Chapter Text
Night 0
Searching For The End
''My story will end just to start up all over again; a plunge into madness my curtain call doomed to reset. The machine, machine erases who I used to be; I'm losing bits, bits and traces of my reality.''
– The End by TryHardNinja ft. Thora Daughn
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''Connection terminated…''
He was leaned against the chair, pain surging through his chest and his arms limp. He closed his eyes, trying to breathe, but every breath was shallow and filled with agony. There was a gaping wound on his chest, his purple shirt getting soaked due to the blood. He knew that he was dying, but this one seemed to be rather slow.
''I recognize you, but I'm not afraid of you... Not anymore.''
After listening to the marionette-like animatronic taunting him, there was nothing else left for him but to wait for his own demise. Then, the process would repeat again. Night after night, he would fight for his life, with no end in sight.
''…You don't even realize that you are trapped. Your lust for blood has driven you in endless circles chasing the cries of children in some unseen chamber, always seeming so near, yet somehow out of reach. But you will never find them. None of you will. This is where your story ends…''
A familiar voice was talking to him, but he knew that this person was never here. It was all just a memory, a hallucination his mind created to distract him from his suffering in his final moments.
''…For most of you, I believe there is peace and perhaps more, waiting for you after the smoke clears. Although for one of you, the darkest pit of Hell has opened to swallow you whole, so don't keep the Devil waiting, old friend…''
''I know…'' he gasped, suddenly sitting up and coughing. As he looked at at his hand, he saw that it was covered with his own blood. His vision was blurry and he knew that it wouldn't take long until everything went dark.
''…It's time to rest, for you, and for those you have carried in your arms. This ends, for all of us. End communication.''
He wanted it to end. He wanted to finally rest and not have to experience this torture over and over again. There had to be a way to escape this place, right? He didn't want to think of any other possibility.
How much longer do I have to suffer like this?
He knew that it was a fitting punishment for what he had done, and he knew that he would stay here, unforgiven. However, he had to wonder whether his tormentor would eventually have enough of this game. It had to have some kind of resolution instead of going on like this forever.
When will this vicious cycle end?
His vision blurred and he coughed blood again. He fought back, trying to prolong this death, as he didn't want to wake up again in this office, all healed up and confronting the animatronics once more. However, it seemed that one of them decided to pay him a visit.
He squinted his eyes, too weak to move in his chair. Even adjusting his head to look at the door sent a surge of pain through his body. Still, it was enough for him to confirm that he was being observed. However, he couldn't make out who this animatronic was, as the latter stayed hidden in the darkness. All he saw were the animatronic's glowing eyes.
Then, the animatronic suddenly moved, putting its hand over its mask, only to slowly back away into the shadows.
''Shhh…''