"𝓘𝓣'𝓢 𝓜𝓔" || 𝓕𝓝𝓐𝓕 𝓕𝓪𝓷𝓯𝓲𝓬𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷

The Reunion

The security guard obediently followed the nightmarish animatronics, knowing that he had no chance against them physically. Foxy and Bonnie didn't harm him despite their terrifying appearance; they simply led him towards what seemed to be the main place of the pizzeria. The moonlight reflected through the pizzeria's windows allowed Mike to fully see the monsters straight out of a nightmare. He saw the tables around him, then the balloons, and then...

The exit door.

He just needed to cross it to be forever free. Free from this terror, free from his father's creations, free from his brother's vengeance. Without hesitation, Mike abruptly pulled away from the grasp of the metal beasts. Fortunately for him, he caught them off guard, or perhaps... had they intentionally let him go? He didn't dwell on the thought and sprinted towards the glass door. He briefly looked over his shoulder. The animatronics had completely vanished. Mike didn't think twice and prepared to swing the door wide open, grab his keys, get into his car, and change cities, countries, or even continents if necessary. He clearly wanted nothing to do with Freddy's restaurants anymore. The young man inserted the key, unlocked the latch, and pushed the door. It didn't open.

"No way! No fucking way!!! Let me out!" Michael shouted.

He attempted several times to charge at the door with his elbow, trying to force the latch or even break it. He realized that something was preventing him from leaving, just like in the Parts and Service room. He had an idea about who was behind all of this. His strikes were losing power little by little, and he felt tears of frustration welling up in his eyes. Mike collapsed against the glass door, his hands covering his face. He was so close to his goal.

"Wow, your brother is a kind of a baby, isn't he?" a voice different from Evan's chuckled.

Mike furrowed his brow at the all-too-familiar sentence. He looked ahead and found the monstrous machines. Why did they have children's voices? He would have expected deep and raspy voices, not innocent and mischievous ones. All four of them burst into laughter as if they were children, even though they were anything but that.

"It's hilarious! Look at how he's crying at his age! You should be brave, like grown-ups, Michael," Evan's voice echoed playfully.

Mike wiped his eyes with his sleeve to see more clearly. Among the nightmarish animatronics, he saw the person he never thought he would see again. It was a simple boy in a striped T-shirt, a bandage covering most of his head, including his left eye, and tears trickling down from his eye. But today, his brother was crying of laughter. The boy had a translucent appearance and a unique white eye. He belonged to the world of the dead.

"Oh Evan... it's been so long," Michael smiled, completely ignoring the animatronics.

The boy was surprised to hear that his older brother could see him. So Cassidy was right, using his powers for vengeance increased their strength. Evan thought he saw his brother crying with regret upon seeing him. Maybe they were tears of joy? Of fear? He didn't know. The only thing on his mind was that fateful day in 1983, when Evan begged his brother to let him go, and Michael continued to torment him until he killed him. The boy maintained his cruel smile.

"I'm so happy to finally be able to talk to you, I don't even know how it's possible! You know... I've thought about you a lot, and..."

"Yeah sure. Hey, guys! We should show him our big bad friend, right? Keep your eyes closed, Michael, it'll be like a surprise."

Mike obeyed hesitantly and closed his eyes. He heard the stage lights come on, and then... a familiar tune. A joyful and childlike melody that haunted Michael every day. Fredbear had played it on the day of his little brother's last birthday.

"You can open and smile now!" Evan cheerfully warned.

Michael opened his eyes. But he didn't smile. On the stage where Freddy, Chica, and Bonnie usually performed, the most hideous, frightening, and abominable thing he had ever seen stood. Michael had despised Fredbear since the bite, but this version was even worse than the original. The nightmare animatronics were like plush toys in comparison. Mike was paralyzed with fear; the nightmarish Fredbear was patiently waiting, his unsettling grin aimed at the human.

"What's wrong, Mikey? Are you scared of the big bear?" Foxy's mischievous voice chuckled.

"Maybe you need a glass of water? Crying all day must give you a headache, especially for grown-ups," the little girl in Chica giggled.

"I don't know, maybe Mikey wants to get a closer look at Fredbear. What do you think, Evan?" Freddy asked, turning to the ghost of the young Afton.

Michael didn't need any more evidence to fully understand Evan's plan for revenge. His younger brother wanted to make him experience the 1983 bite in turn, with these nightmarish animatronics. The older brother didn't waste any more time and knelt in front of the eight-year-old's ghost.

Evan was initially startled to see his brother at his feet. Something wasn't right... Mikey was usually strong and respected, while Evan was the one behaving like this. Nevertheless, the boy enjoyed this role reversal. He maintained his evil smile while patiently waiting for his brother to beg for mercy. But for Evan, the outcome was clear. He intended to truly frighten his older brother. Mike cleared his throat.

"Ev... I need to talk to you seriously."

"Go ahead, Fredbear is patient, but not too much," the little boy chuckled.

Mike cleared his throat again.

"You see, that day, in 1983... The day I committed the unforgivable act. The day I... I killed you?"

The boy's smile gradually faded. He didn't really understand where Michael was going with this, all that mattered to him was making him pay today.

"Since that tragedy, I hardly sleep, barely eat, never smile. I burned that damn mask the very same night! My god, just imagine, I lost you and Elizabeth... I killed my baby brother."

Evan could almost hear Michael's voice breaking, as if he was on the verge of tears. But his brother remained strong, probably wanting to finish his monologue. Evan wasn't smiling much anymore; he just observed Michael. Mikey really seemed sincere... But it was too late for regrets. Evan just wanted to scare him like he did to him.

"You know what? It should've been me in that damn machine William created. I should've been punished for what I did to you... Everything I did to you."

Mike lowered his head. Evan continued to gaze at him without emotion.

"I never thought I could tell you this directly, but here we are..."

The young man wanted to reach out and take his little brother's hand, but he realized too late that Evan was nothing more than a spirit. Seeing his hand pass through made Mike bit his lips.

"Forgive me, Ev. I beg you. After that, you can do whatever you want with me..."

His brother watched him break down in tears. He wasn't supposed to feel pity for his killer; Cassidy had no pity for William. Neither did Gabriel, Jeremy, Fritz, nor Susie. Evan didn't want to kill Michael; he just wanted to play a little prank on him. But hadn't his brother suffered enough already? The boy couldn't believe that the teenager who treated him like garbage and the adult who loved him more than anything were the same person. He couldn't decide. Should he make him pay, or simply forgive him?

PAYBACK ? - Next Chapter

FORGIVENESS ? - Skip Next Chapter