Working at this place ensured William's hatred of the routine. He despised coming into this restaurant again and again, sometimes during the day, where he would see the ongoing investigation and but a few visitors still clinging to the collapsing dream. Other times, he came during the evening or night to check up on the animatronics and perform maintenance on them. The silence would always remind him of the day when he and Gron stepped into the darkness, not knowing that they would forever remain chained afterward.
Now was one of those times the engineer tried to focus on examining Spring Bonnie's crank and making sure it was operational, but the solitude was grating upon him. It was truly agonizing when that which he often sought became so draining and painful for him that William was always seeking out ways to escape his own thoughts. At first, work and research were enough for that, but not anymore. Seeing this place day after day made him want to rise up, deny Alison's contract and speak the truth, no matter the consequences. Were he a single man without children, perhaps he would've done so already. It was always a grating possibility in his mind. What if Alison was simply lying to them? What if there is no influence over the police on his side, and he is lying purely to keep his slaves in check? They were even bigger fools than he thought, were that the case, but soon enough, William would know the truth. He gathered as much evidence as possible, and his account was clear as day. There was almost no reason to wait. And the missing children incident could be used to his advantage, as the investigation was already going strong.
"Mr. Afton." An intrigued voice made William pause in his work and immediately look around. Alison stood amidst the hall, observing the work of his 'employee.' "I see your progress going as well as ever, impressive."
"And what's it to you?" William said with annoyance, realizing that he had a perfect moment to try and shoot Alison here and now. Perhaps this would've been a simple ending to all of his lies and pretense, a short moment of catharsis…But Alison wasn't working alone, and his allies would be sure to make William's life a living hell were that to happen.
"No need to be rude, Mr. Afton. That's hardly in line with the image our company needs to keep." Alison smiled. "I was about to check something in the safe room and had an illuminating memory of that wonderful day when you chose to follow me. Wasn't that long ago, but with all that's happened since, it really feels like it, don't you agree?"
"Nothing wonderful about it." William shook his head, avoiding eye contact with his boss and focusing on the last parts of the animatronic he still hadn't checked. "And is there any point to your remembrance?"
"Yes, actually. I want you to join me on a little detour." The excitement in Alison's voice immediately made William feel unease, but he couldn't ignore him anymore.
"You're not talking about the facility, are you…"
"No, of course not! I wouldn't risk you peeking your nose down there yet again." Alison was quick to deny it. "But there is something in the safe room that I think you will be more than happy to see."
"And that is?"
"Oh, not so fast. Don't you remember, our company values that tingly feeling of surprise, and it's not just for customers." There was no way to deny him. William could only sigh and stand up, hoping that whatever Alison had in mind would not take long.
"Not that I can refuse," William grunted. "Before that delightful display, however…I need a guarantee that whatever it is you want to show me there, I am going to come back from that room today alive and not injured."
"You're not in a position to demand, Mr. Afton."
"I am well aware. You have made it painfully clear many times." William sighed. "But as I have abided by your contract, I can rightfully ask for guarantees of my own safety from the company. It was in there, after all."
"Hm…True enough. Very well, if you're dying to know, I will not harm you; I simply want you to see something."
"Lead the way, then." Afton stepped away from the stage, ready to follow Alison into the room. Without any further words, the two left the main hall and hastily made their way to the room that connected the careless, hopeful life of the restaurant to the nightmare that remained underneath.
When they entered, William was met with four of his animatronics, all standing by the wall, waiting for the time when they could finally be ushered onto the stage. The smell of the room was far from pleasant, it was much hotter than the rest of the pizzeria, and the stench coming off from all sides immediately made William want to leave. Surprisingly, there were no crates in here.
"Had a new delivery recently?" William asked before turning to Alison. Having a bunch of horrified and sweaty people in boxes would certainly make this room feel disgusting for a while.
"Somewhat…And why are you curious?" Alison wondered.
"Just want to see how well your progress is going…What is it you wanted to show me?" William asked before looking at the animatronics. "Those are mine. You aren't trying to present those as a surprise, I'm sure."
"Of course not. It seems my men took a bit of a delay." Alison shrugged. "But rest assured, they will ascend any minute now, and you will see it with your eyes. And while we wait, there is something I've been meaning to ask." His voice brimmed with suspicion, making William take a deep breath before bracing himself. Whatever he was going to talk about, he made sure all of his notes were hidden, and visiting the pizzeria at any time was not against the code of conduct. "Others talk a lot about you, and all seem to say that you're a tad too…Reclusive. That you don't spend time with other employees, always working on something or writing something down even when your workday is over. Mr. Smith told me a lot about that, says he doesn't appreciate his superior being so out of touch." That bastard…In his whining to Alison, he was about to make him realize something about Afton's research.
"Fritz can keep his opinion to himself. I do my job to the highest standard, as outlined by the contract. My instructions and guidelines to other engineers have always been clear and direct. There is no reason to complain. Whether I want to spend time with them outside of working hours is irrelevant." William outlined. "And besides…You don't have to ask me to know why it is. I'm so reclusive. Maybe you enjoy this game, but it doesn't mean I will continue to play it."
"You have also been sneaking around the safe room when the new deliveries were brought there as if looking for something…Mr. Larson told me about that."
"It is not forbidden."
"But why would you? The parts we deliver to the facility are not your business, Mr. Afton. Some of them will be used for your animatronics, of course, but it is my decision on how many I'm willing to use for that." Alison became sterner in his speech. "You are terribly curious, Mr. Afton, a welcome if not necessary quality in any inventor, but you must know that it is not welcome in every case."
"With all…'due' respect, would you expect anything else of me after that night? I saw something that I still can't quite explain, and as any curious person would want, I have a temptation to piece together this puzzle for myself if you refuse to tell me more."
"Ah, but of course, piece the puzzle…"
Alison's words were interrupted by the opening of the wall. For the first time since that night, William saw the tiles separate and unveil a passageway to the elevator beneath. There were three men in the small corridor, all of them carrying what looked like an animatronic covered in gold. Moments later, William realized that he was correct. This one seemed awfully familiar, though it took him some time to realize.
"Place him here." Alison pointed to the wall opposite of the other 4. "Careful, careful." He advised them as they put the animatronic into a sitting position, allowing William to see. Finally, he remembered.
This was the animatronic he and Gron encountered underground, the one that was connected to machinery and the one he damaged. Now he could finally see him under the light. It had a humanoid carcass with a fedora on its head and a black bow tie underneath the metal head. His eyes and teeth were different from what William saw in other animatronics. They were much more realistic and human, though they were clearly artificial. Someone clearly had a different idea when designing this animatronic.
"Here he is, boss, as you asked. Should we take him elsewhere?"
"I already called out partners; they'll come tomorrow morning to take him to the factory. We can leave him here overnight."
"So, that's it for today, then?"
"Not yet, I have something else for you to do, but I need you to give Mr. Afton and me a few moments here. Wait outside."
"As you say, boss."
The three workers left the safe room, locking the door behind them, once again leaving Alison and William alone. The engineer approached the golden animatronic, trying to closely examine him.
"This design…It's unique."
"Impressive, isn't he?" Alison smiled once again before standing beside William. "I imagine you recognize this one; after all, you were the one who broke him that night, and now I have to deal with meticulous repairs…But you know, I am not too angry. You simply didn't know what he truly was."
"Do I want to?" William chucked, still impressed by the animatronic. This was the one he always tried to remember, the one he spent so many evenings visualizing and redrawing, now finally before his eyes.
"Perhaps. Frankburt is unique among animatronics in many ways. He is more than a simple machine or a spring lock suit." Finally, William got the name of this animatronic after all the days of guessing. The fact Alison would give it away so freely now…It was suspicious. "His movements are far more fluid than those of others, his design is far more elegant, and the capacity he has for transferring life…Ah, a marvelous invention."
"Transferring life?"
"Ah, I forget myself." Alison chuckled. "I have always been a man of science, while understanding little in construction of those wondrous machines, no matter how much I wanted to learn…Tell me this, Mr. Afton, as one visionary to another. Have you ever felt this…Burning feeling when you look upon someone else's invention and are struck by awe? By how unique and immaculate it is in every way…And then you think of competition, the most simplistic yet the most effective of motivations. You want to create something just as good if not better, something that will reach every height the invention prior has set." William sensed the anger in Alison's voice as the businessman clenched his fist. "But when you try to replicate it, it always ends up a shadow of the original. Not fit for the purpose that you need to fulfill so direly. And no matter how much you try, the end is one and the same." He concluded before looking at Afton, as the engineer kept his distance. At this point, he wasn't sure whether this was another manipulation from Alison or his sincere confession, and he wasn't sure which of those was worse.
"Is this a trick question?"
"You offend me, Mr. Afton. I want to share our experiences, nothing more."
"There was a time where those things got under my skin…In university, I was in constant competition with another on my faculty, the one who outperformed me more often than not…Henry, if I remember correctly. I can't say I hated him, but I was jealous of his success, always trying to copy his work while adding some of my unique flourishes, but of course, that never ended well. It taught me a lesson, the one I have kept close with me ever since, that I should stop looking at other's work and focus on what I can make myself, without limiting myself to their ideas." William recounted a tale well familiar to him. "Does that satisfy you?"
"A very rational answer, Mr. Afton. I commend you. However, what if those inventions were a matter of life and death?" Alison spoke mysteriously, further puzzling William.
"I am not sure this is relevant…"
"No, don't pretend to not care." Alison undercut him. "I know you want to know. You said so yourself. The way you looked at Frankburt…You wanted to see him again ever since your little infiltration, haven't you? Just like now, you want to know the entire story behind this facility, behind me, and my motives. And have you stopped to think that perhaps, you are asking for too much?"
As William retreated from Alison, thinking to himself of any possible outcome that this tirade might lead to, he realized that the stench got considerably worse. This made him turn around towards the animatronics behind him. He was very close to them. The closest was Bonnie, and the stench was coming from him while others smelled too.
"Wait…"
"Don't look away while I'm talking to you, Mr. Afton!"
"Just give me a moment!" Afton spoke loudly before walking toward Bonnie and trying to smell the source. It became almost unbearable, making William cover his nose. "What are you doing to my animatronics? They stink."
"I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about," Alison said in annoyance as he came closer. "Though I suppose it does seem a little…Odd. I noticed that there was something different about them last time I came here, but I was too busy to…"
William went to the crank, deciding to unlock the Bonnie suit. William reached for the crank on the animatronic's back and pushed it, noticing that it was much harder to do so now compared to when he did it in the office. The parts were unlocked, allowing him to detach the animatronic's head and look inside, illuminating the carcass with a flashlight for himself and Alison.
What they saw made both freezes for a moment.
Those were remains…Human remains. They were caught in the metal endoskeleton of the animatronic, pierced by its parts.
"Jesus Christ…"
"Unbelievable…"
The stench was far from the worse of it now. He could recognize an arm that was stuck underneath Bonnie's, completely squashed by the animatronic's pressure. Its grey bone was still covered in dried-up blood, leaving stains on both metal and the inside of the carcass. The body was filled with mucus and what looked like a pierced stomach. The skin was torn apart and allowed the insides to pique. He could see some hair, too, as well as the stained parts of a skull. It was a human, but too small to fit into the costume in full.
It was a child.
The moment William understood what happened, he recoiled in horror, looking at Alison, ready to take his gun out at any point. The boss himself didn't seem to be too phased, but the surprise on his face was genuine.
"Can this be one of them…After days of searching, hidden right under our noses!"
"You knew!" William shouted.
Those shouts were loud enough for the door to the back room open and for William to immediately find himself in the firing rage of Alison's men.
"Quiet, gentlemen!" Alison commanded. "No need for violence."
"You couldn't have known!" William continued.
"Is that so? As I said, I am not omniscient, and as much as I hate it, sometimes even the plainest details evade my sight. This was the most illuminating discovery, Mr. Afton."
"What's going on here, boss?" One of the workers asked.
"Check the other three animatronics, if you will. Tell me what's inside."
"Eh…Sure."
"Careful, don't break anything…" William spoke to them as they approached his creations. Each of them took one of the remaining machines, pulling their cranks and taking the heads off.
"Shit is that…A corpse?" The one that looked inside Chica spoke as he recoiled.
"So I am not imagining things?" The one that checked, Freddy added in a slightly quivering voice.
"Do yours look like children, too?" The one holding Foxy in his head asked. Others nodded in response.
"Yes, they are like kids…"
"Fascinating." Alison looked at William once again. "You have my gratitude, Mr. Afton. You may believe me a liar all you want, but I have not killed those children, nor have I placed them in your animatronics. I was expecting the police to come here tomorrow, but it seems that the case finally got solved with your aid!"
"What…What will you do now?"
"I'll make sure that the investigators do not find anything that they do not need to see; I assume you won't be disappointed if your creations will spend a few days at the facility?" Alison asked rhetorically.
"You will cover it all up," William stated grimly.
"What I do with my company is not your business, I'm afraid. I'm sorry that we didn't finish our conversation, I had something else to tell, but now more pressing concerns are calling…Rest assured, you will hear from me soon."
"What are you talking about?" William tried to pressure him without avail.
"Go, Mr. Afton, I have no time for this discussion. Just trust me…You will know. And now I would ask you to take your leave."
"But…"
"Or else my assistants will lead you out."
There was no choice but to leave.
…
THE TIME NEARS
No sense of euphoria lasts forever. Gron knew this much. His fleeting moments of joy and quiet came to an abrupt end when he was faced with an investigation, immediately dragging him back to reality. One more did Gron sit on his bed, giggling as tears streamed down his eyes. The sun was falling, yet he couldn't force himself to sleep, not even attempt it. He executed his plan perfectly, made sure nothing went amiss…
THIS IS NOT ENOUGH
The corpses were still inside the animatronics, and they would soon be found. This was was they needed, and yet…
THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE
Alison was doing his best to cover up his tracks; he might bribe the police and dispose of the bodies quietly, trying to end the case prematurely. What then? What if, in time, the stains would wash away? What if all of this was for nothing? That he murdered them without reason, that there was nothing in the end to justify it?
IT DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE, WE SET ON THIS PATH, AND WE WILL SEE THE PLACE DESTROYED
But what could they do when there was so little time left?
OUR WORK CANNOT COME TO END IF THIS SECRET DIES WITH US
YOU NEED HIM TO KNOW
YOU NEED HIM TO CARRY ON AND FINISH WHAT YOU HAVE STARTED
The voice always came back to William. He was the only one who knew the truth, the one who would understand why Gron did what he did, but it would be too late if he were in prison by that point.
HE WOULD FEAR TO GO AGAINST FAZBEAR INC, BUT PERHAPS YOU MIGHT STIMULATE HIM
AFTER ALL, HE WAS THE ONE WHO MADE YOU ENTER THIS HELL
HE HAS THREE CHILDREN, TAKING ONE MEANS HE STILL HAS SOME TO PROTECT
"Don't you fucking dare!" Gron jumped up, staring into the face of the golden phantom that glimmered in front of him. "I…I said to you! I won't hurt them, never!"
WHY?
"He is my friend, as is Mike. They're…"
AND IS THAT WHAT STOPS YOU? THEM BEING FRIENDS?
ALL YOU NEED IS AN INCIDENT, A REMINDER FOR WILLIAM THAT HE WILL NEVER BE SAFE UNLESS HE FIGHTS BACK
"No…"
WHO IS HIS FAVORITE?
"He doesn't have one. He's a good father…"
LIES, EVERYONE DOES
MUST BE THE YOUNGEST
YOU REMEMBER HOW HE LOOKED AT HER
SO PROTECTIVE, SO LOVING
HIS LITTLE PRINCESS
"I am not listening to you, freak!"
MAYBE YOU CAN TAKE OUT THE CRYBABY SON
HE IS MORE OF ANNOYANCE TO THEN THAN ANYTHING
OR AT LEAST THAT TEENAGE BRAT
HE DESERVES A LESSON IN HUMILITY
"That 'teenage brat'…" Gron paused as he clenched his fist. This was getting out of hand, too far for him to even tolerate this. Memories of brighter days flashed through Gron's mind, back before Charlie was born, and he was often helping out William and Clara with Mike. He remembers him as a young boy, always enjoying their time together, smiling and running around, laughing at Gron's jokes and performances, as silly as they were. To Mike, he was like an uncle who was always welcome in the house. "Mike was the only one who believed in me when they took me…He had no doubt that I would recover even when Lynda and Will couldn't hide theirs! He always visited me along with Will, and he always said that I can beat those voices, beat the likes of you! And now you fucking dare suggest…You DARE TO SUGGEST THAT I KILL HIM?!"
I AM BUT ANOTHER SIDE OF YOU
YOU KNOW YOU WANT IT
"Die!" Gron was about to attempt to attack the phantom, but instead, he rushed to his drawers, taking out a dark box.
HAHAHAH, FINALLY REMEMBERED YOUR SECRETS?!
There was something in there that Gron wasn't supposed to have, yet he kept it in secret for months now in case it became too much to bear and all he wanted was a quick end. A pistol that remained in darkness for so long with but a few bullets. Quick and painless death…
He was interrupted by a sound of a ringing phone, causing Gron's hands to shake as he attempted to open the box up.
HA-HA…
He didn't want to answer, yet he could ignore the call either way. It might have been the police demanding for him to come in or Alison telling more about the course of this investigation.
OR PERHAPS…
After finally bracing himself, Gron picked up the phone.
"H…Hello?" His lips quivered.
"Ah, thank god you aren't busy." William's voice echoed from the other side, though despite recognizing him, Gron noticed that his friend sounded unlike himself. His voice was shaking and brimming with impatience.
"I'm fine, yes…" Gron breathed, trying to calm himself down. "What…What do you want to say?"
"I've found something," William said grimly. "Alison and I did." Those words immediately made Gron's heart sink.
THE CLOCK IS TICKING
"What?"
"We were in the back room with him overseeing that animatronic of his from the facility…And the four that I made. They smelled like no metal carcass would, as if someone died in there." They knew. They knew it all.
"Really?"
"There are corpses inside each one." His voice grew quiet. "All of them children, and all of them mutilated like we've seen underground. God, the look of them…"
"Oh, my…Is it them? The missing children?" Gron spoke terribly weakly and unconvincingly; there wasn't any strength in him to pretend. What was the point if they knew it anyway?
"Not like I can identify them in this state…But they must be. And Alison…It seems he truly isn't behind this. He will try to cover them up; we have to do something about this! We could get some evidence. I tried and…It could've been an opportunity to bring them to light, but they will blame it all on the culprit. There is a murderer among the employees, only they had access to the safe room and could kill them, do you understand? There must be someone else who knows about Alison and the facility." When Gron heard William say it, this was the end of his patience. This was the voice of a man who knew the truth yet desperately tried to make excuses to deny the obvious and the reality before him if only to spare his friend from the bitter truth. This was always going to be the outcome, painful and inevitable.
"HA-HA-HA-HA!" Gron laughed in a broken, withered voice.
"What the…Are you alright?" William's shock was soon replaced by cautiousness.
"Will…I can't do this anymore, I can't…" Gron's voice shook as a new portion of tears fell down his eyes. There was no way back for him. He would forever remain a pathetic creature stained in the blood of his victims whom he robbed of life just like Alison robbed him of his. He was given a chance to prove that he was more than a madman, to restore himself in the eyes of his friends and family, but now he lost that chance forever.
"Are you hearing the voices again? Are you…"
"Do you think I could've done it?"
"What do you…"
"Answer me!" Gron raised his voice in a fit of fury. "I know what you think, what you all think! That I did it because I lost control again, a madman, a crazy loon, a freak, bastard, beast!"
"I…Listen, just take a deep breath and try to calm down. Remember, those voices aren't real, only mine is and…"
"I don't care for your advice. It won't help!" Gron interrupted him with spite in his voice. "You think you know how it feels, don't you?! You dare to pretend to understand, then? You never will. You can never understand what I feel when you can never truly be alone when that freak…When he's always on your mind and…Fuck you, fuck all of you!" Gron shouted, leaving William in silence. It took him a few moments to realize how brash and foolish this was, immediately causing the jester to change his tune to a voice of apology. "I…I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I…I'm sorry…"
"Gron," William said firmly and without anger in his voice, although he was growing concerned. "Tell me what's going on. I will not say anything or voice any preconceptions, they don't matter, but I promise to listen. No judgment or anything like that, just…Just tell me."
"I…" Maybe he could speak the truth.
NOT YET
YOU HAVE TO HAVE HIM IN YOUR GRASP
HE WILL LIE TO YOU, HE WILL MANIPULATE YOU
AND THEN GIVE YOU AWAY TO THE POLICE
"God…I…" Gron tried to compose himself yet failed miserably at every turn. "I'm sorry, I can't."
"Are you sure? I can call tomorrow if…"
"No, no, not tomorrow."
"We don't have long before this case is closed, Gron; we need to act."
He didn't have long, indeed.
"Can you come to my flat now? I…I will tell you everything. I just need a bit more time to…To get it all together."
"Right now?"
"Please, Will, it's important…I really need you here. I really, really…"
"Alright. But whatever the truth is, I want you to tell it. Can you promise that, at least?"
"Yes…Yes, I promise."
Gron let out before hanging up, once again leaving himself in solitude.
WHATEVER THE TRUTH IS…
It was only now that Gron got a grasp of the tone with which William was speaking his last words. He wasn't just worried. He was afraid.
HE KNOWS
HE UNCOVERED IT
HE RUINED IT
AND YOU INVITED HIM RIGHT AT YOUR DOORSTEP
Gron clutched his head with his still shaking hands.
YOU HAVE NO WAY OUT
…
Could it truly be him?
William tried to deny this, tried not to think about the implications, and resisted even the mere thought that Gron had something to do with the murders. After all, William knew him, knew he was a sensible man who always prevailed over his creeping thoughts and voices. He was a man who had conviction so strong that he would never allow himself to get ahead at the expense of his friends, even if said friends didn't mind. The same conviction that wouldn't allow him to turn his back on William when he wanted to descend underground. A man who was just starting to conquer his fears and break free from their restraint. He would not murder innocent children. He couldn't.
Yet after talking to Gron on the phone, William couldn't deny that his fear had gone beyond what could be explained by one suffering stress due to the horrific situation they found themselves in. It was something personal, something that tore Gron's sanity apart, and something he could barely deal with anymore. He might not have understood what he was doing…And this might have guided Gron to commit acts he would never otherwise commit.
William doubted whether he should come to the house of a potential murderer when invited so openly, yet in the end, he knew that evading this invitation would only make it worse. Gron wasn't in his right mind, and if he was, indeed, the murderer, there was no telling of what he might do. William had to step in and do everything he could to stop his spiral of madness. This was the least he could do after dragging Gron into this mess.
And so he came to his door, keeping the gun in his pocket, praying he would not have to use it at all. William waited for a few moments before forcing himself to finally press the doorbell. He didn't come here to apprehend a murderer or to force the truth out of Gron. That wasn't in his power, nor would it avail anything. All he wanted was to see a friend and to ask questions he should have asked weeks ago, even if it might be too late now.
There was no response. He rang again, still silent. After a brief pause, William tried knocking, but there was nothing from another side. Was he even there? He should've been; after all, Gron invited him here.
"Gron?" William let out, trying not to shout too loudly. The sun was setting, and there might have been children asleep all around the house. "Are you there?" He said as he put his hand on a handle, and to his surprise, it budged. The door was open before William even came there.
The man trod carefully, crossing the line between the hall and the darkened flat in front of him. He had visited this place a couple of times before, and it always gave the impression of a cramped and old place, but it was never as messy as now. There were small cracks in the walls, most doors had been open, and he could hear the howl of the wind coming from the kitchen window. All the plates were stacked carelessly in the sink, some of them unwashed and unattended. William could see sheets of paper lying around the floor, all of them torn and dirty. And most importantly, there wasn't a sign of Gron.
"Gron!" William exclaimed loudly enough for it to reach every corner of the flat. "You wanted me to visit, and here I am. I just want to talk, and I believe you want to do the same…So show yourself, please." He said firmly, knowing that Gron might have been consumed by the voices yet again, waiting in the shadows to attack Will. After no response at all, the engineer decided to walk toward Gron's bedroom, all while still looking around for signs of his presence.
When he walked into Gron's bedroom, what William immediately caught was the table. It was full of messed-up paper, much like the hall, but this time there were a few sheets left that were untouched and relatively neat. Some of them even had drawings on them. Will came closer, taking the one closest to him. When he understood what was drawn, he froze, staring at the image.
It was a silhouette in a golden suit that resembled Spring Bonnie standing behind a young boy, enamored by a purple animatronic bunny in front of him. Those paintings were detailed, and it did not take long for William to recognize Gron's style. But the bunny silhouette held a knife in his hand, the knife that he plunged into the child's neck, forcing a river of blood to flow from it.
William put it away, still too shocked to think with clarity; all he could do was continue looking through those paintings amidst the grave silence. There were some others, depicting a figure in Fredbear suit stepping on a boy's throat, as well as two more with Spring Bonnie. Two more murders, with both children, horrified as the shadow of their murderer loomed above them. Three boys and one girl, one picture of Fredbear and three of Spring Bonnie, it coincided with their disappearance. One, then three, all of them like those portrayed here.
It was him.
He murdered them, and William knew why. He saw the answer straight away yet made the mistake of refusing to consider Gron to be a suspect. Someone who knew of Alison's deeds and wanted to stain Fazbear Inc's reputation at all costs to destroy the company that was holding him hostage and going about it in the worst ways imaginable. They had one goal, yet Gron's methods were far too drastic.
But this was not the end of it, for the piece of paper lying at the center, surrounded by those drawings, had words on it with a pen still lying nearby. Was this a note from Gron? William wasn't sure if he wanted to know the answer, but he had to find out anyway. The engineer took the paper and began to read.
"Hi, Will."
It was him.
"If you are reading this letter, and I hope you are the one reading it, I am not here. I left my house after the call, having to do something very important. I'm sorry, Will, I wanted to meet you here, I really did, but I can't, I just can't. It has been so horrible ever since we ventured underground, this fucking hell that you dragged me into. I never asked you about that since I never wondered how it feels for you. Maybe I should've. It was horrible for me. The voice, it became louder and clearer. I couldn't avoid it anymore; I couldn't sleep and could barely think about anything but this. And when I met Charlie and Lynda, I couldn't look into their eyes with this in my mind; I had to always push it back and expunge it from my mind. I wonder how you manage it with your family. How hard must it be when you have four people to lie to? But I hope you're doing better than me."
Ever since they separated after signing the contract, William was too focused on his work and research; even Clara and the children did not get the attention they deserved, and there was no time to visit his struggling friend. Now he realized how much of a mistake he had made. By taking the journey underground, William was the only person to whom Gron could speak earnestly and open up about his terror. He could've been there to show him that he struggled too, that Gron wasn't insane for feeling this way.
"I guess the drawings say it all, don't they? I killed them, Will; I killed those children. One of them, I didn't mean to, it was just like what happened on that day in the restaurant. I stopped understanding reality, the voice grew too louder, and I tried not to think about it, try focus, and then it just didn't work, and I fucking threw the animatronic head at him. He was dying with his skull smashed and blood and all; I killed him quickly afterward. I stuffed him into the Foxy suit, and then this gave me an idea, the one which the voice supported. I couldn't resist anymore. These dead children would forever be a stain on the company's reputation, making the police come in and investigate. And if they do, they would know the truth about what we saw. Do you understand, Will? Alison won't even know who did it until he is caught by them, and we will be free to be with our families! Genius, isn't it? Yes, I thought so, too."
Was it Gron who wrote this, or has the voice in his head completely taken over? William believed that it was his hallucinations that caused Gron to murder a child, yet with every word, he could feel more and more disgust. How could a father write something so spiteful and cruel? To call the murder of children genius was absurd in any context, and yet Gron truly believed it.
"I killed three more soon after, all on the same day. Those poor, innocent children that I lured to the safe room when they stayed away from the others. You created three more suits, and each needed a bloodied corpse rotting inside of it! I felt so good afterward, the best I've felt for weeks, if not months. I was waiting for them to be found and uncovered, waiting for the outrage that would forever end Alison's work. But then you call me and say, you say that they've been found without police involvement, that Alison knows already and wants to cover it all up? You told us we needed to act, but it was too late! You should've fucking stayed silent, don't you understand!? Now it's all for nothing; now he will burn their bodies and just lie, lie, lie, it will change nothing! I could've freed both of us, but now you made me into a murderer without a purpose, a savage madman who will achieve nothing!"
William could only imagine how it felt to be the one who got lured into a safe room only to be killed for an ephemeral cause. He didn't stop after one. Gron needed to taint every animatronic with a child's corpse. He wanted to destroy all of it. All of his righteous anger was thrown at those who did not deserve it. But alas, it was too late for William to stay silent.
"I know you will never understand. I don't expect you to. I still hear the voice as I'm writing this, still, hear the twisted one. And do you know what he tells me? He tells me to kill your children."
William could feel his fist clenching as he read those words, making his heart skip a beat. He wanted to say that Gron would never hurt them, but at this point, could he truly be sure of that?
"Elizabeth, Chris, even Mike, do you understand?! A part of my own mind is telling me to kill Mike after all we have been through together! But rest assured, I will not hurt them. I'm not the twisted one, not yet. It's not their fault that it ended like this. But I have words to say to you, Will. You wanted the truth; you will get it. If you care to follow me, I have gone to the restaurant now. Whatever they are doing with those bodies now, I won't allow them to go to waste. I will bring them to light. I will make everybody see.
Every single one of them."
The relief of seeing his promise not to hurt William's children was short-lived, for he was on the way to making a horrendous mistake. A mistake that might put an end to both of their lives.
William had to stop him.