CHAPTER 1

You twirled the pink rose on your fingertips, still processing that such a small object could be the difference between life or death. You couldn't really remember how you got to this place, only that you were suddenly living in a world where even the most harmless looking art could kill you in an instant. You stopped twirling the rose as you approached a collection of connected walls that resembled a maze. You gazed wearily inside, ducking behind the wall again when one of the headless models began walking down one of the columns. You looked at your flower, the petals slightly drooping, not as healthy as it could have been. You looked inside the maze again, wondering if it was worth the risk. Your eye caught on a shining object, and as you looked closer, you realized it was a key. You took one step into the maze, going closer to the key when another model figure came around the corner. You tried to move backwards, but to your surprise the entrance was now covered by another block of the wall. You sprinted towards the key, unintentionally catching the attention of several other figurines. You picked up the key and tried it in the lock closest to you. The door didn't budge, and the models were getting closer. You pulled out the key and began to run to the next door, but a painting jumped off the wall, a woman's torso sticking out of the front. You turned to run back, your breathing ragged and your heartbeat rapid. To your horror, the models were blocking your way on the only side that you could escape. You twirled around again, the woman-painting much closer than it was just moment before. Your eyes wandered to your fuchsia rose, regretting that you ever went to this stupid museum. You screamed as one of the models reached you, sending pain down your spine. In the corner of your vision, you saw your rose's petals curl and fade a little more with each wound. Blood began to seep into your eye, and your body slumped to the floor, your hand letting the rose drop from your grasp and roll a few feet. You closed your eyes, knowing that you were about to die. You were disappointed that you only lived to eighteen. Suddenly, you felt a firm grip around your waist, pulling you up off the floor. You tried to see who the person was, but your blood was painting your vision red, and pain was making objects fuzzed. You felt a hand reach into the front pocket of your jeans.

"May I use this?" A male's voice asked. His fingers were wrapped around the key, and you nodded, hoping the mystery man had some sort of plan. He quickly pulled it out of my pocket and and inserted it into a door you hadn't seen before. The lock clicked, and he pushed you inside, slamming the door shut behind both of you. As soon as you realized that you maybe weren't going to die today, you let yourself slouch down the nearest wall and collapsed to the floor, letting sleep envelop you.

Your body felt like a giant bruise, and when you tried to open your eyes, the lids felt like lead. After a few moments, you were able to open your eyes. You were in a red room, surrounded by shelves of books. It took you a minute to remember that you were in the same nightmarish place.

"Excuse me, but are you also a prisoner in this... painting?" You heard someone talk to you from behind the bookshelf to your right, and with much effort, managed to stand up and walk around to the other side. A boy around your age was standing there, his hands pulling a book from the shelf. He was taller than average, with lavender hair that was shocking against his pale skin. He wore a long navy blue coat over a green shirt and dark jeans. When he heard you, he smiled and put the book back onto the shelf.

"I'm taking that as a yes." His hair was covering his left eye, but the eye that was visible was a very deep sea blue.

"Ah, I still haven't asked your name. My, that was rude of me! Well, my name's Garry. And you are?" He turned to you, holding his hand out. You take it and shake his hand.

"(Y/N). My name is (Y/N)." You lean against the shelf, still unsteady on your feet.

"I'm sorry we have to meet under such unfortunate circumstances (Y/N), but I hope that we can work together here." He digs his hand in his pocket and hands you a silver object.

"I believe this belongs to you?" You take the silver key, thanking him.

"How did you get here? What is this place?" You ask. He shakes his head.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know the answer to either of those questions. Although I believe we are trapped here until we can get back to the original painting." You nod, looking down at the floor. It suddenly dawns on you that you might never be able to leave this place. You try to refrain from crying, but you can't stop it when the tears begin. You feel something drape around your shoulders, and you look up at Garry who is smiling down at you.

"Don't worry (Y/N). I'll get us out no matter what." You smile back at his through your tears and wrap the coat tighter around your shoulders.

"I think I'll go mad if I stay in this place for much longer." Garry says, clutching his head. Both of your roses only have one petal left, and each puzzle had been getting increasingly more difficult. You see a mannequin head at the next corner, and point this out to Garry, who freezes in place.

"I'm telling you, those don't scare me anymore." He continues walking, but you can tell that he was lying when you pass by the head and he takes long steps around it. You look through the corner of your eye as he keeps looking back at it, and you smile. Even through this terrible world, Garry seems to make things less scary for you, and you try not to think where you would be if Garry wasn't with you.

As you pass the wall of the violet room, a set of green words print themselves, making you jump. Garry places a hand on your shoulder, calming you down enough to read the words.

"What is the title of the largest floor painting in Guertena's exhibition?" You read. You look at Garry, and you have a moment of trying to think about what the writing is talking about. Garry's eyes suddenly widen, and he grabs both of your shoulders.

"It was something of the deep. Can you remember (Y/N)? It was just one word. Like Realm.. or Abyss... Or Picture? Something along those lines..." You close your eyes for a moment and try to imagine the painting. Suddenly, it comes to you. You open your eyes to be met with hope filled blue ones.

"Abyss? I think... I'm sure it's Abyss." You look into Garry's eyes, seeing that he has total trust in you. You feel happy and encouraged, better than you had felt the entire time trapped in the art gallery. He lets go of your shoulder, and let's his other hand slide down the length or your arm and holds your hand, bringing a blush to your face. He drags you through the purple door and passed through that room and on to the hallway with another purple door.

"Abyss of the Deep. Right?" He asks you. You nod, and wait as he types in the password into the keypad. You hear a click, and the door swings open.

"You did it!" Garry takes your shoulders again, and after a second goes and hugs you.

"I couldn't have done it without you." He whispers. You blush harder, but don't push him away. He feels warm and comforting, and you miss it when he lets go. He looks away quickly and walks into the room. As you follow him, you think you see a small splash of pink against his pale skin. You smile, thinking that a blush looks good on him.

Inside the room, there are two bookshelves against both of the walls, and a red painting is in the center.

"What an off-putting painting." Garry goes up to the plaque at the bottom of the painting.

"Separation?" He looks at you, and you know you're both thinking the same thing. You don't want to be separated no matter what. The gallery was scary with two people, but would be horrifying if tackled alone. You look away from him, you can't bear even thinking about it. Suddenly, the lights go out, and you're plunged into complete darkness.

"The lights..." You whisper. You reach out to where you thought Garry was, but you're met with air.

"Are you there? (Y/N)?" You hear Garry's voice, and you let out a breath you didn't know you had been holding.

"Yes. I'm here." You say. You hear him sigh in relief.

"Good. Just stay where you are. I have a lighter, one second." A small flame alights, and Garry walks towards you. As you walk towards the door, you see writing on the floor.

"Don't kill me, Stop, Help, Don't... " You read the notes on the floor, each word making you tremble. You feel a sob in the back of your throat, fright seeping in your pores.

"Let's get out of here." Garry's voice is more commanding then you have heard before, and a strong arm wraps around your shoulders, forcing you to move towards the exit. When you move outside, Garry's long fingers cover your eyes, and you can hear that his breathing is uneven.

"Garry...?" You say. He doesn't reply, and you move closer to him, hoping that whatever he is hiding from you isn't harming him.

You don't talk for a while, continuing down a long hallway. You don't dare look back, and it seems like he wouldn't if he had the choice. You look up at him, and his face is serious. He seems more like a tense bodyguard than a scared teenager, and you don't know what it is about. After a few more long minutes in silence, you see red footprints on the floor.

"Garry, look." You point to the footprints, and he nods.

"We should follow them." You expect him to make another remark, but he doesn't. They lead to a small door, and you open it to find a small blonde girl waiting beyond. She begins to walk away, but Garry stops her.

"Ah! Wait! Are you another visitor of the gallery?" The girl stops.

"As I thought..." You want to tell him to be cautious, but you don't since if he had hesitated saving you, you would have been dead.

"I'm Garry, and this girl is (Y/N). We were in the art gallery, and suddenly found ourselves here. We're both trying to find a way out. I'm thinking that you are the same?" Garry is back to his old self, but you still don't know if it was right to put his trusts in the girl.

"I was looking for somebody too! And I wanted to get out... So I..." The girl seemed hesitant in her words.

"Want to come with us?" Garry invited the girl to join, but you wanted to just leave her in the room. Something wasn't right about her.

"Huh?... Okay..." You almost wished she had said no.

You try not to stand to close to the girl, feeling a strange discomfort when you stand to close.

You meet an place where the hallway branches off, and there is a plaque in between both ways.

"Which one could it be?" You read. You look at Garry and shrug.

"We should inspect both of them, just in case." He says. You agree and begin walking towards the one on the right with Mary, while he goes to the one on the left. You try the door knob, but it's locked. You begin to walk back to where you came from, but Mary stops you.

"Say, if only two people could escape from this world, who would you pick?" She looks at you with a mask of total innocence. After a moment of silence, you answer her.

"I would sacrifice myself." You didn't see anyway out of the situation, and went with what wouldn't hurt her feelings.

"Don't say that! We'll make it out for sure!" She begins to run ahead, and you walk behind her. She begins singing quietly, and you can barely make out the words she is saying.

"To-ge-ther for-ev-er. To-ge-ther for-ev-er! To-ge-ther for-ev-er and ev-er and ev-er!" The tune is slightly off pitch, and the feelings behind her words made you slightly uneasy. You meet up with Garry, and he hands you a purple key.

"I found this in a room full of stuffed rabbits over there." He points behind him, and you take the key.

"It was weird, I felt like they were all watching me." You look at him questioningly, and he shrugs.

"Well, the door over on this side was locked, so let's go this way. This key probably opens that door." You say. Before Garry can take one step towards you, huge stone stalks begin to break through the floor beneath your feet.

"(Y/N) Watch out!" Garry says, extending his hand towards you. You reach to take it, but a hand grips the back of your shirt.

"Come with me! You have the key, right?" You look back and forth, but can't decide which one to choose.

Jump to the left and go with Garry, read chapter two.

Jump to the right and protect Mary, read chapter five