BATIM AU chapter 17 - Dead?

Instructions

Days? Hours? Minutes? I didn't know how much time had passed. The blackness only got darker, and so did my thoughts. *I really am dead, aren't I? What a hard thing to comprehend. And why am I talking all fancy? I don't recall having such an extensive vocabulary.* *I wonder if Buddy is alright? I bet he's fine. They fixed him, right?* *I'm sure Sammy's fine. He's a trooper. Haha.* *But Lucky... I haven't seen her. I hope she's alright.* *I wonder if they're worried about me?* *I wonder if they care?* My thoughts were interrupted by a strange voice. "Hello, Aubrey. How's death treating you?" I tried to talk back to the voice, but I couldn't hear myself. Of course not, I didn't have a mouth. I was dead. "Don't try to speak. You'll just hurt yourself. Just think what you want to say." *Oh... Where am I?* "That's a complicated question. For you, you're in a dark, empty space. For your friends, you're in what they think is a coma. For me, you're in hell." *Friends? Who all is there?* "There are three." *Oh, good, they're all okay.* "Not quite. You see, only one of them is someone you know. The other two are similar entities to people you have met. They appear the same, yes, but their souls are very different indeed." *Uh. Who are you, then?* "I'm afraid I cannot answer that question properly, for I don't know who I am. Some people say I'm a god. Some people say I'm the devil. But, for many, I'm both. I really don't have an identity, for there's a bit of me inside everyone. There's a bit of me inside you, Aubrey." *I don't know what you mean-* "Everything will make sense in time. However, it appears our time is up. For everyone deserves a second chance. Good luck, Aubrey." Suddenly the dark void was filled with a blinding light. I was in what appeared to be a tunnel. It felt like I had a body again, so with no other choice I headed forwards into the light. I fell down with a thump. Everything I saw had a kind of yellow tint, and everything looked sketchy, like I hopped inside a drawing. I stood up to the best of my ability (my legs felt wobbly and unstable) and turned around, surprised by what I saw. It was a giant box-shaped machine with a huge nozzle coming out of the front. It appeared I came out of it, but why? I didn't go inside. But then it occured to me, much slower than it should have: This is the ink machine. -- Sammy's POV Allison stopped examining Aubrey for a moment. "Did you guys hear that?" Tom's ears perked up and he nodded promptly. "Sounded like it came from upstairs. Allison, you come with me. Sammy, stay here and watch Aubrey in case they wake up while we're gone." I nodded and watched as they left the safe room, hoping the sound was nothing to worry about. -- Tom and Allison returned with an ink monster with an axe in it's head. "Uh- What's that?" "It came outta the ink machine. It can't talk very well, and it's struggling to stand." Allison led the monster to a chair and shook her head. "Poor thing must've turned recently." "And why does it have an axe in it's head?" Tom pulled the axe out, prompting a pained growl from the monster. "It looked violent, that's why." It shifted in the chair Allison led it to, trying to get a better look at Aubrey. I turned to look at them as well, wondering if they were ever going to wake up. "Get up, idiot, I'm starting to get worried." The monster stood up slowly, a wave of realization hitting it. "Oh my god. I'm dead. That's my body."