Ib

Chapter 9 - Reunion

I fell off the stairs, it felt like I was being hit by a baseball bat on my back. Until I stopped and saw a silhouette. It was GARRY! "Ib! Why did you trip?" He asked. I couldn't speak. I was too shocked! I pointed at some space upstairs until Mary appeared. "You're not.. REAL!" Garry shouted at Mary while he was pushing her away from me. She collapsed and continued falling down the stairs. "Garry, what do you mean, that she's not real..?" I asked. "No time, we have to find a way outta here and leave Mary behind!" I stood up and hugged him tightly. I hugged him tightly for so long I felt weak again and fell on the step. I missed him so much. He carried me and dashed off upstairs. We went to the room blocked by the mannequin. He put my down on the floor and pushed the statue sideways. "Come on, let's get going!" He tried carrying me again, but I refused. "I think I got it from here. Thanks." I stood up, still feeling frazzled. But I see Garry's quite exhausted too. The stairs was quite long, but the setting changed..?

The atmosphere grew weirder. Everything looks like it had been drawn by crayons! "I've got a weird feeling about this.." Garry said. The place was creepy, I stared at it for so long I didn't notice that Garry was tugging me. "Ib! Look!" As he pointed at a sign that said "To the Gallery". "There's our exit!" He joyfully said. After half an hour of being lost we finally found the gallery. The door was locked though. But there was something written on the wall beside it. "The key is in the toy box!" I don't know where the toy box is, but we searched all houses for that "toy box".

We found a key in a house and heard someone open the door. "Ib... Garry... Where are you?" It sounded like Mary! We hid behind some wall, her footsteps were getting louder. "Hmm." We heard her groan and left. "She's finding us.." Garry said. We went to the only building that wasn't locked and saw a toy box! Well, it was a box labeled "Toy Box". 

"This is probably the deepest toy box I've seen. It's too dark!" Garry complained.

"Wanna see?"

A sudden familiar voice....

I gasped. Mary! But how, how did she find us? .... She pushed us into the box. I knocked out. I woke up and saw nothing but darkness, it almost blinded me. I waited for some time for my vision to get used to the darkness since that's what I always do when there's a thunder late at night and I'm trying to go to my parents' bedroom. I saw a lot of blue dolls with red eyes. My rose is missing.. So is Garry..

"GARRY!" I shouted as loud as I can. I heard a groan, so I followed that sound. "Garry!" I saw him, he was lying down, and was in pain. I helped him get up and I hugged him again. "Ib! Thank goodness you're alive!" He joyfully said. "I lost my rose..". "No, that can't be, what have to look for it!". We couldn't find my rose but we found the key to the gallery.

"A present, for me? That's a gorgeous flower!"

Garry's eyes were wide open. "No.." He whispered anxiously. "Mary, that's Ib's flower." He quickly paced to Mary. I had to catch up on him. "Really?" She said. "Yes, please give it back to her." 

"Hmm, this red rose sure is pretty, but I think I like blue more! See? This doll's blue! Wanna trade a blue rose for this one?" Mary offered. No.. I can't. "I don't know what to do..." I whispered to Garry. For the first time in my life I've never felt so scared in making decisions. "Leave it all to me." He smiled.

"I am willing to trade my rose... for Ib."

No.. I feel so guilty. Why.. Why did I have to let that happen!

They exchanged roses. "I'm so sorry." I told Garry. "No worries, let's just catch her and get my rose back. It's not your fault, Ib!" Garry smiled and ruffled my hair. We went out of the toy box and saw a trail of blue petals.

Loves me...

Loves me not...

Loves me...

"Oof, Ib. I think I need to rest. I'll just catch up on you later." He collapsed. Garry, please don't collapse, not right now please. I need you! "Please don't die!" Tears were streaming down my face. "I'm not dying, I just need... rest..." He fell asleep. A lighter fell down on the floor. I grabbed it, I may need this later. I went up the stairs and saw Mary plucking out the petals of Garry's rose. There were two petals left..

Loves me not...

"Mary, stop that now!" I shouted at her. "Or WHAT!" Her eyes grew red and so did the room. I noticed that there was a door open and I saw her portrait. She slowly got up, trying to threaten me. I ran to the room and she grabbed my on my foot! "Please, don't!" She begged angrily. I kicked her and ran towards the painting and burned it. 

"Huh..?" Mary suddenly turned into ashes. She no longer existed.

I grabbed Garry's rose and placed it in the vase and it bloomed again. A rose's bloom was something gorgeous to see. My rose however still has four petals and the vase ran out of water.

I went back to find Garry but he wasn't there.