Chapter 30: Through The Eyes of The Ink Demon
Slowly and carefully, Linda stood up with the Ink Demon still looming over her; his soft growling and the sound of his dripping ink broke the silence between them. She had yet to experience the Ink Demon attacking her,(not counting the times he would steal her away) and hoped she never would. Linda had already suffered enough pain in the studio, she didn't need to know what it was like being torn to pieces.
Before she could utter a word, Linda felt something crawl up her body. She looked down to see the ink was engulfing her like it had before when her and Boris traveled through the ink portal. In the back of her head she could feel a stabbing pain; the pain was so unbearable, Linda fell to her knees and gripped on to her head.
Images of fearful, disgusted faces and being locked away somewhere in the studio appeared before her mind's eye as she was filled with a sense of emptiness. However, there was also an intensely burning rage inside her. Linda did not recognize any of the passing memories nor feelings as her own, and didn't realize who's they were until an unmistakable image of Henry was seen along with the word "Creator".
Linda looked at the Ink Demon before her vision blurred and ink ran over her eyes, making her only see black.
Where am I?
Who am I?
Those two thoughts formed in Linda's mind as she found herself in a confined space of sorts.
'I am Linda Stein.' She reminded herself in her head, realizing how different her inner voice sounded compared to the newer thoughts.
'But I don't feel like Linda Stein.'
The sound of someone grumbling to themselves caught Linda's attention; she looked over to see a tall, broad man sitting at a work desk with a tape recorder. What surprised Linda the most was the man was human, not an ink creature like everyone else in the studio.
Was she still in the studio?
Where exactly was she?
Where was the Ink Demon?
Linda tried to speak to the man, only to let out a gurgling growl.
Something wasn't right.
The man had given her a wary look, one she had seen before yet couldn't for the life of her remember where, and pressed play.
The voice of Joey Drew's younger self began to speak:
'Listen Tommy, I know you boys
over at Gent are doing your
best,
but I'm paying for living
attractions, not weird
abominations!
Whatever that grinning thing was
I saw wandering around your
office,
you better keep it locked up
tight!'
It was at that point Linda finally looked down at herself and saw she was no longer in her own body. She wore a crooked white bow-tie, and her whole body was nothing but ink. As She lifted her hands to look at them, one was wearing a cartoony white glove and the other was human-like and gloveless.
Linda was in the Ink Demon's body.
'I realize it was a first attempt' Joey's voice continued. 'but
imagine if the press caught sight
of it! Might scare off investors!
and in response to your previous
memo:
If you claim your failures are
because these things are soulless,
then, damn it, we'll get them a
soul!
After all, I own thousands of 'em!'
A wave of dread fell over Linda's as she knew what Joey had done. He didn't even care that he had sacrificed others for his inky creations, and if Henry had stayed, there would've been a chance he would've suffered the same fate.
Pain filled her being once again, this time at her core, causing her to grimace. As she opened her eyes, she was confined somewhere else in the studio. Boards were keeping her from escaping her prison along with a younger Joey Drew.
He was looking at her, or rather Bendy, in disgust and shame.
"This is all Henry's fault, Bendy." He sighed, resting a hand on a board. "If he was here, you wouldn't have to be locked away, trapped with that deformed body of yours. Hell, I would even say he would've made sure you were a spitting image of your cartoon-self, but he didn't care enought to stay. He lost sight of our dream."
'Your dream.' Linda corrected in her thoughts as she held herself back from lashing out.
Everything went dark once again and Linda opened her eyes to find herself in her own body. She let out a sigh of relief and looked down to see the Ink Demon kneeling before her, resting his head on her lap. As expected, he had brought her back to his lair. She was even in her usual spot: the throne.
Linda pondered over what she had just witnessed; it was obviously more than just a dream. She felt it was some kind of connection with the Ink Demon that allowed her to feel how he felt as well as experience what memories he had. Linda knew it was only possible because of the ink. Everything in Joey Drew Studios was connected to ink.
Her thoughts were cleared away as the Ink Demon lifted his head and stood up. Linda felt uneasy as he leaned in dangerously close to her face and clutched on to the armrests of the makeshift throne. Due to their connection, Linda could feel the intense anger inside him start to blind the Ink Demon as it began to take control. She had no clue what was triggering such a reaction, but she knew she had to think fast to avoid getting hurt.
"Easy there, Bendy." Linda attempted to soothe, hesitantly placing her hand between the Ink Demon's horns. "It's okay to be angry, I would be too if I was in your place."
The Ink Demon hissed, but he didn't pull away from her touch. Linda started to relax a bit as she noticed his posture slowly became non-hostile. She smiled slightly and gently rubbed the top of his head.
"You just need someone to understand you and keep you calm."
A/N: Took a couple days off from writing because I had a case of writer's block. I still kind of do, so I apologize if this chapter seems to be a but lack luster. I've also been feeling rather self-conscious of my writing. ;u;
