~Dramaturgy~ [Batim AU Project]

Chapter 8: Hellfire

Henry took his own road, and so did Joey. Joey's road burned.

The studio was losing money fast. Joey's big plan for an amusement park went up in flames. In a metaphorical sense, Joey was handing us the lighters. He blamed us for this hellfire. At first, there was a curfew, then the security cameras. Now we were kept under lock and key. After we recorded another episode, we were locked in our rooms until the next episode's filming was scheduled. I'd often find myself sitting against the door, just watching the ceiling. Ink would leak from the boards above. I found it mesmerizing just to watch the black substance slowly drip from the ceiling. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. There was a small puddle on the floor. I smeared the ink on my fingertips.

I honestly didn't know what I was doing. I went up to the wall. A whisper resounded in the back of my head. "Lies..." It was like my arm had a mind of its own. My hand rose to meet the wall, and it started moving.

T ... H ... E ... C ... R ... E ... A ... T ... O ... R ... L ... I ... E ... D ... T ... O ... U ... S ...

Ink dripped from the letters. I stood back and watched the text on the wall. What now? My head turned and I looked at the axe on the wall. "He never cared... Do it..." I shuddered at the thought. I sure hope that voice didn't mean- no. No! It's probably telling me to break down the boards to the other room!

Alice's, Boris', and my rooms were conjoined. They were later boarded up, thanks to Joey, but no one knew the reason why. I held the axe above my head. It's just two boards. WHACK. There's one. WHACK. I knocked on the door. "B-Bendy?" Alice said in a small voice. "Y- yeah! Its me. Can I come in?" there was silence for a moment. Then the doorknob jiggled. Alice opened the door with surprise. "It's been a while since we last actually got to talk, huh?" I said with a chuckle. Alice slowly backed away from me, looking petrified. "What?" I asked her. Then I realized. "Oh, uh, the axe was to cut down the boards! I wasn't trying to hurt anyone!" I dropped the axe. Alice was still frozen. "What's wrong, Alice? I don't understand!" She pointed in my direction. I turned my head to look behind me.

"Didn't I say it was lights out?" Joey hit me with the blunt of the axe. I blacked out.

( I'm sorry that this chapter's pretty short, I was forcing myself to write today)