Til 6am (A Hermitcraft/FNaF Anthology)

Happiest Day (5)

Before running headlong down the hallway, they looked down both ends. It was empty and dead silent.

Slowly, the two made their way down the hall. EX stepped as lightly as possible, but he was sure his heartbeat could be heard echoing off the walls, even though he knew that was a fanciful thought. He could sense his brother not far behind him.

Up ahead, he could now make out the end of the hallway and the entrance to the dining area which, like the rest of the building, was dark. But he could see the tables and, more importantly, the doors.

"Come on!" he called back softly. "The exit's just ahead." He quickened his pace, now half-running the last stretch of hallway. His vision was focused on those doors, and all he could hear was his own footsteps.

Moments after EX ran out into the dining area, Xisuma barreled into him from behind, throwing all his weight at EX with his right shoulder. EX was thrown forward, tripping and landing hard on the tiled floor.

He turned over in time to see his brother being lifted into the air by yet another animatronic, right where EX had been a moment before. A large brown bear with a top hat and a dented face. Freddy, the star of the show. Dimly, EX realized this was the one he had hit with a chair earlier.

The robot's massive arms were wrapped tightly around Xisuma, who kicked furiously, his own arms pinned to his sides. The robot only tightened its grip and Xisuma screamed at it in pain and defiance.

"No..." EX staggered to his feet. His legs felt weak under him. "No!" He ran at the animatronic, beating at it with his fists. But nearly all his energy was drained and it did nothing. "Let go of him!"

There was nothing he could use as a weapon; all the chairs and tables were bolted to the floor. So he kept hitting the bear, tearing at its fake fur, trying to draw its attention away from Xisuma, who was struggling less and less now.

EX reached up, grabbing the robot's face and shaking its head back and forth. It roared in frustration and dropped Xisuma, who fell in a heap to the floor. His eyes were closed and he wasn't moving.

EX didn't get a chance to react. The animatronic had turned with frightening speed and trapped him in the same vice-like grip.

He didn't have the strength to fight. He tried going limp, but it was pointless. The robot's arms were crushing his chest and he couldn't get enough air into his lungs.

He couldn't focus his eyes. The edge of his vision was dark and he blinked repeatedly in an attempt to clear it. He knew he was blacking out. He had to stay awake... but he didn't know why. He couldn't think clearly anymore. He was just so tired...

There was a noise. He could hear it, but it was muffled and quiet, so quiet he wasn't entirely sure it was there. But it sounded like the chime of an old clock.

Was he falling? It was only for a moment, then something hard slammed into his face and side, sending a jolt of pain through his chest, which shocked him back to his senses.

He sucked in a breath and coughed. Opening his eyes a little, he saw only a black and white checkerboard pattern. The floor. He was lying on the floor. And... the lights were on. He could hear music. The power was back.

He tried to push himself up using his elbows, but he was shaking so badly he fell back down, resulting in another sharp pain in his chest.

Maybe I'll just stay down here for a while.

He couldn't see whether the animatronic was still there, but it didn't matter really. He wouldn't be able to run. And even if he did run, he'd probably just trip over...

Xisuma.

How had he forgotten him? Panicked, EX crawled over to where his brother lay and pulled himself up into a kneeling position. Xisuma wasn't breathing.

"No no no no no." EX grabbed his brother's shoulders and shook him. "Wake up, wake up! You're not allowed to die!" His vision blurred from tears threatening to fall. "Damn you, Suma, wake up!"

All of a sudden Xisuma coughed, gasped for air, and coughed again.

EX sat back on his heels, tears flowing freely from his eyes. "Oh thank God, you're not dead."

Xisuma squinted, turning his head to look around the room. "Wh- the robot..." he breathed.

EX followed his gaze. The bear animatronic was standing a few meters away, arms at its sides and head down, completely still.

"I think it deactivated when the power came back on," he said quietly. "But we should get out of here."

He rose to his feet, but his head swam and he had to steady himself against the wall. He reached down and helped his brother to his feet. Xisuma grimaced as he stood up.

EX glanced cautiously at the animatronic as they slowly made their way to the door, but it made no movement.

He expected the doors to be locked. Why wouldn't they be? But when he put his hand against the door, it swung outward, causing him to stumble out into the parking lot. The sun hadn't yet fully risen and the sky was a pale gray in the distance.

"We're... we're alive," EX said, almost in disbelief. "Oh my gosh we're alive!" He laughed aloud and stopped when another jolt of pain struck his side. "Ow- laughing hurts."

Xisuma came up beside him and they both stood there in silence for a few moments. Then a thought struck EX.

"Why did you push me out of the way of Freddy?"

Xisuma smiled a little. "I wasn't just going to let it attack you."

"But you could've died."

"I- I know."

"Did you know that at the time?"

Xisuma was quiet for a moment. "...yeah."

EX didn't know what to say. Instead, he reached over and hugged his brother, careful not to hurt either of them.

"Thank you," he said finally. "For everything, really. I couldn't ask for a better brother."

Xisuma hugged him back, with his right arm of course, and they stood like that for a minute, barely able to believe that either of them were alive.

After a while Xisuma released the hug, looking like he was trying not to laugh. EX suspected laughing hurt him as well.

"You look like shit, by the way."

EX grinned, completely unaware that only half of his hair was still in its ponytail and it had blood and dust in it. "Oh, I look like shit? You've got a bloody sleeve tied around your arm."

Xisuma thought for a moment. "Yeah, we should probably go to the hospital."

"As if they'd believe our story," EX said, but he made his way to the car and reached for the driver's side door.

Xisuma stopped him. "You and I both know I'm the better driver."

"Not with your arm like that. I'm driving."

When they got into the car, Xisuma's stomach grumbled loudly and EX snickered, realizing neither of them had eaten since the day before, and they hadn't had dinner.

"Maybe we should find food first."

Xisuma glanced at him. "That may be the best idea you've had in the past six hours. Where to?"

EX hummed, pretending to think. "I don't know. How does pizza sound?"

"Absolutely not."

-End-