Return To The Machine

Chapter 12

"STOP! Please! Don't hurt him!" Rosa shouted as she watched her friend fight off their attacker. Parker was pinned by the stranger who had them earlier. "Stop struggling! You must comply with me, you imbecile! Unless you want me to finish you off like I did to so many others!" Parker managed to push the stranger off and grabbed the ax to push down on the attacker. "Don't think I won't do what it takes to protect myself!"

After a minute of struggling, the stranger gave up and settled down. "Ugh! You're lucky! I'm getting tired of fighting..." Seeing that the threat was pretty much eliminated, Parker carefully stood up, the ax's blade hovering above their face. "Okay... If you try anything I'll end it here now. Now talk. You were the one who attacked us earlier in the music studios. And then you brought us to a hideout to do God knows what! So who are you and what do you want from us?!" Parker asked angrily. The stranger grumbled under his breath and stood up cautiously trying not to seem threatening.

After a brief sigh, he huffed and stared at them. "My name is Sammy. I used to work here a long time ago... Music department was my specialty. I... I shouldn't be alive like this if I'm being honest right now. Bendy, my lord, and savior, demands souls. I was wondering if giving him yours or hers would allow for the curse to finally be broken. But, I don't ever think it was that easy." Stunned by what he's heard, Parker looked over at Rosa for some input.

Rosa, who was on the ground, stood up and carefully walked over. "What... What curse? I've only ever heard it from others... But I've never understood what it was. Tell us!" Rosa demanded. Sammy looked at her with his fractured mask that covered his main face. "Are you serious? No one's ever told you about the curse?" Sammy asked stunned. "No! I've wanted them to but they haven't ever! Please! I need to know!" Rosa cried. Sammy sighed and motioned for them to come down the hall with him. "Come. I've got more answers down in my music study" he told them as he began to walk. Parker was suspicious but Rosa reassured him they'd be fine.

Sammy led them all the way back to the recording studio where they discovered his closed-off study. In the room, there wasn't much to go off of. There wasn't a lock to the door, nor was there a button or a switch to open it either. "Stop duping us! We clearly can't get in! We're getting sick of everyone  playing these games!" Parker snapped. Giving a huge sigh, Sammy turned around to Parker annoyed. "If you would give me a moment... I'll show you my study." Sammy groaned.

Looking around the room, he gathered instruments and placed them close to the piano in the corner of the area. "Don't be easily deceived. I can already tell you're not from around here." Sammy huffed before turning to the instruments. He played the ones he brought to the piano carefully and played it in a specific way. He began playing the whole song. Soon it seemed as if he started laughing while playing it. Parker glanced over at Rosa who was worried about his antics. "Cheer up... I'll sing you my melody!" Sammy chuckled.

Hitting another key, the piano began to play itself.

(Idc what anyone says- this song is fantastic! Definitely check it out! *obviously song doesn't belong to me*)

Rosa and Parker were stunned by Sammy's cool yet unsettling voice as he played the song on the piano and sang the lyrics out loud. It wasn't something they would've ever thought would be played this far into the studio. Rosa was especially stunned. Finally, when Sammy finished the song, he hushed the lingering sounds by placing his fingers on the keys. He turned to look over at Parker and Rosa with his usual blank expression.

Behind them, the door that blocked off their entrance opened up. Sammy groaned and stood up to walk inside of it. Quickly, the two followed him inside before he shut the door closed to ensure no one could get inside. Once they were settled, Sammy threw two cans of bacon soup at the duo. "Eat. You probably haven't had anything in a while." he sighed and made himself comfortable to mess around with a violin in the room. Rosa shrugged and opened the can so she could start eating. Parker wasn't satisfied and knocked the can out of her hand.

"No! You can't just act all nice after trying to murder us alive!" he cried. Rosa huffed seeing the food seemingly go to waste. "Look, I don't want any trouble myself. I just... I just wanna get home to where I was supposed to be ages ago..." Sammy continued to fiddle with the violin. Meanwhile, Rosa looked around the small area. It looked like a makeshift bunk or hideout for him to hide.

On the wall, the message, Sing a HAPPY song, Whistle a MERRY tune, Wait for HIS approval, He's coming VERY soon was written with bold ink. "I've never heard music like that down here..." Rosa noted as she continued to look around. "Well... I hadn't had to use my music as much as I have during this time... Bendy and Henry keep intruding into my space. So this is the only tune I know they won't know how to play." he said briefly. "I thought singing was still dangerous."

Sammy sighed and put the violin down. "It's risky... but in the world, we know now, it's the only way we can through a day without going insane from the intense silence. Besides, I'm a music and sound producer. I know the risk better than anyone! Music is my passion! It can't be taken away from me!" he replied.

"Unlike my soul... But I won't let them win. Bendy and his little followers can dismiss the appreciation that I once had for them. But who cares." he sighed once more. "Wait, your that guy on my friends' posters. They're looking for you. And so was Bendy... Who are you?!" she asked stunned. Sammy stood up. "I'm Sammy Lawrence, ex-employee of Joey Drew studios. I was lured back for one thing. To build up this prison we call an artistic empire."