Chapter 23 - And If You Think You're Free, You're Not.
(this work was copy and pasted from ao3)
The last two to awaken, Freddy and Chica, had jolted alive at the same time. It was a whole night after Foxy and Bonnie had already woken up.
As usual, they were both disoriented and dazed. The office area had caution tape, bordering off the hallways, as if it was an actively investigated crime scene in that direction.
Gabriel's first thought, upon gathering himself, was if William had been caught, and their bodies were found. Was this it? Was justice served? And for a moment, he was almost hopeful that he was finally going to pay what was due. But then another thought hit him. Why was he here? If William had been caught, how come he didn't feel fulfilled? He knew he wasn't ready to move on, something in his intuition told him he was right where he needed to be.
Then he heard the front doors open, flooding in moonlight. Someone walked in, jingling keys, muttering to himself. And when he came into view, Gabriel recognized the silhouette. Slicked back hair, sharp attire, tall, and purple. This was Michael's dad. He knew for sure. If it wasn't the silhouette that gave him away, it was the vaguely British voice that muttered frustrations in the dark.
“Jesus christ- total hack job. Yeah, knock over chairs and tear down posters why dont you-” Gabriel could hear the sounds of scraping chairs, and watched as William began cleaning up the place that was presumably trashed by the police.
Gabriel wanted to move, get up, do something, anything. Cmon Gabe, move it! but before he could gather his strength, it seemed as if Chica had beaten him to the punch.
The tubby chicken animatronic leapt off stage as graceful as a baby giraffe, but as savage and enraged as a diseased animal. Catching William off guard, he was shoved over by the robot.
Falling on his ass, he scrambled backwards away from the aggressive beast. Chica stepped over, as if forcing herself to move. It was hard, and strained, but determined. The animatronic may have its limits, but all Susie knew she wanted to tear William to pieces.
Then the animatronic let out a screech, not coming from the robot itself but the speakers by the stage. It was a Chica voice line from a showtape, garbled and distorted to resemble a cry out of pain. Now, William was on his feet again, and moving swiftly away from the animatronic as it hurled itself towards him.
“what the hell has gotten into you?”
He was frightened, but a part of him knew where this was coming from. He knew what had gotten into the animatronic, he's the one who put it there. And Susie was going to make sure, one way or another, that he will pay for the consequences of his actions.
Chica lunged again, except William was ready and moved out of the way, letting the bird fall onto the floor and scramble to get up just as he did when she first knocked him over.
Before Chica could get a second wind, William already had a foot on her back, preventing her from even lifting off. The mechanisms inside weren't strong enough against the smallest bit of force, they were never designed for that. If William had to thank Henry for one thing, it was designing these suits to not be worn by humans.
The speakers hissed an aggressive static, it was Susie's enraged response to being held down so easily. She was beyond pissed.
“Are you happy? Did you feel bold? Brave, even?” William sneered, pressing down on the robot's back with his foot.
“I never thought you freaks would take something this far. It was one of you, wasn't it? Who killed my security guard?” he looked up at the other animatronics, who were standing still on their stage. Foxy and Bonnie's eyes were closed, but Freddy's weren't. They were looking right at William, watching him. Stand up, Gabe. Defend her. Protect your sister. Protect your friends.
“Mike was a good kid… I don't mean my son, of course, I mean the kid I wasted my money on to watch over this place. Schmidt..” William looked directly at Freddy, catching on he was the only one listening. It was almost creepy, how he could tell behind those plastic eyes that the animatronic was thinking.
“Gabriel, you were a good kid. So polite, went to church, helped your community…” William trailed off. Chica flailed her limbs, trying to escape from William's weight, but when push came to shove, Chica's efforts only caused William to press down harder on her back. Her servos started to lock from the pressure, causing her flailing to cease as the mechanisms inside clicked into a stiff position from the weight.
“I will say, I have no idea where your sister gets it from. This… attitude. I’ve spoken with your mother, Natalia? Such a kind person. I see her and think, there's someone who has her family in order. Someone who has it under control. You wanna make mommy proud, kid?” William locked eyes with Freddy, his words going from softly announced to a venom laced spit towards the end. If Freddy could see the expression on Williams face, it’d be a mix of hatred and smugness.
“Stay. in. your. Place. You perform during the day, and you sleep at night. If you and your friends want to sit here and play pretend, then do your fucking part.”
God. Gabriel wanted to move so badly. Every inch in his body was screaming to get up, do something, anything, but he was scared. He was so scared. Seeing how easy it was to knock over Susie, the fear of being just as useless made him paralyzed.
“Tell your friends. I knew you were always the leader of this group. I know they'll follow your instruction.” William ordered. He kicked Chica away, the robot sliding across the tile floor just a few inches. Then, William took his leave and walked towards the exit. It was a brisk walk, as if he was rushing before Chica could get back up. Like he was afraid.
Chica groaned, the speakers by the stage hissing and fizzing out sounds the others had no idea they could express. The metal joints clicked, slowly, like they were eventually becoming unstuck, and the animatronic pushed herself off the ground before she knew it. Susie's first action was to immediately rush towards the door. She hobbled down the entrance hallway, not quite used to the balance of this body, but just so… determined. By the time she reached the glass doors though, they were locked, and she was trapped inside.
Her fists clenched, soft fuzzy balls of hatred, and she banged on the glass. Her beak opened, trying to scream, but down the hall and towards the stage only more static came out of the speakers.
Eventually, she tired herself trying to fight the entrance doors. She wasn't strong enough, and she felt horror in realizing that.
did he ever fulfill his promise? (this work was copy and pasted from ao3)
“WHY. WHY CAN'T YOU JUST DO WHAT I SAY!?”
Susie's mother yelled out at her, finally snapping under the tension of the argument they were having in the “privacy” of the kitchen.
Gabriel and his father sat at the dinner table, not touching their food, frozen as they listened to the growing argument brewing in the next room over after Natalia had pulled Susie aside.
“It is not hard to pray in grace. You join hands with your brother and father and close your eyes and pray. Does the food that you eat mean nothing to you, Susan? The ground you walk? The air you breathe? Does all of it mean nothing to you?”
Susie was staring at the ground, tears welling up in her eyes, stunned in silence as if her throat was clogged with shame to even gasp a sound of reply to her mother.
“Do you want to be ungrateful for the rest of your life? You are embarrassing me. It's one thing to dye your hair, skip church, not study the bible, but you can't even say grace with your own family? What is wrong with you?”
Susie couldn't reply, she didn't know how to answer that question. What was wrong with her?
The growing silence was cut through with a hiccup, a choking squeeze of sound that came from Susie as the tears that swelled burst through and streamed down her cheeks.
Natalia just scoffed in response, before making her decision.
“Go to your room. If you won't be grateful for the food I make, you won't eat it tonight.”
Susie sat in bed, her face pressed against her knees. She tried to cry quietly, so her mother wouldn't hear, but a few chokes and squeals of anguish escaped her. It hurt to cry, she wanted to stop so bad, feeling weak and embarrassed by it, but she couldn't control it. Quit it. Stop it. Stop crying Susie. Big girls don't cry. You're 14 now, act like it. Why can't you just be perfect? What is wrong with you? Why is this so hard for you to understand? Her thoughts overlapped, echoing in her head and repeating themselves with a belief so intense it gave her a headache.
Susie pressed the pillow up to her face, letting out a muffled scream to drown out her rushing thoughts.
It was all so… loud. She was keeled over face first, fists pounding into her bed in anger as she growled and snarled into her pillow trying to verbalize these thoughts into animalistic sounds, in hopes that they'll escape her for good. In hopes that, despite everything, she can still love herself. despite what her mind says, despite what her mother tells her, despite what she believes.
Then there was a knock at the door, and her first instinct was to go silent. Still, and silent, like a deer in the headlights. Tears dampened her face and pillow. God. she hoped to god that whoever was on the other side of that door didn't dare come in. She wasn't ready. She couldn't be seen like this.
“Susie? Mom and dad have gone to bed..” Gabriel's voice spoke on the other side, not warning her, but letting her know it was safe.
Susie sat up, wiping her eyes and turning her pillow over so the pretty side faced up.
“Come in.” her voice croaked, low and strained from the yelling in the kitchen, and then crying in her room.
Gabriel opened the door, shutting it behind him when he stepped inside.
He sat down on the edge of her bed, both of them beside each other and staring at the floor. It was a somber awkwardness, both not knowing what to say.
“Are you okay?” Gabriel asked, looking over at Susie in condolence.
“Why didn't you defend me?” Susie asked
Gabriel swallowed, knowing the uncomfortable questions had to be asked eventually.
“It wasn't my argument..”
“Bullshit. You heard us. You and dad always hear us. Neither of you say anything at all.” Susie's voice broke, feeling that bubble brewing up in her throat again, the sting of tears threatening to spill all over again.
“Why do I always have to be alone on this? You always said- that- that you'd be there for me.” she was crying again, her words strained and not trying to break into loud sobbing.
“You don't even LIKE.. god! I know you don't. You- you know… DAMN well.. you dont care, as much as I do. WHY-Y do you keep fucking.. SUCKING up to mom and dad?”
Susie wiped away her tears as they came, in between words, pausing to gather herself, but her point was clear.
And Gabriel didn't have an answer. He didn't know what to say to her. He didn't think he’d be the one faulted here. But he knew she was right, and the guilt ate at him. Not just now, but every moment before when he knew he should have said something. The guilt always eats at him.
“I'm sorry. Susie, I'm so sorry. You're right. I should stand up for you more.” he admitted, forcing the words out. Nobody wants to say the uncomfortable things, even when it's necessary.
“I just. When it comes to mom and dad I just… I can't. I can't argue with them. I don't want to. Everything is so much easier when I'm not involved.”
“But it's easier to watch me get yelled at instead? To get told I'm an embarrassment?"
“Susie its not that simple-”
“Oh of course, better me than you, right?”
“No, Susie, that's not what I mean.”
“What DO you mean, Gabe? You say you will always be there for me, but when I need you the most you’re just. You're just a witness.”
They were both silent now, Gabriel was unsure what he could even say to make this better. He didn't want to fight with his sister like this, he didn't want to fight at all.
“I’m scared, Susie.” Gabriel finally spoke up. “I’m just as scared as you are. You’re… you aren't afraid to speak up, to show mom and dad who you really are, even if you get yelled at for it. I just wish I could say the same for myself, but I can't.”
Susie listened to him, the tears slowly ceased
“I admire that a lot about you. You're so strong, and brave, and you do so many... Bold things. I feel like… even if I speak up, it wont matter as much as compared to what you have to say. I never realized my silence hurt you more than it did help.”
Susie frowned, god the tears were starting to come back.
“I don't feel very brave… When I argue with mom… I think it's when I feel the most scared.” Susie said, shrinking away in shame for that admission. But Gabriel pulled Susie into an embrace, and though it was a surprise to her, she quickly accepted it as it came.
“Then I won't ever let you feel scared by yourself again.”
I wish I said more. (this work was copy and pasted from ao3)
Get up, brush your teeth, style your hair, make breakfast, check the mail, pack your bag, double check if you have the house key, wait outside for the bus, go to school.
This was Jeremy's daily routine while his parents work from dusk to dawn in the city right next to Hurricane Hills just an hour away. He didn't mind, while it gets lonely, he always knew they cared. His mom always double checked the locks after coming home at midnight, his dad came in his room to check if he was in bed, everything was always made sure to be in proper working order in this household. Just the way Jeremy was used to, he knew he was a gear in the machine to keep his family running.
Go home, hang out with friends, make dinner, clean up, do homework, brush teeth, take shower, go to bed, repeat.
Every place for a thing and every thing in its place. Jeremy tried to keep himself out of trouble, as much as possible anyways. But when he hangs out with someone like Michael, he can't help but find himself having a little fun. Maybe too much fun. Maybe fun was the source of trouble.
Jeremy heard a tapping at his window, a familiar sound when Michael wanted his attention. Only Mike was the kind of idiot to throw pebbles at a window that was on the first floor.
Jeremy left his desk, math homework half finished, before he leaned over his bed and opened his window to see Michael standing right outside of it, as expected.
“Mike. It's 8 pm.”
“Are your parents home?”
“No. You know that.”
“Good. Come with me, I got something to show you.”
Jeremy groaned, arching away from the window.
“I need to finish my homework. We got a test tomorrow.”
“Nerd. be sure to get your bike out of the garage.”
“FINE.” Jeremy acted annoyed, but a part of him was glad Mike came to get him. He felt like his mind was starting to melt from staring at math too long.
Jeremy met Michael outside the front of the house, dragging his bike out of the garage while Michael waited beside his own red bike, which reflected in the full moonlight.
“Why aren't Gabe and Susie here?”
“They were uh… busy.” Michael looked away, kind of uncomfortable to mention it, but Jeremy already knew what he was referring to.
“Busy… screaming at Susie?”
“Well, not Gabe, but yeah.” Mike hopped on his bike, and Jeremy did the same and followed Michael down the road.
“Something about. God or whatever.” Mike said “I could hear them while I was walking up from the woods and thought it wasn't worth the trouble so I turned back..”
Jeremy nodded “smart move.”
The two biked off for a while, Michael leading Jeremy with Jeremy just behind him.
Eventually they came to a dirt road, shrouded by trees and brush.
Michael stopped his bike, propping it up just behind a bush. Jeremy followed.
“We walk from here, shouldn't be too far.”
Jeremy already knew where Mike was leading him to. Their town used to be a lot fuller, less suburban, but a lot of businesses died out and went abandoned for a long time. Fredbears and JRs were actually refurbished abandoned lots.
The two walked through the woods for a bit, following the dirt path which soon led up to a tall building, very clearly overtaken by nature, that looked like some sort of factory. The two large front doors for trucks to pass through were chained shut, with barely enough wiggle room to squeeze through, and the windows were boarded up.
But Michael had other plans, Jeremy noticed. He immediately took to the side of the building, and as usual Jeremy followed mindlessly. He trusted Michael, and he didn't want to be alone in the dark.
There was rusty metal scaffolding leading up along the side of the factory, which eventually led up to the roof. Michael was already up on the first catwalk, with Jeremy tailing behind.
“So- are we tagging this place too?” Jeremy asked while he climbed
“Oh, nah, not now. It feels weird to tag without Gabe and Susie.” Michael admitted
“But there's a really good spot on the roof for stargazing.”
“... stargazing?”
“Yeah? What? Did you wanna go pick flowers?”
“With you? In your dreams.”
Michael and Jeremy laughed, Jeremy soon catching up just behind Michael as the two soon climbed out of the darkness of the shrouded forest and into the moonlight.
“No but, seriously, I think I just wanted to have a more calm adventure this time.” Michael sighed
“... yeah, I get it. Thanks for the invite.”
Michael clambered onto the roof first, the metal sheets pounding and clanking with each step. The roof was at an incline, to prevent snow from piling up on it, there was a ladder leading up from the scaffold onto the roof for maintenance.
Mike helped up Jeremy after he was stable, then crawled up to the tip of the roof where the highest point dipped down to create the next incline.
When he got up, Michael's first instinct was to lay down on the roof's crease, facing up at the starry night sky, using his legs to balance him out to prevent himself from falling.
Jeremy just sat beside him, gripping the roof sheeting as he leaned his head against Michael's shoulder.
“Is this better than homework?” Michael asked, a smile creeping up on his face. He already knew the answer.
“... yes. It is. Are you proud?”
“What would I be proud of?”
“Do you feel accomplished getting me out of my room?”
“Jeez, Jerm, what are you? A damsel in distress?”
The two laughed together.
“Dude! No! I'm just messing with you.”
“Just enjoy the stars nerd.”
They both went silent, looking up towards the sky. The night breeze, crisp and warm, carried through their hair and rustled the leaves of the surrounding trees, not a single cloud in the sky. It was a perfect summer night, just two weeks before school ended.
They should've talked more that night, Jeremy wished they talked more that night, more than anything he wished they talked together more. More often than they already did.
Eventually Michael stopped laying on the roof and sat down besides Jeremy, enjoying his company more than he did hurting his back on the crease.
“Do you think it's weird we hang out more often alone than with the others?” Michael spoke up
Jeremy shook his head “does it have to be weird if we enjoy it?”
The metal beast shook, rubber teeth grinding against each other as the jaw clamped and tightened and grinded, a searing noise as the mechanisms started to spring to life to host what was now a coffin wrapped in animal clothing.
Then, everything stopped. It was still. Silent. Tranquil, almost.
Foxy opened his eyes and was met with the darkness inside of a curtained off stage that was in Pirates cove.
He thought nothing. He felt nothing. Maybe a little disappointment.
But overall, numb.
The moonlight he saw wasn't actually moonlight, but the fluorescent glow of a flashlight from the night guard walking past Pirates Cove, and to his office.
He did nothing. He couldn't think. He could, but, not on what to do, how he should feel, where he was.
Ok. Michael. Focus.
You're in pirates cove. Your name is Fox… Michael. Your name is Michael. Do you remember this place? Freddy Jrs. you're in Freddy Jrs. Pirates Cove. Behind you should be a door leading to parts and service. There's a door in the back of each stage for easy access. It is night. It is dark. You are cold. You are warm. You are nothing at all. You are still alive. No you are not. You. are. Foxy.
Fuck.
The jaw loosened, hanging lowly off the hinge as the robot relaxed it when the realization hit him.
You died, Michael. You died in that scrawny fox suit. You died because… because what?
That's when he saw a reddish pink glow cut through the curtain, moving slowly, accompanied by large thumps which sounded like footsteps, but strained and delayed. They were uneven, like something walking for the first time.
Foxy's hook reached out and drew back the curtain obscuring his vision, peeking his head through to see what was out there.
The first thing Michael figured out, besides being dead, was that his vision had changed. He couldn't see, at least, not normally. There were no details on things, just a thick outline clueing him in on what chairs and tables were around and where the walls were, but everything in the middle was gone. Black useless void. Posters on the walls were especially useless, seeing he cannot even make out what the designs looked like.
This was it. This was the catch. Live a new life but have a heavily impaired vision. Something beyond human eyesight.
His eyes wandered down the left hall, and saw the figure of Bonnie walking down it before he soon disappeared towards the office, the eyes glowing the light Michael saw earlier.
Then, there was a struggle. Sounds of yelling, glass breaking, mechanical whirring, then eventually nothing. It was silent again for a moment, but only for a moment.
Then Bonnie walked back down the hall, unbothered, nearly unscathed as much as Foxy could see at least.
A part of him was intimidated by the robot, unsure of what he's looking at, unsure if he's next. But the other part of him kind of hoped Bonnie would look his way, notice him. See what kind of monster he's become as well. Michael almost got the sense they were one in the same.
Then his wish was granted. Midway through the archway that lead into Pirates cove, Bonnie paused, then the head swiveled right in Foxy's direction.
Foxy jolted, reeling his head back into the safety of the curtains. Oh god. Was he going to get torn apart again? Was he going to be broken?
Backing away, Michael watched as the lights from Bonnie's eyes inched closer. And closer. Eventually, Bonnie was pushing aside the purple star spangled curtain and stepping onto the stage.
Foxy couldn't back away any longer, afraid of what this animatronic was capable of, unable to recognize what lay inside this robot shell, he pressed against the wall and shook. He could run. past Bonnie, out the doors, away from it all, but he didn't. He stayed put.
Then, when the bunny was close enough, it opened its jaw. As if it was trying to say something, speak to Michael. But no sound came out. It wasn't show time, of course no sound came out.
Finding it futile, he closed his mouth. Then, reached out. Both arms. And Michael was bracing for the worst.
It was a hug. Bonnie had pulled Foxy into an embrace. As if to say It's me, I’m here. I'm here for you, Michael.
Then suddenly this wasn't some threatening force, or an unrecognizable monster. No, this was someone he knew. Someone familiar. An old friend.
God, who was it again? The name was slipping him.
Hesitant, and slow, Foxy eventually returned the embrace.
For a fleeting moment, he gained some clarity and calm, and in that moment he was reminded.
but its all in the past now, eh mikey? (this work was copy and pasted from ao3)
I hope you all rot in hell together.
I hope you all rot in hell together.
I hope you all rot in hell together.
I hope. You all. Rot. In hell. Together.
All good things come in threes. That's the saying, right?
3 is one of the luckiest numbers, right before 7.
3 of a kind. That's who they were. A small little friend group in a lonely little middle school, in the middle of nowhere, Hurricane Hills, Utah. They sat at lunch together, went to class together, lived on the same block together, had fun. Together.
And then, the new kid comes along.
Transfer student, from some far away distant land called Europe. Had a funny little British accent he picked up from his mother and father that all the Americans loved hearing coming from a kid.
At first, he was fairly popular. Everyone gawked, overseas kid with a mystique to him. But then the novelty faded, the questions became less frequent, and Michael found himself alone more often than not.
He started to get the sense he was being outcasted, subtle things like the way he felt the glares of other classmates when he received a low score on a test, or how nobody would sit at his table at lunch, the way that nobody really ever bothered to talk to him besides a question about where he’s from.
It's like people expected something from him. expecting him to be smart, uphold some kind of poshness, entitlement, or some kind of entertaining factor. But he was… Normal. Why does it feel so bad to be normal?
Jeremy picked the pickles off his burger every time they served it for lunch. Gabriel sipped his milk too loudly. Susie reads comics and forgets to eat her food before lunchtime is over.
And there they were, all seated together. They looked like they belonged.
He stood just a few feet away, tray in nervous hands, watching the three like they're a beacon of hope. They've briefly met in classes, but Michael thought they were leagues above him. Too cool for school, as he'd put it.
But, today was different. His mother made him talk to the school counselor about being alone, and she suggested he went and sat with these three at lunch. How helpful.
“Hi, I'm… Mike- Michael.” Mike stood in front of the only empty seat at the round lunch table, staring down at the three who had all looked in his direction when he spoke.
God, he looked so stupid right now. They probably already know his name from science class.
“Uh… is it okay if I sit here?” he pushed through the spout of embarrassment to ask, already regretting walking up in the first place.
The spot was in between Jeremy and Susie, while Jeremy scooted away to make room, Susie remained and went back to reading her comic.
Gabriel, across from Michael, gestured towards the seat with a warm smile.
“Yeah man, we don't mind.”
Oh my god. Is this real? Michael grinned and eagerly sat down in his new seat. Maybe he was less of a loser than he thought he was.
It was nice, not feeling alone, maybe it was the one spot he knew he’d find genuine company. The four of them stuck together all throughout middle school, then well into high school.
Every hang out, every delinquent activity, every run in with the law, Michael cherished as long as it was with his friends.
Then it was dark. really dark. The memories faded as fast as they came, like a movie rearing its end.
And then, he opened his eyes, a mechanical whirring sound like a machine coming to life. He felt no pain, breathed no air, and saw nothing but the glimmer of moonlight cascading through a slimmer in the curtains.
And Michael realized he wasn't at that lunch table anymore. And he knows he won't be for a very long time.
Advertisement. (this work was copy and pasted from ao3)
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April 20th, 1985.
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Come have fun with Freddy and his friends at Freddy Fazbear Jr’s, where fantasy and fun come to life!
its about time you knew the truth. (this work was copy and pasted from ao3)
Henry tapped on the desk, sitting in his usual chair in the office him and Will shared. He was told to meet Will here after their lunch break, but William was late. As usual, Henry never expects Bill to show up on time. “Its called being fashionably late!” William would exclaim whenever Henry expressed his grievances with William's lateness.
He had a feeling what this meeting was about. The puppet. He's been toiling away working on it for months, and he knows William has already expressed displeasure in Henry's time and the company's money being spent on this project.
Henry thought it would be a great addition to the place. A prize counter animatronic, that can protect people. Well, to be fully honest, it was mostly to protect Charlotte, his daughter. Her birthday was coming up, and while her whole class was invited, he didn't really trust those kids around her. She's always been subjected to… bullying.
While Henry incessantly clicked away his pen while staring at the hardwood desk, the door opened.
“Ah, sorry, was I late again Henry?” William chuckled, closing the manager's office door behind him. He knows he was, it’s like he's late on purpose.
Henry broke out of his trance and leaned back in the chair, a smile spreading across his lips.
“No, not at all!” sarcasm was in Henry's tone, the playful sort.
William took this as his cue to take a seat beside Henry, his charming demeanor wavering slightly.
“Look, Hens, I wanted to talk to you about something important.”
Henry leaned forward
“Yeah, I figured. It's not like you asked me here for a date.”
William snickered, before trying to compose himself
“Listen. This side project of yours has to stop. I've looked over our finances this month, and your constant drain of resources for that thing has been consuming us.”
There it is. Henry knew it would happen.
“Look, Bill, if I can just get a little more time to work on-”
“No. Henry. We just can't be supporting that puppet thing you're working on any longer. You can't make it to birthday parties as Fredbear, you aren't managing anything while I’m away-”
“Excuse me?”
“-and the cost for the technology? I've been cutting into our maintenance fund for this, Hens.”
“Bill, I've been working my ass off. What do you mean I'm not managing anything? I show up here more than you do sometimes!”
“Henry, Fredbear's jaw is clamping down too hard! Bonzie's ear is twitching weirdly! You haven't fixed a damn thing since you started working on that overglorified birthday gift for Charlie!”
William raised his voice at Henry, leaning forward and almost out of his seat, but he backed down when he saw Henry leaning away from him with wide eyes, full of shock and confusion.
“Henry. We both know i'm the head of this whole operation-”
Henry scoffed, relaxing once William relaxed
“Right. Like the backbone doesn't matter..”
William cleared his throat
“And that means I have to take action where it matters most. You need to put your focus somewhere else.”
“But the Marionette is almost done! Why stop now when I'm so close to finishing it?”
Henry was out of his seat now, standing over William and he, too, was raising his voice.
“BECAUSE I FUCKING SAID SO, HENRY.”
William shot up, standing over Henry as he shouted in his face. Henry's face scrunched up, a sour expression turning more and more angry. Then, he grabbed his coat and walked.
Out the door, into the party room, out of the restaurant entirely. And William was left alone, the air in the office stagnant after all the anger had been unleashed at each other. But Will didn't regret a thing he said.
Hey, Hey! glad you came back for another night! (this work was copy and pasted from ao3)
God, what was it? A week now? Mike Schmidt was told to record a message during his nightshifts in order to train the next security guard, since he was being promoted to dayshift soon. He didn't know why he couldn't just be there with the new guy for his first week to train in person but he doubts it’s because management actually cared about his sleep schedule.
He held the phone in his hand, recording the 5th message of the week into the speaker. the last message.
“Heyyy what's up. This is your last week of training-”
He spoke into the speaker of the phone his usual spiel for training, with new information every night.
As far as professional goes, Mike was sure he was a pro.
But then mid sentence, his voice trailed off. He was staring out his office window at the large rabbit animatronic, that was once on stage, now in front of it giving him a staredown through those soulless eyes. The blurple animatronic was staring at Mike with so much intention it was almost human. Despite the lack of expression, Mike could tell it was thinking something sinister.
Then, the phone drops to the ground, the plastic clattering against the tile, and the glass in the window shattering as Bonnie had broken through with a screwdriver in hand. He crawled in, inching towards Mike with its fat clumsy body, but full of intention as it swung its arms hoping to grab ahold of the night guard.
Mike backed into a wall opposite of the office door, with nowhere to escape to as he watched this hulking monster lurch towards him.
Bonnie soon grabbed ahold of Mike by the collar, only managing to plunge the screwdriver into Mike's arm just as Mike was able to worm away and kick Bonnie off of him.
He rushed past the aggressor, while Bonnie was left stunned, before Mike's foot caught on the desk leg and he came falling to the ground.
Bonnie, regaining his balance, had grabbed ahold of the curly phone cord and stretched it thin in his fists.
He loomed over Mike, trying to crawl away from this rabid rabbit, but he was too slow.
Bonnie got ahold of him again, and one loop around another, he had successfully tightened the phone cord around Mike's neck and pulled tightly, one foot on Mike's chest and both fuzzy hands gripping the cord.
Mike's face ran pale, then red, then blue, as his pathetic gasps for oxygen slowly started to lose strength.
As Mike gasped for air, all he could see was the silhouette of that fat fucking rabbit over him, blocking out his only light with two white pupils staring back at him. Then, there was no light at all.
are you scared, Will? (this work was copy and pasted from ao3)
What perturbs you? A lot of things. A slight creak, a sudden shift in the air, the feeling of being watched when you thought you were alone. Your hair standing on end, your blood running cold to the thought of a hidden monster that may or may not exist.
Yes William was all too familiar with paranoia. This was a tense moment, having to foreclose Fredbear's Diner and partner with Henry again. Sitting alone in his house, which was unlit besides the dining room to save on power, reading over his agreement contract in order to move all of Fredbear's assets over to Freddy's. It was a sickening feeling, a concoction of emotion he never had to consider before. He never had a genuine threat before.
Now that Will was thinking it over, why did he have to have the house so dark? It was unnerving.
Right, the contract. Focus.
Legal jargon, blah blah, you, sign name here, hereby agree to give over your assets from, sign establishment name here, over to, sign second establishment name here,
This was humiliating. He never thought he had to get to this point. He couldn't help but think about the argument with Henry that led him to this point, another day where humiliation hung in the air.
All he remembers is suggesting that Henry scrap the side project he was working on, since it was draining their funds. Henry accused him that he thought Henry was stupid. And some back and forth later, Henry left the office. And he didn't return to Fredbears for days afterwards. Almost unheard of for a whole week.
Then, suddenly, William was met with another contract on his desk. Printed and Signed by Henry himself, that he was leaving the Fredbears company.
Contracts. Everything had to be written and agreed upon. If there was no proof of agreement, who would believe who? The quiet recluse who toils away in the dark workshop? Or the family man that everyone trusts, the man whose name is so widely recognized that anyone would take his word for it?
You already know the answer.
William found himself staring into the dim kitchen from the dining room table, lost in thought. He pulled out of his trance with a few blinks, as if he was resetting his mind.
Right, where was he? Turning around, with his back to the darkness, he hunched over the paperwork. He needs to focus. Why can't he focus? There was something. Oh god, what was it?
Some kind of noise? Wait, wait.
Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap
It droned on. How had he not noticed this before?
It was insistent, a constant tapping sound that managed to fill the space in his mind. How long has this been going on?
William turned around again, fully facing into the kitchen. The tapping stopped as soon as he locked eyes with it.
There, on the floor a few feet away, was a yellow teddy bear. Purple tie and hat, button eyes, with careful hand stitching.
It was Cassidy's toy, resembling the very bear that killed him.
And William froze, his whole body filling with dread. He put that bear up in the attic. He couldn't stand looking at it, reminding him of the day that ruined his life.
Why? Why was it here?
God, you must be fucking losing it Bill.
William takes a moment to get out of his chair, trying to get over his fight or flight. It was just a bear, a toy bear. He walks into the kitchen, flipping on the light and scooping the stuffed animal off the ground.
Then it hit him, a chill snaking its way up his spine as soon as he made contact with the toy. A gust of wind, with a whispering voice too soft to hear, came from behind Will. He had no proof, but somehow he knew his son was here.
is this what you wanted…? (this work was copy and pasted from ao3)
You forget how the world used to look before your death, if you even remember death at all. As a specter, your vision is changed. Bound to a world that was once so familiar, now barely recognizable at all. For every ghost it's different, depending on who you were and how you died. Your vision of the world will never be the same as it once was.
Jeremy opened his eyes, and for once he wasn't met with void. He could see. And it felt real. And as little as he could see, it was better than nothing at all.
His body felt different. stiff, forced, mechanical. A little bunny muzzle sat in front of his face, barely seeing the outline of it and the shine of the plastic nose. Then his eyes gazed over to the scene in front of him, not even taking a moment to realize it was the dining room of Freddy Jrs, at least that's what shapes he could make out looked like. But what was weird is that it was from a different angle. One he's never noticed. Where…?
Jeremy looked down, the hardwood solid floor instead of the usual checkered tiling clued him in that he was on the stage where the performing animatronics stood. No wonder the dining room looked off, you're not supposed to be on stage. Then why was he? He then looked to his right, the swivel of his head feeling heavy just to move. Freddy and Chica were entering his vision as his neck clicked with registering each turn. Why was he here? What was wrong with him? He felt so stiff, and heavy, like his body wasn't his own. What happened to you, Jeremy?
Then it clicked. He wasn't Jeremy anymore, he was Bonnie.
Freddy and Chica were powered off, their heads tilted down towards the ground. Jeremy could tell it was after hours from how dark it was and the lack of screaming children. Was it just him? All alone stuck in a robot body for… forever?
Jingle jingle. Creeeeak.
A light shone through the dining room, coming from the entrance of the building that was opening up. Then, Bonnie could see someone walking in.
He couldn't make out the details, the face was just a black void. But he could see an outline of a person. A purple outline. Purple…..
Suddenly, he tensed up with rage. This had to be him. This had to be the owner of Jr’s. the one who killed him. Killed them all. Now he knew what he had to do to move on from this prison. He had to kill William Afton.
It’d be shocking to know, somehow, Freddy's is still open. The missing teens investigation led the law enforcement to the location, but with no bodies or security footage they couldn't prove anything against William.
William had taken the bodies out of the suits sometime after, and buried them deep in the woods. Some say the police were given a tip that one of the two restaurant owners might’ve been behind the incident, since evidence suggests that one of the Fredbears Family Diner suits have been used. Which one though wasn't able to be specified.
Henry was convicted, the police finding all the bodies of the teens buried just outside his house and the motive lining up made him the prime suspect.
Freddys was able to clear their name, and as soon as Henry was convicted the restaurant reopened better than ever. And cleaner too.
Life wasn't so good for Charlotte. Charlie had to stay with her only living relative, her grandmother. Even more unfortunate, she couldn't escape Hurricane Hills. She would go to Freddy's on the weekends, her grandmother would drop her off to play and come back at closing to pick her up.
It wasn't all bad, the other kids were nice sometimes. And she got free pizza. But sometimes it wasn't nice. Sometimes rumors spread. The daughter of a murderer, look how creepy Charlie is, she must get it from her dad, we don't want that freak playing with us.
In moments like these, when Charlie becomes outcasted from the group, she hangs around by the prize counter. While everyone gawked at the fat, fuzzy, friendly robots on stage, she would be with the one animatronic everyone found creepy. The Marionette. With its empty eyes, gaping grin, and snaking thin black body, he wasn't the pinnacle of a “child friendly” design, but the Marionette made Charlie feel safe when nobody else bothered to.
One day though, it was too much for Charlie. The teasing was so relentless, she couldn't even stay at the one place she felt safe. They wouldn't leave her alone unless she stayed outside the building, so outside she stayed. In the pouring rain, Charlie looked in from the window with salty tears in her eyes.
She wasn't a murderer. She knows her dad wouldn't do that, and now more than ever she wished he was here.
“Why, Charlie! What are you doing outside?” a proper voice spoke from behind her. One that was familiar, that she grew up with.
Wiping away her tears, she turned to face William
“The kids are teasing me again, Uncle Bill…” Charlie sniffled, her eyes rubbed raw and her cheeks puffy red.
“Again? Kids can be so cruel…” William took keys out of his pocket and gestured for Charlie to follow with a wave of his hand.
“Well, we can't have you out in the rain, can we? Follow me, I'll let you in through the back.”
go home, Bill. (this work was copy and pasted from ao3)
William set his flask in the passenger seat, throat burning from the liquor he just drank.
He was driving home from something terrible. Something sinister. Something he did.
As if you hadn't done enough Bill.
Once inside, the air was thick, a built up tension in an empty house. Nobody was left. That's it. It's just him, his restaurant, and his fleeting success. His perfect family washed down the gutter, the chessboard he's perfectly crafted had been flipped onto its backside with all the pieces on the floor.
It was all his fault. If he just did something. Anything. But no, he watched it all happen. He let it bite down. Henry let his child die.
Clearly, he was trying to sabotage you. He is jealous of your success, and wanted to take it all away.
William slumped down on the couch, his vision dizzy. It could be the alcohol, but this couch cradled him like nothing else ever could.
It's sickening. A burning feeling, unidentified solely as envy or jealousy. Maybe it was both. Oh how he admired Henry, oh how he despised Henry.
Well, if Henry is going to take everything he has, William would return the favor. Now she’s dead. And with Henry behind bars, he couldn't save her.
you can't save them. (this work was copy and pasted from ao3)
It was as if the world was shrouded in nothing but a cloak of shadow.
A void, cold, unpleasant, something easy to find yourself lost in.
He tried to open his eyes, but it felt as if they were sewn shut. Or sewn open? It was hard to tell.
Is this it? Is this….?
Reaching out with numb hands, he grabbed ahold of something so far in the distance that it was closer than you'd think.
It was hard to recognize. But seeing the object made his vision cloud with red, burning rage. It was soft, he felt the glossy plastic nose before stroking the furry muzzle with a swipe of his thumb. Then his fingers traced the eyeholes, and soon he recognized it as a mask. Why was it so familiar? He can't remember.
Then another mask revealed itself, while the one in his hands had a soft blue glow, this one shined pink. He picked it up, stacking it on top of the blue one he already had.
Then another, yellow, then another, red, and it was as if these masks had a purpose. He needed to find their owners.
He didn't have to walk, he didn't have to move at all. One by one, they all appeared. Grey, tears streaking down their faces, apparitions unlike the world he once knew. But they looked just like him. They looked just like his friends.
He gave the red mask to Jeremy, a bunny.
He gave the pink mask to Susie, a chicken.
He gave the yellow mask to Michael, a fox.
One by one the ghosts put on the masks, fading away as soon as they made contact with their faces.
Gabriel felt no fear, for he knew wherever they go must be better than this.
You are invited. (this work was copy and pasted from ao3)
The checkered tile floors look so much eerier in the dark. The stage was empty, all the animatronics were moved into the back room for repairs. The front door was left unlocked for Michael to go inside, but it didn't feel welcoming.
All the lights were turned off, as they did at nighttime to conserve power. Except for one light coming from the back stage, just under the door, shimmering an ominous red.
As Michael inched closer, he noticed the floor was wet with an opaque liquid. He couldn't tell if it was red from the lighting, or blood, but something in his gut said it was the latter. The blood led a trail from where he stood right into the back stage area.
“Dad?” Michael croaked out, his throat dry from fear.
Of course, there was no response.
He needed to save his friends. He had to. What would Gabriel do? Press further.
Michael had his hand on the knob, gathering his nerves to turn it and open the door.
Inside was a sight to behold. His friends were certainly inside the room, all lined up for him to see inside of the animatronic suits. Susie's head was propped on the neck of Chica's torso, with the chicken's head on the ground beside her. Her mouth was gaping open, a rotting corpse strung up like a sickening decoration for Michael to see. The others weren't much different, with Gabriel in a similar position inside of Freddy, except his insides were barely held inside the fur suit and spilled out onto the floor, Jeremy's head wasn't seen on the outside of Bonnie but it was to be assumed he was crammed inside the torso all the same from the amount of blood.
Then there was Foxy, oh Foxy, he was empty. His torso wide open, the springlock mechanisms pushed aside like an inviting coffin.
Michael knew what this was now. This was exactly what he deserved. This was meant all for him, for his horrible deeds.
He felt sick to his stomach, backing away from the room as if escaping could change any of this. But atonement waits for no one.
Something grabbed Michael's arm, Bonzie Bunny loomed over Michael with that classic goofy grin, only more sinister. He knew who was behind that mask. He knew what was going to happen to him.
“Dad- dad- NO! Please I'm sorry-” Michael begged as his father dragged him into the back stage area by his wrist.
“I’m so sorry please dad- I’m so sorry. Please. Let me go please-” he kicked, but not with all his might. Truth is, a part of him knew this is what must happen. If he escaped, what was there to go back to?
Michael was shoved inside of Foxy's springlock mechanisms, clamped in tightly. One wrong move and they would go off and snap him like a bear trap.
William removed the head of his suit, looking dead into Michael's eyes through the Foxy mask with hardly any feeling at all.
“You ruined it.” William spoke, factually and cold.
“My perfect life. What anyone strives for. You ruined it all Michael. You and your..”
He gestured to the other animatronics
“Delinquent friends.”
Michael didn't speak. He didn't dare breathe an inch too much.
“I always knew you were an embarrassment. Your mother didn't have the heart to tell you, but there's no point in hiding it now.”
William stood up, placing the Bonzie head over his own once more. The cold, animated eyes of a cartoon looked down at Michael.
“You can live with your friends forever now, Mike. I hope you all rot in hell together.”
William swiftly punched the torso of the Foxy animatronic, tripping the springlock mechanics inside and tearing Michael to shreds. Through the blood and tears in his eyes, he can see his father leave the room, locking the door behind him.
16 year old Michael Afton had been reported missing June 14th
its almost sweet, really. (this work was copy and pasted from ao3)
“We have to close this place down, Henry.” William wasn't too thrilled to say that. Everything they worked for, gone in an instant moment.
“Parents are concerned for their children's safety. I've managed to let it be known that it was only the springlocks fault, but keeping Fredbears open is a drain to our assets." He looked at his business partner with a pain in his eyes, something almost alien coming from a man who usually had a grin on his face.
Henry nodded solemnly, turning away. “I agree. We can move everything here into the storage area of Jr’s. I’d be happy to call you my co-owner again Bill.”
The corners of Williams mouth upturned, just ever so slightly.
“You’re the only one who ever calls me Bill, you know.” William chuckled, a light tone he's willing to chase.
“I heard your wife call you Bill.” Henry shrugged, pulling a cigar out of his pocket and lighting it. “At least once”
“Yeah well, she doesn't say it like you do. Like a composed old man. Elanor usually says Bill when she's mad at me.”
“Maybe it's quicker to say when you're angry.” Henry coughed out a snicker, the room filling with the smell of burning tobacco.
“I suppose. You usually don't think when you're angry. Anything that gets the job done effectively.”
you got mail! (this work was copy and pasted from ao3)
Michael came home late to find nobody inside. Ever since the bite, it's just been him and his dad since his mom had divorced William. It wasn’t a pleasant experience. He always stayed over at Gabe or Jeremy's house to avoid his fathers cold gaze, but now that all his friends have gone missing he can't have that luxury of escapism anymore.
Coming home to nobody was expected. William worked late, very late into the night even when Henry had already gone home. But this time it felt… different. Like the house was empty, but he wasn't truly alone.
Michael found a note on the kitchen table as he walked into the dining room, addressed to him in his fathers neat handwriting.
Michael, come to Freddy Jr’s. I know where your friends are.
This note made Mike's stomach churn. A sitting, sinking feeling of tar in his bones. But he went. He did not walk, but ran to the very place he was so sure was imminent danger. Just an inkling of hope, something anything to get his friends back. They weren't good kids, hell all of them were bad kids, but they tried. All they had was each other.
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