My Little Devil Darling

No Way Out

The young woman, with the help of the Projectionist, was led through the darkened maze of the abyss. His hand was cold as she held it, glancing left and right to see the many projectors throughout the place, showing small clips of old Bendy cartoons. Charlotte didn't recognize any of them in her memories; perhaps she never watched the ones on TV, and only watched what went on behind the scenes as her father and others worked. But she could see how happy Bendy looked in the clips, his smiling face and cheery attitude, with a bit of trouble now and then; she couldn't help but giggle at the cute demon, as well as spot a heart laying in the corner on an inky chair.

"Hold on," Charlotte stopped Norman in his tracks, "Found one."

She released herself from his grasp and tread to where the heart was hiding, placing it into her bag with the others; Charlotte just needed one more before she had to go back up to Alice.

"Would you believe I used to come here a lot?" the girl asked, walking back over to the Projectionist. She knew he wouldn't be able to answer, but she decided to talk anyway, "I was only a kid, my dad was an artist, and I would have to come with him because I had nowhere else to go." She laughed half-heartedly. "I had been getting many visions of my past life, especially of something horrible happening to me."

Norman continued to walk ahead, lighting the path ahead as Charlotte followed behind, still talking.

"And for some reason, I forgot everything I've ever known about this place. The people, my dad's real job, it's like my entire childhood got cut in half. I don't know why he never told me about this. But I have to say, the way this place looks now is horrific-"

The young woman was cut short by the Projectionist pushing the last heart to her chest. It seems he had gotten a little bothered by all the talking after all. Charlotte took the heart and placed it into her messenger bag. She couldn't help it; she's been alone for a long time down here, and so far - except for Boris - everyone and everything she had met wanted to kill her in some way. She didn't know why Norman was so calm with her, but she was happy nonetheless; perhaps he did know her.

"Thank you, Noman," she mentioned as they exited the maze, and he only nodded.

The Projectionist watched as the girl waded through the ink back to the stairs. All he hoped was that she gets out alive. He felt at peace somehow after that; the mysterious shadow was found and, although he didn't remember her name, remembered what had happened to her so many years ago; he was happy that she was okay in the end. Norman only wished he survived too. Perhaps he could find a way out of this inky abyss somehow.

"I'm glad to see you back, young lady, but you certainly took your time," the Angel groaned as Charlotte placed each of the hearts into the delivery box, "I was so worried you might've drowned down there."

"No, you weren't," Charlotte muttered to herself.

"Well, it seems we've reached the end of our to-do list. I hope you enjoyed our time together," the Angel beamed, "I'll always treasure it." The gate behind Charlotte opened for the last time, and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Return to the lift. It's time to go home."

The young woman could see the wolf still waiting in the elevator. She was happy to know that they'll finally get out and be safe; she couldn't bear something happening to him. Boris watched her as she entered the elevator and stuck his tongue out, acting all cute, and Charlotte giggled.

"We're alright, buddy; we're finally getting out of here." She pets the wolf's head, and the doors closed; the elevator jolted to a start and ascended away from the Angel's lair.

"Have you ever wondered what heaven is like?" Charlotte groaned as she heard Alice's voice ring through the speakers again, "I'd like to dream that it's quite beautiful. A soft valley of green grass, blanketed by a warm sun. I don't think I'll ever get to see it."

There was only silence after that; the humming of the elevator was the only sound. Soon Charlotte could see the big sign labelled 'Level K', only before the elevator reached the floor, it stopped halfway. The young woman grew confused, wondering what had happened.

"Why should I let you live, however?" her voice sounded deadly now, "I look at you, and I see her. But it's not right; she's gone." The elevator then started moving back down into the studio. "Why did you even come here?! To torture me, to remind me of something I lost?! You think this is funny, don't you?!"

Boris whimpered and covered his eyes with his hands, and Charlotte went to comfort him.

"You'll pay for breaking my heart, Imposter!" Alice screamed.

All of a sudden, as if the ropes snapped, the elevator sped down the shaft.

"There's no way out for you! And for your arrogance of even thinking of coming here, I'm taking your life and his!"

Charlotte was scared out of her mind. She wasn't going to leave after all, and now she was going to die here. She didn't want it to end this way. Tears flooded her eyes as she hugged Boris. Brace yourself. She thought hopefully. It doesn't have to end this way; I won't die.

And then the elevator crashed on the deepest floor; the impact knocked Charlotte out cold.

Boris was the first to wake, also being knocked out from the elevator crash. He looked around him, unknowing of where they had landed. He whimpered as he found Charlotte unconscious head against the metal of the door; she didn't seem to be bleeding, which seemed like a good sign. Looking closer, the wolf could see her chest moving up and down, a sign of her still breathing, meaning she was still alive. Maybe she would eventually wake up on her own? Boris didn't know and sat beside the girl, waiting patiently. That was until he heard a faint sound, he raised his ears to hear it better, instantly regretting the decision to stay put. Hearing the Angel's humming, Boris was in full alert and with no hesitation, went in front of Charlotte, and started to shake her awake.

Charlotte groaned, her head hurt like hell, and she was shaking, but she wasn't cold. She tried opening her eyes, but the lights after being in darkness for who knows how long, were too bright and she squinted; the headache she had got worse. She groaned again as the shaking got more aggressive, and she opened her eyes again. Boris was in front of her; he was shaking her, but why? That's when she noticed a blurry shadow coming closer to them.

"B-Boris," she struggled to get words out to warn him of the possible danger, "B-Behind..."

The shadow was clear now, and the humming got louder. Charlotte reached her hands to the wolf to stop him from shaking her, making him calm down a little, until he realized that Alice was right behind them.

"You made a grave mistake coming here, Imposter," she giggled, "Now I have to take away what you love." She grabbed Boris by his straps and picked him up with no effort at all.

"No!" Charlotte stood up quickly but fell to her knees from the head rush, "If you would just...let me explain."

"There's nothing to say!" Alice kicks the young woman in the chest, sending her head right back into the metal, "My heart has been broken so many times already, I don't need someone like you making this hell worse!"

Alice huffed angrily and dragged the poor wolf behind her, leaving Charlotte in the elevator all alone.