Help Needed

Chapter Eighteen: Before Dark

As Gregory caught Bonnie up on recent events, he checked on the signs painted on the walls to be sure they were going in the right direction. Sure enough, he came across one leading to the Daycare and to Monty Golf.

"Shouldn't Vanny be here?"

Gregory's step wavered. However, no red eyes glinted in the dark and his senses were just fine. Maybe she thought we slipped past her and went into the atrium? Or maybe she didn't expect us to get lost and tried following us to Rockstar Row.

"Wouldn't that mean she would be in Rockstar Row?"

Gregory half wanted to ask Chica to keep a look out for him, but he knew how futile that would be. Instead, he shook his head. No, she'll have moved on. Right? We'll just need to be careful. That's if she was there in the first place, which she might not be!

Still, anxiety got the better of him and he stopped and turned around. We can get there through Monty Golf. There's only a small corner of the atrium between Monty Golf and the hall leading to Rockstar Row. And I can flash Roxy.

"As good idea as any, I suppose. I wish we knew where she was!"

As Gregory started to climb the stairs back up to Monty Golf, the shadows shifted behind him. He jumped and spun around. The kid from the endoskeleton maze stood at the base of the steps, staring up at them, his hold on the creepy yellow bear lax. Gregory relaxed somewhat. "Hey. So, you don't just haunt kiddy mazes, then?"

"No," Evan said. "I mostly just stay here."

"Here? Like the utility tunnels? Or Monty Golf?"

"Freddy Fazbear's." The spirit frowned. "I shouldn't, but I do."

"So, this place is haunted?"

The spirit nodded.

Gregory pointed up. "Well, I'm going to Monty Golf and then to see my friends in Parts and Service. You wanna come with?"

"No," Evan stated. "I'll stay here."

"Okay, sure." Gregory looked up. Then he looked back at the kid. Curiosity overtook any caution he might have had. When the spirit showed no signs of moving, he descended the stairs, stepping around the other kid as he did so. "So, uh... did she kill you? Is that why you're here?"

He shook his head. "No, not her. It was... an accident." Evan looked down at Fredbear and fiddled with his paw. "I get that. It's not right, but it was. He didn't mean to."

Gregory tipped his head. "How do you accidentally murder a kid?"

"By being mean and stupid." Evan pointed down the hall. "You should head down that way if you want to meet your friends."

"Okay, thanks. Hey, so, like... why are you talking to me now?"

"Because I can. It's easier to talk to people when it's quiet."

Gregory's eyebrows furrowed. "Is that why you aren't around when I'm up top? Well, then, why haven't I seen you in the utility tunnels before? Or in the sewers?"

"We–I wasn't interested in talking to you before the time loop," Evan said. "I thought you would be another dead kid. It would be easier talking to you when you were... dead. You're always with someone else down here. It's always so loud that you wouldn't be able to hear me and you pay too much attention to the animatronics to see me. Which is what you need to do."

"Oh. And 'cause they're not here, you're able to talk to me, now. So, because you're able to talk to me now, can you tell me who you are?"

"I don't think you want to know."