Chapter Text
It was windy and dark when I left the comfort of my house, winter mornings were never my favorite, but I have to make sure to leave early for this. I open the door to my blue-grey car, and start the engine. As I leave for my job, I notice that there is now a new piece of graffiti in the alleyway behind the house I rent. It says something like “sos” or maybe it says “sus”, I was never too good at reading artsy fonts like that.
I had been driving for about an hour when I finally pulled into the parking lot of the place. It has an eerie feeling to it, like the building was whispering “turn back”, but lord knows I can’t do that. Days off were few and far between, so I have to make the best of the fact that today is a national holiday. What better to do on Presidents’ Day than to risk your life? It’s not like the president is worth celebrating.
My footsteps grind against the worn pavement, leaving a trail of sound as I approach the front door. It’s locked, shocker, but made of glass. I walk around the building, looking for something to break it, and like an offering, sitting at the side of the building, a decently sized rock. I bring it over to the doors and I throw it, and it tumbles through a hole in the top panel of the right door. I reach through, trying to feel for a lock, but I can’t seem to fi- gotcha. Turning the lock, the door creaks open on its own - creepy, but I try to ignore the subtext of a door opening on its own in a place like this. A chill runs down my spine as I reach for the handle, and pull the door open. I start to step in, but something stops me. It’s like I am trying to keep myself out, “you know this is dangerous, why do you continue” echoing through the whirlwind of my thoughts, trying to prepare for the worst. I step in. It’s exactly as the pictures. A stage in front, checkered floor, tables. I walk through the mostly empty room, and head into what is labeled as “kids cove”. The checkered pattern on the floor continues, but in this room, instead of the last’s stage and tables, there’s a curtain and two signs. One reads, “out of order,” and the other, on the wall across from the curtain and first sign, “please do not take apart the characters”. There are no rooms attached to this one except for the one I came in from, so I walk back out to the room with the entrance and continue on down a hallway. I am greeted by a room full of arcade games and the like, a four person carousel sitting in the middle, and in the corner a robot leaning over that has a rainbow band around the flat circle that resembles a head.
I approach what I recognize as “candy cadet” from various blueprints, though, some of them have chosen different names for themselves.
“Hello?”
No response. It’s possible they could, knowing this place, but who knows given how long it’s been.
My train of thought is broken by the observation that “candy cadet” has a slot for tokens.
What if they run when I put in a token?
I rush over to the corner, when a glass desk full of trinkets and low ticket prizes sit, a shelf of plushies and toys behind it. a glass jar of tokens sits on the desk, which i open and pour onto the desk, spilling tokens all over the floor. I grab a handful.
I head back over to candy cadet, and without a second thought, push the token into the slot labeled “play!”.
“Cc- c- candy….”
Can you hear me? Please, talk to me!
“R-r-retu-n to candy cad-d-et and maybe i will tell yyyy….. “
The machine appears to power off, leaving Sam alone in a soulless room.
“Are you alive? Say something!”
Another token. It lights up again, the head turning shakily.
“—am candy cadet. Come get your candy here. I have candy all day. Everyday. Cand-“
The machine lets out a deafening screech, the static of the voice box’s malfunction overpowering any chance of speaking to it. The lights start flickering, red, yellow, blue, brown. Red, yellow, blue, brown, over and over.
I sigh, patting the machine on the head and stepping out of the room, back towards the main stage. Out of pure curiosity, I tuck back the curtain slightly.
Behind in a row are three broken down animatronics, dark and cracked. One catches my eye, however.
“Chica?”
The yellow bird stands closest to me, her beak broken off and her bib ripped. A bug skittles across her torso, ducking into a crevice in her waist. Her eyes are still so bright…
“Can you hear me?”
The bird doesn’t move, though her voice box flickers out a “We-ome to.. azbear’s pizza!”
I sigh, letting the curtain fall. The way out is simple, broken glass crackling under my boots and swirling thoughts. The only remnant of the place when I drive off is a token in my pocket and a slight emptiness I can’t begin to name.