Oswald didn't know how long he was reading for. He supposed it didn't really matter. Besides, the book he was reading was pretty interesting. He wondered how his friends were doing. He hoped they weren't getting into any trouble. He wasn't going to talk to them tonight, he had to help his dad with chores.

Oswald heard someone coming into the library, and out of curiosity, he looked up from his book to see who it was. He was surprised to see Dylan walking in. That's odd, Oswald thought. As far as Oswald knew, Dylan never went to the library. Oswald got up and walked up to Dylan.

"The heck are you doing here?" Oswald asked. Dylan shrugged.

"I don't know. Oscar practically begged me to come meet him and the others here for some reason."

Now, Oswald was more confused. Why would Oscar want to organize a meeting here of all places? They usually thought the library was boring.

"Why? Are they okay?" Oswald asked. He hoped they were okay. He wouldn't be surprised if some bully was chasing them down from school. "I don't know. He seemed scared shitless about something, though." Dylan answered.

The doors opened once again, only this time, it wasn't as gentle as when Dylan opened it. They both turned to see who walked in, only to see their friends running in, Isaac practically dragging Brooke by the hand inside. When they stopped, Brooke pried her hand free from his steel grip. Dylan and Oswald looked at each other with perplexed expressions.

As they walked over, Raj breathed a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank god you're not dead!" Raj exclaimed, bear hugging a very concerned Dylan. Isaac pulls Raj away in frustration. "Okay... what the hell is going on with them, Brooke?" Dylan asked.

Brooke shrugged, being just as confused as Dylan and Oswald were since they told her nothing, insisting that they should wait until everyone was together.

"Okay, we're going to explain everything in a little bit, we just need to call Millie again and make sure she's coming!" Oscar said. He tried calling Millie again, no response.

"She's not picking up." Oscar panicked. He tried calling again, only to get the same result. "Shit, shit, shit! Why isn't she picking up! I'm sure she's fine! She's probably helping her grandpa out or something!" Isaac said, trying very hard to be hopeful.

As the trio was beginning to panic, Dylan was getting tired of their bickering without explaining what's happening. He was very concerned for their safety, but also needed to stop them from practically exploding from panic.

"Everyone shut up!" Dylan shouted. That did the job. "You need to tell us what's going on, now!" Dylan said, aggressively. They looked at each other and nodded. Oscar took a deep breath before explaining the situation.

***

"Jeez, it's cold." Abby said, shivering. "You have a jacket." Millie pointed out.

"Well, it's not a very good one." Abby said. That was true. Her jacket was light and not meant for cold weather like this. Abby was hoping it would warm up, but she was wrong. Regardless, they're almost at the old factory. Millie could see it from where they were standing.

"Come on. It's just a bit further." Millie said, encouragingly.

"Are you sure you can trust it?" Abby asked.

"Yes. I know it might seem dangerous, but there are innocent children trapped in that thing. They can't rest until their business here is resolved. How would you feel if you were trapped in a body that wasn't your own?" Millie shot back. Abby was silent, seeming to consider that point.

Any further inquiries from Abby were interrupted when Millie's phone rang. She looked at it and saw that Oscar was calling her. Why would he call her right now? It's only been a few hours since school ended. Usually, he'd be at that retirement home helping his mom. She didn't know why he would be calling her, but she supposed it wasn't anything urgent. She had more important things to worry about than her friends arguing about their favorite TV shows. She didn't answer and kept moving. "Who was that?" Abby asked. "My frie-"

Millie was interrupted by another call. She canceled it again and kept moving. Her eye started twitching when he called again. She decided to just put her phone on silent.

"Anyway... my friend, Oscar, is calling me about something. I can just call him later." Millie said.

"What if it's an emergency?" Abby asked. "He's friends with six other people. I'm sure they can handle themselves without me. I don't know if they even need me anyway." Millie said.

Abby tilted her head. "Why is that? Is there something going on between you and your friends?" Abby asked.

"No. I've just... I've only known them for a few weeks. I'm still new to their group. I don't know everything about them yet. I'm sorry, it's just I have... I have a lot of issues. Let's just put it that way." Millie said.

"You seem alright having me around so far." Abby pointed out.

"I wasn't expecting you to be here. I just told you about the incident with Funtime Freddy because I was trying to comfort you. I wanted you to know that you weren't the only one going through something bizarre and unreal." Millie said.

"Well, I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere!" Abby said, proudly. Millie smirked for a second. She felt bad that such an innocent girl like Abby had to be roped into Millie's problem. Why did she always have to drag people down with her?

"So... are they nice to you? Your friends?" Abby asked.

"Well... yeah, they are. They're actually some of the nicest people I've ever met in my life, besides my family." Millie said. The thought of her friends made her smile, but she hid it.

"Do you like being around them?" Abby asked.

Millie thought about it. She really did like being around them. Their humor, their willingness to accept anyone into their group, their overall compassion. It makes Millie want to strive to be like them.

"I... I do. I think I really do." Millie said, smiling fondly. Abby smiled back.

"I think you're going to have them in your life for a while." Abby said. "Yeah... I hope so." Millie said as they drew closer to their destination.

***

"And from there, we went to Brooke's house and the rest is history." Mandy explained.

Dylan looked extremely confused. Meanwhile, Oswald was more terrified than confused. It was like he was remembering something.

"That... is... ridiculous. I mean, really? Are you guys that desperate to pull a prank on me?" Dylan said, disappointed.

"Dylan, it's not a prank! I swear!" Isaac said, desperately.

"Are you shitting me? You dragged me down here for this? What the fuck, guys?" Brooke said.

"No, see, we've encountered something like this before! Remember that news article that we were on?" Oscar asked.

"The one with the Plushtrap thing chasing you. I thought you said you just made that up for shits and giggles." Brooke said, crossing her arms.

"We lied! Why would we troll people like that?!" Raj shouted.

"Do you really expect us to believe anything you tell us at this point?!" Dylan argued.

"Come on! We almost died!" Mandy argued back. "Did you really, though? The more you talk about this, the less convincing it sounds." Dylan said.

"Actually guys... they're not the only ones who saw something like this." Oswald spoke up.

When he knew he had everyone's attention, he rolled up his sleeve to reveal a gnarly scar on his forearm. It looked as though a wild animal had bitten into him.

"Oh! what is that?!" Dylan asked, surprised and slightly disgusted by the scar's appearance. They tried not to comment too much on it, but it just looked... unnatural.

"You see, when I was in middle school, I would hang out at this place called Jeff's pizza." Oswald began. "Oh yeah! I know that place! It's not too far from here!" Mandy said.

"When I was there, I saw this... ball pit. It had weird stains on it and it had a funny smell." Oswald continued. He realized that he just confused everyone.

"Seriously? A ball pit?" Dylan said, obviously not believing a word he's telling him so far. "Let me continue. I was bored and angry at my dad, so I hid in the ball pit."

"Eww. You don't want to do that. Pink eye, man." Brooke said with a grimace. Oswald was starting to get a little annoyed by the constant interruptions.

"Anyways, I laid there for a while, and when I got back out... I was in a different place, a different pizzeria. I eventually figured out that I went back in time to the original Freddy Fazbear's pizza!" Oswald exclaimed. "That's right! I went back in time to the original Freddy Fazbear's Pizza!"

Everyone looked at each other and laughed hysterically. "What? It actually happened!" Oswald said, frustrated.

"Okay, I know we almost died earlier, but a time-traveling ball pit?! That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!" Isaac said mid-laugh. Oswald rolled his eyes and groaned. He couldn't deal with this right now.

"Anyways... while I was there, something bizarre happened. I saw this... thing, this rabbit. At least, that's what I thought it was at the time. One day, it... it killed six kids in the back room. Like, you know... murdered them." Oswald said.

That part seemed to get their attention. "I thought I was gonna be next, so I got the heck out of dodge as fast as I could, but when I got out, the rabbit thing followed me and took my dad into the ball pit. Then, it replaced him, disguised itself as my dad and pretended to be him. Only me an my cat could see it for what it really was. I realized I had to help my real dad, so I ran back to Jeff's, and I found him. Then, the rabbit came and attacked me. When it opened its mouth... it wasn't a robot or a person, that's for sure. It had rows of sharp teeth and the inside of its mouth was fleshy, like the entire thing was a living creature. It hit into my arm. I fought back and I killed it by entangling it in the netting over the ball pit. Since then, I tried to forget about what I encountered, but now that you guys are talking about an animatronic attack you... now, I think it's happening all over again." Oswald finished his story. Everyone looked at each other, then back at their friend in concern.

"I saw something weird too." Mandy spoke up. Everyone turned to her.

"Before the attack. A year ago, when I was decoding the files in those Freddy's horror games, I found some weird pictures of an old building, which turned out to be in a town not far from here. I eventually found it and found an animatronic with a child's dead body inside and was hailed as a hero for solving the case after it had gone unsolved for years, but before I did... I kept having nightmares... nightmares about the kid. I saw his spirit. After I went back home, one night, I spoke to the ghost. After that, I never saw him again." Mandy explained.

Everyone looked so confused. "Why is everyone having supernatural encounters besides us, Dylan?" Brooke asked. "I don't know." Dylan answered.

"Wait! Maybe we can find something about that animatronic here! This town was where Freddy's was founded! It would make sense if there were books or something about that animatronic that we can find here!" Raj suggested.

"That's not a bad idea!" Isaac said.

"Alright, let's spread out and see what we can find!" Oscar said.

With that, everyone except for a confused Dylan and Brooke went in different directions of the library.

"Yep... our friends have gone insane." Brooke said. "I don't know, Brooke." I'm actually starting to believe them." Dylan said.

"Seriously?! Were you even listening to what they were talking about?! There's no way that any of that actually happened!" Brooke argued.

"Come on, Brooke. With all this stuff about the Stitchwraith and people going missing happening right now... it would make sense. I'm just as confused as you are, but they seemed so honest when they were telling their stories. They're either some damn good actors, or they're being honest. It kinda scared me." Dylan admitted.

Brooke had to admit, the more she thought about it, the more truthful they seemed about it, and the more scared she felt. If this really wasn't a prank, then what if that bear thing was out there, watching them right now? She shouldn't be scared of something that doesn't exist, but she is. She was starting to feel very anxious.

"I don't understand what's happening anymore." Brooke said, hugging Dylan. "Me neither. It's been a really long day."

After twelve minutes, Isaac finally got something. "Guys! I've found something!" Raj shouted.

When everyone ran over to him, he presented a book about all animatronics made by Fazbear entertainment.

"If that really was an animatronic, we can find it in here!" Raj said with a proud smile on his face, feeling like he accomplished something.

"Well, open it!" Isaac said, impatiently. Raj opened it and flipped through the pages. "There!" Mandy said, pointing at one page.

Raj stopped there and saw a picture of the same bear that chased them in the woods, only less damaged and with a blue rabbit hand puppet on its right hand.

"Funtime Freddy?" Brooke read. "I've never heard of a Funtime Freddy animatronic before." Oswald said.

"Because this animatronic is a specific model called a funtime model. They are extremely rare and almost impossible to get your hands on." Oscar said.

"Why?" Isaac asked. "Because the restaurant they were supposed to be located at was closed due to a gas leak in the restaurant, so the animatronics were all scrapped." Oscar explained.

"Okay, so are they dangerous?" Dylan asked.

"I'm not sure if there are any reports of a Funtime animatronic attacking anyone." Oscar said. "Probably because you just established that they're rare." Isaac said, sarcastically.

"Wait." Mandy said, pulling out her phone. She began typing something.

"What are you doing?" Dylan asked. "There we go!" Mandy said, ignoring Dylan.

She sat her phone on the table so that they could all see what was on it. It was a bunch of rumors about the funtime robots. Almost all of the rumors claimed that they were built for the specific purpose of capturing and kidnapping children. Someone who owned a funtime animatronic even sent out pictures displaying the inside of its chest cavity, revealing some questionable tools, tools normally used for murder.

"Those pictures have to be fake." Brooke said, trying desperately to deny what she was seeing.

"No. The images are real. There's no sign of editing or photoshopping." Mandy said. There were also a few stories about people who owned funtime animatronics going missing shortly after buying them. Now, Dylan and Brooke were beginning to believe them.

"Millie!" Isaac suddenly shouted. They then all remembered that Millie never showed up. After that, they all began calling Millie. There was no answer for any of them.

"No! What do we do?!" Mandy asked. "I'm sure she's fine! She'll call us back!" Brooke reassured.

***

"Okay... we're here." Millie said as they approached the factory, standing in front of it as it towered over them ominously.

As they walked towards the entrance, Millie thought it would be fair to warn Abby.

"Fair warning, I know you already know a fair bit about the Stitchwraith, but seeing it in person is a whole different experience, so try not to panic." Abby nodded. "I'll try."

As they walked inside, the place was dark. Abby glanced at the piles of junk that the Stitchwraith collected and started to feel uneasy about several of the items. She saw a porcelain doll, eyes emotionless, gazing right into Abby's soul. She shivered and caught up to Millie.

"Jake? Andrew? Are you here?" Millie called out. "It's me! Millie! I uhh... I brought a friend with me! I hope that's okay!" Millie continued.

"Millie! I'm happy you're back!" She heard Jake call out. She looked over at Abby who seemed completely oblivious. Was Millie the only one that could hear Jake and Andrew? Jake did mention that they tried talking to other people, only for it to be unsuccessful. Millie realized how much of a problem that would be if she was the only one who could understand it and Abby couldn't.

They both saw a shadow with glowing eyes approach them. Abby started to feel uneasy. When the Stitchwraith lurched closer to them, Abby let out a gasp when she saw it. It towered over them both.

"Why are you here?" Andrew asked, bluntly.

"Well, since you're the one talking to us, Andrew, I've been wondering... do you remember where that building is? The building where the man escaped from you?" Millie asked.

Abby continued to stare in bewilderment. She didn't know if Millie was going crazy, or if she really was talking to the Stitchwraith because Abby certainly couldn't hear a word it was saying.

"Yeah. I remember everything." Andrew answered. "Can you... take us there?" Millie asked.

"Why? What's so important, that you have to go there?" Andrew asked in an aggravated tone.

"I just want to see if I can find something there that can help us find the answers to what's happening here." Millie said.

"You want to find answers? Too bad. If you really think that some stupid girl like you can help us, then you're wrong! You can't help us! No one can!" Andrew said, seething with anger.

Millie scoffed. "I prefer Jake over you." She mumbled.

"You don't want me helping you? You do realize I'm the only person who understands you, right? That has to mean something! I don't know what, but it means something!" Millie said.

Andrew was beginning to take over the Stitchwraith body. Millie could feel the shift of control. She felt Jake's happiness turn into Andrew's anger.

"You can't help us! You know literally nothing about what happened to us! You think you can solve this like it's a case from a movie? This is not a movie! It's real! We are really dead, and we are actually trapped here! We can't even give ourselves peace! What makes you think you can?!" Andrew said, now looming over Millie.

She began to feel uneasy, but she stood her ground. She wasn't going to let this kid talk down to her like that. Abby on the other hand, was practically trembling in fear. She didn't step back, but she was definitely petrified.

"I know... I know this is real. I don't know what happened to you, but I'm sorry that it did happen to you. Please... let me help you. Jake thinks it's okay for me to help you." Millie said.

"He's too stupid to understand what I know about you! You and your friend won't help us! You'll just fail in the end! There's no winning against him!" Andrew argued.

Millie sighed. It was taking all she had not to lose her temper with a ghost of all things. "You really don't want other people helping you, do you? Look, I know I don't know much about what's happening, but that's why I'm here. I want to learn, to understand, so that I can help you end it." Millie said. "Please... just let me help."

Andrew groaned. "Fine! Come on! We don't have all day!" The Stitchwraith then walked past them. She could feel Jake taking back over. The Stitchwraith then walked up to a frightened Abby.

"What's your name?" Jake asked. "We don't have time for this!" Andrew complained. "Shut up!" Jake groaned in annoyance.

Abby was simply looking up at them in pure fear. "He's asking what your name is." Millie said to Abby.

She cleared her throat. "Abby." "Hi! I'm Jake! I'm sorry about my friend, Andrew. He can be a bit grumpy sometimes." Jake said, politely. "Just shut up." Andrew said.

"Their names are Jake and Andrew." Millie said for them. Abby tried to give them her best smile and hold her hand out to shake the Stitchwraith's hand, but the Stitchwraith pulled its hand back. "We can't touch people. That's what killed those other people." Jake explained. Millie then translated it to Abby who also pulled her hand away.

"Sorry." She said. "It's nice to meet you." Jake said. "Jake says it's nice to meet you." Millie said. Abby smiled. "Well, it's nice to meet you too."

Millie decided to check her phone. Now it wasn't just Oscar trying to call her. She apparently got multiple calls from everyone in the friend group. Okay, something was definitely wrong. If everyone was starting to call her, then something bad was going on. Now, she felt bad about not calling sooner, but she had to get this out of the way first. She decided to call Dylan.

"Hey, what's going on? Why is everyone calling me?" Millie asked. "Millie, are you okay?!" Dylan asked in a panicked voice. Now, Millie was worried.

"Yeah? I'm not sick, dead, or missing, so yeah? What's going on? Is everyone okay?" Millie asked.

"Thank god! Guys, she's okay!" She heard Dylan shout away from the phone. She could hear talking coming from his end. We're they all together?

"Millie, you need to meet us at the library. Oscar, Mandy, Raj, and Isaac were attacked on their way home from school." Dylan responded in a distressed tone.

Millie's heart sank. Who could've attacked them?

"Who? Who attacked them?" Millie asked. There was silence on his end.

"Millie... you're not going to believe me... but I swear this isn't a prank. Please, just don't hang up when I tell you this." Dylan said.

"Just tell me already!" Millie demanded, impatiently. There was a pause.

"An animatronic bear attacked them. I kinda don't believe it myself, but I'm still getting very worried about them." Dylan said. Millie's face fell. She almost dropped her phone. How dare that monster come and attack her friends? How dare he bring them into this? He was supposed to come for her, not them. He had to burn.

Millie then realized that they were in on the secret now that they saw him. She never wanted to get them involved or tell them anything, but now, she had to. Keeping the encounter a secret from them was impossible now.

"Abby, we need to go." She said to Abby. "What's wrong?" Jake asked.

"My friends... something's wrong. I need to talk to them." Millie said. Andrew scoffed.

"We can go there later. Right now, they need me. I'm sorry." Millie said. Jake nodded. "Of course." Andrew said, rudely.

"We can come with you." Jake said. "No! That's only gonna make them more scared than they already are." Millie said.

"If we stay with you, you can follow us to the warehouse once you're done with your friends!" Jake suggested. Millie shook her head. "Just stay here. I'll be back later." Millie said before walking away. Abby waved goodbye before following her.

***

Millie and Abby walked up to the library and took a deep breath before opening the door. She immediately saw the group speed walking towards her.

"Where were you?! We called you so many times!" Oscar exclaimed. "Why didn't you come sooner?!" Raj asked. "We were worried about you!" Mandy said.

"I know! Just... please... let me explain." Millie said.

"I'm sorry about them. They're really on edge, and to be frank, I kinda am too." Dylan said. "Right... from the... robot bear." Millie said, forlornly. Just the thought of it made her sick. Dylan nodded.

"I didn't believe it at first, but... I think they should do the talking for me since I don't even know what's going on anymore." Millie sat down. "Please... tell me everything. Leave nothing out."

After they told their stories about the ball pit, the ghost child in Mandy's dreams, the Plushtrap attack, and the most recent incident involving Funtime Freddy, Millie let it all soak in. She really wasn't the only one to have a near-death experience at the hands of these things. Now that they confessed their secrets, it was her turn.

"Guys... I believe you. I really do. In fact... I have a story of my own I need to tell you." And so, they all sat and listened.

END OF CHAPTER XVII