weren't looking my way. They both seemed to be confused and startled, but they weren't looking at me or Mother. Didn't they see her? What was going on...?!

~Kasey~

I was shocked to see Mary heading toward us. She didn't look dangerous or anything; she actually seemed fun and playful. She was giggling and skipping over to me. I looked at my sisters, but they didn't seem to notice her. I turned back to Mary, bewildered.

"Kasey..." she said, giggling. She stepped in front of me. "What'cha doin'?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but no sound came out.

"You're not leaving yet, are you?" Mary asked, looking upset. "Don't go...! We still gotta play together, remember?"

Ib and Terra were staring off in completely different directions. Why couldn't they see Mary? I was so confused...

Then I heard Garry's voice. "Hey, it's not scary, okay? You'll be fine!"

"Let's play dolls!" Mary giggled. She twirled a strand of blonde hair around her finger. "And then maybe we can draw together!"

"Girls...?" Garry called out, looking confused.

He wasn't the only one. I couldn't make sense of things anymore. Why was Mary even still alive...?! She didn't look like she wanted to hurt me, but... Something wasn't right. I knew that for certain.

~Terra~

He stepped out of the darkness, a familiar grin on his face. "Hey, Terra," he said, walking over.

What the...? If he was there, then who was... I glanced back at the mural, where Garry was still waiting for us. How could there have been two of them?

"I was worried about you, you know," the Garry in front of me said. "I was tied up and I couldn't get to you."

I blinked in confusion.

"In the toy box, an imposter me came and tied me up, claiming that he would go after you and your sisters," he continued. "I wasn't able to break free until now. And I finally found you...!"

"Girls! I'll pull you over!" the Garry in the mural yelled.

"Don't listen to him, Terra," this Garry said. "He's a fake. That painting isn't an exit at all. He's just trying to lure you in so you could get trapped here forever."

I shook my head and took a small step back. My head was killing me.

This Garry put his hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry. I'll take you to the real exit. Let's —"

I shook his hand away. Something didn't feel right. This wasn't the Garry I knew. The real Garry was the guy I'd saved... twice. The real Garry was the guy I'd held hands with countless times. The real Garry was the guy I... kissed.

"Terra?" This Garry was frowning at me now.

The Garry in the mural extended his arm through the picture. "Come on! Take my hand!"

"Come with me..."

"No..." I whispered. I shook my head and squeezed my eyes shut, willing the fake Garry in front of me to go away. "Leave... Get out... Go... Now...!" I opened my eyes and shoved him away. He shouted my name and yelled some unintelligible things as he faded into the darkness.

~Kasey~

I looked at Garry's outstretched hand. Then I turned back to Mary. She looked at me as if she knew what I was thinking. She narrowed her eyes. "Don't go with him, Kasey. He's just trying to ruin our fun..."

I swallowed, trying to clear my head. Just then, Terra started yelling really loud. I looked at her, and she seemed to be shoving something away. But there was nothing there. Huh...? Then I looked at Ib, who appeared to be staring at something.

Wait. If they were talking to someone that I couldn't see, then didn't that mean they couldn't see Mary? And if they couldn't see her, that meant she wasn't real.

...I was hallucinating again...!

I backed away from Mary and called out to Terra. She turned to me, looking concerned. I reached for her hand.

"Kasey! No...!" Mary yelled.

As soon as our hands connected, Mary disappeared in a mist of dark fog. I blinked.

"Terra... Mary was there..." I murmured.

She sighed and nodded. "Yeah. I couldn't see her, but I know you were imagining her. You weren't the only one. I thought there was another Garry. But I got rid of the fake one, so don't worry." She looked at the real Garry, who was still in the mural, looking pretty annoyed by now. "Don't worry, Garry. We're coming. We just have to get Ib first."

~Ib~

Suddenly, I felt two hands on my shoulders. I glanced up. The hands belonged to my sisters. They were tugging me away from Mother.

"Ib...!" she said. She started running up to me.

Then Terra grabbed Garry's hand. With her other hand, she pulled Kasey into the painting, and Kasey pulled me in.

There was another bright flash of light, and my mother's voice faded away into the distance.

XXXXX

I gazed around the room. My memory was a bit fogged up, and I couldn't remember what exactly I was doing. Kasey and Terra were right beside me. They looked a bit distant, as well.

Behind us was a large mural called "? World." I couldn't read the first word. We observed it for a moment before Kasey said, "Hey... Aren't we supposed to be getting back to Mom and Dad?"

"I think we can look around a little bit more," Terra replied. "We'll find them soon, though. Don't worry."

We walked away from the mural and explored around the gallery. Eventually, we came across a large red rose sculpture. There was a man currently viewing it. He had lavender hair and a tattered coat. A small portion of his coat seemed to be missing at the bottom.

Without realizing what I was doing, I walked over to him.

He turned around. "...Hm? What is it, little lady?"

Kasey and Terra joined us. Terra looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry... I hope my sister wasn't bothering you."

"Oh, no, not at all," the man said, smiling.

"Hey, what's that statue?" Kasey asked.

"Hm? Well, let's see... It's a rose sculpture, I guess..." the man said. "...When I look at this sculpture... I feel somehow sorrowful... I wonder why?"

"It's pretty..." Kasey murmured. "I like red. And pink. And yellow..."

Terra looked distant again. "I like blue..."

The man swiveled to her. "...What?"

"Oh, uh, nothing," she said. "I was just, uh... thinking about blue roses."

"Blue roses, huh?" the man said. "Yes, those are nice... I like white roses, as well..."

Terra blinked.

"Hey...! What happened to your hand?" Kasey gestured to Terra's hand, which had a dark piece of fabric wrapped around it.

"My... My hand...?" she repeated. "I... I don't know... I can't remember..."

"Wait," the man said. "Isn't that... from my coat?"

He was right. The fabric on her hand matched the man's coat perfectly.

"Why would I have this...?" Terra muttered. Then her eyes widened. "I... I was... I was wounded. Glass... cut my hand... and... a man... A man tore off a piece of his...!" She gasped. "A man tore off a piece of his coat! Your coat! ...Garry!"

Garry... The name sounded familiar...

"I remember now!" Terra exclaimed. "We were all together back there..."

"In the... gallery..." Kasey's eyes widened, too.

"That's right!" Terra nodded. "We stuck together through that weird gallery... Chased by all those crazy art creatures... And Mary, too!"

"Mary..." Kasey murmured.

In my pocket, my fingers brushed against something hard. I pulled it out. It was a lemon-flavored candy. Garry had given me this...!

"Garry... Do you remember?" Terra asked him.

Garry didn't say anything for a moment. Then he wrapped his arms around Terra. "Yes, I do..." he said. When they were finished with their embrace, Terra was brushing like crazy.

"Good..." she said.

"We got back safely!" Kasey cheered. "We did it!"

"There's so much more I want to talk about, but I've got to get going," Garry said, looking apologetic.

"What? You can't go yet..." Terra frowned.

Garry looked like he was about to object, but then he seemed to change his mind. He smiled. "Well, all right. Maybe I can stay a little longer."

"We can introduce you to our parents!" Kasey squealed. She winked at Terra. "After all, he is your new boyfriend."

"Kasey!" Garry and Terra exclaimed in unison. They both blushed.

Kasey giggled. "Just saying."

"Well, anyway..." Terra said. "Let's go look around the gallery a little more."

We all nodded and went off to explore the gallery again. Garry and Terra were walking hand in hand. Kasey kept giggling and making comments about how cute the two of them were together. She seemed to be over the Mary thing, which was good.

The gallery situation was a huge mess, and it definitely had its crazy surprises. But if I had the chance to do it all again, I would. And I knew, no matter how much they'd deny it, that my sisters and Garry would, too. After all, despite all the stuff we had to endure, the gallery brought all of us together.

So it did at least one thing right.

A/N: Well... That's the ending. I know it was kind of corny, but I liked it. Thank you to everyone who read it!
By the way, there will most likely be a sequel. So keep an eye out for it. :)