I watch Bendy as it lifts it's body back up, smiling wide, eyes filled with playful mischief. It chuckled, looking at my pale face, my eyes bulging out and jaw resting on the floor.
"Geez, aren't you a talker" he huffed out, tapping his foot.
"But" he added, lowering to your level again.
"I'm sure I can still have fun with you".
"Get up" he ordered, moving out of the way to give me some room.
I slowly lift your body off of the cold, hard, wooden floor. I stand up, not making eye contact and body shaking, terrified of this abomination standing in front of me.
"Good. Now I have the perfect game in mind, it's called: Steal a book from Mr. Drew"
I say nothing, feeling nothing, but confusion and fear.
"Ugh, say something already" he roared.
I jump, terrified of the demon in front of me. "Oh, uh sorry. So...so what book am I...I suppose to...to steal?" I stuttered out.
I slowly lift my head to look at him, I managed to, only for a second before I got too scared and averted my gaze, looking down at the ground again. He noticed and chuckled, amused with how terrified I am of him.
"The Book of Life, that's the book I need. Get it. I'll check up on you everyday to see if you completed the errand" He explained.
"Oh and don't try to tell ANYONE about me. If you try to snitch I'll make sure you NEVER snitch again" he threatened, laughing darkly.
He gives me a wink before jumping into the ink puddle in the corner and disappearing
I stood there for who knows how long, hoping this is all a dream and I'll wake up in my cozy, warm bed and laugh about all of this in the morning. I pinch myself. Not a dream, it's all real.
Tears escape my eye's, no sound, no sobs, just silent.
After I run dry of tears I wipe my wet face and shuffled towards my desk and sit on the chair, resting my head on my desk.
"How am I suppose to steal a book from Mr. Drew?!"..."What if the thing kills me after I give him the book, there's nothing stopping it from betraying me. I don't trust it for a second" "Is it watching every move I make?. What if I try to trick it and it sees? I have to do this, I have no choice!" I yell in my head, tears dropping down, feeling as there's no escape.
"I have to do this. Once I have the book I'll think of something" I decide.
I calm myself a bit and force my hand to continue working, hating it, but knowing I can't slack off without Mr. Drew barging in and yelling at me, demanding I get back to work.
Break finally came, allowing me an hour to think of a plan to steal that book of life.
"I need someone to distract him, taking him out of the office. Maybe Mark can. Ah, but how am I suppose to ask him to distract him and take the boss out of the office. It has suspicious activity written all over it" I groan and throw my hands up in frustration.
"Curse that demon. I could be relaxing, enjoying my break and continuing on with my safe and happy life. He ruined it all" I hissed out.
"You should never talk behind someone's back, toots"
I jump and turn my head, facing the demon that stood right behind me.
"Oh, I'm...I'm so sorry. I didn't realize you were here. It won't happen again" I babbled, fearing he might hurt me in anger.
He laughs out, leaving me confused and a bit relieved he isn't mad.
"It's hilarious when you're terrified. You should be. Who knows, I could jump up and kill you right now!" He jumps onto my desk, making me coward in fear and fall back, landing on my back onto the hard floor.
He points to me as he howled, tears coming out from the corners of his eyes.
"Oh my god! your reactions are just too priceless!"
I hug my body, feeling as my confidence and happiness fall apart as he continues to laugh and tease me.
After a good minute of him trying to calm his laughter, he stands up straight on my desk and looks down on me.
"Alright, get up errand boy" he orders.
I jump up on my feet, not wanting to sit and be so close to the monster.
"You're probably wondering why this devilishly handsome, super talented ink demon came to visit, right?" he guessed.
I answer, shaking my head quickly, making myself dizzy for a second. He snickers.
He leaps down and moves the chair in front of me and rotating it, making it face me. He jumps up and brings his face way too close to mine.
"Just making sure that you wouldn't get any idea's about betraying me. I'm sure I'm just thinking too much of it, RIGHT?" his smile widens, not breaking eye contact. It seems sinister and threatening. It sends a shiver down my body and soul.
"No...no of course not" I reassure him, backing up a few steps.
"Good, good. If you were, heh, let's just say you would regret it" I gaze upon the devil itself in a cold sweat, feeling as there are pins and needles stabbed throughout.
"Well, I should probably head out. I'll return tomorrow, or later. Depends if I get bored and decide to play with my personal toy" he grins and strolled to his ink puddle, sending me a sinister smile as a warning before disappearing my office.
I sigh and collapse on my chair, completely drained of my energy.
I check the time on my phone, weakly pressing down the power button. 12:50pm.
"Ugh, it's surprise visit used up all of my time" I complain.
I get up and drag my feet to the break room, in need of food and a drink to gain some energy and to calm my pounding headache. I enter and notice only 2 worker's in there.
"The rest must have went back to work" I concluded.
I chug a large glass of water like I've been dehydrated for 2 days now, water dripping down my chin and onto my shirt. I grab a few snacks and scoff down on them, eating like I've been starved. I feel the stares of the others, but I don't care.
I finish up and put everything away. I sit in the break room for a few minutes, feeling safe and comfort around people. I scan the room and notice the Bendy cut-out.
"Now they creep me out even more" I thought bitterly, turning away from it.
I start to stare off at the distance, deep in thought. Thinking about the devil making me do his dirty work, how I'm going to rob Mr. drew of his book and wondering if I'll live to see the next day when I give him the book.
My thoughts are interrupted by a hand slamming down on the table where I'm at, making me jump in surprise.
I face up, surprised to see Mark.
"Sorry, but you weren't responding to me" he apologizes while taking a seat next to me.
"Ok, listen up. I know this isn't none of my business, but you never leave your office. Is there something going on?"
I shift uncomfortably in my chair and avoid eye contact.
"No. Why do you think that?" I ask, a bead of sweat travelling down my forehead.
"It's just that you isolate yourself in that small office and never come out and talk to any of us, not even me. If you're shy and too uncomfortable I get that. I just want to be friends with you, you seem like a great guy and it's fun talking to you." he sighs, hiding his face in his hands.
He stays silent for a moment, making the air tense all around. he looks up at me, making eye contact.
"I want to hangout and talk more, even if it means I got to hangout in your office during break" he takes out his phone and turns it on.
"Aw man, break is over" he gets up from his chair, pushing it in and looking down on me one final time.
"Just think about it. Ben, if you need to talk, I'm here" he adds before leaving the room.
I watch him leave. When I can no longer hear his footsteps in the hall I get up and slowly make my way back to hell. I plop myself on my chair and continue to work.
I stare at my finished scene, eyes twinkling, feeling quite proud of myself. I get up, grab my bag to carry my work and skip my way to the other animators for any criticism.
I feel watched as I get closer and closer to an animators office, the stares burning on the back of my skull.
I approach the door and before I knock I turn my head behind me, jumping when my eyes land on a Bendy cut-out facing me a few feet away.
I knock and eagerly wait for an answer, wanting to get away from the stare of the cut-out. The door opens, revealing Mr. Drew instead of one of the animator's.
"Oh, Mr. Drew. What are you doing here?" I questioned startled.
"Well this animator decided to quit today, so I'm just cleaning up the place" He explained harshly.
"Ah, well I'm...I'm sorry to disturb. Have a nice day, Mr. Drew"
I scurry my way down the hall, hearing the door slam shut, filling the hall with the deafening slam.
As I walk to a different animator's office I stop dead in my tracks, realization hitting me like a ton of brick's.
"He's...he's out of his office. This is my chance" I bolt to his office, time ticking.
I'm soon met with the large, wooden, intimidating door, feeling puny compared to the massive door in front of me. I idle there, hesitating to steal from Mr. Drew.
"Come on! I have to do this. This might be my only chance" I push my fear's and worries aside and grip on the door knob with my clammy hands, hearing my heart pound louder and louder the more I turn the knob.
I push it open slowly, the door creaks as it's pushed open. I feel anxious, afraid and skittish, hoping no one heard that. I glance to both sides of the hall.
"Alright, it's all clear" I whisper to myself. I enter the office and shut the door.
I scan the office first, taking note of my surroundings. I look up at the "Joey Drew Studios" Massive plate, along with a reel in the middle, placed above and behind the desk, the sofa on the right side of the office, the wide, wooden desk, accompanied by Ink, paper, a mug filled halfway with no longer steaming hot coffee and a newly looked bookcase on the left side in the corner.
I tiptoe to the bookcase and desperately look for the book, motivated by the terrifying ink demon visit's and wanting to get out of here. I search and search, finding nothing, but books on management, animations, cartoons, etc. I couldn't find it anywhere.
"Ugh, where is it" I hissed out in a low voice, skimming through the bookcase for the second time in hopes I just missed it.
"Maybe it's on his desk or in a drawer" I reassure myself.
I go to the desk and open the drawers and search in them quickly, feeling anxious he will come any second now. I go to the last drawer and attempt to open it. Locked.
"No no no no no no" I quietly cry out.
I look on the desk, searching for any keys. In the middle of my desperation I hear a tune hummed and footsteps along faintly.
My heart races, about to explode in my chest. The footsteps and humming get louder and louder each second. I look around, in need of a place to hide. I decide to hide behind the sofa.
I hide and calm my breathing before the door opens, Mr. Drew stomping in.
I hear him sigh in exhaustion and take a seat, hearing the chair creak from old age.
I stay very still, not daring to move even an inch. I stay still for who knows how long, only hearing his deep, raspy breaths, along with an occasional sip from his coffee.
After a few more moments I hear something silver or metal clank against his desk I assume. He makes his way up the chair, letting out a loud groan and stroll his way out the door.
When his footsteps start to get faint I slowly get out of hiding and investigate what he put on his desk. It was a key.
I grow excited, hoping it was the key for the locked drawer. I snatch it and put it in the look, turning it and hearing the click.
I celebrate in my head as I open the drawer, revealing the Book of Life sitting in there neatly. I grab it, hide it in my bag, place the key back and close the drawer.
I put my head against the door to listen for any sign of Mr. Drew coming back. I hear nothing. I open the door and dash to my office.
When I'm far from the office and close to my mine I stop running, walking in a normal pace to seem normal and innocent.
I enter my office in a rush and look around my office, trying to think of a good hiding place for it. I place the book inside of the sweater I brought to work and fold it, placing the folded sweater in my bag.
I sit down anxiously, grabbing my pens and continuing on my day, doing my best to act normal. While I slaved away on my desk and complete my tasks, I thought on how to bargain with the devil.
