FNAF Chapter 1

Written as a request for /5N@F/.

This is my attempt at doing something of my own.

Feel free to give feedback, make requests, or ask questions.

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Freddy Fazbear's Pizza stands boldly in the middle of your local community hub. Just a minute's walk from the shopping center one way and two minutes from the park in the other. That's the way you came, through the wide field of grass and forest land. For a work route it's rather scenic, or at least it would be if you came during the day. You however work the night shift. And that makes the trip dark, unlit and dangerous.

Your first walk to work was scary for sure. You're a reasonably tall, bulky guy. Sure, that bulk's around your stomach instead of your arms. But that's why you're walking, right? Well, no; You're walking because $4 an hour isn't even enough to live on. Though with the way your job is going you're not sure that's going to be too much of a problem.

Sitting down on the brick wall across from your work place you enjoy a precious few minutes of air. Winter is coming on fast and though the autumn is warmer than usual this year, you can feel the nip of frost. It's nice just relaxing for a while. Though you have only the occasional noise of a car to keep you company, you're not alone with your thoughts. Something that recently seems to be inescapable.

You remember coming here as a kid. Not a whole bunch. In fact your parents preferred taking you to their competitors. The memory doesn't stick in your mind a whole bunch, especially not the animatronics. Most of what you remember are the arcade games which you can find anywhere, or the sugary drinks. You loved the ones with chopped up ice. Though, they always ended up being just unflavoured ice in the end.

You're sure once there was a ball pit. Certain in fact. Though that might have been at the place with the cats. All those have since gone out of business though, leaving Fazbear's a remnant of a bygone era.

There were a few of them over the years, all part of the same larger company. Fazbear Entertainment you think. At least, that's who writes your paychecks. There was a big merge a few years ago, all the robots they could salvage landed together in this joint.

And you watch them.

Well. Time to get in you suppose. Your shift doesn't start for another two hours at least, but you're here for other reasons.

Pulling yourself to your feet you take easy steps to the building's doors. Unlocking the door with one key and turning off the alarm with the other you pocket them in your jacket and hang it. With brief hesitation you make your way over to the main room. This late in the night you're alone, the main animatronics are up on the stage while the others. Well, they don't have set places per say.

Leaning up against one of the confetti painted tables you look over your captors. They seem deactivated, but you know better. It doesn't take long for one of them to start up.

"Hey there Mike." Bonnie calls through her electronic voice box. She's using that voice again. "Early to work again."

Each animatronic has a preset voice, chosen by the company to be friendly and cutesy for the kids. You hear them when you come in during the day. But now that it's just you and them, it's like they're more comfortable.

It's deep, but still obviously feminine. Her words fluctuating only a little about the same note. Like she's tired of her 'acting' voice.

"Yeah just thought I'd make use of the facilities." You keep your response terse, not wanting to say too much. Up until recently you would have laughed at yourself for talking to a robot. But these. They're not just robots.

Bonnie turns on the spot to look at Freddy, who either is actually deactivated, or is ignoring you. Satisfied that your plan was fine, she turns back.

They're in this weird phase right now where they're not set up for the day shift, but they're not in night mode. Not yet at least. The fighting for your life bit comes later. You're not sure what it is that changes them, but you've come to learn that they won't lay a finger on you before 12.

"Freddy not gonna sing for me tonight?" You tease, immediately regretting it. Bonnie shakes her head in response.

"Saving his energy for tonight." Her words make you uncomfortable. Freddy is the only one you have difficulty managing, and they know it. Everybody else you've worked up a routine for except him. He's just too unpredictable, even when he tells you he's coming. It's like he's taunting you.

"I don't suppose there's any chance you guys could take it easy on me, is there?" You offer, knowing full well what the answer is.

She shakes her head, the long robotic ears on her head falling back to hang down. You remember seeing that as a kid and loving it. Bonnie was your favourite after all. Her and the chicken. You were never a fan of the fox. You're not sure what it is, maybe because he was so popular with all the other kids. You hated his popularity. That sounds a lot like you. But there's something more to it, you're sure of that.

Freddy is just Freddy. You hated kids who said he was their favourite on principle. It's like saying the main character of a book is your favourite character. It's just dumb.

Looking over Bonnie you can see how the years have worn her down. Though considering how long it's been, she's doing pretty well for herself. Heck you're in your late 20s and she was around before you were a kid. She notices you looking and turns her head down as far as it will go, looking at herself to see if something is amiss.

"My eyes are up here." The rabbit teases. It takes you by surprise how human she can be. On the day of your interview you had the chance to meet the main cast of animatronics. The difference is an immediate contrast. If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes you'd have never believed they could be kid friendly.

"Sorry." You feel a little foolish for apologising to a robot, lifting up from your position to walk about a little. Your hand skims the backs of the chairs while you make sure everything's in place. The day staff tend to neaten things up as they leave, but often they're a bit lazy about it.

The occasional car you could hear before has gone now, locked inside your work place until 6AM comes. The only reprieve from the silence now is the gentle whirring of Bonnie from behind you.

Wait, behind you?

With a jump you turn to face the bunny, a little surprised she sneaked up on you like that. Sometimes you forget.

"It's time to do the rounds, right?" Gesturing to the other rooms Bonnie's ears lift back up, making her seem a lot taller than she actually is. "I'll come with you."

At just over four foot tall, you'd feel as though you could tell her no. That is if she weren't a psychotic killer. With a nod you turn and make your way over to the arcade first. This is where you spent all your time as a kid, amidst the giant plastic cabinets and awful screens.

Most of them still work, only the occasional taped up sign hiding a broken screen or faulty system. You feel like most of these aren't even used that much now given how prevalent home consoles and phones are. You flick the light up and give the room a cursory look around, pocketing up the occasional coin you find.

Nothing's wrong, nothing ever is. But you have a job, and while the clock hasn't started you don't want to give the robots the wrong idea. Bonnie seems to have busied herself with one cabinet. You've seen her here before, on the cameras during your actual night shift. She looks a lot less haunting with the lights on.

You leave her to it and go to leave, but the bunny is on your heels before you can even make it to the hall. Most of the cast avoid you. Or at least, keep their distance. Bonnie is the exception. On afternoons she talks to you, and at night she's the first visitor you get.

Passing by the stage, Chica turns her head to watch you. It's unnerving but you ignore her, not wanting to give her the chance to start anything.  The next room takes a while to light up, the halogen lights sputtering when you try them. It's bright though, lighting up all the mold and dust that creeps up in the room's corners. This is the last room you want to enter, especially with Bonnie behind you. So you make do with inspecting the backstage with your eyes instead of your hands.

Yep. Creepy as always.

One thing you do make sure to check is the camera, the red light is on as you'd hoped. Every night you leave your display on this room, just to make sure it's active. Satisfied, you turn to leave, dipping around the rabbit on your way. She stays for a moment, lingering in the doorway before she switches off the light.

"Don't suppose you can take it easy on me tonight?" You ask her once she meets up with you. The question has fallen on deaf ears in the past, but you see no reason why you shouldn't try. Any chance of lessening the chance of painful, agonizing death is worth trying.

"It's Wednesday. We have been taking it easy on you." She flatly responds, her eyes following the drawings that litter the walls. Passing by your office you eye the clock. 10:52. Cool, you have lots of time left.

The next couple of rooms go by without incident. Party rooms are always empty bar the occasional dropped item. You have a small cardboard box filled with combs and things you keep in your office. You've told the day staff about it but they either don't get asked or don't care, over time it only seems to fill.

You make sure not to linger now, you still have things to do before your shift starts and you're not even on the clock. Breezing through the toy animatronic room you make sure not to disturb them. You don't want more to deal with than you already have.

Bonnie hasn't left your side, silent beside the gentle whirring and piston of servos. You feel like you should offer some conversation, but struggle. What do you even share in common?

"So..." Bonnie turns to face you, her eyes reading your face. "Say you did catch me. Who would I be?"

She seems confused by your question, so you elaborate.

"Like, what suit? Surely there can't be two Freddys?"

"Do you really want to talk about that Mike?" The robotic tin of her voice is unnerving in how realistic it is and you have difficulty getting over it.

You suppose you don't. You've been here a month now so the initial shock and fear of the whole situation is over. But some things you just don't want to think about. In the past you've tried talking to them, convincing them to leave you alone, that you're a nice guy. Nothing works.

Passing straight by Pirate Cove without so much as a glance you return to the main stage's tables.

"Did Foxy do something wrong?"

"Besides try to kill me?" You scoff in response.

She tilts her head at you but otherwise doesn't question it. One of her arms reaches over to a table, picking up one of the dull knives. She attempts to play with it in her fingers but the robotic fingers aren't dexterous enough. It doesn't stop her from trying anyway, each time it falls she picks it back up again.

You watch for a while, at the least interested. You'd like to understand what makes them act like this. Maybe you can stop them from trying to kill you. It makes you wonder, do they need help?

Shaking your head you purge the thoughts. They're killer robots, they want to kill you. In an hour, you're going to be doing your best to stop them. Why are you trying to be nice?

Leaving Bonnie to her devices you make your way to the office, picking up a duffel bag you stored in the corner. Thanks to the fantastic pay you get and the cost of houses here, you've started to almost live at your work. You have a stash of supplies and make use of the facilities here since you're alone after daylight hours.

When you return, Bonnie has gone.

Not wanting to cut your time short you don't bother to question it. Instead making your way towards the bathrooms to finally get your shower. The apartment you're living at doesn't have even the basic amenities, so you have to make do. Tossing your duffel bag on the floor you remove your clothes, hanging each over the toilet stalls.

The shower you're in is probably made for kids who make a mess while they're here. It even has a hose at the base. She shower itself is large, metal and bare. But even a bad shower is better than no shower, and you're not going to turn down hot water. This isn't your first time so you throw your hesitation aside with your laundry.

The echo of water fills the tile room and the warmth is uplifting. It almost makes what you have to do tonight bearable. You can keep telling yourself that, anyway. You're two arms and a leg down when you turn about to let some of the warmth permeate your back. Bonnie is standing only an inch or two from your face, staring at you with dull eyes. Grabbing a hold of the stall next to you and cutting your hand in the process you just about manage to avoid slipping. The shock causing your heart to double its efforts.

It can't possibly be 12 already. No, you made sure you had plenty of time, this could never happen. Preparing for the worst you cover your face. But nothing comes.

With hesitation your hand drops to reveal Bonnie still there, still staring at you. The water pattering off the front of her suit darkening patches. Except she's not looking at your face, her head tilted down to...

Oh.

"My face is up here." You call, repeating her words from earlier. And when that doesn't work, you cover yourself up.

"Mike." She response, almost urgently. "You shouldn't have your endoskeleton exposed." Closing that few inch of a gap you get up close and personal with Bonnie, trapped between her and a wall. As a positive, she's no longer intent on gazing at your crotch, but now the water is pouring on her.

You're pretty sure your job includes making sure the animatronics don't get broken. Before you can make an attempt to sidle out, Bonnie has her hand on your wrist. The wet fabric clamped far too tight, and as she pulls you back violently you're sure it's fractured. Faltering a little you fall to your elbows. You miss when the shower was soothing.

Opening your eyes you're met with the robot's own, the plastic imitation of an eye covering up the LED light. Though it seems more fake than usual this close, you can't help but see the human in her. In all the time you've seen Bonnie, this is the first her eyes have ever been wide open. Usually she has that half asleep, not all here thing going for her. Convinced as a child that they malfunctioned and nobody bothered to fix it.

It only takes you a moment to ponder what could be the problem, oh right, you're on top of her. It's only now you notice the stinging, you're definitely going to have bruises in the morning. Animatronics are not comfortable to land on. You roll onto your side, then your back, and hoist yourself up. Your hand is bleeding quite a bit now, but you're sure the building has a first aid kit. And you only got a bit on Bonnie.

At least you hope that's yours.

For a moment you stay on the floor, checking yourself to make sure nothing's seriously hurt. Sure that you'll be fine for the next half an hour or so you hoist yourself to your feet and find yourself a towel. Half way putting on your uniform you look back to Bonnie. She's still on the floor, eyes wide and unmoving. In fact, you're sure she's not making as much noise anymore either. That's not a good sign.

The usual whirring has gone, or at least it's quieter. You're not a mechanic, and the last thing you want to be doing is messing about with her components. Especially with your hurt hands. The best thing you can do right now is remove some of her suit, let the air in to dry her.

If that doesn't fix it, well. You're fucked either way.

With a heft and a fair amount of pain you manage to pull her head up. It's more difficult than you expected thanks to her ears. You have to admit, you prefer the face by far. Endoskeletons have always terrified you. While you have the time you confirm your theory, looking at the eyelids of the suit. Curiously, they're not attached to anything. They're separate.

Placing Bonnie's head down beside her endoskeleton you attempt to remove her suit. It's stubborn, and after far too much effort you only manage to unlatch and open the front. The sight of more internal robot doesn't make you any more comfortable. Even more than that, the sight of what could end up around you sets in what a phone call couldn't convey. There are sharp metal struts and factory ends all over the place, and if a bath stall is all it takes to defeat you. Well you don't want to think about that anymore.

"Why can't you see, I don't want this Bonnie?" You lament, looking down at her suit's face. Even without eyes you'd rather look at that.

You stuff your old clothes into the bag and turn off the shower. You have a job to do tonight. You'll come to see Bonnie later if she doesn't come to see you first.

The staff room has an emergency box by the door as you suspected, and taking a short amount of gauze you wrap your hand up. You always feel bad for taking things, so you use less than you probably should have. Still, your hand is better now than before, and you'll have to see somebody about that wrist. Great, more expenses.

Sitting back in your seat at a nice 11:56 you take a cursory glance at the camera, you're sure you can spare the power. Bonnie's gone, leaving the bathroom silent and empty, if a little red. You'll clean that up in the morning.

The night goes by without incident, especially for a Wednsday. Bonnie doesn't show all night.
You can only hope that doesn't mean something's changed.
At least the reprieve is welcomed.