I will try and keep on giving you at least one chapter each week, but there might be a point where it stop for a while. it's hard to work in this heatwave and what little work I do happens at night, so I am dealing with some lack of sleep.
anyway, looking past my summer struggle.
to ian25rebel: that's right and I don't consider this a spoilor saying but Sister Location will appear in this story, perhaps the books along with the two other games as well. but to you all, I will change it so don't get huffy if it's not like in the cannon series.
to antoniodjones123: I might not have read the books but that won't stop me from using that particular name. and well, only time will tell how they will handle it.
After two days of travel, it has become clear he needs to ransack another mall in order to ensure both have food for the next couple of days. He gives her the last guacamole bar in the bus they are able to drive in thanks to the stuff he stole from the last mall. However just to their luck, this particular bus house a spirit. It is sitting at the front, staring at both of them. Only thing keeping it from approaching is the weapon in his hands, so he is quite relived to leave the bus at the last stop. The spirit is fortunately smart enough not to follow them and stay in its haunting spot. The white one there currently works as their guide strolls beside them like a living person would do, quite strange but aware spirits like this is a rare sight.
'Why do you have a weapon to the spirits?" It asks him as they reach a park. 'I thought only very powerful ghosts can harm people and that kind seems to be very rare.'
"They are, but as things stand now, every spirit it a threat to us." He replies their guide, all spirits with just a touch of awareness can report back to their hunter and if that happens… well with the wound not healing right, he doubts he will be much of a threat against any person on the hunter's side.
'Why?'
"The Twisted One is hunting us." His companion replies before he can stop her, he does stop her from saying more with a warning glance. She lowers her gaze and stays quiet from the spirit questions of what she meant. He is thankful for having a powerful white spirit on their side but he has trouble trusting it from snitching them out to their hunter. "We can't move on before I have gotten a hold on more supplies." Eyeing his companion, she gives him a determent stare that she will do whatever he asks her to do. It's good to know she has realized how important this is. He gives her a nod and together they go out to find a proper place to raid. The spirit follows them.
'How long have you been raiding malls?' It asks worriedly.
He does not reply it, sensing this spirit will lecture them that this is wrong. Both are very aware of this, but what other choice do they have when those place there can offer them food, water, a bed and medical supplies proved to be a deadly lure as their hunter expects them to approach such a place? They have to steal in order to stay alive, besides, no one is getting hurt. Only a few big shots wallet but he's sure they will survive.
Finding a mall, he picks the lock and with her close by his side, they sneak inside, this time he constantly scans the area for a camera. Spot one and this time he sneaks past its range. When sure they won't get caught on camera, he signs her to find food, she runs over to the shelves holding food while he raids the section holding medical supplies and few bathroom objects he would be very irritated to lack. She returns with arms full of food, they help each other putting it into the knapsack. With the bag full, they both return to the food shelves and eat what they are able, both knowing it will be a while before they can stop and eat.
However it seems the owner of this place must've known this might happen, that or the police has figured out their route for a flashlight suddenly hits them, followed with a voice commanding them. "Down on the ground, now!" She freezes up, while he curses himself for not leaving sooner. They can't get caught, if they do then their former guardian will come and kill them both as her master; the hunter wants.
The policeman approaches them, again commanding them to get down on the ground, his companion takes his hand in fear. He glances at the spirit besides them. "If he takes us, we will die." The spirit watches him for a moment, then turns to the policeman. The whole place starts to blink in response to the spirit's powers. It makes the policeman stop and when he pulls her to run, the man shouts. "Stop!"
Not liking it one bit but knowing that this is necessary, Calem uses his powers to make the content fly off the shelves, startling the policeman to forget the two kids. And to make his point those two are off limit, he steps as much he can into the realm of the living, running over to the now scared stiff man and returns back to the ghost realm just as he's about to make contact with the policeman. Seeing this one won't pursue the two for quite a while, he leaves the scared stiff man and returns back to the two Mediums side. 'Don't make me do that again.' He tells the boy hard for although he likes a good prank, this is not such things since pranks are supposed to be fun. He's going to be lucky if he hasn't scarred that man for life with this stunt.
The teenager boy gives him a look; there is no sign that he feels sorry for the man, he seems more relieved they got away.
Pulling her away from the place. "Better leave before more come." They swiftly leave the area, can't stop to rest so he has to carry her and hopes the spirit will take them the right way because he can barely see the route in this darkness of the night. The journey to the place takes way longer than wanted, it would've gone faster if they took official transport but after the encounter with the police, he just didn't dare to risk it so they walk for two weeks straight and she is very happy when they finally reached the city where their possible new home is located.
'I will bring you to the restaurant after all the costumes have left.' The spirit tells them, glancing at a clock at the train station they walk past. 'There are some hours before that, so what about the two of you simply relax?'
"We can relax when we are in a safe zone." He tells the spirit hard and wishes it could just bring them there, mostly because he wouldn't have to worry about his companion safety for… well, he is reaching the end. Slightly removing his hand, he sees the clothing over the wound is wet from pus. He sure hopes they will reach the place before his body gives in, but of course, their guide is more worried about the owners of that place than her safety. Typical…
Well, it's not like he can hurry on this one; too set in doing this its way.
So taking a seat under a bridge, he pulls out the remaining fruit they have and share it among himself and his companion. They eat in silence, listing to the cars driving above them.
He reaches out for an apple, has to stop when the world begins to spin. He hears his companion tells him worried. "People's coming." and without thinking of his own well being, he gets on his feet. "We should move." But barely four steps and his feet give out under him. The world fades to black, and in the few colors he can see he can just form a humanoid figure. He hears someone speaking. "Hey, are you alright there pal?"
His companion cries. "Please help! He's really hurt!"
It's clear he is dying, been for a while but he's not afraid, knows what is awaiting him. More sorry he has to guide her as a ghost instead of a fellow living being.
"Hey Ryan call an ambulance!" A man's voice calls and although he is not one much to prays, he will for his companion sake. He will pray that these people will have enough kindness in them and take her to the safe house, he prays that those people there offered them a safe place will keep Hope safe as he no longer can do that task.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
The restaurant gets an unusual visitor an hour before closing, Mike is especially surprised for he hasn't seen much to Daniel's father; Detective Williams since they got this place up and running again. He guesses it's because the memories still hurt and the fact he never got things sorted out with Daniel. Mike knows that feeling far too well and does not blame the detective for staying away. So now the question; what brought him back? "Been a while." He greets the detective and asks worried. "Everything going alright?"
Nathan nods to Mike, must admit that after he learned the truth about the animatronics of Freddy's. His and Mike's relationship has become better. He would like to visit the only survivor of his son's friend group more often but job and heartbreaking memories are keeping him away, he feels stupid that he only comes when he need help to a case. "As fine as it can be. I mean I still can't get over the fact about the ghost in your case." Mike quirks a smile, at least he has gotten way better since the last time Nathan saw him. "Anyway, could you perhaps aid me with a small case of mine?"
Of course, the detective come here to chat about a case, then again Nathan always had trouble putting down his badge. And Mike guesses he can help if it means Daniel's father stay for a while. "Sure, do you want anything to drink?" and the detective replies. "Coffee and maybe something to eat, haven't eaten since this morning." It's a wonder Nathan is not skin and bones if this is how his schedule looks like. Mike fetches some coffee and asks Anna to warm one of their bigger pizza slices. While she does that, Mike returns to the detective with the coffee and takes the man to the office for some privacy. "I presume this help is something supernatural." Mike points out, thinking that is pretty much the only thing he knows more about than Nathan.
"Yeah." Nathan muses, and after have sipped of the coffee, he explains what happen last night. "These past weeks, shopping malls have been raided, mostly food, clothing and medical supplies, few times money as well. That wasn't really unusual, what was that this thief somehow was able to avoid all the security and the only video take we have of him showed this kid staring at the camera before it glitched out."
Mike frowns at this. "A person did that?" Nathan nods and must admit that short video reminded him a tad too much about a certain puppet, at least this boy did not jump-scare the camera. But it was freaky seeing this kid just stare at the camera before it shut down. This is against the police law, but Nathan needs a bit of help here, more so if he's dealing with another ghost seeing person. He pulls out a picture of this boy and hands it to Mike. "Do you recognize this one?"
Mike takes the picture there shows a young teenager boy staring up at the camera in the darkness. It's hard to see the color of anything thanks to the darkness, but all he is certain is this boy has dark hair. He looks very thin, sickly even and Mike does not like seeing how this boy is holding over the lower part of his chest. "He looks wounded." He muses.
"Yeah, we don't know what caused his wound though." The detective replies for this is the very first picture they have of this theif. "But it does explain why several medical supplies get stolen. Are you sure you haven't seen him before?"
Mike shakes his head. "No, sorry." Pity but no real surprise there. "Alright, but that's not really why I am here." He only explains after this waitress has left the warmed pizza and out from the office again. "Yesterday, I heard from a co-worker of mine that he found the thief in the act. He wasn't alone, a small girl— one we have been looking for was with him, so we can put kidnapping on the charge as well. Anyway, my coworker told me that when he tried to make the arrest, all the lights started blinking and stuff flew off their shelves. That's not what made him question his sanity though."
"What did?"
"He told me that a ghost of a middleaged man charged at him before he disappeared." Nathan explains and hands Mike a sketch of what his coworker told he saw. Unlike the boy caught on camera, he recognized this ghost and very certain Mike will as well. "Look familiar?"
It sure did, a bit off but that face looks very much like Goldie's human form. "That's Goldie— how he built his human form I mean." Mike quickly explains and wonders out loud. "But why would he aid a kidnapper and thief? He's not the type of person doing such things." Unless… what if this thief and kidnapper is the same one who could bring the animatronics back? Can that be the reason? Does Goldie even know? Whatever the case, he better gets a proper chat with those two before letting them live with Jeremy. Should he tell this to the detective? As much Mike would like to, he really wants his friends back. Call it selfish but maybe this agreement will also aid Nathan in the long run.
"You tell me. He's one of your guys." Detective Willams points out, he may know about the spirits but most of it goes straight over his head. Sadly Mike is not much help as hoped, the young man shrugs, saying softly. "I have no idea…" So now the question is, as Williams here has been tasked to track that kid down. "Will Goldie be any danger? I have been tasked to take that kidnapper down."
And this Mike can reply without hesitating. "Goldie won't hurt you, he might restrain you if he thinks aiding the kidnapper is for the better but that's as far he will go."
Oh good, no dead match then, instead he might have a one-sided argument with a spirit. Good god, what is this for a world he's living in now? Detective Willams has no idea but he does wish he could go back to just hunt down people with a gun instead dealing with dead people.
"Good to hear… how are you holding up Mike?" He decides to ask, thinking he owes Mike that much.
"Better, it still hurts but I think it's supposed to." Mike replies softly, must admit the hurt has been replaced with an odd sense of hope that his friends might soon return. Not sure what will replace it if that approaching Medium proves to be a threat. Guess he needs to handle that when that problem arrives, thinking it about now will just keep him from doing his work properly. "Glad I do have friends around me this time."
Nathan nods and seems relieved for that as well.
ohhhhh boy, the kid is not doing so good. at least he got help. Mike is fortunately doing better, as I wrote in Facing the Past, he did recover thanks to his friends so he's not a grief struck as he was when he was a child.