I was afraid. I felt my hand shaking as I gripped the flashlight handle, retrieving it from its holster on my belt; audible click signifying its release. With a slow, steady intake of breath, I exhaled as I turned on the flashlight. The beam of light pierced the darkness, revealing the truth behind me. I breathed in sharply, surprised and confused by what I saw.
Nothing.
The sound I heard must have been something else entirely. Strange, very strange. The mechanical whirring of servos really indicated one thing, and at present my flashlight revealed nothing of the sort. No loose animatronics, no parted curtain in the entrance of the Party Area, and most importantly no further sounds of mechanical trickery. I let out a sigh of relief, mind concentrating on the next important matter at hand; lights.
I scanned the ceiling, seeing no foul play or shorts in any of the lights; as far as my knowledge could tell, I was not an experienced electrician. I wondered briefly where someone might put the breaker box, mind interrupted as the red emergency lights came on from the exit signs. I kept on my flashlight, it providing a superior range of view in the darkness as I quickly scanned around me. My light stopped just near a figure in the corner, near the play area.
The red lighting played tricks off the figures form. It stood, unmoving, but its body was quite reflective and I couldn't make out what, or who, it was. I slowly began to train my light on it and, just before the outer edge of the cone of view hit it, the figured move; fast, to the right. This startled me as I heard the same mechanical noise as before, but this time it was heavier, as if more power was being put into the effort to move. I tried to follow it withy my light, but the figure was too quick, hiding behind the playground in an instant.
I had two options. The first, and probably the most logical, was to investigate. It was my job as the night guard to ensure the safety of my place of work! Then again, what if this figure was one of the animatronics, as the mechanical sounds suggested? Then came my second option. I could ignore this obvious breach of night shift protocol and try my best to find a solution to the lighting problem. Both seemed appealing.
I made my choice after a few moments of thought. "Hello?" I called out, "Whose there?"
I crept forward a few feet, now just inches from the play area fencing. I swiveled my flashlight around the playground area, trying to see if I saw anything out of the ordinary. Whatever it was, it was good at hiding.
"I won't hurt you, I prom- Ow!"
Before I could react one of the plastic balls from the ball pit was thrown at me, hitting me on the side of the head. It didn't hurt, much, but these plastic balls were nothing like when I was a kid. I rubbed the side of my cheek, training my light to the sound of where the ball fell, watching as it rolled to a stop a few feet away.
At this point, I became less afraid, and more irritated. "That wasn't very nice!" I said loudly, rubbing my cheek. I trained my light toward the ball bit just in time to see another plastic ball in mid flight. I avoided it, but during those moments as the flashlight jerked, my eyes trained on something for a split second.
I felt a shiver down my spine, the cone of light just below the ball pit, a few feet short from where I saw what startled me. It was a pair of eyes, magenta in color, staring at me. I didn't make out anything else, almost like that was it. I gathered my wits, raising my flashlight to the area in question. The eyes were gone.
I was pretty shaken up by this point. Not only did the lights mysteriously go out, but I also had what was probably one of the animatronics toying with me. It didn't help that the damn thing kept hiding.
"Okay now," I said, slowly gazing around, almost afraid I might see those lone eyes again. "You're kinda scaring me here. I really don't want any trouble, okay? Why don't you show yourself?"
I took the direct approach. Might as well appeal to its programming, if it had any. Otherwise it was doing these actions by design, or, even worse, it was something entirely different. I didn't want to think along the second line of thought, and considering what this company was built around, I was probably making the logical conclusion.
Some whirring of servos caught my attention. Footfalls, definitely mechanical, coming from just to the end of the ball pit. I took in a breath, training my light there, eyes widening at what I saw.
It was like something out of the Terminator. A steel exoskeleton, first the feet, then the body appeared from behind the ball pit. I quickly exhaled, breathing a bit quicker. I wasn't sure whether I should be afraid or run for my life, so I stood there, watching as the exoskeleton turned to face me. It was fully within the cone of light cast by my flashlight, the cone slightly shaking due to the increased adrenaline I was experiencing.
Its eyes were indeed magenta, but that was it. The eyes appeared to connect to some sort of steel cranium in the rear, and below it a set of steel jaws that were slightly ajar. The teeth seemed a bit sharper than necessary, and as I examined the exoskeleton further, I noted how the fingers and toes were about the same way. It had a rib cage, of sorts, but it didn't seem to server any other function than to hold the wires and hoses going from the head to the rest of the body. It was, quite frankly, a menacing sight.
I had no doubt in my mind this thing could kill me if it wanted to by this point. I gulped. Still, it did come out after I said I was scared. Maybe it understood me. Maybe, just maybe, the ball throwing was an attempt by it to play? I didn't know, my thoughts were racing on how to continue this odd introduction.
"I uh-" I gulped again, breathing a bit heavier "-My names, uh, Edward. Edward Reign. What, uh, what is yours?"
I saw the jaws start to move, but before it would speak (if that was indeed its intent) I noticed its eyeballs swivel toward my left. My eyebrows raised, realizing that it was looking toward the Party Area. I slowly turned around, training my flashlight on the curtains, and nearly jumping out of my skin.
I saw another animatronic, arms parting the curtains revealing a full body suit over its exoskeleton. It was modeled after some sort of bear (of what species I couldn't make it, but it sure as hell had a realistic head) and its eyes were red, and trained on me. Its jaws parted, revealing a row of similar teeth to the magenta exoskeleton behind me, and it let loose some sort of crackling roaring noise.
I literally cried out in fear, feeling my face contort to show said emotion. Before I could turn to run I suddenly felt a set of cold hands grab my own, preventing me from moving. I knew it was the magenta exoskeleton, and its grip on my arm tightened. Pain shot through my arm, my hand releasing the flashlight as it fell to the floor and flickered on and off multiple times.
"No, let me go!" I cried out. "You're scaring me! You're really scaring me!"
I felt the magenta's grip loosen, almost release. It reacted toward my fear again, I noted, but I had little time to think on that. I struggled harder and, with one loud grunt and yell, I managed to somehow break free. Either that or the exoskeleton let go, but I didn't care. I quickly reached down to grab my flashlight and as I stood I withdrew my telescopic baton, shaking it quickly to extend it.
"Stay away!" I yelled, light switching between the magenta and the bear. I noted the bear had, by the time I had grabbed my baton, moved closer. "Stay back!"
The magenta one seemed to comply, hands raised in a "I mean no harm" position. When I trained my light on the bear, however, I concluded its intentions were different. It had gained a few steps toward me, and its eyes were blazingly red. It let loose another distorted electronic roar, then started to rush me. It was fast, too fast. Before I had time to swing my baton in defense it was on me.
"Oh God!" I cried out, just before smacked me hard to the ground. I grunted, feeling pain on my side. "No!" I cried out again, "Please no! What did I ever do to y-"
I was cut off with another smack, this time to my head. The force of it was great enough to knock me out cold.
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"Whoever it is, it isn't Timothy."
I felt myself coming to. I heard talking. It wasn't human, obviously mechanical by the constant electronic static and tone to it. It sounded almost like the ominous tone of the bear, only now it wasn't roaring.
"HE said HE was afraid, Freddy!" This one was softer, more feminine, but still robotic. "You didn't even try to calm him down after I raised my hands!" Ah, so this was magenta. "I mean, look at it, he probably needs medical attention. Whose programmed for that here?!"
I heard a growl from the bear. "IT had a weapon, Chica." Man this one was a dick! "I'm programmed to react to threats! We all are! Why didn't you?"
"Because, unlike YOU apparently, I'm programmed to THINK before I act!" Oh burn! "I mean, did you even look at his uniform? He's in training, Freddy! Training! Ugh!"
I heard one of the machines stomp off. Probably magenta. By the sound of her footfalls, she was closing in on me. I was still slightly stunned from the incident before, slightly dizzy, but I was aware enough to feel some fear about the magenta approaching. I stiffened as it stopped beside me.
"Hey," I then felt a few taps on my shoulder, "Edward, hey, wake up." The taps turned from finger to metal palm, then to pushing. The urgency in her voice rose. "Hey! Wake up!"
I finally had the strength to open my eyes, releasing a groan as I did. I moved my hand to my head as pain returned to it. I blinked several times, my vision blurry as I made out those two magenta eyes staring down at me. This time, however, I took note of a body suit. It was a chicken, humanoid in shape, with added beak and a few feathers sticking out at the top. This one was definitely for the kids.
"Oh, you're awake!" Plastic eyelids closed over the two eyes, shaping in such a way as to express happiness. "I was so worried! I'm so, so sorry for all that! Are you functioning normally?"
I had to stare at the automaton for a few moments. My mind was still catching up, I going through the feelings and emotions from before. I blinked a few times. Surprisingly, the chicken seemed to have endless patience, her expression unchanged.
"Yeah," I finally managed through gritted teeth, "Yeah I'm fine. Just feeling like a freight train ran over my head. You're Chica right?"
"Yep!" the automaton confirmed, adding, "I'm really sorry about Freddy. He's usually not this aggressive. I think he thought you were an intruder."
"Even with the name badge?" I said, eyebrow raised. Chica rolled her eyes. "Even with," she confirmed.
Chica would eventually help me stand when I got ready to. I used her for support, grunting a bit at the strain. I probably had a mild concussion from the hit I took. She kept her arms under mine for a moment, taking them away when I assured her I was okay. I wiped off the dust from my outfit, straightening it, then turning my attention to where I had ended up. I was genuinely surprised to find out it was the employee lounge.
I heard something click from within the room, looking over in time to see the Freddy the bear turning on a switch to a circuit box. Some of the lights returned to life, I covering my eyes for a moment, then giving a sigh of relief. He seemed to look at me as I did, then turned his attention away as he headed for the exit.
"Com'on Chica," he growled out softly, avoiding my gaze, "it's getting close to six."
"Alrighty!" She called back, turning her attention toward me briefly. "Just make sure you don't tell anyone about this, will you? Please?"
It was a pleading gaze, somehow pulled off despite the lack of advanced facial features. Eyes revealed everything it seemed. I sighed, "Is this going to happen again?" I asked. She shook her head, "No," she replied. "I promise."
Well, Freddy did probably just think me an intruder. I nodded. "Alright."
Chica gave a smile before heading off, waving as she exited the lounge. I waved back, noticing my baton and flashlight on the table. I picked up the baton, looking it over as I went deep in thought. Did Timothy know this was going to happen? Did Freddy attack because I had this? Kinda outlandish, but still…
I replaced both items to my belt, feeling inside my pocket for my phone - undamaged, thankfully - and noticing it was, indeed, almost six o'clock. According to Timothy employees would be arriving soon. I took advantage of the vending machines quickly, eating and drinking a way overdue lunch and snack. Afterward I returned to the security office.
The rest of the morning went uneventfully. True to Timothy's word, employees did arrive early. I checked ID's and struck up some healthy conversation. No one seemed to notice the mark on the back of my head, even when I went to debrief the night with Timothy. I told him nothing eventful happened, just a power outage. He seemed to chuckle knowingly at that.
At eight o'clock I wrote myself off duty on my writing pad, saying my goodbyes for the night. I'd be back tomorrow, I assured.
As I recall, this night was one of my hardest. It's a good thing that I didn't have a concussion, though I wouldn't know it until the end of that week. Still, the fun was yet to come. Thinking back, I'm real glad I decided to go back for another night.600Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwyOAllQs34
