Just a Happy Ending

3 - Ink Lair

Henry woke slowly, his brain not wanting to be pulled from the safe confines of unconsciousness. But, one glimpse of the sepia toned and ink-stained ceiling brought him to full, somewhat panicked awareness. He struggled to get his arms to cooperate and lift him up, immediately failing as a wave of nausea crashed through his skull. Something cold pressed against his chest as a voice sounded far away. Through the tunneling vision and the ringing in his ears, Henry made out a vague black shape above him. A few more moments, and he came around.

"Urg, Sammy?"

The ink man chuckled, "Heh, morning, old man. You feeling all right?"

"Like I've been hit by a train. How long have I been out?"

"Uh, a while," Sammy responded, helping Henry sit up and lean against the wall. "I'm honestly not sure. You lose all sense of time down here."

"Oh. Great."

Sammy cracked open a can of soup he'd found and offered. Henry took and quickly devoured. "Where's Allison and Tom?"

"Eh, wandering. Allison said she found the Machine room. It leads to another hall that no one's gone down yet. Tom is still glaring at me whenever he can."

Henry chuckled, "I know the feeling. You'll win him over. Eventually."

"Uh huh. Can you 'eventually' stand?" Sammy asked, "Or do you still need a bit?"

"I need water, mostly."

Sammy inhaled, "Can't help ya there. All we have is ink."

"I know, I know." Henry gently rubbed his temples, his head slowly but surely clearing. He had to keep going. Something in his gut said things would be different. What 'things' were and how they would be different, he didn't know. But he had to push on. To free them.

He dragged his hands down his face and looked up at Sammy, who offered a hand. Henry took it, stood somewhat shakily, and the two of them regrouped with Allison and Tom.

After a quick debrief, Henry led the way again. The Machine room was different than the one on the first floor, being a smallish room with chains on the ceiling and a large ink square where the Machine could feasibly be. They went through the door on the opposite side of the room. Despite being somewhat unnerved by the word "DEATH" written in large, unfriendly letters on the wall, the four kept going before an ink web blossomed across the floor and walls.

"Quiet!" Allison hissed, "Don't make any noise."

Henry tiptoed forward toward the large double window. The ink web thickened and that persistent heartbeat-like drone thudded in his head.

Slowly, the demon limped down the hall on the other side of the glass. Ink flowed down what was visible of that twisted smile, and the gloved hand twitched with every step. Out of his peripheral vision, Henry saw Sammy clamp one hand over his heart, the other hand over his mouth, and staggered back against the wall, shivering.

Henry tensed, but the demon didn't seem to notice. No one moved or dared to breathe until it was out of sight and the ink web disappeared. Henry was at Sammy's side in an instant. "Sammy? Sammy, what's going on?"

The ink man's knees buckled and his hands shook as his breathing came in sharp gasps. "Th-the demon. It sees. It sees everything. It's always moving. Always listening. Always smiling. Always smiling. Always smiling-" he lurched up and gripped Henry's arms, "it's in my head, always smiling-"

"What's wrong with him?" Allison asked, her brow furrowed.

"I-I don't know. Some kind of PTSD? The demon did kill him at one point."