The Ink Trials (A Bendy & The Ink Machine AU)

Chapter 9: We Are Ink

The whispering was louder now, throbbing in his ears like a drum. It screamed at him and made him ache, until he was screaming too, thrashing on the table in pain as Sammy tried to hold him still. Joey monitored his condition, watching his heart rate and temperature fluctuate between safe and dangerous. The fact that Ben had gotten this far without a mistake or melting into goo was proving very on point. He was certain Benjamin would be his greatest achievement, unlike the Triplets.

Ben eventually went still, his chest rising and falling quickly, while the strands of ink crawling over his body settled down and merged into his now paper white skin. "Ben? Can you hear me?" Joey asked, leaning over and tapping his pen on the boy's forehead. Benjamin's eyes snapped open so quickly it made Sammy jump back.

"Am I dead?" the boy asked weakly, blinking a few black tears down his cheeks. Joey smiled and wiped them away with a tissue, "No, my boy, perfectly healthy! Well done, you survived!" he cheered, throwing it away into the already overflowing bin.

"Now what?"

"Now? Now you must rest." Joey answered, motioning for Sammy to follow him. They left him on the table with a musty blanket, Sammy patting his head like a dotting father before leaving the room. Ben threw it off and watched it fall to the floor, grimacing at the heat he was producing. It was too hot for such fabric and he was still sweating ink like a sickly pig. He looked over at the cages and sighed sadly. If he wasn't so weak he'd free his friends and escape. He growled to himself, this was no excuse, he could at least try! 

He made to sit up, a dizzy feeling making the room spin. His eyelids slipped closed before he could make another move and he passed out.

~

Henry made his way across the road and scaled the fence once he had given the all clear, dropping into the thorny bushes with a cry of pain. He covered his mouth to keep from yelling out and rolled out the leaves, yanking out the prickles lodged in his skin s quickly as he could, "Mr. Stein?" came a shocked voice. Henry looked up to see Wally, Norman and Susie, trying to get in through a boarded-up window, an axe in the girl's hand. "Hey kids, you're not in trouble I promise, can I come too?" he asked, standing up and brushing himself off.

Susie grinned and handed him the axe, "Ladies first."

Henry rolled up his sleeves and took the axe, letting out a slight grunt as he swung it at the thick planks. He mentally cursed the use of real wood to board up the windows as he tried to create an opening to allow them through. Five hits later he had broken through and legged it over the windowsill, pulling the kids along with him. 

"I want you three to stay close to me, Joey's crazy, trust me when I say this"

"Oh, we know" Susie whispered, eyes on the ink covering the hallways, "We know."

"Is it me or is it moving?" Wally asked, poking a puddle with a stick, the closely knitted tendrils moved away from the piece of wood in fright. Norman frowned at the weird behavior. Usually ink didn't move like that, "How strange, maybe it's magnetic and the stick you have has magnetic components in it?" he guessed, trying to find some scientific proof to the riddle. Henry held them back, taking their upper arms and giving them a stern look, "Don't touch it, and don't look at it, that stuff is alive! Not magnetic!"

"How do you know that?"

"I've seen it happen, I've seen it move before"

"What is it?"

"Ink, filled with black magic, and messed with by science."

The three's eyes widened in shock before they looked at each other, staying close to Henry and avoiding the ink puddles that slithered around on their own as they made their way down the corridor. "I really hope Bendy is here" Wally muttered, side stepping a particularity large inky mess. 

Henry nodded, "Me too."