Drowning (A BATIM fanfic)

Moving Pictures

Henry Stein. The name echoed in the young mans head. He stood, staring blankly down a familiar hallway. Posters lined the walls, depicting a little devil, lovely angel, and hungry wolf. It was dreadfully familiar. Henry sighed, closing his eyes. He walked down the hallway, looking around warily. How many times have I done this? He wondered, headed towards where the Ink Machine laid dormant.

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

Sighing, Henry opened the chest in the corner and grabbed a battery, then grabbed the other off the shelf right next to it. He 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Henry stared. Any closer and the Ink Demon would appear, grabbing at Henry, like always. Henry sighed. He was tired of running. The weight of the future weighed Henry down. Not even death could free him from this trap. He stared bleakly at the doorway. He took one step. Then another. Til he was almost close enough to touch the wooden planks. Then, the Demon appeared.

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

The Ink Demon pulled Henry closer, right up to its face. It's head turned sideways, ink pooling down its head. It's teeth gleamed in the light. The Demon yanked its hand back, and Henry shrieked as his body was slammed into the boards.

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

The ink demon stepped into the ink, pulling Henry in with him. Henry shrieked, panic forming in his chest. The demon snarled in Henry's ear, pulling him closer. Henry cried out as the ink closed in. Then his head went under. Henry squeezed his eyes shut.
The demon was pulling him, down, down into the ink. Henry kicked, and fought, but his strength was fading fast. Spots danced before his eyes.

Then he blacked out.