Just a Happy Ending

A Demon's Deal

 "Let's get rid of that. I do so enjoy the screams, after all."

Pain lanced through Henry's face as Alice's knife cut through both the gag and his cheek. Mouth now free, he ignored the blood tracing down his jaw, instead intent on trying to get through to Alice. His eyes and hands lit up, making the angel's eyes widen. "Alice – Susie, please. Sammy wasn't lying. I can help you, but not if you go through with this."

Alice studied Henry's eyes, her one good eye was... searching. Wanting to believe. Wanting to hope. Then darkness overtook it and her twisted grin returned. "Nice try, but I've learned not to trust anyone, much less men who promise good things. Promise dreams. I make my own dreams come true, now, Henry! My dreams, my way!" She lifted the knife, ready to sink it between Henry's collarbones.

"Stop."

The order came clear and low. Had Alice not recognized the voice, she very well would have disregarded it. But she recognized it. And she stopped.

The source of the voice was unclear, but inky footsteps could be heard in the darkest part of the room. "Well, old man. This is new, ain't it?"

"Bendy?" Henry asked.

Alice aimed the knife over Henry's mouth. "Shut up or your tongue is first." Her eye stared down the shadows, "Show yourself! How dare you enter my domain!"

"This ain't yer domain, half-face," the voice taunted, sending a chill through the air, "I jus' been lettin' ya have it, since ya do such a good job wit' ya butcher shop."

The shadows began to lift, forming a definite shape. "Thing is, me an' Henry 'ere, we gotta deal." White highlights and a flat-toothed grin splashed over the black, and a tail flicked ink off its end. "I make you release whoever it is you intend ta kill, and he agrees ta move on."

Alice bristled and leveled the knife at the little devil, "You really think I'm going to let him-- no, you really think you can make me let him go when I've already got him right where I need him? When my cure, my answer is right here?"

Surprisingly, Bendy threw his head back and laughed. "Ha ha! Oh, that's... ha, that's a good one, angel!" A few seconds passed before Bendy composed himself, but once he did, he resumed his cheeky stance. "Thing is, when it comes to deals like dis, dere's... certain things dat ain't specified. Accordin' to da stance o' da deal, all you gotta do is let 'im go. When, where, an' in what condition, well..." his grin stretched farther, "... that wasn't specified."

"That's not what I meant!" Henry interjected, "You're twisting my words!"

Bendy laughed again, "I ain't twistin' nothin', old man! I'm jus' goin' by what yer lettin' me work with!"

"Bendy-!"

"Oh come now, Henry," Bendy's voice took a familiar edge, "You of all people oughta know what comes with makin' a deal with a devil."

Henry fell into shocked silence, dread creeping up every inch of his body as Bendy turned on his heel to walk through a portal.

"Wait," Alice stopped him, "You... are really going to just leave me to kill him?"

The devil paused. His head dipped, then his shoulders bounced. A rhythmic tone started low in his throat. It rose in pitch, building in sound and speed until the toon had his head thrown back, full-voicing a horrible cackle as his hands tensed into claws and his tail thrashed around him.

Bendy finally turned and pointed a claw at Alice, "I'd love to see you try to accomplish something I literally made impossible! I still command, never forget that!"

The monstrous timbre dissolved as soon as it came. "Try it, half-face," Bendy taunted, "I dare ya."

Bendy vanished into the ink. The room was left silent.

Until Alice chuckled and lifted her knife once more, "Well then, with the devil's permission-!" she brought it down.

Henry shrieked.