A/N: Yes, my very patient and longsuffering readers: after nearly eight full months, the final chapter is here at last! Remember how I said that the last chapter was the longest chapter I'd ever written? Well, this one surpassed it. In fact, I was tempted at one point to break it up into smaller chapters, but I decided against it since I was tired of delaying the ending of the story (not to mention the last time I did that some readers skipped straight to the end and completely bypassed the some of the new content). It's been so long since my last update that I'm a little nervous as to how well this story-closer pans out, but it's been way too long so I figured I should just stop being such a perfectionist and just put it up already!

But anyway, enough rambling for now. I really hope you enjoy it, and I'll see you at the end for my final thoughts.


WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2017, 9:01 AM

"The number you have reached is no longer in service."


The sun was beating down mercilessly, making the atmosphere exceedingly hot as the five Phillips stepped out of the car. Olivia came within inches of stepping in a puddle of mud left by the previous day's heavy rain, which would have spelled doom for her brand new floral dress, though Emma stopped her in time. Kendall and Josh got out the other side, both dressed in brand new dress shirts and khakis. Richard had on a fine linen dress suit from work and Emma's bright yellow dress was bright and freshly ironed. After she helped Olivia smooth out her wrinkles, the family made their way into the park.

The memorial service had been announced almost a week after the night Freddy Fazbear's Pizza World burned to the ground. At first, the Wildes wished to pursue the investigation longer, but while combing through the remains, police discovered the remains of a body, burned beyond recognition. The dental records confirmed that it was indeed Cameron Wilde. After a heartbreaking few nights for the now-childless couple, they decided to hold a memorial service in the park, one of his favorite places to visit. They also decided almost immediately that they wanted it to be an actual memorial service without the body since nobody could stand to look at it for more than a few seconds without becoming physically ill and mentally anguished. It would be better for everyone if they could remember Cameron as he was.

As the Phillips made their way through the rather small crowd of family members and relatives of the deceased, they spotted the suffering couple standing near a large table near the gazebo at the heart of the park. Mr. Wilde was dressed in a black suit and tie, not as nice as Richard's, but fine-pressed nonetheless. Mrs. Wilde was dressed in a white dress that fell to her ankles. To the uninformed eye, Kendall reckoned, it might have appeared to be a wedding, but it wasn't. A wedding would have been a much happier alternative to what they were here for today.

The Wildes were busy speaking with a preacher, who was clearly comforting them as they no doubt poured their hearts out to him. When the Phillips approached, they turned and Mrs. Wilde instantly ran over to them.

"Thank you for coming," she said as she and Emma embraced in a hug. "It's been so hard for us."

"It's not a problem, Rachel," said Emma, patting her friend's back gently. "We're here for you."

Mrs. Wilde nodded, wiping a tear from her eye. Between her and her husband, she was obviously crying more.

The preacher cleared his throat. "We'll be starting the service in just a few minutes, if you'd like to find your seats."

They walked over to a set of five seats in the front row and sat down. The chairs were metal but with cushioned seats for comfort.

"These feel nice," said Olivia, feeling the fabric. "They feel like my old car seat!"

"The one with the special lock on it?" said Kendall as he recalled the few that she'd had in her earlier years.

"Yeah, the one with the fuzzy stuff on it. The one where Josh always said I look like a big potato stuffed in a drying thingy."

Out of habit, Richard gave his eldest son a warning glance to discourage any snide remark, but Josh remained completely silent and dead-eyed as he stared ahead blankly as he had done for countless hours over the last few weeks. Still suspicious but appeased for the moment, Richard turned away.

Josh turned his head slightly toward his father. He knew he was being watched closely, but he didn't really care anymore. In fact, in light of everything that he and his siblings had witnessed that night, he'd completely forgotten about the fact that he'd still have to deal with whatever trouble came about from taking his dad's car without permission and driving it without a valid license. Upon being questioned by the police, Josh simply reiterated that he was certain that the missing boy was being held inside the building somewhere. Despite his parents' skepticism, that was the truth. He had no reason to lie about it, even if he wasn't likely to be believed.

Since he was one of the witnesses to the horrific events on the day of the disappearance, they chalked it up acting rashly on account of PTSD and let him off with a warning, insisting that he attended some form of counseling. Richard, on the other hand, remained none too pleased about his son risking both his and siblings' safety with such a dangerous stunt and grounded him for two months, which included no phone. Emma seemed slightly more understanding of Josh's feelings, but ultimately agreed with the punishment. However, it all made little difference to Josh, whose mind still flashed every day and night with what he'd seen. It wasn't so much the creature that had haunted his dreams, it was his former boss wielding that deadly knife so close to his little sister's face.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" called the preacher in a loud voice, nearly causing Josh to fall out of his chair as he was pulled from his deep thoughts. "If you would be so kind as to find your seats."

The murmuring that was going on quieted down as the attendees moved over to their seats. Within moments, the park was hushed and the preacher stood alone at the front of the crowd.

"My friends, we are gathered here on this fine day to grieve a terrible loss in this family and commemorate a fine young man taken from this world before his time."

There were noises of whimpering and nose-blowing around them.

"But grieve not, my dear friends, for remember there is a time for everything under heaven: a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance…"

He continued listing the other parts of the verse, and as he spoke in a comforting yet rehearsed voice, Kendall couldn't help but wonder how much of the weight of the tragedy the man actually felt.

These preachers always say the same things. Do any of them have any experience with losing a child or is this just part of a routine?

In answer to that question, the preacher then began telling a story of dear friend of his who'd lost a loved on. As he gave the details, his voice grew more somber and his eyebrows sank a little on his forehead. After making his way through the grim parts, his optimism returned and he began talking about how Cameron should not be denied the same empathy and should always be remembered as he was, the boy who was curious about everthing and wanted nothing more than friends in the world.

Olivia couldn't hold back the tears anymore. She missed Cameron desperately. She'd tried telling their mother about the creature, that Cameron was trapped inside, but nobody believed her, even though Kendall and Josh did confirm. Nobody understood. Even Emma, who listened to her openly, didn't see how Cameron could have been inside any of the machines since they weren't big enough to hide in. Despite her attempts to comfort her distraught daughter, she didn't even realize what had really happened. Even though her brothers saw what she'd seen, Olivia hoped that Mom and Dad, or even any adult, would be able to provide comfort, to reassure her that everything was okay. But it didn't happen. For the first time in her young life, nobody believed her…except her brothers, who were both as shaken up and quiet as she'd been and unable to do much to help her. As far as help was concerned…at least the help that she was used to…she was alone in the world. Although she'd been told countless times that there was nothing she could have done, she still felt like she'd let Cameron down, and now she would never get to see him again.

A rustling came from the nearby bushes. She turned and caught a glimpse of a boy, a little older than her, moving past where she and her family were sitting. She tried to follow his path with her gaze, but she lost sight of him. She turned to look at her family, all of whom were focused intently on the preacher. Given that she was sitting closest to the outer edge of the seats, she could probably slip out without anyone noticing. Waiting another moment to make sure nobody was looking, she silently got out of her seat and scurried away in the direction of the boy, keeping her head low to minimize her visibility, just like at home when she snuck a cookie from the dessert jar for her mid-afternoon snack.

As she moved, she found herself near the rear of the rows of chairs. She looked around. There was no sight of anyone nearby. With how large the park was, there wasn't really anywhere to hide without being noticed, at least if hiding wasn't one's intention.

She sighed and slumped against a tree. Maybe there was no one there at all. Maybe her desire to see Cameron again was getting the better of her and she was seeing things everywhere. It was happening a lot, mainly in her dreams. She saw Cameron everywhere, only for it to be proven false. Was she going to go mad, like those bad guys from the restaurant? She shuddered at the thought.

She was about to go back when she was suddenly disturbed by tapping on her shoulder.

"Hey, are you okay?" a calm voice asked.

Sniffling, she turned around. Standing there, leaning against the tree and dressed in a simple white shirt and black pants, was the young boy she'd seen from before. He stood about three inches taller than her. His eyes were emerald green and his hair was brown and curt with a few noticeable curls to it.

"I…no, I'm not," she said as she gave another look back at the sad scene before them. "Aren't you supposed to be sitting down?"

"You're not," he said.

Olivia was taken aback. That sounded like something one of her parents would say.

"Sorry, but…I saw you walking, and…everyone else is sitting."

"So I see. I wasn't invited to this; I just wanted to see what was going on." He took a look around. "What is going on?"

"My friend died," said Olivia as she once again fought back tears.

"What did she say?" came a second voice. She jumped and looked back. There was now a second boy, dressed in black shirt and pants.

"She said her friend died," said the first boy.

"Oh, really?" said the second boy. "What was his name?"

"Cameron," said Olivia. "He was my best friend."

"How did he die?" asked the first boy, sounding genuinely concerned but with an odd look in his eye.

"Some bad people took him," said Olivia sadly. She still couldn't forget that moment when she and her brothers saw Camreon's frail body being pulled away by the creature, his eyes leaking something blacker than the paint on her bike.

"That's too bad," said the second boy, who looked sad as well but also a bit angry. "Did they catch the people that took him?"

"They died, too."

The second boy breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good." The first boy gave him a frustrated look. "I mean, it's good that they didn't get away with it! I can't stand it when people like that don't ever get caught!"

"Who never gets caught?" came a third voice.

Another boy emerged from behind the tree. He had a rounded face and hair so blond it almost looked like it was glowing white. His eyes were bright blue and his smile was slightly crooked. As soon as Olivia saw him, she almost broke down and cried because of how much he reminded her of Cameron. He took notice of her reaction and his expression changed from curiosity to guilt.

"Sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to butt in like that."

"It's okay," she said. She looked around at the trio of boys, taking in their unfamiliar features. "Who are you? I never saw you guys before."

"We're not from around here," said the first boy. "We're just visiting."

"Where are you from?"

"Well, we used to live around here," he said, "but then we moved somewhere else…somewhere pretty far away."

"How far away?" asked Olivia. She hadn't really been her usual curious self for the last few weeks, but there was something comforting about talking to these boys. It reminded her of some of her more recent conversations.

"Farther than you can imagine," said the boy. He looked back up at the crowd. "There's a lot of people here. Was he popular?"

"No," said Olivia. "That's his family. He didn't really get out that much."

"Are those his parents?" the boy asked, pointing at the front row where Mr. and Mrs. Wilde were sitting, trying their best to keep their composure as the preacher continued on about remembering the good times.

"Yes," said Olivia.

"Look at them. They're nice people," said the third boy, who started to tear up. "I really hope they'll be okay."

"Yeah. Maybe you should go tell them? That might make them feel better!" suggested Olivia.

"I really wish I could," said the boy sadly, "but I don't think that's a good idea. They're hurting enough as it is. I don't want to make things worse by reminding them. They just need time."

Olivia wanted to say something but was interrupted by the second boy.

"What about the others? Did the kidnappers take anyone else?"

"Yeah. There was this…thing…that took two other boys. Andrew and Jake."

The eyes of the first and second boys lit up in curiosity, though the third boy was once again focused on the service.

"What were they like? The other boys?" the second boy asked.

"One of them was a bit angry and shouted a lot. The other one tried to calm me down. They were both inside the thing, but they aren't anymore."

"What happened?" asked the first boy.

"My brother says they moved on," said Olivia. "I don't really know what that means."

"I think I do," said the boy. "My mother used to say that people that don't just disappear when they die. Their soul goes somewhere else."

"Like heaven?" asked Olivia.

"Sometimes," said the boy. "It depends on how they lived their life."

"Mine said that karma always gets the last laugh," said the second boy, "like if people do good things, good things happen to them, but if they bad things, like going around kidnapping people, they have bad stuff happen to them in return. It always happens."

The third boy looked back from the service. "My mother always talked about how people show what they think with what they say and do. She says emotions are a powerful thing that can build up and tear down, especially when people are desperate and really care about someone. That's when they can 'tap into a power' they never imagined, one that can push people beyond what they can normally do."

"Really?"

The boy nodded and gave a small smile, one of mixed sadness and joy. "I actually found out how true that is just recently. I understand what she means now."

Olivia watched the boy's face as his smile grew wider. She found herself wanting to cry again as his resemblance to Cameron grew more noticeable, but she fought the urge. She decided she didn't want to be sad anymore, especially since these boys were trying so hard to make her feel better.

"Thanks," she said. "Maybe you can make my brothers feel better. They've been really sad, too."

The first boy cleared his throat. "That alright. We actually should be going now, anyway. I mean, we were just passing by."

"Already?" Olivia said in a pouting voice. She was quickly growing fond of these boys. "But what about my brothers?"

"I think they'll be fine," said the third boy.

"But they've been really sad, like me!"

"Well, I don't think they need any help from us," said the boy. "I think they just need their little sister to talk to them and be there for them. After all, that's what family is all about, right?"

She thought about it for a moment. Mom does say that a lot. Maybe he's right.

"Go on," said the boy. "Go be with your family, and tell your brothers not to worry. Everything will be alright."

She turned and looked back at were her family was sitting quietly, listening to the preacher continue his sermon of comfort. Judging by the lack of movement and fidgeting, it looked like no one even noticed that she had left. She turned back to the boys, but they were already walking away. The third boy stopped and gave her one last look. He smiled at her and waved. She giggled, once again reminded of Cameron whenever he was waving to her at the end of the day. She smiled and waved back. With a small wink, he turned and continued walking away.

She quietly made her way back to her seat, tiptoeing to make sure she wasn't discovered and scolded for wandering around. She finally reached her family and slipped back into her seat, hoping that no one noticed. The only had to turn was Kendall's who was sitting next to her.

"What happened?" he asked quietly, noticing a strange look on her face.

"I talked to some boys," she whispered back. "Over there."

She pointed in the direction she had just come from. He followed her gesture and looked back, still as confused as ever.

"Who were they?"

She tried to remember their names, only to realize she'd never been told.

"I don't know. They were just visiting, but I told them about Cameron…and Jake and Andrew…and they seemed really interested!"

Kendall watched his sister's face light up in excitement as she spoke. He hadn't seen her this excited or happy about anything since before the incidents. Granted, all three of them had been rather gloomy. As she continued to give descriptions of the boys' appearances and speech, he listened quietly, not knowing what to make of anything that was being said. Part of him felt inclined to brush it off as her childhood spontaneity deciding to not be miserable of shell-shocked anymore and wanting to move on, but deep down, he knew that wasn't true. Between her admiration of Cameron and the haunting visions they all had been dealing with, even she wouldn't do that. There was something else about her newfound joy, and it was already beginning to feel contagious.

"And then they told me to tell you not to worry," she finished. "I don't know what that means, but they said that everything was going to be alright."

Kendall's skepticism had so many questions about everything he'd just been told. Who were these boys, and why were they certain beyond all doubt that everything was going to be fine with him and his siblings? They weren't there, they never saw any of those nightmarish things that had given him dreams ever since. With anger rising, he felt the desire to find one of these boys and give him and piece of his mind for having the erve to presume anything about the lives of him and his brother and sister. He looked around, trying to find anybody who even remotely matched the vague descriptions Olivia had given. Maybe they were still in the area somewhere.

"What are you looking for?" Olivia asked.

Kendall sighed. They weren't there. They were probably long gone by now.

"Nothing," he said glumly. The two turned their attention back to the service ahead of them, just letting everything that had happened sink in.

After Mr. Wilde sat down, a few other relatives stepped up to offer some words, noting Cameron's playful antics and zest for life. It was typical for the occasion as family memories were brought back to light.

Josh's mind was in a dense fog. He had been barely concentrating on the what was being said as he continued fighting back the visions of Rebecca's wild eyes and psychotic smile, Derek's twitching body, and the creature that had been stalkng him and his siblings lying motionless in the burning rubble, its eyes flickering out as a white wisp rose from it. While he'd been trying to keep his mind clear of those visions, he kept thinking back to the creature's final moments in the rubble. While his mind had mostly been occupied more on his former bosses and their scheme, he also couldn't help but think back to Chris, the man whom he'd been led to believe was the culprit behind everything that was going on only to be proven dead wrong. Granted, he had been given a realistic reason to be suspicious of Chris, given the franchises's past and Rebecca's convincing tone, but still, the mere thought of being such a pawn of hers filled Josh with shame. It wasn't right that people who were doing the right thing had to die for it, and it wasn't fair. He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost didn't hear the preacher.

"Now, would anyone else care to say any words?"

Josh turned and looked at who was seated around him. By this point, it looked like everyone else who had been willing to step up already had. He turned to look at his siblings, who were still as shell-shocked and soft-spoken as ever, though Olivia seemed strangely hopeful in her face. He gave one last glance at the Wildes, who were still sitting in their chairs solemnly. Ordinarily, Josh wouldn't have been able to provide a grieving couple with anything other than light sympathy given his lack of experience in losing a child, but as he thought back to those fleeting yet heartwarming moments Cameron and Olivia had shared, which had been ended so abruptly by a wicked scheme, he knew what he had to do.

He raised a hand. "I'd like so say something."

All heads turned to him, including his parents'. Without looking at them, he could tell that they were surprised, but he didn't care. Without even giving anything a second thought, he found his legs already carrying him up to the front. As he stepped up and turned to face the group of people, his nerves began to rise. He'd always hated public speaking. No matter how many times he'd practice what he wanted to say, the actual event always made his knees feel like they would collapse under him. He began to wonder what had come over him to want to do this all of a sudden.

"Well, I've, uh…never spoken at a memorial service before, but…" He paused and looked at his family, who was watching him silently, waiting for his next words. Deciding he didn't want to watch them watching him, he turned to another spot on the crowd, and immediately noticed another familiar face. It was Susan. She was sitting about halfway down the row of chairs on the other side in a mostly-empty row. She was wearing a bright yellow dress and her hair, glowing in the sun, was braided behind her back. She smiled at him, and he felt his nerves slip away, his mission once again becoming clear.

"...but, I feel I need to say something about Cameron and what he meant to my family. Even though we'd only known him for about a week, he ended up being a major part of our lives, and he meant a lot to my little sister, Olivia."

He gave a quick glance to Olivia, who was watching him silently with a smile on her face.

"I'll admit, I made fun of their friendship at first. I mean, it was just so cute that I couldn't resist, but then…everything changed. I'm not just talking about that fact that he was, well…you know. I mean, something about his relationship with us…with me…took a turn. Up until now, nothing like this had ever happened to anyone I knew, but now that it has, it's made me realize something important."

This was the tricky part. As much as he felt the need to release any part of the burden on his chest, he didn't want to go into too much detail about what really went on behind closed doors. There was so much false news going around about what really happened, and despite Josh and the others giving their reports, there was simply not enough evidence to support the fact that Rebecca Swift and Derek Brody were behind the abduction and that Chris Everett was the one trying to stop them. Sam Emily knew, and Detective Samson had an inkling of being convinced, but it wasn't enough. The town…and by extension, the world…simply couldn't accept anything beyond speculation. Josh wanted to express his feelings about Cameron and the impact the young man had on him, but he didn't want to turn everyone against him and each other by digging into the controversies. While he could have cared less about it before, his newly-found respect for the grieving people before him told him this wasn't the time. They didn't need any in-depth details, they just needed an honest yet comforting remembrance.

"It made me realize just how powerful relationships are. I know some of my friends back home would kill me for saying this, but I don't think we ever had the type of strong bond that Cameron had with us, especially my sister." He paused, remembering the moment when the creature, led by Cameron, saved Olivia from Rebecca's grasp. It was an unforgettable moment that words couldn't describe.

"And so," he continued, "even though I don't know whether or not he can hear me, I wanted to say a thank you to him for being there for my sister, and for me. Even in our short time together as neighbors, I really learned a lot from him, and what it's like to be disadvantaged and made fun of but never let it get to him. He was a brave young man who cared a lot about people in a very unique way that I'd never seen before, and even though his life was cut so short, I hope that he's at peace now."

He stopped, feeling a bit awkward in the silence. It was far from the most spectacular speech. In fact, he reckoned it was probably one of the worst speeches in eulogy history, but his burden had been lifted. He had stated want he needed to.

Scanning the crowd, he saw his parents watching him. His mother was beaming at him while his father had a much more subtle look of joy on his face. His siblings were watching him closely, hanging on his every word. He turned and saw the Wildes, who were sitting silently. A lump formed in his throat as he began to imagine all of the ways he could've potentially insulted their son's memory, but Mrs. Wilde smiled at him and he relaxed. It didn't matter how anyone else felt; if the Wildes were satisfied, he'd done his job.

"Thank you," he said softly and returned to his seat, keeping his gaze more fixated on the ground to avoid unwanted gazes. He sat down silently as the preacher began a final speech reminding everyone what the Bible said about those who pass on. Emma placed a hand on her son's shoulder and nodded at him, and he nodded back.

Soon, the service was over and people began to disperse into groups to talk to one another, including his parents. A few people passed by Josh and thanked him for his speech, and he acknowledged them, but his mind was already traveling elsewhere. He looked around for Susan, trying to find her and talk to her since it had been over two weeks since they had, but he didn't see her anywhere. He wondered if she had to leave early, or if she'd disliked his speech.

She wouldn't, would she?

However, as he looked around, he noticed a man walking across the street and into the funeral home nearby. The man turned around briefly to check something, lost in thought with his hands buried in his pockets. When he found what he was looking for, he nodded and turned to go inside.

It was the man who'd saved him and his siblings from the fire that night. It was Sam.

Josh wondered what Sam could possibly be doing here at a time like this, but then remembered how he'd asked them about Chris. They knew each other. At once, all questions Josh had wanted to ask that night but had gone forgotten since then resurfaced. He felt drawn to get answers. Turning to where his mother and father stood, deep in conversation with one of Cameron's relatives, he knew he had the time and began walking over to the funeral home.

Meanwhile, Olivia had brought Kendall over to the spot where she'd spoken with the three mysterious boys. Of course, the spot was empty now. It was as if no one had even been there.

"They were here," she said.

"And they said what, again?" he said.

"We talked about Cameron and the others and they said not to worry about them anymore."

"How do they know that?"

Olivia shrugged. She had questions, too, but was content to accept what they said about Cameron. It gave her hope.

"Did they say where they went?" asked Kendall.

"No, they said they were just visiting and had to go home."

"And they never told you their names? Where they were from? Anything?"

"They said they're from far away, but I don't know where."

Kendall shook his head. Olivia, in typical fashion, was probably looking for any possible way to overcome her grief and nightmares, even if it meant taking someone whom she'd never met at their word. Still, he envied her cheerful optimism and wished he could someday move on from the tragedy as well as she was.

"Well, they're gone now. Come on, let's go back."

They rejoined the gathering, taking care to make sure their brief absence was unnoticed, given their parents' stricter eyes on their whereabouts. Olivia saw Emma and Richard, who were still talking with Cameron's relatives, and ran over to join them. Kendall, however, stood by himself, relishing in the solitude once again. Although he still didn't think much of Olivia's little encounter, there was something else nagging at him, growing stronger by the minute ever since the eulogy concluded.

"It made me realize just how powerful relationships are."

With his brother's words echoing in his mind, Kendall thought back to the moment when he'd unknowingly insulted Cameron. It was a brief moment when he'd grown tired of his sister's games, only to callously remark that anyone who liked playing with his sister was as lame as her games. Kendall still remembered his face when he'd said it, and with the intense visions of the cloaked creature and insane scientists finally showing signs of ebbing away, the full memory of that pivotal moment came rushing back. Despite the insult, Cameron had still saved Olivia, and by extension him and Josh, in that burning hallway. While nothing could change everything that had already happened, Kendall knew that there was one thing he could do.

After a few minutes of searching, he located Mr. and Mrs. Wilde standing near the table with pictures of the happy family scattered all over. They were finishing a conversation when he approached.

"H-hello," he said nervously.

"Ah, Kendall. How've you been?" said Mr. Wilde. "I understand you and your siblings had a rough night a few weeks ago."

"I'm doing okay," said Kendall half-truthfully. "How are you?"

The Wildes looked at each other.

"Well, we've certainly been better…a lot better," said Mr. Wilde miserably. "It's been absolutely soul-crushing to accept that our boy is…gone." He chose his words carefuly as he noticed tears beginning to spring up once more in his wife's eyes. "But, there's nothing more we can do other than remember him, keep a special place for him in our hearts."*

"He'd have that place in our hearts even if we didn't want it," said Mrs. Wilde.

"Of course," agreed her husband. "So what can we do for you, Kendall?"

"Well…I want to apologize." He'd rehearsed a better, less awkward way of saying it in his head, but the words came out before he could stop them.

"What for, Kendall?" said Mrs. Wilde, bewildered.

Well, on the day that Cameron…you know, disappeared…I kind of said something I shouldn't have."

The Wildes watched him without saying anything. He hated that center-of-attention look.

"We were playing a game with my sister, and I was getting really bored, and I said that I felt bad for the 'sucker' who actually liked playing with her, and…well, Cameron did."

The look on the Wilde parents' faces didn't change as they waited for him to continue.

"It was a stupid thing to say. I knew it then, too, but I never got the chance to apologize for it, and I can't now, so I wanted to tell you, instead."

"Well, we appreciate it, Kendall," said Mr. Wilde. "And don't worry. I'm sure if Cameron were here, he would, too."

"Of course, he would," said Mrs. Wilde. "He loved your family."

"He never was one to hold a grudge," said Mr. Wilde, breaking into a smile. "In fact, there was one particular time that one of the kids at school had been getting into trouble a lot. I forget the kid's name, was it Larry?"

"Liam, I think," said Mrs. Wilde.

The parents then proceeded to tell the story of this bully who'd begun picking on Cameron and even using physical violence, but Cameron had never fought back. It sounded like a classic "do the right thing" tale, but both of them were going into so much detail that Kendall couldn't help but lose interest after already knowing the moral of the story. Not wanting to interrupt, he started looking around while waiting for the Wildes to finish.

And then, he caught a glimpse of a boy standing near one of the tables, carefully watching the three of them as Mr. Wilde continued to talk, even cracking a smile at one of the small jokes made. After a few moments of study, there was something else that stuck out. Despite the vibrant glow of joy and peace emanating from him, the boy's freckled face looked eerily familiar. In fact, his body posture, while straighter, looked familiar, too. Without giving it a second thought, Kendall's right hand grasped at the empty air for an imaginary cane as he struggled to complete the image in his mind.

As Mr. Wilde rambled on, the boy turned his head and looked straight at Kendall, who froze. There was something about the eyes that were striking, and emotions began to flood over him: bewilderment…and hope.

After only a few seconds of staring (though it seemed much longer to Kendall), the boy smiled and waved with a wink, his freckled face lighting up even more. Kendall shook his head and blinked, certain that he was seeing something weird due to the heat, but when he looked back, the boy had turned and disappeared behind a crowd of attendees. Kendall scanned the crowd and caught a brief glimpse of the boy's shirt passing between some of the guests, but then there was nothing. Kendall tried to follow the boy's path with his eyes, but he'd completely gone.

"What's wrong?" asked Olivia. Kendall jumped in shock at her sudden presence and turned to her. She was giving him that look she always did when she knew that he was thinking about something deep. Normally, he'd jump at the chance to start telling her his theories about the subject of his thoughts, which she would immediately begin to disregard as being too complex for her young brain, but this time, he had no answer.

"Nothing," said Kendall. "I just…I'm fine."

"But anyway, I appreciate the kind words, Kendall," said Mr. Wilde as he reached down to ruffle his hair. "And I know Cameron would have appreciated them, too. Now, I really want to thank your brother for his words. Did you see where he ran off to?"

Kendall and Olivia turned to where Josh had been standing moments before, but to their shock, he was now gone. They looked around for any sight of him, but they couldn't see him anywhere. Where had he gone?


The front lobby of the funeral home immediately gave off a refreshing scent of air-conditioned rose perfume. It was mostly empty except for a few people standing near one of the windows, dressed in sharp suits and deep in conversation about their booming businesses. In a sense, there was an atmosphere of disinterest and indifference to the scene. It reminded Josh of the day he first set foot in Freddy's for his interview.

A woman in a blue pantsuit noticed him. "May I help you?"

"I'm looking for a friend. A man named Sam Emily."

The woman's face dropped. "Down the hall, first door on the left."

"Thanks," said Josh. He began to walk down the hall.

"I don't see why you would be so interested in a criminal's funeral!" the woman said after him. "We're all breathing a sigh of relief now that that murdering scumbag's gone!"

Josh turned and looked back at her, but she shook her head and walked away. A sense of injustice began bubbling somewhere deep within, but he suppressed it and continued on to the room as directed.

As soon as he entered, the first thing he noticed was emptiness. There were little chairs, few paintings decorating the somewhat dirty white walls, and not a single living soul inside the room other than himself…and the man who was facing the casket.

Sam turned his head back slightly to the sound of the newcomer.

"Oh, it's you. I wasn't expecting to see you here today."

"We're having a memorial for the victim of…you know. He was my sister's best friend."

Sam nodded. "I didn't realize my timing was so impeccable."

"What are you doing here?" Josh asked in return.

"Giving a friend a proper sendoff. It's nothing much, but I needed to do it…for me more than him."

He gave a small smile and turned back to the casket. Josh slowly approached and stood alongside the man as they stared down at Chris's limp body, burned and scarred but overall still recognizable. He was dressed in a simple button-down shirt.

"So, this is it?" said Josh, not sure of how else to word it.

"It appears so," said Sam, his voice much calmer than the night of the fire, though still somber. "This is what he wanted, so this is what I gave him."

"He's so burned," said Josh.

"Yeah, he's definitely looked better," said Sam, half attempting to lighten the mood but half in a sad way.

"How did you know him?" Josh asked.

Sam sighed. "It's a long story. Just a normal day in business a few years ago when a phone call from an unidentified number came in, which isn't exactly uncommon, given my line of work. Needless to say, I wasn't expecting what came next."

"Was it Chris?" said Josh, curiosity clearly peaked.

Sam sighed deeply and slowly nodded.

"What did he say?"

"Well…" said Sam, clearly unsure of how to put it into words. He gestured over to two of the many empty seats and the pair sat down. "He introduced himself as Chris Everett and asked if we could meet somewhere for lunch. I asked him if he was looking for a gig or some lessons since that's what most of my calls are about in my business, but he insisted he would explain everything over a meal."

Josh shifted in his seat. He couldn't recall the last time he'd been so anxious to hear a story relayed to him.

"So we met at a local cafe," Sam continued, "and we started talking. After telling me a little about himself, he began to ask about me, and after I began to give my musical background, he stopped me and said, in a rather serious tone, that he wanted to cut straight to the chase about Freddy's. Of course, I was suspicious, and that's when he admitted who he really was…Chris Afton."

"And what did you say?" Josh asked.

"About what you'd expect me to say," said Sam. "I mean, the son of the man who started everything at Freddy's…sitting right here in front of me? At first, I didn't want to believe it, but based on what I'd come to know about Afton…all those pictures I'd seen from years ago…the resemblance was unmistakable. I was as nervous as a worm on a hook and tried looking for an excuse to end our conversation. I didn't know whether to feel awkward or angry and it was easier to just get out of there, though I wanted to do it politely, since he said was willing to pay for our meal, but…"

"But what?"

Sam didn't speak for a moment, and Josh noticed a few tears forming in his eyes.

"But I just couldn't. He must have seen the skepticism in my eyes because he began confessing all of the guilt he'd felt over what his father did all those years ago. I actually had to escort him outside to avoid making a scene. As soon as we were out of earshot of anyone, he broke down in front of me. I had to hold onto him to stop him from falling to his knees. Through his tears, he told me everything: the sleepless nights, the days of agony, everything. He just couldn't stand being the child of Freddy's past murderer, especially in light of losing one of his childhood friends to an animatronic incident. He said his mind was constantly swimming with visions of all of the mothers and fathers hurting from the loss of their children, and there was absolutely nothing he could do to help them, to rectify his family's past. It was quite heartbreaking."

Sam paused for a moment to let the words sink in.

"So…I guess you could say we became friends. My wife and business partner were a little more hesitant about him, but they slowly grew to accept him over time, too. Eventually, he was like the adopted member of the family, new but able to get along with everyone. As time went on, he almost seemed to put his troubles to rest, but then…"

Another pause, another deep sigh.

"He visited me at work one day to inform me that he'd overheard one of our regulars talk about a new Freddy Fazbear's opening in St. Louis, old news as it is at this point. I was stunned. How could they possibly think to open up another one after everything that happened in Hurricane? Was there really no low that greedy business executive wouldn't stoop to for money? But Chris, he was more…somber about it. He told me straight-up that he didn't trust this new place, and I didn't blame him at all, but as more commercials and online advertisements came up, he became more certain that someone on the inside was hiding something, a gut feeling that wouldn't be subsided. Eventually, he insisted on moving down there to be a mole who would observe and pass along info to me and the authorities as he found out more about their scheme. I tried to talk him out of it, half thinking it was crazy and half out of concern for his safety if he was right, but there was no reasoning. Chris had made up his mind, and in hindsight, it was exactly what he needed to do, because what was going on was so much worse than greedy business people wanting to make money. All he wanted more than anything was to help set things right. As much as I told him to leave the past in the past and you cannot change it, he still desperately wished for some way to bring redemption to his family name, an opportunity to prove…mainly to himself…that he was not his father. In the end, he got his opportunity, but he did so much more than he imagined."

"I just wish I knew the truth a lot sooner," said Josh sadly with a clear hint of resentment. "I…I really thought he was the kidnapper…until…"

"Don't beat yourself up," said Sam. "That will never do you any good."

"Yeah, that's what my mom always says," said Josh miserably. "But still…it's not fair! Those managers were the killers, not Chris!" He remembered what he was told on the way here only minutes earlier. His anger began to steam like a kettle. "Chris was innocent, yet he's gonna be remembered as the bad guy! He's not the bad guy!"

"Shh! I know," said Sam. He placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "I know. Believe me, I've been in your shoes before."

"You have?"

"Indeed. When I first found out that my father…" He stopped himself short. He noticed that Josh was looking at him curiously. "Well, I won't go into the finer details, but let's just say my father made some big mistakes of his own, mistakes that I had some trouble coping with for a time."

"And Chris?"

"He had an immediate family history he was deeply ashamed of, as I understand better than most people can. I had my adventure of discovery almost twenty years ago, and this was his calling."

"But no one knows the truth," said Josh miserably.

"Yes. No one knows, or rather no one wants to know. They're content with believing the lie, and unfortunately that's often the way it is in this world: the people who are the true warriors are the ones who often go the most unnoticed."

"While the bad guys get all the credit and attention."

"An interesting way to put it," Sam scoffed, "but yes, you're right."

"Do you think Rebecca and Derek would've actually changed the world? I mean…for the better?"

"No," said Sam, shaking his head. "They certainly believed it, but that's the problem. Everyone has an idea that they're certain will make the world a better place. Whatever realm of ideology it's in: if you can name it, someone's thought of it, and probably even tried it. The problem is the people who pioneer these grand plans neglect to consider the most important factor: humanity."

"Humanity? Rebecca and Derek said they were trying to save humanity."

"I know, and that's just it. It's always about people trying to find their solution to humanity's weaknesses, but just because something looks good in theory doesn't mean it will actually work in the real world. Our past is full of people who tried to be God and establish their own perfect civilization, yet they always fell short of their utopian fantasy."

"You sound like my old world history teacher from back home," said Josh. "He always said how power corrupts whenever talking about empires and dynasties."

"Well, as you grow older, you'll find that it's much more true than most people want to admit. From what Chris managed to show me, Swift and Brody wanted to create a future where scientific achievement dominates all manner of life. I don't know how much of it they told you in their little victory speeches, but the details were amazing."

He paused and gave another small laugh of disbelief.

"Basically, in their mission to cure mankind's diseases and fix their weaknesses, they wanted to recreate our foundation entirely…a plot to give new life to the physically sick and disabled. Meanwhile, under the surface, they also concoct a complete reform for society, one that would make even William Afton blush in jealousy and awe."

"How?" said Josh.

"Picture this: a pair of scientists from Stanford discover a way to give this 'new life' to some impaired children, giving them amazing powers and abilities in the form of a machine."

"I kinda got that part already. "

"Well, that's only the beginning. You see, in their twisted minds, all people are classified based on their physical abilities with a fine line between those who are privileged to live without any major disabilities and those who aren't. As these scientists are so captivated by their accomplishment of supposedly bridging the gap between life and death, as the first big step, they make an appeal to the medical community: new technology that would not only reduce suffering for the ill and injured but allow them to live beyond their normal years."

"What, you mean, like, live forever?" asked Josh.

"Not exactly, but longer than they might otherwise," said Sam, shaking his head. "Children would be the first targets, thanks to their innocent demeanor, along with the inability to know any better. The parents would no doubt soon begin to notice how much better life is without their children's brattiness and other…filthy habits. As these innovations show a promising reduction of hospital bills in both children and adults to wow the medical community, the next step would be the world of science. After bragging about how their leader was right all along about emotions and their power, they introduce all of the capabilities of their new creation. Like the unveiling of a new phone from Apple, nothing would be left out, from its technological advances all the way to its human-like being. People everywhere would be wowed, support for these new creations and their superhuman abilities would skyrocket, and before you know it, these robots would be everywhere: doing work for the elderly, serving on the police force, fighting in wars, everything. As skeptics grow more comfortable, they begin to consider maybe becoming one themselves to alleviate their own physical setbacks. And that's the endgame: the abolition of the 'bleeding humanity of old,' as they call it, and the realization of robotic humanity and all its glory."

"And they really thought no one would object to that?" said Josh.

"Ah, but you underestimate the beauties of subtlety. Sure, they know they can't just come out and say: 'We're all going to be part of this new species; the sooner you accept it, the better.' So, they do it much more progressively, appealing to the common interests of the time to win support. However, over time, more and more power and control go into the hands of the masterminds as they push on to create what they advertise as working towards a better future for all, all the while insisting that they're doing it for the people, a great reset for a broken species."

"They mentioned pain a lot," said Josh. "They talked about pain being the greatest motivator known to man."

"It can be at times," said Sam, "but since when is such a horrific display of power a justifiable reason for subjecting people to death, especially children? Yes, their tormented existence in such a demented experiment cures their physical disabilities, but it also strips them of nearly all of their humanity; their childhoods, their bodies, their lives, everything. What you need to understand, son, is that people who come up with these Ponzi schemes will often use anything they can to bypass people's common sense and earn their trust. According to Swift and Brody's master theory, once the boundaries between the 'privileged' and the 'inferiors' eventually disappear and all are united into one master race, everyone would finally give up their futile resistance and surrender to the new order, commandeered by the people who brought about this new reality thanks to the realization of robotic humanity, the new and improved edition of humanity without all of its weaknesses."

"That's insane!" cried Josh, a bit louder than he intended. "Who in their right mind would believe that?"

"You'd be amazed," said Sam sadly. "People will believe a lot of things when the wording and allure are just right. For instance, although those poor children from thirty years ago probably had some introduction to stranger danger, William Afton knew precisely how to trick them to following him to their doom, the clever tongue of a serpent that appealed to their needs and interests, at least that's what a good friend of mine from Hurricane told me. In fact, he actually gave me one of the greatest pieces of advice I've ever heard: when you want to get someone onboard with your idea, you don't need a weapon, you just need the perfect words, spiced up with the right incentive to lure people in, such as free benefits."

Like free food, Josh thought, remembering his interview with Rebecca. Her words echoed in his head and he sat aghast at how naive he'd been.

"Well, they wouldn't have gotten away with it, right? I mean, it's not like in the movies where only the brave heroes can stop the villains. These are adults we're talking about being fooled, not kids. Rebecca and Derek wouldn't have actually made it to like…world domination, would they?"

"I doubt it," said Sam dismissively. "In spite of everything we've seen from our worst nightmares, the idea that anyone can rule the world with such an idea is still rather ludicrous. Eventually, everyone would realize what was happening to their lives and families and would fight to put an end to it. Still, can you just imagine how many more memorial services there would be if they weren't stopped when they were?"

Josh slumped down in his seat, eyes cast down at the partially refurbished wood floor. "So what's the point?" he finally asked.

"Of what?"

"Of anything," said Josh miserably. "This whole kidnapping thing already happened in the past, and now it's happened all over again. Doesn't it seem kinda pointless to keep stopping people from doing these horrible things if there's always gonna be someone even crazier right around the corner? It doesn't make sense to keep fighting something that won't end. It seems a little hopeless if you ask me."

Despite the sobering topic of conversation, Sam couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "There's that keen and curious mind Chris told me about. Well, I'm afraid you're right on that one. No matter what happens, there will always be these evil shadows lurking around like a phantom animatronic from your worst nightmares. You know it's there somewhere, and you know it's going to strike when you least expect it to. But it waits, waits for you to be at your most vulnerable before it strikes, and as I learned many years ago, there's only so much you can do. When I discovered a terrible truth about my family, I went off on my own to try to fix it. I had no idea where I was going or what I was getting myself into, but I was so caught up in my emotions that I honestly believed that I was actually making a difference. I would find what I was looking for and my efforts would pay off, but in the end…" He gave another hearty sigh as he continued in a breaking voice. "...all I did was almost get myself killed, if not for some good friends' intervention."

Josh wanted to ask so many questions but didn't dare to interrupt. Sam turned and looked at him dead in the eyes once more.

"But that was the problem all along. I wanted to fix things my way, a way to reverse history and bring me the happy ending that I wanted that would make me feel better, but unfortunately…that's just not the way things happen much of the time, as my father had to learn the hard way as well."

"I'm not sure I'm following you."

"Well, let me ask you this: why did you sneak back to the restaurant that night?"

"To find Cameron, the boy who was taken."

"And did you find him?"

"Well, yes and no. He was, like…possessing the robot or something. I still don't know how it works."

"Is that what you wanted to find?"

"No. I was hoping he would still be alive. You know, actually alive."

"So you didn't find what you were looking for?"

"No."

"Then we've walked the same road," said Sam. "That's our common bond. We both were so distraught with what happened to someone we cared about that we went off on our own to try and fix things and bring peace back to our lives, only to find out too late that we'd bitten off more than we could chew. The only difference is your little adventure actually served a greater purpose. Mine, on the other hand, had a much more…introspective effect."

"What does that mean?" said Josh.

"What? Introspective? It's when you examine yourself…your personality, characteristics, etc…to find out something about yourself that you didn't know before."

"So what did you find out?"

"That we have to learn how to accept what cannot be changed and focus on what can," said Sam. "You can't bring back those who are gone, and no matter how hard you try, you'll likely find little luck convincing the world that Chris wasn't the culprit, but you don't have to…because it doesn't matter. What matters is that he did what he needed to do to help bring this sinister plot to light. If it weren't for that, nobody would've had any idea what was going on, including you or me. That's the truth, regardless of whether or not people want to accept it."

"Yeah, well, I can't say the same about me," said Josh miserably, sliding even further down in his seat. "I put myself and my brother and sister in grave danger, and for what? Nothing."

"Join the club," said Sam. "That's exactly how I felt for years. It's always hard to recover from a jab like that at your self-confidence, but even then, there's often a silver lining."

"Like what? My parents'll pretty much never trust me again, and both Kendall and Olivia have been having nightmares all the time. I can't stand hearing Olivia cry like that. I mean, I never could, really, but now…"

He trailed off, not wanting to think about his little sister's shrieks of terror that had woken him up quite a few times in the weeks since the incident.

"I understand," said Sam. "I really do, but you know what else? She's alive. You're alive. Your brother is alive. Can you imagine if they lost their lives, too?"

"Well, yeah, but-"

"And your parents," said Sam, clearly leading the young man down a path. "I can't imagine how much agony your poor mom and dad would be in knowing that any one of their dear children perished in the incident…especially your mother, who, as I recall, seemed very distraught that night…sobbing hysterically."

"She was sobbing hysterically?" said Josh, eyes going wide. He could see his mother being concerned, maybe even frantic, but he had to really try to picture her as a completely distraught, emotional wreck over them…especially him, considering what he'd said to her earlier that afternoon. A pang of guilt fell upon him and he hunched down in shame, which Sam took notice of.

"I know that feeling," he said. "When I woke up in that hospital bed after my little misadventure, I was completely blown away by how much affection everyone still had for me. Even one of my closest friends, whom I'd nailed in the face at one point, was standing there with that same stupid goofy smile on his face."

"I had a friend back home like that," said Josh. He gave a small chuckle as he remembered how Lewis always had been a bizarre humorist.

"Glad to hear it," said Sam. "As much as I sometimes hate to admit it, we all need someone like that in our lives. It keeps us down-to-earth, and it makes things fun."

"Well, he's not in my life anymore," Josh pointed out. He once again thought back to his old home in Minnesota. He still missed how simple and easy-going life was back then when crazy people and animatronics weren't trying to kidnap or kill people.

"Yes, I'm sure you miss him," said Sam. "but that's life sometimes. Full of disappointments."

Josh winced at the comment. He remembered when Derek had said the same thing to Chris that terrible night.

"Have you ever had to say goodbye to anyone close to you?" he asked.

Sam let out a long breath and stared out the window. "Yes," he said softly and didn't say anything more. Josh's desire to question further was really beginning to surge, but he resisted. "It was a long time ago, so long that I don't even clearly remember all of the details anymore. It was a day that gave me a lot of grief. I blamed myself for it at first, certain that I could have done something differently. But…it was all useless."

"Who was it?"

Sam let out what sounded like a mix between a whimper and a groan. He looked at the young man with tears in his eyes. "It was my sister."

"Wha-?" Josh was completely flabbergasted. He was expecting it to be an elderly relative or close friend, possibly even his father…but his sister? Those dreadful thoughts of Olivia being tortured and killed came racing back and his stomach lurched once more and he shifted nervously in his seat.

"She was taken," said Sam, clearly struggling to maintain control of himself. "Many years ago…by Afton. He was dressed as a rabbit…I thought he was an animatronic, and by the time I realized that something was wrong, they were gone." Another pause as Sam cleared his throat. "That was my guilt. I did nothing until it was too late."

"When was this?"

"Years ago," said Sam. "It had first happened when I was young, too young to understand exactly what had happened, but when I returned later as a young man, that's when the full weight of it hit me. I wanted to prove to everyone, including myself, that she was still alive somehow, but…that's what almost got me killed by one of Afton's contraptions. All I wanted was to bring Charlie back into my life after I'd watched her get kidnapped so many years ago, as redemption for my naivety during that critical moment, but there was no denying what had happened. I couldn't change anything, I could only live with it."

In spite of the tearful trip down memory lane, Sam began to smile.

"Still, that's the amazing thing about life. Even though it may sometimes be unfair, it always manages to come round in the end and give everyone their due. Sometimes your efforts may go down in flames…just like the restaurant that night…but even fire is a bit two-sided that way. One of the biggest things that's stuck with me all these years since Hurricane is that fire has an interesting double-effect: it creates and destroys. Whenever the fires come down on you, you can either succumb to its wrath or come out stronger. Even after all this time, I'm still reminded almost daily of what could've been that night in Afton's little nightmare house, how close to death I got, yet all of his work perished in flames while my friends and I somehow got to walk away as a stronger people, even though I didn't feel anywhere near as strong as them at the time. How could that be? It didn't make much sense to me at first...until I realized that it was meant to be. No one knows why certain things like this happen, but they do. You just gotta be strong and keep moving forward with the faith that your hard work will pay off in the end, no matter how lost and unworthy you may feel."

"I'm still a little confused," said Josh, trying his best to follow Sam's train of thought.

"Well, you asked what the point was of doing anything since it all seems pointless. Something else you'll discover as you age is that although people love to look to someone in some coveted position for reassurance, it oftentimes falls down to individuals to be the heroes in the world, the beacons of light in these dark, turbulent times. When I first came back home from Hurricane, I suffered from nightmares for months on end, still trying to wrap my head around everything. Although I had made peace by then about my sister being gone, I still couldn't fathom how things in Hurricane had gone so wrong. How could such a nice franchise that had brought so much joy to so many families become such a source of taboo and misery? How could delightful singing animatronics end up becoming so possessed by the anguished souls of those poor children? How could my sister have been robbed of a happy childhood, and my parents of their daughter? And how could my poor father still be viewed by so many as the culprit of the murders when Afton was so clearly to blame? It just wasn't fair, but…there was nothing I nor anybody else could do but accept that past and move on to the future, as my father once told me. Nothing in this world can change humanity or the sick, twisted ideas that arise: not philosophy, not government, and certainly not science, but as long as there are those individuals who are willing to stand up for what is right, justice will never be stamped out. After all, evil can't go unnoticed forever."

"Okay, now you sound kinda like an old cartoon," said Josh with a chuckle.

Sam returned the chuckle. "Yeah? Well, I take that as a compliment. Oftentimes, I get more joy out of watching one of those than I do listening to actual people talk about life's problems. Personally, I've learned to stop trusting what the world thinks entirely. The mass isn't always right, you know."

"Yeah, I know," said Josh.

"But it's true, though," said Sam. "You can't stop the rest of the world from following who they want to follow and believing in whatever delusions of grandeur they feel best suits their being. If everybody else wants to believe that Chris Everett murdered that poor boy and won't give any other possibility the time of day, let them believe what they want. That doesn't stop you from doing the right thing. There are always more Camerons out there who need your help, even with all of the Rebeccas and Dereks that turn everybody else's help away."

"That's a lot easier said than done," Josh pointed out. "I'm still just a kid, kind of. I don't really have a lot going for me."

"Don't underestimate your gifts," said Sam. "I did that for years in my career. I find that all it takes to excel is passion, as well as some uplifting words from family and friends. In fact, from my experiences, I'd say that's the true source of strength for mankind: not pain or suffering, just pure love from those we hold dear to us. There is no greater motivation than that."

They sat in silence once again. It had been a long time since Sam had had this long and deep of a conversation with anyone besides his family and friends. He'd almost forgotten what it felt like to share some hearty words with someone so young and eager to get to the heart of the matter. He wished his own children could be more like that.

"What about you?" asked Josh, breaking the silence. "What's your motivation, then?"

Sam gave a content sigh. "Me? Well…let's just say I've got my eyes on somewhere else." He gave a quick glance upward. Josh couldn't tell if he was simply looking at part of the ceiling or was lost in thought.

Josh opened his mouth to ask what that meant, though he could make a vague guess, but was interrupted by the sounds of approaching footsteps behind them.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt anything," said Jack, holding his hands up. He cleared his throat.

"No, it's fine," said Sam. "I'm actually heading out pretty soon anyway." He turned back to Josh. "I think you ought to get back to the service, too. I would imagine your mother wouldn't take another disappearance from you too kindly."

Josh groaned. He knew Sam was right, but he still had so many more questions to ask.

"Will we ever see each other again?" he blurted out. "I mean, can I call you?"

Sam's eyes widened in slight surprise, and he chuckled. "Absolutely, I can give you my number. Although, if you're interested…and if your parents will allow it…we're having another little reunion in a few months, me and some friends of mine from back in the day…you know, from when it happened. It's nothing much…just a little get-together to reconnect over memories."

"Are you inviting me?" said Josh.

Sam nodded. "We have a bit of a saying about the 'Freddy Clan,' as Carlton calls it: once you're in, you're a lifetime member."

"Sounds like a members-only club," Josh remarked.

"Well, we don't really like to think of it that way," Sam explained with a small laugh, "but, as you very well know by now, anyone who's had such an encounter with the deep, dark secrets of Freddy Fazbear's develops a rather…different outlook on life. Sure, there are many well-meaning yet unknowing people you meet along the way who offer help, but in the end, the only people who can provide any kind of lasting comfort and support are those who have been there themselves."

"And you would like me to come?" Josh asked again for confirmation.

"We all need company," Sam explained. "Of course, it's really up to your parents, but if you're right about your mother, I think she ought to come, too."

Josh thought about it for a moment and then nodded.

"I'll ask her."

Sam smiled. "Good man. Now you'd better get going before she starts worrying."

Josh nodded and got up. His legs were a little stiff from sitting for so long, but he didn't care. The pair quickly exchanged phone numbers. As he made his way to the door, he stopped and gave a look back. Sam smiled and gave him a wave. Josh smiled back and gave a return wave before heading out the door and back to the memorial service across the street. Was he really going to see Sam again? He hoped so. The two of them had a connection he'd never felt before.

Back in the funeral home, Jack cleared his throat again. "How did the service go?"

Sam shook his head. "There was no service. I just did this for him…and for me."

Jack frowned. "This is it? Just visitation?"

"It's more than what he would've wanted," said Sam. "I've arranged for them to take the body to the cemetery in an hour. I won't be staying long. I just needed to say my temporary goodbye."

"Temporary?"

"It's a long, complicated story."

"Well, I've got time," said Jack. "Do you drink at all?"


The bar wasn't too busy, which is precisely what Jack was hoping for. Being midday in the middle of the week, most people were at work, which meant Jack was able to secure a place at the end of the bar, away from the door where most people gathered.

"So, how have you been holding up?" he asked.

Sam looked at him, confused. Jack realized the vagueness of the question.

"Sorry, I meant like…well, you know…" He leaned closer and spoke in a much lower voice. "Since…everything."

"Since Hurricane?"

Jack nodded.

Sam shook his head. "Well, things like that are impossible to forget."

"Indeed," said Jack, taking a drink.

"But I'm doing okay. Actually, I'm doing better than okay. My partner and I have a music business dedicated to helping young artists get their start."

"Nice," said Jack. "That sounds promising."

Sam shrugged. "Well, I won't act like it's the greatest business in the world, but it does have its perks. Personally, I love doing shows for charity. I learned long ago that you don't need to be a famous face in the world to find fulfillment. It's nice to simply help people in need."

"Absolutely. It's why we do it, isn't it?" Jack smiled and took another drink. After an awkward silence between the two men, Jack sighed. "Listen, I know you've already given your statement to the police, but I'm still curious about, well…everything. I hope you'll forgive my persistence, but being a friend of Jason's since high school, I've always wondered about the Freddy Fazbear's franchise. Jason and Marla were very careful about what they told me. I don't want to delve too deeply into anyone's personal history, but since it does technically tie into the investigation, I need to know: what exactly happened back in Hurricane?"

Sam gave Jack a long, hard look. In the years that had passed since his intense trip to the town, he'd always tried his best to focus only on the good things, such as the new group of friends he had, and leave the past in the past. Nevertheless, those occasional moments which forced him to confront those haunting feelings again always made him cringe. He tried avoiding them when he could, but this was not one of those times. Still, despite the fact that he'd just met this man, there was a sense of familiarity; a hidden connection to FNAF in his friendship with Jason and Marla. It was no surprise that natural curiosity would be present, a simple desire to know more about something that clearly had a strong impact on friends, and although there were certain details that needn't be exposed, the inquiry was harmless enough.

Besides, thought Sam, it's not like I can pretend I wasn't a late arrival to the party, either. I didn't know anything about any of this until Clay showed up out of nowhere that day.

"Let me put it this way," he said, matching Jack's lower voice to avoid attracting attention. "Like I told Josh back at the funeral home, there are certain things that need to be uncovered and things that should stay hidden. What happened in Hurricane, from the restaurant's opening all the way to that dreaded funhouse of hell burning down, is something that the world does not need to know about. I know you don't mean any harm by it, but Jason and Marla were right to avoid the finer details. There are just some parts of this entire thing that are way too…personal...if you know what I mean."

"I understand," said Jack. He thought back to what he'd read about Henry, Sam's father, and the curiosity he'd had about any of Henry's secrets, but he didn't want to push his luck or dive too deep. "I really do. But what I'm really curious about are the Aftons, both Chris and his father. Since Afton was the culprit behind those kidnappings back in the day, how does Chris fit into all of it now?"

"Well," said Sam, struggling to find the right way to put it into words, "it turns out that was at the heart of Swift and Brody's plan. At some point in the far past, William Afton imported a mysterious mixture that apparently was one of the key ingredients in his experiment's main product, which he called remnant. There were several jars of this substance stored in one of the rooms of Fazbear's Fright. From what I heard, most of it had been secured for study and research, but apparently, there was a jar or two missed in the remains."

Sam stopped briefly in case Jack wanted to interject another question. He didn't.

"Afton's partners in crime didn't know where Fazbear's Fright was, so they led Chris to believe that they had already tracked down a sample, and had him unknowingly lead them right to it in his effort to keep it out of their hands. And from there…well…"

"That's how it began," said Jack. "And this experiment of theirs? Resurgence, I believe it was called?"

"The smoking gun," said Sam. "The pride of their creation. Have the police made any progress on cracking its contents?"

"No, not yet." Jack shook his head in bewilderment. "But I gotta say, from what I've seen and heard, this stuff is no joke. It's got ingredients in it like you wouldn't believe. I was allowed a small sample and sent it to my friend Mark, a chem professor at Yale, who told me that there's no way anything, human or otherwise, should be able to survive with that stuff inside of it. It's like industrial poison."

"Well, I'm still unsure of exactly what Afton's experiments entailed, or his partners' for that matter, but whatever it was, they were involved in something much deeper and darker than anything the world's seen before…and quite frankly, I don't think I want to know."

"Me, neither. Just chalk it up to need-to-know."

"Exactly. Speaking of which, forgive me if it's beyond my need to know, but what are the authorities' plans for containment?"

"That I'm unsure of," Jack replied, and Sam could tell he held just as much curiosity. "As far as I'm aware, they said that it has attracted the keen interest of some other world-renowned scientists who are looking to examine its properties, but as of right now, it's still considered classified to anyone outside of our own researchers."

"Good," said Sam, giving a partial sigh of relief. "That dreadful substance and all of its nightmares need to stay out-of-sight and locked away." Better than it was last time, apparently, he added to himself.

"Indeed, but there's one question that has yet to be answered," said Jack, taking a sip of his drink.

"What's that?" asked Sam, though deep down, he already had suspicions which were quickly confirmed by Jack.

"When's the next tragedy coming? I mean, history's already repeated itself once. Who's to say it won't do it again?"

Sam groaned. In spite of the reassurance he'd given Josh, he was concerned over that very real possibility as well. When he'd left Hurricane after his night of hell in Afton's funhouse, he'd hoped beyond more than he ever had in his life that everything was over, especially after finally coming to terms with his family. But now, that past had once again reared its ugly head, calling for more victims and more puzzle pieces to be solved. As much as Sam tried to convince himself otherwise, there was no promise that the next chapter of the Freddy Fazbear saga would never come.

But, as he'd also learned long ago and tried to convey to Josh, there was nothing else he or anybody could do but live their lives the way that they should and stand guard against the forces of darkness that were always seeking entry into their minds. As he felt a certain pair of eyes boring into his soul, he righted himself in his seat.

"We'll just have to wait and see," he finally said. "We've lived through it before, we can do it again. We just have to be vigilant."

Jack nodded. "And keep our loved ones close," he added as they both downed the remainder of their drinks and made toward the door after leaving a hefty tip.

The drive to the airport was silent. Neither man spoke another word to one another. There was no need: everything had been said in the bar. All that was left to do now was let it all settle. Jack would occasionally glance over at Sam, who would meet his gaze for half of a second before they'd turn away. They were not close friends; they were simply two men who had been brought together by Freddy Fazbear's ongoing tragedies. They shared what they'd needed to and due to go their separate ways…for the time being.

That airport terminal was crowded. Sam checked his watch and saw that he had only about thirty minutes before his flight was scheduled to leave. He wasn't worried. All he'd packed was an overnight bag for the hotel room he'd stayed in. As Jack handed it to him, he held out his hand. Sam shook it firmly.

"Until next time?" Jack said hopefully.

Sam studied him closely one last time and nodded.

"I'm sure Jason will let you know. He's probably wondering what's been going on here."

Jack smiled. "See you then." He walked over and opened his door. Turning, he gave Sam one last wave before getting into his car and driving into the sunset.

Sam watched his car grow smaller and smaller until it faded into nothingness amongst the other traffic. He gazed at the setting sun for a few more moments, finding himself slipping back into its hypnotic spell before remembering that he had a flight to catch. After all, it was only a small hop back up to Chicago, and that sun would no doubt be still around when he got there.


Josh sat alone on his bed, mind fixated on the red evening sky out the window, strewn with thin cloud wisps. He replayed his conversation with Sam over and over in his head. He hung on nearly every single word, the way it was spoken, and the pained yet hopeful expression on his face. There was still so much confusion in the air, but there was one thing that was certain: this was not someone with nothing to offer but sympathy, this was a man who had truly seen things that most people never imagined, and there was an inexplicable yet welcome sense of comfort being in his company. He wasn't a rambler, he actually knew. However, there was one thing that Josh still found puzzling:

"Let's just say I've got my eyes on somewhere else."

What did that mean? Did it really mean what it sounded like? Josh had never given too much thought to the concepts of heaven and hell, but with Sam's firm conviction in mind, he couldn't help but wonder if there really was a different world waiting.

A small knock came from the door, and Josh could tell right away that it wasn't either of his parents. For one of the few times ever, he bid his younger siblings entrance to his room.

"Josh?" Olivia said immediately as Kendall shut the door carefully behind them. "Do you really think Cameron is okay?"

Josh was almost taken aback at the question, though deep down he wasn't all that surprised. He hadn't really spoken to either of them too deeply about what he'd seen that night. It was another image burned into his memory like a scorch mark on a wall: Rebecca's lifeless body hanging on the metal rod that had impaled her, her once so fiery eyes now blank and horrified, while the creature that had plagued their minds laid motionless beneath her, finally destroyed by the very same burning debris that had collapsed. Josh had wanted to protect his siblings from the gruesome details, so he tried to be as vague, yet weirdly honest, as he possibly could. But now, with the memorial service (and his little speech) bringing back memories, it was no surprise that his little sister wanted to know more.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"She means, what do you think happened to Cameron and the others?" said Kendall.

"I'm not sure," said Josh.

"Do you really think he's in a better place?" said Olivia. "What did you see?"

Josh couldn't help but stare at her in disbelief. As persistent as she always was, this was even more than usual. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Because we both saw someone at the service that, I must say, really resembles him," said Kendall, and Josh could tell by his look that his intellectual mind was clearly being challenged. "Of course, it could just be a coincidence, but…I don't know. I never really thought about the afterlife much, if it was real or just something people wanted to believe to feel more comfortable about dying."

"I...I think it was Cameron!" said Olivia excitedly. "It looked just like him!"

"We can't be sure of that, 'Liv," said Kendall.

She folded her arms at her brother. "How come you always make me feel sad like this?"

"I'm not trying to. I just don't want to believe something until I know for sure. Yeah, that kid we saw looked very much like Cameron, but how do we know our mind isn't just playing tricks on us? Making us see things we want to see?" Kendall turned to his elder brother. "That night, after that thing took your boss away, what exactly did you see?"

Josh groaned. Aside from the gruesome deaths of both Rebecca and the creature, he wasn't sure what had happened. All he knew is that neither of them was moving anymore. Of Cameron and the other boys, he had no idea what to believe. He'd never imagined such a concept was even possible, an entire living soul doomed to live out a menial existence in a cruel imitation of life under the manipulative control and influence of a puppeteer, never again being able to live as the human the way they were meant to. As much as he earnestly hoped that those boys had been freed, he still wasn't completely sure.

"I saw it die," he finally said. "The creature. I saw it get stabbed and die."

"What do you mean?" asked Kendall. "I thought that thing was supposed to be super strong. It just…died?"

"It was stabbed right in the heart, or wherever that resurgence stuff was put into it," said Josh. "That was its main power source."

Kendall said nothing, taking it all in. It seemed legitimate since Rebecca and Derek had gone on and on about that substance being the source of the ultimate power, but still, it seemed fishy to believe that that was the end of it.

"What about emotions?" he asked. "Didn't they say something about the power of pain and emotions or something?"

Josh continued mulling over everything Sam had told him, as he'd been doing for the last few hours since their return home. He thought back to what Sam said about fire, and it made him wonder what exactly that meant. Could it be that despite all of the powers that creature had, fire was the smoking gun that finally killed it, the destructive force capable of purifying those lost, unfiltered emotions that were feeding the creature's powers?

"...I have a feeling that whatever was alive in that beast died in the fire," Josh continued. "I was suspicious at first, too, but I just don't think anything could've survived that fire, not even that creature."

Kendall's brow drooped. He still wasn't convinced.

"What about Cameron?" Olivia asked again, ever so persistent. "Did he die, too?"

"He already died, 'Liv," said Josh, wincing when he saw her face fall. "Sorry," he added quickly.

"I think she means what do you think happened to them," said Kendall.

"Yeah, I know," said Josh. He looked his little sister square in the eyes. "Who were these boys you spoke to? What did they look like, exactly?"

"One was tall with curly hair, one was shorter, and the last one looked a lot like Cameron! Do you think-?"

"'Liv, you said you didn't know who it was when you spoke to them!" Kendall interjected.

"I know, but…do you think it could've been him? 'Cause when I looked at him, I wanted to cry!"

"That doesn't mean anything!" said Kendall. "Lots of people look like someone else!"

"It was Cameron, I know it! He's not dead. He's out there somewhere. We have to find him!"

Kendall groaned and buried his face in his hands. He looked through his fingers at his brother for help.

"I can't do this with her. Not right now."

Josh said nothing. He only looked back and forth between his younger siblings. Kendall's face fell.

"Don't tell me you believe it, too? Cameron's dead, Josh. You know that!"

"Maybe," said Josh, "but I don't think that means he's completely gone."

Kendall looked absolutely flabbergasted. He stared at his older brother in shock, and Josh couldn't blame him. It was big pill to swallow, with so much that they still didn't understand and probably never would, but even within the mess of confusion, there was something that stuck out. Sam had mentioned a few times that there was something concerning his father and sister that nearly got him killed. He remember how Sam had so thoroughly compared that moment to Josh's own ambitious quest to rescue Cameron. Could it be that something happened to Sam's father and sister that had driven him to prove that they were alive? And after all these years, this man had clearly become a more broken yet wiser person, yearning with an unseen confidence for some better days ahead and certain beyond reason that he'd be able to see his sister again. And now, Josh found himself in his own predicament, with one sibling pointing out Cameron's confirmed death and the other insisting on the fact that he he's still alive somehow. Could it be that they were both right in a way? He thought back to that pivotal moment when the creature, led by Cameron, suddenly grabbed Rebecca to stop her from hurting Olivia despite having its control wire cut.

"...that's the true source of strength for mankind: not pain or suffering, just pure love from those we hold dear to us. There is no greater motivation than that."

As Sam's words echoed in his head, a smile began to form on Josh's face as it finally clicked.

"I don't think Cameron's alive, not like he was," he said finally. "But I am certain of one thing: Cameron and those other boys aren't suffering anymore."

"You think they're free?" asked Olivia, clearly disappointed but with hope still in her voice. "They're not in the robot anymore?"

Josh smiled at his sister. "I don't know for sure who that was you talked to, 'Liv, but I think that wherever Cameron and those boys are now, it's a lot better than the life they were living inside that machine."

"Are they okay?"

He nodded. "I'm sure of it." Although part of his brain still had questions, he pushed them aside for the moment. All that mattered now was that the horrors they had all been through…including the struggle for peace and comfort those poor boys had suffered…were finally over.

Olivia beamed and walked forward to wrap her brother in an embrace, and he hugged her back. He'd forgotten how good it felt to be trusted. After so much time being an angsty teen, he felt like he was heading in a completely new direction. He glanced up at his brother, who was still standing there with an unconvinced look on his face.

"What's wrong, Kendall?" he asked.

"I just can't see it," said Kendall. "I still don't understand how the whole thing could happen in the first place, let alone find any hope that Cameron and the others actually 'moved on,' as that preacher said."

"Well, perhaps you'll find the answer someday," said Josh. "After all, you're really smart, a lot smarter than I'll ever be."

Kendall scoffed. It was nice to hear a compliment from his brother for a change, and there were still many things that he didn't understand. Maybe Josh was right; maybe the answer would come in time.

There was a knock at the door and Emma entered.

"Oh! Am I interrupting something?" she asked, surprised to see all three of her children present in the same room.

"No," said Josh. "We were just talking about…you know…what happened."

"Ah, I see," said Emma. "Well, I hate to intrude, but Susan wants to talk to you. She's downstairs."

Josh's eyes lit up. "Okay," he said as he got up and followed his mother out the door and down the stairs where, sure enough, Susan stood in the living room, still wearing her attire from before.

"Hey there, brave guy," she said. "I really liked your speech."

"You're too kind," he said.

"Sorry I couldn't stick around longer, but I had to get to therapy. Would you like to get together sometime? When you're not grounded anymore?"

He smiled.

THE END.


A/N: And that, my dear friends, is the end of The Black Hood! Did you like it, hate it, or are you somewhere in the middle? Once again, I'm open to any and all feedback.

As I may have said before, I initially had no intention of doing a sequel to The Nightmare House since that was an immediate continuation meant to address what I considered to be plotholes from The Fourth Closet. However, it was actually Fanatic97 who encouraged me to continue writing, leading to this story. While I originally was thinking about creating a new timeline, in the end, I decided it would be more fun and unique to make this a sequel to my previous works in order to include familiar characters and elements that we've come to know so well at this point. Of course, that did create a bit of a challenge for my storyline since I had to come up with something relatively new that wasn't too repetitive to what we've already seen thus far. Although I did turn up the sci-fi elements in this story to try and match that classic FNAF feel, I still wanted to stay true to my more human-focused themes from The Nightmare House about grieving, self-reflection, and coming to terms with heavy losses. As far as the conflict goes, I wanted something along the same lines as Afton's from the original novels only stepped up to higher, more intense levels while borrowing and playing with ideas from Fazbear's Frights. Hopefully, it was an interesting spin and not too cliche, but as always, I leave that up to you readers to determine whether or not I succeeded. And of course, I owe a shout-out to Fanatic97 and TRX-1686 for their encouragement and inspiration for this story (in more ways than one).

Boy has time flown during the writing of this story. It's crazy to think that it's been almost two years since my first posting for this story. I know that it's been as frustrating as ever to be fed bread crumbs in between month-long breaks like you've been, and I really do apologize for that. On top of my usual justifications (perfectionism, busyness, etc.), if I'm being completely honest, I've been ready to move on from this project for a while now. That's not to say that I ever intended to abandon it, no way! I know some of you really enjoy my stories and I always owed it to you to finish what I started! But still...given that my raw emotions with the novel trilogy's end were pretty much dealt with in the conclusion of The Nightmare House, it became harder for me to push myself to work on this one at times.

That being said, I am officially announcing that this is most likely the end of my major FNAF stories. Now, I may still contribute to the FNAF world now and again, but if I do, it will most likely be short stories that may or may not tie into my previous works. But as far as full-length FNAF stories are concerned, I feel like I've said everything I need to with these stories about where I stand on key FNAF lore. I hope I don't disappoint anybody too badly, but as I said, I'm ready to move on.

So with that, my second and last FNAF story has come to a close. But, don't say any farewells just yet, because I just might have a few more tricks up my sleeve concerning our characters. Perhaps a little peek into this future meetup Sam promised?

(Also, if you haven't already, check out some of the drawings I've commissioned from Bobstickles on DeviantArt. She does amazing work!)


REFERENCE:

*Callback to The Silver Eyes, p. 85 (fitting to come full circle, don't you think?)