Five Nights | A Novella

Carissa's Memories

The hallway was deserted, with everyone too engrossed in watching the yellow bear and rabbit performing on stage. Taking advantage of the distraction, Carissa slowly opened the office door, finding it empty. As she cautiously stepped inside, her attention was drawn to a captivating sight near the main show stage. A group of children stood there, their eyes fixed upon her, their laughter permeating the room. Determined to assert herself, Carissa firmly closed William's office door and embarked on a resolute march down the hallway, finally entering the bustling main show area. With unwavering determination, she approached the group of children, hoping to evoke a sense of intimidation as the "big twelve-year-old".

"What are you little brats laughing about?" she inquired, her tone laced with sternness.

The children persisted in their giggles, and one of them gestured towards the entrance.

"Charlie," Carissa muttered quietly, her breath barely audible. Without a moment's hesitation, she darted out of the diner, hastily pulling her hood over her head to shield herself from the relentless downpour.

"Charlie? Charlie?" Carissa's voice resonated through the inclement night. "Are you out here?" Her words carried a deep-seated concern, penetrating the stormy air.

Carissa's heart raced as she sprinted towards the backside of the building, the sign reading "Fredbear's Family Diner" barely registering in her frantic mind. And there, on the ground, lay her sister, a sight that both relieved and startled her.

A sigh of relief escaped Carissa's lips, but it quickly turned into a plea. "Charlie, please, get up from the wet floor. You'll catch a cold," she urged, her voice laced with a bit of annoyance. But before she could process her own words, the unmistakable sound of an engine starting shattered the air. She turned, her eyes widening in horror as she caught sight of the purple car. And this time, she saw him—the man she was unable to see in her nightmares before. He was now visible, and she knew exactly who he was. In that instant, memories flooded back, crashing into Carissa's consciousness like a relentless storm. She remembered everything. And most painfully, she remembered what happened to Charlie, this exact night.

"Charlie!" Carissa's voice broke, tears streaming down her face as she collapsed to the ground. Clutching onto her sister's lifeless form, she held on with a desperate grip, as if trying to will life back into her. The grief and pain that had been concealed from her for a decade resurfaced with an intensity that stole her breath away. In that heart-wrenching moment, Carissa's past self dissolved into the present, revealing her twenty-two-year-old self. And Charlie, once a vibrant toddler with innocent pigtails and doe-like eyes, underwent a chilling transformation into a haunting figure. Now a black and white striped marionette, Carissa clung onto it, recognizing her sister through the eerie change.

Then, the bright light burst into Carissa's face once again, illuminating her surroundings. A familiar voice urgently called out to her amidst the chaos.

"Carissa! Carissa! Wake up! You need to get out of here!" The voice pleaded. Strong hands gripped her arms and lifted her from the cold ground. As Carissa opened her eyes, she saw Mike standing before her, his presence offering a sense of reassurance. Her gaze shifted to the box that once contained the marionette, now empty.

"Charlie," she whispered, her voice barely audible, as she turned her attention back to Mike. "It was Charlie."

Mike nodded in understanding, knowing that her memories had come back. Taking her hand firmly, he urged her to run towards the front entrance. As they made their way out of the building, Carissa couldn't help but glance back, a mix of sorrow and determination in her eyes. "I remember, Mike. I remember everything."

*

Carissa and Mike hurriedly entered Carissa's home through the front door, their destination set on her father's office. To their surprise, the door was unlocked, almost as if someone had deliberately left it open, beckoning them inside. They cautiously stepped inside, and Carissa's eyes widened as she took in the forbidden secrets that lay before her. Mike's gaze landed on a shelf adorned with numerous photographs. He picked up a picture of Henry and his father, William. It captured the day Fredbear's first opened its doors. The sight of his own father in the photo was unfamiliar to him, a stark reminder of how much he had changed. Placing the photo back on the shelf, he turned to face Carissa, who held a newspaper in her trembling hands, her expression frozen with shock. A single tear escaped her eye as she read the headline, "Tragedy Strikes Family-Friendly Diner: Beloved Owner's Daughter Brutally Murdered". Mike gently wiped Carissa's tear away. But then, something else caught his attention. It was a newspaper headline that read, "Springlock failure at family-friendly diner claims life of six-year-old boy." Carissa followed Mike's gaze, her heart sinking as she read the words.

"Garrett," she whispered, her voice filled with sorrow and realization. Placing her hand on Mike's shoulder, it was as if her touch brought him back to the present. He turned to face her, and uttered the words, "I know Henry is missing," he paused, seeing the change in Carissa's expression. He knew the question that was about to escape her lips. "And before you ask me where he is, I don't know."

"He's somewhere in the pizzeria, Ava..." Carissa's voice trailed off, her mind filled with memories of the police officer's true identity. "Or should I say, Twyla... slipped up."

"I knew it was only a matter of time she would," Mike murmured. A heavy silence hung in the air. Carissa finally broke it, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and hope.

"She's... she's working with him, isn't she?" Carissa's words hung in the air, desperate for a different answer, for her suspicions to be proven wrong.

Mike's expression darkened as he nodded, his voice heavy with resignation. "Yeah," he admitted, the weight of the truth evident in his every word. "And they won't stop until both you and Henry are dead."

"How do I stop them?" Carissa asked, noticing the sudden change in Mike's demeanor.

Mike took a moment to collect his thoughts before responding, "Tomorrow, he plans on returning to the pizzeria, and if you're certain that's where your father is, he probably intends to kill both of you there."

Carissa looked down, her eyes filled with desperation, and then back up at Mike. "Please, I need your help. After everything they've put you through, you owe it to yourself."

Mike hesitated, unsure if he stood a chance against his own father. He pondered for a moment, weighing the risks, and finally nodded. "Alright, I'll help you."

Unbeknownst to Carissa and Mike, Twyla had secretly planted a listening device in the office. She and William listened intently to their conversation from the safety of William's house. Twyla turned to her father, her voice filled with concern. "What are we going to do about Mike? We can't just kill him!" she exclaimed nervously.

An evil smile crept across William's face as he turned to face Twyla. He spoke in a low, menacing tone, "He was never of any use to me anyway." With those words, he slowly walked away, leaving Twyla filled with fear for her brother's safety.