Sander sides FNAF AU

Collected Puzzle Piece

At the squinting of his eyes, the darkened ceiling registered in the man's mind. A high-pitched yelp shot off on his right. The puppet soared with their cry, leaping into him. Talyn's long fingers scraped the air, landing on either side of his chest. They trembled, spilling incoherent words onto a wrinkled and damp shirt.

On reflex, the human yanked the child-sized figurine off and scrambled back on all fours.

Logan swiveled his head, the unblinking stare burned its phantom light like a laser beam. Terrified of his next move, the guard leapt to his feet. Adrenaline pumped the efficient energy to take off.

"It's okay!" Talyn's yelling followed him. "William isn't controlling us anymore! Thomas!"

Not falling for that one again. His feet slammed on polished tiles, carrying him faster than ever thanks to being free of scorching pain...wait.

Thomas glanced at his arms. Tapped his cheek.

Wait.

Thunk!

A flat, rock solid surface bashed the air out of him. Specks of color frenzied behind his eyelids, nose brewed with sharp pain. He stumbled away from the wall, disoriented.

Two pairs of footsteps hurried to his location, only located a few feet away.

"You're hurt again!" A lightweight creature jumped onto his shoulders, covering his eyes.

The man tensed, but before he could think of putting up a fight, a familiar sensation spread from the marionette's palms. Waves of relief washed over his face and upper body. Talyn nuzzled their head against his own. "Never again. Never, never, never, never..."

That....didn't sound like a death threat.

Logan caught up to the two, hands motioning the same gesture used on frightened animals. His voice piled up on a gentle tone.

"We are not going to hurt you. Stay calm, and I'll explain what I can."

"You died!" The puppet refused to let go.

"Say what now?"

The bigger animatronic came closer, lowering his arms. "When the heart stops beating, its registered as death to the public. What most people don't know is that the brain stays active for at most 15 minutes after. If both organs stop functioning, a person is truly dead.  You were fortunate enough to survive as long as you did."

The night guard narrowed his eyes, connecting dots in his head. "So...I was half-dead?"

"Technically, I suppose so."

Thomas dropped his jaw. Never in his life did he imagine a medical phenomena would strike him. He heard stories from family members about near death experiences, and this story could top them all. But not a whisper of this should ever come across anyone he knew.

     He shifted weight to one side of his hip, looking past Logan's frame. "So where's Virgil? And everyone else?"

"I'll active them. To inform you, all of us are no longer William's control."