Five Nights At Howell's

Let This Go Down In Flames

Therapy
He needs therapy

Phil could see Dan was broken, in so many ways than one. He couldn't imagine what Dan felt nor did he want to. A family lost- a new one found and broken. Phil didn't know what he was to Dan. He felt like he was irrelevant now.

Dan no longer felt emotions.
He no longer knew who he was.

Phil knew they had to get out, now. He would keep the promise he made and fix everything.

"Dan... let's go home." Phil whispered as if it would scare the boy.

"How do you suppose we do that?" Dan whispered back, but not from nervousness, he lacked the energy to speak.

"I don't know. We'll find a way, I know it."
"Ok."
"What about Erik?" Phil questioned.
"He comes with us," Dan immediately stated.

Phil turned to Dan and gave him look as if to say he was crazy. Utter disbelief was in both of their voices.

"He nearly killed you!" Phil sputtered.

"He is my brother, regardless. He is all I have left..."

"You have me..." Phil's voice faded into the bricks. Dans comment hurt Phil, like many other things he said in this house but Phil blamed it on just that. The house.

"I'll go find Erik." Phil retreated to the ladder, where he stopped and heard cries from above. Already knowing who it was, Phil climbed up the ladder and saw every animatronic, broken into wires and pieces of glass, on the floor.

Chika, Freddy, Bonnie, Springtrap, Foxy...

Each robot was broke and scattered with a small ball of a person in the floor, in the middle of the rubble. Erik was there, violently sobbing and shaking. Phil almost felt bad but he cursed the man silently for hurting Dan- until he remembered that it was also Erik's father who had just died.

"I have tried to have sympathy for you, you know. Jason dragged you into this too, after all. That you're kinda... split into different people. One minute you're a human, the next you're nearly murdering your own brother.

"I'm not mad about the games you pulled on me, they were horrible and I wouldn't ever go back. Maybe not even to... no. No. I'm angry you helped break Dan." Phil spoke freely. At first he had stared Erik but now he only observed the cold words with shame.

"I don't believe you started the fire. I refuse to believe that. But know that if everything goes down in flames, you will burn. That's my promise to you. Dan wants you to come home with us. I'm not too fond of this but... I could never deny him that. I could never hurt him. Come on, let's go. You two can grieve together when we're at home." 

The hate in Phil's voice scared even himself. He wasn't aware he could be so cold.

Phil stood in front of Erik for a second, then put his hand out to help him get up. They went back to Dan, who was inspecting his cuts. When Phil saw this, he instinctively turned and glares at Erik. The glare meant two things: you did this to him, and, if you dare speak about our talk I'll end you.

"Ok, how do we get out? Is there a secret exit or a front door?" Dan was joking, as much as he could, but Erik replied.

"Actually there is, a secret door that is. I mean, it's right the ladder you guys have been using. I use it quite often. It leads upstairs, and if you keep walking, to the main road."

Dan and Phil both just stared at Erik in shock. Minutes passed before Erik shifted onto another foot and asked if they wanted to go.

"Duh," Dan sputtered. "Help me up!" The other boys helped Dan to his feet but his balance and injuries faded him to fall. Once again, Dan hit his head when he fell. A small cracking noise was heard and both boys rushed to him.