#lacey graves

[searchingthedepths]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Searching the Depths Chapter 6: Bound to Only You is finally finished and uploaded! Are you curious as to who that mysterious dream invader was in the last chapter? Well get ready, it looks like they’re after our favorite prophet next!

[searchingthedepths]

Faceless and Fateful

A continuation of our meeting with Mr. Lawrence, and an introduction to his trio of Searchers.

From the Desk of F.K.E.

Sometimes the most terrifying things in life are the things that aren’t there.

The Shepard was the splitting image of his sheep. A broken jawline, tiny indents where his eyes should be, a lack of nose, the only real difference on the outside was that Sammy very clearly had ears. Perhaps his Lord had thought it too cruel to remove one of the music director’s key tools, no one knew for sure. The searchers carefully entered the room. It didn’t take long to recognize that they weren’t carbon copies of one another. The one in the lead had a much deeper hunch in their back, and they were wider, probably the bulkiest of the bunch. The second to come in was the tallest, lanky with dangling limbs and a narrow face. The last was a dwarf in comparison, like a little Hershey’s kiss next to a bunch of larger candy bars. The tiny one scampered over to Sammy, holding their arms up as though they wanted to be lifted.

Sammy gave a chuckle, carefully picking up the dwarf searcher and setting them on his lap. Bella was surprised to see that they really were just half a body when lifted out of their puddle, no legs or nubs in sight. Sammy gave the tiny ink blot a tickle on the tummy, to which they giggled with delight. It was like the tinkling of bells, something a pixie might sound like, that is, if a pixie had a lot of static over their voice. The poor dear, the distortion ruined the sweet little girl’s sound. At least, Bella was pretty sure they were a girl, the laugh was feminine enough.

“Bella, I’d like you to meet my flock. Go ahead dear sheep, introduce yourselves.”

The bulkiest searcher was the first to step forward. They bowed deeply, a humble smile on their lack of a face.

“A pleasure milady. I’m Lacey Graves, former secretary of SillyVision Studios. Wonderful to have you here,” she bellowed. Graves sounded a lot like a grandmother underneath all the corruption, a tender tone that made her relaxing to listen to.

The lanky searcher offered a handshake. Bella gently accepted, surprised by their grip.

“Kyle Upstead, former mailman. Glad to see I’m not the only sap who fell down here,” he said sarcastically. Kyle let go just a little too quickly. He couldn’t have been older than his mid-thirties from the sound of it, definitely a sour chap. It was good to be reminded that she wasn’t the first with her circumstances, but Bella feared what that meant for her and Henry.

The dwarf searcher wriggled in Sammy’s grasp. He handed them to Bella, who carefully cradled them on her lap.

“Hello!” she said, rather bubbly, “I’m Faye, so nice to meet you Miss Bella!” Hearing her speak was something else. It’s fair to say that Bella expected someone so small to sound like a child, but hearing it only made the realization hit harder. There was a little kid trapped here, where were her parents, how long had she been like this?

The dwarf searcher could see the concern in her holder’s eyes. “Oh, don’t you fret honey buns!” she said, not missing a beat, “Turn that frown upside down, nothing to be sad about with us!” Faye had a whimsy to her that was far beyond any human, that much was clear.

“I-I don’t know what to say,” Bella blushed, “It’s very nice to meet you all though. I didn’t realize any of you could speak before.”

“Why wouldn’t we? Sure, it doesn’t sound so pretty, but it’s not like the Creator is a total monster,” Faye replied.

“The Creator?” Bella asked.

“Well technically these fellas all call him the Lord, but he made me from scratch, so technically, he’s my Creator.”

Sammy picked up on Bella’s confusion rather quickly.

“You probably know SillyVision as being an animation studio, but the truth is, there’s much more to us than that. There was a time when the studio head was trying to bring the cartoons to life, and as a result, we have some searchers that are just like Faye here, cartoons that didn’t quite make the model sheet,” he explained.

Bella looked bewildered. Living cartoons? Who’d ever heard of such a thing? But it made enough sense for the circumstances. Faye nuzzled her inky little head against Bella’s apron, while the young printmaker gently rubbed her back. Who’dve thought, there’s a little cartoon, sitting right in my lap. What I wouldn’t give to show Dad and Carmen right now. Bella held the ink child close to her in a warm hug. Faye cooed, she smiled to reveal a set of teeth, the only searcher of the bunch who had any. They were a tad sharp, but then again, it’s not like Bella knew how the darling was supposed to be designed.

Graves made her way to Sammy’s side, leaning against the table to keep herself steady. She gave him a smirk, drumming her fingers on her side.

“I’m surprised Lawrence, and here I thought you’d be quick to put ‘er on the chopping block. You’ve gotten slower with the sacrificing business, something wrong Minty?” she asked.

Bella flinched a little at the mention of sacrifices. She didn’t want to see Sammy in that lighting. He hadn’t been responsible for this entire operation, that much was clear, but to be the hand that bore the axe? That was concerning. But her mind was ripped from the thought at that horrible nickname. Minty? Who the heck comes up with this stuff?

Looking at Sammy, Bella could tell he was uncomfortable. He looked away from Graves, his fingers looking for something to keep busy with.

“Come on Lawrence, you know the boss is gonna be livid if he finds out you’re slackin’,” Kyle interjected, “First you almost sacrifice the wrong guy, and then you don’t give him the fresh soul when it enters. One wrong step and he’ll drag you back under with us.”

“Drag you back where?” Bella asked.

Graves gave her a stern look, “Sweetheart, you don’t wanna know about the Depths. It’s a terrible place, nothing but darkness and drab.”

“Oh come on Lace, may as well tell ‘er, she’s probably gonna end up there anyway,” Kyle replied. He snorted a little, something apathetic.

“Now now, don’t you be scaring the poor child, she’s probably had enough since falling in this wreck,” Graves retorted, “At any rate, the Depths are where we Searchers are forced to live, underneath here, which is the studio’s Surface. The Depths are inside of the ink, a whole little world that we’ve gotta pop in and out of to get anywhere. But boy, it’s depressing.”

“Oh it’s not so bad,” Faye chimed in, “At least there’s plenty of room to roam around. And the scope is so big that you’re always finding something new down there! I could spend hours running around if I didn’t have work to do up here.”

Graves sighed, shaking her head with a small smile, “You kids, the world is so new to you. I wish I could see it that way again.”

Kyle looked to Sammy, “Sooner or later, you’re gonna have to make a decision. Choose wisely ya nut, don’t make the same mistake twice.”

And just like that, he disappeared back into his puddle, leaving them all in silence.

Faye patted Bella’s hand. “You’ll have to excuse him. He’s still bitter about being dragged down here back in ’45. But I’m sure Sammy won’t mess up, he’s the best!”

Sammy buried his face in his hands. Seemed he didn’t agree with the blot’s sentiment.

“My dear sheep, while I’m flattered by your faith in me, I’m sorry to say I have no idea what to do this time. Everything has been a confusing mess since that old man barged in here. I don’t know what’s right anymore.”

Graves gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Relax Lawrence, you don’t have to have all the answers. We’ve known for years that this would never be easy.”

“That’s not the problem. Graves, I can’t live like this anymore. The constant manipulation, the mania, everything I’ve known is crumbling apart.” Sammy said. His head hung low. Bella could’ve sworn she saw an inky tear trickle down his face.

“Aw come on Sammy, you’ve gotta be strong! One day, things will be better, I just know it! Sure, having a few humans here is a little different, but it’s nothing we can’t handle.” Faye replied.

Graves shook her head. “Oh Faye, there’s a lot you have yet to understand about humans. We may be human underneath, but as a species, those not covered in ink work a heck of a lot differently than us.”

Sammy nodded. “That’s what makes this harder. Mortality is a fragile thing…” He looks to Bella, “I can’t do what they expect of me, not…”

Bella scooted her chair closer to him, still holding Faye close to her. She reaches out and grasps Sammy’s hand, squeezing it.

“You really think I’m going to die down here, don’t you?” she asked.

He nodded, struggling to keep his composure. “You don’t understand. It’s a freaking miracle Henry made it as far as he has. Surviving on nothing but wits, an axe, and expired soup, it defies all logic. And mistaking him for an intruder? It almost cost me what little I have left. But getting punished by my Lord…something within me has changed. It’s almost as if…as if the entire world is falling apart around me, and yet physically, very little has changed.” He squeezes her hand in return. She can feel that he’s trembling.

“How long has he been down here? How long have YOU been down here?”

“Oh gosh, it’s hard to keep time without seeing the sunlight…Graves, do you know?” Sammy asked.

“’Fraid I can’t tell honey. Bella dear, what year is it up on the surface?” Graves wondered.

“1965, very start of it too. We just rang in the New Year a few weeks ago,” Bella replied.

“That long, huhn?” Graves said, “Thirty years down here then. Quite the track record we’re holding, isn’t it?”

“You’re tellin’ me, I’ve only been around half that time!” Faye chipped in.

Bella stroked her chin, trying to think of something.

“Sammy…what’s it gonna take to set you free?” she asked.

Graves stepped in. “Honey, be reasonable here. You think we haven’t tried to get out of here before? We’ve exhausted all of our options, there’s no way out.”

“She’s right. My sheep and I have done what we can, at this point, it’s merely survival. Not even a new sacrifice would convince the Lord to let us go,” he replied.

“Well I’m not about to accept that. You’ve got a fresh mind on your side now. I’m gonna find a way to bust you out of here, even if I die trying!” Bella yelled.

Sammy could see there was no swaying her, but he was still at a loss as to what to do. He stood up from his chair and took the cup and bowl to put in the sink.

“And to think they called me the insane one,” he muttered.

“Hey, watch it pal!” She set Faye on the table and stood up. “I’m not about to give up when we’ve all got so much to live for! I’ll march up to your Lord myself if I have to.”

Graves slapped Bella’s hand lightly.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“That is quite enough out of you, young lady. Respect your elders and listen up.” Graves pushed Bella back into her chair and pulled herself up, looming over the girl with intimidation. Her form dripped, growing vicious and sludgy. Her voice was hoarse and haunting as she spoke.

“Listen to me and remember this. What Drew did to us is far more complex than you could ever imagine. Demonic magic is a force to be reckoned with, and besides Sammy, none of us have the capacity to undo any of it. hE WiLl dEstRoY yOu iF yoU gEt toO ClOse. So do yourself a favor and stay out of this.”

Bella sat there quivering, her core struck cold. She looked as though she might cry. There was something more than tears shining in her eyes. Graves backed off, clutching her own chest a little, heaving for breath.

“M-my dear…I’m s-sorry.” The old searcher fell to the floor, her limbs sprawled out. Sammy turned to face them. Something was wrong. He ran to Graves side and held the old hag in his arms, scrambling to figure out what had happened to her. The elder calmed down, finding herself falling asleep in his arms, whimpering like a puppy.

“How did you…” Sammy looked Bella over. This made no sense. Even getting hit with an axe had never caused his flock to react like this. And that’s when he spied it. Encircling the girl’s neck was a chain a silver charm in the shape of a heart, with a red jewel sparkling in its center. He hadn’t noticed it before, but now that her collar’s buttons had come undone, it was there, clear as daylight.

“Where in the world did you find yourself a protection charm?” he asked.

Bella was too afraid to answer. Paralyzed, she gripped the table for life. Faye shimmied over and tried to pet her hand, only for Bella to subconsciously rip it away. She held her legs close to her chest in the chair, not wanting to touch anything, not even the air.

Sammy carefully set Graves in the corner and moved Faye next to her. He kneeled before the young human and reached out his hand. He was at a loss as to what to say. Graves hadn’t had an outburst like that in years, but even stranger, she’d never been forced to back down either, nothing could stop her when she got riled up. He tried to reason with it, it must be a fluke, there was no way. But he knew better. After all, he’d been forced to study up to perform the rituals, of all people, he knew magic when he saw it.

“Please…I just want to go home,” Bella whispered. She held her head in between her legs, silently sobbing.

“My dear, I’m sorry…there’s really nothing we can do for you, for any of us…We’ve been trapped for so long, we know the consequences are too great if we were ever to try again,” he said. He looked down solemnly, his voice void of emotion.

“T-t-then…” she wiped at her eyes with her sleeve. “If I really am to die down here…please, d-don’t leave me. I don’t want to be alone anymore.” She held her knees closer to her, still sobbing. There was a lump in her apron, pressed tightly in between her legs and stomach. The pocket of it wasn’t fully closed, and with how shaky she was, it wasn’t long before a little black book fell out. Her head still in her legs, Sammy gently inched over to the book. It had opened to a page that depicted an array of sketches, all cartoon characters.

He gently picked it up, flipping through. My my, that sure is a lot of detail. There was something off about it though. There was one little character that differed from the others, the only one that was drawn in profile. A little candlestick with a flame for a head, two gentle pie cut eyes and the warmest smile looking right through the page. This drawing, for whatever reason, felt different to look at, lively and heartfelt. A noodle-y arm with a candle atop it, as though he were a candelabra, reached out in invitation. Underneath his torso, it was written simply. “My Flame of Hope, B. Ewe.”

“Flame of Hope” huhn? I wonder…these are hers, they match up too well not to be. Does she really have no one left in the world, are these be her only friends? He turned to look at her. So small, so lost and sickly. Truly a sheep that lacked a Shepard. He turned back to the sketch one more time before closing the book. If that’s really all she wants, I can oblige her final wishes.

“You, um, dropped something,” he said, holding the book up to her. She looked up, rubbing her eyes before taking the book. She hugged it close to her chest.

“Thank you,” was all she could muster. Bella ran her hand over the cover, lost in thought. Sammy hadn’t realized it, nor had she seen him do it, but looking into the sketchbook was like looking into her heart. He offered her his hand once again, standing himself up.

“Come my little ewe. There’s somewhere I’d like you to see while you’re still with us. Faye, please take care of Ms. Graves, I’ll check up on both of you later.” he said.

Faye nodded and latched onto Graves, sinking them both back into the puddle. Bella graciously accepted his hand and got out of the chair, holding it all the way out of the room. He guided her through several hallways, the sketchbook still held tightly in her free arm. They passed several damaged rooms with splintered boards, but nothing was lurking about, thankfully. The pipes of the machine above creaked, a few leaks revealing themselves along the way. Sammy made a mental note to ask Kyle to patch those later.

 Finally, they reached their destination. Another locked door, which Sammy held the key too. Carefully opening it, he led Bella inside, greeted by the sweet scent of weathered books. It was a tad dusty, but Bella was amazed as the sheer number of novels that made up the room. Books of all shapes and sizes were strewn about, built into hefty towers, littering shelves, covering the floor. This place could’ve been its own library if someone had bothered to clean it up. There was a small cot in the back of the room, half hidden inside of a bookshelf. Bella noticed something after the door had been shut, a symbol of some sort drawn on the back of it. She had no idea what it was meant to be, but there had to be something special about it. Sammy turned to face her, pointing to her necklace.

“You never answered me before. Where did you get that?” he asked.

“Oh this?” she held up the charm, “It was a gift from an old friend, Cherie. Finest jeweler I ever met, made it herself.”

“Hmm, may I please take a closer look?” he asked.

She was hesitant, but she carefully removed it and placed it in his hands. Holding it up to his eye indents, he squinted, searching for any sort of signs. There were no obvious markings, he had to look hard to find the twelve tick marks on the back. But the key piece turned out to be the jewel on the front.

“Spinel…said to protect its wearer from negative influences, also great for self-healing. Your friend, she wouldn’t happen to be a witch, would she?” he wondered.

“Not to my knowledge, though it’s not like I ever asked,” she replied, “I take it you follow gemstone myths too?”

“Oh my dear ewe, they’re far from myths. Their magic is very real, a lot of magic is,” he gestured towards the mountains of books, “Welcome to the old study. Pardon the mess, it’s been a while since I had to work in here. As the Prophet, part of my duties required that I do a fair bit of research. Rituals, curses, demonic customs, proper pentagram technique, you name it. Pulled my fair share of all-nighters too.”

Bella stared in awe. “Have you read ALL of these books?”

“Not all, but most of them, yes,” he replied, pleased that she was impressed. “I made sure to protect it with the rune on the door, so nothing could alter the books. Nothing can come in unless invited. I know your time is limited with us in this world, so I figured this would be the best place to keep you safe until well…the inevitable. Is that alright?”

She nodded, walking over to the cot to take a seat. “Thank you, this is perfect. Feels like home.”

Sammy nodded, dusting off a nearby stack of books. He hung his head for a second, not sure of how to talk about what was on his mind. His fingers twitched back to the piano chords from before.

“Sammy, are you alright? You seem a little tense,” she asked.

“Bella…how opposed would you be to…joining the flock?” he said plainly.

She looked at him in confusion. “I don’t follow. What do you mean by ‘join the flock?’ Become one of the Searchers or something?”

He nodded. “Precisely. My sheep, there’s never been much hope for us being set free, but with my recent…moments of clarity we’ll call them, and your arrival, there’s something that hadn’t crossed my mind before, something so crazy that it might just work.”

“And what might that be?”

“I’m not able to return to the Depths and explore them as is necessary, but you might just be. There was a reason behind everything Joey Drew pursued, a plan that he kept secret, even from me, and it all focused on something important that’s hiding down there. If we can find what he was looking for and use it against him, then perhaps there’s a way to get us out of here.”

“Wait, whoa, slow down a sec. You plan on betraying your lord? Using me no less? Why does it have to be me, why not one of the existing Searchers who knows the area?”

“A reasonable question. There’s an unfortunate truth to the Searchers. While not every sacrifice required that people be killed, most of them were slit and bled before becoming the way they are. It was Drew’s preferred method, a way to ensure they lost their hope, though there is another way that doesn’t involve murder. Even if they are freed, they’d be left as corpses upon arising.”

“O-oh gosh…So they’re not looking to be freed to live…they’re looking to be free to die, to find peace from this hellhole…” She held her fists over her heart. She stood up, facing him, that determined flame back in her eyes.

“Why do you think I care for them? Even being sliced by the axe can never grant them the death they crave. They aren’t strangers to me, some were my dear friends. To think that I was possessed to do those awful things to them…I deserve to be a corpse afterwards.”

She got up and ran to him, holding him tightly in her arms. He went and clasped her necklace back on, the red gem shining brightly. When she let go, its red hue reflected in her irises.

“We’re not gonna let them suffer longer than they have to! None of you deserve this cruel fate. You met me with kindness when you could’ve easily cut me down upon our first meeting. That’s proof enough to me that there’s good in you.”

She held out her hand to him, a smirk on her face.

“So, when do we start, my Shepard?”

[kiwisims]