Return To The Machine

Chapter 18

Suddenly the music stopped. Everyone stared at Sammy. Susie gave him a look. "You must be joking. Stop the Ink Demon? As if that would ever be possible. How would you go about that Sammy? Do tell." Susie questioned. "That's why we need your help. You're one of the many who Bendy is looking for. As much as I hate to even suggest it, we must head to the Resistance. They'll know what to do."

Susie scoffed. "As if I want anything to do with them! One of those rats ruined my life! And if all you care about is fighting for a future that is no longer possible, then I'll do what he never could. I'll take you and rise above the throne!" Susie declared. All three of them recoiled back. Her sudden anger startled them. "Sammy..." Parker urged. Yet Sammy couldn't think of anything to say. "My followers, take these three back! We will discuss more plans later." Susie declared. "You mad she-devil!" Sammy shouted angrily.

Ink People stormed into the room. "You've gotta be kidding!" Parker groaned. Rosa quickly scanned the room. In the corner of the room, there was a vase. She knocked it over onto the ground, breaking it into dozens of shards. She picked one up, arming herself. Then she kicked two more shards toward her friends. Parker dodged one of the Ink Creature's grasp but dived through an opening and picked up the glass shard on the way out. "C'mon guys!" he shouted to them. Sammy huffed, picking up the shard, and running to the door after her comrades.

The Ink People stood there shocked, unsure of what to do. "Don't just stand there! GET THEM!" Susie screeched. They obliged, running after the trio.

They had already gotten too far. Sammy was trying to remember his way around. "Sammy hurry!" Rosa shouted. "What the hell do you think I'm trying to do? I don't do well under pressure!" Sammy snapped. "Well can you at least- oh I don't know- figure it out already?!" Parker yelled.

Ahead of them was a door that had been barricaded with wooden panels nailed across it. "Dammit! She knew we'd come here..." Sammy snapped as he tried prying them off. Rosa and Parker tried helping him, pulling hard as they could. The Ink People closed in on them seeing that they weren't getting anywhere. "You will come back... Our Angel requests for your return." One of them reached out with its Inky hand, their fingertips dripping with the black substance that hit the ground. Parker threw his glass shard right at them, the sharp edge sticking into their chest.

They pulled it out, ink getting stuck onto the piece. Nonetheless, it hadn't fazed any of them one bit. "Alright, go ahead. We're already dead down here." Parker groaned. "PARKER!" Sammy and Rosa shouted. "What?!" he cried exasperated. "Oh my gosh! Why don't you ever ask us for the actual plan?" Rosa snapped. "I'm trying to get us out of more trouble! Clearly, no one down here can fix their own problems!" Parker retorted. "What do you mean? We do fine!" Sammy replied. "Says the one who just got duped by a half-Angel demon!"

The Ink People paused wondering how to respond to the situation. They held back deciding not to say anything. As the three bickered, someone snuck up behind the Ink People. Without warning, one of them fell down to the ground before turning into an ink puddle. Rosa and Sammy stared at the puddle blankly. Parker thought they were changing the subject so he turned around to see what they were looking at. The ones who were chasing him before had fallen down to their knees, losing quickly in their battle, and turned into black bubbling puddles.

"Uh... that just happened." Parker told them. Rosa looked up from the mess. She held back a gasp seeing the one who had saved them. "My god..." Sammy heaved. Parker was still confused.

It was Boris. Almost like Tom. But he was perfect.

"Woah... Thanks. We really needed that." Parker gasped. Boris gave them a thumbs up before ushering them to follow him. "Should we?" Parker asked. Rosa nodded and the two chased after Boris. Sammy checked the area one last time before running off.

...

The group was taken to an underground bunker that they had no idea was in their region. Boris shut the door and took off the lever for the door to open.

"Sorry. It's quite messy! But hey- it suits me!" Boris told them. Rosa's eyes widened in surprise."Y-You can talk!" she exclaimed. "Of course, I can! I just don't so I can throw off the enemy! After all, I can't let just anyone get me! Some of us got dreams after all." Boris exclaimed.

"I hate to crush your spirits, sheepish wolf, but I doubt we're getting anywhere from here." Sammy scolded.

"Now now! We don't need all that depressing nonsense. I know our life is chaotic enough as it is. But I certainly don't need any more negativity than I've already been faced with these past decades." Boris replied, shaking his head. He then went to the stove inside his hideout, boiled something in a pot, then served it in bowls for his new company. "Here you go! Fresh out of the pot! Everyone loves it that way!"

Rosa smiled and took the bowl from his hand, thanking him. Sammy sighed and did the same.  Parker sniffed the soup. His face turned sour as he pushed it away. "Do you guys eat anything other than bacon soup?"

"What's wrong with bacon soup?" Boris asked, somewhat annoyed. "I'm vegetarian!" Parker exclaimed. Boris raised an eyebrow. He then looked over to Rosa and Sammy for input. Both shrugged unsure of what to say. "I don't... know what that is..." Boris replied. Parker groaned as he dragged a hand down his face. "I don't eat meat!" he snapped. Once again, Boris looked for answers from Rosa and Sammy. "Don't look at me! I don't know what his problem with meat is either." Rosa responded as she shoved a spoonful of soup into her mouth.

They sat around together as Parker picked the various pieces of meat out of his bowl. "So, wolf, how did you manage to hide from this Ink Demon for so long?" Sammy questioned intently.

Boris stopped midway from putting another serving into his mouth. He put it back in the bowl and placed it on his table. He almost seemed shocked by Sammy's words. "You mean... you don't remember me?" Boris asked startled. "Well, obviously if I knew you I wouldn't be all up in your business trying to know everything about you." Sammy replied. Boris put the bowl down as he looked over at Sammy once more.

"It's me, Sammy... It's me... Daniel Lewek... Buddy."