FNaF Origins | The Crying Child

(V1-B) Chapter 19 - Problems Arise

Beginning of Blue Route
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     "Hmm. So what's wrong then, Michael? You don't seem-- . . ." Issac kept glancing at Michael suspiciously, swallowing quietly. ". . . seem you."

     Michael grunted softly. "I'm fine, okay?" He gave out a long sigh.

     The quartet of friends sat together at a longer table away from the stage of Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria. Fredbear's Diner had been closed and abandoned until further notice.

     The animatronics at the stages preformed slower, but if not, normally. Everyone in the building was stuck in an uneasy atmosphere, though; it had lost its popularity and people.

     To the left of Issac sat Walt, and Ethan on Issac's other side. Michael had one whole area of the table alone, though he didn't try to take more room than needed.

     Walt fiddled with his hair and in the end ruffled it back up. "Look, Michael," Walt said as he straightened his hair forward. "I know we've been sad and grieving and all since the . . 'bite' . . but you seen worse than usual, like you had another problem to put on top of it."

     Walt took something white and fluffy out of his hair and flicked it over to Issac's empty plate. He nudged Walt with his elbow in return, smiling faintly.

     Michael only grunted again and looked down, pretending to study the stone pattern on the table, tracing a finger along the bolder lines.

     "If you won't tell us, we don't care," Ethan mumbled.

     "Hell, yeah, we care!" Walt argued. "I mean-- it's not okay to hide it from us if it's really buggin' you and stuff."

      Michael mumbled, and the other three leaned in closer to hear.

     "It's something between me and my dad," Michael repeated louder as he straightened up his back. "Okay?! I don't have to tell you!"

     Michael looked down to realize he stood up, but his friends didn't wince back. The rage and fury in his eyes died out.

     "Let's go to the arcade," Michael said quickly, hoping they didn't feel his rage deep inside. He felt his cheeks go warm in embarrassment.

     Issac and Ethan didn't reply, a bit startled by the sudden request, but Walt got up as well. "Let's go," he said, shrugging.

     He started to walk to the arcade, slowing down to let Michael catch up to him.

     Ethan gave a glance of worry to Issac, but they both followed the two that were leading.

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     William looked around at the once beloved restaurant. It lost its smell and was in near darkness. It would seem at home if children's laughs and giggles were present, but it left an empty hole.

     He walked over to the side of the right wall, felt for a switch, and flipped it up. The lights flickered and eventually turned on, giving a soft hum. The tables and chairs were back in their usual position, ready for kids to tackle them the following day.

     Carefully watching his footsteps in case he stepped on trash, he quietly made his way toward the stage area. William stopped in front of the animatronics, and glanced around to make sure no one was present.

     William suddenly felt embarrassed. No one will come here, fool. Everyone's too scared to come back. The pizzeria closed yesterday. Still, he couldn't shake it off.

     He admired Henry's work on the pair, and then grabbed Fredbear by its left shoulder, giving a rattling jerk toward him. It barely budged, so he grabbed his waist and gave more harder tugs until it snapped out of its pole that kept it on the stage.

     Almost crippling under the weight, he pushed the bear off himself and it gave a huge bang as it toppled into a sitting position on the floor. William cringed, and looked around again. After a couple minutes of silence, he went to the rabbit and started working on it as well.

     One pull on the shoulder and a couple pulls on the legs brought it down. Since it was lying on the floor, he brought up the torso and made it sit.

     William then left the room and came back with a cart and began working Fredbear into it, glancing around occasionally. He then got Spring Bonnie into it as well, and slowly rolled them out.

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     The puppet stood outside the hidden room. He felt someone had added something inside, so he put his hand on top of the secret notch and opened it up. Floating into the darkness, he grabbed a string and pulled downward, casting a light into the room.

     "Yes, it's here!"

     Yellow reflected off both of their furs and their green eyes stared into nothingness.

     "Dan, come here, now."

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     The white friendly ghost floated near Michael, who just won an arcade game with his friends. Watching curiously, he felt something pulling him back to the pizzeria.

     "Dan, come here, now." The marionette's words flowed easily into his mind, and Dan allowed himself to be brought back to him.

     Darkness engulfed him, except for a single light reflecting off the golden fur of Fredbear and Spring Bonnie.

     "There you go." The puppet was behind him, silent, and waved his arm at the two animatronics. "Choose one."