one painting burned

[thehangedrose]

[Open the journal, and you might hear the slight mumble of somebody talking to himself under his breath.]

Okay, so right now, I need to go get eggs, and milk, and ooh, stop by the laundromat for the handkerchief, and-

[There's an abrupt pause.]

Wait. This isn't...

[Garry looks around, realizing that this is not the place he was in before. No, this isn't the outside of an art gallery. This is a lobby of some building he's never been before. Huh.]

I'm...just going to leave now. Yes. [There's the sound of stamping as Garry wanders over to the door of the lobby.] See, there are doors, I can just go and lea-

[CREAAKKK. The doors opens, and that is definitely the outside. But not any outside he knows.]

...What. Why is-what's going on? And what keeps poking me in my coat...?

[A few ruffling noises, and then suddenly, whatever Garry has discovered in his coat sends him into a state of agitated hyperventilation.]

No. No no no no NO NO NO. Th-this...this can't be happening. This is all just  some sort of mental kickback to what happened before, a-and...why do I have this? I shouldn't have this...

I'm finally going crazy, right? That's it...that explains everything. Good for you, Garry, you're insane. I knew that place would do horrible things to my mental health...

[A long pause, before he adds, quietly:]

At least I haven't seen any dolls yet...

Comments

1/2

[amiable]

[ There's just a long silence as she listens in... ]

dictated;

[amiable]

You're not going crazy!

dictated; 1/? I AM SO SORRY FOR THIS

[thehangedrose]

I'm, um, pretty sure I am...I mean getting this and finding myself in a place I don't know isn't...normal...

dictated; 2/?

[thehangedrose]

[Wait just one moment.]

[DID THE BOOK NEARBY JUST TALK.]

dictated; 3/?

[thehangedrose]

[CUE THE GIRLIEST SHRIEK IN THE HISTORY OF SHRIEKS]

HYEEEEEEEEEKKKKK!!!

dictated; 4/4 DONE

[thehangedrose]

[Don't mind him, he's just going to take this journal and toss it really hard at the wall and just back away from the book as fast as he can because HELLO, TALKING BOOKS, NOT NORMAL. He's fully expecting it to grow legs and come after him now.]

WHAT IS GOING ON?!

[Meet Garry, professional scaredy-cat, specializing at being horrible at reacting to situations normally.]

Dictation

[compromisedarrow]

Hey. You okay?

Dictation

[thehangedrose]

[Luckily for you, Hawkeye, Garry is not going to be freaking out about the book talking any more, just accepting it as something that implausibly exists in this strange new world he's in. A slight sigh.]

Yeah...I'm okay, I guess. I mean, things could be worse.

Still doesn't help that I have no idea what to do now that I'm here...I'd just rather go home.

Dictation

[compromisedarrow]

Wouldn't we all.

Have you been told anything about this place yet? I can give you the low-down if you want.

[both_neither]

The insanity comes later, I think.

[thehangedrose]

[He doesn't even argue with that, just sighs, sounding weary of this whole situation. He's had enough adventures for one lifetime.]

That's...helpful to hear...

whoops retroactively dicatated

[both_neither]

[He didn't quite expect the...guy?...to take him seriously...]

Hey, don't worry about it. If you're crazy then everybody else here is.

[takethat]

[Phoenix is on his way outdoors when he spots the person having a panic fit in the lobby. He waves and approaches.]

Hi! You're new, I'm guessing?

[thehangedrose]

[Garry turns, noticing that yes, that is in fact another person, and visibly brightens, waving back, even though the slight waver in his voice can still be heard.]

I...I guess I am. I just arrived here a while ago...

What do you mean by "new", though? You make it sound like other people have been in the same situation as me...

[takethat]

Well...

[Shoving his hands in his pockets and adopting a very casual attitude.]

That's because they have. At least, showing up here suddenly from your home world is incredibly common, and nearly everyone in the castle has done that at least once.

[precede]

[ Dolls, eh? See Klaus wishing for one from the castle and getting the creepiest one fall into his hand so he can shove it in the guy's face. ]

Here you go.

1/3 KLAUS YOU ARE THE MEANEST

[thehangedrose]

[Garry turns at the sound of someone approaching, smiling genially because hey, it's a good thing to be polite to other people around you.]

Oh, um, hello there, I-

2/3

[thehangedrose]

[Wait.]

[WHAT IS THAT BEING SHOVED IN HIS FACE]

[MOTHER OF ALL THAT IS GOOD IN THIS WORLD, WHAT SORT OF DOLL IS THAT?!]

[There are a few seconds where Garry almost comically stares at the doll, his visible eye widening.]

3/3

[thehangedrose]

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKK!!!!

[Garry snatches the doll out of Klaus' hand like a hot potato and then throws it right back in his face with a surprising amount of strength for someone so lanky, and then hastily rushes backward before tripping over one of the chairs in the lobby and falling right onto his back.]

[Something bright blue shows itself poking out of the interior of his weird tattered coat as he flails a bit on the ground, but then disappears when he pulls himself up, visibly shuddering.]

Th...That...WHY would you DO something like that?!!

NYAHAHAHAH

[precede]

[ It takes little effort for him to dodge the doll while bursting into enthusiastic laughter. He lets out an audible sigh of satisfaction as he quietens down, sauntering closer to pat the guy on the back. ]

All in good fun! And you're a good sport!

[ The blue glow doesn't escape him, but all in good time. ]

[wagers]

[She's just watching. And laughing. ]

Oh my god! What is your problem?

1/2

[thehangedrose]

[He swerves, frowning slightly at the sound of someone laughing at him- the nerve of it!]

My problem? I'm suddenly in a place where I have never been before, I've got something back which I don't want, and I think I'm going in-

2/2

[thehangedrose]

-sane.

[He just literally stops, looking like a really lanky deer in headlights when he sees just who is laughing.]

[Are those...horns? And it has...grey skin. And sharp teeth. And yellow eyes.]

[What.]

...What in the world are you supposed to be? A m-monster?

[whitecovered]

[And lo and behold, there is a book floating by in the lobby.

A floating, talking book.]

Rest assured, you have not lost your mind.

[Yet. At least he's not a mannequin, creepy painting lady, or a stalker doll?]

[thehangedrose]

[Blink. Blink blink. No, he is not seeing things. He's not scared by the sight of it, more weirded out than anything, but keeps his distance just in case.]

...

That's...hard to refute, seeing as I'm talking to a floating book right now.

Are you like the journal or something? Are you another person talking through the book, or...?