DISCLAIMER: I do not own Five Nights at Freddy's or any of its characters.

ABSOLUTION

CHAPTER EIGHT-EPILOGUE

Now that he had the rest of the day-and week-off since he was fired, Mike could do what he wanted. Unfortunately, he had no idea what that was. Working at Freddy Fazbear's over the past couple of days had given him purpose, even if it scared the daylights out of him. He enjoyed feeling as though he was actually making amends for his misdeeds...making amends; that's what he needed to do.

Driving around absent-mindedly, Mike quickly made a U-turn so that he could head to the one place that he knew he needed to be right now. It was a short, maybe twenty minute, drive in silence as Mike made his way to his destination. Pulling up to the gates of the cemetery, Mike pushed aside his feelings of guilt and sadness that threatened to overwhelm him. He had good news to share today. There was no room for those other, negative emotions.

Mike drove through the winding cemetery roads for a moment or two before pulling over to the side of the road in front of a big oak tree. Getting out of his car, Mike shoved his hands into his jeans pockets before walking over to the lone grave near the tree. He stood before the tiny gravestone, unsure of what to say.

Your brother is kind of a baby, isn't he?

It's hilarious

Why don't we help him get a closer look! He will love it!

No please!

Come on guys, let's give this little man a lift. He wants to get up close and personal!

No! I don't want to go!

You heard the little man! He wants to get even closer ! Ha ha ha!

Hey guys, I think the little man said he wants to give Fredbear a big kiss!

ON THREE! One...two...

Mike shook his head, pushing that terrible memory back to the deep, dark recesses of his mind, where it belonged. He let out a slow breath, still trying to find the words to say in this situation.

"Hey, little bro," Mike began to say.

He squatted down and pulled away some of the overgrown grass and weeds from in front of the epitaph. Mike's eyes connected with the words inscribed on the stone as he did so: Lukas Schmidt, 1980-1987. Seeing the proof of his brother's death never ceased to send a chill down his spine at Mach 1 speeds.

"I got good news, kiddo," Mike said, sitting down on the ground next to the gravestone.

He had been spending too much time with Olivia; her nicknames were rubbing off on him. Well, at least he didn't need to worry about picking up any more of her mannerisms or habits since he was going to be spending any more time at Freddy Fazbear's.

"Well, I finally did it," Mike continued. "Just like I promised you, little man. I promised that I would never let Freddy or any of the other animatronics hurt you or anyone else again. And I finally did it."

A gentle breeze rushed over Mike. He smiled to himself, feeling like it was his brother reaching out to him from the great beyond.

"I know I've told you this before but, again, I'm so sorry for what happened at your birthday party," Mike said. "And I want to say it again because I get it now. I understand how scary and utterly terrifying it was to be tortured by Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and Foxy. I can only imagine how terrible it was for you at only seven years old to have me doing stupid shit to you, like putting on that Foxy mask and jumpscaring you. I mean, I was ready to climb under the desk and cry for mom when Foxy, Bonnie, Chica and Freddy were hanging outside my office door like a couple of creepers. Man, did I look like a big baby!"

Mike quietly chuckled to himself. He could imagine his younger brother laughing with him at that one.

"Again, I am just so, so sorry, little man, for what I did to you. I'm done blaming my so-called friends for egging on because I could have told them at any time to stop, but I didn't," Mike said, looking down at the grass he was pulling, ashamed. "But I kept my promise and fixed everything. I just hope that you can forgive me one day. That will help me to forgive myself someday."

Mike stood up from the ground, dusting the stray pieces of grass from his pants. He looked down at the gravestone. It may not have been the best way to remedy the situation, but, then again, he really couldn't do anything about his brother's death. It was a good first step in making sure that no other child or family suffered the way he and his brother did as a result of the Bite of '87. It was Mike's way of making peace with his guilt and also honoring his brother's memory by preventing future tragedies. It was a good start to gaining absolution, and he would get to that point, little by little, no matter how long it took.

THE END...or is it?