Just a Happy Ending

Far From Over

Norman groaned. The sound of the room hitting the bottom of whatever shaft it had been dropped down replayed in his mind. Everything hurt to some degree. He pushed himself to his hands, letting his light flicker to life. "Is everyone okay?"

Allison managed her feet, "I'm okay, I think s-!" She stopped and stared at her feet in horror. Ink began to creep up her body, turning it featureless and black. "T-Tom?" she called, reaching for her husband.

Tom found his footing in time to catch Allison as her legs started melting away. The encroaching ink enveloped the rest of Allison's body and she melted completely, leaving an orb of ink hovering above a puddle.

Norman switched to his soul light and illuminated Allison's soul in the ink bubble. The bubble remained for a second or two, then dropped into the fading puddle.

Then the same thing happened to Tom, leaving his metal arm behind.

Buddy let out a distressed whine as his body turned black. Norman tried to get to the boy, "Pup? Buddy, hang on, I-..."

He was too late. The ink claimed Buddy.

Now trembling with dread, Norman glanced at Sammy. The inkling appeared stable; he was rising to his feet, staring at the middle of the room.

"Henry," Norman realized. His light swiveled to where he last saw them.

Norman managed to get his feet under himself and sort of shamble over to the two bodies furthest from him.

Those of Henry and Bendy. Bendy was uncontrollably sobbing on Henry's chest.

Norman sank to his knees beside them, looking from one to the other with his soul-light.

One gold light. One soul. In Bendy.

There was no gold light in Henry.

Norman turned Henry onto his back and lifted his chin, pressing his fingers against Henry's throat.

No pulse. The skin felt cold, even under the inky fingers.

He still couldn't find a soul in Henry's body.

Norman's hands began to shake.

No.

No, no, no...

He looked again, turning his light brighter and focusing it over Henry.

No soul.

It only illuminated how ashen his flesh had become.

No soul.

He touched Henry's head, trying to pick up something from his consciousness.

Nothing. There was just static.

A metallic howl whined from Norman's speaker. He fell away from the body, scrambling from it as if it could infect him.

Henry was-...

Norman gripped his chest.

No!

How could Henry be-...

No!

He wrapped his hands around his head.

Henry was their last hope!

Their only hope!

Sammy seized Bendy off the floor and spat in the toon's face, "What happened!? What did you do to him?!"

"It wasn't me!" Bendy cried, his face soaked with inky tears. "I'm sorry, I tried to tell him! He shouldn't have done it! I'm sorry! Please!"

"Norman, what is he saying?" Sammy huffed, dropping Bendy.

Bendy gripped the front of Henry's shirt. His sob-stuttered words were muffled by him burying his face against Henry's chest, "H-he ga-ave the rest... o' his s-soul a-way..."

"He's dead."