Location: Graveyard, Hurricane Utah
Date and Time: February 2078, 7:30am (Around 2 months after the Christmas special)
As the dawning rays of sunlight gently peeked through the spaces between the puffy clouds above, Gregory steered the car toward a graveyard, its old and gothic iron gates already wide open as if to eerily embrace him. Seated beside him, his partner Harry cradled two large bouquets of vibrant flowers in his hands, their fragrant blooms poised to pay homage to the dearly departed while nestled just between his feet was a laminated paper bag that held smaller floral bouquets within, their purpose for a tender and thoughtful gesture.
Both Gregory and Harry's nerves tingled simultaneously with solemn reverence and a creeping unease as Gregory parked the car at the closest space to the walkway's entrance.
Despite having visited the cemetery multiple times, Harry could never entirely shake off the feeling of sorrow he had whenever he had to come here.
The stone path ahead of them was lined with ancient tombstones and weathered mausoleums, each standing like silent sentinels. Names and epitaphs adorned each marker, offering fleeting glimpses into the lives of the deceased—lives that would remain a mystery to Gregory and Harry unless they had known them when they were alive and, farther ahead, was a worn-out concrete monument which loomed over them, a sombre relic that bore witness to a darker chapter of the town's history.
In a haunting flashback from the other day, William's voice echoed in Gregory's head with malicious taunts:
"Such a boy scout you are...visiting the memorial of those dead children. Why not turn yourself in while you're at it? Or better yet, why don't you tell them where I buried them?" he jeered, his words laced with cruel sarcasm.
Gregory's rage stirred within him as he tried to find solace in sleep for the night.
"I wouldn't go that far," he growled, "I have a life to live, and it's not going to be spent serving your prison sentence."
William however persisted, his question like an icy tendril piercing into his heart. "So then why are you heading to that memorial to pay tribute to them if you insist you have nothing to do with me? Why mourn the dead I murdered?"
An enormous amount of guilt churned inside Gregory. He struggled to articulate his feelings, trying to justify his actions. "Well... it's just that no one else will, and I've lived in this town for ages and... I feel bad for not visiting such a crucial monument after so long."
William's tone turned chillingly perceptive. "Deep down, you know that's a lie Gregory..."
The recent memory of that exchange lingered like a shadow, haunting Gregory's thoughts as he steeled himself to head into the grave site.
Harry put a consoling hand on Gregory's shoulder, his voice gentle, "Are you sure you want to do this? We can do something else instead, like take a stroll somewhere else or catch an early movie screening of Dreadbear 3".
Gregory's grip on the steering wheel tightened unconsciously as he contemplated his decision.
"I have to," he replied resolutely, "I've been avoiding it for too long, and it's not like William will see them anyway, dead or alive. Besides, weren't you the one who encouraged me to find closure to feel better?"
Harry's eyes softened with joy as he nodded in agreement. Then he spoke his next words with sincere concern. "Come to think of it... He's not in your head to ruin the occasion, is he?"
YOU ARE READING
The Dark Legacy: A FNAF Security Breach AU sequel
Science Fiction10 Years after the events of Dark Rebirth, Gregory has grown up into a young adult who's about to graduate with a diploma in engineering. In the meantime, he's finishing up his last two months as an intern at the new Mega Pizzaplex Plus, a massive e...
