Night 5: The moment I step through the doors, I can feel that something is wrong. The whole place is too quiet for my liking, and all of my senses are instantly on high alert. I slowly make my way to the office, hoping that I don’t run into any deadly machines. My dread only mounts when I peek into the office, which is empty. Where is Springtrap? “Springtrap? Enough playing around, you stupid rabbit! I need your help!” I call out softly, stepping into the office and searching for him. The 7-foot animatronic is nowhere to be found. My senses are still on overdrive when I finally sit down in the chair, pick up the tablet, and start in on the cameras. Unsurprisingly, the Toys are still as statues, and now Original Freddy is, too. This still doesn’t put my mind at ease, though. I have Phantoms to worry about now. Flipping through still more cameras, I finally stop on Cam 11 and wind the music box up again. “I’m surprised you came back tonight. After all, you know deep down inside yourself that you can’t trust a monster.” I freeze. Shadow Freddy? Why is he here again? “I came back to tell you that it’s never too late to change your mind. Ivy, I’m trying to help you out here. Springtrap is a murderer.” I spin the chair around, but the purple bear is nowhere to be seen. His laughter echoes around me, and I sink down a little in the chair. “Child, don’t be afraid of me. As I said last night, I don’t want to hurt you.” “Why should I believe you?” My voice nearly cracks, but I take a steadying breath and keep it under control. “Well, I haven’t tried to kill you yet, and I could easily do so. Is that enough proof for you?” “No! If anything, that makes me trust you less!” I turn away and shine my light into the front hallway. Withered Chica is standing there, but she shies away upon seeing my flashlight. I also check the doors, and shut Bonnie out of the office again. The right door is empty, and my concern mounts. “Child, you don’t have much time…Please, accept my offer. That rabbit is a liar and a murderer!” “Why do you keep saying that he is a murderer? I know he took your little ‘friends’ apart, but I’d hardly consider him dangerous to my health.” Shadow Freddy appears in front of my desk, and I let out a small shriek and scoot the chair backwards. “He didn’t tell you his full story, did he?” My eyes narrow slightly. “What do you mean, ‘full story?’ He told me about Vincent, if that’s what you mean.” The purple bear’s mocking laughter sounds again, and I grit my teeth. “That’s not the full story at all! I overheard exactly what he said last night, and he left so much unsaid. My goodness, child, he’s trying to trap you in his web of lies. If I weren’t here to tell you the whole truth, I’m sure you’d still be in the dark.” My curiosity gets the best of me, so I ignore every single warning bell going off in my brain and lean forward slightly. “I want to know the truth.” The moment the words leave my mouth, I feel like I’ve betrayed Springtrap. But I need to know what he’s trying so hard to hide. I want to help him, but I can’t if he’s hiding everything from me! “Good choice, Ivy.” Shadow Freddy floats onto the top of my desk, and sits up on top of it. I’m thankful that I have the tablet and flashlight in my hands, and start rechecking the cameras again as S. Freddy talks. “Well, Vincent wasn’t entirely sane. He had a passion for killing, and he made it an art form. Like all good murderers, he started small: ants, then small birds and mammals, then dogs and cats, and then bigger prey. “But eventually, even these killings couldn’t satisfy his bloodlust. He wanted more…excitement.” I shudder and clutch the flashlight just a little tighter. I swear that I can feel malice oozing out of the thing in front of me. “So he came and got a job at Freddy’s. One day, 5 kids were all there for a birthday party, and Vincent, the sly man that he was, dressed in a springlock suit and lured them into the back room. You can guess what happened from there, I’m sure.” My mind is racing, and I’m trying to make sense of all of this new information. “This doesn’t explain how Springtrap is a murderer,” I finally say. “I’m not done,” S. Freddy says, and I instantly clamp my mouth shut. “After he…did what he did…he stuffed the children into empty animatronic costumes and left, locking the door after him. No one suspected a thing. “However, his victims remembered. And his first human victim, who you know as the Marionette, banded them together and created the Phantoms, Shadows, and Nightmares; basically, it created an army. And we all wanted revenge. “But that stupid human evaded us for so long! Finally, though, they cornered him, and he had to climb into that same springlock suit that he’d used so long ago. However, something went wrong, and he ended up getting crushed inside of it.” I nearly gag. That explains the smell wafting off of Springtrap’s decaying fur. S. Freddy chuckles at my discomfort before concluding:
“When he first awoke in his new body, Vincent was confused, angry, paralyzed, and all alone. He felt our pain for almost 30 years, until those men found him. Some idiot decided to build a horror attraction, and Springtrap was the main attraction. However, they also put in a nightguard, and the sight of a human awoke Springtrap’s killing instincts.” I close my eyes, shuddering. I know exactly what happened; the event was newsworthy, after all. “So now you know everything, Ivy. Will you accept my offer now?” My mouth grows dry. How am I supposed to know who to trust now?! That’s when I flip to the backstage camera, and I see Springtrap. His yellow fur is covered in that black oil again, and he looks like he’s in pain. I jump up and race out of the office, flashlight still clutched in my fist. “You’re not going to make it all the way to that liar!” S. Freddy calls after me. “The others will tear you apart before then!” My heart rate skyrockets, and adrenaline courses through my veins. I’m on a mission, and not even murderous machines can stop me now! I hear something behind me, and it sounds like crackling static. I turn my head slightly and see another phantom. This time, though, Phantom Mangle is the one chasing me. I pick up the pace, tearing through the Party Rooms and then screeching to a halt in front of the backstage door. Taking a deep breath, I duck through the door and slam it in Mangle’s face. Enraged static noises announce my presence to Springtrap, who whirls around, his white eyes wide with shock. “Ivy?! What are you doing out of the office? Don’t you know that it’s dangerous and against company policy to boot?!” I hold up a hand to stop him. “I didn’t see you all night! It’s already 4:00 A.M., and I’ve been worried sick about you all night!” His ears droop slightly. “Sorry, I was trying to take another dangerous animatronic apart.” “So the oil all over you isn’t yours?” I ask nervously, taking another step closer. “Of course not! I’m too fast for them.” His confidence sounds forced, but I’m not too concerned. Based on his condition, he’s been through much worse than a few scratches. “I need to ask you something, Springtrap. But I need you to promise me that you’ll give me an honest answer.” His expression darkens, but he looks me straight in the eyes. “I promise that I will answer your question honestly.” I nod slightly, satisfied with his promise. He hasn’t broken any yet, so I’m hopeful that he won’t start now. “Shadow Freddy told me everything,” I say quietly. Springtrap instantly snaps. “That stupid bear! He was in the office, wasn’t he?! Did he hurt you? He better not have hurt you, or he’ll have to deal with me.” I clear my throat, and he instantly goes silent. Anger is radiating off of him, and I have to hold back a shudder at the sheer force of it. “He didn’t hurt me, Springtrap. He told me that you…Vincent first, and you later, actually killed people. Is this true, Springtrap? Did Vincent kill children?” I emphasize the word ‘children,’ hoping that Springtrap will alleviate my fear and tell me that S. Freddy was lying. “I-It’s…it’s true, Ivy.” Springtrap’s eyes are fixed on the floor, and I have to resist the urge to go over and hug him. Instead, I stay where I am for the moment. “Did you kill the nightguard at Fazbear’s Fright, Springtrap?” I ask, feeling my heart shatter as I ask him this question. He is silent for an eternity, and I nearly ask him again. Finally, he speaks in a very quiet voice. “I-I didn’t know what I doing, Ivy. You have to believe me. I hated myself for doing it. And I still haven’t forgiven myself for it. I lost control, and what if it happens again? W-What if I lose control and take it out on you?” I take a deep breath. “I’ll try to help you control the urge to kill, Springtrap. I’m making a promise to you right now. I won’t break it.” He lifts his head slightly and stares into my eyes, and I stare right back. A small smile softens his features, and he extends a hand. I take it, and he pulls me into a gentle hug. “Thank you so much, Ivy. You have no idea how heavy the burden was to carry alone.” I look into his eyes again. “I’m glad I know now. And this doesn’t make a difference. I’ll still be your friend.” “And I’ll be your protector,” Springtrap responds, beaming down at me. The chime sounds, and I gently pull away. He seems reluctant to let me go, but he finally relaxes his grip on me. “I wish you didn’t have to leave,” he complains softly, following me out of the backstage area. “I’m so lonely here without you.” “Aren’t you friends with at least one other animatronic?” I ask, confused. He shakes his head. “No, they all hate me. After all, I’m indirectly responsible for their deaths.” I open the exit doors slowly, and Springtrap puts his hand over mine. “Be careful, Ivy. Shadow Freddy will do anything to get you on his side. Don’t cave in, okay?” I nod, stepping outside. “I won’t cave, as long as you’re behind me, protecting me.” (Concluded in the comments)
