Maledicta Gallery Visita

"Sam, we need to get moving or we'll be late!" her mother called out from the top of the stairs. "COMING!" echoed a small but determined voice from above, as a young girl made her way down. This is how we are introduced to Sam, a shy yet incredibly courageous 15-year-old in her sophomore year of high school. She hurried to her mother's side, ready to leave for their outing. "Is everyone set? Great, let's head out!" her father announced, giving his bowtie a final adjustment to ensure he looked his best for the occasion. Together, they set off and soon arrived at La Guertena's Gallery.

After a lengthy journey from their home, the mother exclaimed, "Well, here we are!" upon their arrival. "Is this your first time at an art gallery?" she inquired, turning towards Sam, who nodded in response. "Today, we're exploring the art of Guertena," the mother announced, sparking curiosity and excitement in Sam. The father, chiming in, suggested, "Perhaps we should get some pamphlets from the receptionist." This took the mother by surprise. "Oh! What a wonderful suggestion!" The gallery was filled with an array of paintings and sculptures for them to admire. "May I take a moment to look around on my own?" Sam asked her mother, who replied, "Of course, just stay out of trouble," as Sam nodded in understanding. With a pamphlet in hand, she marveled at the diverse artworks, struggling to pronounce "Guertena" due to the small print that challenged her young eyes. Eventually, she tucked the pamphlet away, deciding to focus on the art itself. Among the various pieces, one particular painting stood out to her.

"WHOA! THIS ONE'S HUGE!" Sam couldn't contain her amazement, attempting once more to decipher the label. However, the small font thwarted her efforts, leaving the words a blur. "Something, world... I can't make out this word," she murmured, squinting for a better look. As she focused, there was a brief flicker, and then..

It Suddenly Grew Dark.

"Oh! The lights!" Sam's voice carried a hint of fear as the gallery suddenly darkened. She took a moment to steady her breathing, grounding herself by identifying five things within her sight: the paintings, the wall, the floor, her own presence, and the flickering lights as they went out. This simple act helped her regain a sense of calm amidst the unexpected darkness.

As she navigated through the dim gallery, Sam called out intermittently, hoping to find anyone else caught in this eerie situation. "Where did everyone go?" she wondered aloud, a hint of concern threading her voice. She pressed on, her steps cautious, until an unexpected sight halted her progress. "There's paint all over the floor?" she first thought, puzzled by the mess. But upon closer inspection, her surprise grew. "No wait, is this... water!?" The presence of water in an art gallery was baffling. Why and how could there be water covering the floor?

But her thoughts were abruptly cut short as an echoey voice resonated through the gallery, piercing the silence.

"Come Sam, come play," the voice beckoned to her. "What..?" Sam murmured, taken aback. "It's as if I'm being drawn in..." she remarked, sensing herself moving toward the vast expanse of blue. Then, without any hesitation, two hands softly took hold of her...

Pulling her into the depths of the blue...

Sam awoke from her peculiar dream, taking in her surroundings with confusion. "I'm back in the museum?" she questioned.

Rising to her feet, she inspected her hands to see if she was injured, relieved to find she wasn't. "No, this is different," she sighed, now with a singular goal: to escape this so-called 'Gallery.' Something else then caught her eye—a bright red rose in a vase.

Sam let out a soft gasp, carefully picking up the rose. "Oh! Pretty!" she exclaimed softly, bringing it close to inhale its sweet fragrance. Suddenly, a word appeared on the wall, accompanied by a loud bang that made her jump and filled her ears with noise. Turning to face the wall, her color drained, leaving her pale.

T H I E F.

Sam retreated, her breath becoming shaky. Her first instinct was to run, to run as she never had before, to escape the curse of this gallery.

"MOM!? DAD?! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Sam's voice echoed with fear as she dashed through the seemingly infinite corridors, her ears filled with laughter, the distinctive meow from a particular cat painting, and piercing cries of "LIAR!" "WHERE AM I?!" she screamed again, her voice a blend of hope and desperation, yearning for someone to hear her desperate calls. "SOMEBODY HELP ME!" Her pace quickened as panic took over, though she gradually slowed down, feeling momentarily safe as she navigated the checkered hallways, her heart racing. She glanced at the rose she held, its bright red petals glowing in the subdued light, holding it tightly against her chest. But her brief respite was shattered by another eerie moan. "AH!" she shrieked, sprinting away and slamming a door shut behind her.

Gasping for air, worn out from the run, she opened her eyes to find herself surrounded by piles of books.

"Could this be a library?" she wondered aloud, taking in the sea of books around her. "At least I'm safe from those... creatures," Sam added, her gaze shifting to the right where she spotted a book. To her surprise, it was a Guertena Encyclopedia. "Oh, look at that! So that's what they are!" she exclaimed, flipping the book open. She quickly found the section about the captivating legless ladies in red. "It says here that these women become particularly dangerous when they desire humans, relentlessly pursuing their target until their thirst is quenched... They'll chase you to the ends of the earth, apparently. But they do have one weakness: they can't open doors by themselves," Sam read aloud, her eyes moving to the next page which ominously bore only red letters.

HAVING FUN?

Feeling an overwhelming need to escape despite the absence of any visible exit, Sam exhaled deeply. Her attention was then captured by an article about the flowers she had encountered. "At first sight, they're beautiful, but getting too close causes pain. They thrive only in healthy bodies, and if they wither, so do you," she read with a mix of fascination and fear. However, the text contained words too small for her to decipher. "I can't make out much of this due to the tiny print, but it's definitely about that flower!" she remarked, frustrated yet intrigued. Turning what seemed to be the final page she could read, Sam's eyes landed on a title that piqued her interest: "Carrie Careless." It reminded her of a coloring book, sparking her curiosity even further. Closing the encyclopedia, she picked up the storybook, eager to uncover the story of...

By XXXXX

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" The kids shouted as Carrie gave a smile. "Thanks guys!" Carrie exclaimed with excitement. "For your special day, we made a Galette de Rois!" Sofie exclaimed with joy. "What's that?" Carrie pondered. "There's a coin in this pie! And if you eat the slice with the coin inside, you'll be a happy person!" Sofie explained to Carrie. "That sounds like fun!" Carrie said excitedly! "Doesn't it?" Sofie smirked. She then quickly ran to the kitchen, grabbing a nearby cake cutter knife. "Okay! Let's divide it up!" She announced as she started to cut the pie. "Now pick the slice you want!" She exclaimed as the kids shouted with excitement! "Let's eat!"

As the kids dug into the pie, chowing down the pastry, there was suddenly a small yell. "AH!" Shouted Carrie as she covered her jaw. "What's wrong?" Sofie said worried. "I think I just swallowed something hard." Carrie said worried sick about her health. "Ahahaha! Oh Carrie!" Sofie chuckled to herself. "It must have been the coin!" Issac chuckled with Sofie. "What do I do..?" Carrie shakily asked, still shook up from the coin ingestion. "It's fine! The coin is small!" Sofie reminded her friend. "Well, I'll go and clean this up now!"

Sofie walked into the kitchen ready to clean the dishes when she saw her mother. "What's wrong mom?" Sofie decided to ask her mother, Alice, as she sighed. "Have you seen the key to the study?" Alice asked her daughter. "To the study?" Sofie decided to ask. "It should be right over-" Her question was already answered as she saw something golden on the table..

The Coin!

"It's the coin!" Sofie said as she saw it glow on the table! "The coin that should have been put in the pie.." Sofie realized, turning pale. "Could it be that.." Sofie turned away from her mother, biting her knuckle. "Where could it have gone..? Oh, my dear will be so upset.." Alice solemnly said and left to look elsewhere. "What do I do?!" Sofie tearfully asked as her thoughts were interrupted by a loud CLANG! Sofie gasped as she looked down at the knife, knowing what to do, next.

"Looks Like I Was Just As Careless As Carrie."

"No no no! AAAAH!"

"I FOUND THE KEY! I'll open the door now~!"

The End.

Sam's face turned pale from the shocking content of what was supposed to be a children's tale, but then, a sound snapped her back to reality—the sound of a door unlocking. "The door!" she exclaimed, rushing towards the newfound exit, her eyes quickly scanning her unfamiliar surroundings. "Blue petals?" she murmured, noticing the scattered petals beneath her feet. Suddenly, a man's scream pierced the air, startling her. She watched as he collapsed onto the flower, gasping, "They took...that FLOWER! I feel..." before the pain rendered him unconscious.

"More petals..." Sam observed, approaching the wilting blue flower with a sense of purpose. "I don't know why, but these flowers are important," she declared, picking up the flower and spotting a vase nearby. "This could use some water," she reasoned, placing the flower in the vase where it miraculously revived.

The man coughed again, then slowly got to his feet, confusion written all over his face. "The pain's gone...? Why?" he wondered aloud.

Turning to face him for the first time, Sam took in the sight of the man who had just experienced such a mysterious ordeal.

"Hi!" Sam said, a hint of anxiety in her smile, as she approached the newcomer, extending a blue rose towards him. "This belongs to you, doesn't it?" The man took the rose, his smile broadening in acknowledgment. "Ah, so you're connected to the gallery as well? Our circumstances seem quite similar," he shared enthusiastically. "It appears we face harm whenever these roses shed their petals," he added, his smile still kind. "Thank you for returning it and sparing me from trouble," he expressed his gratitude, then ventured into a conversation starter. "What's your name, by the way? I'm Caleb!" he introduced himself. "I'm Sam!" Sam replied, his smile unwavering as Caleb gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Listen, Sam, it's not safe for a young lady to wander alone in these parts, so I'll accompany you. Let's find our way out together!" Caleb declared, his courage echoing Sam's. However, his boldness was quickly undone by a deceiving artwork, eliciting a high-pitched scream from him, much to Sam's amusement. Caleb, now visibly flustered, tried to brush it off. "It was just a shock, nothing more! Let's move on and stay alert for any more oddities," he said, offering Sam a shaky smile. Extending his hand to her, which she accepted, they agreed to face whatever lay ahead as inseparable friends.

Navigating through the gallery's intricate puzzles, Sam and Caleb encountered what appeared to be an arm, or more accurately, a hand. Sam, recognizing its significance, placed a bracelet onto the hand. As soon as the bracelet settled into place, the air filled with the familiar strains of the Wedding March, signaling their successful completion of yet another challenge.

Following the melody of the Wedding March, an unexpected event occurred – a bouquet dropped from the ceiling. Sam, with a quick reflex, caught the bouquet, her face lighting up with a smile at the charming surprise. The next task seemed straightforward enough: to feed an aching mouth an apple. However, upon closer inspection, Sam couldn't hide her unease; the mouth was crafted from materials so grotesque it sent shivers down her spine. Despite her discomfort, she bravely fed the apple to the mouth.

As they walked side by side, Sam trembled with apprehension, anticipating the new challenges ahead, and Caleb noticed. He gently took Sam's hand, offering a comforting squeeze. Catching Caleb's reassuring smile, Sam felt a bit calmer, just as they encountered a statue, notably missing its head. They examined the statue closely when, unexpectedly, it sprang to life in a startling transformation!

"AAAAAH!" They both screamed, terror consuming them. "Sam! Watch out!" Caleb shouted, pulling her along as they ran. "HURRY! THIS WAY!" He exclaimed in panic, abruptly changing direction to avoid an oncoming monster. "WAIT, NO, IT'S THIS WAY! FOLLOW ME!" Caleb corrected himself frantically, still gripping Sam's hand as they both ran, fear etched on their faces. "Why are there SO MANY?" he gasped, clinging tightly to Sam's hand amidst the chaos.

Caleb's breaths were heavy, the extensive running having taken its toll on him. "Sam, are you ok?" he inquired, noticing she was also struggling to catch her breath. "Yeah!" Sam responded. "Come on, we need to stay here until things calm down," Caleb suggested, holding Sam's hand tightly, a gesture of protection.

As the door shut behind them, Caleb surveyed their new surroundings. "Is there nothing in here but a mirror?" he wondered aloud, his gaze fixed on the mirror before him. "Was this always here?" His curiosity piqued, he examined the reflective surface closely, only to turn pale as he was confronted with an unexpected sight.

"AAAAAAAAH!" Caleb's shriek echoed childishly, prompting laughter from Sam. "WHAT IS THAT?!" he exclaimed, recoiling as though the sculpted head were as menacing as an eight-legged monster, his face flushing with embarrassment. "It's just a mannequin head! No need to be scared of it," Sam reassured him, picking up the head with ease, her lack of fear towards mannequins evident. "Right, I guess I overreacted a bit. Let's keep going," Caleb admitted, scratching his head in a mix of embarrassment and amusement, extending his hand once more. "Alright!" Sam agreed, clasping his hand in hers, ready to move forward together.

Just as they opened the door, a familiar shriek greeted them, causing Caleb to gasp in shock. "There are even more now! Stay close, Sam!" he exclaimed, prompting another frantic dash. "THERE'S AN OPEN DOOR! COME ON! INSIDE!" Caleb shouted, propelling them towards a room. They quickly entered and shut the door behind them, seeking refuge once more.

Breathing sighs of relief, they were thankful to escape the haunted hallways. "Ah, thank God we made it out of there; that could've ended really badly for us," Caleb expressed, his relief palpable. However, Sam couldn't share in the moment of respite, as she was confronted with a sight that left her feeling nauseated.

"AH! That PAINTING!" Sam recoiled, her legs buckling under the shock. "Mom!? DAD?! Why are they in a painting..?!" she managed to utter, her mind racing with thoughts of a possible curse befalling them. "So you're saying these are your parents?" Caleb asked, puzzled by the intense reaction to the painting. "I guess you do look like them! But why would this painting be here, of all places?" He surveyed the area, trying to make sense of it, when he noticed Sam's complexion drain of color. "Hey, Sam, are you okay? You don't look so good," he said with concern, just as Sam collapsed to the floor, unconscious. "Ah crap," Caleb muttered, frantically trying to rouse her. "Sam!? Hey! Sam, are you okay?! Wake up! Oh god, Hey! Are you okay? What's happening!?"

"S

A

M

!"

In the suffocating blackness of her nightmare realm, Sam's voice shattered the silence, a desperate plea slicing through the void. "CALEB?! WHERE ARE YOU?!" The darkness swallowed her cries, leaving behind only the sinister whisper of a distant clock ticking, marking each second of her terror. "NO! GET AWAY!" Her screams tore through the oppressive night, a futile attempt to ward off the unseen horrors that lurked just beyond her sight. "NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" She continued to yell, her voice ragged with fear, but it was as if the darkness itself devoured her pleas, leaving her utterly alone with her dread.

"CALEB! HELP! SOMEBODY!" Her voice was a broken record of despair, echoing into the abyss with no hope of salvation. As her strength dwindled, her resolve crumbled under the weight of the malevolent gaze that pierced through the shadows, its eyes gleaming with a sinister light, feasting upon her fear. The darkness seemed to thicken, constricting around her like a tangible force, smothering her cries, leaving her with a chilling realization of her utter helplessness.

In that moment of absolute terror, when the monstrous eyes bore into her soul with malevolent delight, all Sam could muster, the only response her terror-stricken body could produce in the face of such unspeakable horror, was a primal, ear-piercing scream. It was a sound that seemed to embody the essence of pure fear itself, a desperate cry for mercy in a realm where none existed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Her scream pierced the nightmare, a final, desperate outcry that echoed into the void. It was a sound filled with pure terror, momentarily challenging the darkness. But as its echoes faded, the relentless nightmare resumed its grip, her scream a fleeting defiance in an unending realm of fear.

After the terrifying dream had ended, Sam rose unsteadily to her feet, her groan echoing the weariness that such a rest could never have alleviated. "Oh! Morning, I thought I'd lost you there for a moment," Caleb expressed, his sigh one of palpable relief as he offered Sam his long jacket, himself dressed in a simple gray tank top underneath. "How are you holding up, Sam?" he inquired gently, noting her sluggish state. "I...I had a nightmare," Sam confessed, her voice heavy with the weight of her nocturnal distress. "I understand, it's tough," Caleb sympathized, comforting her with a gentle pat on the head. "But it's hardly surprising, given the horrors you've been exposed to," he remarked, as Sam turned her face away, burdened by the expectation to be fearless. "Hey! Check the pocket! I've put something there for you!" Caleb announced with a mischievous grin, gesturing towards the jacket's front pocket. Curious, Sam reached in and retrieved something..

His smile widened as Sam examined the ruby-wrapped chocolate, marveling at its coin shape. "That's for you, Sam! Go ahead and enjoy it," he encouraged, his voice carrying a warmth that prompted a smile from her as well. "Now, try to get some more rest. You'll need all the energy you can muster," he chuckled, aiming to buoy her spirits.

His efforts paid off.