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

[amiable]

How do you get kidnapped by an... an art gallery?!

[thehangedrose]

The same way you get kidnapped by a-a magic castle, no doubt!

Why is that even surprising?

[amiable]

Was it a magic art gallery?!

[thehangedrose]

Actually...now that I think about it, I'm not sure if it was the paintings or the art gallery itself that was um, magic. Maybe both.

Either way, I saw some pretty crazy things back there...things I don't really want to remember...

[amiable]

Where are you from...?

[thehangedrose]

Oh, I'm from [INSERT NAME OF COUNTRY THAT IS NEVER GIVEN IN CANON HERE. Thanks a lot, canon.]

Yeah. Though what if you've said is true, I don't think you'd recognize the name of the place, considering all the people from other worlds here...

[amiable]

I don't... [ Recognize it, that is. ]

[thehangedrose]

[A sigh.]

I kind of thought that would be the case...

At least we're all in the same boat when it comes to knowing where people come from?

[amiable]

Sort of! Maybe someone from your world is already here? It happens a lot.

[thehangedrose]

Really? I,um, don't know many people, but...is there any possible way to find that out?

[amiable]

Well, since it's sort of like a phone... you can talk to someone privately through the journal using filters!

[thehangedrose]

Oh, really? Huh! That's kind of cool...

You just write in the filter, right? And no one can listen in?

1/2

[amiable]

Exactly!

[amiable]

Unless they have the same name as someone! Then you might be filtering to a bunch of people...

[thehangedrose]

Wow...I can see how that could be a problem, yes.

Is there any way to prevent the journal from doing that? Like making the filter really specific?

[amiable]

Full names work! And I guess... if you mention where they're from?

[thehangedrose]

Okay, then! I guess I'll try that after looking around some more. Maybe I'll meet up with someone I know.

Thanks, miss...?

[amiable]

My name's Uru! [ A beat. ] What's yours?

[thehangedrose]

Oh, a pleasure, Uru! I'm Garry.

[amiable]

Are you feeling a bit better now? [ Since he did scream earlier... ]

[thehangedrose]

A bit...still worried, but, admittedly, it's not as bad as the art gallery was. So far...

[amiable]

What happened at the art gallery?

[thehangedrose]

Things chased me...you have no idea how many times me and Ib were close to dying. I mean, all the paintings were alive and not exactly very friendly. It was...terrifying...

[amiable]

D-Dying?! What-- why?!

[thehangedrose]

Well, things were chasing after us! And...there was a certain condition to being in that world. Your life was far more in danger than in the real world.