Henry's eyes were wide in absolute horror as his mind processed on what Joey told him just now:

"You mean...Bendy, Boris and Alice?"

"Yes."

"They will be gone, Henry. Soon."

Soon, the word echoed in his head. Soon. The three cartoon characters that had been living with them for six years, will die? All those cheerful spirits they had brought into the once bankrupt animation studio, will disappear?

"YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME, JOEY DREW!" Henry shouted and grabbed Joey's shirt collar. "What makes you say things like that? They're toons, Joey! They –they ought to live longer! Like –other cartoons! There are always people who will remember them! They will live within those minds…am I right?" He stared into his boss's light blue eyes; the eyes that were once filled with determination and joy. Now, they were surrounded with fear and self-blame.

"You don't understand, Henry," said the man in the bed. "This is not like those we drew all night and day -"

"I know that, Joey!" Henry burst into anger. "What I'm trying to say is, they will live as long as we remember them, isn't it, Joey?" He was still rather confused with the whole thing about Bendy, Boris and Alice would die.

No. He hated the word. Disappear sounded like a better word to suit the situation, but he still didn't like it.

"It is not, Henry."

An eerie silence surrounded the patient room they were in.

The two men gazed at each other; one was petrified and the other was in the brink of breaking down.

"What do you mean, Joey?" the brown-haired man whispered, almost in disbelief.

"I will tell you, Henry," Joey replied with a hint of shame, "but let go of my shirt first."

Henry released his grip and his boss sighed, straightening his body up and cleared his throat. 'Got some paper and a pen?' he asked nonchalantly.

What a question, the animator almost rolled his eyes when he heard it, especially in this type of situation. But he did bring some paper in his pockets and his favorite black pen was in his breast pocket.

"Alright Joey, tell me what is this all about," he gritted his teeth as he took out his pen. "And it better be the truth." "Of course, my good man," Joey smiled weakly and Henry just suppressed his thoughts of slapping his boss for not being serious with him.

Within half an hour, Joey Drew told everything that happened prior six years before; the downfall of their studio because of such competition from their rivals, which led to the building's abandonment. Henry almost dozed off; he had already knew about this. Sure, he did make some good money with his arts, but to be not in the studio surely sucks.

Joey Drew Studios was his second home, along with the rest of the human crew.

But when Joey started talking about how he had an idea of bringing the toons to life, his ears perked up, and before he knew it, he was jotting down every fact and detail that Joey told him of the process. From his boss's research of examining life to his deal with the gods.

The last part was surely unexpected.

"You made a deal with the gods?!" Henry shouted. "Well, there's no surprise there! You have always got that fascination with life; but going to this length-" He massaged his forehead, trying his best to conclude the facts. "What is your deal with the gods?"

'The concept of the deal is simple, Henry, just like our life in fact. God gives us life and we will live, until the day we died. As of this deal, the gods gave me the knowledge and power of creating them to life and when the time comes, they will take it back." Henry knew 'them' in the explanation was the toons and he felt quite awful that Joey referred them to such. Nevertheless, he was about to cut in but Joey continued with a rather crazed look:

"Along with me, and them."

Another silence occurred.

A second later, Henry exploded in fury.

"Got anything else, Drew? Like, you're bargaining your life as the exchange for the living toons? Or that if you die, they will be the same?" he babbled with such sarcasm. Boy, if Sammy was in the room, he was surely proud of him.

'Both are correct,' answered the patient and Henry slumped on his chair in shock.

"Why didn't you tell any of us about this?" the brown-haired hissed.

"It's supposed to be a secret!" "Then why are you telling me this?"

"Because I'm hoping you can continue my legacy, Henry," said Joey and he suddenly wheezed, which surprised Henry and he rushed to his friend's side, who brushed his hand away.

"Go, Henry," Henry could barely hear Joey's words between his short breaths, "the time has come. You need to replenish the deal."

"But how?" asked the standing man. "By making you their owner. Now go, it's almost midnight anyway."

"Joey -" Henry was soon cut off by the ailed man who uttered, "You will regret you didn't go sooner, Henry." Then he passed out.

Henry wanted to stay but his boss's words haunted him and he, after taking a second glance rushed out of the patient room, gripping the papers in his hands hard.

"No running in the hospital, sir!" a nurse called out as he passed but he was too focused on his task that he almost didn't realize he was already outside of the hospital and standing in the middle of the road.

A pair of yellow headlights momentarily blinded him and he shielded his eyes, thinking that it was his last day. After a while, he timidly peeked through his hands and saw an elderly man stuck his head out of his car as he lowered his arms. "Need a lift somewhere, young man?" he asked with a little smile.

"Joey Drew Studios, please," said Henry as he hurriedly entered the car, "and step on it." "Will do, sir," the driver chuckled before revving up the engine of his car and sped along the street.

It turned out the old man was quite an experienced racer back in his young days and Henry had to hold to the seat every time the car made a lurch at a corner. The animator kept glancing at his watch; only about ten minutes left to midnight.

"You seem to be in a rush, young man," the man spoke wistfully, "Someone's in danger?" "Yeah, you can say that," replied the brown-haired weakly. His heart was hammering loudly in his chest and his hands were shaking; he wondered if he could make it or not.

Almost there, he thought as he noticed the driver entered the junction where the studio was. Only three minutes left…

But out of sudden, the car spluttered and both men jumped upon hearing the sound. "Looks like ol' Luke did it again," the elderly man sighed miserably after he stopped the car and turned to Henry. "I'm sorry, lad. I'm afraid you gotta walk from here on."

"It's OK sir, you've helped me enough," Henry smiled and handed out some wads of money. "Here's for Luke." "Thank you, young man."

With that, Henry stepped out of the vehicle and began running toward the animation studio he had worked as long as he remembered.

The papers rustled in his grip and his face was grim when he took a look at his watch; he couldn't make it in time, unless there was a miracle. And to be honest, he wasn't really into miracles.

But then he spotted the usual yellow-orange light that shone at the end of the street and his hopes strengthened; it looked like he had a chance to save the toons. "Bendy, Boris, Alice!" he called, "I will save you all!"

Not a second later, a loud chime started to resonate around the place, causing Henry to wonder for a while before realizing with a hit in his head; it was already midnight.

"Come on Henry, you can do it! Just need to reach the studio before the chime ends!" he shouted as if to give himself some spirit. "They're relying on you! You can do it!"

The chime from the town's clock tower went on…

Ten…

Nine…

Eight…

Henry's eyes lightened up as he saw the "Joey Drew Studios" sign ahead of him.

Seven…

Six…

Five…

Only a few more steps, he thought. His knees were in such pain but he couldn't stop now. Not now.

Four…

"Almost there…"

Three…

Two…

His right foot stepped into the entrance of the ancient-looking building and he swung open the door, when he heard a woman's scream.

"Alice! Alice, stay with me! Oh, Alice!" the voice shrieked in anguish. Eyes widened in horror, Henry rushed to the second floor and witnessed the sight he knew he would not forget any sooner.

Susie Campbell was caressing the female angel-demon, who was already melting halfway. Boris the Wolf was being held by Norman Polk and Wally Franks, while the little dancing demon, Bendy was…

Henry was in shock as he gazed ahead; the toon demon was rushing toward him, half of its face was covered with ink. "Henry!" it called in his childish voice. "Wh-what's happening to us? Where's Joey?" Black blots of tears fell out of his pie-cut eyes. "Please Henry, help us! Are we going to die?"

"You won't die, Bendy!" Henry reassured the demon, his eyes were filled with fierce determination. "Joey gave me instructions on how to replenish you all; I will do it right away!" His hands were smothered with drips of the black liquid from the living toon, but he didn't mind.

His spirit was crushed at that exact moment.

The living toons' figures were already losing; he could hear Alice Angel and Boris bade goodbye to everyone, telling them they had lived the best six years of their life, even though it was short.

"I don't WANT TO DIE!" shrieked Bendy upon hearing his friends' words. "I want to see the world! I want to explore every part of the place on Earth! I want to be with all of you! Don't you want us to be here, Henry? ANSWER ME!"

"I do, Bendy! I really do!" Henry replied in tears. "We all love you, Little Devil Darling!" Everyone else was sobbing in each other's embrace.

"Then promise me one thing, Henry…"

"What is it, ol' buddy?"

"Bring us back to life…exactly how we look, we feel, we see…

And especially our memories…"

"It's a promise, Bendy," Henry held out his pinky finger and wrapped it around what's left of the demon's hand. "I swear my descendants and I will look after you three, forever and ever…"

"You promised us, Henry," Bendy let out his last laugh before dissolving into a large puddle of ink along with Alice and Boris, "And a demon never forgets a promise…"