Drowning

Moving Pictures

Sammi Grace. The name echoed in the young woman's head. She stood, staring blankly down a familiar hallway. Posters lined the walls, depicting a dancing devil, a lovely angel, and a hungry wolf. It was dreadfully familiar. Sammi sighed, closing her eyes. She walked down the hallway, looking around warily. How many times have I done this? She wondered, headed towards where the Ink Machine lay dormant.

She ignored the signs around the studio, pointing the way toward certain sections. At this point, she's done this so many times she knew the layout like the back of her hand. She walked past the locked door, the light on, jumped over the exposed pipe, and entered the Ink Machine room.

Sighing, Sammi opened the chest in the corner and grabbed a battery, then grabbed the other off the shelf right next to it. She set the batteries in their respective slots and pulled the lever. Chains creaked as the pulley system lifted the giant Ink Machine out of the depths of the studio.

Sammi glared at the machine, then turned and left the room, headed towards what used to be the break room. Sammi sighed, feeling weary and tired. She stood, gazing around the ritual-like state of the break room.

Sammi wasn't stupid, she knew that this... system had to connect to the way the Ink Machine works, or maybe even the loop itself. But Sammi was stuck. She's tried to leave a million times. But the door was locked. Sammi tried looking for alternate routes, but there were none. Sammi couldn't even find the stairs.

She sighed, before turning and leaving the room. And coming face-to-face with a Bendy cutout. Sammi scowled at it. "Not scary." She mumbled, walking around it. She glanced down the hall, where a Boris clone had been ripped open and its heart removed. She walked up to it, where a wrench had been placed in his chest. "She's heartless." She muttered, reaching over and pulling the wrench out. "Sorry Boris." She mumbled, turning away and leaving the room.

She pressed on until she had all six objects. Sammi sighed, sitting down at her old desk. The Bendy cutout behind her desk grinned eerily at her. Sammi sighed, tracing the Bendy sketch on her desk. She was just so tired of this! She wasn't sure exactly when she'd realized she was trapped in a loop. But eventually, she began to realize she was doing the same thing over and over. Sammi wasn't sure what to do anymore.

She stared at her hands. They were ink-stained, just like her jumpsuit and face. Sammi rested her head on the desk. Nothing ever changes. Bendy grinned at Sammi, and the animator sighed. "Well, might as well get back to it." She muttered, standing. She made her way back to the break room and placed each object on its pedestal. She paused, holding the inkwell, before placing it on the pedestal as well. Clink.

Now all Sammi needed to do was let the ink flow. Sammi made her way towards the theater, only for a Bendy cutout to peek its way around a corner. Sammi didn't react. It was startling the first few times, but now it's just old. Sammi rounded the corner and turned the wheel. The gears began to turn, and the pipe broke, causing the ink to overflow and stain around Sammi's sneakers. Sammi walked through the ink and glanced behind her. She left no footprints.

Sammi turned away. It doesn't matter. She made her way back to the break room and pulled the lever. The building went dark. Sammi walked through the dark studio, passing the dead Boris, and headed towards the Ink Machine room. She jumped the pipe and stood gazing at the boarded-up doorway.

Sammi stared at the Ink Machine room. Any closer the Ink Demon would appear, grabbing at Sammi, like always. Sammi sighed. She was tired of running. The weight of the future weighed Sammi down. Not even death could free her from this trap. She stared blankly at the doorway. She took one step. Then another. Till she was almost close enough to touch the wooden planks. Then, the Ink Demon appeared.

Instead of stumbling back, like she usually did, Sammi just stood there. The Demon grabbed ahold of Sammi's jumpsuit and pulled her closer, snarling. Sammi yelped as she was lifted off the ground. The building shook. Ink pooled down the walls, and the floor, and Sammi coughed as ink poured down her head.

The Ink Demon pulled Sammi closer, right up to its face. Its head turned sideways, ink pooling down its head. Its teeth gleamed in the light. The Demon yanked its hand back, and Sammi shrieked as her body slammed into the boards.

The boards broke, and Sammi found herself inside the Ink Machine room. Ink poured out of the machine, and the building tumbled as the pipes exploded. Then the demon began dragging Sammi towards the ink. Sammi shrieked, pulling desperately, but she couldn't break the demon's grip. The Demon turned, opening its mouth to show off his sharp teeth.

The ink demon stepped into the ink, pulling Sammi in with him. Sammi shrieked, panic forming in her chest. The demon snarled in Sammi's ear, pulling her closer. Sammi cried out as the ink closed in. Then her head went under. Sammi squeezed her eyes shut.

The demon was pulling her, down, down into the ink. Sammi kicked and fought, but her strength was fading fast. Spots danced before her eyes. 

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Then she blacks out.