this chapter contains some depictions of suicide. If you feel you are not in the right headspace to read about a potentially triggering topic, please do not risk your safety.

I used the elevator down to the front of Glamrock Gifts, with the daycare lobby being just to the side of it. I was back in the daycare for the third time this trip. I thought I'd visit Sun and update him about the VHS man. I did say to him I would tell him his name if I ever found out.

I walked down the stairs and opened the large gate, which was the entrance Roxy and I used when we interrogated Sun. The daycare was as childish as ever, its floor patting still its signature blue.

"Sun? Are you there?" I shouted out, but there was no response. The last two times I've been here, he came out immediately. Where is he?

"Sun?" I yelled out again and I walked deeper into the daycare. Nothing still. I couldn't even hear his bells that made sounds as he moved around. I peeked into a few openings into the play structures, but he wasn't there either. He must be outside somewhere else. I can't seem to find him here, so I decided I'd check back later. Whatever he's doing must be important enough to leave his usual post. I left the daycare and closed the gate behind me. Now, it was time to find that theater.

To the right was a gift shop, so it couldn't be up there, but as I looked up the stairs, I noticed a long pathway that wrapped around the entirety of the daycare. I didn't notice it before; I thought the long hallway between the railing of the daycare counter and the stairs was just extra room in case the line got too long. Now that I'm looking around the whole room, it lines around one half of the daycare in a semicircle, leaving the daycare itself to one wall. I walked through the hallway, surprised by how much I just didn't see. How much ground have I missed because of my negligence?

The walls were lined with vending machines and doors leading to several small party rooms with long tables that had around 12 seats per table. It was stocked with party hats and decorations and tons of glitter tossed onto the sticky floor. I assumed this was the party rooms for younger guests, the kids who would've been stuck in the daycare itself.

By the end of the hallway on the other side of the daycare, there was a giant sign that read "Ticket" with a closed countertop, presumably where one would buy tickets to access the theater. I walked past it through the garage door. The lobby to the theater was much bigger than I had anticipated. It had checkered floors and a concession stand to buy snacks. I continued through, and the wall before the theater had an illustration of Bonnie and Chica with the word "Pizza" plastered between them, though they looked nothing like them. Chica was yellow instead of her white and pink self, and she wore a bib that read "Let's eat!" while Bonnie was a dull purple color with a red bowtie. I hypothesized that these could have been early drafts of their designs from when Michael was making them, or possibly even the original versions back in the 80's.

There was an opening to the left. It was a large arch that led to what I assumed was the theater. I walked onto the higher level and looked below from over the railing. There were small chairs and a little stage. A projection of the main four walking played, and a S.T.A.F.F. bot stood on the stage and moved around as if it was talking to an audience. The wall behind me had drawings of Freddy, Chica, Bonnie, and Foxy, but they weren't their glamorous selves. Chica was still yellow, Bonnie still purple, Freddy was a dull brown with no blue flash design on his chest, and Foxy looked dirty compared to the others. To the right and left of me were stairs that led down to the seating, but I wasn't particularly interested in watching the play.

On the other side of this higher level was a poster for "Captain Foxy's Pirate Adventure" and the designs for everyone were again not the ones I know today. What's up with all these outdated illustrations? Especially after Foxy and Bonnie have been replaced. Why keep their promotional artwork up if they're not even a part of the show?

The stairway down revealed a path to the backstage, with a short hallway between the theater room and backstage. There was yet another illustration on the wall, but this time with a yellow bunny with a purple bowtie. These designs were starting to get ridiculous.

I came across the panel above the backstage. There was a desk with several decorations, including figures and plushies. Below were walls that separated dressing areas, and there were racks full of costumes in the middle that the actors were to use. I walked down the stairs on the left, and once I was down, I noticed the endoskeletons in the corners.

I hated these stupid endoskeletons. They weren't moving, and they didn't show any signs of movement when I looked away and turned back, but considering the last time I encountered them, I didn't want to risk anything. I pulled out the Faz Cam I had gotten in Gator Golf. If what Freddy said was true, maybe I could stun them with it if I needed to.

I walked around looking for anything that resembled a Mazersice Control Key, whatever that would like it. In the far, far back room, there were cardboard cutouts of the animatronics. They were all pirate themed, probably promotional art for the Capitain Foxy's Pirate Adventure play. There was a table by the wall with a blue card on it,. It had Mazercise plastered on it, but nothing about a control key. I compared it to my entrance pass, and they were indeed different. I took my chances and brought it with me.

Leaving the room, the endoskeletons had, of course, woken up. They were all facing towards me, and I could hear the ones that were blocked from my view by the wall shuffle. I pointed my Faz Cam towards them and snapped a picture. Their circuits buzzed and they returned to their stiff positions. I ran past, not wanting to be there when they woke up.

I ran up a set of stairs, not quite sure where I was going. It wasn't the same set I used to walk down; these stairs were black and made of metal, while the ones I used earlier were white and soft from the carpet. I would've ran directly to where I had come from, but I'd lost sight of it and didn't want to risk making any bad decisions. At the top wasn't a hallway out. Instead, it was a panel with a desk and some control buttons, possibly used for stage props and lights. There was an endoskeleton at the end of the panel, and I kept my eyes on it.

On the desk I spotted one of the beloved VHS tapes. I stretched over the desk and took it, not breaking eye-contact with the endoskeleton across from me. The animatronics below were beginning to turn on again and walk up the stairs.

I was cornered. I couldn't stop looking at the one across from me. It was far too close. If it took my eyes off of it, it would reach me within seconds. However, if I don't look down the stairs in time, the hoard of them will be up here soon. I tried to snap a picture of the ones below me, still maintaining my eyes from the one across from me, but the click noise it made didn't have a snap to follow with it. It had to charge itself up before it could take another picture, and I had no idea how long that was going to take.

I couldn't see them, but they were getting closer, and soon they'd reach the top. Without turning around, I carried myself onto the desk, scooting back until I felt the railing hitting my heels. I stopped myself before I almost fell off the platform and onto the floor.

From here, I had a bit of a wider range of view. The endoskeletons at the stair entrance had stopped once I could see them, and the ones behind the ones in the front began to climb on top of each other. They froze once my eyes landed on one of their limbs, and soon enough they created their own barricade that prevented the ones I couldn't see from even reaching the platform.

The Faz Cam made a noise, which I think meant that it had finished recharging and was available for another use. Still, I couldn't use it. If I did, the wall of endoskeletons would just block the way down, and they'd awaken before I could push them all out of the way.

I really could only think of one option: jumping off. The height wasn't too bad, if I prepared myself for the fall, I could probably avoid spraining anything on the way down. The only question was whether or not I had the courage to do so. I also worried about my belongings, specifically the Faz Cam and VHS tape. They both barely fit in my pockets, and having both at once while trying to jump off was probably a bad idea, so I'd have to choose one to toss to the side and hope it doesn't break. I'd just go slowly, that way I can calculate my moves carefully.

First, I tossed the VHS tape to the entrance of the backstage, thinking it was more durable than the disposable camera. The level of the original platform was about the same height, and it made a crash sound when it landed on the desk with the plushies. I tried not to stress whether or not it broke. Then I crouched down and had my legs dangle over from the railing. Slowly, I reached the platform's floor, and I was now standing on the other side of the railing. I held the Faz Cam in one hand while the other held tightly onto the railing.

I'd lost sight of the endoskeletons on the lower side of the stairs. They turned on and began to move back down. I was going to have to be quick.

With a deep breath, I jumped off the ledge and barely landed on my feet. My free hand hit the ground with it and I huffed out an "Oof." My knees felt a little weak, but I easily survived the fall and would ultimately be fine. I shook it off and quickly snapped a picture of the endoskeletons that were walking off the staircase. I then sprinted towards the exit.

When I made it back to the top of the platform, I grabbed the VHS tape off the desk and noticed a collection of endoskeletons made it to the top. I tried to snap a picture, but the Faz Cam had to charge itself before it was able to take another picture. I heard the endoskeletons from before begin to walk up the stairs. I was just going to have to run past them all.

I raced out back to the theater, and at this point I thought the endoskeletons had stopped following me. That was much easier with this Faz Cam! I left the whole theater area and went back to the daycare entrance. I thought about checking if Sun had returned, but I figured I could do that later.

If my hypothesis was correct, this tape I just received was likely one of the diary tapes. I'd noticed a pattern, the animatronic prototype tapes were found in their respective areas, while these diary tapes were around in different places around the pizzaplex. I'd already collected Sun's, so this couldn't be his. I had the time, so I figured I'd watch this before I went back to Mazercise. Besides, I didn't want to wait until Freddy showed up, not for these journal tapes. I'll wait if I ever find Bonnie's, but these were too gruesome to show Freddy.

It was muscle memory at this point. Once I made it back to the security office, I turned on the monitor and slid the tape inside. The last one may have been very gruesome, but it made my curiosity grow about Michael and his life. How'd he survive ripping into his skin and organs like that? What caused the metal to be inside of him in the first place? What's the story behind his family? I wanted all my questions answered.

The video did not take place in the familiar garage that I'd gotten used to, nor was it the office the last diary tape had been in. The room was bigger and empty with hard, reflective floors. I had no idea where this was. Michael stepped away from the camera, his face in disarray. He looked as if he'd seen a ghost, his skin abnormally pale and flakey. He had burned scars across his face, arms, and hands, and I'm sure if the rest of him wasn't covered by his clothes, it'd reach down to his legs as well. They were clearly scars from surviving intense temperatures, but they weren't new or fresh. In fact, they looked as if they were old and healing, which was odd. I don't think burnt skin can heal itself. It can maybe lessen in terms of pain or color, but scars are called scars for a reason; they're permanent. What happened between this tape and the last?

Michael began pacing, muttering to himself as he walked back and forth, as if he was debating with himself. His shoulders were tense as he held himself firmly, biting his fingernails as he was deep in thought. His face shifted from a nervous, anxious look to a mix of fury and sadness. It looked like he made up his mind on whatever he was considering.

He suddenly let out a bloodcurdling scream, throwing forward his chest as he let it out. " Where the fuck is my kid ?" he shrieked, his chilling words echoing through the empty room. He stepped back in surprise of his loud volume, almost falling over from being unable to walk properly while in this mental state. He stood still for a moment.

I was in as much shock as he was. From what I observed, Michael loved his kid dearly. He may have yelled at him a few times or gotten a bit upset, but he encouraged his son's creative outlet and built a damn robot for him. What I wouldn't give to have a father like that...

I know what can happen to people when they lose a child they love so much. It happened to my family, and the weight of the loss still weighs heavy. I may not remember my brother, but his memory is preserved through my mother. She tells me about what he liked and did when he was alive, things like his fascination with robots and technology, in hopes that I'll pick it up just like he did.

"My kid is dead," Michael revealed. He covered his mouth as if he was surprised he said that. He must first be coming to terms with his kid not missing, but dying. He shut his eyes tightly, as if to stop himself from crying. I could see him tremble as he turned towards the camera.

My mother hasn't accepted that my brother is most likely dead. She still uses words and phrases such as "when he's back" or using the present tense to describe him. I figured after a couple years when I didn't see him, he wouldn't be coming back.

"I thought I got rid of you," he whispered, his voice retracting like a scared child. "I-I did everything for you. I got scooped for you, I burned for you and this is the thanks I get?" He motioned to his abdomen and scars, his voice rising with anger as he relayed out his story.

Scooped? Was that what happened in the last tape? It's an odd way of describing it, but scooped is probably one of the few words Michael could think of to interpret it. It was, afterall, one of the strangest and goriest things I'd ever seen.

"Everything was going great," he said. "You had burned, the souls found peace, the pizzaplex had been built, all without incident, and then–" he stopped himself. He covered his face with his hands, shaking in place. "Why would you do this?" he cried, his voice cracking. He fell onto his knees and sobbed for a while, eventually collapsing completely on the floor as he weeped.

After sometime he got his bearings and straightened his back up. Still on the floor, he stared at his hands and said, "I think the worst part is, I still wanted you to approve of me. I hate you, but I wanted you to die thinking I'd be better than you." He pushed himself up with his hands and wobbled into a stance. "Well," he said, "I don't care anymore! I quit! I'm not helping you, I'm not helping them, I'm not helping anyone!"

He pulled out a pistol from his pants pocket. I audibly gasped, hoping he wasn't going to do what I thought he would. He brought it up to his temple, his breathing quickening even more. "I hope it was all worth it! The trail of death and suffering you left, the companions you've lost, the family you threw out! I hope it was worth it," he said, trailing off near the end.

When the shot was fired, I shut my eyes and turned away. I heard the gun hit the floor, shortly followed by his body crashing. I tried not to visualize it, but all I could see was his dead body. I mentally prepared myself to see the monitor.

Through the gaps between my fingers, I looked at the screen. Michael's face laid on the floor, blood pooling around him. I could see where the bullet had entered and exited, the side of his head being blown in.

Nothing seemed to be happening, other than Michael bleeding out. I wondered how long this tape was. Did it keep rolling until someone found him and his setup? Who turned this video into a tape? I hoped it wasn't his wife who found him. I was starting to feel queasy, not only from looking at his dead corpse, but also from the idea of what could possibly come next.

I watched as nothing continued to happen. Something must've turned the camera off at some point, right? Who did it? Who found him?

After what felt like a lifetime, I saw Michael's arm twitch. My eyes widened, unsure if I'd been imagining it or if he really, somehow, survived.

He rolled over to his side and let out an exasperated grunt. My mind was racing. He's alive? How? It's great he's alive, but how could he possibly survive that? Let alone not pass out immediately afterwards?

Michael realized he was alive too, staring at his bloodied hands. He started crying yet again. "Why can't I die? Oh, God, please let me die..." He bashed his fists into his head, screaming "Die, die!" over and over, getting more and more desperate. The blood pouring out of his head sprayed across the floor as he moved around. Eventually, he stopped trying to hurt himself again, curling up and wailing in pain.

When he stopped, he looked up in realization. "Oh my God," he said, running his hand through his messy hair. "This is it. This is what it's like being you, isn't it? Desperately wanting to die but being unable to. I get it now. Your remnant has fucked you over, hasn't it?" I had no idea what Michael was talking about, but it looked as if he's somehow come to an understanding with whomever this was addressed to.

Michael stood up, his energy returning. "Did you curse me with immortality, just so I'd suffer beside you?" he asked. His face was full of sorrow and anguish, as if he couldn't quite believe the punishment he'd been given.

I heard police sirens in the distance, and Michael must've heard them too. Someone must've called about the gunshot. "I-I gotta go," Michael said. He limped over to the camera and turned it off. The video ended.

It'd be an understatement to say that I was distraught. I feel as though I'd witness Michael die twice, once in the previous tape in the office, and the other here. Except, now I feel with absolute certainty that Michael, under normal circumstances, would 100% be dead. Of course, if these tapes have taught me anything, it's that Michael is anything but normal.

So why is he alive? He said he was cursed with immortality. Did the remnant do that? Who was he talking to? My best guess would be his father, the person he'd always said was evil. But then, would his father be immortal too?

I had a theory. It sounded as if Michael had tried to put his father to rest, but somehow after all the attempts, he lived on and hurt Michael's son, who would be his grandkid. But why? And how? What?

I was starting to get a headache thinking about all this. I was even more confused than what I'd originally started with.