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The sound of children celebrating and laughing around him filled the air, no one could see their transparent bodies except them.
"Happy birthday, Dave."
Charlie spoke, waking him from his trance, forcing him to lift his head and look at the whole scene. All the other children, Susie, Fritz, Gabriel, Jeremy and Charlie, were around the long table. Accompanying him on this very "special" day. However, despite all the neon decorations and loud music, this did not feel like his happiest day. He could not feel the peace that Fredbear had promised him.
He rumpled the decorated tablecloth in bubbling frustration, all his other friends had already remembered their happiest days. Yes, days, because they were so lucky to have more than one happy day.
And even though he himself could remember his happiest day after drowning and falling through waves and waves of dark emptiness... He was still unsatisfied.
Was this...? Was this all...? After all the pain he suffered, after all the pain HE caused him... Was this how it ended? Would he rest in peace for that single happy memory buried deep in his brain?
He stared listlessly at the cake on the table. He found the pieces, put them back... And now he was here. In a cheap recreation of what was once the place where he died.
And with this he was supposed to rest?
And he was supposed to let go of history as if he were nothing more than air? As if nothing had happened?
No. This time it will be different and not because Charlie says so... He would change things, not her. He can't keep feeling this way, not after all his memories were revealed.
Why did his father deserved to die in this simple way, when HE tortured him, abused him and mistreated him endlessly for months until his birthday? It wasn't fair. None of this was fair. Charlie's words of salvation were false and empty.
That was not his happiest day.
That was his least worst day.
He would not rest, none of them would if they let HIM die like this.
"Blow out the candles, Dave."
Charlie insisted again and Dave began to get fed up with her voice, she always thought she was better than the others. He knew it. But she wasn't, they weren't animals.
"...I won't."
A few seconds of deafening silence and confused looks from the other children passed before Charlie spoke again.
"...Why? Are you confused again? I can explain it to you again-"
"I don't need explanations... I need justice..."
"HE will get what HE deserves, Dav-"
"NO, HE WON'T!!!"
The memory reconstructed from Dave's memory shook, showing its true colors.
"THIS IS ALL FAKE... YOU'RE FAKE, CHARLIE!!..."
The cake vanished into thin air and the sound of ambulances and police sirens replaced the fake laughter of the children in the background.
"Cassidy... C-Cassidy was right! You don't care about anyone but yourself! H-How do you expect me to rest in peace with a recreation of the worst day of my life?!"
"I saved you! How dare you say that?!"
Dave clenched his fists at his sides.
"You didn't saved me from anything! I did! Cassidy helped me! You're just pretending to care about me because you need me to rest in order for YOU to do it!"
The room fell into a deep silence, everyone's masks falling to the ground. But none of them rose to the sky.
"This is what happened. This is the truth."
A familiar scene played out where the tables with children were set up. A stage with two golden animatronics, one of them with a small child hanging from its mouth. Blood splashed everywhere and fell to the floor forming an uncomfortable sound and an ugly puddle.
Charlie covered her face with her hands, she was unable to. She was unable to fool Dave. He could see through the lie that was this happy day.
"Now that i know everything... HE won't be able to escape from me... HE won't be able to escape from us."
A seventh soul made itself present, taking form beside Dave. The room felt heavy as a vengeful soul joined the conversation.
"HE has to pay... We will make him pay."
Cassidy growled in a distorted voice.
Charlie uncovered her face and looked down at Dave one last time, her eyes pleading.
"...Dave... Don't do it... Please... I-I want... We want to rest..."
Dave stayed silent, he didn't want to do this... But at the same time he felt an uncontrollable rage and a desire for revenge that simply couldn't let go of the person who condemned them to be here.
"HE wants to rest too... But you don't always get what you want, do you, Charlie?"
Cassidy spoke for Dave.
"...What about your happiest day, Dave? Remember it... You have to remember."
Dave did, he remembered... It was such a nice day... William had spent the whole day at work which left Elizabeth and him in the care of Michael, and unexpectedly, he took good care of them. They had pancakes with honey for breakfast... Dave loved those pancakes.
Michael bathed them and took them to play in the park... But the best of all was the movie they watched while eating popcorn at the end of the night... Michael hugged and cuddled him throughout the movie... He felt so safe in his big brother's arms. He felt so safe with Elizabeth comforting him.
He felt so... Happy.
"Remember...? Remember your happiest day?"
"...Perhaps... Some things are best left forgotten..."