MONSTER

“You’re a MONSTER.”

The words stung more than they should have. It wasn’t like it was the first time you had heard it used to describe you. The children said it as they made you what you were, the staff said it when they found you, and even your fellow animatronics, new and old, said it to you nightly, his words should only have felt as dampening as theirs. But it hit you hard. If you had a chest, it would have tightened in anguish, and if you could cry, you would have, but neither of those were options to relieve the pain welled up inside of your broken and crumpled body. All you could use was what little you had left.

The first night you met him, you only watched, deep in the shadows so he would never be able to tell he had a secret admirer. He was so strong and smart. You were enthralled by how he defended himself, and how he kept even the most ornery of the robots at bay with only his wits and a mask. He was like a knight fighting off evil. You had been a princess, so it was natural you would come to such a conclusion.

The second night was much like the first, but you found yourself imagining how he would react to seeing you. He’d probably think you were a mon-... No, this was a knight! Surely a knight could recognize a princess, even if her dress was ripped away and her skeleton was mangled. He was different. You revealed yourself at the end of his shift, and you knew he was frightened, but you assured him you meant him no harm. You would do anything to gain his trust. Just to gain a chance to make someone happy again. Maybe you could forget, for just a moment, what you were. He calmed down, you both talked for the remainder of the night. The others knew better than to mess with you, and kept their distance.

The third night, you were waiting for your knight when he arrived at his station. He greeted you kindly. He wasn’t afraid of you. You could have fallen apart over that fact alone right then and there. Your servos felt so warm and the leds in your cheeks managed a faint glow despite all your broken circuits. You sat by his side all night, and he treated you like you were anyone else. You even caught him casting little smiles and glances at you. You told him how nice it felt to be with someone and accepted, and he agreed that he knew how it felt. Your kin once more stayed away, making him even more happy with your presence. At the end of the night, he asked if he could kiss you. You agreed, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, a human touched you and touched you kindly, lovingly. You spend the rest of the day in the vents, giddy with all these new feelings.

On the fourth night, he kissed you when he arrived. You knew for certain it was true love’s kiss. He asked you to sit on his lap, and you did gladly. He explained to you human feelings. Adult human feelings. How adult humans showed each other they cared by doing certain things. Your programming had never heard of such a thing, but you would try anything if it made him happy. He told you where and how to touch him, and you did. When your fingers got sticky you panicked, worried that he was leaking, but he assured you it was only his body letting you know how much he loved you. He loved you… You waved goodbye and said farewell at the end of his shift, following him all the way to the door.

On the fifth night, he showed you more ways that humans proved their love. He wanted you to use your mouth instead of your hands, and you did, carefully, avoiding any collisions with your teeth. He praised you and called you a good girl and wasn’t shy to tell you how much he loved you with his words and his liquids. When he was ready again, wanted to use more of you. His request to use your empty eye was strange, but you wouldn’t deny your knight’s love. He did, and his love for you dribbled inside your head and dripped from your mouth. You felt sparks, but you didn’t want to scare him. You wanted him to stay happy. And he did.

As the nights turned into a week, the other animatronics were growing restless with your relationship. Freddy put his foot down. You weren’t going to see the guard anymore. He had filled you with so many words and other things, he would probably be so sad without his princess there. The bear threw you into the supply closet and locked it behind him, making sure to call disgusting, and, ugh, that word again. Your fists pound on the door, but no one lets you out. You spend days in there, each one inspiring more anguish. You’re sure he’ll come to save you. He’s a knight.

You had lost track of the days, but it was night when you heard it. You heard your knight! It sounded like he was in pain. A newfound burst of energy fills your limbs, and you bust down the door. In a full gallop, you make it to the office and through the door. Your eyes widen as you watch him paint that chicken’s face with his love.

He turns his head and says, “Oh, there you are.”

When you tell him what happened, his voice is so cold. All he says is, “Oh,” so casually. The chicken moves, sitting by his side, where you should have been. You ask him why she got that treatment, and he explains it all to you.

“When you disappeared, Chica here came in to meet me and explained everything about you and everyone else. She said she could keep me company, and that’s when I learned the robot’s here aren’t so bad when you get to know them. One thing lead to another…”

You’re trembling. What about all the things you had done for him? All the things you had let him do to you? All of the times he said he loved you?

“I just wanted to keep the robots away, and they wouldn’t bug me with you around. I didn’t like how clingy you were getting. Chica understands that, don’t you? No strings. No offense or nothin, but she’s really a lot to look at.”

“But don’t you love me….?” you manage to quiver out of your voice box.

“The sex was kinda weird, but, when it comes down to it,” He laughs a little, “You’re a MONSTER.”

When it happens, you can’t control your limbs. It feels like a dream, slow motion as your once gentle and loving hands grab at him with the force to bruise. Your teeth gnash and dig deep into his skin, coming into contact with bone. Chica retreats into the darkness of the restaurant like the coward she is as you yank on him, dislodging pieces of him and spattering the room with gore. Sticky red tarnishes what’s left of your suit. It feels so much better than white. Your mind repeats the word over and over, every time you heard it replays. Monster. Monster. MONSTER. IF THEY WANTED A MONSTER, THEY COULD HAVE ONE. YOU WOULD BE EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANTED. MAYBE. MAYBE IT MADE THEM HAPPY.

When you were done, your knight was slain. His body was as broken as yours, but humans, unlike monsters, are not deathless.