Chapter 8: Nightmare

It was a peaceful Saturday morning. The weather was a little chilly, but that was nothing unusual at this time of year. The leaves had turned and a lot of them had already fallen. It was a pretty sight, but also a gloomy one. I was at least glad it wasn't cloudy yet. The forecast had said something about rain, but only towards the later hours.

I was sitting at the park, waiting for Lucy to arrive. We briefly talked over the phone, but she suggested we meet in person. It was probably for the best this way. Good thing she wasn't really sick.

Eventually, I spotted her as she jogged toward me. She was wearing a light yellow jacket, and dark blue leggings. She sat next to me on the bench, panting lightly. Her face was flushed.

"Good morning." She seemed to be in a relatively good mood compared to yesterday. I didn't want to ruin that, but I don't think I had a choice, thanks to the subject matter. I cleared my throat and greeted her back.

"So… what did you want to talk about?" she then asked.

Right into the heart of things, then. Perhaps there wasn't much point in delaying things. I leaned forward, and let my forearms rest on my knees.

"It's serious."

She frowned, and I ran a hand through my hair.

"I saw the kids last night. I had a vision, and they were all there. Olivia, Bradley, Grace, and Miranda."

She leaned closer, her eyes wide.

"What!? Did they say anything?"

"They asked me to do something. It's… well, it's why I wanted to talk to you. They want me to destroy the animatronics, so that they can be set free, like Cassidy."

She opened her mouth, but didn't ultimately didn't say anything, resorting instead to stare off into the void.

"I think I should do it, but I wanted to tell you first," I added.

"Wait, so… What? Will that really work?"

"I don't know. It worked for Cassidy, so… probably?"

"I… I'm not sure, Mike."

I went on to talk about what the CEO told me in regards to the fates of those machines. She clutched her head.

"...Alright. Do it."

She was quick to agree, more so than what I had expected. I wanted to make sure she had thought her decision through.

"...Do you think we should talk to some of the other parents?"

"No. There's no reason to open old wounds."

I wasn't going to question it. She probably knew better. Granted, there was always the possibility that at least one family would want to know, but things were already complicated enough as is.

"Alright… Hey, Lucy?"

She looked at me again, worriedly.

"Miranda wanted me to tell you this. She loves you. And she misses you."

As if a switch had been flipped, tears started welling up in her eyes. She didn't cry, but still. I couldn't bear the sight.

I offered her a hug. She didn't return it, but she didn't push me away, either.

"...My baby…" she mumbled.

We sat like this for a while, with the occasional bystander giving us strange looks. I didn't pay them any mind.

Lucy calmed down after a bit, and I let her go.

"Thank you for telling me that. And for… for everything, Mike. You're a very thoughtful person."

We sat in silence, letting the sounds of nature do the talking for us. They made for a pleasant respite.

"One hell of a first date, huh?"

She laughed bitterly.

"...Maybe we should just grab some lunch next time…"

By the time the clock struck midnight, it was still raining heavily. I entered the building slowly and quietly, like a burglar.

Cassidy appeared as usual.

"Hello, Mike."

I made out the apprehension in her voice.

"Hi," I responded, my own voice hoarse. I had barely caught a wink of sleep. My mind had been too preoccupied with what would follow.

I didn't even bother going to the office. I placed my backpack on one of the tables, and unzipped it.

I grabbed the tools I had stored inside, and spread them out, as if I were a surgeon preparing his equipment. Or a butcher, in this case. I didn't know how exactly the company destroyed the yellow Freddy, but I doubted it mattered. At least, I hoped it didn't.

I grabbed a hammer, a screwdriver and a pair of pliers, and attached them to my belt. I put on my gloves, and with a wrench in hand, I approached Foxy's cove. I hesitated.

"Cassidy. When they destroyed you, did you feel it? Did it hurt?"

She didn't reply. I turned to look at her.

"Did it? I need to know," I insisted. I felt a little guilty pressuring her like this, but this was important.

"...Yes. It did."

I cursed under my breath. I had to be careful. More pain was the last thing these children deserved.

"Grace, you heard what she said. If you want me to go back, please let me know."

…

No reaction.

"Look at me if you want me to carry on."

Foxy's yellow eyes slowly met my own.

"Alright, then. Hang tight."

I chose Foxy to start with, because he was already in pretty rough shape. Gave me a decent starting ground.

"Be careful."

I got onto the circular stage, and walked around Foxy in order to find the best place to start. As I continued my assessment, I felt like this was turning out to be more daunting than I had expected.

"Hey… Sorry if it's a hard question, but… what exactly did they do to you?"

"...They burned me."

I flinched at the mental image and sound. I really hoped that the means they used didn't matter for this. I had no real way of burning down machines like these by myself. I gave Foxy a closer look, trying to ignore the awful stench of his all the while. It was the same smell Freddy had. Knowing its origin made me sick to my stomach in more ways than one.

…

I needed to get a move on.

In a strange way, Fazbear Entertainment's business strategy of cutting corners made things a little easier. The joints were not covered by foam, meaning the bolts were exposed in some spots.

With the wrench, I began loosening Foxy's hook arm. Low sounds akin to static began emitting from his voice box. Not knowing what to make of that, I kept going.

The only thing that kept the arm in place after I removed the bolts and the screws was the wires. The pliers cut clean through them, as if they were veins. That was when Foxy let out a sharp, loud noise, similar to a scream. It was so overbearing, that I had to cover my ears, letting Foxy's forearm clatter on the floor.

"Mike! Run!"

I jumped off of Pirate Cove, and from the corner of my eye, I saw that Bonnie had walked off the stage, while Freddy and Chica were glaring.

Foxy's scream died out. He took a step toward me, with his remaining hand raised. He was reaching out to me.

"What happened!? Did you change your mind?"

They showed no signs of having heard me. Bonnie did not halt. On the contrary, Chica joined him.

"Get to the office!" Cassidy repeated. "They're not stable!"

I wanted to argue that I wasn't done yet, but Foxy seemed just about ready to lunge at me.

I ran to the only place in this building that could protect me. I could hear the sound of metal feet stomping down on the tiles.

I passed the doorway and immediately slammed my hand on the door button. Right after, I felt the door shake, as Foxy knocked on it a couple times.

The monitors showed him leaving, his head hanging low. I opened the door, but had to close it almost immediately because of Bonnie's subsequent appearance.

"What's gotten into them!?"

Cassidy faded into the room, and dejectedly said, "They… They think you're dangerous."

"But why!? I did what they asked of me!"

"I know, but they don't! Don't you get it? They're broken!"

Once Bonnie left, and I opened the door, I realized that it was only a quarter past midnight, and I was already at 85%. The night had just begun, and already, it was mathematically impossible for me to not run out of power, unless the attacks would slow down.

Judging from the way Chica was coming closer, I didn't see that being the case.

"Can you snap them out of it?"

"...I'll try."

Once Cassidy left, I could only think back on what she said about having felt pain. Had I just ripped Grace's arm off? Was that how it felt to her?

I suddenly felt horrible. I looked down at my hands. How could I have been so careless?

But… what other option did I have? What else could I have done? I couldn't think of a way to avoid pain in that scenario.

What would the equivalent of sedation be in this case? I kept wondering.

Perhaps I should have done this during the day, when they couldn't move. Or, maybe I should have shocked them, or doused them with water.

I couldn't believe I hadn't thought this through. The children were in pain, while I was in danger. Neither of those things would have been true had I thought ahead.

Cassidy reappeared not too long after.

"Okay… I think I managed to calm Grace down, but… I don't know what to do about the others…"

They're broken. That phrase kept repeating in my head. I didn't want it to be true, yet from their view, they trusted me and I betrayed them. How could it not be?

I thanked Cassidy for her help, and went to assess the situation. Freddy was creeping around in the restrooms, Bonnie was camping in the closet, while Chica was stalking near the east hall.

From what I could tell based on their gestures and stances, they were still hostile, despite Cassidy's efforts. It's like I was back to square one with them. Just another guard who could potentially be their killer.

…

I had to ward them off time and time again. I felt like a cornered animal, with threats looming on all sides. Surrounded and outnumbered. There were some instances of downtime between attacks, but those were few and far between.

Eventually, it happened, just like I predicted. At 5:02, I ran out of power. I wanted to run to the exit, but Chica was standing outside the right door, while I could hear Freddy slowly marching towards the left.

My mind wandered back to the phone guy. It didn't matter if he was part of the company's coverups. It didn't matter that I had suffered because of said company's crimes. In the end, we were both going to end up the same way.

Cassidy returned. She had gone to get the power back on, but judging from the clearly still dark building, it didn't work. That only meant one thing.

"End of the line, Cass."

"No… No! I won't let you get hurt. Quickly, hide behind me!"

I was surprised at myself. At how… calm I was. I was probably going to get killed, and yet… nothing.

I wasn't happy. There were still so many things I wanted to do with my life. So many things I had to do. Even so, I just… I didn't want my final moments to be filled with fear.

Freddy was close. His eyes lit up as he stood in the doorway. His song started to play. I knew that this was going to be my last chance to say the things I wanted.

"Cassidy. Thank you for your help. Thank you for being there for me, and for being my friend."

"Wh-!? Mike!" she shouted, "This isn't the time for this! C'mon!"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I said to you, and for not coming to your party."

"Just, shut up and hide! Do you wanna get killed!?"

I laughed. She was about as naïve as someone her age could get. Certain that I could escape. Certain that any story can have a happy ending…

I got off my chair but did not take cover like she suggested. Instead, I knelt in front of her, and wrapped my arms around her. I found it strange that I could touch her at all, but didn't dwell on it.

"It's okay. It doesn't matter anymore. I'm just glad I got to talk to you again."

She repeated my name in desperation. Her voice made it seem like she'd burst into tears any moment now.

"Don't worry. Everything will be okay."

Freddy's song ended. I hardly paid it any mind. Surely, there are worse ways to go than this, right?

…

Cassidy gasped quietly.

"Olivia… She's leaving…"

I broke the embrace, and looked behind me. Indeed, Freddy was leaving. And so was Chica. But why? It wasn't even six yet…

'Olivia… Did that get through to you?'

So, I got to live to die another day… Huh. I had given up. I had fully accepted the fact that this was going to be the end. I didn't know what to feel after that twist. Cassidy sure did, at least.

The sounds of her tantrum filled the office.

"You idiot! What the hell was that!? You want me to have a heart attack? You would have died in front of me!"

I was looking at her, dumbfounded. For two reasons, actually. The lesser one was because of the words she was saying. The main one was the fact that the yellow suit was shaking madly.

"The Mike I know would never do that! He'd never go down without a fight! I-If it weren't for Olivia, you…"

I was vigorously rubbing my eyes. Before me stood my childhood friend. Not a yellow bear, but Cassidy herself. An ethereal glow was surrounding her, which let me see her properly.

She was wearing the same clothes that she wore on the day of her party. A brown t-shirt, white shorts and black shoes. I couldn't believe it… She ran up to me and started punching me in the gut with raw, unadulterated fury. I was surprised that I could feel the blows.

"Don't throw your life away!"

She kept whaling away at me, but each punch was weaker and more desperate than the last. I let my hand rest on her hair. It was soft. I could feel it, too.

"...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

Her amber eyes met mine for the first time in years. It didn't last very long.

She lowered her head and buried her face below my chest, in an attempt to hide her tears.

"Forgive me."

Her crying intensified. I could hardly recall the last time I had seen her like this. I was usually the crybaby…

She clung onto me for a little while longer, until her sobs receded, and she stepped back. Her cheeks were red, and her eyes watery.

"I've already lost everything. I don't want to lose you, too."

I bent down to wipe the tears off her eyes… which resulted in me just smearing her face with them. She didn't seem to notice nor care, though.

"I understand. Don't worry. You won't lose me."

My shift came to an end, eventually. After restoring the power, I made my way towards Pirate Cove, and saw that its curtains were drawn. I thought about parting them, but immediately decided against it. It would have been like a breach of privacy to do so.

"Grace, can you hear me?"

No answer. I didn't mind. I knew she was listening. I needed to make peace with her and the others. I was already at an apology streak, anyway.

"I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to. I wanted to help you, but… I didn't know how."

I looked towards the stage.

"I'm sorry to you, too. I didn't free you like you asked of me… But I will one day. Even if it takes me weeks, months or years. I will free you. All of you."

I let my eyes wander over to Cassidy as I said that last sentence. Her appearance had reverted back to that of the old suit. It was disappointing, but perhaps her previous transformation was temporary by nature.

As she thanked me, I knew from her tone that she was feeling a blend of emotions. Sadness mixed with some gratitude made for the textbook definition of 'bittersweet'.

She suddenly vanished, with no explanation.

"Mike."

The sound of my name being called made me gasp in surprise, even if the voice wasn't loud. I looked over to where it came from, and noticed my boss leaning against a wall. When had he come in?

He stepped closer, looking quite displeased. The dark made him look strangely sinister.

"I should have known you were up to something. You seemed suspicious the moment I laid my eyes on you," he said.

"What's the problem?"

"You. You're the problem. And just like with any problem, I need to deal with you."

He was getting closer and closer, each step slow and methodical. I narrowed my eyes. Based on the way things were going, I was half expecting him to pull out a gun. It was a scary prospect but I needed to know the reason behind it. He gave me an answer before I could ask.

"You messed with our property. You used the logbook as if it were a diary. You didn't even notice me coming in through the emergency exit. You're hardly any good at your job."

My mouth stayed shut. He must've come in while I went to the fusebox.

"As if that wasn't enough, this is the sight I'm met with. I never would have hired you had I known your motives. Needless to say, you're fired," he said with a scowl.

He tossed a pink slip before my feet. I slowly bent down to examine it, not once letting the man leave my sight.

Once I held it in my hand, I skimmed through its short contents.

NOTICE OF TERMINATION

REASON: Tampering with the animatronics. General unprofessionalism. Odor

Thanks, mngmt

"You know the way out," he spat, before heading towards his office. I crumpled up the paper into a ball and tossed it aside.

"You sound real smug, don't you? Does it feel good, having blood on your hands?"

"Fazbear Entertainment is not responsible for damage, death, or dismemberment," he went on to say.

I'd had enough. I wanted to teach him a lesson right then and there.

I grabbed the wrench from where I had left it on the table, and crept up to him. Upon noticing me following, he froze. He didn't look all too scared, though. Surely I could change that…

"Go on. Say that again. I dare you."

He gulped, and his eyes began darting left and right. Even so, he was doing a remarkable job at retaining his composure.

"If you take one more step, I'll call the cops," he threatened, and I chuckled. Since when do criminals go to the police for help?

"An ambulance would be better." His eyes widened, as he began stepping back, until his back was against the wall. He went to run, but I snatched him by the collar before he could get away.

"Mike…" I heard Cassidy say, "you're scaring me…"

I had him cornered. Quite literally. There was no way he could possibly escape anymore. He tried to pry my hand off of him, but it was futile. Seeing him powerless made for quite the spectacle.

Time to settle this.

I tightened my grip on the wrench, and swung it. A crack formed on the wall, right next to the CEO's head. Chips of dried paint fell on his shoulder. He gradually opened his eyes, clearly afraid.

"Do you have any idea how many people suffered because of this company? Because of your decisions?"

"..."

"How do you sleep at night, knowing that families out there no longer exist because of this place?"

"..."

"Don't look so scared. I'm not going to dirty my hands for the likes of you. Just know that the past catches up to everyone. Your past," I added as I poked his neck with the wrench, "will catch up to you as well. And when that happens, you'll understand the price you'll have to pay."

I turned to leave. I spared one last glance at the animatronics. My old favorite characters… I didn't know when I was going to see them again. I then looked at Cassidy, who was hiding behind the corner. She was still a little shaken up from my previous stunt. I wanted to talk to her some more, but this was clearly not the place for that.

"Meet me at our secret spot."

She hesitated, before ultimately agreeing. Once I stepped outside Freddy's doors, it felt like the end of a chapter. I no longer worked there, even though there was still work to be done… I'd have to find a way to solve this mess, but for now, my hands were tied…