BATIM: Bloody Heart REMAKE

Chapter 5

We walked through the door after Ben had cut down the wooden planks with the axe. "It's really dark in here," I say, "And quiet." 

"Here," Ben offered his hand, "You're scared, right?" I quickly said, "I'm good with a sleeve, thanks." I almost felt bad for declining his offer, but his small smile made the guilt completely disappear. I took hold of his sleeve. We walked a short ways and ended up near another stairwell. 

"Is that an exit?" I ask, but my voice was calm, rather than excited. I have a feeling that it's not.

"Nope," He claimed, and I nodded to myself, "I was right, then." He pulled the lever, and there was a clang sound. I release my hold on his sleeve and turn around, noticing the lights turned on. "Hey! The lights!" Exclaiming, a smile was evident on my face as I called for the male.

"Yup.." He seemed unenthusiastic. "Don't go near the ink puddles on the floor," With that warning, he continued, before going to walk ahead of me, "And stay behind me." I follow his orders and stay behind him. Prior to my knowledge, there were loud screams that filled the hall. I stand far behind Ben, watching ink, almost human formed, monsters evolve from the puddles that Ben had warned about. 

He attacked them, one by one, with ease. By the time he had killed the monsters, ink was dripping from the blade of the axe. He sighed deeply, his breathing a little fast. Then, he looked towards me. "We had a bit of an interruption, but you're okay, right? 

I nod, "What were those things?" He looked off to the side, "Just nuisances. They don't really have feelings or anything, so you don't need to feel bad."

"How did you..." My sentence trail off. How did you know I was feeling guilty? He must've guessed what I was thinking. 

"This may sound like a weird question, but have you ever thought about how we may have known eachother before today?" I responded swiftly, "Not really. Why?" 

"I dunno," He spoke under his breath, "It doesn't matter." Looking ambivalent, his gaze went to the door-gate thing opening, next to the tape recorder. "Let's go down there later," He claimed, then pushed the play button on the recorder. After the recording ended, I pointed out, "The switch is in his office!" 

"Sooner than later, I guess." He led the way down the hall. We came across an office, but the entrance was blocked off by the pipe, which was broken, and ink sprayed from it. Ben stiffled a laugh after watching me step backwards to the wall, trying to keep the ink off my (still clean) clothing. Instead, he hopped into the ink and pressed play on the other recorder, then hopped right back out.

The voice that came from this recorder was a bit unfamiliar, yet I also felt like I've heard it before. "He lost his keys?" 

"And we have to find them for the old man." 

"Or else he's outta 'ere," I mocked the man's voice, and we both snickered. "I'm so rude!" I say with a smile. Happy, I was, that we had a bonding moment. "I doubt he would care that much," He reassured me, but that only sparked my interest. "You knew him? Who was he?"

"Wally Franks," He responded, "Is his name. And yes, I did know him." 

"What was he like?" I asked, quite curious. "Hmm, he was annoyed easily. Your father never let him have peace and quiet. But, he did all he could to please the people around him." Ben looked into a garbage-basket thing, not so much a can, and pulled out a pair of keys. 

I felt like I could get along with someone like him. My dad always bothered me too. At least we shared something in common. "He was a janitor." Ben continued, "But he retired." There was a bit of silence between us. I watched Ben unlock the door with the keys, opening it, and on the shelf there was another play recorder. "Wait," I said, my words stopping his arm in mid-reach. "What was Sammy Lawrence's occupation?" He reached his hand back out and pressed the button, "A songwriter."

After listening, I noted words in my head, "Sanctuary, instrument, instrument, instrument." 

"Uhm, the instrument list kind of went over my head." I say with a sigh. "Don't worry, I already know how to get in." Then what was the point of playing the recording? "My dad had a sanctuary?" He shrugged as an answer. Then, I remembered Ben saying that there are still parts of this place he hasn't seen yet. 

I left the topic alone. 

Ben started to walk ahead of me again and we eventually started walking up the stairs.He pressed the play button to the recorder. "This man is weird. Crazy weird!" I keep note of those words. I guess it wasn't just the man who recorded himself who thought he was weird, or even threatening. "The voice is different.. Who is this?" I ask Ben. 

He answered, "Norman Polk." It's only natural that he knows the people here since he supposedly works, or worked, here. But why is he here? Shouldn't there be more people here? "Why are you the only person here?" I wondered. 

"There's others," He says, turning the projector on then hurriedly going down the stairs. I follow him. "They are just.." He pauses to try and find the right words. "Not evident yet."

What? "Not evident?" I was clearly confused. He opened the door and walkd over to the chairs. Then, his fingers pulled the violin strings twice. He walked over to the piano and pressed a key once. And finally, he walked back over to the chairs, and in the near corner was a drum, to which he tapped. All of a sudden, the projector turned off with a loud click and the gate-door-thing opened. Before we headed into the room, I spotted a tape recorder.

I rushed to it and was able to press the button. Ben stood next to me as we listened. The recording told about how the woman voiced Alice Angel, and she felt very comfortable with her. Her words made me uncomfortable, prior to how she felt. "Alice and I, we're going places." 

"I doubt Alice ever got to be more popular as Bendy," I claim, crossing my arms. "You're right." Ben agreed. "She was never fame-material," He winked at me. "Bendy always got the top-charts. Is he your favorite?" He suddenly asked. "I know more about him than the other too, so I guess you could say that..." He let out a chuckle and seemed quite happy. "C'mon, we're almost done with this floor."