October 14th 1985 – Staff Room at Freddy's

The only light in the dark storage room was their smile. The door creaked shut, and the last sliver of light disappeared. They glanced around, wide-eyed and curious, like children always are. Expecting something. Believing they deserved it. Thinking that their hopeful little visit would make the world bend to their wants.

Springbonnie's empty eyes stared at them, his frozen plastic smile stretching unnaturally. His massive shadow loomed over the room, swallowing what little light remained. The gloom was heavy, pressing down even on the other kids. Their smiles wavered, uneasy. All except the ginger-haired boy.

"You seriously live in this dump, Springbonnie? Jeez... I bet you and Fredbear really got screwed after... you know..." he said, smirking as he picked through the rusty tools scattered on the metal table.

Gabriel stayed quiet, forcing a smile, though something felt wrong. Cold. The air was heavy and unfriendly.

"Where's my dog? Sparky? Hey, Sparky! Come here!" Susie called, her voice bright with excitement as she looked around, hopeful.

Nothing. No bark. No sound. Just silence. And Springbonnie, standing there with something hidden behind his back.

The tension thickened. Even Fritz's grin faded. Something was very, very wrong.

"Dude... what's going on? You've got a surprise for us, right? For Evan... right?" Fritz asked, his tone sharp, trying to mask the unease creeping in.

Springbonnie chuckled softly. It might've sounded friendly if not for the suffocating darkness. Instead, it felt twisted.

"It'd be scary, wouldn't it? Being locked in a place like this. No way out. Defenseless."

A faint click echoed. The door. Did it just—?

Susie's eyes widened, her voice small and shaky. "C... Can you open the door? It's... making us nervous..."

Springbonnie knelt slowly, his lifeless eyes meeting hers. "Of course, Susie. But first, let me tell you a secret," he whispered, his tone low and sickly sweet.

Susie hesitated but leaned in, curiosity mixed with fear. Jeremy's hand shot out, stopping her. His gaze burned through the rabbit.

"Why did you bring us here?" Jeremy asked, his voice barely steady.

"To give you a surprise," Springbonnie replied, his tone dark.

"Y... You're bluffing. You don't have shit," Fritz said, forcing a smirk, his confidence cracking.

"Maybe. But I do have this."

With a swift motion, he revealed a gleaming knife, its edge catching what little light remained.

The room plunged into suffocating silence.

Everyone's eyes locked on the bunny's hand, frozen in place, the air thick with tension. Slowly, they began to inch backward, but it wasn't enough. Fritz could hear his best friend's breath faltering, rapid and shallow, the panic setting in. This wasn't just a bad day, a poor grade. This was something darker. Something they had never felt before. The fear of death.

"I... I swear to God; nobody ever listens to me!" Jeremy snapped, glaring at Fritz.

They were both scared out of their minds, but Jeremy couldn't shake that feeling—the feeling that he'd been right all along. He'd warned them. He hoped he'd been wrong, but deep down, he knew he wasn't. He was never wrong.

Fritz had thought he was overreacting... but now, as the air grew colder, and the shadow of the killer loomed closer, he stopped arguing. He just lowered his head, his heart pounding.

"Now, no need to be all worked up, little bunny..." came the low, dark voice.

Jeremy spun around, his eyes darting toward the door. Desperation drove him forward. He walked toward the figure, his voice shaking as he tried to sound confident.

"Our parents are outside. We're Evan Afton's friends. If you touch us, he'll tell his dad and..."

A sickening crack cut him off. His world blurred as pain exploded in his skull. He tried to scream, but it came out as a gurgle. Something sharp was lodged deep in his head, and he could feel warm blood running down his face, soaking into his favorite blue shirt. But it wasn't blue anymore. It was red.

"Your parents never told you not to approach someone with a knife?" Springbonnie's voice was cruel as he twisted the blade, the sickening sound of flesh parting filling the air.

Jeremy's legs gave out, and he collapsed, vision fading. The last thing he saw was Springbonnie's hollow eyes staring at him.

"You... you've made a huge mistake," he gasped, trying to get the words out. "Evan... he's..."

"I am Evan's father." William said, as he left him die on the floor.

Fritz didn't hear Gabriel's gasp or Susie's choked sobs. His mind was numb, his body frozen in place. He couldn't process what had just happened. How? Why? What the actual fuck was going on?

Jeremy was... gone . Dead. It didn't make sense. It couldn't be real. And yet, the agony was raw. His vision blurred with red, as anger and disbelief surged through him. His fists clenched so hard his knuckles cracked, the pain of it almost welcome compared to the emptiness gnawing at his chest.

"Why would you do that?! He didn't deserve this! He... he had nothing to do with any of this!" Fritz screamed, his voice raw with grief and fury.

"F... Fritz, stay back..." Gabriel's voice was strained, desperate, trying to shield another friend from the nightmare unfolding.

But it was too late. Fritz didn't care. Rage coursed through him like wildfire, and he lunged forward, ready to strike the killer with everything he had.

In an instant, a cold, metallic fist slammed into his cheek, the force of it sending him crashing to the floor. His vision spun, the world tilting and blurring as pain exploded in his head.

"You kids really should think before acting," Springbonnie said, his voice cold, as he looked down at the blood dripping from the blade.

He turned toward Gabriel and Susie, leaving the others lying broken and bleeding on the cold floor. His right arm was soaked in crimson, his footsteps leaving bloody prints, and his empty gaze seemed to pierce through everything. It was as if he felt nothing.

Gabriel stepped forward, trembling. His mind raced, trying to find a way to save his friends—trying to figure out how to save himself. But the truth was too heavy. Jeremy was gone, and they were probably next.

"Why would you do this…? Why would you hurt your own son like this?" Gabriel asked, his voice breaking as he tried to push the image of Jeremy's lifeless eyes from his mind.

William didn't flinch. Blood dripped steadily from his knife.

"Evan is lonely," the boy said, his voice desperate. "We're the only ones he has."

Gabriel backed up, pressing against the cold, unforgiving wall.

"You think I care about my son, Gabriel?" William's voice was low and sharp. "You think I give a damn about what he feels?"

"Please... just listen," Gabriel pleaded, his voice trembling. "We can talk about this… r—"

Before Gabriel could finish, his words were silenced. The first stab came so quickly, it took him by surprise. The second followed almost instantly. The third cut through his stomach with a sickening finality... he then did it, again, again and again. The pain was unbearable, but strangely, it felt distant, like he wasn't even in his body anymore. Blood poured from his mouth as he struggled to stay on his feet, desperate to protect her—because that's what Evan would have done. But his legs gave out, and he collapsed, his body hitting the cold floor with a heavy thud.

...

The room was suffocating. Susie's breath came in shallow gasps, her heart hammering in her chest. Horror movies never felt this real. Not even close. When she saw Gabriel's lifeless face, her scream was torn from her throat, raw and desperate. She stumbled backward, her legs shaking so violently she could have melted into the wall behind her. But then, her eyes locked onto the blade. The blood on it was dry now, crusted and dark. It gleamed in the dim light, promising nothing but pain.

Her body froze, but then—movement. A gap. An escape.

With every ounce of courage she had left, she darted between Springbonnie's legs. Her heart beat faster than ever as she made a break for the door, her hands trembling with fear. She couldn't stop now. She had to get out. But then she realized something. He wasn't chasing her.

Confusion washed over her as she reached the door, yanked the handle. Nothing. It was locked. She pulled again, harder, but it refused to open. Her breath hitched, and her hope cracked. It was slipping away. She couldn't hear him, but the air grew colder. A voice, chilling and full of mockery, broke the silence.

"Well, well, well... seems like the door's not working," William's laugh echoed, too cheerful, too cruel.

Susie's hand slowly slipped from the handle. Tears blurred her vision. She tried to keep it together, but it was impossible. Her body trembled, a sob wracking her chest.

"Evan! E... Evan... help me... h..." she choked out, her voice broken. The sound of metallic footsteps behind her made her blood run cold.

"I won't lie... it was cute to see you together," William continued, his voice dripping with something sickening. "Right? You could've been my stepdaughter... but I guess that won't happen now, huh?"

The words hit like a punch. Susie could barely breathe, her tears falling faster. She turned, but there was nowhere to go. He was closer now.

"Evan... I... I'm scared... please... please don't hurt me... don't... please..." Her voice trembled, the fear choking her words.

A cold metal finger lifted her chin, and her eyes met his—those bloodied, empty eyes. She could see the face of the man underneath the mask, silver eyes glinting with dark amusement.

"Shh... just close your eyes for me," he whispered, voice like gravel.

"I... I don't wanna die..." she whispered, her words broken, pleading.

"I'll make the pain go away," he said softly, like he was offering a kindness, but the lie was too obvious.

Her body went numb as she closed her eyes, the weight of the truth sinking in. She knew what was coming.

...

Fritz's cheek throbbed, the sting of the punch still fresh, but he couldn't focus on the pain. Not now. Not when his friend was lying there, motionless. He shook his friend's shoulder, his hands trembling. "Come on, Jeremy... wake up," he urged, his voice desperate. But nothing happened.

He couldn't bear to look at him—not yet. Not when the reality was so brutal, so final. Instead, Fritz crumpled forward, burying his face in Jeremy's chest, sobbing uncontrollably. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... please wake up..." His words were broken, desperate.

The weight of the silence around him pressed in harder than any punch.

With a shaky breath, Fritz gathered what little strength he had left. He pulled himself away, finally lifting his gaze. His friend—his best friend —lay there, his glasses fallen to the side, cracked and useless. Without them, Jeremy always looked kinda... silly. It was a part of him. But now, with his face twisted in a lifeless stillness, there were no shits and giggles anymore.

No more stupid jokes. No more laughter. Just the haunting absence of it all.

Fritz's heart clenched, a cold, unfamiliar ache spreading through his chest. He'd never thought he'd have to say goodbye like this. Never thought he'd have to feel so... empty.

The sickening sound of Susie's throat being slit rang in Fritz's ears, snapping him back to the horrific reality unfolding before him. The warmth in his chest turned to ice, his breath shallow, his mind racing. He was the last one. He hadn't protected them. He hadn't been their captain, their shield. He was nothing but a failure. Tears, hot and stinging, blurred his vision, but he didn't wipe them away. They were deserved. He couldn't save them. He had failed them.

But vengeance... vengeance was all he had left.

Fritz gripped his wooden sword. It wasn't a toy anymore. It wasn't for pretend battles in the backyard. It was his weapon now. The only thing between him and the nightmare in front of him.

William's laugh cut through the air, mocking. "Wow... one of you is actually going to try to fight back?"

Fritz didn't reply. He lunged forward, sword raised. The blow barely scratched Springbonnie's metal frame before the weapon slipped from his blood-soaked hands. Useless. Just like him.

Pain flared through his side, sharp and brutal, pulling a strangled cry from his throat. Blood seeped down his arm, and the world spun, but he didn't care. His hand shot out for something—anything. A wrench. A hammer. Something to fight with.

William was on him again. The sharp pain of another cut sent him crashing to the floor. His hand flew to his shoulder, feeling the warm trickle of blood. But he couldn't stop. Not yet.

He forced himself up, shaking, his body screaming, his legs unsteady. His fingers wrapped around the tool, and he swung it with everything he had. The hit was weak, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was fighting back.

William's cold laughter echoed as he slashed Fritz's shoulder, sending him spiraling into agony. But Fritz gritted his teeth, refusing to fall. He rose again, fists clenched. Blood stained his clothes, soaked into the floor beneath him. The pain was unbearable, but he didn't care .

"I HATE YOU!" he screamed through gritted teeth, charging forward once more. He didn't even know where the words came from. But they burned in his chest like fire, desperate and raw.

Then, the blade pierced his heart.

He gasped, falling to his knees, unable to breathe, the world tilting as darkness closed in around him. But he didn't fall. Not yet. He forced himself back to his feet, gritting his teeth against the burning agony. All he wanted was to hit him. Just one more time.

But William had other plans. He threw Fritz to the ground with ease. As Fritz struggled to rise, William stepped forward, a knife raised at his eye.

"You want to be a real pirate, Fritz? Just like... Foxy?"

For the first time, the boy's left green eye showed real fear.