Hell’s Studio {Chapter 1}

[Edit] Thank you for the Feature! It’s very encouraging! :heartbeat: :two_hearts:

[Edit]

haha noice

Word Count: 1,756

Character Count: 9,909

#hellsstudio

Susie was woken up to the ringing of her Rinky-Dinky alarm clock. ‘Brrring. Brrrring. Brrrrring.” She sat up, exposing herself to the warm air. She rubbed her eyes as the warm air invited her skin like a nice hug. Susie decided it was too early to question why it was so warm-it was fall, and usually, it’s freezing in her apartment. She reached over to her bedside table and shut her clock off.

She pulled away from the bedside table and rubbed her eyes, pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them. She was still tired and didn’t want to start her daily morning routine.

As Susie scratched her dirty blonde hair, the pale woman was heavily reluctant to leave her bed. She groaned as she pulled herself out of bed and started her mental morning to-do list. After fixing her work clothes she would eat, then check the paper on her way to her job.

As Susie entered the studio, paper in hand, she was met by a high pitched, heavily accented voice she knew very well.

“Ey, Susie! Long time no see!” Wally Franks said sarcastically. Susie grinned as she playfully punched his shoulder.

“Haha, you wish.” She chirped.

Talking to Wally Franks was kind of a routine, as was walking through dimly lit wood covered walls. Everything smelled old and musty. The place wasn’t even that old, it’s aesthetic was very off-putting. Unsettling at times. The only color in the place was the color people wore to work. Susie liked to think that the studio was like a blank canvas and the people where the paint that made wonderful masterpieces.

As the two short coworkers chatted, they moved to the music department. Their shoes creaked on the floor like they were keeping a beat of a song. Stepping in time, Susie wasn’t fully prepared for the conversation topic they would switch to.

“I’ve been meanin’ to ask you,” He began, with a sparkle in his eyes. Susie had a sick feeling in her stomach, she already knew what he was going to ask her.

“How was that ‘Business’ meeting that you and Joey had last week?”

She sucked air quickly through her teeth like she was being punched in the gut. “Nothing! We just talked about...you know...my job. He’s quite the charmer.”

Wally cocked an eyebrow and mimicked her high pitched chipper voice. “Quite the charmer’ you say? Sounds like someone’s been bitten by a love-bug.” Susie felt her cheeks turn red, as the butterflies in her stomach became airborne.

“No, no, no!” Susie reaction made her cringe. Her flustered tone wasn’t going to get her out of this awkward conversation. “Absolutely not, he’s just the boss. Nothing more, nothing less!”

The short man playfully snorted. “That’s the most ridiculous sentence I’ve ever heard. Your lying to me, girl.”

Susie made a mental note to never tell Wally anything ever again. Well, anything about relationships of any kind. This playful banter makes them sound like middle school children still gossiping about crushes to each other. What’s next? ing notes under desks before the teacher finds out and gets you a detention?

As a response, Susie playfully thwacked him upside the head with the newspaper she’d been fiddling with. The both started to giggle like children, oblivious to the man approaching them. As his footsteps drew near, they both gained a grip on reality once more. As soon as they re-entered their adult fashions, they were met with the cold hard stare of Sammy Laurence.

Sammy was a tall man, and quite toned too. His stature along with his sky-blue eyes that was could stare into your soul only made him more intimidating. His hair was blond, making the slight stubble on his chin barely noticeable. And to tie it all together, his breath always smelled like smoke. As you could imagine, he wasn’t very well liked in the studio.

Sammy took a breath in and Susie braced herself for a stern scolding, she thought that he would splash his mug of coffee on her. It wouldn’t be completely out of his character.He took a long and disapproving breath in and started his sentence.

“I’m not paying you two to sit around all day, and giggle like children.” His monotone voice sounded heartless and cold. But Susie could sense something in his voice as if he’s falling over his words but at the same time he’s picked them all very carefully. “I’m not your babysitter, and at any point I do become your babysitter you’re fired. Do I make myself clear?”

Wally and Susie both nodded while muttering a “Yes sir,” under their breaths in unison.

“Good,” Sammy stated, his stern tone still lingered in his words. “Now Susie, Joey would like to speak to you. In the animation department as soon as you can.”

Oh god. Joey wants to talk to her...again? Her stomach started to churn, but she was also giddy? She rubbed her arm, hoping that Wallys playful banter didn’t have any truth to the situation. She was yanked back into reality by Sammy’s stern, and yet smooth voice.

“As for you Wally...” he smashed his cup of coffee on the floor, bits of glass and hot coffee flew onto the floor. “Get cleaning.” And just like that, Sammy strolled away like nothing happened.

Triple checking that Sammy was out of earshot, Wally started to mutter, “If I have to clean up one more of his messes, I’m outta here!” Wally sighed and continued to mutter.

“What a jerk.” Susie nodded in agreement and started to drown in her own thoughts.

Why does Joey want to see her? Did she do something wrong? Is he okay? Last time I saw him he was really sickly-not like he can get any better.

“Susie!!” She sharply inhaled and shivered. Wally’s voice woke her from her trance, and she looked at him inquisitively.

“You okay? You look pale-“ he caught himself. “-Well...paler than usual.” Susie cleared her throat and cleared her head.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine, must be the lighting.” Susie could tell by the look on Wally’s face her excuse wasn’t very good.

“Are you sure it has nothing to do with the man that you’re about to see..?” Susie wanted to slap his smug look off of the face of the earth.

After considering this she guessed that the court charges would be too extreme for her liking. But he was right, she was really nervous. She just didn’t want to it it. Like how she didn’t want to it any of her feelings, they’re grown adults who shouldn’t be gossiping about the hottest relationship news.

“I wish you luck with your....” she stepped awkwardly to avoid the puddle of coffee and broken ceramic on the floor. “Situation.” She said conclusively. Waving a goodbye to Wally Franks, she headed for the animation department. Her movements where brisk and cheerful, for she was glad to escape that conversation.

As Susie stepped up to the animation department she was met by lots of posters for Bendy and Boris. She’s seen them so many times she can them by heart.

The animation department was usually not very loud. It had lots of people focused on drawing, so there usually wasn’t much space for noise. Susie didn’t like the quiet, it felt like something was going to turn a corner and bite her, but that didn’t happen-this was a fine establishment where no mouths would turn a corner and harass oncoming folks.

Although the animation studio wasn’t buzzing with music and always humming a tune, there’s times where sometimes people talking. Employees either in the break room, or chatting at their desks.

But today, the animation department was different. People where talking, which was kind of bizarre. It was odd until Susie realized what was happening- and why people where talking.

Where ever Joey went, sound followed. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, it was his nature. He had a very big personality and was never afraid to speak his mind, not to mention his laugh that echoed through the whole studio. No matter the situation you where in Joey Drew could crack a joke to make you smile, which was a truly amazing quality.

Susie turned a corner to see Joey talking to a few guys in hardhats, utility belts, tool boxes, the whole deal. Joey gestured toward the wall right by the lead animators desk. All of them nodded and appeared to look very engaged in the subject manor. After appearing to wrap up a conversation, Susie sheepishly waved at Joey. Glancing at her, he smiled, and finished up his conversation.

“Good morning, Susie!” Joey said, walking towards her, and he shook her hand. He was wearing white gloves, which she found odd but quickly disregarded it as an odd fashion statement.

Susie had to look up to maintain eye with her boss, which was slightly embarrassing.

“Good morning, Joey! What’s going on over there?” She asked pointing at the construction men.

Joey sighed and ran his fingers through his dark brown hair. “Our lead animator, Henry, quit earlier today ago. I’ve made plans to tear down that wall so we can make room for more animators!” He smiled again, trying to be friendly.

“Golly,” Susie said, quite amazed at how well Joey was handling the fact that his top animator left. “You’re doing a good job at keeping your head, and still trying to smile!”

“That’s my job,” He said, as he stared off at the construction men for a second. “To smile...” he paused for a moment, then was brought back into reality by Susies’ question.

“Was there a reason Henry left?” She asked, Joey shifted his gaze once more.

“Being an animator is a really tough job. All you’re doing is drawing, drawing, drawing.” He snapped his fingers as he repeated the word. “Probably got to his head. It’s a shame because he was the best we had!”

Henry was the lead animator because he was the best in the whole animation department, and he got the job done. Though Susie never saw much of him, she always would hear of him through break time chats.

After chatting with Joey for quite the time, she returned to her job. She spent the rest of her day thinking about their conversation, because she never really asked him why he wanted to talk to her. Trying to decode flirtatious undertones, she didn’t think about that too much.

But that day was the start of a horrid, sickening future. It was all down hill from here-and no one saw what was coming next.

That’s all, Folks!

Woah, you read it! Thank you! :D!!

I really appreciate it! This took a while, but I’ll be sure to release the next chapter soon-which will actually have... (for lack of a better term) horror!

I’m already writing it and it’s super fun! If you enjoyed it, don’t be afraid to tell me! I read every comment and chat you send me!

#featuremyfiction

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