Somewhere to Belong

Where It All Began

Not all haunted places are houses nor are they terrifying...on the outside...

The sun rose high that afternoon, tweeting birds sang their daily call as playful squirrels scurried about the grounds. Tall maples and oaks littered the landscape as far as the eye could see as beautiful meadows of wildflowers and prairie grass flowed through the trees stopping once they got close to the human town. Parks and places of recreation could be seen scattered about as lonely roads paved the way through the sleepy town, it was nice and quaint except for one building...It stood off from the rest in both a metaphorical and literal sense. A small workshop made from aged brick stood off a little ways from the rest of the town, nestled between groves of oak and wild maple trees it brought an air of fascination...of mystery to this side of the tracks. Made into a style from centuries past it welcomed its visitors with a warm and comfortable feeling, almost like home when you think about it. Beautifully crafted blown glass windows in ladened with brick allowed light into the small building giving it a strange sense of beauty that lingered from another era. On the outside, surveillance cameras watched with a weary eye as the owners of this little place came and went as they pleased. This place was none other than the famous, Black Light Studios. A place where toons were created and "conditioned" to play their part or they would pay the price...

Whatever happened inside no one really knew for sure as the creators who worked there dare not to say a word, but that's for another time children...let's get on with our tale shall we?

It was a nice spring day as two little toons made their way through the trees to the animation studio, unaware of the things they were about to face. A white angel wearing a blue shirt with a white cross flowing down his shirt and large wings hidden under a white jacket walked causally smoking a cigar as he did so. His bright halo shined in the sun sending off little star-like twinkles as he walked, beside him was his companion. Quite the loud fellow as he strutted through the woodland like he owned the place, cocky and arrogant in nature this young mobster was just looking for a fight. With black devil horns perched on top his head he smiled a toothy grin, his devil tail swishing excitedly from side to side as the little animation studio came into view.

"Here we are! It seems a bit run down though for an animation studio..."

"Where is this place anyway? I don't remember it on any of our maps..."

"Eh, who cares Abel? I bet this old joint has a whole boat load of ink just ours for the taking!" Bendy said smiling as his partner in crime just sighs shaking his head.

"I don't know, I got a bad feeling about this place Bendy."

"Oh come on Angel face don't be such a chicken! Plus we're only doing recon today remember?" With a heavy sigh Abel nodded staying low to the ground trying to keep his wings out of sight. A few minutes of creeping around they drew close to the entrance, thinking quickly Abel yanked Bendy close to the ground as a surveillance camera scanned the grounds for trespassers.

"What is an ol' place like this doin' with security cameras? Somethin' ain't right..." Keeping a watchful eye on the camera both toons waited for their chance to move before rushing to another set of bushes just under a window out of the camera's line of sight.

"Hey look! There's a whole lotta ink just like I said an-!" Before the demon could finish his sentence a blood curdling scream erupted from inside the building just as someone could be seen being dragged into the room with the window. Muffled yells and buckling chains could be heard as the figure that was being dragged in got thrown against the window, a bloodied stump slamming through the dirty glass. The toons pressed themselves as close to the ground as possible trying their best not to be seen.

"What have you done?! She did nothing to you!" A deep voice shouted at the other figure in the room, with what little light there was shining through the window it lit up the room just enough for the battered toon's face to be seen. An angel toon with blue devil horns and a partial halo stood holding his arm as inky blood dripped down his chains from the scrapes and gashes that littered his body, his white and blue suit torn in many places hung loosely from his body. Holding a narrow gaze with the darkened figure at the end of the room the toon panted as he tried to hold himself together, he growled.