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

[takethat]

[The hand movement is duly noted--could be a tell, after all--but there's nothing inherently suspicious about it under the present circumstances, and Phoenix doesn't comment on it.]

Well, to be fair, in comparison to some I haven't been here for very long. But from what I've researched on past residents, there have been quite a few groups who've tried to get out of the area, without any luck.

[A pause]

...but you can leave the building! Just not this world.

[thehangedrose]

So, there's a lot more than just you and me, huh...[That's nice, he guesses, but at the same time, he can't help but feel sorry for everyone else who was in the same situation as he was. What a thing to go through.]

Yeah, I guessed you could...I opened the doors and saw there was an outside, at least. But either way, a prison is a prison, right?

[takethat]

True. Unfortunately.

[Shrug]

I'm not as hell-bent on leaving as some are. My advice to you is to just... try to get comfortable? At least you probably won't be bored.

[thehangedrose]

[He takes a deep breath to calm himself, nodding.]

Hey, as long as there isn't anything coming out to try to eat or hurt me, I think I'll be okay...

You see, I've been in a very similar situation before. Just recently, in fact. It was much more terrifying than this, though.

[takethat]

Really? Care to share the details?

[Because a lead-in like that is terribly interesting.]

[thehangedrose]

I was, erm, trapped in a world that was an art gallery and...wasn't really an art gallery at the same time.

[He feels so ridiculous saying it, even though he's right now going through something incredibly similar to this.]

Everything was trying to kill me, there...but luckily, I got out. And then I arrived here.

Talk about "out of the frying pan and into the fire".

[takethat]

Killer art gallery, huh? That's... a new one. At least here you should be marginally safer than you were there.

[Way to be comforting.]

[thehangedrose]

Um...yeah. Thanks.

[That is extremely comforting. Except for the part where it isn't.]

Except...I'm kind of in the same situation as before. As in, there's one big thing that hasn't changed since I was there to when I'm here...and it's really quite upsetting.

[He doesn't say what it is, though, because Garry is just helpfully vague like that sometimes.]

[takethat]

That's...

[Confusing?]

...well, without knowing what it is you're referring to, I'm stuck on offering you any advice. Mind explaining that further?

[thehangedrose]

[Does he or doesn't he? The man seems harmless enough, but then again, people could abuse that knowledge of the presence of his rose.]

[He'll pass for now.]

Just...forget I said anything! Haha. I...it's hard to explain. You probably wouldn't even believe me if I told you what it was.

[takethat]

Well... you don't have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable.

[thehangedrose]

[A shuddering sigh.]

Just...think of it like a secret. Yeah. It's a really big secret. I would be hurt if people knew...

[takethat]

I wouldn't hurt you, but... then again, you just me and I'm going on about evil demon castles, so of course you have no reason to believe that!

[AHA AHA AHA]

[thehangedrose]

Ha ha ha...

[That wasn't a very cheerful laugh there, Garry.]

But, I am being serious. I don't want people to take advantage of it.