Breath came in desperate pants, lungs struggling to expand inside the chest cavity of the unfortunate man. Pulse pounding away in his ears, heart hammering a war drum tattoo so fiercely he thought for sure the spasming organ would give way any second less it burst forth from his chest! Sweat rolled down between his shoulder blades, leg's taunt muscles wound ready to release at a moment's notice. Eyes narrowed dangerously yet he was unable to subdue the sheer terror he felt...the terror he knew the monster upon the other side of the glass craved to no end. If anything his panic only seemed to feed the creature returning its own blood freezing stare straight back with an intensity of a hell-fire's rage! A thousand demons danced within those steely eyes the Guard unable to discern whether or not they were robotic or organic perhaps some mad-science gone wrong combination of the two! It's gaze was locked onto him, rooting him in place not unlike a deer in head lights. Jaw clenched with fingernails digging deep into the palms of his hands fingers curled so tightly he failed to notice the white knuckling. Something warm seeped from between the digits a grunt of damnation ushering from his parched throat.
Unblinkingly it moved, the tattered animatronic tilting its head to the side in a fashion suggesting it knew what transpired beyond the glass. Could it smell his blood? Was it like a shark? Able to detect a single drop in miles worth of ocean? Alarms were screeching in his ears lights blaring and flashing inside the cramped little office he only just began to call his work station mere hours before. Chest heaved with the effort to suck in much needed air the stale and stagnant taste notifying him the ventilation system was offline once more. Who...the FUCKING HELL...DESIGNED this place?! What madman would create a literal death trap for their supposed employees let alone customers?! Sure, it was all well and good for the show! A decrepit broken down building from decades ago left to rot until the end of time; cursed with ghosts of the past lost forever in darkness to wander the empty halls for all eternity. But this, this was too much. He'd been warned of hallucinations, his own paranoia coupled with the lack of oxygen to his brain would certainly make him see 'some crazy shit' as the phone recording had spoken!
If only this were a hallucination, something he could blink his eyes and it would vanish on the spot, reset the ventilation to bring in fresh air from outside giving his far too panicked mind a moment to rest and regroup. But no, this was no hallucination, this was far from a mere figment of his imagination! This...was real...not even his convoluted mind would have been able to concoct such an abhorrent illusion to torment him in waking nightmares. He dare not take his eyes of the abomination, knowing the instant he broke the challenging gaze, the beast would be around the corner and in the office before he had a chance to even flinch. How something so large could move so fast especially given it's obvious age he would never understand.
Was it PROGRAMMED to do this?! Was this just all some part of a hair razing 'welcome to the family' scheme set up by his new employer?! If so it was a DAMN good one! He DID take a job at a HORROR attraction after all! It only made logical sense for the rest of the crew to test his boundaries. After all if he was to play his part as the supposed Guard being set upon by mechanical constructions of destruction his acting would have to be convincing less he ruin the customer experience. No, he couldn't afford to loose this job, not again! He'd been BEYOND lucky to even be able to land this shit-hole of a position! Perhaps he should call them out on their little prank? Let them know they did one hell of a job scaring him... they could laugh in his face and show him the footage caught on camera of him nearly wetting himself in the office like a child.
Corners of his mouth twitched turning upwards into a forced grin. "Heh...great job guys! Y-you sure as hell got me! Ha! Bet you video taped this entire thing too. Let me guess you'll post it up on the website in order to attract customers, show them just how scary this place is..." voice hitched slightly as he spoke, hoping one of the other workers would shut the alarms off now and give him some room to breathe after his recognition of their work. They put more effort into this than any other haunted house style attraction he could ever recall going to whilst growing up! The thing on the other side of the glass remained motionless save for cocking its head once more, the tattered and broken rabbit's ear twitching in response to the sound of his cracking voice, able to detect the fear within him despite the bravado he forced to the surface. That was a little unnerving to say the least, he swore he saw the eyes narrow just a bit right before something else passed over them a shadow of...surprise? No, he was seeing things, he was on the verge of passing out at this point. Swallowing harshly the man could only cough yet he still refused to yield in the staring contest with what he truly believed to be a co-worker of his.
"Great job on the terrifying suit by the way! Thing is absolutely wretched but in a good way! It will certainly give the guests a REAL scare that's for sure. Especially those eyes...how the hell did you guys make them so...REALISTIC in the first place? It's down right disturbing is what it is. Those things from earlier, the 'ghosts' jumping out of the old game systems and cameras, are those the new 3D images having been all the rage lately? The kind where you don't need the actual glasses in order to have the experience of something coming RIGHT AT YOU? Damn...despite the...vintage look...and...well...used materials brought together to make this place feel like a dilapidated hell hole you certainly pulled out all the stops on the effects and costume! I mean, holy shit if this is just ONE of the costumes I can't wait to see the others! What was this one called again...Spring something...Springtrap right! So...yeah...if you wouldn't mind guys I think this test run has gone the course and if...you know...it wouldn't be too much of a problem to shut everything down before I actually pass out here from lack of oxygen that would be fantastic!" He was down right hyperventilating now, sweat raining down the side of his face hair plastered to his forehead, the liquid trickling down to the bridge of his nose. Raising an arm he brushed the sweat from his brow, not wanting to take the chance of it dripping into his eyes.
The animatronic stepped closer to the viewing window, tip of his muzzle a mere inch from making contact with the glass soul piercing steely orbs boring back into the man's own yet still. This thing was beyond imposing it was down right PEDATORY! Maybe it wasn't an actor in a suit at all but a true blue animatronic programmed to scare the ever living soul out of anyone inside the attraction. Had it's programming glitched out? The attraction itself wasn't suppose to open for another week so way was it up and running now? Maybe it had to cycle through the sequences and lay outs it was given? Made sense to test it out now rather than later. Last thing they needed was the contraption to bug out on opening night and not do as it was designed. Wait...six am that was right! If this truly was a robot it would shut down at six am! Maybe this was part of the reason WHY he needed to be here ASIDE from making sure no one broken in! To keep an eye on the machine and make sure it worked properly during the test run!
Okay, this was making more sense now. It would also explain why the ventilation systems would go on and off and why he needed to use SOUND to lure said animatronic into different rooms! It probably even had something installed causing it to avoid the cameras as much as possible, keep to the shadows for maximum scare potential. It was all an automated system, everything was falling into place now. So THIS was how it would operate when guests were here. Perhaps part of his act would be to call to guests over the speakers and tell them what rooms to avoid so they would not encounter Springtrap? Seemed sensible enough. Albeit this aspect of ventilation errors...he was pretty sure this type of thing was illegal at the end of the day. Could result in some serious lawsuit if they weren't careful.
Okay, so if this was all automated he just needed to wait until six am when everything shut down...he would be home free! Hairs along the back of his neck stood on end once more the knot in his stomach having only just begun to loosen returning the second he realized he was still locked in a staring contest with the 'decaying' animatronic. Something about this thing set him on edge even with the 'true identity' of the attraction puzzled out. It moved far too quick for any humanoid robot he ever heard of. Able to jump from room to room hardly making a sound save for when the damned beast climbed into the vents. AND WHAT WAS WITH THAT FEATURE ANYWAYS?! WHY did it have to go INTO the vents?! Maybe this wasn't part of it's programming, maybe it was a glitch he was suppose to document! What if it was equipped with a self learning feature? Able to discern it's environment and map out what was the best way to reach the end goal it was given. It certainly made it more life like that was for sure. But how the hell would his boss even obtained such an advanced AI in the first place?! If anything this was MILITRAY grade tech what the fuck was it doing in a horror attraction modeled after some old cheesy ghost story about the souls of murdered children possessing animatronics and killing people?!
Not only was it fast, it was agile, yet from the appearance he'd first estimated it would be sluggish and clunky just like any other two legged robot. At first it started out that way, moving slow and erratically as if it's systems were shorting out or something was wrong with the hydraulics. Actuators and hydraulics were the only explanation as to how this thing could be so life like! The animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex from Jurassic Park sure as hell moved and breathed as if it were alive, and that was constructed back in 1993 this was the year 2016! Of course he should have expected this particular animatronic to function with the same level of intensity if not more! Damn...so why the fuck was he getting such a shit pay for this position?! If the attraction owners could fork out the money to have Springtrap built..."or rather retrofitted..." he reminded himself, they sure as fuck could pay him more to put up with being scared shitless! Even with his fading mind cobbling together fragments to make sense of the situation his sense of fear never once wavered; it was nothing to do with the ever decreasing rate of oxygen.
He FEARED Springtrap...it was STALKING him...HUNTING him...no different than a starved wild animal! Once more the mechanical abomination cocked it's head actually blinking, a pair of lids sweeping down over it's eyes quicker than even his own could before it was back glaring at him. Too life like...he failed to suppress a shudder the display only seeming to further Springtrap's interest in him. Large jaw cracked open revealing rows of blunted, yet he was sure they could crunch right through bone...yellowing stained teeth. With it's mouth open he realized the droid originally had the mandible closed tightly; metal, rubber and tattered faux fur serving to make up the 'soft tissue' around the maw was missing to the point where if this were a person they'd be lacking their lips.
Semi-barrel keel like chest expanded under the torn fur, edge of the animatronics' chin inclining in an all too familiar fashion; indicating it was sniffing the air. WHY did it have to do THAT! Again with the overly realistic predator portrayal! Springtrap certainly appeared to be in-taking air through his nose, what if he was simply cooling himself? Surly the internal circuits would heat up after so many hours of continuous use. What if the poor ventilation in the building meant not enough oxygen was reaching the internal wiring of the animatronic? Would it stall and short out or would it's on-board cpu fry just like any other computer when it over heated? Honestly this thing couldn't function on just a super sized computer cooling fan could it? Wouldn't it have something more advanced such as a water cooling system or a radiator like a car?! It was damn big enough to support a small radiator! Not counting the unbroken ear Springtrap had to be 9ft tall! He'd seen it have to duck in order to fit through doorways. Not exactly thrilled with the idea of the animatronic breaking down on his first day watching it for the fact he was too stupid to realize it needed air as much as he did the man tore his gaze away from Springtrap, reaching for the 'reboot ventilation system' button on the control panel.
A second, for a literal span of SECONDS he glanced away only to look back and find his viewing window VACANT of the unnerving monster Lapin! Immediately his attention shot to the arch way opening leading into his office catching but a mere GLIMPSE of Springtrap before the metal beast vanished around the corner! Every muscle in his body seized, joints locking in place. He was done for. He was shitfuckouttaluck DONE FOR! What happened when Springtrap entered his office?! Would he attack? Maybe it would trigger a system shut down when the mechanical beast entered, the program recognizing where the animatronic was. An even more terrifying thought began to creep its way into his mind...what if...Springtrap was programed with a fully functional 'chase' and 'catch' algorithm? As advanced as he already figured the droid's design to be this wasn't too far fetched to warrant believability. It was highly possible Springtrap was actually PROGRAMMED to get into the office and chase HIM through the attraction for the thrill of the guests! Could he out run the predator? The thought of being pursued by an over sized rabbit made of metal wasn't exactly the most appealing to his sense of masculinity but then again Springtrap was FAR from cute and cuddly.
The mechanical monstrosity damn well looked like something hell chewed up then spat back out! For a fleeting moment his mind flickered to a horror movie, something about other types of blood lusting beasts people transformed into under the light of a full moon. The classic werewolf was there along with what appeared to be a were-bear, were-tiger, some type of predatory were-bird...and ironically enough a carnivorous were-rabbit. Springtrap reminded him EXACTLY of said abomination...only difference thus far was the teeth and he hadn't obtained a good enough look yet to tell if the robot possessed a tattered and mangy tail or clawed paw like feet. Rabbits were actually plantigrade in the design of their legs despite how large they were. It's what offered them the explosive bounce to their stride yet for movie magic the were-lapin was given powerfully muscled digi-grade legs such as the werewolf. Oddly enough the were-bear did not sport the same design yet bears were plantigrade too. Then again it would have looked strange on the bear considering the sheer bulk of the creature. If Springtrap's height was anything to go on he more than likely sported the same digi-grade design. Robot probably kicked harder than a mule and he honestly wasn't in the mood to find out! One wrong move from Springtrap and it was imperative to see how the bot could easily injure if not out right kill someone on accident. Great, more things he'd have to watch out for while on the job! Make sure Springtrap did not accidentally crush anyone! His mind was made up, next time he saw his boss a SERIOUS discussion was going to take place!
Eyes blinked away offending beads of sweat head spinning on a swivel in search of the mechanical rabbit. Just another minute that was all he needed! Wrist watch clearly displayed 5:59am...come on already it just needed to turn over! Did Springtrap possess a built in clock? Was he aware of what time it was? Would he jump in at the last possible second?! Oh shit he could only hope the bot's programming didn't glitch from 'chase and catch' to 'hunt and kill!' He didn't want to have any idea of what could happen if Springtrap managed to catch him! These types of programs never bolded too well! Blind panic set in the man's fight or flight instincts kicking into over drive placing him on the cusp of simply bolting through the attraction in hopes he could out pace the robot to the door and get the fuck out of there already! Good thing the alarms were blaring again otherwise the Guard would have heard the low hiss emanating just outside his office. Jaw was slightly agape eyes flickering back and forth as he leaned against the wall remaining hidden 'exhaling' a 'breath' after taking a deep draw of the pungent air. Fear. His quarry was absolutely RIDDLED with it! A shudder coursed through his body metal hide tingling in pure ecstasy upon detecting the oh so tantalizing smell of fresh BLOOD saturating the air! Such a wondrous scent a chemical compound of iron, copper, and other trace metals found in the blood of all carbon based life forms. Complete with a slightly salty bite but strangely smooth finish at the end. Oh how he LONGED for the taste of blood once more!
Bastardized rendition of a tongue brushed over the yellowed teeth the 'muscle' composed of rubbery ballistic material. Why he was able to move it let alone taste with it, even he didn't know, chalking it up nothing more than super natural phenomenon. Odd how his life had changed since that fateful day, the day he first tasted blood...the day he made his first kill...and became truly...ALIVE. The tongue itself was originally meant for show when the animatronic was designed not actual function. It had been one of the first things to rot away during his 30 plus years of isolation and one of few things restored to him after his discovery. He had to give the props master due credit for willingly sticking his fingers inside the steel trap making up his jaws. With only a small crank to keep his mouth open, the humans unsure of just how much abuse his withered frame could take at the time, they didn't want to run the risk of breaking something they might not be able to fix.
It was a disgusting experience to say the least...alien fingers combined with cold rusty tools invading his mouth...it took every ounce of will power Springtrap possessed not to simply chomp down and see how many fingers he could remove at once! He never realized until now just how much use a tongue actually was to him. Such a simple thing really, allowing not only for the extravagant sense of taste but for such a range of 'emotions' considering the fact his face was locked into a fairly set expression; less he either opened or shut his mouth tighter...raising an eyebrow or angling them differently, cocking a lid in unison perhaps. Even with a broken ear the two auditory sensors adoring his cranium were no less sensitive and certainly were capable of a fairly wide range of motion further elating to whatever he was feeling at the moment.
Both ratty sensors swiveled upon their base, laying backwards against his cranium, muzzle tilting down in preparation for the final strike! Hydraulics tensed, actuators coiling, fluids pumping rapidly through out the countless feet worth of hoses inside his frame electricity dancing in the miles worth of wire! Jaw parted, tongue sliding greedily over the jagged edges of the titanium teeth a leaky hose filling his maw with lubricant the increase of pressure granting the illusion the metal monstrosity was actually salivating. Vocal processor growled lowly in the back of his throat noise rippling out between glistening 'ivory'. Shoulders hunched as his back arched bending at the waist with his paw like feet shifting in unison lethal carbon steel talons adorning the four toes sparking against the dingy tiled floor. Long powerful, jointed fingers curled a spring lock releasing on contact unsheathing a set of blunt ended claws. Oh how he could not WAIT to hear the symphony of screams! Teeth meant for mashing would tear through flesh harshly, sheering it away painfully with claws meant for gripping slicing through haphazardly...'salivation' increased liquid pooling to such an extent it began to overflow stringing down the length of the mandible. Spinal strut tingled in anticipation eyes homing in on his target just around the door frame. Every piece of programming within, every fiber of his being SCREAMED to launch the final assault! The prey was cornered, no where left to run, no where left to hide...hydraulics pulled back hoses gushing with highly pressurized oil...this was-DING DONG DING DONG DING DONG DING DONG!
NOOOOOOOO! Voice howled inside his mind, entire form seizing before going limp Springtrap slumping ungracefully against the wall cranium lolling in a very unbecoming fashion from his neck. Arms hung useless from his sides, ears dangling over his forehead legs having locked themselves in position preventing him from completely falling over given the leaping stance he'd been caught in as the final bell sounded. Six am...it was six am! He...failed. Blaring alarms silenced flashing lights going dark as the power reset itself. Life giving torrent of fresh air was drawn into the building, breathing new life into the cursed attraction! Lights began to brighten to normal levels as the ambiance switched off for the time being appearing to cycle through into a form of maintenance mode. Quivering body teetered dangerously on wobbling legs the Guard throwing out his hands at the last possible second to partly catch himself on the office desk sinking down haphazardly to the cold floor. Knees finally gave out from under him the exhausted man landing roughly on his backside a whimper escaping his clenched throat in unison of sharp pain shooting up his spine tailbone making hard contact with the unforgiving concrete hidden beneath the greasy tiles. That...was too close! That was...FAR TOO CLOSE! Swallowing harshly his breath came in heaving pants, lungs gasping for air muscles twitching through-out his entire frame. HE NEARLY DIED IN HERE! JUST WHAT THE FUCK WERE HIS EMPLOYERS PLAYING AT?! Sweat drenched his shirt the fabric sticking to him front and back feeling gritty against his slick skin upon raising an arm to pull the cloth away before it started to chafe with movement.
Ugh...disgusting! Right hand reached around with a thumb slipping into the belt of his pants. Last time he honestly remembered perspiring THIS intensely was during the summer job working construction in the middle of a heat wave! He stank of fear aside from obnoxious body odor at this point the smell of the musty building embedded into his skin. He was in desperate need of a shower! Something to relax his aching muscles, wash away the events of the night. Good thing he brought a bag with him he could shower back in the men's locker room. Grumbling under his breath the Guard clumsily gathered himself, feet dragging across the floor in protest, muscles Charlie horsing in response to unwanted movement. Jaw clenched tightly eyes slamming shut in pain the nearly broken man ground his teeth to the point he was sure the filling in his bottom left molar would crack! Inhaling deeply through his nose the breath was held until the count of ten before slowly releasing in a grimace.
He concentrated on breathing easing his heart rate back to a more appropriate pace less he collapse and die of a heart attack on the office floor! If this was how things were going to be every night, he needed to take precautions and have a back up plan before tonight! As much as it ANGERED him to be forced into returning for another night of this HELL...he couldn't afford to just up and quit. Not without having obtained another job first. He was already behind on his rent, part of the reason he took this job was the fact it paid him the end of every week verses bi-weekly like most. A promise to the landlord of payment the end of the week was something he could not break less he be thrown out on the streets! It was bad enough he already lost his car the ancient thing towed and impounded just last week. Another reason he took this job without asking any questions, it was within decent walking distance of the little cramped apartment flat called home.
No one would ever believe him concerning what transpired here tonight! Even if he showed them the recorded footage from the cameras they would laugh it off in his face, label him paranoid and say it was SUPPOSE to happen! He worked at a HORROR attraction after all! Killer robots were the new craze, of course there would be a menacing machine roaming the halls to torment him! Of course it was operational now! They needed to test for bugs! WELL IF THIS ALL WAS SUPPOSE TO HAPPEN WHY THE FUCKING HELL COULD THEY NOT HAVE GIVEN HIM FAIR WARNING!? Honestly! A SIMPLE message on the phone or even a NOTE taped to the desk saying 'Hey just FYI we are going to be running the trials with the animatronic's programming tonight so don't be too freaked out it's not ACTUALLY haunted and trying to kill you!'
That's what this place was based off of, the mystery surrounding an unfortunate Pizza establishment concerning the murders of at least five children and the strange malfunction of the establishment's animatronics. It was a local legend, a belief people had concerning the lost souls of the children. Many believing they possessed the bodies of the robots in order to protect the children who visited the establishment during the day and to hunt down the one responsible for their untimely demise at night. Rumor had it an employee of the restaurant was responsible for slaughtering the kids. The famous "bite of '87" gave life to this, the day guard at the time having received a nasty bite from one of the animatronics resulting in him being rushed to the hospital. The very next day the place was shut down, seemingly to never be reopened. Until several years later when the parent company managed to shake off most the bad publicity, saving enough money to retrofit and upgrade the original animatronics bringing them to a smaller location while the "Toy" versions were scrapped.
It had come to light recently during the feverish search for relics during the construction of Fazbear's Fright it had been one of the 'Toy' robots responsible for the deadly bite leading to their immediate deactivation and subsequent trip to a scrap yard. Briefly he recalled hearing a hushed conversation between the owner of the attraction and two other men about returning to the salvage yard to dig through the older sections in search of the "Toy" bots during the middle of the night. All they managed to return with were badly damaged pieces of different animatronics. An empty head, Foxy the pirate's right arm...the one with the hook for a hand...toy Bonnie's broken guitar and facial plate...Balloon Boy's Hat. A glare was shot in the direction of the cardboard box sitting innocently in the corner of the office, different pieces of the former Toy animatronics currently taking up residence within.
Through-out the course of the night he recalled having the piss scared out of him by Balloon Boy. The withered and soot covered skull like face lunging at him with mouth agape from one of the cameras! Foxy appeared, hovering creepily above the box as though he were a puppet on strings before pouncing with the ferocity of a lion nearly giving him a heart attack! Chica...the chicken screeched at him from the screens of the ancient arcade games and what he was SURE was Mangle often peeked over the edge of the observation window, staring at him while shrieking terribly! Perhaps the tales were in deed true...maybe this place really was haunted by the ghosts of the past. NO! Frantic shake of the head was given thumb and forefinger pinching the bridge of his nose in retaliation the man attempting to get a grip on reality once more.
BULL. SHIT. There were no such things as ghosts! No such thing as possessed animatronics or curses! It was all a pile of malarkey and he knew it! Nothing more than scary stories blown out of proportion with every retelling! But...he had no choice to admit...it sold alright. Perhaps just as well as sex did. Horror or sex take your pick. In today's media it was one of the two if not both. Such a drastic change from the time of his own youth, sad really when he thought about it. Haggered sigh escaped his lips. Finally managing to collect himself and land from his trip to psycho space the weary man decided he would speak with his boss later concerning what he experienced the night before while giving the report as to how Springtrap functioned through-out the night. Springtrap! Mind jolted back to the metal monster having stalked him.
Where exactly WAS the damned thing anyways? Deciding he had a few moments one hand braced himself against the desk as he proceeded to flip through the cameras in search of the lapin. No sign of him...odd. Well he hadn't originally seen Springtrap on his way in so it was possible the robot returned to wherever it's original hidden starting point within the building was. It was just a machine after all. More than likely once it's internal clock hit the end of the six hour run cycle it automatically returned to the predesignated starting position. Still, that thing nearly scared the life out of him! Animatronic or not it was too life like for his taste, the look in it's steely eyes far too human. As if he were staring down not only a feral predator but the madness of a serial killer! Involuntary shudder coursed down the length of his spine the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. He didn't want to dwell on the look Springtrap had given him. As if it truly were contemplating how he would TASTE...debating on which part of his body to rip open first before thrusting his snout into the cavity jaws tearing out his internal organs with ease...UGH! Hand shot up to his mouth fighting the urge to vomit at the mental image summed to the forefront of his mind!
He needed to get out of here, NOW...this place was seriously taking a toll on him. Checking his watch it read several minutes past six, day shift would be showing up in roughly an hour to begin further work on the attraction. He would wait outside for them he couldn't stand being alone in this pit of hell another second! So long as he was still somewhere on the premises his boss couldn't be angry with him right? While his shift of 'night watch' began at midnight he was required to be here at 11 pm. The same was said of the end of his shift. He only need to monitor the interior of the building until six am yet was required to remain until first shift arrived around seven. Thankfully this graced him with a full eight hour shift meaning he'd earn a full 40 hour work week if after five days of this insanity. There was a working vending machine just outside the attraction. He could snag something to eat and take a much needed drink from the water fountain beside said vending machine. Seeing open sky again would certainly do him wonders even if the weather decided to take a turn on him at least it was still in the warmer months of the year. Standing out in a rain storm was NOTHING compared to what he just endured! Sighing once more the man took a final pass around the room checking to make sure everything was in order before leaving. Snatching his keys from the desk top drawer he shut the monitor to the systems panel off and closed the lid to the laptop currently being used for the remote cameras.
Heart lifted with the notion he was leaving after what felt like an eternity. With his head held higher, tired shoulders pulled back into a squared fashion of triumph a smile managed to crease his exhausted features. Hands shoved themselves into his pockets somehow managing a bounce to his step riding the adrenaline high he exited the office. Only to stop DEAD in his tracks the moment he turned the corner. Pupils shrank to mere pinpricks eyes going wide practically bulging out of his skull! There, slumped against the wall just outside the office was the imposing form of Springtrap. Head hung down, arms dangling uselessly. Ears were flopped over the cranium, eyes closed. Heart skipped a beat. It...he...it...had been waiting. Laying in wait just outside the office! Panicked eyes swept up and down the form of the beast. Springtrap was FAR more intimidating in person! Old fur he speculated had once been an aged gold now tinged a mutated moldy yellow-green. Rips and tears crisscrossed the fabric more than likely the result of animals having chewed at the fake fur...or perhaps the wounds were gained from whatever condemned structure the animatronic had been found in. Gaze traveled down, a grim smile forming upon his features concerning his original correct guess in terms of the animatronic possessing digi-grade legs, aiding in the thing's over all impressive height. It's structure was a blend of human and animal, as if the designer of the beast held a special liking for anthropomorphic characters or at the very least werewolf style entities.
Large semi-barrel keel like chest sloped down into the waist line before curving outwards for the pelvis. Given the fashion the arms were currently dangling it looked as if the mechanical monster was designed to be able to stand if not move in two different methods, either up right or on all fours after a traditional rabbit. Long legs certainly held testimony to the fact it was fleet of foot just like it's real life counter part. As old as Springtrap was he certainly was constructed with a care and means not even today's creations could match. He was certainly built to last that was for sure. Momentarily the man could only wonder what it would have been like to witness this machine in it's prime. Already he could envision it being FAR more friendly looking with its fur nice and clean, probably fluffed up by the employees to make him appear extra cute.
The mental image of the rabbit adorned with an overly large bow tie or perhaps a hat came to mind, it's currently leering grin actually happy with the completion of the face, teeth no longer horribly exposed, extra rubber and foam serving to 'flesh out' the face into a child friendly bunny such as Peter Cotton Tail. Speaking of which, quick glance was shot around the backside of the beast, managing to spy a short mangy looking tail on the lapin's rear. How something so adorable transformed into something so terrifying...he didn't want to know. With curiosity growing the man continued to linger, hands placed upon his knees for support as he dared to draw closer, examining Springtrap from a different perspective. Gaze was caught by something glinting, brows shoot up onto his forehead as he caught sight of the claws adorning the rabbit's paw like hands. Line of sight traveled down, breathing catching in his throat in response to the cruel talons jutting from the ends of the four toes.
Those HAD to be installed by the owners! No way Springtrap originally sported these! As if he wasn't horrifying enough the attraction manager decided to make him even worse! Tilting his head to the side the man peered up into the lapin's face, blinking in response to something dripping out of the slightly ajar mandible. Drawing closer still eyes narrowed in an attempt to see into the creature's mouth, debating momentarily on whether or not he should use a pen to wedge the jaw open further. Was something leaking? One of the pressure hoses running to the head? It didn't look like oil...or any hydraulic fluid he ever worked with. A tongue lay motionless upon the lower palette, the strange substance oozing through the spaces in the jagged teeth. Stretching out his hand he allowed a drop of it fall into his palm. Back stepping into a better light source the substance was brought to his own face, a finger tip lightly prodding it. Gross...it was sticky, slimy, and thick. What was this stuff? It didn't have a color to it yet it wasn't completely clear either? It almost reminded him of...heart froze...blood turning to ice in his veins. Saliva...it was the same consistency as SALIVA! Spastically he wiped it on the wall before shoving his hand deep into his pocket once more. Okay, he was over reacting. It was FAKE drool...probably another after market gizmo the prop manager installed to make Springtrap all the more freaky. The evidence was already clear with the claws and talons so why not go the extra step to make him seem truly alive and put a little hidden pump inside the mouth to secrete fake drool so whenever the maw opened it would appear as if the monster was salivating for a bite of flesh. Movie magic never ceased to amaze him but he was done with it for now, his nerves couldn't take much more of this!
He was just about to walk off when pause was given once more. Should he try and move Springtrap elsewhere or leave him here slumped against the wall? No instruction was ever given in regards to what exactly he needed to do concerning the animatronic. Until now everything was mere speculation on his own part. It certainly looked heavy, there was no way he could move it on his own. Maybe he could...turn it on and direct it to move? Head was given an immediately shake. Why the fuck would he even CONSIDER turning the freaking thing back on after what it did the previous night?! Besides, he didn't have any proper training on this, what if he accidentally broke it thus resulting in his termination? He couldn't risk it. He would let first shift know where Springtrap was, let the lapin be THEIR problem for awhile. They could move him if they seriously wanted to. Blinking it was only now the man came to realize the exact position Springtrap was slouched in. It was as if he was coiled, only a second away from unleashing all his fury in one sweeping attack! Every part of him seemed wound tight for the final pounce, an explosion of mechanical harmony with every gear working in unison to power the animatronic in his final assault! TOO CLOSE. FAR TOO CLOSE. One second more and he would have been reduced to a bawling baby curled up in the far corner of the office if Springtrap hadn't shut down the exact moment the clock rang out! Enough was enough. One last final, weary glance was given before he side stepped the deactivated robot gingerly rounding the corner and HAULING ASS down the hall!
Fear. He could smell it! So close...tainted with...curiosity...curiosity killed the cat they say...he could FEEL the presence of the man beside him, MOCKING HIM for his ultimate FAILURE! He was so close...SO CLOSE! Pulse quickened, blood pumping furiously through the body...Springtrap able to HEAR the flow of life giving essence coursing through the jugular the man was SO INCREDIBLY CLOSE! Something was nearing his muzzle, stretching out, a wave of warm breath fanning against his cheek, feathering through the fur glued to his skull. A hand, digits stretching closer and closer to his maw...he could practically TASTE the flesh it was so agonizingly close! Yet he could do NOTHING, FROZEN like a statue, trapped in a photograph! God damn them...GOD DAMN THEM! Those humans had done MORE than simply alter his appearance, gifting him with new weaponry aside from fixing some of his worst damage wrought by decay! He KNEW something was up...something ALIEN had been placed inside his circuits! A timer, a shut down trigger. Sending his body into a lock down once a certain number of hours had been reached. How...DARE they...HOW DARE THEY! He was NOT some pet to be kept on a leash! He was NOT their TOY to do as they pleased with! He was NOT THEIR SOURCE OF ENERTAINMENT AND HE WOULD NOT DO AS THEY COMMANDED HIM! Rage boiled in his chest, gears grinding and joints straining to move! Jaw wrenched open, lids sweeping back to reveal piercing silver optics...light dimming until it turned solid black pupils mere pinpricks of blood RED. HE WOULD NOT BE BESTED SO EASILY! IF THIS WAS HOW THEY WANTED TO PLAY IT THEN SO BE IT! They made up their own rules...he would GLADLY make his!
Spinning on the balls of his feet the enraged animatronic BOLTED through the attraction, paws pounding against the floor with heavy metal thuds, Springtrap not caring in the least how much noise he made! Leather impact pads had long since worn away from countless years of imprisonment in a water logged room. Stupid humans failed to re-install them figuring it was best to be able to keep track of him through sound. Forcing him to step lightly and slowly to avoid detection. HOW DARE THEY LIMIT HIM WHILE GRANTING THEMSELVES THE ADVANTAGE OF SEEING HIS MOVEMENTS THROUGH CAMERAS! CHEATERS! Sparks flew from his feet, tips of the insidious talons striking viciously into the tile as he flew like a bat out of hell down the hall! Taking a corner too sharp his legs slipped out from under him, lower body sliding in one direction while his upper half did the best it could to stay on track.
Without even missing a beat Springtrap threw all his weight forward, arms locking down into another set of 'shoulder blades' hidden under his pelt along the upper sides of his 'ribcage' the irate monster kicking off hard against the ground as he charged on all fours through the establishment! Eyes blazed with feral fury, jaw wrenching apart to it's fullest extent, saliva pumping into his gaping maw, frothing around the edges of his mouth ears flat back against his skull! Ungodly screech tore from his mechanical throat, the weary Guard having no time to react, Springtrap launching himself forward pulling a clenched fist back and WAILING into the man's shoulder with the force of a truck! Bone shattered on impact, splintering under the literal brass knuckles of the beast. Agonizing howl rasped from the man's throat, body flying through the air- down the hall a good twenty feet; slamming into a wall hard enough to crack it before hitting the ground with enough force left over to cause his limp form to bounce a few more feet before landing in a tangled heap.
Cranium threw back, blood curling cry bellowing from the berserk lapin! Talons seethed into the cracked tile, Springtrap hurling himself forward on two legs this time, shoulders sliding up into their original slot once more granting him the illusion of being slightly more humanoid in appearance. Weight thundered down the hall, shaking the bleeding man from his daze. Instinct took over, adrenaline pouring on in droves! But it wasn't enough, the moment he lurched forward to his feet white hot AGONY struck him like a bot of lightning! Entire form collapsed to the floor, entire body feeling as though it were on FIRE! His right arm and shoulder were broken...bone reduced to pulverized pieces from Springtrap's blow. He was bleeding, steadily loosing feeling in his legs, his spine had to be cracked...broken...something was putting pressure on the cord within, signal to move his legs not reaching the limbs!
NO! He couldn't die! Not now! Tears shamelessly coursed down his face, ragged cough billowing from his lungs. Cold iron grip encased his already broken form, head snapping back a scream of eternal pain tearing from his throat! Glancing down he found himself staring into the crimson eyes of Springtrap, nothing but pure FERAL animosity held within them! Something made contact with his face, the sound of shattering glass echoing all around him as he soared through the air once more before crashing into a wall only to slide down in a crumbled pile upon the floor. It burned! It BURNED! It was so COLD...it WAS HOT! Hands shot up clawing at his face, desperately wrenching forth the glass having become embedded into the soft tissue! Blood saturated his torso, a shard of glass impaling him straight into the stomach. He could feel himself slipping, energy draining out of his broken body.
Groggily he managed enough strength to turn his head, chin tilting up to watch Springtrap leering at him from the desk, perched, poised like a cat ready to pounce upon a cornered mouse. So this is how it ended for him, to be slaughtered, butchered like cattle with no one around to hear him scream. He should have known. He should have known the moment he set foot into this place his fate had been sealed. From the second he first laid eyes upon the mechanized monster he should have known he was going to die. Ears perked forward to attention only to slide back along the skull of the animatronic, eyes glued upon him as Springtrap inclined his head, maw widening into a literal pant, tongue threading between his teeth eagerly sniffing the air.
Death...the scent of death was so very near! Perhaps it was a trick of his dying mind, too much blood spilling from his body to warrant oxygen reaching the misfiring neurons in his brain...but he SWORE he saw the lapin's grin widen into a sinister sneer, tongue glazing over his teeth in preparation for the final struck. The look in his eyes...that same predatory glare returning fully taking place of his rage from moments ago. That haunting...hungry...starved expression...a rabid beast giddy with absolute delight it managed to make a kill! Tantalizingly Springtrap slid from his perch, limbs moving in perfect succession, sliding together under his ragged pelt like the well oiled machine he was...it was too fluid...too organic...too real...this wasn't just a machine...this wasn't a mere animatronic. It was a demon, an abomination plucked from the pits of hell and it was going to end him.
Pathetically he squirmed, the drive to escape nothing more than an automatic reaction. Legs shifted unceremoniously against the crimson stained tiles shuffling until his back struck the wall. Springtrap only advanced, every clack of his talons echoing through-out the room savage sneer plastered across his face eyes glowing with hellfire as a thousand devils danced within them! Lower mandible opened...thick strands of saliva strung between his gnashing teeth, tongue flickering in a harsh pant. Immense weight was upon him, clawed fingers sinking deep into his flesh dragging him to the floor under the massive creature looming above him. He was pinned, hot 'breath' fanning against his face a low gurgling hiss escaping the metallic throat. Muzzle pressed harshly into his cheek, tongue dragging roughly across his skin...felt like sand paper...lapping blood from his wounds.
Ravenous eyes fluttered shut, great chest rumbling with a sound only to be described as near orgasmic crooning. Entire body coiled around his own meek frame...sound of grinding gears resonating in his ears, eyes flickering into the cavernous maw of the carnivorous lapin. Light began to fade heat increasingly washing over him through the beast's panting. Tongue assaulted his face once more almost tenderly brushing away the crimson staining his flushed skin. Sharp edges of titanium teeth pressed into the delicate tissue of his throat and neck, slowly clamping down, cutting off his air supply...his entire head now encased within the jaws of Springtrap. Now he knew where the bastard got his name...his maw was a literal bear trap, he could see the heavy duty spring locks on either side of the mouth. One twitch and the locks would fire the trap snapping shut without remorse.
He ceased crying awhile ago, too exhausted to bother any more...what was the point of it really? Rather foolish human emotional reaction to intense stress. If anything his tears probably served as extra flavoring...something else for the wretched bastard to savor. It was difficult, taxing even to shed tears in the face of his own death. Body had gone numb, limp like a rag doll in the vice grip of his executioner. Crimson life left him in spurts, drenching the already stained fur of the beast. How was he going to get that out before the other's arrived and saw this huh? He'd be caught red handed...appropriate choice of words considering the circumstances. Springtrap was powerful, but he couldn't kill everyone at the same time...someone would get away and live to tell the tale. Someone would live to know the truth and the beast would be hunted down just as he once hunted him.
Sight had started to black out but a strange glow drew his eye's dying attention focusing on the back of the throat. There it was again...that horrible grinding sound. Orbs widened one final time...he'd been wondering how Springtrap was going to dispose of his body quickly enough to warrant possibly escaping detection. After all there was only forty minutes left until first shift arrived. Now, he knew. If he had the strength left in him he would have vomited in repulsion. Springtrap was quite literally going to EAT him. The grinding echoing from the gullet...it reminded him of the sound garbage disposals made. He'd been shoved into the gaping maw...and would be ground to minced meat inside his murderer's "esophagus". He didn't want to see this, he didn't want his final vision to be the turning, teethed gears slicing into him. Lids fluttered shut, Springtrap's hold on his neck increasing, edges of his teeth cutting into the flesh, fresh wave of scarlet dying his useless form. A single tear seeped from the corner of his eye one final breath exhaled, fanning against the back of the throat...SNAP!
Mandible slammed shut upon his victim blood spurting from between his teeth as a wave of it managed to shoot straight down his agonizingly dry gullet! Titanium denta locked together, Springtrap frozen on the spot the only sound to be heard was the light 'pit pit pit' of blood dripping into a pool upon the grimy floor. The body clenched in his grasp gave one final spasm, shuddering uncontrollably as the nervous system was severed completely dying several moments after the beheading...going limb and lifeless in his pawed hands. Gentle hum emanated from the lapin, eyes shut as he relished in the sweet rendition of his kill. How long it had been...how long it had been since he last did this! How long had it been since he was last able to kill as he pleased?! How LONG had it been since he was able to take another life and make it his OWN?! How long since he last was able to FULLY recharge his system and LIVE?!
Tongue slithered about the disembodied head laying in his mouth, tip snaking around to prod at the jagged flesh where his teeth cut straight through bone with the ease of a hot knife through butter. So fresh...so warm...moan of undeniable pleasure crept out of his chest. He wanted to remain lost in this moment forever! Head gently rolled side to side upon his shoulders, eyes glazed over with pure ecstasy...until they focused on the clock GLARING at him from the wall. Orbs SHOT open, pupils mere pinpricks! Now it was HIS turn to fear! Damn it all...! He'd lost track of time! Tongue coiled, head tilting back he forced his morbid prize into his throat, gears kicking into high notch, spinning frantically to grind through the skull in under a minute! Pulpy remains were hastily swallowed, the tube making up his 'esophagus' rippling as it jolted to life having been dormant for so long it almost forgot how to react to the presence of food!
Bloody rendition of minced meat and pulverized bone shlunked forth, descending rapidly until it was deposited into a tank having long since gone dry. Miniature mechanics hummed into existence the chamber beginning to turn over with the contents being further reduced down until it was nothing more than a liquid. Time and time again Springtrap repeated the same motion, steely jaw snapping shut, tearing away chunks of flesh, organs and bone all in one glorious mouthful. Pushed to the back of his throat the substance shredded before being swallowed, depositing into the 'stomach' chamber where it was further ground, spun, whipped, turned and pulverized down into liquid.
It had been such a long time since he'd had a prey item this big for a moment he feared he wouldn't be able to finish it in time let alone at all! But if there was one thing Springtrap knew about himself...it was his ravenous hunger...he could do it, even if he needed to force himself a bit this time to get every last piece of his victim down and lap up every single drop of blood. It wouldn't take long to recondition himself to having such large meals...he'd been surviving off rodents and whatever foul vermin managing to crawl their way into his prison over the past decades, this was absolute heaven for him! He wouldn't have to eat for a solid week after this if he was lucky! Just enough time for his new 'owners' to find him another lamb to slaughter. If they couldn't well, he could always slip out on his own to hunt. From what he managed to gather this place was rather populated with individuals practically DYING to see the new horror attraction. But he knew why they came...to see the MAIN attraction...HIM. It was a perfect game...a perfect game to play! How he couldn't WAIT to get started!
One last snap of his teeth and the final pieces of his prey were gone. Ugh...he hated feet...they were such a pain in the ass for the grinders to mince through, too many small bones wanting to lodge themselves in the mechanisms. Tongue swept out, Springtrap frantically grooming the half coagulated blood from his tattered pelt. Claws were polished to a lethal shine as he turned his attention to the floor grimacing at the thought of licking it but found it was only meant to APPEAR as if it was covered in decades worth of filth. Honestly he could taste the cleaning materials used on it. Gross. Next time he would need to be more careful so he didn't have to worry so much about clean up. He couldn't help it this time though, rage coupled with starvation wasn't exactly the best combination to be had. Least now he could think more clearly with a full tank. The shattered window was going to be a problem though he hadn't thought of that. Glancing about the room he decided to tear it apart, make it appear as if someone had indeed broken in a struggle resulting in the Guard running off. Thankfully his saliva was composed of a powerful set of chemicals, able to remove not only blood but any resulting DNA evidence...making the area sterile. He didn't know what DNA evidence was at the time, having never heard of it before but it was something he could take solace in later. Gathering himself to his full height Springtrap was sluggish, his system nearly overwhelmed with the new fuel reserves he'd just dumped into his tank. Low growl issued forth as he shook himself, a pawed hand pressing tightly against the area of his torso a human would consider the stomach.
Massaging the area he finally managed to kick the next part of the process into action, another set of mechanics whirling to life inside him. He might have fuel but it was unrefined...the distillers needed to do their job extracting and cycling the nutrients through his body otherwise this was all for nothing! His tanks would simply gunk up if he left the liquid sit too long inside. Pausing in the hall where he first attacked the Guard he stooped down, greedily polishing off the last remains of blood from the floor and wall. Gripping the remains of the man's clothes in his right hand he made his way towards the back entrance...able to smell the trashcans from here. He'd torn the clothing off as he ate, not exactly fond of needing to peel it out of the mincers in his throat later on let alone run the risk of it wrapping around and causing them to bind. Stuffing the crimson saturated clothing into a bag he tied it tightly before cramming it down the trash bin far enough where it wouldn't draw suspicion. While he was here he opened the back doors, further creating the illusion something happened, the Guard taking flight. Satisfied with his work his already twisted grin seemed to spread, a firm nod of the head given to no one in particular. Steely eyes traveled to a clock on the wall...he had just a few minutes left before someone else showed up. Sighing contently he lumbered lazily through the halls, body weighed down with an extra 150 odd pounds of currently processing human slurry.
Claws trailed and tapped lightly upon the wall as he took the time to actually glance around able to fully recognize he was in a bastardized reconstruction of the old Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria. Well, at least he wouldn't be sealed away in a back room anymore. He finally had his chance to take center stage and put on a show as he was originally meant to do. They wanted to be scared out of their minds? He could certainly do that. After all if it wasn't for one human in his past, his present never would have been possible. Paws began to drag with every step, eyes growing tired and his lids heavy. Shoulders began to slouch, ears gently laying back along either side of his head. Tongue poked from between his teeth once more gliding over the denta, a final sweep to make sure they were clean before retracting within. Finally, he reached his original starting point. Leaning his back against the wall he slowly slid down to the floor, long legs splaying in front of him, settling himself in a fashion suggesting he was nothing more than another prop. Head nestled into the corner of the wall for support, huff of exhaustion escaping him. Perhaps it was a mere trick of the light but it honestly looked as if he was smiling a genuine smile. Eyes blinked lazily clawed paw like hand giving a final pat against his torso checking to make sure the distillers were doing their job. A wide yawn was given...eyes sliding shut...he had a lot to think about. But for now he could be content with being free and having his first good kill in years.
Upon his awakening later in the evening...his Little Horror Story...had just begun...