Disclaimer: I realized that I made some children a little too old for their respective roles in act 2. I initially had Mike at 15, Chris at 10, and Elizabeth at 8 for act 1, but it's too much for the latter two. I'll go through the old chapters and change the age where it's mentioned at some point, but it won't affect the scenes themselves. So, now Chris is 8 in act 1 and Elizabeth is 6, with Lily also being 8 instead of 10 to parallel Chris, and Mike is still at 15.
...
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
Here they were, the place where it all began. The place that so recently looked like a beacon of hope and excitement, the 'fantasy land for both children and their parents.' A place for both, where all of their lives get destroyed, twisted, and mangled for Alison's twisted experiments and contracts.
A CAGE YOU PUT YOURSELF INTO
Perhaps…Gron chuckled as he crossed the threshold and entered the darkened building. It was William who made him descend into the underground, but Gron was the one to suggest and encourage this job choice for both of them. Perhaps no one was to blame for this. Perhaps it's too late to think of that once both are paying for it.
ARE YOU GOING TO GIVE UP NOW?!
No, of course, he wouldn't; it was too late for that. On that much, he and the voice agreed entirely. He didn't want to, but Gron had to pass through the dining hall to reach the corridor that led to the safe room. The building was empty, luckily for him, and his clearance allowed Gron to enter it at will. There might have been a night guard, but Gron didn't care to check for his presence. If he tries and interferes, he will become the next lamb for the slaughter.
The animatronics remained on stage, looking down in silence…It was a strange feeling Gron felt when he looked into their eyes.
THEY ARE A PART OF YOU
THEY WERE THERE
SAW EVERYTHING
YOU BETRAY THEM
Indeed, they were like family. Both of those costumes he wore on the days of the murder, how cruel it is to have those children see the faces of their beloved mascots moments before they themselves perish.
IT IS NECESSARY
Of course, it was. Even if there were other options…
THERE WERE NOT
Yes…There weren't.
YOU SHOULD HAVE KILLED ONE OF HIS CHILDREN
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO ACHIEVE ANYTHING HERE EXCEPT EXPOSE YOURSELF
RUN
Once again, it was as loud as during the aftermath of that night…The thoughts of killing those who he considered his friends for such a long time…What next? Will he want to kill Lynda and Charlie as well? Gron didn't know, but he believed it possible. This thought made him giggle like the fool he was. The jester heard the echoes of friendly, welcoming tunes in his ears, making him dance. Step after step, as playfully as Spring Bonnie did in the show, the mysterious rabbit who always had something to show, even if he was eccentric. Gron has gone beyond eccentric, far beyond it.
He didn't walk to the safe room. He slid and jumped, taking extra leaps as if he was full of excitement, not stopping the contagious giggle. A fool came to the king's table with nothing but misery to bring to everyone involved.
YOU WILL DOOM YOURSELF
YOU WILL DOOM US BOTH
Perhaps that's what he wanted, an end both of them deserved. Those were Gron's thoughts as soon as he entered the safe room, the gateway to hell, a Hell he never escaped. Once he came in, Gron's worst fears were realized.
"No, no, no…"
The four animatronics were gone. The works of his hand that were supposed to be the stepping stone to annihilating Fazbear Inc and freeing all those who were forced to serve Alison now discovered without police involvement and taken underground. This wasn't how it should've gone…
YOU STILL HAVE TIME
The Twisted one roared.
YOU NEED TO TAKE MORE, MAKE SO THEY CANNOT HIDE THEM
But it was too late. He didn't want to continue this, not anymore. Gron could distance himself just enough when it came to children he did not know, but not anymore. Perhaps he should just surrender and…
NO!
Gron shook from the piercing voice, making the jester turn towards one of the walls; this was where he saw it. The golden humanoid was animatronic with a fedora covered in black with a red stripe and silver eyes. A form the Twisted one often took when he hid in the darkness, the mechanical silhouette and eyes, the one he saw underground on that day…But this one was different. For the first time, this hallucination appeared in the light.
HA-HA-HA…
Or was it not a hallucination at all?
WHEN HAVE I EVER BEEN A CRUDE HALLUCINATION?!
And then the suit moved his head, making the silver eyes stare into Gron's own. The jester shook and recoiled from the sudden movement, also noting that it was far too smooth for a robot. It couldn't have been real. It couldn't have…
YOU CANNOT RUN
YOU CANNOT PRETEND
YOU CAN ONLY MURDER
"No, stop!"
The suit opened its mouth, beginning to move it in a loop, creating a sound that quickly got turned into monstrous, sadistic laughter. Was it alive? Or was it merely a figment of Gron's imagination? Was it even there, or did his imagination completely lose any limits? What was this animatronic, this creature that often looked at him from the mirror, and now laughing in front of him…
YOU ARE MINE
Gron ran to the opposite side of the room, dreading looking into the monster's eyes. All he wanted now was for it to stop, to stop seeing and hearing the Twisted One, no matter if he would be sent to prison for the rest of his life, as long as he didn't have to hear him anymore. A few days of peace…That is all Gron could pray for, and even this was an unattainable dream.
He couldn't run far; of course, the wall blocked his way.
AND HERE I THOUGHT YOU BEGAN TO CHANGE
STILL A COWARDLY FOOL
ALWAYS WERE
BUT I WILL MAKE YOU SEE WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN
In the next instant, the stains of blood formed on the wall around the tile plate. They were slow and persistent as if the wall itself was bleeding and reeling from a grievous wound. This most definitely wasn't real, it wasn't, it wasn't it wasn't…
"G…Gron…" He heard a hoarse and fainting voice from above him, the one which nevertheless sounded familiar. After taking a deep breath, the jester looked above and froze.
It was Mike there. He was hanging in metal chains, his arms and legs pierced by silver spikes with blood dripping from him. His eyes descended upon Gron with a spark of a plea, grasping onto the last few emotions he could force out of his weakened body.
"Jesus, no, no…" Gron spoke as he looked at Mike, the boy he had known since his first years, extend a hand towards him, fighting the crippling agony.
"P…Please…" His voice echoed.
LOOK
STARE
WITNESS
Mike wasn't alone there. To his side, there were two more corpses, those of younger children. Chris and Elizabeth were pierced by metal spikes, mangled and broken. Some of their limbs were torn off, one of Elizabeth's eyes was missing with nothing but a puddle of blood in the socket, her neck was snapped in halves, and her tainted hair stuck to the wall. Chris's stomach was pierced, forcing the remnants of blood to still flow down the wall. Both were already dead.
"This isn't real!"
Gron closed his eyes for a moment, switching his focus to the panel. There was a code. There was some way to get inside; there must have been.
ARE YOU THAT MUCH OF AN IDIOT
Gron looked at the panel and tried to press one tile after the other in chaotic order. At least he will try and get the corpses out of there. At least he wouldn't stand aside and do nothing while his work was being destroyed. Three, two, six…The endless pattern and Gron would not stop until he finds the right one. He will not let this night be in vain. He wouldn't. He could feel the shadows of Afton children disappearing from the walls as he continued to press one tile after another…Why was there blood on his hands?
LOOK
Gron saw another shadow.
LOOK
The jester raised his eyes, clinging onto his hopes of him letting go and seeing nothing there, only to witness yet another boy in chains that pierced his skin and mangled his body.
Charlie.
…
"Alright, here we are."
Clara's upbeat voice echoed across the car, making Mike wake up from his faint slumber. He looked to the window and immediately saw their house, which the car now approached, and, as rare as that sight was, Chris and Elizabeth were both sitting by his side at the back.
"Wake up, Mikey, we still have to play!" Elizabeth pushed him faintly, making Michael groan in annoyance before shaking his head and rubbing his eyes.
"I thought it would take longer…"
"The roads are free today. It's been quite a breeze." Clara explained and looked back at her children. "Well, I hope you don't get bored."
"Can you…" Chris spoke up. "Stay with us for a while?"
"I'm sorry, my dear, I need to go to my performance. I can't suffer a delay." Clara said with warmth; Mike knew she would give much to spend time with them. She was always eager to be there for her children…Unlike some others. "I'm sure you will find something to occupy yourselves with while I'm gone, and your father might be home already."
"Oh, come on." Mike chuckled. "He's probably working away his night at that dream job of his. I can't even imagine him thinking much about home."
"Mike, it's not a good time," Clara interjected sternly.
"It's never a good time with you."
"Either way, if he isn't yet home, you're in charge. Please see that your brother and sister don't get bored."
"Yeah, I'll do it," Mike said tiredly, not thinking much of how he will spend time entertaining them.
"It's alright; we can all play together if Mike doesn't mind," Chris reassured his mother.
"Oh, I have no doubt about that." Clara smiled as Chris opened the door and left the car.
"Good luck." He said moments prior.
"Same, though you probably won't need it." Mike echoed him as he followed.
"I'm sure it will be a wonderful performance! You'll shine, mommy!" Elizabeth exclaimed. She was the last to leave the car.
"Thank you…And see you soon! I'll be sure to tell you how it went."
"Bye, mommy!" The girl said moments before Mike closed the door after she and Clara's car finally moved again, leaving the trio alone.
"What do you think we should do?" Elizabeth asked with curiosity as they approached the door. "Maybe watch cartoons?"
"We did that yesterday; we could play a bit more, maybe."
"Hm…Yeah, that's a good idea! Shame we didn't invite Lily, but maybe we could have Mike…"
"Now, now." Mike took a deep breath, interrupting his siblings. "To set some things straight, I look after you, I talk to you, but I have enough things to do instead of playing your games. You do that yourself and are fine enough all the time."
"But Mikey…"
"And that's final."
"Come on, let him do what he wants." Chris sighed.
"Alright, alright…Well, maybe we can play with daddy if he's home!" She said with hope, making Mike let out a cynical chuckle.
"Come on, even you can't really believe that. At best, he'll say he's busy with his work yet again, but I don't think it will even come to that." Mike crossed his arms. "He won't even be home."
"He will. I know it." Lizzie shook her head. "He's always waiting for us even when he's busy."
"Yeah, yeah…Want to play a betting game?" Mike chuckled as he opened the door of their house, blocking the passage for his siblings. "We're going to check on his room, and I am one hundred percent certain that he won't be there. If you think he will give me your bet and then the one who wins…I don't know, has the loser done a dare, maybe."
"Alright, I take it," Elizabeth said firmly, once again showing the loyalty and love she had for her father. This attachment was so strong that Mike always got impressed by it, equally as unreasonable as it was sweet. "I think he will be there."
"How brave of you."
"Can we come in now?" Chris tried to hurry them up.
"Almost. You gotta bet as well."
"What…Why?" The boy shook his head. "I don't want to do it; I just want to play something!"
"Sorry, gotta take part in family matters. He's your father too, you know." Michael persisted. "So, which one will it be?"
"I…" Chris stuttered, noticing both of his siblings watching him with anticipation. "I think he's still at work." He finally let out.
"Oh, come on!" Lizzie said in annoyance. "Don't you know how hard daddy tries to find some time for us? You two are just being mean!"
"Let's go and check then." Mike shrugged and finally stood aside, allowing the two in. As Chris and Elizabeth took their shoes off, Mike was already rushing upstairs to look for their father. He couldn't hear anything, and while father was never too loud, Mike couldn't let go of an ample opportunity to tease his sister a little more. "Doesn't seem like anyone's here, so get ready!"
Moments after, Mike opened the door to William's room, immediately making him stop. All the excitement and anticipation he felt waned in a single instant. The room was in absolute shambles, the shambles his father would never leave behind. Some drawers were opened, and his clothes in the wardrobe were messed up, with some of them tossed to the sides or the floor, allowing openings that led to the deeper parts of the furniture. The bed was in poor condition, too; the blanket was pulled away from its cover and left on top of the bed. And then there was the table…A table filled with paper. Some of it torn, some covered in stains of ink, some even fall to the floor below him.
"What the fuck…"
"Is he there, Mikey?" Elizabeth's hopeful voice echoed from behind as she and Chris followed Mike up the stairs. Soon, they were standing beside him, stopping to look at the chaos that reigned in father's room. They went quiet the moment they saw it, forced to look at it in shock.
"W…What is this?" Elizabeth asked as she looked up at Michael, who finally took a step forward.
"I don't know, but that's the first time I see his room like…Like this." Mike took a deep breath.
"Dad couldn't have done that…" Chris's voice echoed from behind.
"I know, I know…"
This thought was in the back of Michael's head since the moment his eyes bore witness to the state of the room. If this wasn't father…Someone else has been in their house.
…
And here he was yet again, chasing his fallen friend and clinging to a false hope that he would heed reason. William had time to think about the letter he had read and to muse about Gron's current state. It could've been prevented; William had no doubt about that, even with the secret he had to keep from other people in his life. They should've stayed together. Perhaps they could've worked on compiling evidence together. In the end, Will's misguided belief that Gron needed time on his own without others interfering was exactly what led to this. And now four children were dead, mutilated, and stuffed into the animatronics…Perhaps there can be no redemption, no way back from that, but William didn't care for any of it. If there was the smallest chance that his friend would come back to his senses, he would take it.
When William arrived at the pizzeria, it was already closed. Earlier than it usually did, probably because there was a planned investigation for tonight, just after Alison gets his chance to clear everything up. Gron must have been inside already, and he was either already detained, or there was no one inside, giving him free rein of the place. That couldn't end well…But perhaps it would be an opportunity for them to speak in private.
Moments before William entered the restaurant, his cell phone rang. The sound immediately broke any semblance of silence, making William shiver for a moment before reflexively reaching out for his pocket, taking the phone from his own room that he had carried with him for the last few days out of necessity. It seemed like the call was being made from his home…After a short moment of deliberation, William decided to answer it, only allowing himself a few minutes before entering the restaurant.
" Hello?"
"Father? Jesus Christ…" Mike's voice echoed from the other side, followed by a sigh of relief. "Yes, yes, he answered, don't interrupt me!" He said to someone else on the other end.
"Is it something important? I am very busy at the moment and…"
"Oh, I don't doubt you are, but you've got to hear about shit!" Michael spoke up. "Mom dropped us off at the house, and we've gone to check on you, but…"
"What?"
"Your room is an absolute mess. The clothes, the papers, the blankets, all of that's thrown all over the place! And half your drawers are empty." Those words made William freeze in silence. The drawers where he kept all of his research and notes were always locked with a key, but if someone could pick the lock…He could feel his hand shiver as millions of thoughts rushed through his head. "Do you know anything about this? I think we've been robbed…I searched the other rooms, and it's untouched, and I don't think there is anyone else in the house now. It just…This doesn't make any sense!"
"No…" William's lips quivered as those were the only words he could speak, as Alison's promise echoed in his mind.
You will know.
"What 'no'? Your entire workplace is fucked, someone robbed our house, and that's all you can say to me?"
"Enough," William said sternly, trying to keep his own calm. He couldn't allow his fear to break through, or else this would serve to terrify his children even more. "Are you all in the house?"
"Well, it's me, Liz, and Chris…Mother left for her performance, but she didn't take a phone with her, and I can't call her."
"I see…How are Chris and Elizabeth?"
"They're scared…And rightfully so, for once. Liz has been dying to talk to you. Are you going to…"
"Not now."
"Then when?"
"Okay, Michael, I need you to listen very carefully," William spoke commandingly, hoping that his rebellious son would heed. "I will return home as quickly as I can once I am done here, I promise."
"Seriously? What can be more important than…"
"Please, Mike, not now! Stay in the house with Chris and Elizabeth. Make sure the three of you are all staying together in one room and don't separate."
"What, why? Are you fucking saying that someone is still in our house?"
"No, no, but they might return."
"They?"
"Just listen! Stay together, turn all of your lights off, and stay as quiet as possible, understand? And do not come close to any of the windows."
"What the…This sounds like some shit from a horror movie; what are you talking about?! Who else will come here?" Mike tried to make fun of his father's words, yet it was clear that those were just a coping mechanism, and he was as horrified as Will. "What next? Are you going to say there is some monster under our bed?"
"No…Just people. People with good eyesight and horrible intentions."
"But what the hell are they doing here? Why…"
"Mike, just do it! I will return and explain it, I promise, but now we cannot waste any time, do you understand?" He raised his voice, trying to get Mike to listen.
"Y…Yes."
"I promise to return soon," William said. "You will all be alright. Just stay safe. And don't leave the house unless someone gets inside. You will be safe there."
"Alright…I promise."
"Thank you, Mike. It will all be alright…I promise, too." William said before hanging up. He wasn't sure what to do; a burning desire emerged within his mind. A desire to end this futile attempt and run to his house to stand between children and whoever might come to take them. He still remembered the day Alison sent a sniper to his doorstep, and now more of his men were inside, took all of his research…Was this what he wanted to talk about? Was this what he was waiting to reveal just hours ago in the safe room? If he knew…There were no words to describe how horrifying of a situation William brought himself into. Suddenly, the thought of living in fear and constant overworking seemed like a reasonable alternative, just as long as he was able to get back to the faint stability of it.
But then he heard a wail. A loud, piercing wail from the depths of the pizzeria came from one of the halls. Someone was inside right now, and it could only be one man. Gron was already here, and his madness was getting the best of him. A choice had to be made, yet any second of lingering would be a sin on William's mind.
Eventually, he made it to the hall. William ran inside the restaurant, searching for his friend inside. Whatever Gron wanted to do, he couldn't be allowed to continue. If he got in contact with any of Fazbear Inc's employees, he might reveal too much to them or even try to kill them.
It didn't take a while to realize that the echo of his voice was coming from the safe room, and the door was open, allowing the sounds to spread through the halls like a plague. William couldn't allow himself to stall, so he went straight to the room where Gron remained, desperately trying to think of what to say. William had a plan in mind and had thoughts of how he could try and pacify Gron with words, but now those thoughts have been utterly demolished by the thought of his children being in danger and Alison knowing the truth of his research. All he could do was try his best and pray.
When he finally reached the room, William saw him. His friend sat by the wall with both of his hands shaking, desperately pressing the tiles one after another, not daring to look towards the opposite wall, where the suit of Frankburt still lay. It must have brought some rather painful memories for him.
"Gron…" William spoke, making the jester immediately turn around in fear. Once he saw his friend, his expression changed from despair to a hopeful smile, although it did not seem real for a second. It was a smile that hid pain and agony, waiting to break through its restraints at any moment. "It's me…"
"You…" Gron began to speak, but then he immediately clutched his head and grunted as if something was tearing him from the inside. "You've brought them with you, bastard. Why? I trusted you, I…WHY?!"
"Calm down; there is no one else here!" William exclaimed. "It's just me…I came here to see you. Alone."
"Are you?" Gron paused, once again taking a look around the room. Have the hallucinations become so unbearable that he could not even distinguish them from reality? In the next instant, Gron began giggling uncontrollably. "You are…Ha-ha-ha, you really are!"
"I'm not here to harm you, I promise, but I don't have much time. Listen, whatever you planned to do, it's…"
"The code."
"Code?"
"Give me. The code." Gron emphasized before pointing at the tile set. He would continue his futile attempts to gain access to it even now…
"Listen, I tried. He changed it."
"I don't care. Give me the code, now!"
"Even if you go in, this is suicide! You know how many of them there are; you've been down there, for god's sake…" William continued to appeal to Gron's sense of logic, yet he got interrupted by the jester taking a gun out of his pocket and pressing the trigger after he pointed it to the ceiling. Gron wasn't allowed to have a firearm legally, and this revelation made William reach for his own as he heard the piercing sound of a bullet.
"NOW! "Gron screeched as tears began to form in his eyes. His hands continued to shake, and he could barely look at William anymore. He was breaking apart before Will's eyes, and there was nothing he could do but watch as everything Gron had worked on for years was being scorched in seconds.
"It's…" William focused, trying to recall the past. He spent many nights looking and memorizing the code, and even now it remained in his mind. "395248."
After this reveal, Gron rushed back to the panel, pressing the tiles in the exact order William recounted for him, but as expected, it did not budge, and the wall remained static.
"No…NO!" Gron punched a wall with fury as the somber realization finally caught up with him. "Why…Oh, why, oh why?! I was so close, so damn close!"
"Gron, he would have changed the code that night we followed him in. It was not unexpected."
"And how would you know that, huh? One of your educated guesses? Or do you know something I don't?" Gron turned towards William once again, the spite emerging in his eyes.
"If that was the case, I wouldn't have come here alone, and you know it. Perhaps you are right, and I can never truly understand your struggles…But I want to help, damn it! As I always did."
"Even after reading that letter?" Gron chuckled. "Every word I spoke there is true…Even if you don't care for those children, I wanted to kill yours. All of them, at first, because I needed you to follow in my path…And then, out of spite! He is right…The Twisted one is right. Always the perfect bloody father, the one who his children look up to and idolize, and for once, they actually have a good reason for this…" Gron clenched his fist. "Do you know how it feels when you look into the eyes of your son, and he tells you he believes in you? That he believes that you will do everything right and that you are a great father, but then you know that all of is…Is a LIE! All those empty words to make me feel good, the praise I have not earned! I wanted you to feel the pain too like it was back in the day when we both could understand…" His words brimmed with irrational hate, and William expected this outcome. He took a deep breath before looking into his friend's eyes once again.
"But it wasn't everything. I know…What you wanted, but you also wrote that you would not hurt them because even with all your pain, you understand that this is not their fault. You can control yourself." The engineer tried to reassure his friend, though he wasn't sure if he sounded sincere enough. For all his hope, William couldn't be sure that Gron would not lash out at him at any moment. "Trust me, if I thought it was too late, I would've called the police."
"Is that so…" Gron breathed heavily, clearly trying to control himself.
"Of course! After all the years we spent, all we've been through together, do you think I would just abandon all hope?" Will believed he had made a breakthrough, but it was too early to celebrate. Seconds later, Gron clutched his hands again and shouted in agony.
"No, no, no, STOP! He isn't lying. I know it…I know him!" This was not directed at William, which could only mean that another voice spoke up in Gron's mind, trying to overtake him. It was a horrific thought to think that something William couldn't see, hear or feel was so engraved in Gron's psyche that it was now destroying his friend and breaking down the remnants of his sanity.
"Gron…We can work through this. What is the voice in your head? Describe it to me. I know it must feel real; I'm not sure if this will work, but perhaps if you relay it and share it with someone, it might become quieter!" He tried to speak loudly yet with kindness so as to not alienate Gron. The thought of his children remaining at home alone, absolutely terrified while waiting for him, weighed on Will's mind, but he could not allow anything to distract him now.
"He…He speaks…Ahahahahah!" Gron cackled once again. "Don't pretend to be on my side, Will, do not! It is all your fault, after all." An eager and unhealthy smile emerged on his face. What little trust in his friend he had seemed to erode quickly. "You led me down this path; you said to go into that fucking elevator when I told you that we should just let go and forget of it! We could've had a wonderful career here, could've been… It could've been a part of their family; it would've felt wonderful if only we had never found out! And what now? We are powerless to do anything. We know so much and can do so bloody little…And I know you are content with this life. Content because you're too worried for Clara and your children, you are ready to become a slave for life, all because of them!" Gron's voice grew louder and more hateful with each word, and perhaps there was some truth that William couldn't deny.
"I regret going down that door…I regret getting you into it. Every day. You are right, it would've been much simpler if we left that night, but we are not…Not powerless." He wanted to speak of his research but couldn't force himself to speak of it now. After all, now it was found and compromised, and there was nothing Will could do. Once again, he felt powerless, just like Gron said. "But there are other ways to act than murder, much better ways!"
"Like what?"
"To…Compile evidence and…"
"Don't make me laugh; you can't do that with those bastards watching your every step! If you don't challenge them, they will break you…Do you think Alison won't use the contract to his advantage? What would you do for him and this hellhole of a company as long as your precious kids are on the line?!" Gron continued to shut angrily, asking questions to which William had no clear answers. He always believed that he would do anything for his family, but he never imagined it quite like this. Before William could respond, Gron continued. "At least yours are always by your side…I can only pray that my family is safe, as blissfully unaware as they are. And I…I was all alone, Will." His lips quivered as a few more tears fell from his eyes. "Do you know how it feels? To live a life in fear with him always being in your mind, telling you how broken you are, how much of a freak you are, and how there is no way out but to kill…How it feels when you can't sleep, how it feels to walk in the crowd, always thinking that there are Alison's spies among them, how it feels when you are shaking in a fucking spring lock suit, unsure if you want it to break!?"
"Please, I…"
"Shut up! I can't do this anymore, Will. I can't!" Gron took out his firearm and pressed the trigger, unleashing an aimless shot at Will. The engineer had time to evade, as Gron was hardly precise, making the bullet plunge into a wall. Immediately realizing what he had done, Gron dropped his gun in horror. "Oh my god, I am sorry… I'm sorry…"
His hands and knees shook before he fell to the floor, kneeling. William tried to keep his adrenaline in check and remain calm, Gron couldn't control his actions, yet it was evident that he didn't want to kill him, whatever the voice might have told him. He was still in there amidst all the agony and fear.
"I'm sorry, what am I doing, no, no…This is all wrong!" His voice continued to shake, as did his entire body. Many others would call it pathetic, yet William knew better. After so much work and so much progress, to have his demons return more powerful than before must have been horrifying, even if Will could not comprehend the full extent of his pain.
"Gron…" Will reached out to him, knowing that he risks getting exposed, but establishing a real connection was far more important now. "You're right; I can never truly understand it, but for what it is worth…I am sorry."
…
"I am sorry."
Those words echoed in Gron's ears, making his trembling body freeze. It made him look up at the one he once considered his friend…And still wanted it to be so.
HE LIES…
These were the words he dreamed of hearing ever since the day they descended underground, even though he couldn't always admit or understand it. All his pain and nightmares destroyed his life and made him follow a path of destruction for himself and others. Words so quiet yet so loud, so piercing that they granted him a moment of reprieve. Ever since hearing about the discovery of bodies, Gron was consumed by pain and the voice of the Twisted one that grew more powerful with every moment, tearing his mind. But now it became quieter and allowed Gron the moment he so yearned for, a moment to listen.
"I'm sorry that I brought you down there, that I decided that this curiosity was worth it…I believed I could play the hero, believed that I could use this for us both to earn a fortune and bring someone like Alison to light…What a goddamn idiot I was." William spoke with shame as he clenched his fist. "And I am sorry for not coming to speak with you sooner, for focusing on my work family and trying to justify this by believing you needed time alone…I was the only one that knew about what happened down there. I knew about your struggle…And I still chose to stand aside." A tear fell down from his face. "I'm sorry, Gron, I'm sorry…I know I can't undo my mistakes, as you can't undo yours, but…This does not have to be the end. We will find a way to bring him to light, we will find a way to get you help and treatment, we can…We can do it. We don't have to walk this path alone anymore; even if our families can't know, we do."
"Ha-ha…"
Those sweet promises, this genuine faith Will maintained, a breath of fresh air for Gron, the purity of relief he longed for so much. William might not have known about Gron's psychological struggle, but it did not mean that he could not relate to the fear of losing his family when they were bound by their contract, and both were willing to do whatever it took for their safety and salvation.
Even now, he could see him…The child that remained beside Gron throughout the night hung on the wall and was drenched in blood mixed with tears that streamed down his eyes. His beloved son, who had no strength left in him to plead, was now free…The image of his standing on the floor behind his father overtook him, making Gron breathe at ease. He was there, waiting for him to finish his duty.
Father, when will you come back?
I miss you.
For him to shatter his chains and break free from Fazbear Inc, for him to get the treatment he longed for. To finally be free from it all and reclaim the life he dreamed of…Perhaps there was still a chance.
"We can talk this through." William continued to reassure Gron as he made his advance. He could've moved aside, could've extended his hand to his friend, accepting the chance he gave him, the chance Gron knew he did not deserve. But even if the smallest part of this horrible tragedy could be undone so that they could ensure a safe life for their families, if not for themselves, it was worth it. It seemed to be so, at least.
HE IS LYING
The voice rose again, making Gron shiver and stare at William. It was then that he noticed that his friend reached for the firearm Gron dropped.
IDIOT
HOW COULD YOU BELIEVE?
In an instant, all of the illusions Gron maintained were utterly broken into pieces, shattered like glass. Charlie was gone, and in his place came the demons. Their voices rose up from behind, their laughs, their corrupted hands that covered the room in blood, the eyes of the Twisted one that watched him from behind, once again shackling his hands.
It was all a ploy to distract him.
THAT IS WHAT HE WANTED
TO TAKE AWAY YOUR WEAPON WHILE YOU LISTEN
BUT YOU WILL NOT MEET SUCH A PATHETIC END
YOU WILL NOT
The moment William picked up the gun, Gron charged at him with all his strength, going for the weapon. His friend didn't have enough time to pull the gun away before Gron grabbed it, forcing his grip upon both William's hands and the weapon.
"LIAR!" He screamed as he tried to pull it away, feeling as if he was overtaken by fury and spite. He wanted to come at him, wanted to claw William's face out for what he had done even though moments ago he was ready to accept his offer…There was no order in Gron's mind, no sanity to be found. There was no way to escape this hell. His only true option was to rot in prison…Or be free forever.
"Let go, Gron, please!" William shouted. "I can…I will put my weapon aside, too. We don't need them for this!"
"No, this is all I have left!" Gron's nails ripped into William's skin. "You want to leave me powerless; you want to have me at your mercy…You won't!"
They continued to struggle, with Gron getting feral with every second. Will tried to avoid harming him and instead got as broad of a grip on the gun as he could, while Gron felt no shame in doing anything he could to push him away. Eventually, the jester could feel himself touching the weapon, slowly pulling it away from William's arms.
"Stop, now! We don't need to fight!" William shouted, but Gron didn't care to listen.
"Too fucking late!"
With those words, Gron attempted to pull the gun and, in his rashness, could feel himself pulling the trigger. A loud sound of a firing bullet rang through the room, followed by William's agonized screams. He recoiled, finally letting go of the weapon. Gron chuckled nervously as he realized that he had won the struggle, yet now he had to look at his friend.
"Damn…You…" Will clenched his teeth as he breathed heavily, standing beside the wall. The bullet hit his shoulder, which the engineer was now clutching, trying to prevent the blood from spilling. His legs shook as he could barely hold himself together due to pain and shock. "Gron, please, this is madness!"
"Oh…It is. But I will end it." The jester said before pointing the weapon at Will. He could see the shock in his friend's eyes. It was rare to see William Afton left so speechless and powerless, leaning onto the wall as he couldn't believe his own eyes. Even Gron had to wonder how it ended this way. How was it that so recently, they smiled at the prospect of a new job, joyfully spending time together and having faith in their future? It was a path that brought them here, to this hell and prison, the one from which they couldn't escape. And now they were at each other's throats, driven mad at the table of their new 'master.'
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!
The Twisted one shouted in Gron's mind with his silhouette standing by his side.
KILL HIM, HAVE HIM BE THE NEW VICTIM
THE STAIN THAT WILL NOT BE HIDDEN
THE ONE YOU WILL PRESERVE
"Gron, please…" William said while still reeling from his wound. "Drop your weapon, and I'll drop mine… We'll go somewhere safe and talk there, just as long...As you listen…"
"No, Will." Gron shook his head, trying to calm himself down. There was no point in tears, no point in further pain, no point in even trying. There was only one way to be free after all Gron did. After all, he discovered. He pulled a gun to his head.
"No, NO!" William shouted as he tried to spring up from the sitting position he collapsed into earlier, but the fresh wound was holding him down.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
NO
DON'T YOU DARE
Ah, the music to his ears. Hearing the Twisted one being terrified, for once, an appropriate sound before they are both laid to rest.
"Goodbye, Will…Please look after them…I beg of you." He didn't have the heart to wait for the answer, didn't have the heart to imagine what Lynda and Charlie would think. He pulled the trigger…
Nothing happened, just a click.
HA-HA-HA…
LOOKS LIKE FATE ITSELF DOES NOT WANT YOU TO DIE
He was out of ammo.
"AAAARGH!" Gron shouted in fury as he tossed his weapon to the floor. "Fuck, fuck, fuck…"
NOW, LISTEN TO ME
YOU WHELP
YOU ARE MINE
AND I KNOW…
YOU WOULD NOT DARE TO DO IT…
NEVER!
"Thank god…" Will sighed in relief before trying to stand up once again. "Breathe out, it's alright, you're alright, all we have to do is…"
END HIM
Gron couldn't hear his friend behind the monstrous voice that pierced his ears, the demon was overtaking him, a mind that became a broken, fragile space for him to conquer, and it was time for him to expunge it from this world. Perhaps that's what the demon needed and what Gron deserved for the sins he committed, the taste of true agony.
Gron turned around, looking at the golden animatronic before him.
W…WHAT
YOU CANNOT!
"Gron!" William reached out to him from behind, but the decision was already made. This hell was not worth it; this pain was not worth it.
"I'm sorry."
Gron rushed to the golden suit as quickly as he could.
NO NO NO
There was a crank, it looked different from the one on other animatronics, but it was still in the same place. When Gron touched it, he felt his hand burning as if someone had grabbed it from behind, trying to pull him away from it. There were stains that he imagined…Or were they real? Gron did not know the answer, nor did he care for it.
STOP
YOU WILL NOT DIE
YOU WILL NOT
He will die. He was ready for it. When he pulled the crank, the entire suit transformed in a few moments, freeing up space for humans. It was a much simpler process than with that of Fredbear and Spring Bonnie…Who designed this animatronic? For what purpose? Perhaps those are the questions for Will to think about in later years, but Gron only cared for the suit as long as it would give him deliverance.
"Gron, stop! You're making a mistake. This will be painful, you know it…" William stood up, he couldn't walk too quickly, but there wasn't much time left for the jester. He took off the head and body of the animatronic carcass before getting inside the separated skeleton, putting his arms and legs in the designated positions. It had many more openings than the previous suits, allowing Gron to enter it quickly before putting the body and the head back on. When William was in the center of the room, Gron was fully clad in an animatronic suit.
"What the hell are you doing?! Please, stop!" William's pleas made him pause, but only for a moment.
YOU CANNOT
YOU WILL NOT
YOU…
He reached out for the crank and pulled it again, releasing the spring locks.
…
William had no expectations once he stepped into the back room, but even he didn't expect to feel so powerless at the sight of it. The pain in his shoulder, the warm blood that he felt dripping on the floor, was nothing compared to seeing his best friend put a gun to his head, so broken by his pain that he was ready to end it all in an instant. Perhaps it wasn't too late yet…But it was now.
William heard the clicking inside the Frankburt suit after Gron pulled the crank, releasing all the spring locks at once. What followed next could not be described as anything but a pure nightmare.
William heard a swift series of cracks and sounds of skin being ripped apart like fabric, coinciding with Gron shivering sharply before him. A loud cough echoed from the suit, and blood spilled through any openings the suit had, coloring the wall behind him in crimson.
"AAAAAARGH!" The piercing scream emerged from inside, a voice that was still reminiscent of Gron's but muffled and wheezing. He attempted to move his hands to his head, only for the crushing sounds to emerge again, this time paralyzing Gron's hands and forcing more blood out of them. It was here that screams stopped, replaced by gulping and wheezing that was overshadowed by the sound of metal parts blending in together. William rushed towards him, trying to go as quick as possible even with the wound, his heart rate increased. Gron fell to the wall, unable to stand up, he still shivered, and Will could hear muffled breathing, but he didn't have much time.
As William approached the crank, he heard the suit crushing Gron's legs, causing the puddle to become even bigger and forcing a sudden cough out of the suit, spitting even more crimson at the floor in front of him. Will didn't try to imagine how he must have looked or if there was a slim chance of saving his friend, there was no time for that. He grabbed the crank that seemingly was interconnected to the rest of the suit and was already drenched in blood, trying to desperately push it in. Despite his best efforts, however, it being wet and considering the mangled chaos that occurred inside the suit made it incredibly difficult to force it in, and by all accounts, it was not possible at this point, but he still had to try. This made William feel the pain in his wound as he clenched his teeth, desperately trying not to scream in agony.
"Come on…COME ON!" He screamed in fury moments before hearing another crushing blow, this time at Gron's head. The splatters of blood fell at William, drenching his uniform and skin. Some of it nearly got into his eyes if not for him closing them down. He tried again, attempt after attempt, feeling the shaking of his hands and eyes that stared directly at the animatronic in front of him.
"Please, just move, please…"
But it was too late. Soon, the crushing sounds became quieter and quieter, and there was less blood coming out of the suit after both the floor and the wall behind him were thoroughly stained. There were no attempts at breathing or other sounds; the suit stopped moving at all, leaving William in silence. He knew exactly what it meant, even if he couldn't accept it.
"No, no, please…Just a little more…" He uttered under his breath, still focused on the crank even when the hope was lost. William completely lost any sense of time as he was consumed by his vain, pointless attempts. "Fuck…Why…" He could barely form words. There was much he knew about the technicalities of spring lock failures, but seeing one performed on his best friend in a costume with a design that William hardly knew…If it were any of the others, he could've stopped, he could've slowed it down and got him out, but with this one, there was nothing.
How pathetic.
He failed him.
He failed his best friend, and only now did the realization truly strike Will.
But then, the suit moved again. It was a sudden, sharp movement that made Will recoil. The animatronic's head suddenly turned towards him, staring at the engineer with its silver eyes now sprinkled with fresh blood. The movement was so swift and fluid that William thought he was hallucinating. There was no way for an animatronic to perform such feats…
Not that he got much time to think, either. In the next instant, its golden hand rose up, grabbing Will by the neck as he was forced to watch with trembling eyes. Whatever it was, he witnessed now…It was alive.
The metal grip over Will's neck left him no strength to speak, but he could feel the ground disappearing before him as the animatronic arose, standing on his legs while still staring at the human before him. There were no breaths from the inside; the programming must have turned out, but how was this possible?
"Will…" A broken, robotic voice echoed from the animatronic, making both him and William even more shocked. It was broken and changed, yet it was still his voice.
"G…Gron?" William coughed and forced himself to speak as he stared into the animatronic's eyes. The robot touched himself with his other hand, getting a feel of the carcass and some parts of the endoskeleton in the opening as if someone woke up after a long dream and could barely understand themselves. The last place he touched was his head. The robot was static and frozen; such actions could not be enforced by any programming. "What…Are you?"
Those words seemed to break the robot's trance. He threw William to the nearby wall, making him feel the pain of a collision. Will took his gun, preparing to defend himself, but the animatronic did not approach him. Instead, he let out a nauseating sound, a scream that was both robotic and human in its sound, piercing William's ears as he still could not understand what was going on. With every passing second, it all felt like a nightmarish fever dream, a cruel joke that he was forced to suffer.
This was the last he saw of the animatronic. It turned around and ran as swiftly as any human, busting through the door while still maintaining its broken scream. Soon he became a distant echo with his steps coming from the pizzeria entrance, all while William was left alone, wounded and covered in blood, his mind broken from what he saw. He could see it in his eyes, hear it in his screams…
It was still Gron.
…
It had been more than an hour, maybe almost two. Mike couldn't be bothered to count the time.
When he called his father, he expected something. Some decent explanation, some reassurance, and something for him and his siblings to latch onto, but all they got were words that horrified Mike, and he could only imagine how chilling it must have been for Chris and Elizabeth. The instructions were clear, and all of them sounded like they were not truly safe there. As if someone or something could come into their house or stalk them outside. In light of this, his promises hardly sounded reassuring when the three were home alone.
Nevertheless, Mike made sure to follow his father's instructions. He turned off all the lights, gathered the three of them in a single room in darkness, and made sure they were as far away from the windows as possible. As fearful as his siblings were after hearing this, they obeyed without resistance. And now all they could do was wait. They sat on a bed, all close to each other, with Mike spreading his hands and hugging both at the same time. Elizabeth didn't look to the darkness. She tucked her face into Michael's shirt and remained quiet. Chris, on the other hand, would always turn around to look at the closer, windows, or the door, and even it being locked didn't stop him. Every slight sound and every shadow he saw immediately turned into a unique monster in his mind.
Of course, they talked a lot during this time, desperately trying to distract themselves from their father's words. He listened to more stories about Freddy and the band than he had in the last few months at this hour, but Mike didn't resist. It kept them preoccupied and brightened their mood at this moment, and this was all that mattered now. But now, even the stories weren't enough as they were still amidst this grave silence.
"I think…Something is in the closet." Chris looked up at Mike with scared eyes, pointing to the dark pit that their closet door turned into without any light.
"Chris, stop," Mike said with a commanding tone. "There is no one there. It's bad enough without your fairytales…"
"But I swear, I saw something in the dark, like…It was in there!"
"You always see things in the dark; that doesn't mean anything." His patience wasn't limitless, and Mike couldn't support it any longer. All he wanted was for their parents to come back home, he couldn't feel safe otherwise, and none of them could. "And anyway… I'm here. I can protect you. Haven't we gone through this already?"
"I mean…Yeah. But you are scared too." Chris said with doubt.
"Everyone is now, everyone," Mike stated, trying to sound firm. "Whatever father got himself into…Jesus." He spoke of people that could be coming to their house, but why? Why would anyone try to harm them? Why would anyone need them at all?
"Mike…" Elizabeth's quiet voice echoed as she raised her head. "Will…Will daddy come home? It's been so long and…"
"Of course he will," Mike reassured her. "You know him, always wasting his time on some useless stuff until late at night…But eventually, he always comes back."
"And…Mommy?"
"She…I think her performance is too long." Mike shook his head. "Father would come home sooner. We should wait for just a bit and…" Mike tried to rationalize it, but he quickly noticed the tears that were falling down from his sister's eyes.
"He…He said he'll come back soon and…But he isn't here, he isn't calling us…What if they got him? I don't know what to do…" The girl cried as her voice shook in horror, and Mike was watching her, realizing that there was nothing he could do to help her that wouldn't be an empty platitude.
"Listen…It will be alright, I promise you." Mike hugged her tighter. "You always believe in father, don't you? That he will be alright, that he will always be there for us, right? You need to believe in him one last time. Okay? It will be alright, I promise you, he might take time, but he will return. And while he's here…I will not let my guard down. If any of those freaks, whoever they are, try to take you or Chris, they'll have to go through me!"
"Thank…Thank you."
"It's alright; I know it's scary. I'm scared too. It's just…"
Mike was interrupted by a ringing doorbell that immediately caused the trio to jump up in shock. They had grown so accustomed to silence in the last hour that this sudden reminder had been a strong wake-up call for all of them.
"Who is this?" Chris's lips quivered.
"Shhh, stay quiet," Mike commanded, waiting for the person below them to give them any indication that it was safe to come out. Soon, the door opened, making Mike's heart beat faster. They had the keys. Either someone stole them or…
"Mike!" Father's loud voice echoed from behind. "Liza! Chris!"
It was him. Finally.
"Daddy!" Elizabeth exclaimed as she jumped up from her bed and made her way to the door. In mere seconds, she disappeared behind the walls, leaving Mike and Chris alone; both of them could hear the other sigh in relief.
"See…Told you he'll come back." Mike chuckled, finally allowing himself any positive emotion a she felt the burden of responsibility falling from him. "Come on, let's meet him. I hope he has a damn good explanation for all of this."
Chris silently nodded and followed Mike outside. As the two left for the hall, where the lights had finally been turned on, the first sound they could hear was Elizabeth's shocked voice.
"What…What happened?!"
"It's a long story…" Father's tired voice echoed afterward, and soon Mike could see exactly what she was reacting to. Their father was wounded in the shoulder with a bandaid wrapped around it which, nevertheless, wasn't enough to hold it at bay entirely. The bandaid was colored crimson, and it still looked fresh.
"Hi, dad…" Chris said meekly.
"What in the actual hell has happened?! "Mike spoke up, unable to hold some anger in his voice.
"We were all very worried!" Elizabeth spoke with a quivering voice before rushing to hug her father. "I… Wasn't sure if you would return."
"I promised, didn't I?" There was something wrong with father's voice that Michael noticed immediately. He was always firm in his statements and words, but not now. Now his voice was faint and almost shaking, even though he still tried to sound confident. Perhaps it would create enough of an illusion for Chris and Elizabeth, but it wouldn't fool Mike.
"Dad, what happened? Who are those people you were talking about? Where were you? Why is there…Why is there fucking blood?"
"I will explain everything, I promise," William responded sternly. "My way home has been quite eventful. Who could've known the crimes that occur at night."
"Are you hurt, daddy?" Elizabeth spoke with concern. "Mommy has some medicine in her room; maybe you could take it?"
"I wouldn't mind."
"I will bring some of it."
"Thank you, princess…" William said as Elizabeth ran off.
"So…Wait a moment?" Mike crossed his arms. "Are you saying you got mugged or something? Why today, is, are the same people who came to our house? Why the hell would they need anything? We aren't that rich, and they didn't even take money. I don't understand why…Why are you looking so damn pale?!" There were far too many questions Mike had on his mind now, and he wasn't patient enough to let them slide.
"Mike, there are other concerns now!" William retorted. "I'm sorry you had to go through this today; I truly am, but now there are more pressing concerns than…"
They got interrupted by a phone call coming from their father's pocket, which he didn't hesitate to pick up, despite the pain in his arm. Michael saw his hand shaking weakly as he took the phone and responded.
"Hello?"
"Hello, is this Mr. Afton speaking?" Mike could hear the voice on the other side just as well, the sound was loud enough, and both he and Chris were listening attentively.
"And you are?"
"I'm Peter Wilson, from the Memoria Medical Centre… I'm sorry if I'm interrupting, but do you have a moment?"
"Depends on what you are going to say," William said cautiously as Mike noticed him clenching his phone with a still-shaking hand.
"There has been a car accident reported to me on Western State street, and a team has been dispatched…Is Clara Afton your wife?"
"Yes…" William responded quietly as he, Mike and Chris froze in anticipation.
"I regret to inform you that she has been involved in this car accident along with a few others…Her car was heavily damaged and caught fire; she was at the epicenter of this. She has received severe burns and suffered multiple concussions. My team is doing everything they can at the moment. She is at the center now. You are free to visit, of course…My condolences."
Those were his words before he hung up, leaving the trio in silence and shock.
"I brought as many as you need, daddy!" Elizabeth's voice echoed from above as she rushed down the stairs to reunite with her family. As soon as she saw them, she quickly must have realized that something was horribly wrong. "W… What's wrong?"
Mike didn't find any strength in himself to answer.