FNIA: The Forgotten Soul

27: Old Friends

MARIONETTE POV:

"IT BELONGED TO MY FATHER OK!"

The moment Evan yelled those words my entire reality crumbled. No longer did I see the teenage nightguard standing on his knees before me. But instead a scared child no older than 8 years old crying in fear and pain.

"No..." I whispered out in fear as I both recognised the small boy. And realised what I was doing to him. I quickly let go of his bleeding shoulder and took a step backwards. "No no no no no no."

My body began to lock up as I felt myself zone out. To everyone who saw me they would probably just see me staring off at nothing in particular. But to me it was like everything and everyone around me seemed to melt away in white nothingness.

"I-it can't be..." I stuttered out to myself as I sunk down to my knees. As I did, an image of a small boy with curly brown hair and hazel eyes appeared in front of me. The look in his eyes showcased happiness, an emotion which looked almost alien on his face.

"Evan?" I questioned as tears began to well up in the corner of my eyes. The image began to change. Slowly the boy began to age. And my sadness and fear grew as he began to look more and more like the Evan I know as his image aged.

"It really is him." I said slowly to myself as the image froze on the boy. Who was now depicted as a late teen. And they were a carbon copy of the Evan that I have come to know as my friend. "It really is you. You've finally come back."

Then the voices came. I had to cover my ears as the voices of children I had not seen in decades began to scream their opinions.

"HE DIDN'T DESERVE TO JOIN US!" A small boy with olive skin and black hair yelled as his misty form manifested next to me. "HE IS THE REASON WE DIED!"

"WHAT HE DIDN'T DESERVE WAS WHAT JUST HAPPENED!"  A small girl with blonde hair and blue eyes yelled to the boy as her mist form marched up to him aggressively. "NONE OF THIS WAS HIS FAULT!"

"HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT US SUSIE!" A boy with pale skin and a pair of glasses protecting his dark blue eyes yelled with clear anger and disgust. "WHAT RIGHT DOES HE HAVE TO JOIN US!?"

"STOP SAYING IT'S HIS FAULT, HE HAD NO CONTROL OVER WHAT HIS FATHER DID!" A boy with ginger hair and brown eyes yelled to try to silence the other 3. "IF ANYTHING HE HAD MORE RIGHT THAN ANY OF US TO FINALLY REST!"

"HE DESERVED IT!" The soul of a young girl with black hair said in a tone that didn't fit her small body. "HE WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A MURDEROUS AFTON! HE DESERVED WHAT HE GOT!"

I watched the misty forms of the children continue to argue. But that eventually stopped when a tall slender figure with a white mask for a face appeared behind the group. I recognised the creature, It was the original Marionette.

The Animatronic that I once possessed.

"It is time to rest." A slightly more childish version of my own voice said to the souls before it. Then with a flash of light they were all gone.

"He was meant to be there." I said it myself in a hushed tone as the memory faded away. "It was my job to make sure he found peace. And yet I forgot him."

"I'm heading to Freddy's after school." The voice of a young girl said behind me. When I turned around I saw the child form of Evan walking next to a small girl with brown hair similar in shade to his. And wearing a light grey t-shirt and brown pants. "Daddy said I needed to bring you with me. Apparently uncle William won't finish his work until late today. But that just means I get to spend more of my birthday with my best friend."

"O-ok." The younger Evan replied with obvious nervousness.

"Don't worry Evan." The young girl said as she linked her hand with Evan's, causing the young boy to blush slightly. "There is nothing to be afraid of as long as I'm there."