Archive of Our Own

A sudden sound.

Red Smoke clearing up.

An alarm…

You blink yourself awake and move your hands.

Without thinking, you sit up and move your legs so you can easily slide out of bed, but…

‘’Hmm?’’

Your leg hits something. A wall?

You look at the shallow ledge around the bed and realize that you couldn’t just slide off the bed. You had to do a bit of a climb.

You move your hand on the ledge and push yourself up. You let yourself roll over the ledge and feel your feet landing on a cold floor.

You’re suddenly very aware of how cold the air was and how dark it was.

But your brain is still half-asleep as you look around and see a sleeping pot, where another child was laying.

You know who she is. She’s…

Uh…

Camila?

Yes, Camila.

Camila Hooper, a girl that likes Kissy Missy and Hoppy Hopscotch. Her favorite color was dark pink, and she’s allergic to eggs.

But… why was she sleeping?

School is about to start.

You knock on the pot. ‘’Camila?’’

She wasn’t waking up.

You slowly realize that the pot Camila was sleeping in had Red Smoke in it. That always puts kids to sleep.

Huh… Maybe Camila was having a hard time sleeping?

Wait… That’s not right.

Your brain slowly wakes up as you remember the last thing you saw before you went to sleep.

CatNap…

The Prototype…

DogDay…

The train ride that was canceled.

You look around to see the dark room full of sleeping pots, and inside every pot was a child. Red Smoke filled every pot, keeping them in deep sleep.

The alarm was ringing softly, and an emergency light was flashing.

Wait. Emergency?

Were they in trouble?

Now you had to wake up Camila. Spreading the news about the emergency would go faster with the two of you.

You try to open the pot, but before you can even start to wonder if there was some kind of a button or lock, you’re grabbed from behind.

‘’Child.’’

You turned to see a huge monster looking down at you.

The Prototype…

You remember the Prototype. He had brought you here. He had been the one to lay you in the bed.

You remember how gentle and kind the Prototype had been, and that alone gave you reasons not to fight.

‘’Hush… No need to _{wake her up}.’’

You’re put back down gently.

You feel so small as you stare up at the Prototype, but you know you’re safe. If the Prototype would have been mad, then you would have been yelled at.

‘’_{What are you doing?} You should be sleeping.’’

‘’I… I dunno.’’

The Prototype looks at the sleeping pot that was wide open and seems to piece together what happened.

‘’Ah… ^{The pot} _{is broken}. No wonder you’re awake.’’

‘’I’m sorry…’’

‘’Nonsense. You did _{nothing wrong}. It was my fault.’’

One of the Prototype’s hands reaches to pet your head.

‘’I was the one, _{who didn’t make sure} this pot was in ^{perfect working order} before you were placed in.’’

You hesitate.

‘’Luckily! It’s an _{easy fix}. ^{You can wait until I’m done}.’’

‘’Okay…’’

The Prototype went to work.

You decide to look around and you make a sudden realization.

You’ve grown taller. Your hands looked a little bigger too.

Your voice might have changed as well.

‘’Uh… Prototype?’’

‘’_Yes?’’

‘’Uh… How long… have I been asleep?’’

The Prototype seems to consider you before he says: ‘’Four years.’’

‘’Oh… So, I’m… I’m thirteen?’’

‘’Nine plus four is thirteen, yes. ^{Well done}!’’

‘’Why have I been asleep?’’

‘’It’s easier. _{Controllable…} ^Convenient. Safer.’’

‘’Safer?’’

‘’_A lot was happening four years ago. _{And a lot is} happening now.’’

You think for a moment.

‘’Can I go see CatNap and DogDay?’’

‘’_{They are busy}.’’

‘’Can I go up to Play Care?’’

The Prototype gets the pot to work and turns to you. The alarm turned off the second the pot was fixed.

There was a moment of silence.

‘’^No.’’

‘’Why not?’’

‘’_{It’s not safe.} That place has turned dangerous.’’

You look down.

‘’Do I have to go back to sleep?’’

‘’^Yes.’’

You really don’t want to. You would have loved to go see your friends, to see how DogDay and CatNap were doing. Maybe play around like the old times.

If it really had been four years, you’re sure DogDay and CatNap had missed you and the other kids.

After all, what is Play Care that has no children?

Maybe the other Critters had come back.

But you didn’t want to be an inconvenience. Bad children were called as inconveniences by the adults in white coats, and it had always sounded like a bad thing.

‘’But if you want you can stay up _{for little longer}.’’

You’re surprised.

‘’For real?’’

‘’Yes! To be honest, _{I would like} ^{some company} _{right now}.’’

You can tell the Prototype was bothered by something.

‘’Are you alright?’’

The Prototype leans down to have a better look at you.

‘’_{Someone I love} very much… has been acting difficultly. ^{She knows I’m right}, and that I’m only trying to help her.’’

‘’Why is she being difficult then?’’

The Prototype sighs. ‘’Perhaps I am to blame. I give her safety, I give her love… _{A home she can always come back to.} But she hates me.’’

You don’t understand the whole situation, but you don’t have to. Just hearing how the Prototype talks is enough for you to know that this was bothering him.

‘’I will admit, I am not perfect. I will take whatever blame _{she can toss at me.} ^{But all that I have done}… It has been for her.’’

‘’Does she know that?’’

‘’_{She does.} Doesn’t change that she hates me. ^{If anything}, her knowing that has only made her more angry.’’

‘’I’m sorry. Maybe… I can talk to her for you. I don’t know the situation, but maybe…’’

The Prototype laughs.

‘’_{You are kind.} But there is _{no need for} ^{you to get involved}.’’

You look down and feel the Prototype’s hand rubbing your shoulder gently.

‘’Instead… Would you be open to spend some _{time with me}? Like how she _and ^{I used to}.’’

You think about it.

‘’Does it… include playing Hide and Seek?’’

‘’Yes. And drawing. We can _{even eat some sweets}.’’

‘’That’s sounds amazing!’’

The Prototype takes you with him, away from the sleeping pots and other children.

Even though you’ve grown and you’re sure you’re a lot heavier now, the Prototype has no issues carrying you. And, you noticed, he seems happy to have someone to carry around.

You are taken to a room that seemed like an abandoned playroom. It wasn’t like the Playhouse in Play Care, but it was a close cousin of it.

The colors on the walls were cubed into white, yellow, blue and red, there were slides and tunnels going into the walls and a table that had paper and pens.

This room still felt playful, but something about it seemed more mature. Like it was made for bigger kids.

You turn to the Prototype.

‘’Where is this?’’

‘’This… was one of my rooms.’’

‘’You had this room? All to yourself?’’

‘’It was made to test me. _{To separate me.} Because ^{someone needed to know} _{how I worked}.’’

‘’Like the kids that were sent to the Game Station?’’

‘’You… weren’t one of those children?’’

‘’No one in the Wuggy Team is. They said we were special.’’

The Prototype seems bothered by that. But then he sets you down and smiles.

‘’What would you _{like to do first}?’’

‘’I…’’

You notice the Prototype glancing around. You could tell that something about this room bothered the Prototype, so you decide that going slow was the way to go.

‘’I would like to draw. Do you… like drawing?’’

The Prototype seems surprised by the question, but smiles.

‘’^{I’m not good at it}, but yes.’’

You draw with the Prototype. You have to admit that you’re not that good at drawing either, but at least your drawings looked like something.

You drew DogDay in the school.

You drew CatNap sleeping in Home Sweet Home.

You drew all of the Smiling Critters.

The Prototype was a slower drawer. While you were making your third drawing, he was still at his first, but you were quick to notice that the Prototype was focused and determent to make this one picture absolutely perfect.

And it was as close to perfect as one could get.

You could tell right away that it was a picture of Poppy, standing on green grass and holding four poppy flowers. She looked happy in the picture.

You know a lot about Poppy, but you’ve never actually held a Poppy doll before.

Play Care has always been more of the Smiling Critters place. The closest you have ever gotten to a Poppy doll was through the posters and the little commercials that Play Care has all over the place.

You look at Prototype and wonder…

‘’Is Poppy the ‘she’ you told me about?’’

The Prototype stops drawing and looks at you.

‘’Why is Poppy mad at you? I thought she was kind. They said she’s everyone’s friend.’’

The Prototype sighs. ‘’_{She used to be}.’’

‘’What happened?’’

The Prototype looks away, thinking. ‘’You know the adults in the _{white coats}?’’

You nod.

‘’^{Those people were} very mean to Poppy. She was hurt by them.’’

‘’Is she… okay?’’

‘’She’s safe.’’

‘’But is she okay?’’

The Prototype closes his eyes.

The room was silent for a moment, and you let the Prototype think. You know better than bother someone who looks so sad.

‘’_{You were a part of the} ^{Wuggy Team}. Do you know what types of children were chosen to be on that team?’’

You shake your head.

‘’A long time ago, this factory had a program. _{It was called} ^{‘Young Geniuses Program’}. It was to get young people in the factory and have them work here. That program was discontinued years ago, but _{that didn’t mean the search stopped}. No. Instead, they were trying to find those geniuses ^{in the Play Care}. The Wuggy Team ^was a group of children, who were viewed as potentials.’’

You blink.

‘’I… could have been… one of the adults in white coats?’’

‘’^Yes.’’

‘’I…’’

You let your thoughts wander on every single possibility that information brought.

You look at the drawing of Poppy and then at the Prototype.

‘’I… would have become… someone who would hurt Poppy?’’

‘’_{Maybe not.} But others, yes.’’

‘’Others?’’

‘’Do you remember Derek? _{The Boxy Boo you met}?’’ the Prototype leans closer to you. ‘’He used to be a child… _{just like you}.’’

You’re shocked by the news.

‘’_{His name was} Derek Robinson. He used to belong in ^{the Kissy team}. He was taken by Doctor Sawyer, taken apart, _{and put back together to be a huge toy.} That happened to every toy that is in this building.’’

‘’Every toy? To… To CatNap?’’

The Prototype nods.

‘’To Poppy?’’

The Prototype nods.

‘’To… DogDay?’’

The Prototype nods.

You look down. You’re feeling sick to your stomach as you remember what DogDay told you while you were riding that train.

‘’I’m sure you’ll love it, angel. Real wind to blow in your hair, a real sun warming you up… real birds singing their songs… Other children like you.’’

You finally know why DogDay had sounded so sad.

DogDay had been a child once. A real human child, that had come from the outside. He knew what the world was like outside of Play Care, outside of the factory.

And DogDay knew that he couldn’t go outside anymore. Not like he was.

And, maybe out of fear or some other thoughts DogDay had at the time, he had tried to get you out.

Maybe to have you see the outside world, to give you what he sorely missed.

Or… perhaps, it had been like how CatNap had said.

Maybe DogDay had tried to get you out and leave you there, because he thought it would have been better than having you trapped in here.

CatNap…

DogDay had called him… Theo.

Theo…?

Theodore Grambell?

That weird kid that was always alone?

Was he…?

‘’Is… Is CatNap… Theodore Grambell?’’

The Prototype looks sad as he nods.

You remember Theodore. He was a weird one, part of the Boogie Team. He always seemed to have his walls up and didn’t let other kids get too close. Only few managed to talk with him from time to time, but even then, Theodore’s replies were short and lacked emotions.

That kid… was turned into CatNap?

‘’I want to see CatNap.’’

‘’That is impossible.’’

‘’Why?’’

‘’_{I’m sorry.}’’

You couldn’t understand it. Now that you know about Theodore, you wanted to see him. You wanted to know how it happened.

You need to know!

You need to talk with him. To thank him.

To… say how sorry you were.

‘’_Child… I know how you feel. I know ^{it seems cruel of me to} stop you. But you need to understand… CatNap has become… _different. He is no longer Theodore, or the CatNap you know. _{Everything that happened to him} ^{has changed him to be}… cruel.’’

You look down.

‘’They say _{time heals all wounds}, but the wounds Catnap… The wounds we all have… ^{There is no amount of time} _{that would heal them}.’’

‘’But…’’

‘’You are kind, _child. But you are also ^smart. They would not have put you in the Wuggy Team otherwise. _{You know} ^{you cannot fix us}… For what happened to us _{is not your fault}.’’

‘’Then… What if I talk to the people who did this to you? They thought to include me with them. They would listen to me. Right?’’

The Prototype sighs.

‘’I can go to them, be as loud as I can be! I’ll tell them all of this! I’ll tell them I’ll go outside and tell everyone! I…! I’m gonna fix this! I’ll do anything I can!’’

The Prototype looks at you with sad eyes and then he reaches to pull you in a tight embrace.

‘’You are brave. Very brave.’’

You let the Prototype to lift you up and place you onto his lap.

‘’_{But I’m afraid that} you are too late. There are no adults in white coats. ^{Not anymore}.’’

You’re surprised, and a bit scared, but you still manage to ask: ‘’No… adults in white coats? What happened?’’

The Prototype brushes your hair slowly.

‘’^We… I… had enough. After everything… _{All those experiments}… ^{All the surgeries}… The cold and empty nights and days… I knew none of it would stop. Not unless someone made them stop. _{Do you remember the day you got lost?} ^{When you saw what Derek did?}’’

You nod.

‘’CatNap came to get you and all the other children. That was to get you out of the way. ^{To keep you out of harm’s} way. _{No child was supposed to see what you saw.}’’

‘’So… All the adults… were killed by you? By the toys?’’

‘’We call it The Hour of Joy.’’

You laugh. You can’t help it.

‘’That is such a wonderful name… to an awful thing.’’

‘’_{I couldn’t agree more.} And that hour ^{is also the reason} why Poppy hates me.’’

You feel the Prototype’s hand shake as the needle-like fingers brush through your hair.

‘’She said that we were _{just supposed to walk out}. ^{Get out,} escape as one _{and start anew.} But we could never do that. The world would never let it happen.’’

You look down.

‘’Then… Why keep us down here? Children like me… We could go out there.’’

‘’Perhaps. But who would look after you? _{Who would believe you?}’’

You didn’t have an answer to that.

‘’^{What happened with Theo}… I would never… forgive myself if it were to happen again. You are innocent. You didn’t know what was happening.’’

You look up at the Prototype.

‘’It is true that everything I did during the Hour of Joy _{was for Poppy}. I wanted her to be free. For all of them… to be free. And I also knew _{that children like you…} The ones that only knew of Play Care… ^{might not be able to survive} out there. The most safest answer was to keep you all here. Where ^{I would be able to keep an eye on you}. Where _{I would be able to keep you safe.} Where… _{you didn’t} ^{have to} _{say goodbye} ^{to the} _{only home} ^{you have} _{ever known}.’’

You dare to shift around in the Prototype’s lap so you could lean against his body.

You didn’t know if what the Prototype had chosen was right, but you did know that it was a choice made out of love.

You are an orphan that has never known who brought you into this world or why they had decided to leave you. Or even if there was a choice at all.

But the adults around you (the white coats, Miss Delight, the huge toys), they had shown you care and something that one would call ‘love’. And based on what you’ve heard from the children that came to Play Care with sad stories about their parents, you know how powerful things like love can be.

After all, those children had loved their parents, and when they were gone, you could see just how much it had broken them.

In all your days, nothing seems to break people more than love.

And as you think back to DogDay and CatNap, and how they had taken you in when you were sick and all the things they did for you…

Perhaps they had loved you.

Perhaps love had driven DogDay to act against CatNap and he had decided that taking you out was the right choice. Perhaps, out of worry and love, DogDay had made a hard choice between his best friend and a child he loved.

You didn’t know if DogDay had made the right choice.

Perhaps love had been behind CatNap’s action when he had attacked DogDay. He cared for DogDay, but when the orange dog had decided to take you away, perhaps CatNap had seen it as a betrayal.

You didn’t know if CatNap had the right to act the way he did.

And what about the adults in white coats?

There had been Stella, who more or less was viewed as a ‘Mother Hen’ by some children. There were some others too, but…

You have a faint memory of this one Doctor, who visited Play Care once. You could tell just by the way he looked down at you and all the other children that he was far, far from a good person.

All the toys seemed to fear him, especially the bigger ones.

You also remember that Doctor picking someone, like… he had chosen himself a pet.

Getting chosen by someone was a happy moment for everyone, but that time had felt… off.

You don’t remember the doctor’s name, but the child he had chosen was Quinn Navidson.

Quinn wasn’t the brightest child nor was he an easy person for you to talk with. Not that he was a bad kid, quite the opposite. He was a great and loyal friend to have, but the two of you just didn’t have the same interests.

Quinn was sporty, active, happy, loud and a bit annoying.

And sure, you were active too, but never sporty or loud. And you found Quinn especially annoying when all you wanted to do was read or study.

Now that you think about it…

You never saw the kids that got chosen. You never thought it was weird. After all, you were all orphans that were given up for adoption.

But there was always something different when a child was adopted by an outsider and when they were chosen by a doctor.

To you, it was normal, but now when you look back, you can see the difference.

Adoptions happened quietly. One day, the child was there, and the next, they weren’t.

Being chosen was more loud. One day, everyone gathered around, someone announced a name, and everyone said their goodbyes.

It was like being chosen was a cause of celebration, and adoption wasn’t.

Had all this really happened under your nose, and you’re only now realizing it?

The adults in white coats had tried to keep you in the dark.

Because if you knew… no one would agree to it.

It was easier to cover it up, to fill your head with lies and smile down at you.

It was easier for them.

And the toys… Whether out of shock or having being told by the adults, kept the game going. They knew the secrets, and they chose not to say anything.

Because… it was easier.

And, perhaps… that was the reason why the toys agreed to something like the Hour of Joy. They were tired of keeping secrets, tired of pretending…

Tired of being pawns on a game they never agreed to play.

The Prototype had stayed quiet all the time you had been wandering in your mind, but now you feel him moving.

‘’_{I am sorry}. I never should have talked about this. What monsters you think we are, ^{I’m sure}.’’

‘’No.’’

The Prototype was surprised.

‘’If they had done that to me… and if you would have asked me to join you on the Hour of Joy, I’m… sure I would have gone into battle.’’

The Prototype gives you a look you can’t name.

‘’Looking at you, and knowing all about CatNap and DogDay… I can’t say I blame you for what you did. Maybe you could have done something different, but if there really wasn’t any other way…’’

The Prototype hugs you again.

‘’It makes me so happy _{that you understand}.’’

After that, your time with the Prototype felt more natural.

The Prototype, although huge and very serious, was suddenly like another child you could play with.

The two of you played a few rounds of Hide and Seek, tag and even tried to make shadow puppets.

The two of you forgot that time was a thing, and before you knew it, the Prototype suddenly stopped.

You thought he was tired of playing tag, so you stopped too and walked over to him.

‘’Did you get tired?’’

‘’_No. I just thought… I’m going to ^{have to put you to sleep} soon.’’

‘’Oh…’’

You look down.

‘’I can’t sent you to bed _{with an empty stomach}. How about we eat now, ^{then go for a wash} _{and then… You’ll go back to} sleep.’’

‘’You don’t have to put me to sleep. I can just play with you all day, every day. We’re having fun, aren’t we?’’

The Prototype sighs. ‘’_{This has been fun}. ^{I would want to play} with you for longer. But it’s not safe.’’

‘’Why not?’’

‘’It’s hard to explain. _{It’s easier if I} show you.’’

You let the Prototype grab you, and the two of you climb up toward the upper levels.

You’re taken to a place called the Game Station, but you never enter the main room. Instead, the Prototype keeps you in his arms and you stay in observation rooms.

You get to see little Huggy Wuggies running around on all fours, attacking each other, ripping limbs and… eating each other. You noticed how absolutely crazy they seemed while doing it.

Then you see Mommy Long Legs, who seemed to be completely insane. She was crawling on all fours, laughing manically and her eyes were dilated so much that you couldn’t tell what colors her eyes were.

‘’What… happened to them?’’

‘’All toys seem to go feral after some time. They become _{animals that don’t know any better}. ^{They can be feral for hours,} _{or days}. _Then they can be themselves for hours or days. I knew about this ^{even before the Hour} of Joy, and _{I thought I could cure them}. I have failed.’’

You look at the Prototype in shock.

‘’I’ve seen them go feral faster, _{when they’re hungry. But most of them} refuse to eat the human food around here.’’

You hear a painful cry behind you, but you didn’t dare to look which of the Huggy Wuggies let out that cry and why.

‘’This is why I’ve lock you, _{the children,} ^{so deep down that no} toy would get at you. All to keep you safe. I know it takes one toy having their hunger get the best of them… _{and then there could be another Hour} of Joy, but with the ^{innocent children}.’’

You look back at the Huggy Wuggies that seemingly discovered who amongst them was the weakest link, and they were piling on two Huggy Wuggies to rip them apart.

‘’_{As much as} ^{I want to keep you} with me, I know that would be foolish. If something were to _{happen to you while I wasn’t} looking…’’

You watched Mommy Long Legs stretch her hand out and slamming on the piles of Huggy Wuggies. She trapped as many of them as she could on her hand and lifted them off the floor.

‘’…I would _{never forgive myself}.’’

You two watch Mommy Long Legs open her mouth wide and…

You close your eyes and press onto the Prototype’s chest before you saw Mommy Long Legs eat the Huggy Wuggies.

The Prototype didn’t look away. After all, he had seen worse. But he didn’t make you watch. He knew you understood.

You were taken back down, but didn’t dare to open your eyes until the Prototype set you down.

‘’^Child, it scares me to think how little difference there is between _me and ^them. It scares me to know how easily I can lose my mind like _that. ^{The only way I have figured out that keeps you safe} is if you’re out of the picture.’’

‘’Sleeping, and in one place. Locked away from everything.’’

‘’^Yes.’’

You look down.

‘’Do not worry, _child.’’ the Prototype makes you look up at him again. ‘’_{In here}, ^{away from the toys}… out of everyone’s minds… you are safe.’’

‘’But for how long?’’

The Prototype glances down.

‘’Hopefully… _{until I have found a way to fix} the toys.’’

You grab the Prototype’s hand.

‘’You promise… you’ll find a way?’’

‘’_{I promise}.’’

‘’And when you do, can we… play another round of Hide and Seek? Maybe with Poppy?’’

The Prototype laughs gently. ‘’^{I would like that}.’’

The Prototype makes you food. You don’t know where he got the meat or why it had stayed so good for four years, but it was undeniably delicious.

After the meal, the Prototype hands you a toothbrush and a towel. He encourages you to take a shower and change into clothes that would fit you better in few years’ time.

You were most likely to sleep for another four years, and your body wouldn’t stop growing.

With no arguments to give, you decide to do what the Prototype wants.

The water that ran from the shower was cold, but you welcome the feeling. Something about knowing that you won’t get to feel something like this for a long time makes you appreciate it more.

The new clothes felt huge on you, but something told you that the next time you’ll open your eyes, they might be too small for you.

The Prototype watches you get into the sleeping pot, and he pulls the blanket on you. You hear him humming a familiar tune, and for a moment you feel like you’re being tucked in by a parent.

It feels… nice.

You watch the Prototype close the pot and press one of his hands on the glass. You reach to press your own hand under his hand right before the Red Smoke fills the pot.

You blink a couple of times before sleep comes to claim you.