Some Things Are Better Left Buried

By: Miss-DNL

Chapter 19: The Graveyard at Freddy's

Puppet hissed to himself, frustration reaching its highest point, it was almost dawn. Hours had passed with no sign of the other guard. Normally, this frustration would be due to the fact, that, after this any normal guard would never return. This time, it was because this opportunity would be wasted. Now with the killer on the loose, getting to the guard first on any other night was going to be difficult. They'd gotten a chance this time because he wasn't aware of him.

This guard would return, Puppet knew this, to taunt them. Adults liked to ensure that they suffered. This guard, Puppet had recognized him immediately despite how he'd aged. Puppet never forgot a face.

This one needed to die for abandoning them. It burned him inside to remember how one of his friends begged and he had just run away.

Puppet had thought after the power went out that they'd find the guard for sure. Yet, they hadn't even heard the sound of frightened breathing. Puppet slinked his way back to the prize corner, with less than fifteen minutes left he was half contemplated just returning to his box. He put this thought on hold when he spotted the door to the prize corner supply closet. Silently he headed to closet instead of his box. Slowly with the turn of a knob he opened the door, Puppet's hunch was quickly dismissed soon after.

The prize corner supply closet was a cluttered mess, the boxes stacked haphazardly. There wasn't even any room for an adult to stand. Puppet shut the door and headed to his box, that had been the last place he hadn't checked. Wherever the guard was hiding they apparently didn't know about it.

Puppet called for his friends to cease their searching, they might as well enjoy their last ten minutes or so. Foxy he doubted would stop but that was on him. Puppet pulled the present lid closed and curled up around his Fredbear doll. The guard won for the night, but he couldn't keep this up forever. He would die and this wretched hellhole would shut down, that's all there was to it.

Mike wasn't surprised when he found himself in a dream, or a more likely a nightmare. It was just a tad more surprising that he was lucid, able to control himself as if were awake. Mike pulled himself up from the ground, he'd "woken up" lying in the prize corner, the exact…Mike realized he was having trouble recalling what'd happened before he'd fallen asleep. Whatever it was…was important. Thinking about it caused Mike to begin feeling frantic, his stature tensed and his heartrate began picking up. Yet, he still recalled nothing. There was just this strong sensation of urgency in a blank spot in his mind. Mike shook his head and began to open the door to the closet, whatever it was he'd likely remember when he woke up. Mike stopped midway through opening the door, for some reason that thought didn't sit well with him.

"Not like I have a choice in the matter…" Mike muttered to himself, he found that, typically, he wouldn't wake up from the dreams through his own will. Usually something outside the dreams woke up him up, which was most of his alarm clock, or, more often, something killed him.

Cautiously he glanced around the prize corner, almost expecting a nightmarish animatronic to lung at him and tear him apart limb from limb. This didn't happen and Mike was allowed some time to take in his current reality. The alcove looked abandoned, dirt and dust coated the surroundings, the paint was peeling away; torn in some places, and cracks disrupted every surface possible. The stuffed animals that still sat on the shelves were in a sorry state, their false fur was caked and ragged, their stitching was coming undone leaving stuffing squeezing its way out, eyes and limbs were missing. Mike almost felt like he pitied them, these abandoned and dejected things left to rot, but he knew this was only a dream. Once he woke up they'd no longer exist.

Mike turned around the corner and stared at the puppet's box, instead of purple and blue it looked more like two off shades of black and grey. He looked at the structure a moment, waiting for Puppet spring from it. When this didn't happen Mike ventured close enough to get a look inside, the lid lying up turned behind it at an angle. Inside was a thick sheet of cobwebs and at the very center was a Golden Freddy doll. The plush toy laid nestled amongst layers of the silken webbing, like it had been gently tucked in.

The man felt urged to pick up the toy so he reached in and grabbed the doll. His fingers worked their way through the webbing, the white substance sticking to his hand, and pulled the Golden Freddy from its hold. Mildly disgusted, Mike removed as much of the substance from his hand and the doll that he could. Even afterwards the man felt the faint sensation of it clinging to his skin, almost like tiny fingers brushing against him. Mike gave his hand one more quick brush off before looking at the doll, it was worn but not as badly as the others; as if the cobwebs had somehow preserved it. The toy still had all it limbs and its stitching was still holding strong. The worst of its condition was its golden fur, dingy and small clumps were stuck together.

Mike fiddled with its purple top hat, it was slightly loose he noted, curious as to why this doll was inside Puppet's home.

"Leave…"

Mike was left staring at the doll when a little girl's voice seemingly came from its closed mouth, "Leave…it's not safe here…leave…"

Hands trembling Mike protested, his voice shaky and weak, he knew who was speaking to him, "No…I can't. I won't!" He yelled, his resolve building itself up, "Not this time. I won't run away…not this time," Mike choked out his words, "not this time."

The doll ignored his conviction, "Leave, stay away, leave, stay away," it chanted in its distant and unnervingly emotionless voice.

"No!" Mike shouted, the doll fell silent, not caring about what lay in waiting for him in this subconscious reality. He gulped and took in a deep breath, the shout seeming to have emptied his lungs. Mike looked down at the doll pleadingly, "I can't leave…please, please, just tell me how to help you. You and the others."

Again the bear spoke but gave him no answer and continued trying to warn him away, "They're angry. They'll kill you. He'll kill you. He's here now…trapped with us. Angier than us."

The mention of this he caused something in Mike's mind to resurface, he recalled what the phone call and the figure on the tablet. He held the stuffed bear closer to him, "He? The one you were panicked about on the phone?" When the bear gave no reply he pressed on, desperation strong in his voice, "The Purple Guy shown on the tablet?"

"Yes." The answer was barely above a whisper.

"He's the killer, isn't he?" Mike questioned, his form trembling but from anger this time not fear or desperation. The bear didn't get to answer, if she was going to, when an outcry of shrieks ripped through the air. Mike gritted his teeth at the interruption, his tormentors were on the move, sounds of metal parts moving heavy bodies and deep metallic cries filling the air. Mike looked back to the plush toy, hoping to squeeze another answer in before he had to bolt, but it was no longer in his hands. With wild franticness he looked around for the toy but it was nowhere to be seen, not in the box and not on the shelves.

A metal growl like a revving engine from down the hall caused Mike to whip around, a yellow light shifting closer in the hall alerted him to Foxy. Of course it's Foxy…Mike thought bitterly to himself, Damn fox never leaves me alone.

He reached down and plucked his flashlight from his pocket. Over the years of being plagued by nightmares Mike had found the flashlight repelled the beasts. Perhaps it was because he related the flashlight with safety against animatronics, maybe not, all he knew was that it worked. Tensely Mike made his way to edge of the prize corner, he worked his lips before rushing out into the hall. The feral and ragged version of Foxy shrieked and recoiled back when light hit its eyes.

Just as quickly once the light was turned away, Mike having made it down the hall, the fox snarled viciously and rushed after him. Talon tipped metal feet crashing down onto the cracked and dirty tiled floor, propelling the beast quickly down the hall a few tiles breaking along the way.

Mike looked back over his shoulder and saw the glaring yellow eyes of the fox pinned right on him, the thing picking up speed at an alarming rate. It shrieked furiously at him and raised its elongated blade-like hook, the threat gesture far too clear for Mike's tastes. The guard stunned Foxy's nightmare doppelganger with the flashlight again, wanting lengthen the space between them. The thing cried as if its eyes had been burned and wiped at them with its metal hand.

A loud booming roar caused Mike to stall in his tracks. He turned his head and saw a bulkier version of Freddy at the end of a row of tables. Like Foxy this version had been given a nightmarish makeover, now boasting claws and enough teeth to make a crocodile jealous. Freddy's jaws were so filled with teeth that it looked like it wouldn't be able to close its mouth properly.

The bear monstrosity swung its arm out at the table in front of it, sending the old construct flying into the others, as it bellowed its loud cry. Mike knew they couldn't actually kill him but the display of power still shook him, and the pain he experienced in this dreams ebbed into the waking world at times. To make matters worse Bonnie and Chica's nightmare counterparts marched into the room, having heard Freddy's roar. Mike clenched his flashlight when he saw at least three little cackling minions jumping around Chica's feet.

"Great, gang's all here…" Mike muttered to himself. From the hall Foxy shrieked causing Mike to turn his attention to his old enemy. With its alarming speed, the hellish pirate charged at him, making Mike duck away from the hook. Mike didn't dare use the flashlight now, at closer ranges it tended to only piss nightmares off.

Mike jumped away when the beast snapped its gator-like jaws at him. The guard was forced to walk backwards, narrowly dodging the machine's attacks, he couldn't afford to turn his back on Foxy now. Mike gave a small gasp when the monstrosity managed to cut his shoulder, the one with his scar. The weak skin tore easily and the fresh wound bled quickly.

The guard swore he saw a sneering gleam in the fox's eyes as it held its bladed hook high, aiming to slice into him. Mike jumped back and grunted when his back met with the front of the main stage, which was in dilapidated ruin. Foxy's attack screech jogged him from his surprise and he moved to the side. The vulpine monster's hook went through the hold stage with a loud smash, bits of wood flying into the air.

While he was able Mike scooted away from the fox and turned to climb up. The red animatronic hissed and reached to grab him only recoil as bright light burned into its eyes. Furious and knowing its prey was near, Foxy leapt towards where its prey had been. Its attempt was rewarded with a fall onto the tiled ground, the brief recoil had been long enough for Mike to climb up onto the stage.

Mike stood back and took the time to blind the three other lumbering beasts before turning and booking it backstage. He wasn't exactly proud but he'd gotten used to dealing with these monsters, thirty years was plenty of time to gather experience. In the first few years he'd been terrified, and quickly killed…horribly and brutally torn apart. Then as the first decade was coming to a close he lasted longer. After that he began lasting till his alarm clock, all a matter of practice. That said, nights when they showed up were never restful ones.

At least Golden Freddy didn't seem to be among them now.

A figure swung down from the ceiling, barely giving time for Mike to clumsily duck out of the way. When he looked back Mike grimaced, "Your in here too now…just wonderful. Now it's really a party."

Mangle's now long neck made it look more like a serpent then a fox now. The its metal jaws exposed, rows of thin sharp teeth jutted out; fighting for space, it let out a warning hiss as it eyed him. Mike edged away from the creature, now spotting the second head; which bore a longer fang filled snout, waiting for the right moment to bolt.

Mike took his chances when the main head reared back to strike, quickly the guard shined his flashlight in its eyes and then in the second head's right after. The twin heads shrieked painfully and retreated away. Mike, gripping his wounded shoulder, hurried past the ratty, hole riddled, red curtains. Mike was going to head right, but two more monstrosities blocked his path. It wasn't a comforting sight to see Balloon Boy, looking like a gremlin, with claws much less Puppet.

Immediately, Mike changed direction and hooked a left. He didn't look back as he heard a demented laugh. Claws raked into his back and with a cry of pain Mike fought to get the crazed Balloon Boy off his back. Mike ended up with cuts on his face as he grabbed the child animatronic by the worn propeller on its hat. The guard turned himself around and used the momentum to toss the stocky bot off of himself. He stunned the gremlin and Puppet too for good measure. The two gave shrill cries as and covered their sensitive eyes.

Just as Foxy leapt onto the stage Mike made a run for the left hall. Soon after he went down the steps to the back hall Mike slumped against the cold dusty wall. He knew he couldn't rest long, not with the animatronic monsters just on the other end of the stage. This was a dream, yes, Mike was well aware of that, but the pain was so vivid. He could feel the cuts on his back, they weren't right the bone-least he figured that-but they were no less painful. Mike looked to the blood from his shoulder wound that now coated his hand, a deep dark red, he could feel its warmth.

Mike cursed how detailed his nightmares were and the new additions to his torment. Three new monsters to contented with at night and right after his shifts at Freddy's. He'd subjected himself to a volatile combination. Only vague solace being his nightmares weren't always this bad. His last dream they'd looked almost normal.

A laugh exited his mouth, it lacked any humor and sounded almost unhinged. Mike tilted his head back, resting it against the cold dusty wall, "I gotta have a death wish…" He'd made his torment worse. Most likely he'd die because of it, but he couldn't run away. Not again. Mike pushed himself away from the wall, "Have to keep moving."

No sooner than he turned around Mike stopped when he spotted a new, yet familiar, animatronic. Standing in the hall was a purple, shadow enshrouded, Freddy look alike and, as always, it bore a leering grin made of human teeth. Mike felt a chill run its course as the enigmatic figure gave a deep, human, echoed chuckle, its jaws never moving as the noise was made. This was the first time the shadowy figure had ever gotten so close. Far as he could remember the figure had always been lurking in the background.

Then Mike remembered the purple figure from the tablet and its grin and the old hybrid bear suit Golden Freddy, or rather Fredbear. The shadowy animatronic seemed to sense Mike's realization and uttered its echoed laugh again. Before Mike could say anything the animatronic turned and ran down the back hall, its footsteps silent.

For a brief moment Mike was caught off guard by the sudden retreat. Once he got over the occurrence the guard ran after the entity, intent on getting answers from it-if able. If it wasn't for the fact he was in a dream his wounds would have incapacitated him, now they were only painful hindrances.

"Get back here!" Mike ordered, and was of course ignored by shadow Freddy. He continued to chase the figure down the hall the entity laughing every so often, as if they were simply playing a game of tag. The hall made turns at random and Mike did not question it and merely continued running after his target

Bastard is sure light on his feet…Mike thought as it seemed shadow Freddy was practically skipping his way down the never ending hall. The guard was jerked from his thoughts when the animatronic made a sudden right turn. The entity's laugh echoed from the hall, quickly growing distant. The thought of the creature getting away cause Mike to gain a burst of speed to keep up.

Shadow Freddy looked to be half way down the hall when Mike caught sight of it again. The bear turned out its heel and, as it did, Mike blinked several times as its shape changed to that of a shadowy Bonnie, its bowtie a contrasting bright orchid purple. The bunny struck a pose like Mike was the audience for an unknown show. The exact same grin as the purple Freddy's split open the animatronic's face, contorting it to fit the grin.

Something about the bunny's presence before him caused anger and panic to fill Mike like a rush of adrenaline. He gripped his hands tightly causing his finger nails to dig in, the drying blood getting caught underneath.

The bunny bowed with one arm before it turned back on its heels and resumed the game of chase, its laughter filling the hall. Mike was quick to return to the pursuit, but try as he might; no matter how hard he ran, he couldn't catch up to shadow Bonnie. The entity's skipping was beginning to grate on the guard's nerves, was this thing mocking him? Or did it really think this was all just a game?

Once more shadow Bonnie turned on its heels but continued on in a backwards fashion. Mike growled aloud, the bunny laughing mockingly, Now I know this bastard is taunting me! He thought in barely contained anger.

As the chase continued the twisting hall became more degraded, the cracks becoming more numerous; spreading out until they looked like spider webs, fewer decorative tiles remained on the walls, the colors faded to greys, dust and dirt coated the surroundings. By the time shadow Bonnie came to a stop Mike could see the dust cloud it kicked up by doing so. The bunny gestured to a door next to it in a manner of a show host to a prize, its other arm tucked behind its back.

The bunny was quick to slip into the room, the metal door opened with an old squeak of protest and shut with an even louder whine. Mike looked the door over as he reached it, unlike the rest of the surroundings it seemed sounder, sturdier, and less worn. Worn and faded white letters were painted at the upper center of the obstruction, reading "Safe Room: Staff Only".

Something about the door made Mike feel uneasy and he hesitated to reach for the door handle. Mike, hand trembling, nearly grabbed the door handle and the feeling only grew worse. Something terrible was on the other side of this door. Mike snapped his eyes shut, to get himself out of this uneasy state, and when he opened his eyes he took hold of handle. Before he could slip back into uncertainty Mike threw the door open and went inside, the loud whine of the hinges ringing in his ears.

Mike wasn't ready for the sight he saw inside the room. Laying slumped against the wall were the animatronics. They were broken and beaten, damage bleeding blood instead of oil. Bonnie, Chica, Freddy, and Foxy's heads weren't even attached to their bodies and laid near them instead. The top of Chica's head laid back while still hinged to its jaw while Freddy's laid slump over its bottom jaw. Poor Bonnie was missing his face, leaving the face of the endoskeleton exposed. Foxy was the only one that simply laid next to its body, though; along with the others, it was missing its ears.

Puppet was the only animatronic not present, but in Mike's shock he didn't notice the absence.

Shadow Bonnie stood at the center of the room, arms tucked behind its back, seeming to have been waiting for Mike to arrive. For a moment the guard just stared at the morbid scene that was laid before him. A dark purple bunny stood tall amongst what undeniably looked like dead and butchered bodies. All of this illuminated by a single bulb at the center of the room that shadow Bonnie stood right underneath. It was a spotlight and the twistedly grinning bunny was standing center stage.

Mike gagged at the overwhelming smell of not only blood but decay of seven long dead bodies. He clenched his teeth when he saw the corner of shadow Bonnie's crooked leer curl upward, more so than before. It was a twitch from Golden Freddy's proverbial corpse that got Mike to take a step back. He looked around as golden lights began sparking in the animatronic's eyes, the previously empty sockets filling up with the brilliant light.

They spoke, saying the same thing in unison; their jaws not once moving, Golden Freddy's voice heard above the others. "I died here. My friends died here. He died here…We all died here."

Shadow Bonnie had joined in, the deep echoed tone dominating over the others. Soon after the others fell silent, the glow in their eyes dying. The shadowy entity took a step forward and that steps was enough to get Mike to raise his guard back up. Slowly the thing reached up to its face and dug its fingers in causing a disgusting squelching noise to be emitted. It was digging its fingers through its own skin. Mike didn't question why the animatronic apparently had skin, the noise had revolted him enough that the fact was unimportant.

"And you'll join us." The dark purple animatronic began to pull back, the dark shadowy layer being peeled off. Mike's stomach turned its self into knots as the sickening sound of flesh being forcibly molted off filled the room. As the layer was peeled away a fresh new revolting scent of death greeted Mike's nose with its rank odor. A rotted macabre visage was revealed behind the purple coating and it let out a shrill hiss at its release.

Shadow Bonnie had given way to a rotted yellow-green bunny that looked far more fitting in Mike's nightmare than the former version had. The old skin fell to the ground with a wet slap as the new horror stared Mike down, eyes lifeless and full of vicious intentions. The decayed bunny slouched forward, ready to pounce, and released a hostile hiss.

Mike immediately backed up into the safe room door and opened it, while still facing the monster before him. The yellow Bonnie shrieked, charging after him with a blood curdling cry. Mike cursed under his breath and shoved the door closed. The animatronic was fast and tried pushing it open, tackling its body into the door. Mike nearly buckled and pushed back against it, the animatronic's rank smell and snarling strong in his respective senses. By luck it being a dream Mike was just able to shut the door on the monster.

With labored breaths Mike slumped down to the ground and sat against the stone cold door. He could hear the monstrosity snarling and hissing angrily behind the door, yet Mike felt somewhat at ease. The door was, somehow, locked, he was fine-for the moment at least. Mike let his head hang tiredly, he just had to wait till his alarm woke him up but he could hold out a just a little while longer.

"Mike."

The guard's head snapped up, sitting limply against the wall in front of him was Golden Freddy. Empty eyes stared back a Mike who returned the gaze with one of surprise. Wordlessly the man got to his feet and walked up to the limp animatronic suit. Mike stared down at Golden Freddy, the previous scene having left him speechless.

"He's still here."

Mike felt his hairs stand up from the foreboding words and the presence looming behind him. Before he could react something sharp stabbed into his throat, nearly going all the way through to the other side. A hand grabbed his side and pulled him back.

The safe room door had opened itself while he was not looking. He was pulled into the room that was now pitch black. Mike's eyes focused on Golden Freddy as everything faded to black. Last thing he recalled was the metal door to the safe room slam shut.

Author's Note: Well then, two full chapters in a row! Hope this'll make up for the short previous chapter. This would've been post full regardless as I feel it's best read in one go. Was eager to get at one of Mike's nightmares, to show how he's learned to deal with the nightmares, and Mike interacting with Golden is always nice. I'd also like to take a moment to say that the kids who died and the animatronic's gender won't always match up. Glad to say I haven't got "such and such is a X not an X!" comments and I'm grateful for that, but I just wanted to state this to keep things clear. :)

And also wow, this is now officially my most reviewed story! Thanks so much guys!

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Let's see if we can go three for thee on the full chapters! Fingers crossed.