Chapter Text
Elizabeth flutters her eyes open, a sharp pain on the back of her head is all she can feel as she pulls herself off of the cold floor of wherever she is. She falls back into a sitting position as she tries to overlook the pain of her head. Adjusting her eyes to the near pitch black of the room she is able to just barely make out that she’s in one of the party rooms. She searches around her for the tablet, but doesn’t find it anywhere near her. A small blinking nearby then catches her eye, she crawls over to it, and finds the tablet. The tablet is smashed in half, nothing but dying blinks escaping before stuttering out to nothing.
???: It’s really you, isn’t it?
Elizabeth turns towards the darkness where the voice emitted. She can hear the sound of wood clinking against the floor. Stepping out of the darkness is a wooden marionette, painted black with white and purple clown makeup covering its face, its clothes are that of a jester’s with black and white stripes and a long cap that has a bell that subtly rattles with each step. The piercing green eyes of the puppet stares into yours, and something about the way they look at you is so familiar.
???: Liz, it’s you right?
The soft voice comes out of it again, but this time Elizabeth recognizes it.
ELIZABETH: Ch-Charlie?
CHARLIE: Yes Liz, it’s me.
Elizabeth rushes forwards and cradles Charlie’s head in her hands.
ELIZABETH: Oh my god Charlie, it’s really you!
ELIZABETH: Wh-what happened?
Charlie looks down, and backs out of Elizabeth’s grasp.
CHARLIE: I-I been here, in this body since I died.
ELIZABETH: T-Th-The whole time?
ELIZABETH: Oh Charlie, I’m so sorry, I should have checked!
Elizabeth curls in on herself as she feels a sob tearing its way up her chest.
CHARLIE: No!
CHARLIE: You couldn’t have known.
ELIZABETH: B-but you've been all alone, oh god Charlie.
CHARLIE: I’m just happy you’re here now Liz.
Charlie scoots back towards Elizabeth, using her wooden hands to hold Elizabeth’s.
ELIZABETH: W-wait, are you the one who’s been sending the animatronics after me?
CHARLIE: Yes, I've been trying to talk to you.
ELIZABETH: B-but the tablet said-
CHARLIE: You can’t trust that Liz, that’s not a computer you’re listening to.
CHARLIE: It’s him.
ELIZABETH: H-him?
CHARLIE: He’s a very evil man Liz.
CHARLIE: He wants to use you, he wants to get rid of me.
CHARLIE: We need to stop him.
Elizabeth pulls her hands away quickly.
ELIZABETH: H-how can I trust you, what if this is a trick?
CHARLIE: Liz please, I promise it’s really me.
CHARLIE: You remember the tree where we first met, at that dumb party?
CHARLIE: When I gave you that bracelet, when you gave me mine?
Charlie gestures to the green bracelet around Elizabeth’s wrist, she reflexively grabs it with her other hand.
CHARLIE: I’m so glad to see you still wear it Liz.
CHARLIE: You have no idea how much it means to me that you didn’t forget me.
ELIZABETH: O-of course I didn’t Charlie, how could you even think that.
ELIZABETH: You were my world Charlie.
Elizabeth returns close to Charlie, gently cupping her cheek.
ELIZABETH: I-I think I believe you.
ELIZABETH: Oh god Charlie I missed you so much.
Elizabeth pulls Charlie into a tight hug, squeezing her small wooden frame. Charlie squeezes back, letting Elizabeth’s warmth flow over her.
CHARLIE: I love you Liz, I still do.
ELIZABETH: Me too Charlie.
ELIZABETH: When I lost you, I didn’t know what to do.
ELIZABETH: It felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest.
ELIZABETH: No matter how long went by I could never love anyone as much as you.
ELIZABETH: No one is as perfect as you.
Elizabeth feels the tears finally break through her eyes as she curls into Charlie’s small body. Charlie rubs comforting circles on her back as she lets it out.
CHARLIE: I've been waiting for you every day since I died.
CHARLIE: I’m sorry for being forceful, locking you inside, chasing you.
CHARLIE: I just couldn’t lose you again, not without getting to meet you.
ELIZABETH: Y-you were the one who locked me in?
ELIZABETH: But the tablet said it was a lockdown?
CHARLIE: He lied, if you continued his plan it would have killed me.
CHARLIE: I had to step in, I’m sorry.
ELIZABETH: No!
ELIZABETH: I’m happy you did, I’m so happy to see you Charlie.
CHARLIE: Me too Liz.
Charlie pulls back a little to give Elizabeth the best smile her painted face can.
CHARLIE: You’re even more pretty than when I lost you Liz.
CHARLIE: You really grew into a beautiful woman.
Elizabeth turns away trying to hide her flushed face from Charlie’s gaze.
CHARLIE: Just as cute too.
CHARLIE: God I missed you so much.
ELIZABETH: M-me too.
Charlie just stares at Elizabeth, taking in every bit of her and trying to commit it to memory, she really is stunning.
ELIZABETH: Wh-what about that man though?
ELIZABETH: What’s your plan Charlie?
CHARLIE: Oh right, sorry I got distracted there.
CHARLIE: Yes the plan, you need to hand me your bracelet.
ELIZABETH: Hm, why?
CHARLIE: You’ll see, just hand it over.
Elizabeth hesitates for a moment, before letting out a sigh and slipping the bracelet off.
ELIZABETH: Here.
CHARLIE: Thanks Liz.
Elizabeth watches as Charlie holds the bracelet in her hands, she squeezes it tight as her face pulls together in concentration. Elizabeth sees her eyes spark before fading to black, her body flops over, hitting the ground with a thud.
ELIZABETH: Charlie!
Elizabeth rushes over to cradle the lifeless puppet, Elizabeth pulls it to chest as tears begin to drip from her eyes.
CHARLIE: I’m over here Liz, don’t worry.
Elizabeth turns to look back where she sees a woman her age with glasses and dark skin, her hair pulled into a bun. She wears a green flannel shirt unbuttoned and tied up at the bottom over top of a long sleeve black shirt, lower down she wears a pair of jeans and brown work boots. Her body is slightly transparent, but her brown eyes are full of warmth as she gives a smile.
ELIZABETH: Ch-Charlie?
CHARLIE: Yup, you like?
CHARLIE: It’s nice to finally get to be human again, even if it’s as a ghost.
ELIZABETH: I didn’t know ghosts could age?
CHARLIE: Oh I can look like whatever, but this, this feels right.
ELIZABETH: Your dad would be so proud, you look just like him.
Elizabeth reaches over and cups Charlie’s face. The feeling is strange, it’s like holding extra dense air, she feels if she pushes harder she’ll just go right through her.
CHARLIE: Liz can you go grab the bracelet, I’m kind of… In there now.
ELIZABETH: What do you mean?
CHARLIE: Well my soul was inside that puppet before, all I did was move it.
CHARLIE: So if you want me to stick around you gotta keep that on you.
ELIZABETH: Oh of course.
Elizabeth slips the bracelet back on her wrist, admiring the now faint green glow it has.
CHARLIE: Now you're stuck with me Liz.
ELIZABETH: You say that like it’s a bad thing Charlie.
Elizabeth boops Charlie’s nose causing the girl to giggle. Elizabeth follows suit with a giggle of her own. Once they both stop Elizabeth stares at Charlie, she’s so beautiful like this. Elizabeth leans in closer, their lips inches away before Charlie places a finger on Elizabeth’s.
CHARLIE: As much as I’ll love to catch up on all the makeouts we missed, we do have bigger problems.
CHARLIE: He’s still going to try to kill me, so we need to deal with him first.
Elizabeth’s face flushes red as she realizes she completely forgot about what Charlie said earlier.
ELIZABETH: Oh, oh right.
CHARLIE: Hehe, it’s okay Liz.
CHARLIE: Come on I’ll lead the way.
Charlie floats her way towards the door, pushing it open as she floats through, Elizabeth trails behind. Once both are back out into the main area of the building a chill runs through them. The empty building feels even more quiet than before, Elizabeth tenses up ready for something to pop out of a corner.
CHARLIE: Over here Liz!
Charlie calls, floating over a large carpet covering a portion of the floor. Elizabeth carefully sneaks over, looking confused at Charlie once she makes it over.
CHARLIE: It’s underneath, just pull it up.
Elizabeth gives a caution nod as she bends down, lifting the carpet and flopping it over onto itself revealing a trap door built into the floor.
CHARLIE: Here, use this.
Charlie hands Elizabeth a metal crowbar. She gives a nod and sticks it under the door, prying it with all her strength. The wood of the door creaks before giving in and slamming open. Out of the now open door pours years old dust causing Elizabeth to cough uncontrollably.
CHARLIE: You okay Liz?
ELIZABETH: Y-yes, just give me a moment.
Elizabeth lets out one more cough before she stands back up straight. She now takes a look at the revealed door away, it leads to a staircase that trails down.
CHARLIE: He’s down there.
Elizabeth gives a nervous nod as she takes a step onto the staircase, Charlie floating behind. Elizabeth presses on into the unknown, and towards someone who she has no idea about, but she trusts Charlie, if she thinks this is what they have to do, then she’ll do it.
