Just a Happy Ending

2 - Remembrance

Henry dragged himself out of yet another ink pond. He'd fallen, again, and lost his axe in the ink.

"Henry?" called Allison from somewhere above him.

"I'm okay!" Henry called back, testing a few steps onto the shore. "Leg hurts but I'll be fine."

Allison groaned anxiously, "Okay, just be careful! You don't know what you'll find down there!"

Henry smiled at her motherly concern. In some ways, she reminded him of-.... Henry shook his head. Focus. Press on. Find whatever "it" is that's "in the vault." Henry thought whoever left the messages could have been a bit more specific.

The locked door to the film vault connected to something in the Administration offices. Henry grumbled at the puzzle nature of the studio and limped his way down the halls.

It was far too quiet. Even the fading ink puddles were still and silent. Inky footprints trailed down the hall, only diverted a pace or two by the puddles. An axe cut split through the wall. Now on edge, Henry followed the footprints through smashed-open doors and past axe-marred walls. He froze when he heard a resounding crash followed by a layered scream of outrage.

Henry heard a warped, but familiar voice yelling at someone, though the words didn't make sense, just jumbled syllables. He peeked around a corner and found where the footprints ended: Joey Drew's office. Henry slipped to the wall and tiptoed toward the smashed and ink-splattered door. He paused at the edge, not hearing anything within but dripping ink and labored breathing.

Balancing his weight on his good leg lest he need to run, Henry peered into the room.

His jaw dropped.

Nothing in the office was intact. The desk and chairs were hacked to splinters, the cabinets smashed beyond recognition, objects were crushed underfoot, posters torn down, shredded, and soaked through with ink. Broken pipes gurgled and spewed thick ink onto the walls and ceiling. The massive Studio sign on the back wall had been rent apart bolt by bolt, the giant reels thoroughly shattered with the middle one somehow having been driven halfway through the wall.

In the midst of it all stood Sammy. Both fists gripped stained axes. His shoulders rose and fell with every heavy breath, and ink ran like sweat down his arms. One foot was planted on a sign with Joey's name. "This..." the inkling declared, "this is where you belong. Under the heel of the slave you left to die."

Deciding now was probably not a good time to try and talk some sense into Sammy, Henry shifted to turn and leave. Unfortunately, his hand caught on a loose shard of wood and sent it clattering. Henry saw Sammy turn, felt wind past his face, then heard an axe bury itself in the wall behind him. Henry snapped out of his shock once Sammy seized the front of his shirt and dragged him into the room.

"I thought if our lord killed you himself, he would free us," Sammy snarled, "But I now see what truly must be done." He threw Henry down face-first and lifted the axe over his head, "I must kill you myself and plunge your soul into the abyss of the Machine! Then our lord will arise and cleanse this world of its unbelievers!"

Henry twisted and lifted his hands to catch the downward swing of the axe. He gasped with the effort to keep the blade from piercing his body. "Sammy, please! Wake up! You said my name, I know you remember me! You have to remember yourself!"

Sammy yanked the axe away and growled, the sound harsh and inhuman. His body swayed and his head pitched back and forth as he fought within himself. Henry took the chance to regain his feet, all the while holding out a placating hand. "Sammy, it's okay. Whatever is happening, I won't leave you to fight it alone."