A New Perspective

A Demonic Visit, and Warning

  "Sorry for the sudden intrusion," It kicked at Alice, looking pleased when she didn't move. "But I didn't want the Angel to try her little plan again. Oh, don't look so shocked you two she'll be fine."

"What do you want, Demon?" Sammy was furious. They'd just started to forgive her, and this shit starts? "You just had your fun with us."

"Oh, I know. I just wanted to warn you about something. The loop restarted, yes, but some things have...shifted. Joey doesn't seem to care. But I do. All of this will be worth it, if all of the characters play their parts." It leaned closer, the smell of decay and ink mixing sourly hung in the air.

"And some of ya's haven't been playing your parts. Remember, Henry? I told you not to leave, and what did you do? You left." It stepped even closer, crushing Alice's melting body underfoot. Sammy tore his gaze away from the Demon as Henry suddenly gasped in pain, and Sammy saw he had a hand pressed over the cuts.

Why didn't he tell me what the Demon said? Was he scared of what I would say? Maybe not of me, but of something else?

The Demon's grin somehow stretched even wider, and Sammy felt concern as Henry whimpered in pain. Ink was starting to pour out of them cuts, along with fresh blood. The Demon smiled still, looking at the hurt person, a cruel crescent moon of enjoyment painted across it's face.

It's distracted...Sammy gripped the axe tightly, and stood up, not wanting to miss his chance. The Demon hadn't noticed. He pulled the axe up, swung.

The Demon turned right as the axe hit its mark.

                  XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Alice sat up slowly, a dull pain in her throat. There wasn't anyone around her though. That meant they were okay. Either that, or the Demon was toying with them.

She slowly stood up, feeling disoriented. The Angel looked around, knowing this area. It was the outside of the Music Department, only the walls looked as if ink was absolutely coating them.

It ran down in thick sheets, like someone was pouring it down constantly. She tried to walk quickly, a less-than-easy task due to the tar like substance pulling at her shoes. The level of the ink was rising, a sure sign the Demon was near.

She refused to call it the name of something people close to her had made. Well, one of them was close.

There weren't any searchers yet again, a strange occurrence that had to be more than just a strange coincidence; it had happened twice now, and in her mind that was too many times.

The metal door was crushed upwards, claw marks on the wood all around it. Then ink was pouring down here as well. She ran to the infirmary as fast as the ink would allow, and listened for movement. There was a dull thunk, like metal hitting something solid. Then, a voice she despised spoke.

                   XxXxXxXxXxXxX

"Oh please. Cut the theatrics Lawrence, I came here to talk." It plucked the axe out of its own face, which was now split into two halves, both of which were gushing ink. It dropped it onto the floor, and shoved Sammy towards the cot that Henry was occupying.

"I would check on your friend if I were you. The ink can be pretty deadly... With that, it melted into the floor, and the ink flowing down gradually slowed.

"Sammy? I don't think this is n-normal."

Sammy turned around, and winces when he saw Henry's outstretched arm.
The cuts were bleeding more now, but along with the blood was a steady flow of dark ink. They were tinged red, and they looked...painful to say the least.

"No...it doesn't. Do you want the peroxide? It might get the ink out at least."

"Yes. No. Maybe...?"

"Either a yes or a no." Sammy had picked up both a new towel and the peroxide bottle. He held the bottle over towel, not letting the liquid pour out.

Henry didn't answer, just kept his arm stretched out, closed his eyes, and put a hand over his mouth. Scratch last time, this is going to hurt.

                    XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Alice had hidden herself in a corner after hearing the Demon speak. She could still heard everything though. Even after it left, she didn't move, just sat there. There hadn't been any other sounds from the Demon, just the sounds of the other two talking, but she just couldn't bring herself to move.

She was wondering how long she could sit there, when a shout of pain came from the infirmary. Did the Demon come back to surprise them?

She bolted up, and relaxed a bit when a voice answered in response to the pained sound. She walked closer, and could make out the conversation a bit better.

"Are you okay? The ink stopped coming out at least. But the bleeding hasn't stopped. Want me to pour more peroxide-" Sammy.

"No. That's fine for now, right?" Henry.

Ah. Something to do with the cuts. But they should have healed by now, right? That's what wounds normally do. They should've disappeared after the loop reset too...

Her thoughts were interrupted by more talking. Something about wrapping up the cuts, then sleep. She decided to walk around, suddenly not wanting to listen anymore.

She walked around the corner, past a piece of Bandy artwork on the wall. The little toon devil had an umbrella, and was splashing around in an ink puddle. It would've been cute if she didn't know the things true form.

She continued on, and opened the door to her right. After that, there was another door. What kind of design choice was this? Thankfully, there wasn't another door waiting.

Alice stepped into the room, which seemed like it had been recently cleaned. The instruments, anyway.

The instruments. She spied the old piano, and quickly walked over to it. At at right next to the voice recording booth. If she looked close enough, she would be able to see the former workers signatures scratched into the thick glass.

The room was quiet. So, she decided to play a song. "Lonely Angel" had been one of the first songs she'd ever sung for Alice. It had also been the last.

Susie remembered how happy she'd been after recording it. Before she had walked dutifully into Joey's office, under the pretense of a promotion. She was going to be a star. At least that's what she planned.

Then she died by Joey's hand. Trapped here, destined to be a lonely angel forever. But, I'm not alone anymore. I have friends. My friends again. I should get back to them.

So she stood up, and walked across the room. She looked back only once.