Chapter 1: Where It All Began
Not all haunted places are houses nor are they terrifying…on the outside…
The sun rose high that afternoon, tweeting birds sang their daily call as playful squirrels scurried about the grounds. Tall maples and oaks littered the landscape as far as the eye could see beautiful meadows of wildflowers and prairie grass flowed through the trees stopping once they got close to the human town. Parks and places of recreation could be seen scattered about as lonely roads paved the way through the sleepy town, it was nice and quaint all except one building…It stood off from the rest in both a metaphorical and literal sense. A small workshop made from aged brick stood off a little ways from the rest of the town, nestled between groves of oak and wild maple trees it brought an aire of fascination…of mystery to this side of the tracks. Made into a style from centuries past it welcomed its visitors with a warm and comfortable feeling, almost like home when you think about it. Beautifully crafted blown glass windows in laidened with brick allowed light into the small building giving it a strange sense of beauty that lingered from another era. On the outside surveillance cameras watched with a weary eye as the owners of this little place came and went as they pleased. This place was none other than the famous, Black Light Studios. A place where toons were created and "conditioned" to play their part or they would pay the price…
Whatever happened inside no one really knew for sure as the creators who worked there dare not to say a word, but that's for another time children…let's get on with our tale shall we?
It was a nice spring day as two little toons made their way through the trees to the animation studio, unaware of the things they were about to face. A white angel wearing a blue shirt with a white cross flowing down his shirt and large wings hidden under a white jacket walked causally smoking a cigar as he did so. His bright halo shined in the sun sending off little star-like twinkles as he walked, beside him was his companion. Quite the loud fellow as he strutted through the woodland like he owned the place, cocky and arrogant in nature this young mobster was just looking for a fight. With black devil horns perched on top his head he smiled a toothy grin, his devil tail swishing excitedly from side to side as the little animation studio came into view .
"Here we are! It seems a bit run down though for an animation studio…"
"What is this place anyway? I don't remember it on any of our maps…"
"Eh who cares? I bet this old joint has a whole boat load of ink just ours for the taking!" Bendy says smiling, Abel just sighs shaking his head.
"I don't know, I got a bad feeling about this place Bendy."
"Oh come on Angel face don't be such a chicken! Plus we're only doing recon today remember?" With a heavy sigh Abel nods staying low to the ground trying to keep his wings out of sight. A few minutes to creeping around they draw close to the entrance, thinking quickly Abel yanks Bendy close to the ground as a surveillance camera scans the grounds for trespassers.
"What is an ol' place like this doin' with security cameras? Somethin' ain't right…" Keeping a watchful eye on the camera both toons waited for their chance to move before rushing to another set of bushes just under a window just out of the camera's line of sight.
"Hey look! There's a whole lotta ink just like I said an-!" Before the demon could finish his sentence a blood curdling scream erupted from inside the building just as someone could be seen being dragged into the room with the window. Muffled yells and dragging chains could be heard as the figure that was being dragged in got thrown against the window, a bloodied stump slamming through the dirty glass. The toons pressed themselves as close to the ground a possible trying their best not to be seen.
"What have you done?! She did nothing to you!" a deep voice shouted at the other figure in the room, what little light that was shining through the window lit up the room just enough for the battered toon's face to be seen (Describe Cayne).
"She's the reason you and that wretched sister of yours have been acting up! Resisting my demands and failing all of my tests. But we'll see now what happens…we'll see how you fair in your tests and if you resist she'll get dealt double the damage as she has before." A new voice, raspy and young sounding boomed as an evil chuckle echoed around the room and out the window.
"You leave her out of this! Harper's done nothing to deserve this!" Another laugh as Cayne's expression changes from pure hate to horror as the other silhouette drags a young girl toon into the light (Describe Harper).
"C-Cayne?" the angel toon cried as black tears rolled down her snowy cheeks.
"Simeon don't!" The man known as Simeon pulled Harper against him with an already bloodied knife in his hand he pressed it lightly into her back making the girl whimper. Cayne tried to sit up but the weight of the chains and what was left of his left wing pinned him down, at this point the young toon's appearance started to change as his blue horns turned red and his pie cut eyes turned into white irises surrounded by black.
"Good…good, this is just what I was hoping for Cayne. Let your darker side take over…let the hate you feel consume you…"
"N-NO! LET HER GO!" Cayne yelled gripping his head for a moment as he started to rise up off the inked floor, Simeon's smirk only widened as he moved the knife from the poor girl's back to her shoulder; twisting the blade as he forced through her wing and shoulder blade.
"What are we going to do? We can't just leave 'em." Abel whispered as angered growls and wailing erupted from the window above them. (Describe Abel's expression, describe his voice)
"I hate to admit this but we're going to need more help if we're going to help them…We need to go get Johnathan and Cross, they'll know what to do." (Show what Bendy is doing, how they both feel)
Back inside the workshop Cayne growled before rushing forward knocking Simeon out of the way as he tried to help his sister.
"Come on get up Harp! We've got to get you out of here!" The blue horned angel exclaimed forcing the battered girl to her feet as they tried to make a run for it, Simeon growled angrily at the two before smirking at Cayne, watching as he had not realized that his broken chains were still attached.
"Come on we're almost there!" Cayne exclaims just as his hand touched the cool metal door leading to the outside world, pushing it open he smiled for only a second as Harper was pushed outside before he was forced back. Harper quickly latched onto his hand as she tried to pull him back through the door but sadly Simeon was stronger.
"Cayne hold on! I got you!"
"No Harper let go! You have to get out of here!"
"I can't leave you! You're the only one I have left…" She exclaimed with tears rolling down her cheeks, Cayne smiled sadly as his hand began to slip out of her grasp.
"N-No…Cayne please hold on!" He looks into her large violet eyes for a second, taking in her features for what seemed like the last time.
"If it had to be just one of us to escape…I'm glad it's you." Cayne says with tears in his eyes.
"Cayne come on don't talk like that…you can come with me!" Harper cried pulling with all of her might as Simeon shouted to two other animators in the background.
"I can't…." Squeezing his eyes shut he let go as he was pulled back with one final yank making her fall down to the ground, as fresh tears stream down her face. Taking one final look at the door she wiped her tears away before turning tail leaving the studio and her brother behind.
Not a few minutes later the door to the studio slammed open as the two animators, Jason and Keith, chased after her. Abel and Bendy looked at one another for a moment fear plastered on their faces before they nodded and darted off after them.
"Get back here you brat!"
"No! I don't want to go back!" She yells with her eyes closed tight not seeing the root in the ground she trips and falls rolling into a nearby bush.
She stays quiet fighting back the tears as she pictures Cayne's loving face and all the pain and sadness in his eyes.
"She's gone Jason…Simeon is not going to like this…" Keith sighs as they stand next to the bush she was hiding in, with both hands clasped over her mouth she breathes slowly waiting for the two men to leave.
"Dammit! Well at least he still has the other one…" Jason sighs as he turns to leave when he hears a soft sneeze from the bushes.
"Did you hear that?! It sounded like a sneeze!" Keith exclaimed eyeing the bush behind his co-worker, taking a step closer he could hear faint breathing. At this point she knew her time was up…or was it?
'Oh no!' Harper thought gasping lightly as the two men moved closer only to hear another set of bushes behind them rattle before something was thrown causing them to go in the other direction.
Sighing inwardly she waited until the coast was clear to dust herself off before running in the opposite direction, slowing down to a walkers pace she glanced behind her for a moment before falling to her knees clutching her locket before falling down completely. Her locket now a few inches from her outstretched hand she reaches out with what was left of her strength before falling unconscious completely.
Soft footsteps echoed around the area as a silent wind rattled the trees, a toon in a yellow suit with hair and wings of fire came to a stop in front of the girl. He sighed kneeling next to the girl's body, broken and bruised he lightly gripped her wrist feeling for a pulse he smiled sadly finding a faint one before standing up. As he stood he heard a faint melody coming from nearby, looking down he saw a glint of a silver locket that was partially open. As the sound of running footsteps drew closer he picked up the locket holding it in his hand for a moment looking over the smiling girl in the photo before placing it in his pocket.
"What information did you gather?" The flaming toon asked as he gently picked up the angel being careful not to injure her further.
"It's not good Johnathan." Abel said shaking his head as his wings balled up into fists as Bendy tried to catch his breath.
"We are going to need help…..it's more than just ink we need to get out of there…." The devil exhaled sharply as his eyes landed on the girl's face revealing a large scar over her right eye drawing their attention. The wound was red but not bleeding meaning that it had to have been at least a few hours old, Johnathan sighed.
"Very well, we will meet up later to discuss the severity of the situation. Meanwhile you go back and tell Belle I will be late. I have an errand to run." He says looking down at the unconscious angel in his arms; the two nod and fly off ahead. Looking down he sighed.
"What happened to you…?"
*End Ch. 1*