"They take them underground, from where they do not leave. They are forced to partake in 'experiments,' as Alison calls them. I do not know of their purpose yet, but I know they include forcing some of them into spring lock suits. I witnessed a man get crushed by the animatronic whom Alison, 'Dr. Stein' and a few armed guards were forced to die in suffering. I assume that after that, the bodies are taken into an incineration chamber. The state of bodies I saw there made it evident enough that they went through major disfigurement…"

William always found some imperfections in his writings, causing him to start again. Every moment, every recognizable memory must be put on a page so that whoever eventually sees it has little doubt about the validity of those accounts. He felt his eyes closing, sleeping bags forming under them over the last few days. The night was the time when all of his family was consumed by joyous, careless sleep, something that William couldn't share. He felt guilty even trying to sleep. He did not see dreams of that place, not too often, but the few times that they happened, they were enough to question Will's entire perception. Some of those details were different from how he remembered them. Some faces changed, some actions…He did not know whether it was the dreams that tricked him or his supposedly 'sound mind.' And even when he didn't see dreams, this was a waste of his time. William always had this thought in the back of his mind that he could've used this time to write, to collect more evidence to free himself and his family from fear.

William looked at another page of this diary, the one dedicated to the golden animatronic he witnessed. A man with a black fedora, or at least a mechanical semblance of him, a spring lock suit connected to machinery, the purpose of which William could only guess. And then there came the question of what to call it.

"Fra…"

William thought back to their talk with Alison when he suspected him and Gron in this position, and when he spoke of the golden suit, he almost slipped and dropped what William assumed was its actual name. What could it be? Did it have any meaning? Why were this and other animatronics not on the stage? From what he saw of characters from the cartoons, all of them were animal-like, but those were humanoid. They must have had a different source of inspiration. So many questions and so few answers…Late at night, he still theorized on this matter, failing to come to a true conclusion, despite feeling like if he persisted for a little more, it would eventually become clear.

"Will?" He heard the door behind him opening slowly, with a tall silhouette overshadowing him. "I was wondering if you were asleep already…But I guess it was stupid to even have any doubts on my part." Clara's warm voice echoed in William's ears as he put the notebook away and turned around. Even his genuine, joyous smile was hardly enough to mask the exhaustion on his face.

"You're early today."

"Early? It's 1 am!" Clara chuckled, causing William to look at the clock with his eyes wide open in surprise.

"Wait, isn't it…Jesus Christ, I really need some better time management." William shook his head awkwardly.

"Mike has been complaining about you again." Clara sighed before taking a look at William's bed. "You don't mind if I take a seat? My legs are a bit tired after today…"

"Sure, feel at home."

"Thank you, dear."

"And speaking of Mike, he seems like he would sooner listen to you than me. Any time I tried, it hardly ended well."

"Maybe, but our children need their father just as well," Clara noted. "You know how bad I am at being stern, and Mike really needs some stern guidance…And Lizzy really misses you. I know she'd never bother you directly, but she really wants to spend more time with you."

"I know…I've told her that this is not permanent and that this job will eventually become laxer once the initial project is done." William reassured Clara, knowing full well that his 'initial project' was to unmask an entire company, hopefully bringing it to the ground.

"Is it that demanding? I guess I understand…I haven't exactly been coming home early recently, either." Clara sighed before looking at William with a compassionate gaze. "I also heard about the news…Horrible, absolutely horrible. I can only imagine how it feels for that boy's family, thinking that something like this can happen to one of our children…You know." Her voice grew quieter as this terrifying prospect emerged in William's mind. Perhaps for Clara, this was nothing but an ephemeral worry, but for William, this fear was far closer than she could imagine. "Do you talk about this at work?"

"Alison made the announcement, and other than that, we just continued as we were," William explained. "The police will investigate the place, but we were told that a legal team will handle that, and all we should do is to stay away and mind our own business."

"I hope that whoever is dealing with this has their priorities set straight."

"Pardon?"

"That they care about finding the boy and uncovering this mystery, not just trying to cover it up and get rid of the police presence in the restaurant as quickly as possible." She was right to worry about this, as William was certain that it was the second option. If Alison wasn't responsible, this means that this investigation might cause independent investigators to join in on the case, and when this is the place they have to explore, who knows where this investigation will lead. They might even find that there was something beneath the pizzeria…

"Huh…" William chuckled, realizing the irony of the situation. That this incident might cause someone to discover that something far worse going on in that place. Clara noticed his unusual reaction and looked at her husband with suspicion, making him realize that there was a need to divert her attention. "I hope they're doing their best, but I am not going to concern myself with it. I have more than enough on my hands as is."

"Oh, of course; I'm not saying you should get involved," Clara reassured him before standing up from her bed and coming close to the tired man. She was slow in her steps, with a playful smile dancing on her face. "I see you are very tired. What are you working on?" She wondered before throwing a look at William's notebook. "Animatronics, I presume?"

"The main trio of the show, the ones children seem to be most excited for." The man responded as he put the notebook away.

"Not going to show me?"

"I know you like surprises." Was it a smile that formed on William's face? He could hardly tell.

"You're not wrong, and I'm sure that children will enjoy them too. But you deserve a break. You've worked with metal for days without a break, so how about working with something a little…Softer?" William could feel Clara putting a few of her fingers on his cheeks, slowly caressing his skin. Her eyes stared into his with impeccable precision as her smile grew all the more excited. William could feel the excitement as well, he shouldn't have felt it with the knowledge he had, and yet paradoxically, it seemed to provide an opposite effect for once. He felt free, unbound by the knowledge and fears that had chained him ever since he stepped out of the facility, ever since getting a fateful phone call from Alison. When William felt Clara's arms form an embrace around him, he finally gave in.

"I see I'm not the only one who is very tired after work."

"Must it always be about work?" Unfortunately for them, it had to be most of the time, especially now. But Clara wasn't wrong…They both deserved a break.

"You're right. No need to go over boring routine." William stood up and grabbed Clara's waist, gently yet with a firm hand she always admired. He could see the sparkles of anticipation in her eyes. "How long has it been since we last danced? I'd say my skills have not deteriorated at all."

"I had something else on my mind…"

"Funny…" William began to slowly take her dress off while continuing to peer into Clara's anticipating eyes. "We're of one mind."

Just one evening, just one more dance. To dream of a coming day…A day when they will have all the time in the world.

…

He thought he could let it go, thought he could live again and attempt to forget what had happened. If anyone found the body, perhaps it wouldn't be his problem anymore…But after looking into William's eyes, pathetically attempting to lie and lead his friend away from the truth with his shaking voice and constant whispers in the back of his head, Gron realized it wasn't an option. Ever since he came back to his house, he was unable to sleep, forcing himself to wander aimlessly around the room, clutching his head and repeating the same whispers, all while trying to re-enact the moment in his head. What if William suspected something? What if the others did? Gron was always very reclusive, especially that evening; god knows what they thought of him.

He needed to confess, to go to the police and lay out the truth.

NO

The raging voice immediately intercepted him in a fit of fury, making Gron shiver as the jester sensed the world around him crumbling yet again. It was easy for the Twisted one to manipulate reality around him. All he needed to do was to play with his mind and force the jester to collapse.

"Stop…" Gron pleaded as he continued to shiver, closing his eyes and desperately trying to expunge the dreadful image from his mind.

OH, I AM NOT INTENT ON STOPPING, AND YOU SHOULD NOT BE TOO…

I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO RUIN OUR CHANCE, NOT AFTER HOW FAR WE HAVE GONE

YOU HAVE DONE WELL IN YOUR FIRST STEP, BUT IT IS ONLY THE BEGINNING

THEY DO NOT KNOW

AND YOU STILL HAVE TIME

Those thoughts grew all the more persistent, all the harder to deny, no matter how much Gron tried. Every time he tried not to think about it, the boy's tears emerged in his mind, still so youthful and fresh, agonizing over the sudden demise. Now people would suspect their friends and co-workers, now the customers will now and they will begin to fear coming to the restaurant, all because of this pathetic murder…

GOOD, THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED

No, that wasn't it. All Gron wanted was to finally live in harmony without the despair that encroached on him.

AND NOW, THERE IS BUT A SINGLE PATH TOWARD IT

THE RUMORS AND DOUBTS

THE SPITE OF THE CUSTOMERS

THE POISON IS ALREADY SPREADING

IT CANNOT BE STOPPED

BUT IT CAN BE USED TO PURGE IT

Gron knew what the monster was going to suggest. This thought was growing closer to him with every single moment, slowly breaking away from his subconscious, eager to become free and unhinged.

YOU NEED TO KILL MORE

LURE THEM INTO THE BACK ROOM. THE CHILDREN ARE IDIOTIC ENOUGH TO FOLLOW YOU

THEN, YOU KNOW THAT WILLIAM WILL MAKE MORE ANIMATRONICS SOON; THEY WILL BE STORED IN THE BACK ROOM

EACH OF THEM NEEDS A STAIN

EVERY SINGLE ONE

"No…" Gron wanted to speak loudly, but he was too weak to argue or protest against the Twisted one. It only invigorated him, only made him stronger and more furious in his vicious attempts to attack him. Gron sat on his bed, tears falling from his eyes as the jester looked to the floor. Everything had fallen apart. Everything was now ruined. There was no chance to reclaim the life he wanted so much. "Please, just stop; I can't, I won't…" There was no confidence nor vigor in his voice. Gron knew that whatever he was about to say, he was lying to himself. He was tired of this, tired of lies, towards his family, towards William, towards his colleagues…It was too much. There was no promise of absolution, no hope.

I UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS HARD TO ACCEPT

The moments of quiet sympathy from the devil…Those were the most terrifying.

BUT THERE IS NO GOING BACK FROM THIS

YOU ARE A MURDERER

AND YOU WILL REMAIN ONE FOREVER

"NO!"

SUBMIT

Gron fell on his knees once again, feeling the world change around him, feeling the fiery walls of an inferno re-emerging and pushing him to the brink. He knew he would see the beasts once again, the freaks in his mind that would emerge to claim his soul and dance on his corpse. He could already hear their whispers.

it's alright

you're one of us now

you did everything right

In his pain, Gron closed his eyes, desperately trying not to see it. Soon, the giggles turned into maniacal laughter, growing louder and louder. It was the Twisted one, the impulses in Gron's mind. The jester could swear that he even heard his own laugh in it. He didn't know what was real and what wasn't anymore, was it he in control when Jack got murdered or was it the Twisted one?

OH, YOU KNOW THAT VERY WELL

And then, Gron heard something else, something that extinguished the other sounds as if they were nothing. It was a cry, a child's cry that pierced his ears. A cry so familiar and close, echoing in Gron's ears like an earthquake. A young soul born into this world, so eager to prove itself, so boisterous and prideful even from the first days of his birth.

Open your eyes, Gron, and see what you can reclaim.

After taking a deep breath, Gron finally allowed himself to see. He was in the hospital, surrounded by nurses and still hearing the echoes of Lynda's screams and moans. She has been through labor, a true hero…And she delivered a baby, the baby Gron now held in his hands. A baby that screamed and cried, confused by its separation from his mother. A baby with bright eyes and a demanding voice, all emerging before Gron. He remembered tears of joy falling from his eyes as he saw his son be brought to light. He remembered the pride he swelled with when it came to both Lynda and his son. Now their family had another person enter their life, their beloved son.

A son he would see grow and develop, make his first steps, and begin his exploration of the world. A son for whom both Gron and Lynda would give their everything without hesitation. So many sleepless nights, so much to learn, and so many tears witnessed, tears that eventually turned to laughs and smiles. The warm memories of Charlie running around and playing with his father back in the time when everything was simpler when there was nothing for them to let go of, nothing to fear. When there was still hope that Gron would heal the trauma of his past and have a joyous, happy family, to become the father Gron himself always yearned for. And for the first time since the murder, Gron finally smiled without forcing himself to. Lynda and Charlie smiled too.

THEY ARE IN DANGER

YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SAVE YOURSELF

BUT YOU CAN SAVE THEM

IF YOU MAKE A CHOICE ONLY A BRAVE MAN COULD TAKE

THERE WILL BE A FUTURE FOR THEM

He knew that the choice was already made. He knew that he had nothing left, no one he cared for as much as he did for them. And once the line had been crossed, perhaps the demon was right. Perhaps there truly was no way back.

Gron understood all of this…And still, he smiled.