Light coming from a flashlight blinded me. I blinked a couple of times trying to adjust and looked around. I was still in my office, but something was different - the fan was on despite me not turning it on, and my desk was wet in a couple of spots. “God am I drooling?” I turned off the flashlight that woke me up. It was exactly 1 am. I stretched in my chair and yawned. Suddenly shivers went down my spine.

I remembered what happened before I fell asleep, but it couldn’t have happened in reality. Animatronics can’t move on their own, cables barely allow them to move on stage, let alone to make their way to the office - at least that’s what I got from the handbook I received in mail a couple of days ago. They did mention some newer animatronics that were able to walk around, but I was aware that Fazbear Entertainment wasn’t able to afford these machines in this location (fnaf fp reference B)). “Besides, if that were true, I wouldn’t be able to sleep for the past hour”

I got up from the chair, deliberately delaying looking at the cameras. “Actually, I don’t need them. I can just walk up to the stage” - I thought while turning the flashlight back on. Unsure of what to expect I peeked into the corridor, through the left door. The entire place was completely dark, despite me not turning off the lights. Slowly I moved forward, listening to the echo of my own footsteps. My breath got faster the closer I got to my goal - the main Dining area. But on my way there, there was one more door that I felt the need to check out.

I pulled on the handle and opened the door. Small room was filled with multiple bottles of cleaning supplies, a lot of old and new rags and a couple of empty buckets. It didn’t seem like there was anything interesting in it. Despite that I felt like something wasn’t okay with this place. I felt hair on my back starting to get up while the temperature seemed to fall down. I felt creeped out and quickly left the broom storage, lighting up the corridor with my flashlight. I almost felt relieved not seeing anything in it. Almost as if I expected to see some terrible creature.

“I should just turn on the lights instead of using this trashy flashlight” - I thought to myself when the light blinked a little. I turned around towards the dining area, blankly staring at the scratched door. After a moment I pushed the fake wood, entering the next room.

The dining area without the lights on looked even scarier than before, and my dollar-store flashlight couldn’t reach enough to show me what’s on the stage. I took a couple of breaths to calm down my mind and walked ahead. The main area at Freddy’s pizzeria was quite big, filled with rows of tables decorated with cheap paper hats and plates. There were many doors around it, which sometimes caused confusion among the guests.

Two of them lead to the office, storeroom and the kitchen - one of these was directly behind me. To my right there was the main entrance and the toilet and to the left was a solid looking door hiding secrets of the parts and service section of the restaurant. Suddenly I stepped on something made out of paper. I reached down for the little hat and put it back on the nearest table, finally, almost accidentally, looking at the stage.

I was avoiding the stage with my eyes, because from the moment I entered, I knew that even though my flashlight was terrible, it would show at least the silhouettes of the characters on stage. But it did not. The stage was empty aside of a couple of speakers, a microphone stand and the background made up of badly cut clouds and a wooden sun. The lack of animatronics made my heartbeat faster. I wanted to run as far as possible but my legs stayed in place like frozen. I heard sounds around me. Something was creeping closer, something I couldn’t yet see. Something… “Oh fucking shut up” I reprimended myself in my mind and instantly calmed down.

“They are not on stage. So what? This can mean that I was mistaken and that the animatronics here are advanced enough to walk on their own. But does that explain that event an hour ago? If yes then those machines are capable of opening heavy doors with just one hand, and this means they are strong enough to easily crush me.” - I took another breath. - “But why would they want to hurt me?” - My mind instantly gave me the answer in the form of a passage from the instructional handbook. - “Because they think I am an endoskeleton”.

“The handbook mentioned that animatronics could try to hide naked endoskeletons into proper suits, and that there is technically a possibility of an animatronic mistaking a human being for an endoskeleton. Or at least that’s what the >experts< think, cause this never happened. Supposedly…” - finished the pessimistic voice in my head “In short - I’m right now alone in a pizzeria with three or possibly four animatronics walk around nearly noiselessly on their felt padded paws and could kill me at any point, which they have proven already if the events of the last hour weren’t a dream.” A soft screech of metal ripped me away from my thoughts.

Based on the direction of the sound I assumed it came from the kitchen. I started to walk ahead slowly, hoping that it’s just some rat knocking over pans, which was highly probable knowing the history of this pizzeria and numerous incidents with rodents and not so high sanitary standards in the location. Step after step I got closer to the door leading into the “east” corridor. I myself didn’t understand what I was so afraid of. An animatronic attack was highly unlikely, but on the other hand - the robots could walk around, so maybe they wouldn’t have to attack me to kill me. Hundreds kilograms of metal and servos running down at me could probably rearrange my insides to outside in a matter of seconds.

Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

Finally I stood before the door. I pushed it gently and entered the corridor. I saw the right entrance to my office in front of me, and to the left there was, hanging on old hinges, without any locks or even a knob, a door to the kitchen. Quickly I turned off the flashlight and moved towards the door on my fingers, trying to not cause any noise.

I peeked through the gap between the doors but I couldn’t see any movement inside. But only then I realized that the kitchen is lit. I pushed the door softly, scanning the kitchen, tightening my grip on my flashlight to the point of it causing me pain. “God I’m fucking blind.” I thought to myself as I saw him. Almost two meters tall bear stood there, holding some long and round object in his paw. My muscles tensed up and legs redied up to running, but because of the way I stood, the sudden movement of my body caused my leg to cramp up. I lost my balance. The door creaked loudly and Freddy straightened up, noticing my presence. Suddenly he turned around and I finally could get a good look at it.

Freddy seemed to be somewhat shorter than an hour ago, maybe because of the perspective but he seemed to have more human proportions. His eyes also lacked that silvery glint and his movement seemed more fluid. All of this gave him a bit of a surreal aura. Animatronic tilted his head, looking at me with visible interest, slowly turning the thing he held in his hand.

The kitchen’s light wasn’t good enough for me to realize what he was holding, but it seemed rigid like a metal pipe. And yet he was moving it with such ease. Suddenly he stopped and I heard a weird noise. It felt like laughter, not exactly robotic, not exactly human. The creature made a step in my direction. His movement was weirdly natural. I shuddered at the thought of how strong he had to be to move in this manner. As if he weren’t a giant bear.

But there was a certain beauty in his appearance. His steps filled me with dread but also didn’t make me run away. My mind didn’t know what to do so I just stood like a pillar of salt looking at the beast approaching me closer and closer. He was constantly playing with the long object, while the darkness of his empty eyes stared at me, just like I stared at it. “If you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you” I remembered a quote I heard a while ago. And only then the machine finally stopped, sighing with something I could mistake for a human breath if I didn’t know better. It slowly reached its hand out towards the bottom end of the thing it held, I saw as he grabbed something, barely able to hold onto it with the thick fingers of his paws. Then he pulled the pin.

— Welcome to your new job! — I heard a manly voice. Freddy, now covered in confetti, stared at me, not doing anything for a little bit too long.

— Oh, oh my, I’m sorry! I scared you? — He laughed softly and covered the face of his mask with his hand. — We have this custom here to welcome every new worker in Freddy's suit! I hope I wasn't too terrifying! — He sounded genuinely worried.

— I… — Not able to find the right word, I paused. — I just didn’t expect this.

— Yeah, makes sense! — He laughed. — Not everyone expects a giant bear in the kitchen at this early hour. Especially because I’m not supposed to be here.

— Which means?

— Well… — He seemed nervous. — Only you are allowed to stay at the pizzeria’s grounds after midnight till around six o’clock. I’m here illegally, don’t tell anyone! — He put a finger to his lips in a silencing motion.

— OH Yeah! I heard about it. — I answered, finally relaxing a little and taking a big breath.

— Yeah… — He shook his head slowly. — Oh well, if I’m already here I might as well accompany you for a while.

— If you want.

— Of course I want to! I scared you a fair bit, so it’s only fair I pay it back in some way.

— You don’t have to. — I blurted out, despite actually wanting for him to stay.

— Well, now it’s too late for that anyway. — He said when a tabletop alarm rang behind his back. — I made a pizza! Want some?

— I… — He interrupted me.

— Well. You did fall asleep while at work, and I am here despite you supposedly guarding the place. And one of the rules is to not use the kitchen supplies after closing. — He laughed softly. — I won’t tell anyone about that if you stay quiet about my little fun!

— I didn’t intend to! — I started, but soon realized that he was right.

— Oh, by the way I am Freddy! — He grabbed my hand and shook it. — Work here was written in my stars it seems.

— Y/N. — I answered. The suit was very cold, but his grip seemed human.

— Okay so since we aren’t strangers anymore - what do you say about eatin’ that damn pizza?

— Sure! — I stepped into the kitchen.

— Oh, no, you don’t have to do anything. — He blocked my way carefully. — I will take care of everythin’, you just go sit in the dining area. Think of it as a date!

— A what?! — I blushed a little, but Freddy just chuckled and pointed me towards the door out of the kitchen.

I quickly left, trying to avoid further dialogue. I sat at the first table and started thinking. “He is a weird fella, but seems to be kind of cool”. I started my staring match with the starry tablecloth. I heard him walking around the kitchen, he was banging on plates and knives, he seemed to be in his element. At least that’s how it sounded. I knew I had to ask him about one thing.

Soon after I heard his steps just behind my back. I didn’t look at him because I still felt that my face was red from embarrassment. When he got closer I finally spoke up.

— So, where are the animatronics? — I pointed at the stage. — Where is Freddy?

He instantly stopped in his tracks. “Maybe he doesn’t know?” - I thought to myself.

— Here. — I heard his voice, once again it sounded weird. “Why does he keep changing it? It’s not very funny.” I got irritated.

— Here, meaning where? — I hoped that he wouldn't hear my mocking tone.

His paw strongly grabbed my arm and effortlessly turned me around. I was looking right into the metalic eyes of Freddy, who had bent down to be on the same level as me. I felt the sickening stench of decay and pizza. Confetti was still pouring from his jaws in a surreal scene where a murderous machine was only pretending to be a soft and friendly teddy bear.

— Behind you. — A robotic voice screeched from the spe

aker inside his chest. — Just behind you.