Moving Pictures.

A second of silence and the door opened. My younger sister and I entered and I closed the door behind me. The lights switched on to reveal I entered a leaking corridor that lead to a large room with a projector and a bench. Posters of Bendy cartoons were hanging on the walls, down the hallway. Everything looked like it was from an old cartoon come to life.

That's sort of to be expected, living in an age where cartoons characters and people live together in harmony, thanks to an invention that makes cartoons come to life.

Hello. My name is Eleanor May Carter, but my friends and family call me Elle or Ellie, I'm 27 years old, and I'm a normal human girl in a normal human family.

And this is my younger sister, Samantha, but she prefers to be called Sam or Sammy. She's my younger sister by one year and two weeks.

Sam and I have been fans of the Dancing Demon, Bendy, since we were kids. We loved the mischief and the adventures Bendy and his friends, Boris the Wolf, Alice Angel and the Butcher Gang, get into. We even have some of their cartoons on dvd.

"You sure this is the right address, Ellie?" Sam asked me.

I checked the invitation address, to see if we were at the right place, "I think so." Then I called into the hallway, "Hello? Anyone?" My voice echoed, "It's Eleanor, my sister and I won the Bendy contest."

You heard right. Sam and I won a contest a long time ago. 12 years ago, Joey Drew Studios was holding a contest to think of an adventure for Bendy and his friends. The winner will have their episode aired by month's end, and be able to visit the studio and meet Bendy and his friends.

So, my sister and I came up with two different ideas for Bendy and his friends. Once we submitted them, the episodes of our ideas were aired by month's end. Sam and I were so excited, but it took 12 years to earn an invitation to Joey Drew Studios.

"Hello? Anyone home?" I called into the hallway again, walking down the hall and entering the main room, "We're looking for a Mr. Drew. A Joey Drew? Can anyone hear me?"

No response. Where was everyone?

I started to hear whispers in my ear, they were so quiet I couldn't make them out. It sounded like singing, but crying at the same time. They seemed to be leading me. Telling me to leave and run away. I looked around to find the source of the voices, but me and my sister were the only ones within the workshop.

I turned to my left and walked down the hallway, Sam followed close behind me. On the other end was a worn out wooden chair and a drawing desk. Beside the desk was a cardboard cutout of Bendy, about the same size as Sam, leaning against the wall in front of him. Upon the drawing desk was a 3/4 view of Bendy's head with a sweet, kind-hearted smile, and a note that said 'No'.

I turned behind me and another doorway that lead to a large drawing station with four more drawing desks. Sam looked into the room and raised a brow.

"Hello? Anyone here?" I called.

Again, there was no response. Upon the drawing desk in the corner, there was a Bendy sketch, laying on his belly and waving his feet behind him, and wagging his tail. He looked happy and contempt.

I looked closer at the image and smiled, "What a cute and funny little guy."

Just when I said those words, something changed about the image. A look in his eyes and a change in his smile. It was like he was trying to blush. I smiled back at the drawing.

Sam looked at the image and raised a brow, "Is it just me, or does that image look funny to you?"

I looked at my sister and back at the image. The Bendy sketch looked the same, but something did feel different. He felt like he was frowning. Sam and I turned around and returned to the main room.

In front of us, I saw another hallway with a information guide on the wall. Pointing to our left, the guide read 'Art Department'. And three pointing to our right read 'Ink Machine', 'Theater' and 'Break Room'. I followed it to find large pipes running through the top of the walls. They seem to be filled with a black liquid substance. Looked like ink. Some of the pipes were leaking, because there were puddles of ink below them, on the floor.

Upon the first wall, as I turned to my right, there was a message. It said 'Dreams come true'. It was written there by hand. Intriguing, yet somewhat disturbing. The voices continued to whisper in my head. I think I heard one of them say, 'Not all dreams come true'. Whatever that means.

I took hold of my sister's hand and continued to follow the hallway. While down the hallway, I heard Bendy's music coming from a lit up room. The door was locked.

I knocked on the door, "Hello? Mr. Drew?"

No response.

I shrugged and continued down the hallway, turned right, hopped over a pipe and turned left. It it lead me to a large room with a large hole through the floor. I couldn't see what was down there, but judging by the size of the hole, it must be really big...

"Whoa. That looks very deep." Sam gasped, "Maybe this lift will work with some power cells."

I nodded in agreement. I turned and found a two large power cells, one in a tool box and the other on the shelf, and placed them in the power generator. I pulled the lever down and the chains moved.

Low and behold, the infamous Ink Machine rose out the darkness and hung from the chains. It gave off an air of mystery and danger.

Sam gasped, "Wow! What a huge machine!"

The voices whispered again, 'Don't turn the machine on'. But I felt like I had to see what it does. Something compelled me to see.

I left the Ink Machine room and noticed on my right was the garage door opened. Sam turned and followed close behind me. I turned to my right followed the hallway on the right of the Ink Machine room, to meet a forked hallway. Turning right, the corridor eventually lead to another forked path. A large plank of wood fell from the ceiling. I jumped back, as Sam pulled me back.

What the heck was that?

"That was close, Ellie. That could have hit your head." Sam spoke up.

After I calmed down, I turned to Sam and gave her a thankful smile. I returned to the paths and took the left fork and lifted operating table. Strapped and laying dead on the table was a familiar character.

A tall anthropomorphic black wolf, with a white face, in beige, nearly white overalls and a pair of gloves. His eyes were 'X's, which was a cartoon's way of indicating the character was either dead or out-cold. The wolf's chest was ripped open. Ribs exposed and no sign of any main organs.

Heart, gone. Lungs, gone. Stomach. Liver. Intestines. All gone. Just a wrench.

I covered my mouth in shock and recognition, "Boris? Oh, my gosh. What have they done to you?"

Sam gasped, when she saw the wolf in front of us. I put my hand over his arm. I could feel his cold, but soft fur. He was real! Just like me!

In the corner of my eye, I saw more writing. I turned and saw a wall covered in notepad paper. In black ink, it said 'Who's laughing now?'. Better question: Where is everyone and who actually did this?

The whispers sang again. I followed them and entered another large room. This room was different from the other rooms. It had a control mechanism with a sign above that said, 'Ink Machine'. So this must be the power station for the machine.

A lever with an alert that said 'Low Pressure'. Two large ink pipes and six pedestals. Three along each side wall. Hanging on the walls, near the each of the pedestals, were framed pictures of silhouetted objects. Three on each wall. A musical note. An inkwell and a gear on the right wall. A wrench. A plush and a book on the left wall.

Curious, I decided to find these objects and see what happens. I remembered that there was a wrench in the dead Boris' rib-cage, a gear in the Ink Machine room, and an inkwell in the larger drawing room. I exit the room and a Bendy cut-out just appeared in front of me, around the corner of the hallway.

I gasped in startle, then lightly giggled, "Bendy, you surprised me. Cheeky little devil."

The cut-out didn't respond. Typical... I walked past it and continued down the hallway to find the objects for the pedestals.

I returned to the room Boris resided, and reached for the wrench in his chest. I gave the wolf a sad look and spoke in a sad tone, "I'm sorry, buddy."

I took the wrench from the rib-cage and Boris moved for a moment. His head tilted just a smidge. It was enough to make me gasp and took a step away from the black wolf. There was no more movement after that. I sighed and noticed a door from my left. I opened the door and it lead to another hallway. I followed the hallway and it lead me to the forked path from before. I took the other path and found a cassette player laying on a table, with a tape already inside it.

I played the tape and a male voice with a Brooklyn accent spoke. The sound was a little static-y, but I guess it must be quiet old.

"At this point, I don't get what Joey's plan is for this company. The animations sure aren't getting finished on time anymore. And I certainly don't see why we need this... Machine.

It's noisy, it's messy, and who needs THAT much ink anyway? Also, get this, Joey had each one of us donate something from our workstation.

We put them on these little pedestals in the Break Room, to help 'appease the gods', Joey says. 'Keep things going'. I think he's lost his mind, but hey, he writes the checks.

But I tell you what, if one more of these pipes burst, I'm outta here!"

"What the hell?" I whispered to myself.

Mr. Drew turned the Bendy staff into some kind of cult? Either someone hasn't been outside for very long, or he was driven mad and believes these characters are meanings to a higher purpose. Sort of explains why Boris is in the state he's in.

But that's no excuse!

Anyway, as soon as the tape finished, I continued down the hallway and turned right. It lead to a small, dark theater room. Upon one of the chairs, close to the projector, I found one of the pieces for the Power Station; A Bendy plush. I picked the plush and it squeaked under my grip. I giggled and put the plush in my bag.

At home, I have quite a collection of Bendy plushies. It's a small collection, because Bendy had a small cast. Upon a shelf in my room, I had Bendy, Boris and The Butcher Gang. I was only missing Alice Angel.

Seeing nothing else to do, I exit the Theater Room. A memory struck me. I just remembered about the gear in the Ink Machine Room! I returned to the Ink Machine Room and found the gear in the tool box. I picked up the gear and put it in my bag.

Three down, three to go.

I exit the Ink Machine Room and noticed an open door on my left. Curious, I entered and walked down the stairs. Inside was a large room with tables, chairs, reels and books. Upon the table of books and reels, was a black book. It was labeled, 'The Illusion of Living. By Joey Drew'.

Maybe that's that book I need. It's the only book I can find, I grabbed the book and put it in my bag. Only two more to go. I exit the room and continued down the hallway. To my surprise, the closed door with the music's light went off.

I knocked on the door one more time and the door opened to reveal a small office with an old-fashioned radio upon the desk and record below it. I picked up the record and put in my bag. Records produce music, so it must be used for the Power Room. The only leaves the inkwell in the Drawing Room.

I returned to the Drawing Room and picked up the inkwell. That's all I needed, now to get the Ink Machine working again.

Before I left, I looked at the sketch of Bendy. It changed from him laying on his belly to bowing like a gentleman, with that same smile on his face. I giggled and bowed back, until I turned and exit the Drawing Room. I didn't notice the sketch changed again.

I returned to the Power Room and placed the items on their rightful pedestals. Each one pressed down upon the weight of each object, but the switch still said 'Low Pressure'. Maybe there's a switch around here somewhere that starts the main flow.

Then another memory hit me. The Theater Room!

I made my way back to the Theater Room, only for another Bendy cutout to peek from the corner for a second. I entered the Theater Room and was welcomed with a sudden sight. The projector switched on and projected an image of Bendy dancing and whistling a familiar tune. I smiled and waved at the dancing demon, he just smiled at me.

Behind the projector, I saw a turning valve with a board labeled to say 'Ink Pressure'. I turned the valve clockwise and there was a sound of rushing liquid. To my surprise, a pipe burst open from above the Theater Room and flooded the entire room. Whoops...

I exit the Theater Room and made my way back to the Break Room, where the panel was waiting for me to pull the switch. Whoa, that sounded like what a mad scientist would say.

I pulled the switch and everything went dark. There was a sound of clicks, humming and pumping. The Ink Machine was turned on. I made my way to Ink Machine Room, and there were inky footprints that lead toward the room.

The Ink Machine Room was boarded up for some reason. I reached for the wooden boards, but a demonic entity of black ink rose from the other side and reached for me. I quickly took a step and fell back.

"Son of a-" I was about to shout, but I recognized its grin, "Bendy?"

The creature stopped reaching for me and sank into the increasing puddle of ink. As a matter of fact, the whole building was flooding with ink and was starting to fall apart. I had to leave before something else happens!

I grabbed Sam's hand, turned and followed the hallway to the exit. I could hear a distorted voice calling out to me from behind.

"EleANoR!"

Sam and I continued running until we saw the door we entered the building from. I reached for the door and the floorboards under my feet gave out and Sam and I fell down some sort of chute. Sam and I landed with a loud splash and a large puddle of ink under us. Sam and I sat up and I rubbed my lower back, as it ached from the impact of the landing, "Ow..."

Once recovered, Sam and I looked around. We were inside a very different room, completely flooded torso deep with ink. I looked up and saw nothing but darkness.

"Can we get out of here now?" Sam asked, as she picked herself up from the ink, "I want to go home."

I nodded in agreement. I picked myself back to my feet and walked over to the pipe. We won't be getting anywhere with all this ink. I turned the valve clockwise and the ink lowered. I looked over to the shelf, behind me, and found another tape cassette player.

I pressed the 'play' button and a different voice spoke through the static.

"It's dark and it's cold and it's stuck in behind every single wall now. In some places, I swear this godforsaken ink is clear up to my knees!

Who ever thought that these crummy pipes could hold up under this kind of strain either knows something about pressure I don't, or he's some kind of idiot. But the real worst part about all this.. are them noises the system makes. Like a dying dog on its last legs.

Make no mistake, this place... this... machine... heck, this whole darn thing... it just isn't natural. You can bet, I won't be doing any more repair jobs for Mister Joey Drew."

The whispers came again. They were louder then before. It was singing and crying. But, who were these whispers and why are they crying? I followed the ink, as it revealed a flight of stairs. Sam followed close behind me. I turned every valve along the way, until the ink was clear and I was at the bottom of the stairs.

I opened the door at the bottom of the stairs and it lead to another hallway, but it was boarded up for some reason. Upon the wall, there was another wall writing. It said 'The Creator Lied To Us'. Who wrote this? It feels angry.

Upon the wall next to the writing, I found a workbench the dust seemed to carry an axe. Sam was the first to grab the axe and smiled, "Oh, this will relieve some stress."

The hallway ahead was covered in boards. Sam wasted no time to chop them down, clearing the hallway, so we were able to continue. Once the boards were clear and chopped down, Sam and I continued down the hallway.

The hallway lead us to a door. I opened it and the door revealed a room with coffins and a ritual transmutation circle drawn of the floor. Drawings, candles, and dimly lit. Everything around me was shaking and the whispers were turning into screams. I noticed another boarded up door on the other side of the room. I entered the room and reached for the door.

However, I stepped onto the pentagram and my body surged with a sharp shot of pain and started to ache. Images flashed before my eyes. The Ink Machine. A wheelchair and then the demonic ink creature.

I clutched my head as it surged with intense pain. My body ached and my blood boiled. Then everything went cold and numb. My eyelids felt heavy. I collapsed on to the pentagram and my vision faded to black. The last thing I heard was Sam calling my name in worry.