Some Things Are Better Left Buried

By: Miss-DNL

Chapter 15: Save Them

"You two get along?" Kyle asked as she looked to Mike. She was a little curious as how the meeting between her girlfriend and Mike would've gone. Jessica had been asleep by the time she made it back home after her shift, so she left a note for her. Didn't need Jessica thinking that Mike was some guy that broken in. Though she figured she would've recognize his uniform, but better safe than sorry.

Mike took a seat at the end of the bed before he answered, "I woke up over an hour ago. She was in the kitchen making some weird tea and gave me a cup when she noticed I was awake." The man wrinkled his nose, "Tasted weird, but she said it'd calm my nerves and it did help so I didn't really complain. Got kind of awkward after that," he shrugged, no way an odd way of meeting a person like that would've gone over smoothly least not to him, "then she left."

"Sounds like she gave you some green tea." Kyle stated as rubbed her tired eyes. Of course because of that nightmare she didn't feel rested. Honestly she felt worn out and a tad sore. Kyle sighed, she could think of only one solution a night shift workers cure all, "But I could go for some coffee right now."

She turned her head to her guest and asked, "Want some?"

"Sounds good to me. That green tea made me want to go back to sleep." Mike answered as he rubbed the side of his face. He watched Kyle as she headed for the open doorway, with a grunt he got up and followed her out, "Can have a cup as I explain things."

"I'll get the coffee maker going then." Kyle responded normally as she went into the kitchen. As she began making the coffee Mike went and took a seat at the kitchen table. Soon enough the red coffee maker began producing a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Kyle looked over to Mike and briskly examined him, he looked more collected than she last recalled but barely less worn out. Their conditions were similar, but she felt Mike had it worse due to his episode last night. Yet she got the feeling Mike was more used to it than she. Soon the coffee maker gurgled signaling the coffee was about done. Kyle looked to the steaming mug and asked Mike, "Want any cream, sugar, or do you want me to leave it black?"

"Some cream will do." Mike answered. Kyle poured some milky caramel creamer into the cup, stirred, and then handed the mug off to the other guard. Mike gave a brief thanks and took a quick sip of the beverage. It was hot but he needed the wakeup call.

One more cup of coffee made and Kyle was sitting down across from Mike, appearing expectant. Mike took another drink and eyed her a bit, "So, where do you want me to start?"

"I have a lot of questions," Kyle began, she stirred a spoon in her coffee making sure the cream and sugar was properly mixed in. Mike gave an expectant grunt and she looked to him, anxiety simmering just below the surface of her complexion, her voice started off tense but built in volume as she continued speaking, "but first. I want to know what the hell is up with those things. Why are they trying so bad to kill us? How the fuck are they even moving on their own at all? It can't be some glitch!"

Mike let her finish her little rant, knowing well her emotions weren't aimed at him, before simply saying, "Your right, it isn't a glitch."

Having expected more to his answer Kyle pressed for more, "Then what is it?"

The veteran guard looked at his coffee, took a drink, and gave a thoughtful hum before looking back to his coworker. His gaze turned somewhat stern and his voice reflected this, "I'll ask you again to be open minded on this."

When Kyle gave an affirming nod Mike sat back in his chair. He exhaled tiredly, this was going to be a long and draining conversation. He took one more drink from his coffee, the pleasantly hot liquid soothing him enough to begin, "You remember the incidents tied to the franchise right? The missing kids."

Kyle felt unease settle into the air as a thought took its place in her mind. The brunette had a bad idea of where Mike was going with this. She frowned, slowly answering, "Yeah…"

Mike could tell she was getting what he was alluding to, but also knew he was going to have to say it himself. It was understandable, this wasn't something he had believed in prior to working at Freddy's either. It was an outlandish thing to think and an utterly horrible thought to actually be true. Mike wondered if Kyle would actually trust what he was going to tell her as the truth. She had seen what happened in the pizzeria at night, been through the terrifying nightmare inducing ordeal. Twice now in fact. At the least Mike figured that his coworker could at least be persuaded to not think he wasn't insane.

"The missing," a second after Mike irately corrected himself, "dead children's ghosts are possessing that animatronics and have been since their murders."

Kyle stared at Mike, not in the manner suggesting she thought he was crazy but in silent horror. Her nightmare resurfaced in her mind, its presence in her thoughts strong as though it had actually happened. The child in the hall with that dementedly grinning Bonnie look-alike. The the words of the animatronics repeated in her head and a cold sense of dread settled inside her. She wondered, why would her dream mean anything? Kyle gripped her mug with both hands, conflicting thoughts fighting in her mind. A dream is a dream, right? At the same time, it was too coincidental. She had no way of suspecting that from her shifts. Kyle was left anxiously undecided; she didn't know what to make of this but she felt horrible nonetheless.

"You had a nightmare, am I right?" Mike asked suddenly, pulling Kyle from her internal conflict. Seeing the surprised look on Kyle's face confirmed Mike's suspicion and he felt a pang of sympathy dart through him. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair as he recalled the various nightmares he'd had over the years. Kyle stumbled to ask him how he knew so Mike went on to explain, "I've had plenty of my own over the past years. Some worse than others, but all of them about the animatronics."

"Yeah…I was at a Freddy's, not ours a different one." Kyle began. Mike took a drink from his coffee, seeing the attentive look on his face she continued, "I was in uniform…I think, I'm not sure. A show had started, and then I saw this girl in a hall with this weird Bonnie looking animatronic. It was…" Kyle thought a moment how to describe the entity but could only come up with one word, "shadowy…" Mike blinked when Kyle perked up, "it had five fingers and a real creepy grin."

"Five?" Mike echoed curiously.

"Yeah, like the thing that appeared in the office when the tablet went haywire." Kyle elaborated before taking a drink. Mike said nothing but seemed to be thinking about the detail as he gave a faint hum. Kyle frowned in discomfort as she went on to the more nightmarish part of the dream, "I followed the two to a backroom. Looked like a storage room of some sort…and I saw a golden Freddy suit."

Kyle ran a hand through her hair, trying to settle her nerves, "There was blood everywhere…" Mike nodded in understanding as Kyle continued telling her nightmare, "It came to life and I ran out of the room. Then the other animatronics showed up and they were all bleeding…They were saying things." Kyle shook her head in tired dismay, "I can't remember what they all said, but I know they were in pain, and so…angry."

"Then the shadow Bonnie showed up again…" Kyle covered her face not willing to give detail on how the creature shredded her, her stomach prickled and throat tensed as she envisioned the scene. Briskly Kyle wrapped up her retelling, "and then you woke me up."

Mike could tell by how Kyle hid herself that the nightmare hadn't ended pleasantly for her. It was no surprise Mike couldn't recall how many times he'd woken up screaming, but he knew that it was more than needed for any one lifetime. What ways had he died in his sleep? Skull bitten in, torn apart, throat cut open, stuffed into a bear suit, and probably others he didn't care to recall at the moment. Mike let a moment of silence settle to allow Kyle to recollect herself. It was an inward relief this situation, having a person share his pain. Misery loved company as they say. Upon reflection Mike found that sentiment to be somewhat pathetic, needing another to suffer with him to feel better. Yet, he couldn't deny himself it. The man couldn't just stop the nightmares from happening, otherwise he wouldn't have endured them for thirty years, and after that long time alone company was something he'd quickly come to miss.

"I've had nightmares like that." Mike said after a suitable pause. Kyle remained silent to let the man talk, looking at him from across the table. Mike took a long drink of his coffee and thought about his thirty years of self-inflicted solitude. "Except the only purple animatronic in my nightmares that had five fingers was a bear." He thought about the entity that haunted his dreams and its seemingly ever present leer, "Seems to be like yours, all shadowy." Something prodded at his mind but he couldn't quiet pin it, "Maybe I saw your dark Bonnie…hard to tell from the regular one maybe. The animatronics at times are twisted, turned into monsters, in my dreams."

Kyle nodded curtly in understanding. She looked across the table at the middle aged man, he seemed somberly thoughtful almost regretfully so. Her fingers tentatively fidgeted along the sides of her warm coffee mug, "Mike…how long have you had these nightmares?"

"How long ago was the last of the original Freddy's?" Mike asked in turn.

Expression shocked Kyle's mouth when partly slacked for a moment before she looked the man over, trying to figure out how in the world he was stable as he was. Thirty years of nightmares of the caliber she'd witness would've driven her mad. Yet somehow Mike was still functioning, damaged but functioning. Kyle still felt a strong sense of concern for him regardless and more so when she for a fact he'd been enduring panic attacks as well.

"Thirty years…" She said to herself in a hushed disbelieving voice. Kyle shook her head not wanting to believe that. "Mike how have you put up with this?" The younger guard questioned, trying to find an answer, "You've had someone with you right? I don't know how-" She was stopped by a remorsefully bitter laugh.

"Ha-ha, no…No I haven't." Mike corrected with a shake of his head. He held his forehead as he gazed down at the table a remorseful grin on his face, "Don't bother feeling bad, I know you are I can see it on your face. I saw it last night. Just…don't bother, I did it to myself."

Before she could question herself whether she should or not, Kyle slowly asked, "What do you mean?"

Mike lifted his head up right, tears forming in the sides of his eyes, "I took that damn job to get money for me and my girl." He frowned sadly remember the look of concern on his former love's face when he first woke up screaming. It'd been shortly after he quit, Mike had thought that he was finally through with the nightmare but the terror had followed him home. He'd been foolish to think it was over. He'd had night terrors while working at the damned pizzeria. Yet, it only took a few days' peace for the young him to let his guard down. Mike rubbed the tears out of his eyes, trying to compose himself, "But I pushed her away because I couldn't bring myself to explain what'd I'd been through. Didn't want her thinking I was crazy…So I ended up moving out of the apartment we shared, took to living in a cheap motel for a bit."

"Want to know how I'm barely held together?" Mike asked rhetorically. He looked away seeming unsure himself. Mike shook his head again, "That's just it. I'm not. I trudge through each day being just as miserable as I was on the last one. Comfort is something I gave up willingly, and I just deal with it."

Kyle didn't know what to say to what she'd just been told. Mike didn't respond to her shell shocked staring and continued to drink the coffee she'd provided to him. Unable to think of anything she instead opted to move the conversation along and brought it back to the kids. Kyle spoke carefully, finding the words as she went along, "The kids…how did you find out?"

Mike bristled, the question bringing up his final night at Freddy's. He took a breath and began to explain, "On my last night I nearly died." Not really meeting Kyle's gaze, he didn't need to see it to know what her expression would be, Mike motioned to his shoulder. "Fox had my shoulder by his hook. Nearly dragged me back to get shoved in a suit. By luck I caught it off guard and broke away. Then…"

Mike didn't know how but on some impulse his body seemed to act on its own. He jerked back like a frightened animal, ignoring the screaming pain in his shoulder. The action wasn't enough to throw Foxy off, but the following lashed out kick to the animatronic's exposed knee joint was. Startled the pirate robot screeched and was sent tumbling down with Mike. Frantic and desperate Mike shoved the robot away while it was still bewildered. The action caused a yelp to fly from his mouth as the hook tore away some his shredded shoulder. Scrambling to his feet Mike shakily fumbled to grab his flashlight off the floor.

The sound of a building snarl behind him got him to snatch the flashlight right up. The young man hurried down the hall, the fox in the way of the quicker escape route. Not one but two animatronic shrieks sounded behind him encouraging Mike to reach the safety of the security office. The sudden speed, combined with all he'd endured during the night, Mike found himself unable to stop correctly and collided with the metal doorway of the office. Adrenalin pumping strongly through his veins Mike pushed himself forward.

Right after he slammed his hand down on the door button. No sooner than the door came down Mike clicked the door light frantically, not caring or thinking about the energy reserves. He was leaving. Whatever minutes he had left were inconsequential. With Bonnie and Foxy hopefully stunned Mike let his flight instinct guide him out to the right hall. The guard didn't falter when he saw Freddy and immediately shone the light on him. Mike continued to blind the bear as he slipped past him, somewhere in his frantic mind hoping that did something.

Chica wasn't present in the main party room as Mike rushed into to it. The guard didn't stop to look around as he practically flew past the neatly kept party tables. By the time he reached the wall on the far end of the main party room Mike's lungs were beginning to burn and the pain in his shoulder was making his unfocused mind hazier. With the prevailing thought of escape still loudly chanting inside him Mike pushed onward.

The sounds of his own panting breaths filled his ears, the smell of blood clung to his nostrils. He held an arm out to the wall, using it to steady his balance. His hand pushed along colored pictures, bare wall, and posters. The panic built up in his chest lightened just barely as he spotted the corner that rounded to the building's entrance. Mike picked up the pace again and moved quickly towards his path to safety. Behind him the animatronics were beginning to move again, this served to bring Mike's panic back to full tilt.

A hopeful smile came and went as it was replaced with a look of horror once Mike's eyes were met with the sight of a poster that hung on the wall. At the moment the young man couldn't recall what it had been once but it was now replaced with a ghastly image. It was a child whose eyes were round with fear, streams of tears running down its face, and mouth open in silent wail. All that was shown was the child's terrified face the rest of the poster was black. The eyes stared out at Mike, distress emanating from the gaze like it was pleading for him to do something. Mike stared back with rivaling fear, his gaze seemingly locked with the poster's.

Freddy's song chimed through the air and Mike broke eye contact with the poster, fleeing to the hall. Turning into the hall that lead to the entrance Mike tried to focus on escape. All of the posters that had greeted costumers had been replaced with crying child, the same as the first. The sound of crying began working its way into his ears, and with each poster he passed another cry companied it. One, then two, then three, until a chorus of seven was reached.

Tears were sliding down Mike's cheeks by the time he reached the entrance, the sound was maddening. Then he spotted the source of two of the cries and Mike went still. In front of the doors was three figures. Their skin was pale, outlines faded, with deep black hole in place of their eyes. It was like looking at real life versions of the posters, tears running down their cheeks. Various wounds were marring their forms but Mike could hardly look at anything but their faces. The two crying were hiding behind one that was between them, they seemed fearful of Mike's presence.

The one in the center had tears coming down the sides of his face as well, but he wasn't sobbing. He looked at Mike with a cold gaze that bore into him that was paired with a sullen frown. It was hard for the young adult not to notice the chunk missing from his forehead, yet the details seemed to be shrouded in darkness. He was smaller than the two others but held much stronger presence beyond the years that his appearance suggested.

An animatronic wail from his side caused Mike to jump and look towards it. Golden Freddy lunged from the shadows, jaw wide open for a bite, and hands ready to hold the guard still. Mike bolted from his spot, a snap ringing from behind him. He swallowed his fear and ran right through the ghost children, a wave of icy cold rushing through him as he did so.

Mike fought with the door lock as he uttered frightened gibberish to himself, the key seeming to refuse to fit into the slot. His heart soared when he finally unlocked the door and pushed it open. A grab at his pants leg jerked his heart right back down into terror. Mike, shaking, looked downward and saw one of the sobbing children was clinging to his leg.

"Please help us…"

He stared down at the child, the reason for the hellish working condition seeming to make sense now. The animatronic's behavior and his torment were all because of the incidents. Despite this clarity and despite the begging expression of the child…Mike could not bring to shed his fear and he ran from the pizzeria.

"I was a coward…" Mike finished, hands clenched on the table to the point his knuckles where white. Disgust towards himself evident on his face, jaw tightly set coupled with a scowling expression. He glared down the table, tone ridged, "I only thought of myself and ran away and it's haunted me ever since."

"Mike I don't think most people would stick it out." Kyle reasoned, trying to give the man some reassurance. She was startled when her effort resulted in Mike yelling.

"It doesn't what most would do!" Mike's anger quickly died away into sadness and he hung his head, "Their just kids…th-their just kids…and I left them in that place."

"So that's why you really came back." Kyle said softly with saddened realization. She could see tears on the man's face, resulting in a twinge of empathy from herself.

"Yes," Mike answered. He straightened himself, feeling some relief from finally sharing his experience with someone after so long. The conversation was proving to be therapeutic to him. Mike looked up to Kyle, "But I was being honest when I told you I wanted to keep guards from dying." He frowned thinking about his interview, "I had to tell get Gregor to put me on shift with you. Moron doesn't seem to care about what's going on. Reminds me of the old manager Jones."

Kyle gave an unsurprised scoff, "Sounds about right."

"Yeah, speaking of which, can I use your cell? Mine died and I need to make sure that bastard puts us on the same shift…" Mike stopped speaking when he realized he was assuming she'd still go back to the hellhole. "If you're going to keep going suffering with me."

The woman looked at him then gave a weak smile, "I told you I was sticking around for the same reason. And now, I know they need help…" Kyle's voice drifted off for a bit before she asked, "Any idea of how to save them?"

"That's a work in progress…" Mike answered grimly. Inwardly he was relieved and at the same time apprehensive about Kyle sticking with him. He finished off his coffee then continued, "My guess is they need to be properly laid to rest. Issue is…"

"Their bodies were never found." Kyle finished, getting a nod from Mike. She ran a hand through her hair, mind trying to wrap around her situation, "We're trying to solve a case thirty years cold." With a blink Kyle suddenly got up from her seat, "Oh yeah! You wanted to use my cell," the woman shook her head, embarrassed by the lack of focus, "sorry."

"Don't worry about it. It's a lot to take in I know." Mike said, dismissing the apology, as he watched Kyle head off to find her cellphone.

"Help yourself to something to eat if you want!" Kyle called back to him.

Mike looked towards the fridge. Food sound good right about now.

Author's Note: And there we go, Mike's reason for coming back. One more day chapter and then we're onto night six, and you guys get what you've come for. Good news is I've almost completed the next chapter, little over half done. That's 9 pages so a third of my way to my thirty page stockpile goal. Going to try and write up the missing twenty-one pages soon as possible, hopefully within a week or so. The story has reached over 200 pages in the complete save file btw! So I'd like to thank everyone for sticking with me this long! You all make this worth it! ^^

Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed! :)