Chapter 10: A Break… For Now

Estrella's POV-

Many silent minutes passed by until we heard the buzzing drone of the building powering down. The sound of human shuffling confirmed that the substitute night guard had arrived and settled.

The question was: is this guard the actual one behind all this mischief? Or are our assumptions wrong? We would never know until he was dead.

The cycle began again. Only this time, anxiousness filled the air. Tension crackled wherever we had stepped. Wherever any of the animatronics stepped.

I nearly jumped when a child's laugh broke the silence, plucking a string of concentration violently. I don't think I would ever get used to Balloon Boy's humourous but sinister chuckle, despite the fact that it always sung throughout the pizzeria every few minutes, now.

I was the first to get up, slowly moving my knees close to my chest and pushing my heavy body up both hands, or wires, should I say. Surprisingly, I didn't make much sound.

Taking my cue, both Al and Colin rose shortly after. Only Geoff stayed down.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" I scolded, still angry at him for what happened only minutes ago. "Do you want to be stuck here forever?"

"No. Of course not," he replied. "I just don't think I can take another letdown like the one earlier today."

"I don't think any of us can. But it's our only chance," Al urged, and I felt a pang of sympathy for Geoff. After all that he's taught us through, he was disappointed in what we thought was the end.

Nonetheless, he got up and, without a word, creaked open the door, which seemed to become heavier and heavier over the days.

Together, we all made our way down to the main hall, stopping at the end of the wall, where we each took off one by one.

I watched as Al slipped around the corner, walking a long way down the hall that led to the office, before turning suddenly to enter Party Room 1. Geoff volunteered to go second, quietly creeping step by step, slow as ever, straight towards the office. Colin followed, using his fox agility to achieve odd positions on the walls and ceiling, much to resemble the Mangle.

The Toys were not active at all tonight. The only other sounds besides us the childish laugh of Balloon Boy.

After I was sure that the others had made it a far enough way to the office, I shuffled fast towards Party Room 4.

I knew the drill now. Party Room, vent, office, scare, leave. The leave part always frustrated me. It was like seeing another one of us in the office took us into a trance, forcing our animatronic bodies to go elsewhere.

The soft notes of a music box didn't make concentrating any easier. From my experience, animatronics were more active when they didn't hear sound, so that was the reason why the night guard was always so eager to wind up the box.

If we caught him off guard while he was either checking the cameras or winding the music box, then score! But that hasn't happened. Not yet. Hopefully our chances with this substitute "killer" will be luckier.

Cone-shaped party hats lined the tables. I brushed past them, arriving at the narrow opening of the right air vent.

I took a deep breath, and crawled in.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Last night was a particularly fun one. We all got our fair share of jumpscares for the guard. But, he seemed even more experienced than the previous dead guard, despite that fact that he never even had a job here.

I sighed heavily and leaned against the wall, letting myself fall down to the ground. 6 am dawned again. No success.

I predicted that we were going to spend today in silence. I was right. Until once again, voices emerged from the other side of our door.

"I suggest we just sell this place and set up somewhere else." I recognized that voice. It was the wispy, soft voice that we had heard the day before. "With business like this, the pizzeria will never survive. Plus, the government is urging us."

"Yes, yes. I already made a plan," a new, woman's voice responded. "Some investors are willing to send some money to repair the old animatronics, since they seem to be malfunction also, and it will cost less money to replace fabric than hard plastic. And I think they might have a better reputation, since a new Toy animatronic apparently bit someone. It's weird though, because we can't find the culprit. No clues on any of the Toys. Nonetheless, they'll be scrapped and sold. The boss is already browsing for some new, vacant lots for our restaurant. But he says it will be best if we wait a few years for the incident to… Evaporate."

We're going to be… repaired? But… won't they find dead bodies inside of our suits? If they do, we might be scrapped too. Anxiousness urged me to listen further.

"Hmmm… That is a good plan. Alright, I will begin looking for buyers on this cursed lot. I'll speak with the investors, if you can get me contacted." I waited. No more conversation. I cursed silently. No more information on what's going to happen? Now we have to wait 5 years to get out of here? 5 YEARS?

No. Please no. This can't take that long. Was it our fault that this pizzeria had to close down? Was it our fault that we have to wait 5 more years now?

I sighed. At least we had a break… For now.

A/N: And the first game's theories are about to begin. I hope you guys are excited. And... I think that's all I've got to say. Oh well.

Until the next time,

Cookies of Rainbows :)