Work Text:
Looking back, you had no idea exactly when your body had begun to fail you.
It had happened so subtly; the softest gust of wind on the sandstone surface- you were being eroded away before you knew it was happening.
Eventually, you did find the overly complex string of words that lined up with your symptoms; that day was both a blessing and a curse.
Whatever joy you felt was quickly pushed aside when your eyes narrowed upon the one word that predicted your future: ‘Chronic.’
Now- with enough time behind you, you had begun to fall into a pattern of whatever kind of life you managed to carve out for yourself.
You felt- invisible- in the world you were supposed to participate in. Life was slipping through your fingers, leaving you in a blur of fleeting moments.
You had come to accept that this was just how it was meant to be for you-
Each day passing by without leaving a mark-
Some didn’t even have it that good; who were you to argue?
To selfishly wish for more?
Did other ‘adults’ feel this way too?
Or was it when you became an ‘adult,’ you were straddled down with this strange, relentless, invisible pain as your unwanted companion, its only goal to rob every experience of its possible joy?
To be fair, it wasn’t like you had given up.
In fact, at first, you had fought against it with everything you had, but as the years went by, it drained you of everything. All your determination, vitality, and most of your optimism for yourself; it had left you numb and lost.
But a sliver of yourself was left; you could feel it- a very precious piece of you that you wanted to preserve.
That dull but resistant part of you was the very reason you were even looking for a job.
ANYTHING to break up the dreadful, monotonous pattern you had found yourself in.
It was late into the evening when you looked through the classified job ads on your phone’s dimly lit screen.
The cascade of light from the white font upon the dark background occasionally caused you to squint your eyes as you read from your bed.
Slowly, as you perused from one page to the next, your eyes were suddenly drawn to a familiar company name:
FazCO®
You rotated your shoulders to turn onto your side, holding your phone tighter as you positioned the screen sideways to align with your new vantage point.
You remembered that company- that name.
The edges of your mouth tighten into a conflicted expression as a myriad of good and bad memories began to flood back.
Birthday parties and special occasions were all hits or misses, with little variation in between for you. Good times filled with laughter along with horrible times spent alone...
You shook your head, hair tussling the pillow due to the limited space as you physically cleared the thought.
Anyway, from what you had heard- that particular company had opened a new groundbreaking attraction recently- probably why they were now looking to fill positions.
You hummed to yourself, looking over the ad:
Part-Time Position | Administration and Care assistant -FazCO (APPLY NOW)
That... wouldn’t mesh well with your schedule, you decide as you prepare to scroll away but find yourself hesitating.
‘Maybe...’ you thought, finger hovering over the company name, clicking on it instead to see if any other positions had been offered.
Almost immediately, you saw another listing that looked more promising:
Full-Time Position | Night Guard -FazCO (APPLY NOW)
The details for the job really sold it to you: a graveyard shift that promised no contact with customers. It also highlighted that you would have to be okay with working independently during those hours (along with additional details if offered the position).
“The worse they can tell me is no,” you speak aloud to your room as you click on the Apply button and rapidly begin to fill out the online application. Only stopping occasionally when it would ask questions on if you had immediate family that cared about you and your opinions on the advancement of robotics; strange personality questions.
... As you finally felt tired, curled up on your side with your phone limply in your palm, you assured yourself they probably wouldn’t even read your application.
That’s how things went when you were concerned, after all.
You heard from them the next afternoon when you woke up.
An email was waiting for you outlining the hiring process with big orange text that proclaimed: Congratulations, Superstar! You’re HIRED!
It all felt too fast, if you were being honest with yourself, but you ignored the nestled ball of anxiety in your stomach as you proceeded with the (thankfully) remote interviews and paperwork - all while in shock.
Soon you were fed more details about the role.
You were going to be alone in the facility at night, tasked with walking a predetermined route making sure everything was where it was supposed to be. It would only be on rare occasions (the company assured you) that if you did come across trespassers, you were only responsible for alerting the facility’s automated system.
No actual interaction or apprehension on your part was necessary.
Meaning your job was essentially to walk the grounds for several hours by yourself. Easy enough.
As some NDAs began to trickle your way, you began to piece together the actual picture behind your job’s real purpose.
From what you gathered, the company just wanted to have their automated system do the night watch- but given the scope (the finer details not shared with you), they needed one person at the location to clear laws.
‘Not complaining,’ you thought.
After some of your concerns had been put aside, you were excited about this new opportunity. It may actually be a lifeline, a chance to regain your feelings of independence and freedom.
Plus, working alone on the graveyard shift meant there would be no one prying into your business if you happened to need an additional break. Just you, the night, and a chance to rekindle that ever-fading part of yourself.
Training materials came next within the week, alongside a plain-looking uniform with a radio connected to a headset.
The material you had to study was bare bones, to put it lightly. A basic map of the location (it was huge), a setlist of what your night should consist of (you wouldn’t be running into any of the Animatronics, to your dismay), and a schedule of 10 PM-6 AM.
Almost too soon came the night of your first shift.
You had been in your car for no less than thirty minutes, gazing wide-eyed at the building ahead of you.
The company’s flat, flimsy map did the Megaplex no justice!
Just outside your windshield, the Megaplex stood out amongst the various work yards surrounding it.
An odd location but given the size FazCO had to have been looking for, you understood the trade-off.
You also briefly wondered how the people working at those various yards felt now they were neighbors to the attraction; did they hate it?
Did they get discounts?...
Were you stalling?
You dug your fingertips into the yielding material of your steering wheel as you regrounded yourself, a heavy sigh leaving you as you gathered your scattered confidence.
The Megaplex continued to loom just beyond your reach. The building was obviously vacant of people, but that did not stop the neon lights decorating its front from bleeding promised good times and high energy.
As you crawled out of your front seat into the open chill of the night air, you could easily imagine the massive crowds the place must draw in during business hours.
‘So this is the Megaplex?’ you thought, running your palms up and down the length of your clothed thighs to keep you grounded.
Of course, you have seen advertisements about the attraction on several of your social media accounts. Touted pizza, prizes, and Animatronics as the highlights of a place, but you had always been just a bit too busy(?) to have ever come out before…
This (almost) felt like you were making up for lost time- ‘yeah,...’
A few trembling breaths later and you were ready to dispel the uncomfortable mixture of excitement and nervousness forcibly.
You shook your head, putting on your best facade of confidence as you did so. Tentatively your hands found the open panels of your company-provided jacket; you tugged on the material to resecure it firmly across your shoulders.
Next, you fished out the headset connected to the small black radio from out of one of your pockets. You shook it once to unwind the dangerously close-to-tangling wire before slipping it over your right ear.
There was a pause in your movements as you felt the radio’s weight in your palm; you looked at the device closely, rotating it as you eyed the design.
You hadn’t noticed before, but it was cheaper than you first thought when you saw it in its packaging. The radio wasn’t digital but rather analog - short-wave stuff that reminded you of what someone would gift you as a kid.
‘Great. Anyone can just drop into the frequency. I wonder if FazCO knows that...’ you suspected they did know, and instead, this was a cost-saving measure no different than any other penny-pinching corporation deploys.
You ran your fingers across the radio until you felt a plastic switch you took to mean ‘Off and On.’ With only minimal pressure, you flicked it, and a soft hiss began to emit from the headset it was connected to right into your skull.
Gritting your teeth, you walked forward, happy to find that with every step, the whine of the signal died down and eventually waned off completely.
First-night jitters firmly accosted to the side; you forced yourself to stand up straighter as you put on your all-important Security pass around your neck and began for the doors of the building.
As you approached, you noticed the doors were shuttered down with metal paneling, with a lone black scanner hanging on a wall near them.
Carefully you walked up next to the scanner and leaned towards it while extending the pass so you could press the plastic against the box.
The angle was off the first few times, but eventually, you heard a soft beep before one of the metal panels began to ascend.
Behind the panel was a heavily decorated door; while you got to it, you were focused on the half-covered posters that overlapped one another.
You had not expected another door beyond the panels.
All your training material said was that your security pass would allow you entry- so now you were concerned you may have missed something.
Reaching forward, you gave the door an experimental push. The wood creaked but stopped before actually giving into the force to open.
You frowned and leaned your body into another more firm push, the door creaking again before swinging open without warning.
You yelped as the pressure you had put behind the door met no resistance, your feet tripping over themselves as you ungracefully jolted into the main lobby of the Plex like a newborn animal.
Just as quickly, you found your footing in time to not fall square on your face. Instead, you hissed under your breath, happy that no one was around to see such an embarrassing display, before quickly acting as if it had never happened, gently closing the door behind you.
‘Door is out to get me...’ you thought bitterly (and dramatically) before turning back to the hall you had found yourself in.
The main hallway of the Megaplex was eerily quiet. As you looked left and right, slowly moving towards the ticket counter, you strained to hear anything over the low whirl of the white noise and fans.
It wasn’t nearly as dark as you imagined it would be.
Sure, as you looked above you, straining to see past the shadows of the rafters and beams, you could tell they had fluorescent lights that were undoubtedly on during business hours. But the neon lights that decorated nearly every corner were almost as blinding.
It gave the entire space a glow of purple and blue that made your eyes water as you stared at any one area for too long.
Nervously, you tucked your hands into your pockets and began to trace the divots and grooves of your radio as you began to investigate your new space.
Slowly you strolled up to the ticket counter, dead center of the empty hallway. Once you reached the marble counter, you peered over and caught your eye on four large cardboard cut-out displays of the mainstay animatronics.
They had Freddy, who you were the most familiar with, his large smile nostalgic and comforting; the next you gravitated towards was Chica, another you remembered from your childhood- except this rendition was far cuter than your memory recalled.
You looked at the last two and were surprised when instead of seeing Bonnie or Foxy… it was Monty Gator and Roxanne Wolf.
‘Wow, things have really changed,’ you thought wistfully, leaning away and finally stepping backward.
As much as you wanted to look at all the various posters, toys, neon light displays, and of course, the life-sized cut-outs, you also had a job to get done.
Gently reminding yourself you were on the clock and had no time for nostalgia, you began your preset path down the left-hand side hallway as instructed.
Only stopping once to glance into the hollow eyes of the cardboard animatronics, feeling as if one of them was actually watching you... but that obviously couldn’t be.
You soon came to fully appreciate how well the term ‘Mega’ applied to the attraction you were securing. It was just as huge as advertised.
As you wandered down the first hallway, you found to your mild annoyance, that you had to take small breaks before continuing with how much walking you actually needed to do.
It was during one of these mini breaks that you first noticed them.
Medium-sized robots with blank faces and treadwheels. They wheeled around in various directions, each holding a flashlight to survey their designated areas, almost all with Security written somewhere on their person.
Was this really the highly-praised security system that FazCO had spoken about?
Their appearance alone was unusual, but what surprised you even more was their reaction to your presence. Despite their lack of facial expressions, each robot seemed taken aback by your arrival, their initial shock giving way to a gentle acknowledgment.
After encountering this response multiple times, you decided to break the mounting tension by speaking up.
“H-Hello...” you stammered, your voice uncertain and cautious as you waved at the random security bot you found in front of you.
In a mirroring fashion, the robot perked up and tilted its head towards your hand as you waved. Just as confused as you were at approaching it, A series of beeps followed before it raised its blocky hand to wave back, using its flashlight.
It was oddly endearing if you were honest with yourself and felt more at ease.
“It’s my first night...” you continued, a bit more confidently now, relieved to have someone – even if it was a bot – to talk to. “This place is huge!”
The robot beeped again, its eyes turning into little half circles before nodding in apparent agreement.
“You can say that again!” you played along, acting as if it was sharing its own stories about how big the plex really was. After a second, you glanced aside. “Anyway-” you continued, “sorry to keep you, just thought I should introduce myself as you- and I guess everyone will see me often!”
You smiled widely as you faced the robot again, realizing you may come to like these mechanized co-workers more than you initially thought.
It reached out, its blocky hand hovering in the air as if waiting for something. After a second, it dawned on you, and your face lit up in understanding. You took its hand and gave it a firm shake – perhaps these security bots knew more and had a bit more personality than you had given them credit for... or you were crazy.
As you continued your first night at the Megaplex, you were pleasantly surprised by the interactions with the security bots.
Despite their initial surprise at your presence, they seemed to show a genuine appreciation for your friendliness.
Each time you encountered one of them, they would respond with a series of beeps and gestures that almost made it feel like they were attempting to communicate with you.
Some would mimic your waves with their flashlights, while others would do a little dance of lights as if trying to entertain you...
There were a few that would wildly point towards the ceiling as if to give you a fake-out which you played along with, looking up quickly before laughing and waving goodbye.
It was as if they were programmed not only to perform their security duties but also to engage with the staff and guests, making them feel welcomed and safe- you, for one, appreciated it as you began to ease up from your prior nervousness.
Your route had you largely avoid any areas that came too close to the Animatronics, which, after your encounter with the security bots, disappointed you.
From the diagrams and map, you knew you were primarily responsible for the large congressional areas with the most hiding spots.
The whole right wing of the Megaplex and ‘Rockstar row’ were not included in your rounds and so were expected to be kept clear of.
A bizarre request now that you were boots on the ground, doing your first night- ‘What a waste...’ you thought to yourself before quietly avoiding the Green rooms for what felt like the fourth time that night... The silence was getting to you, even with the Security bots giving you the occasional company.
Abruptly and without warning, your radio sprung to life, loudly rattling off some type of programming in full volume directly in your ear:
01101000011001010111100001100001011001000110010101100011011010010110110101100001011011000010000001110100011011110010000001110100011001010111100001110100
The rapid, high-pitch screech was too much, and you flailed against the headpiece sending it sailing off of you and clattering unceremoniously at your feet.
‘What the serious fuck was that?!’
You grumbled, clearly irritated, as you leaned down to roughly grab the headset and returned it to your head. As you repositioned your headset, you heard a faint hiss of static, followed by a soft shuffling noise, as if someone were moving something heavy on the other end.
“...Hello?” you said, your voice tinged with curiosity.
The static suddenly cleared, and you held your breath, waiting for a response.
“I-Is anyone there?” you asked again, a bit more insistently this time.
After a moment of silence, you heard a soft hum, like someone contemplating their thoughts.
“I can hear you,” you said, trying to sound confident despite the unease creeping in.
“...oh?” came a deep and matter-of-fact reply, catching you off guard.
Your heart raced as you quickly walked backward until your back pressed firmly against the wall for support.
Weren’t you supposed to be the only one on-site?
Who else could be on the radio at this hour?
“Um... Are you working here?” you asked nervously, hoping to get some clarification while your eyes scanned left to right at the empty hall.
“Define ‘here’...” came the amused response, tone on the verge of a laugh.
You pressed your lips together, considering that they might not be referring to the Megaplex.
Could it be someone from a nearby location on the wrong frequency?
As you thought about it, the realization dawned on you – yes, it was possible. The radio could be picking up signals from nearby places. Hell, you had just thought about it earlier when you were walking in.
Your tension eased slightly as you thought about the logical explanation. ...Maybe it wasn’t something to be afraid of.
“...quiet?” the voice asked, still listening intently but perhaps annoyed with the silence.
“Sorry! I thought... well, obviously, I was wrong.” you laughed, trying to further suspend the anxiety in your shoulders. “This frequency is for the Megaplex; you must have the wrong one,” you explained, feeling a mixture of relief and embarrassment.
The voice on the other end remained silent for a moment before responding. “We-I see...”
Your initial fear began to subside as you realized that the person on the other end was likely an innocent worker who accidentally tuned into the wrong radio frequency. After all, the Megaplex was vast, and it wouldn’t be uncommon for someone nearby (like at one of the next-door work yards) to use a similar frequency for their company communication needs.
Feeling more relieved, you decided to engage in some small talk to alleviate any awkwardness. “Well... Since I have you, how’s your night going so far?”
As you exchanged a few more words opening into small discussions, you found the conversation oddly comforting, a brief connection with someone else in the quiet darkness.
If you had to guess why you were so immediately disarmed by the stranger, you would have mentioned their soothing voice- It was a welcomed distraction from the otherwise eerie atmosphere of the vacant plex as you walked on.
You went on like that all night, talking to the mystery person while finishing up your last hallway before it was time to go home.
“So...” you tapped your foot on the tile below you, searching for your next question. “What’s your name?” you asked, eyes drifting in the direction of the radio in lieu of someone physical to look at. Imagining you were looking at them directly.
“Hmm...” they replied in a hum, something you found they did a lot whenever deciding on answering you or just redirecting the conversation. “Not yet,” they stated a smugness in their tone.
They would never see this, but you full-on pouted in the darkness, bottom lip out in an expression of disappointment but kept your voice unaffected.
“Tsk. Well, that’s no fun... Guess I’ll have to remain a mysterious dashing stranger to you too.”
There was a deep and low laugh on the other end this time. “I am dashing?...” they asked, clearly delighted at your slip-up.
In the darkness, you flailed your arms around you in dismay, horrified you misspoke like that- now they’d think you were a weirdo.
“No!” you calmed yourself, “I- I just meant I would have to be just as cool as you are right now.”
Another chuckle.
“Heading home to sleep?”
You were already way ahead of them, scanning your security pass before waiting intently for the door to open before you tried to force it to move this time.
“Yeah. Not going to lie to you. I am actually pretty tired, which is rare for me! I’m looking forward to some RnR.” you muffled a yawn while talking to further extenuate the point.
You could have sworn you heard a sound of approval, a distant grumble of satisfaction, or something close to that, “Good. Good. Nighty night.” came their voice before the signal went cold.
As you were stepping out of the Megaplex, just in time for the Sun to begin sweeping across the horizon, you felt a bit concerned you wouldn’t hear from them again- but even so, the company was a welcomed change.
But still, strangely, you really hoped they would check in again tomorrow.
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As the days passed, you realized that your initial fears about the mysterious stranger on the radio were unfounded.
They continued to come on every night without fail, making it a routine for both of you; usually by faking you out, making you think you heard things before loudly shouting ‘Boo’ from their side of the radio, followed by bursting into deep, low chuckles at your reaction.
"You are a gremlin. You know that?!” you playfully scolded them, pointing a finger in a random direction since they still wouldn’t reveal which yard they worked at.
“You like it...” they replied in their trademark delighted, amused way.
“Get rest yesterday?”
Ah, the caring inquiry again.
It didn’t take long for you to notice that your mysterious friend was genuinely concerned about your well-being. It was almost as if they had a sixth sense, knowing when you needed to take small breaks, even before you announced them at times.
It became a charming routine.
They would keep you company through the long nights, chatting about everything and nothing, their presence making the silence and solitude of your security shifts more bearable.
Their playful banter and genuine interest in your welfare warmed your heart, even if their words were sparse.
As the days turned into weeks, you looked forward to hearing their voice each night.
They had become more than just a stranger on the radio; they were a friend. A friend who made you laugh, who shared stories of made-up adventures, and who somehow knew exactly when you needed alone time.
And yet, your evasive radio companion remained an entertaining mystery. Their identity continued to be shrouded in secrecy, but it didn’t matter. Your connection with them went beyond the need for personal details in its simplicity- or that was what you kept telling yourself.
It was on this night when a different kind of conversation occurred.
“Have a favorite?...” Came the voice of your friend, who, up to this point, had been oddly quiet for most of the night.
“A favorite?” you repeated, trying to interpret what they meant.
“Animatronic.”
Your mouth made a silent o as if that made perfect sense while you waved toward the first grouping of security bots on your route.
“I mean- not really... If I had to pick one, I guess I would say Freddy just because of the nostalgic factor.”
A deep mumble responded in turn.
A smile tugged on your lips as you stared down the hallway... you were feeling more tired than usual, not exhausted, but rather your body was faintly reminding you of your chronic condition.
Just as you were ready to sit on the floor, you noticed a small blue chair, one you may have found in a children’s playroom along the wall of your route.
These had been popping up recently, either through extremely good fortune or the bots around you were taking notice of your constant need to stop and regroup.
“Do you have a favorite?” you asked back, sitting in the tiny chair while letting your heartbeat steady.
“Hmph...” they snarked back.
“Oh, come on!” you insisted, pressing the issue as you smirked, eyes roaming the hall and up toward the rafters as you talked. “You got to ask me- what kind of friend doesn’t return the favor?”
There was a shuffling noise, a clear sign you managed to win them over.
“Yes.” came their one-worded reply.
You still had no idea what your new friend looked like, so instead, you relied on your mental image of them: you liked to picture they were tall, their features straying towards mischievous, but they had to have had extremely kind eyes- you were almost sure of it.
As you pictured them, you tried to imagine them coming to the Megaplex to visit their ‘favorite’ animatronic. The daydream made you smile fondly as you glanced down at your radio.
“Which one?!” you leaned in your seat, eyes wide as you tried to imagine them hugging one of the Animatronics like one of the many children you guessed did the same.
“Not telling,” they said flatly.
The fond smile transformed into a disparaging smirk curving your lips as you rolled your eyes, “Okay, you grouch, what if I guess it? Would you just say yes or no?”
More shuffling before a soft sigh; you take that to mean yes.
“Freddy.” you started off, lowering your head into your palm as you kept yourself upright.
“No.”
‘Oh, maybe they were more of a tough guy.’
You licked your lips, distracted briefly by a soft glow of red on the edges of your vision towards the ceiling. “What about... Monty?”
“Never.” Their response carried some disdain.
“Well, that leaves just two more.” you counted off, trying to decide between the chicken or the wolf.
They scoffed, “Four.” they corrected.
“Four left?” you asked, looking left to right before brightening. “Oh yeah! The DJ... but that only makes three. Chica. Roxanna. DJ; what is the fourth?”
You were genuinely interested now, sure you knew about the Megaplex intimately, especially since you’ve been there for over a month.
“Been everywhere in the Plex?” they asked, leading you through the conversation.
You thought for a second before shaking your head, quickly scolding yourself before talking instead, “No... the left wing of the Megaplex isn’t on my route, so I’ve been skipping it for the most part.”
What was there again?... You knew there was an old theater but another attraction-
-
-
The Daycare!
"Isn’t that where the Daycare is?” you asked
A sound of acknowledgment followed.
Excitedly you rocked your heels back and forth beneath you. “So there is another Animatronic in there? What are they like? What do you like about them? When was the last time you saw them? Wh-”
“Hush...” they cut you off mid-tangent. “You asked me my favorite.” a pause. “I answered.”
You were already over the Moon with the new information. A part of you wanted to go down to the Daycare right now just to see it for yourself and hopefully catch a glimpse of the Daycare Animatronic too.
You sat in the tiny chair, running your finger across the surface of the plastic, occasionally feeling the waxy residue of what you had to hope was a crayon on its sides.
“Wait...” you thought aloud, “So your favorite in this WHOLE place is the animatronic babysitter, really?” It was a strange mental picture, for sure. Did that mean that your friend had children?
“Unimpressed?” they asked, their normal jovial tone flat and even a bit concerned.
“No!” you were quick to backtrack; after all, who were you to tell someone their favorite wasn’t worthy of the title?
“I guess I’m just having a hard time picturing it.” You gave off a small nervous laugh before a thought stopped you.
“Maybe...” you dug your fingernail into the plastic coating of the chair, “Maybe I’ll go down there and see for myself. Rules be damned.”
A rapid tapping drew your attention; the sound of metal on metal somewhere in the dark had you craning your neck and scanning the hallway, both left and right.
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“Ȑ̴̟͔͛ù̸̡͔̣͎͘l̷̖̠͈͒͜e̴̱͐͝s̸̡̓̓...” came a raspy whisper from the radio, your friend’s voice half obscured with heavy static before it cleared. “...g̷̢̑̐͑ô̴̳̜̟̤͐̎ ̷̛̣͒̈́b̸̰̏͜e̷̢̓̔͝fore your shift tomorrow- thirty minutes before.” Static. “No rules will be broken.”
You rose from your seat and stared down the hallway from where you came, trying to see if you could catch what may have been causing that strange noise.
Perhaps one of the security bots fell over or something...
“Let me guess,” you shook off your nerves and dived back into your conversation with a teasing smile, “You’re like a pro at how to get around workplace rules, huh?”
A deep chuckle responded. “Maybe...”
You could hardly contain your excitement as your next shift came without delay. Arriving forty minutes early, you were on a mission to make the most of your time.
You did need all the time you could get, wanting to indulge in the company of this ‘favorite’ animatronic that oversaw the Daycare of all places.
Admittedly, alongside that excitement was also a creeping feeling of nervousness.
Your friend, up to this point, had been a true mystery. Even going to great lengths to avoid all your attempts to meet face-to-face (and there were a lot of attempts).
It felt as if you stumbled across a valuable piece of information. Sure on the surface, their favorite animatronic didn’t seem like a big deal- but in reality, it was something to investigate.
This Animatronic must have met your friend in person at least once! And that alone was enough reason to go- to get more of a picture of who you talked to every night... or at least that was what you were telling yourself.
Soon you found yourself in the building, trying to gather your courage as you took a hard right toward the Superstar Theater and Daycare.
For whatever reason, your unseen bosses were very pointed about you never going down there during your working hours. No explanation was given- and to the bosses’ credit, it wasn’t like you had ever bothered or thought to ask.
As you weaved through the long hallway, you pushed down your uncomfortable anxiety and your body’s normal fatigue. Today you wouldn’t stop and rest, not even for a few minutes; this was too important, and time was fleeting.
The hallway was near a carbon copy of the ones you usually secured, everything was the same, and that confused you.
As you went further, you finally got to a new area- a wide-open common atrium with a golden mascot statue.
A chuckle escaped your lips as you curiously circled around the Sun, and to your surprise, you found another statue just behind it. This one was unmistakably its twin, yet it couldn’t be more different.
The Moon animatronic statue hunched over with a mischievous demeanor, mirroring the unsettling design of its Sun counterpart. It wore a sleepers cap which would have been funny in any other case, but it looked completely natural on it.
While not as lighthearted as the Sun, something was intriguing about the Moon’s mysterious aura.
Was this intentional?
Were they meant to evoke different emotions in visitors?
Reminding yourself you were short on time, you pushed down your thoughts and made a beeline to the two heavy wooden doors, a sign of ‘Superstar Daycare’ placed overhead.
You paused at the threshold, seeing bright lights bleeding from beneath the doors as you debated knocking or trying to just open them-
Mid-thought, the doors creaked open, and a flash of yellow extended out before you were quickly grasped and pulled in faster than you could react.
“A New friend! What a wonderful surprise!” Came a loud, cheerful voice.
You struggled to blink against the sudden change in light, the near-blinding fluorescents in the Daycare making you wince as you tried to focus on who was speaking.
“Oh, but we knew you’d just be wonderful! On-time too! A perfect star!” It continued to fawn, the sound of bells jumping as its silhouette swayed from left to right.
Eventually, you got a proper handle on your eyesight, blinking past the glare to properly focus on who you had assumed was the Daycare Animatronic.
As you turned toward it, you all but stepped back as you witnessed its height and appearance.
The Sun was larger than you expected, given its role in the Megaplex and overseeing children.
Its body must have been brightly colored at one point, but now, with the passing of time or lack of care, its yellow and orange paint was dull.
It wore oversized pants that matched its color scheme, stripped, and suited its Jester theme nicely. The only other ‘clothes’ (if you were to call it that) were the red ruffles around its neck and delicate red ribbons wrapped around its wrists, the tails of the ribbons hanging down and moving slightly with its occasional shifting.
It looked cute to you.
Who designed it again?
You gapped at it as you tilted your head, trying to come up with words to fill in your awe-inspired silence.
“...Oh,” The Sun spoke, its rays rotating around its head as if listening to something before again brightening to its previous energy levels. “You MUST be tired! Yes. come, COME! You should rest, and we can get to know each other!”
It gently led you by the hand through the Daycare to what looked like small craft tables.
As you approached, you couldn’t help but notice that the chairs were all too familiar, they being the same ones that had popped up on your route these past few weeks whenever you needed to sit down.
You took a seat, mainly because the Sun was right, you were suddenly tired, but the adrenaline kept you in good (if not nervous) spirits.
“Hello...” you finally spoke up. The Sun animatronic immediately rotating its faceplate to focus solely on you with its wide grin and upturned eyes.
“Sorry if I’m intruding...” you apologized, still awe-struck you were meeting one of the Megaplex’s Animatronics- or, more importantly, your friend’s favorite animatronic.
“Intruding?!” The Sun exclaimed with a mock look of offense, its orange ‘rays’ spinning around its head dramatically. “NEVER!” It playfully patted its chest with a giant hand while sitting beside you.
Its dramatics made you want to laugh, but you also did not want to come off as rude, so instead, you distracted yourself by shifting in your small chair.
Sun, too settled in its own chair next to you, but you could not help but notice how its large body had to fold in on itself awkwardly, knees pressed to its chest.
If it had been a person doing that- it would have no doubt been painful- but Sun made it look both endearing and comical simultaneously.
The Sun seemed amused with your expression, sensing your enjoyment and beaming with an even wider smile (if that was even possible).
“Besides!” it continued, “It’s notNOTnot every day that Mo- someone tells me I’ll get an extra special visit from a new friend!” The Sun’s enthusiasm was infectious, and you could not hold back a genuine chuckle.
“So you knew I was coming by tonight?” you asked, surprised but curious. This could mean you’d get additional information on your mysterious friend.
“Oh... Well-” The Sun, whose eyes were pure white, seemed to still in its ever-constant movements. It looked to be listening to something you could not.
“Yes. He did tell me something about you coming by tonight. YesYESyes.” Sun finally admitted, those same white eyes trained on you as if nothing had happened, it being back to swaying slightly in its chair.
“He did?” you repeated, looking at Sun with your excitement clearly on display. “Does that mean he was here not too long ago? Do you think if I came maybe a bit earlier, I’d be able to run into him?” All your questions came a mile a minute, not holding back as you leaned forward in your chair towards the Sunny animatronic.
Sun’s wide, grinning expression remained unchanged, but a subtle shift in its eyes caught your attention. With a teasing yet knowing tone, Sun asked, “You really like him, huh?” It was as if Sun already knew the answer.
Caught off guard, you felt a bit exposed, like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Why were you so eager to talk about your radio friend with an animatronic? It was an unusual situation, but there was something comforting about possibly opening up to Sun.
“Mmm...” you hesitated, trying to find the right words. “I do like him. He keeps me company during the night, and, well, I don’t really have the chance to meet many people, so... talking to him has been... nice,” you confessed, feeling a mix of relief and intimacy in sharing these thoughts so unexpectedly.
You couldn’t help but wonder, though, if you were projecting your feelings onto your radio friend.
After all, you had been communicating for a good month now, but that didn’t necessarily mean he saw you as a friend...
There was also a possibility that you were building this up into something much more than what it really was- something like that could mean you were in for a big disappointment later...
Sun’s expression softened, and it seemed to understand the depth of your feelings, even if they were confused.
“It’s great to find someone you connect with, even if it’s through the radio,” he said gently. “Don’t worry too much about labels or what-ifs... In fact, I think I can confidently say that he sees you as a friend too.”
Your spiraling thoughts spurred on by Sun’s words were interrupted by a noise of high-pitched static.
Your eyes shot up, alarmed, to see the Sun pressing a large hand to the side of its head, its eyes darkening briefly before it seemed to regain control, shaking off whatever had momentarily overwhelmed it.
“-ah! rude...” The Sun whispered to itself, the words just audible enough for you to catch.
Worried about its well-being, you couldn’t help but blurt out hastily, “Are you okay!?” Your instinct was to reach out and offer comfort, but you hesitated, unsure if touching the animatronic would be appropriate or awkward.
The Sun glanced at you, offering a reassuring smile. “Oh, I’m fine, really,” it assured you. “Just a teeny-TINY glitch. Happens to the best of us! Now, where were we?” It seemed to dismiss the momentary hiccup, returning to its cheerful self.
Sun swiftly shifted through topics, showering you with jokes and astonishing acrobatics that left you captivated by its undeniable stage presence (and had you questioning why it was confined to ONLY the Daycare).
It was all the more disappointing when the short but thrilling forty-minute adventure came to an end. Being worse was the fact you hadn’t gathered much information about your elusive friend on the other side of the radio as you had intended either...
“Thank you, Sun,” you said, smiling gratefully as the animatronic walked you back to the Daycare entrance. The time had not all been wasted, you did manage to meet Sun, and he was more than enough of a reward for coming in so early.
Sun even went so far as to play the perfect gentleman, allowing you to gently hold onto his arm as he bid you adieu.
“AnyANY time! Any friend of... you-know-who is DEFINITELY a friend of mine!” Sun boomed, making sure to hold the Daycare doors open a little wider for you to pass through.
“Heh... I guess ‘you-know-who’ really doesn’t want me to know even his name, huh?” you remarked, hyper-aware of Sun’s deliberate effort to avoid mentioning it.
Sun looked a tad sheepish, his usual radiant presence momentarily dimming before bouncing back with enthusiasm. “Sorry- it’s not my secret to share...” he replied, genuinely apologetic.
With a thoughtful nod, you understood. Your mysterious friend had his reasons for keeping things under wraps, and it wasn’t your place to push him (or those that knew them) to reveal more than they were comfortable with.
You would just need to find an appreciation for the mysterious nature of the whole situation...
“Well, Sun, you’ve been an amazing companion today,” you said, genuinely grateful for the entertaining encounter. “I hope to visit again really soon.”
The animatronic beamed brightly, genuinely pleased by your words. “Looking forward to it!”
There was a moment as both of you lingered by the Daycare doors that made you want to fill in the silence with something else; words were on the tip of your tongue when Sun suddenly spoke instead.
“What do you think of the monsters in storybooks?” Sun asked, his prior wide beaming grin still in place, but his voice took on a more serious tone that shook you.
What an odd question, you thought, shaking off the weird tingle that was working on the back of your neck as you shrugged.
“...I- Well...” you searched for the right words, “I think that a lot of stories need a bad guy.”
The way Sun stared at you made you feel small, like the answer to this bizarre question meant more than he was willing to share, but why?
You adverted your gaze toward the floor, suddenly finding your shoes interesting as you sought out any distraction.
“But... I don’t think it’s that simple...” you continued, “A lot of classic stories are just told from one perspective. If we were to flip them... suddenly the one pegged as the monster isn’t one at all.”
A noise caught your attention, causing you to glance up in time to see Sun rapping his fingertips against the door frame. The pattern was rhythmic and slow, thoughtful but precise, like something else was being shared without your knowledge.
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“That could be quite a dangerous sentiment, you know.” Sun pointed out, pulling your focus back to him as he continued his trademark smile and mirth. “Just... be careful in the dark, little security guard.”
You were set to question him, try and decode what he said, but before you could even get a word out, the heavy wooden doors of the Daycare shut close- leaving you standing there in semi-shock.
“What does that even mean?!” you yelled, cheeks puffed out as the confusion gnawed at you.
An hour later, as you were beginning your route, you heard the first hiss of static from your radio which was a clear sign your friend had signed on for the night.
“So, first things first. I met him!” you excitedly spoke into the headset, eager to share about your time with the Sunny Daycare Attendant.
“Thoughts?” came the deep, soft reply.
"10/10! Sun was absolutely wonderful! I can see why you like him so much!” you raved, happy to share something between the two of you. “In fact, I think I need to change who my favorite is now.”
You quickly and enthusiastically shared your experience with Sun, gushing about how wonderful he was for a few minutes straight before you became worried about the lack of response from your friend’s side...
Concerned that the signal might be lost, you turned up the volume and listened carefully, realizing almost instantly that he deliberately chose not to reply.
“...”
Feeling a sense of unease, you quietly asked yourself if something was wrong before you had the nerve to ask him.
“Hey. You okay over there?” As you anxiously awaited his reply, you halted mid-step on your route, rooted in your spot.
After what felt like forever, he finally spoke, but his voice sounded far from okay. It seemed agitated and on the edge.
“Yes.”
“What’s going on?” you asked, clearly not buying it as your voice filled with genuine worry. You took small steps backward until your back pressed against the hallway wall, seeking support as you waited for his reply.
“Are you okay?”
He responded with a curt “Yes,” but there was an unmistakable tone of disdain and anger in his voice.
Obviously, there was something he wasn’t telling you.
“Don’t bullshit me. What’s up with you?” you asked directly, feeling the need to press for answers. Your fingertips rested against the physical box of the radio as if holding onto it would steady your nerves- it wasn’t like you could see him; in fact, if he decided to turn off his radio for the night, that would end all communication there and then.
“Language,” he shot back almost automatically as if it were a reflex. You sensed it was only a cover for his current attitude and mood. Something deeper was going on, you were sure of that, and you were determined to get to the bottom of it.
You did wait for him to respond, hoping he would open up and share what was bothering him without further nagging from you, but as the seconds ticked by, the air continued to get tense.
You had to keep reminding yourself to be patient and understanding, even if you only wanted to demand answers...
After all, hadn’t you been more than understanding and accommodating at this point?
Wasn’t he the one who suggested visiting Sun before your shift to avoid breaking any rules?
“Did... Did I do something wrong?” you finally asked into the darkness- into the static of the receiver.
There was little doubt in you now that you had put too much weight in this strange little back and forth.
You were so glad that he was not in front of you, that he could not witness how your eyes began to water as you held back frustrated tears.
Ignoring the soft noises of the Megaplex around you, the whirl of security bots in the distance, and the occasion metal ping you’ve come to associate with the building settling into place, you try not to cry.
To distract yourself and help hold back the tears threatening to roll down your cheeks, you reached up and pushed the hair away from your forehead. You let your palm linger there, your clammy skin cool and biting through the shameful heat of becoming emotional over something so small...
“Starlight...”
Finally, his voice broke out over the soft static.
You nearly jumped in place, the volume still set louder than you needed it to be. As you rolled the headset back to a comfortable level, his word finally reached you- was that a nickname?
“No... not mad at you.”
Again his voice carried itself to you. The disdain, anger, and annoyance no longer there but instead replaced with something soothing and soft...
“Just... hate to share...”
You pressed yourself against the wall more firmly, letting the ache from your knees subside as you mulled over his admission.
“I... Sun doesn’t need to be my favorite...” you suggested, heart a bit heavy but also confused that something like this would upset him so badly.
There was another pause, and again you worried you may have crossed some invisible boundary when suddenly you heard a soft chuckle.
“...Silly, starlight.” he continued, his voice still that same velvet calm that lightened the mood almost instantly.
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“What do you mean then?” you asked, feeling sheepish, knowing you did not follow what he was trying to say, but it felt important.
“...We- I share soo much. No choice.” the sound of the microphone made his voice waiver in audio static that tickled your ear. “...I- didn’t want to share you.” a heavy pause lingered between the two of you before he continued, “-But you are soo curious.”
“Share me?” you asked back, feeling a soft flush of heat on your face as you blushed.
What he said felt like a compliment, but it also left you open to soo many more questions than it answered.
“I...” you searched for the right words, “I wouldn’t just stop talking to you because of Sun. He was nice and all, but you and I have been talking for a while now and...” you let your hand trail down your face, resting against your cheek to relax the still present blush that lingered there. “I look forward to speaking with you... even though you don’t exactly trust me.”
“Don’t trust you?” his voice was barely above a whisper; you imagined he would be stepping closer if he were in front of you.
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“...What is the trust of a monster to you?” he continued to ask, sounding solemn and even ...sad.
What Sun had said at the Daycare doors came to mind as you narrowed your eyes against the darkness of the hallway. “You’re not a monster,” you responded a bit too quickly. “Did you mention something like that to Su-”
“Sure of that?” he cut you off mid-sentence, the radio whining in your ear as it dipped to pick up his voice on the frequency. “You haven’t even seen me...”
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“Don’t even know my name...”
“And whose fault is that?” you shot back, pushing away from the wall while taking a step forward- the movement may have been wasted, done for no reason other than to satisfy yourself.
“...you would run, starlight.”
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You wanted to argue with him, but you also knew he could be being honest with you- that slight fear nipping the back of your senses like an annoying, intrusive thought.
“Being silly, Starlight- trying to get close when you should run away.”
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The way he spoke those words to you made you feel small for apparently not hiding your own eagerness to meet him.
In your mind, you supposed he thought you were naive and perhaps stupid for trying so hard- your face went red in humiliation.
“Yeah, well... It’s not what you think.” you murmured, “I- I have a boyfriend anyways, so it’s not like I’m...” As the words left your mouth, you wished you could snatch them back. No one had mentioned any kind of feelings; even saying that alone kinda hinted at you having a stupid crush-
did you have a crush on him?
“...So...Do you have a boyfriend?” he asked, taking you by surprise.
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“Why?” you deadpanned, looking down at the ground as you carefully stumbled through the conversation. “You want to ask me on a date?” it was hard not to let sarcasm steep into your words, but you were pacing now, left and right, between the two walls of the hallway as your anxiety grew.
“...and if I said maybe?” his voice sank into something new, his tone taking on a teasing edge. “Knowing nothing of me- what would Starlight say?... Do you have a boyfriend?”
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“No,” you answered honestly, unable to stop the mixture of emotions that began to bubble to the surface as you tensed.
You were tired of the games, tired of the mystery surrounding this person on the other end of your radio. A hint of bitterness seeped into your voice, reflecting how you felt about being played with...
As you stood there, challenging him with your directness, a strange and familiar noise echoed above in the rafters’ shadows. The unexpected sound stole your attention, only diverting your focus for a moment...
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The soft hiss in the headset proceeded his response: “-you never told me your name...” he said without a hint of shame.
For a moment, you were taken aback. It was true; you had never shared your name with him in all your conversations. It felt unintentional, but if you were being honest, you had done it with purpose- wanting to get back at him for never telling you his...
Nevertheless, the newfound vulnerability in his voice intrigued you, and you felt a desire to reciprocate...
“Why would you want to know my name?” you dared to ask, but the rest of your thought stuck in your mind, “especially now.” You quickly bit down on your tongue to stop yourself from saying more.
Inside your chest, your heart was pounding furiously, the anticipation building to an almost unbearable level. Every crackle and hiss from the radio seemed to echo in your ears as you waited, hanging on to the edge of your seat for his next move.
“...because,” his voice responded, but there was something strange about it as if it was doubled, coming both from the radio and from somewhere else.
The eerie sensation sent chills down your spine, yet you couldn’t pull yourself away from waiting to see what he would say next.
You stood facing the wall you stopped at during your pacing. Your senses were heightened, and it took a moment for you to notice the red light beginning to swirl around you, enveloping you in an otherworldly glow.
The only sensation you were faintly aware of was the weight of someone’s gaze on your back- and you could feel the intensity of their stare like a physical touch.
“I want to know...who I’m looking at...” his voice resonated, but this time, it was not confined to the radio. The realization hit you like a lightning bolt; he was here with you.
Coaxed on by a mixture of fear excitement, you slowly turned around, the world around you seemingly fading away as you faced the unknown. The red glow intensified, creating an ethereal aura around the mysterious figure before you.
“...look at me,” he whispered, his voice echoing through the air, captivating and commanding all at once.
You couldn’t tear your eyes away, locked in your position, staring at the person behind the voice on the radio.
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