Return To The Machine

Chapter 15

As they kept walking throughout the studio, Parker groaned as he followed Sammy and Rosa. "Are we there yet?" he whined. "No." both of them said.

After walking down another hall for another hour, he groaned again. "Are we there yet?!" he whined again. "No!" they both snapped.

They walked some more off into different hallways, then walked up various staircases. "Are we there yet?!" Parker shouted angrily. "NO!" The two looked back to see him slowing down and trying to keep up with their pace. "C-Can- Can we at least take a break?" he begged as he flopped over on the final level they had made it down. Rosa sighed and sat right next to him. Sammy shrugged and sat on a barrel to breathe.

Sitting there gave them time to look at a map Sammy had with them. "I've been all over the place even before this incident occurred here. But... I don't know what the "Resistance" has added to this studio. So you'll have to help me out there." Sammy said. "Don't worry, I've got my way around the secret passages. We might run into Alice and Tom if we're lucky!" Rosa added. "Right... I forgot about your little friends out here..."

Parker noticed the tension in response. "What's your beef with them?" he asked curiously. Sammy groaned and turned away. "Well, I don't really have anything with Alice because I barely got the chance to know her. Thomas on the other hand... We've never gotten along even with Joey and Henry trying to get us to get along. He was always just so... annoying. The guy thinks extra installation in my office for music was a good idea! I mean who assumes things for me!? Am I not entitled to the one space that I denied Joey a right to?! JOEY! I mean everyone was saying I was foolish from banning Joey from my office! But Henry had access so why did they care? Huh?! I did all the work!"

Sammy then went into a full-blown rant. Rosa and Parker just watched in confusion as he went on about several different things that had gone down in the studio. Rosa looked over at Parker, leaning on his shoulder. "I'm not sure how much more I can take of this weirdo." Rosa said to him. "Tell me about it. I'm so sorry about everything again Rosa." Parker sighed. The two laughed and looked around the place. "Please! It could always be worse. I'm just glad I have someone I can hang out with someone for once!"

When Sammy calmed down after ranting for a little bit, he looked back at them. "I apologize. Sometimes I've got this nagging feeling that Joey and the others aren't ever truly gone." Sammy said at last. "I mean, I can see why everyone is on edge with that guy. Nobody likes a conman." Rosa acknowledged. "Never mind that! C'mon, we should keep going down this way. I know there are rooms down here where the voice actors would come to rest." Parker groaned in defeat but eventually followed the two down the hall.

On they went together down to the end of this new area the two were yet to even explore. The area that Sammy knew about consisted of break rooms and private rooms that acted as dressing rooms despite none of the actors needing to dress up. "Oh wow! This is where Susie Campbell used to work isn't it?" Rosa asked amazed. "Yes, it is. She'd spend hours on end rehearsing lines and learning the different songs for our shows and movies. This is where every single one of us took quiet time away from Joey whenever he got in a mood."

From the darkness, there was something lingering. A figure scurried across the hall. Two more sunk deep into the shadows. Sammy kept hearing something moving and looked around, waving his light. "There's something out there. Stay close to me." Parker held the ax tighter and Rosa picked up a wood piece off the floor. None of them spoke seeing all sorts of Ink Creatures descended from every dark corner within the area. They held sticks or other prop pieces around them to face those in front of them. "What are they?" one of them questioned.

Parker held the ax a little tighter, wondering if they were going to attack. Rosa came forward trying to see them better.

"My my my~ What do we have here?" a voice asked, echoing throughout the room. It was the same voice from when they were in the lift. "It's been so long since I've had anyone come down here on their own terms. What was his name? Ah yes... Henry... My little errand boy. He was the last little thief to come into my home of misery. And what now? I have new intruders! That's something I've been waiting to see. So tell me... who are you? Why are you here? Is there something that you seek?" 

The voice laughed evilly, sending chills down Parker's spine. "Hmm... What do to now? Well... I certainly can't let you go..." The Ink People stopped and stared them down with their fiery glowing eyes. "Get them. Bring them to me!" the voice screeched. Right then, every single creature lunged forward to capture the trio. Sammy began doing what he could to fend off the many that suddenly rushed him.

Rosa began hitting the creatures with the wooden plank she found off the ground. Parker used his ax sending them back into the darkness. But there were too many that swarmed them without warning. They ripped the weapons out of their hands, throwing them off to the side. Each one of them was grabbed and they began dragging them off to the closest corners they could find within the rooms. Rosa tried her best to kick them off but it didn't do anything for them to relent. Sammy was hit over his head with a blunt object causing him to lose his footing before falling over. They picked him up and dragged him on with his head hanging low.

Parker had two of them dragging him by his arms leading him along with his friends. Another portal to the unknown was formed. "Let go of us!" Rosa shouted as they were pulled relentlessly to somewhere else.

Soon all three were gone from their original spot. After a quick moment of silence, something else came out of the shadows. But it wasn't an Ink Monster.