The next day when the group met together at lunch, Chica was extremely shocked with the news Freddy had. 

        "There are people down there," he informed, like he was telling some sort of ghost story. "And I told them all about who we are. We can go after schoo--"

        Bonnie waved a hand, gesturing for Freddy to stop. "Wait a second. So you're saying that you are now aquainted with the people in Room 13? That's so crazy . . ." She frowned and put an elbow on the table, her expression flicking from enticed to disbelief. "You're just trying to get us down there."

        "No, I'm not!" Freddy cried, slightly slamming down on the table. His eyes were focused and certain, but Chica actually didn't believe him.

        She smiled, her head pounding with what she wanted to say. "If you are so certain about it, why don't you go in? Besides, that room is probably locked."

        Freddy smiled and put his hand into his pocket. Chica, Bonnie, and Foxy exchanged confused looks and changed back to Freddy.

        What they saw changed their view on everything.

        In Freddy's fingers, he was holding a bright, silver key, holding it up like a trophy.

        "Woah . . ." Foxy croaked. "How'd you get that?"

        Freddy looked around, as though concerned that no one would overhear their conversation. His head stopped twisting and landed on the janitor, who seemed to be asking questions around. He quickly retracted the key and jammed it back into his pocket. "I'll tell you later."

        "Why were you looking at the janitor?" Chica asked, staring at the janitor's concerned face as he interrogated a group of students.

        Freddy's jaw set and his neck tightened. Through gritted teeth, he seethed, "I'll tell you later."

        "When--?" Bonnie asked softly.

        Freddy's hand slammed on the table again, harder this time. Chica realized he was standing, looming above everyone on the table. He roared even louder, "I'll tell you later!" Peoples' heads were turned towards him as he puffed out small breaths. The lunchroom was dead quiet for a moment. Freddy's cheeks went red as he looked around, awkwardly sitting down. Conversation in the lunchroom started to ripple once more.

        "Sorry," he said, his voice shaky. "You get the point. I'll tell you later."

        Chica didn't like the way Freddy had burst out like that. Something was definitely on his mind.

        *        *        *        *        *

        After school, Freddy pulled the group aside, showing them the key. They huddled in and got a closer look at it. Freddy smiled as he said, "With this, we can get anywhere in the school."

        "That's the janitor's key . . ." Chica breathed. "You took it from him? Is that why he seems so on-edge?"

        Freddy nodded. "I chewed up some chips, spewed them out as though I was vomiting, took the key, and got into the room."

        "What happened while you were there?" Foxy asked.

        Freddy shrugged. "When I got down the stairs, a guy named Spring threatened me with a knife. I explained to him that we had found a paper that led us here, told him about you guys, and we're all welcome to go in. I was thinking we could go right now."

        "But my mom is waiting for me--" Chica started.

        Freddy interrupted her. "My mom was waiting for me when I went into the room yesterday. It's totally fine. We'll be in and out."

        Chica felt uneasy. Her stomach clenched and her hands were shaking. Did she really want to go through with this? Did she really want to discover this new thing? Yes. I am brave, she thought to herself. Besides, it wouldn't have too much of an effect, right?

        Everyone shook as Freddy led them down the hall to Room 13.

        *        *        *        *        *        

        Once they were in, they found the floorboards that would lead down the steps were completely shut. They could hear mild shuffling and muffled talking. Freddy looked at them with a grin. He was definitely crazy.

        Freddy leaned down to the floorboards and knocked on them, pausing for a moment.

        A deep, gruff voice called from below, "Who is it?"

        Freddy answered, "It's Freddy. I came with my friends. Remember me from yesterday? The 7th Grader?"

        There was a small pause. Soft light suddenly illuminated the outskirts of a square where Freddy had knocked. The floorboards started to shuffle until it popped out of place, a badly hygiened guy who looked around nineteen or twenty years old emerging from the ground. He looked up at Freddy and smiled. "Hey there, Freddy." His eyes shifted to the group. "So these are your friends?"

        Freddy nodded. "Yeah. There's Chica--" he pointed at Chica-- "Bonnie--" he pointed at Bonnie-- "and Foxy--" he pointed at Foxy. 

        "Sweet," he said. He looked at the group, specifically Chica. "My name is Spring. My friends Mari and Gold are down there."

        Foxy stifled a laugh. "Gold? What kind of a name is that?"

        Chica could hear Spring huff agitatedly. "Gold is a good friend of mine. Real name's Greg. He's shy. Don't talk to him that often or he'll get . . ." He paused, making Chica shiver.

        "Get . . . what?" Foxy asked.

        "Oh, never mind about it," Spring quickly added, turning to the stairs that led down into the lit room with a door on the side of it.

        Tentatively, Foxy followed after Freddy as they went down the steps. Chica and Bonnie stayed behind, but Foxy stared up at them, giving them a funny look.

        "You think we'll just go in there?" Bonnie asked, crossing her arms.

        "Well, Freddy came and he's still alive, so . . . I'm going." Foxy disappeared down the steps.

        Chica walked forward and turned around, putting a foot on the step, but still keeping the other planted on the floorboards. She looked up at Bonnie funnily. Was she still not going to come? "Bonnie . . . come on!"

        "Please, don't make me do this!" Bonnie cried. Chica could hear the wavering in her voice.

        "It'll be fine, okay? Nothing bad will happen." She looked down into the area, where Foxy and Freddy stared up at her. She returned her gaze back to Bonnie. "They're okay, and Freddy has been here before. Foxy's right, it's only sixty percent safe."

        Bonnie shivered and nodded. "Okay . . . I'll come." She held her diary close to her chest like a teddy bear. Chica descended down the steps with Bonnie high up above her. I can't believe that worked, Chica thought, almost laughing aloud.

        When she got down onto the floor, she waited for Bonnie to follow after her. Once she was down, Bonnie was just staring at the floor. She didn't even seem to notice as she walked forward into the open door that Spring was leading them into.

        When Chica saw what was in there, she was absolutely dazzled. 

        Everywhere, there were signs and posters, Christmas lights lining the corners and bookshelves. There was another door on the other side of the room, imprinted into the bronze-painted walls. The floor was only cement, barely covered by a few carpets. There was a sloppy couch in the middle and there was one painting in the back. Chica thought the place looked kind of shady, but the people in it looked even more shady.

        There was one who looked like your stereotypical emo: Pale skin, black hair, super shy, and of course, eyeliner. Then there was another one who wore all black, and had different colored buttons on the shirt. They weren't real buttons. They were designed onto the shirt. He had the same facial idea as Spring.

        Spring warmly welcomed them with an ecstatic smile. "This here--" He pointed at the emo guy-- "is Greg--or Gold as we call him. And that--" He pointed at the colorful buttoned guy-- "is Mari. This is where we hang out and . . ." He paused.

        Chica was getting agitated with Spring always pausing in the middle of his sentences. "Hang out a--"

        It was Mari who interrupted her, whose voice was too deep for his name. "Spring is bad at keeping secrets, so would you please not get into our secrets, miss?"

        Chica sassily put her hands on her hips. "My name is Chica, and I was just wondering."

        "Then stop wondering," Mari said with a wry smile.

        Foxy pointed at Gold. "Does he ever talk?"

        "He talks occasionally, but is usually quiet," Spring explained. "But he's also the smartest out of the four--I mean, three of us."

        Chica wanted to point out the mistake in speech, but she kept her mouth shut. She loved correcting people, but she was actually afraid to do it this time.

(POV SWITCH TO BONNIE)

        Bonnie ignored the conversation of the group and looked around. Bonnie's eyes were caught onto the painting in the back. She tilted her head at it. Something seemed familiar and strange about it. Looking back at the group to make sure no one was watching, (which they weren't) she tiptoed off to the painting and looked at it.

        The picture was of a man. She didn't know why he was so familiar. She was drawn to it. The pull was so strong that she could even feel her hand inching up towards the picture.

        He was so familiar . . .

        As her finger made contact with the painting, everything started to swirl around her. Everything went black until all she could see was a simple blue glow, and could only feel cold hard stone under her face.