ECHO First Light

Chapter 2 Awoken

"He will be brand new start for this franchise!"

The voice spoke. It was different than the thing that visited me last night. More kind and persuasive, almost like a business man.

"Yeah, yeah. It will be magical. So when do we get our check you "forgot" to leave at the countertop last night?"

Another voice spoke. Different from the first, more rough. The two voices talked about the most anonymous things for another 10 minutes until one voice said: "Just move the cover already."

It was at that point the board in front of me slid downward and a bright light greeted me shining from a space above.

"Well, what do you think? Not a piece out of place!"

My eyes refocused to reveal two figures standing above me. I was pretty frustrated still not being able to move, let alone close my eyes. But as I focused on the figures a little more, my mind drifted to the word human.

I guessed that was what the figures in front of me were.

"Well get him off the floor already!" The figure on the left said. "I might pull a muscle bending down to look at him!"

The figure on the right then mumbled a few unkindly words and lifted the box I was currently in and leaned it against the wall.

"At least he's lighter than the others." The figure on the right said. At the time, I didn't know what he meant by "others", but I quickly realized that I wasn't the same as the figures in front of me. At the thought, a thousand questions filled my head until I realized my eyes had adjusted fully and I saw the figures clearly for the first time.

There were two humans in front of me. The one on my left was short (about five and a half feet tall) with a sort of sarcastic look on his face and a small potbelly hidden between his black business coat. Below his waist he wore black slacks with two slick black shoes.

As for the man on the right, he was taller than the business guy with silver version of a construction workers vest with the word Action Studios printed in a 3d format on them. Under his vest was a black shirt and he

"I think he's ready to perform." The now recognized human to my left then said.

"Should I do it?"

"Please don't-"

"Welcome to Freddy Fazbears Pizzeria!" The man exclaimed, seemingly directed towards me.

"A magical place for kids and grownups alike!"

The man recited some sort of slogan for an ad for what seemed like forever before finally pulling me out of the box. As he pulled me out I realized I was much taller than both of them, at least 2 feet.

"Now, how do I activate him?" The man on the left asked the man on the right as he sighed and proceeded to flick some sort of switch or lever below my head.

After he switched it, my limbs seemed to wiggle out of a locked state, giving me hope that I could finally move. But instead of moving freely, my arms seemed to have a mind of their own and started to move until they were in a saluting position.

"Who's ready for presents?" A slick, automated voice echoed from inside me.

"Worth every penny." The man in the business attire imparted, looking truly content with himself.

The silver coated construction worker cleared his throat. "Yes, awe-inspiring now about that check-"

"Precisely! We can go take care of that now and see if that auto roam mode you talked ever so eagerly about in your pamphlet really works!"

The two men departed out of the room through a stairway that led to the source of the light.

After waiting, bored-stiff, for what seemed like half an hour my body seemed to take back control and I started walking toward the stairs.

With every motion, a soft whirring sound emitted from my joints as I proceeded to climb the stairs.

Once I made it up the stairs, I heard the sound of a guitar, and them some sort of piano. With my body still on autopilot, I walked towards a decorated party table with bags of candy wrapped with plastic.

As I grabbed a handful, I realized that I couldn't move my eyes freely, let alone blink.

After leaving the table, I came across a door with the words "party room" taped to it. My autopilot body just walked right into it and forced it open like the door wasn't even there.

For some reason I hadn't heard the sound, but as the door pushed out, I entered a room filled with dozens of screaming children running around excitedly with party hats on. The room was about the size of a basketball court with decorated party tables (much like the first one) lining the room up and down. A stage revealed itself at the front of the room with three animal-like robots singing Happy Birthday in a perfectly recorded harmony. To the left side of the stage was an entry way that led to another room. On top of the entrance was a picture of a pirate ship with the words Pirates Cove above it.

"Are you serious?" I thought as I walked casually to one of the tables.

I thought none of the children were going to notice me, but out of my peripheral vision a kid standing above the crowd turned and looked straight at me, wide-eyed, and yelled:

"WOW!"

I thought that everything was going to be fine until I looked back and witnessed a horde of kids sprinting straight towards me.

For a split second, I thought I was going to be trampled by a crowd of sugar rushed kids, but as soon as they got here they just reached for one of those bags I grabbed from the table.

Apparently I had enough for every single kid (and I was thankful that) or else I would've been stampeded.

After the stampeding kids incident, my vision started to go all blurry again and as soon as it dispersed, I was back in the same basement, inside the same box, prepped against the same wall, and to top it all off with a cherry, it was dark.

I was frustrated at that point. I had a feeling that some mystical force kept screwing around in this one and a half day life I regrettably was living at the time. Also, I had no idea of what I looked like, which was oddly troubling for me.

As a few feelings of despair washed over me, I heard a strange alarm sound that went: "ding dang ding dong"

For some reason, the sound sent a few chills up my spine but then before I could react, my limbs went numb and I fell out of the box with a loud CRASH as I hit the floor.

I was perplexed at what actually happened, but then without realizing it, I got up freely with no auto-assistance or help. I finally moved for the first time with no help.

It sounded pretty weak when I relooked over it, but I was overjoyed. To finally move again. And to think I almost gave up.

But then reality came back to me. I inspected my surroundings, feeling around for any stairway like objects until I touched something hairy, or furry.

Upon closer exanimation, I realized it was just a costume much like the ones the three animal robots on the stage. I got worked up for nothing.

I poked around a little longer until my hand touched a handle. I pulled it down and a bright light flickered to life. I turned around to see my surroundings and I almost did a somersault.

Two degraded-looking costumes were right there in the room. In one corner, a costume was propped in a corner of the room sitting there lifelessly. It had what appeared to be yellow and red rust stains that looked like a disease that spread across a planet. In the center of the room was the other costume, but instead of it being degraded it was a mustard gold (if that's a color) with the same soulless black eyes exactly like the one that visited me the other night.

"Life is way too short." I thought in my mind as I took two glances back at the golden costume and half-walked half-skipped up the stairs and pushed the door open.

As I entered the kitchen, I noticed it was even darker up here than in the basement. I could only see a meter in front of me.

I had a little argument in my mind as if I should go back into the basement or stay up here, but my fear took over and I closed the basement door and proceeded through the kitchen.

I retraced my steps back to the now regular looking table that used to have the colorful bags placed on there. I was about to enter the party room but instead I went through an entrance way that led to a long hallway. As I turned a corridor that led to the hallway, I saw a dim light in the middle of two metal doors that led into another room. But once I got a better look, I saw a purple robot that resembled a bunny staring through a small window.

I crouched low to the ground and observed him, or her. I really couldn't tell.

I started to walk a little closer. When I was about 7 meters away, his head turned and looked straight at me.

That was my cue to leave.

I turned and ran, but when I broke off in a sprint I was surprised to see myself run at an unnatural speed that would've made any Olympic track runner jealous.

As I ran, everything started coming at me fast and I almost missed my turn. I quickly changed direction and ran toward the bathrooms.

I bolted into one of the bathrooms and skidded to a stop. I turned to look back, but my gaze was stolen by a mirror hanging above a sink.

For the first time I looked at myself and realized who I was. Or more like "what" I was.

I walked closer to the mirror and the first thing I noticed was my face. I seemed to resemble some sort of animal. Upon closer examination, I noticed black streaks that went all around my head except for my eyes. And actually, instead of eyes there were pure black shades. My overall color seemed to be a sad shade of grey and orange If this place was trying to entertain kids I certainly wouldn't be classified as "kid friendly".

I snapped back to reality and turned towards the exit to the bathroom, but guarding the exit was the purple bunny himself.

I stood there, frozen with fear, until the robot closed its eyes and said: "I've found another."

I was still standing by the mirror, confused, until I blinked once and the bunny charged at me.

Till next chapter~ Klepto