Michael Runner adjusted his dark blue hat again and sucked in a breath. Then he pushed open the heavy metal office door with a creak, stepping inside with wide eyes. The security office had seemed so much friendlier during the day, especially with the manager on duty giving him a quick tour, music echoing through the halls and the friendly chatter of customers off in the distance. But at night?
At night it sent chills up his spine.
The only sounds were the whirring, clanking fan, a few low, throaty hums down the hall from various machines and heaters, and the keys dangling from his own belt. And his heartbeat. Michael swore he could feel his heartbeat through his shirt and tie.
He sighed shakily and shut the door behind him. Then, as per his instructions, he sank down in the old leather chair and waited.
The phone rang seconds later. Michael yelped and jumped, knocking over a few file folders, and he hurriedly scrambled to pick them up before picking up the phone. An unfamiliar voice crackled to life.
"Hello? Hello, hello?"
Michael swallowed and nodded. "Hello? F - Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, how can I - "
But the voice continued. "Uh, I wanted to record a message for you to help you get settled in on your first night. Um, I actually worked in the office before you."
Michael blinked and tilted his head. A recording? How was he listening to a recording if the phone had been ringing? Usually recordings were left on the answering machine. Still, the message sounded important, so he shrugged and listened.
"I'm finishing on my last week now, as a matter of fact," the voice continued. "So, I know it can be a bit overwhelming, but I'm here to tell you there's nothing to worry about. Uh, you'll do fine. So let's just focus on getting you through your first week. Okay? Uh, let's see, first there's an introductory greeting from the company that I'm supposed to read. Uh, it's kind of a legal thing, you know. Um, "Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. A magical place for kids and grown-ups alike, where fantasy and fun come to life. Fazbear Entertainment is not responsible for damage to property or person. Upon discovering that damage or death has occurred, a missing person report will be filed within 90 days, or as soon property and premises have been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpets have been replaced."
Michael paled and blinked. "Wait. Wait, what? Why is this protocol? You mean people have actually died in this place? I - " he stammered, clutching the file folders in his hands closer to his chest.
"Blah, blah, blah. Now that might sound bad, I know, but there's really nothing to worry about. Uh, the animatronic characters here do get a bit quirky at night, but do I blame them? No. If I were forced to sing those same stupid songs for twenty years and I never got a bath? I'd probably be a bit irritable at night too. So, remember, these characters hold a special place in the hearts of children and we need to show them a little respect, right? Okay."
The new night guard barely heard the next few words, up until the man on the phone went into more details.
"So, just be aware, the characters do tend to wander a bit. Uh, they're left in some kind of free roaming mode at night. Uh... something about their servos locking up if they get turned off for too long. Uh, they used to be allowed to walk around during the day too. But then there was The Bite of '87. Yeah. I-It's amazing that the human body can live without the frontal lobe, you know?"
Michael started shaking and very nearly threw up then and there. His gang couldn't have picked a worse spot for him to stake out for a hiding place! They all probably had easy ones, like the Looping Bridge over the Mississippi River, or the weird house in the woods, or -
"Uh, now concerning your safety, the only real risk to you as a night watchman here, if any, is the fact that these characters, uh, if they happen to see you after hours probably won't recognize you as a person. They'll pr - they'll most likely see you as a metal endoskeleton without its costume on. Now since that's against the rules here at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, they'll probably try to . . . forcefully stuff you inside a Freddy Fazbear suit. Um, now, that wouldn't be so bad if the suits themselves weren't filled with crossbeams, wires, and animatronic devices, especially around the facial area. So, you could imagine how having your head forcefully pressed inside one of those could cause a bit of discomfort . . . and death. Uh, the only parts of you that would likely see the light of day again would be your eyeballs and teeth when they pop out the front of the mask, heh."
"Are you kidding me?!" Michael squeaked out, holding the files so closely that the paper crinkled. His eyes darted furtively around the room. The guy was kidding, right? He had to be kidding. It had to be some sort of hazing ritual for new security guards.
"Y - yeah, they don't tell you these things when you sign up. But hey, first day should be a breeze. I'll chat with you tomorrow. Uh, check those cameras, and remember to close the doors only if absolutely necessary. Gotta conserve power. Alright, good night."
Michael frowned and slammed the phone back down. "f*ck you! Really funny. Ha, ha," he snapped. His hand shook when he reached for the camera tablet, and he glanced briefly at the instruction packet while starting it up. Then he held up the tablet and clicked through a few of the cameras. Where were those animatronics he'd seen on the tour?
