"Five Nights at Freddy's", its sequel, and all related canon characters are the property of Scott Cawthon. Also features some of my OCs. This story was written prior to FNAF 3 and potentially other games, so some character and plot interpretations may not be canon.
I want to make a disclaimer that I will be modifying some of Phone Guy (Phil)'s dialogue in this chapter since (a) it will help fit the events of the plot a little better, (b) I don't want to be accused of plagiarism, and (c) nobody likes a copy-paster anyway.
WARNING: To those who may be sensitive, this chapter contains graphic violence with blood and mild gore.
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Chapter 10: The Best Day of My Life
It was funny how something as simple as a 'CLOSED' sign could make a building feel like an entirely different place.
But it wasn't just the sign, Jeremy soon realized, as he walked down the halls. The walls were now barren - all the drawings by children had been taken down, possibly to check for prints or other evidence. The faint smell of cleaning supplies no longer permeated the halls, as cleaning was the exact opposite of what the investigators wanted. The melody of the music box still echoed from the Prize Corner, however, and Jeremy picked up his pace.
And nobody had thought of the security guard, apparently. The desk was pretty much left the way it always was, with the flashlight and Freddy head still placed on top. Looks like snacks and caffeinated beverages were going to be a one-time luxury. Still, maybe the officers could have taken pity on a poor college student finishing off his last night on the -
Jeremy smacked a palm to his forehead. He had come here out of pure habit, following his nightly routine. As the phone rang, however, he realized he wasn't the only one caught up in this routine.
November 13, 1987
"Hello, hello, uh... what on earth are you doing there?"
Jeremy felt guilt eating away at him, as he could practically picture the worried look on Phil's face right about now.
"Surely th-there were signs out front? I-it was in the memo. They're... they're going to close the place down... f-for a while," Phil explained. "We had a spare suit in the back - a-a yellow one... someone used it... i-it might be the, uh, same person who m-messed with the animatronics... that's why n-none of them are acting right."
So, the envelope had some kind of memo in it. Jeremy hadn't even thought about reading it, and if he had, he wouldn't be sitting here feeling totally brainless.
"Listen... j-just finish your shift, it's safer than, uh, trying to leave in the middle of the night... with all those animatronics on the prowl, as you're well aware."
Just one last night shift? He could do it. Jeremy couldn't help but feel bad as he wound up the music box... Phil had gone through all that work to get him a job on the day shift, and it was for nothing?
"I know what you're, uh, probably thinking right now... but even though we're technically closed, we still have an event booked for tomorrow. A-a birthday party," Phil sighed on the other end of the line. "That parent must've gone through a lot to book that reservation, huh? But, yeah, this means we're going to need you on the day shift. The uniforms should be in the managerial office. Then you just do, uh, day guard stuff... stay close to the animatronics, keep an eye on everything, make sure the rules are followed... uh, stuff like that. I'll give you more details later. For now, just... just make it through the night and stay safe, okay? I'm sure the place will reopen eventually... a-and when it does... I'll probably take the night shift myself."
The flashlight slipped out of Jeremy's grip, crashing to the floor. No. No way was he letting Phil anywhere near these things, he promised himself, as he quickly picked it up from the floor - and with good timing, as Foxy's metallic teeth glistened when he flashed the light down the hallway.
"O-Okay... good night, and good luck. I..." Phil hesitated on the other line. "... I-I'll see you tomorrow."
After hearing the line click on the other end, Jeremy briefly checked the vent on the left before going to hang up the phone. A moment of silence could convey so much. After making sure the other vent was clear - as well as the hallway - Jeremy reached into one of the drawers on the desk, removing a sheet of paper.
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He couldn't let the fear overtake him. He couldn't.
An unlicensed car parked deep in the forest, far from civilization, was home now. Four Skedaddles fruit candies and a sip of water was a meal now. Twenty minute periods of sleep every two hours, carefully measured with a battery-powered alarm, was a decent rest now.
John had gotten away with it - or was it, 'he could get away with it'? Surely he had edited the security footage properly? Surely that one loser - Greg Thoreau or something - was the only witness? He had been disposed of, after all.
Surely... surely he hadn't forgotten anything? He licked his parched lips, looking over at the handgun in the front seat.
He could go to the pizzeria, just to make sure - he could eliminate the night guard without a problem. Or were they going to start arming the guards, now that five new murders had taken place in the pizzeria? Not to mention, evidence or not, he could be wasting valuable time distancing himself from the pizzeria.
The further away from the pizzeria John was, the less likely the police would be able to catch him. Challenges were fun, why not see how many more years he could keep this up? And it wasn't like the animatronics were going to come after him, right? That nightmare of Bonnie's empty eyes staring straight at him was just a one-time thing and meant nothing.
... Right?
John grumbled, shifting himself in the driver's seat to properly buckle his seatbelt.
I've made up my mind, he told himself, as he started the car.
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The television screen was small, and the color sometimes faded into monochrome, but Phil didn't want to go out into the living room to watch television - Pat was probably asleep, considering how close it was to 2 am, although it wasn't rare for students to be up this late to study.
It was a shame how one bad night of sleep could ruin one's circadian rhythm. At least with a party to keep him active, he'd be plenty worn out by tomorrow night. Or rather... tonight.
One of Taco Shell's commercials came on, showing off some of that... disturbingly shiny yet oh-so-melty signature nacho cheese sauce, and Phil's stomach growled. He had been awake for a few hours, it was no wonder he was hungry. He frowned and tried to ignore it - Jeremy's food supply was limited, and he wasn't going to be a dirtbag to Pat. He could go a few more hours without eating.
Of course, the next commercial after it was a Picnix ad, showing off all kind of food... including some of those subs he loved so much. Phil scowled and turned down the volume. He might as well get a glass of water - maybe getting something to drink would make him less hungry.
He quietly stepped out of Jeremy's room, surprised to find the kitchen light was still on. As he walked into the kitchen, he was surprised to find a note on the fridge - that hadn't been there before.
Help yourself
(within reason)
- Pat
Jeremy couldn't have asked for a better person to share an apartment with, Phil thought to himself, as he opened the fridge. The first thing to catch his eye was one of those white boxes used for Chinese takeout, but he decided on plucking a handful of grapes from the bag next to it. He picked up a can of cola and returned to Jeremy's room.
Only a few more hours...
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Nodding off for half an hour wasn't so bad - it helped pass the time, after all.
What didn't help was the fact that it had been about 5:40-ish when Phil had dozed off. And now it was 6:14 am as he hung up the phone, giving up after listening to constant ringing for the past two minutes. Jeremy was probably close to the apartment complex by now - he could drive up any minute, as a matter of fact.
But there was always that lingering 'what if'. What if Jeremy had been shoved into one of the animatronic suits? What if somebody had tried to break into the pizzeria, and Jeremy got caught in the crossfire? What if he had been in a car crash on the drive home? He regretted leaving his car back at the pizzeria. Hopefully the police had left it alone.
Phil sighed, walking over to the porch door. The pentas was still growing nicely, he noticed with a little smile, before looking through the blinds at the violet sky.
Jeremy survived the night. He's okay right now, Phil promised himself, gazing up at the few remaining stars. He repeated it in his mind each time his eyes hopped from one star to another. These weren't childish wishes out of desperation, he tried to convince himself.
Phil was seeing stars again when he slammed himself forward against the window with a sharp and sudden gasp, startled by the sound of the front door opening.
"Sorry, did I scare you?" Jeremy asked in concern, a purple uniform wrapped in clear plastic casing tucked under his arm, as he stepped into his apartment.
"Jeremy!"
Angry, frustrated, worried, startled, relieved, joyous... Phil himself couldn't even tell what he was feeling, except that it was overwhelming. He just ran at Jeremy and threw his arms around him, burying his face in his shoulder.
"Whoa! Ph-"
"Why?" he asked, looking up at Jeremy. "Why did you go back?! I-I was so worried..."
He just stared down at him silently, trying to figure out what to say, and quickly. Apologize? Explain it was a dumb mistake out of habit? Try to laugh it off? It was so much easier figuring out what to say when one was writing a note over the course of six hours to properly express how much -
"I love you."
"What?"
"What?" Jeremy repeated, then his eyes went wide. "Oh, geez. First the night shift and now this. I'm messing everything up."
"Uh..." Phil chuckled shyly, his cheeks red. "I guess everything's moving kind of fast, huh? A-and you probably just want to take it easy... oh! And Pat's probably still..."
Phil looked over to the side.
"How about you take a seat on the sofa, and I'll get you something to eat and drink, okay?" he offered, letting go of Jeremy.
"I thought you were the guest?" Jeremy teased with a little smirk, slipping off his shoes as he took a seat on the sofa.
"I'm not the one who's been in a scary job for almost a week," Phil countered, as he stepped into the kitchen.
As Jeremy listened to the sounds of Phil rummaging around in the kitchen, he frowned up at the ceiling.
"You're an assistant manager. You're too high up to be on the night watch," Jeremy remarked.
"Part of the duties of being an assistant manager is filling in when a position is empty," Phil stated. "And I'm not going to let them try to move you back into that spot when the pizzeria reopens."
"Well, I don't want you getting hurt," Jeremy argued back. "Look, we... we don't even know if the place is going to reopen. And even if it did, why not get a job somewhere else? You're a people person, very oriented to customer service... Picnix would probably hire you on the spot."
"Do you think so? I just... eh... I-I feel like I'd be breaking some kind of loyalty code if I didn't work for the family compa-" Phil went silent for a second. "I'm trying too hard for my dad, aren't I? He loves me no matter what, he told me so himself. He won't care about a part-time job in the long run. Maybe I'll apply for a spot at Picnix next week! Uh, but probably not on registers... don't want to cut your hours."
"You're too kind," Jeremy replied.
Phil hummed in satisfaction, carrying out a breakfast arrangement for Jeremy. A simple turkey sandwich, some toast with strawberry jam, and a small bowl of cereal.
"Hey, wait, isn't this Pat's food?"
"There was a note that said to 'help myself within reason', so I'm helping you! Besides, I figured I'd leave a little grocery money as a thank you. I'll get you some iced tea."
Phil hurried in and out again, this time with two glasses of iced tea - one in his hand and one tucked against his body with his arm, murmuring 'cold, cold, cold!' as he went. He placed them on the table before taking a seat next to Jeremy on the couch.
"First, welcome back," Phil said with a smile.
"Thanks, glad to be back. How are you feeling?" Jeremy asked, reaching for his sandwich.
"I've calmed down a little, but I still - "
"I know... I know. I, uh... I meant more like..." Jeremy cleared his throat. "How are you feeling after yesterday?"
"O-oh. My legs are a little stiff, but I'm fine," Phil reassured. "Now then, why did you go back?"
"Out of pure habit. It's dumb, but it's as simple as that. About a split second after I sat down, I realized what I was doing, and then you called. So, hey, perfect timing. There's no additional debts I'm hiding or anything like that, it was a mistake on my part, and I apologize for making you worry so much."
"I believe you. Apology accepted," Phil replied with a smile.
He waited for Jeremy to finish eating before saying anything else.
"So..." Phil's voice trailed off, sliding over to lean his head against Jeremy's shoulder. "... What was that other thing you were going to say?"
"You want me to repeat it?" Jeremy asked, blushing. "Uh, should I read you the note? Or would you rather read it?"
"Whatever's more comfortable for you."
"Okay," Jeremy said, starting to reach into his pocket, but stopped. "... You know what? Forget the note."
He shifted on the couch, forcing Phil to sit up straight. He turned and took Phil's hand in both of his.
"I love you, Phil. What I said last night... I meant it. I think - " Jeremy paused to chuckle. "I think right after we kissed in your car for the first time, I think that might have been the moment I fell in love with you. Pretty cheesy, I know. I hope it doesn't sound weird, because it hasn't been that long - "
"It's not cheesy or weird at all!" Phil insisted, shaking his head with a smile. "There's no rule on how long it takes to fall in love! As long as there is love, and you're both happy, that's all that matters!"
He draped his arms around the back of Jeremy's neck, leaning in to gently press his nose to Jeremy's. Phil closed his eyes and smiled.
"And I am very happy, and very much in love with you, too," he whispered, before leaning in to kiss him.
He could feel Jeremy smile against his lips, placing his hands on Phil's waist, the flavors of sweet tea and strawberry intermingling as they kissed.
"I just realized..." Jeremy commented, pulling away from Phil briefly. "You have to be ready for class in a few hours, don't you?"
"Class, shmass," Phil dismissed. "I can skip a day. I only have two classes today anyway."
"Phil..."
"I've been healthy and studious and haven't missed any classes up until now. Besides, I want to enjoy the rest of our time together while it lasts!"
"Okay, but make sure you get a copy of the notes or whatever from someone on Monday. I'll help you catch up on them when my schedule permits," Jeremy couldn't help but grin. "So, where were we?"
Phil grinned and leaned in to kiss him again. After a little while, they eventually decided to turn their attention to the television, keeping the volume low so Pat could rest. The low volume of the local news and talk morning program was rather soothing, and Jeremy couldn't help but yawn.
"You're probably tired, huh?" Phil asked.
"Just a little," Jeremy replied.
"Here, what if we..." Phil scooted further down the couch, then patted his thigh invitingly.
Jeremy sighed contentedly, lying down on his back, his head resting in Phil's lap.
"Good?" Phil asked, brushing Jeremy's bangs away from his eyes.
"Great," Jeremy replied with a little smile, closing his eyes, enjoying the way Phil ran his fingers through his hair.
"Jeremy, uh, when does your lease end?" Phil asked quietly.
"It's like a 9-month-long contract, so... right about when the spring semester ends, in late April," Jeremy replied, opening his eyes, his smile turning mischievous. "... What are you planning?"
"Well, for starters... I've come to find that living alone can be peaceful sometimes, but for the most part, it gets kind of... boring. Not to mention the fact that my complex only has walk-in showers in our bathrooms, but you guys get a shower AND bathtub! Needless to say, there have been some nights where I have really yearned for a long, hot bath..."
"Well, give me a heads up, and you're welcome to come over for one anytime," Jeremy teased with a wink.
Phil laughed and continued.
"Well... I'll have one more year of college after this... and you'll probably go back to class next year... and the rent is probably a little cheaper here too, so..." Phil shrugged. "Would you... maybe want to get an apartment together?"
Jeremy closed his eyes again.
"Yeah. I'd really like that."
Phil silently played with Jeremy's hair for a little while, before speaking again.
"Hey, Jer?"
"Hmm?" he opened his eyes again.
"Uh, how's Rachel been?"
"Good, good..." Jeremy replied. "She got super excited when she called me last Sunday - the first of the month. Apparently, her boyfriend broke the school's record for rushing yards in a single game, and she was there in the bleachers to witness it all. I didn't think she was really into football, but Rachel was just blown away by how fast he was. He's among the top... 'runner-backs'... in the state, apparently."
"A running back, huh? The university's football team has had a pretty weak offense the past two seasons... it's no wonder they're trying to recruit him," Phil remarked. "Also, I think that's the first time I've seen you talk about Rachel's boyfriend without being grumpy about it."
"Yeah, well, having my own boyfriend kind of made me see things differently," Jeremy confessed with a playful smirk, reaching his hand back to hold Phil's hand. "Look how happy we are. Maybe the way I feel with you is the way Rachel feels with him. If she's that happy, I would never want to take that away from her."
"I think that's very sweet of you, Jer," Phil commented, going back to lovingly running his fingers through Jeremy's hair.
Jeremy closed his eyes and didn't say anything else for a while - he must have drifted off to sleep. Phil sat there, quietly watching TV for a few more hours, until he had to finally nudge Jeremy awake.
"Sorry... mmm... what's going on...?" Jeremy asked groggily.
"I, uh, just need to run to the restroom for a second," Phil admitted, as Jeremy sat up.
In the minutes he was gone, Phil overheard Pat's voice, followed by a door slamming. He came out of the bathroom, looking over at Jeremy in concern.
"That was Pat, wasn't it? I-is everything okay?"
"Yeah, don't worry," Jeremy waved it off. "Just late to class."
Phil groaned, returning to take a seat next to Jeremy.
"I'm never gonna meet Pat at this rate!"
"Of course you will," Jeremy chuckled softly, wrapping an arm around Phil's shoulders.
"Oh, uh... speaking of Pat... would you guys still wanna live together?"
"Pat would probably be okay with it, but..." Jeremy pulled Phil a little closer. "... I would kind of prefer it if it was just the two of us in an apartment."
"No offense to Pat, but that was my preference, too," Phil confided.
Just as he rested his head against Jeremy's shoulder, the phone rang. Phil let out a disappointed sigh.
"I'll get it," Jeremy chuckled, gently pecking Phil's temple before getting up to answer the phone.
"Hello? ... Mr. MacLaine? ... Yes, sir... y-yes, I am! ... Unfortunately, I'm not available this afternoon... tomorrow?" As he spoke on the phone, Jeremy glanced over at Phil. "I can come in tomorrow afternoon, yes... that sounds great! ... Thank you so much, sir... alright. Bye."
He hung up the phone, a grin on his face, as he dashed to the couch. In one sweeping motion, he lifted Phil from the couch, bridal style, and spun around with him in his arms.
"J-Jeremy...!" Phil stammered amidst his laughter. "Wh - what's going on?"
"That was the manager of The Bird and Barb. He told me a spot opened up among the waiters, and he wants to speak with me tomorrow about the job."
"Jeremy, that's great!" Phil wrapped his arms around Jeremy's shoulders in an awkward hug.
"Yeah!" Jeremy agreed, as he gently lowered Phil back onto the couch and sat next to him.
"I'm so glad..." Phil said with a tender smile. "Your jobs, my father, our relationship... everything worked out okay in the end."
Jeremy chuckled.
"It's a Friday the thirteenth... and I might just be having the best day of my life," he commented, standing up. "Come on. Let's go out and enjoy the morning... after I change my clothes."
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After stopping at the Wizard's Brew for brunch and Phil's apartment - giving him a chance to change clothes - Jeremy finally drove into the parking lot for Freddy Fazbear's Pizza.
"Kind of strange to think I clocked out of here only a few hours ago," Jeremy commented, as he parked near the front. "... I wanted a job here hosting parties, and instead I'm serving as security."
"It's not like you're a Secret Service agent or anything," Phil assured. "Heather spent some time playing with the kids here, as did... as did John."
He sighed, a forlorn expression on his face, as he unbuckled his seatbelt.
"Hey. Don't worry, everything's going to be fine today, you'll see," Jeremy assured, reaching over to place a hand on Phil's shoulder. "I'm going to make sure all those kids leave the party safe and happy. I'll make you proud, I promise."
A smile returned to Phil's face.
"I love you."
"I love you, too," Jeremy replied, smiling back. "Now let's get in there and give some kid the best birthday ever."
Walking through the front doors together actually brought a tiny smile to Phil's face - Jeremy didn't seem to hesitate like he used to when he came here. However, once they stepped into the Game Room, their resolve diminished a little.
"Good timing, Phillip," Frank commented, already carrying a set of paper plates. "Go clock in and help me set up Party Room 1. Fitzgerald... clock in and take a quick lap around the premises. Make sure everything's looking okay."
"Y-Yes, sir," Jeremy replied, his stance stiffening a little.
Once Frank had walked past, they exchanged an awkward look, before continuing to the back to clock in.
"It'll be okay," Phil reassured, as Jeremy punched in. "I'll handle your overtime check for last night, okay?"
"Yeah, thanks," Jeremy agreed. "It's only one day, after all!"
Before they could leave the area in the back, someone came running in.
"Jeremy! I thought I heard you!"
"Ronaldo!" Jeremy exclaimed, exchanging a hug with him. "How have you been?"
"Good! I have got much better at speaking English, too!"
"I can tell, I'm so proud of you! Good job!" Jeremy praised, as the three of them walked out into the Game Room. "How's Sophia? Is she here?"
"No, she is not on the schedule today. But she is doing well!"
"You know, uh, we were talking about the five of us - well, I guess it's more like the eight of us - potentially hanging out to watch the football game tomorrow," Phil invited.
"Sophia and I do not have plans... I think she would like to come!"
"Then that just leaves Heather, Fritz, George, and Pat," Phil remarked, looking over at Jeremy, who chuckled at the grin on his face. "What? I can't help being so giddy! It's like we're having a party of our ow-"
"PHILLIP!"
The three of them winced, able to hear Frank from nearly halfway across the pizzeria.
"I, uh, I better get going..." Phil apologized, hurrying off. "Keep up the good work, guys!"
"I hadn't even thought about that... he's technically my boss as well," Jeremy commented, looking up at Ronaldo. "I'm going to take a lap around the pizzeria and make sure everything is okay."
"Okay. I will get back to work too."
As Ronaldo returned to the kitchen, Jeremy took in a deep breath and walked up to the show stage area, stopping in front of Freddy Fazbear himself. The trio of animatronics stared off into space onstage, including Chica, her facial features already repaired for the day.
Jeremy smiled at the now-harmless animatronics one last time, adjusting the lucky pin on his tie, before heading out into the hallway.
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Jeremy, previously seated in one of the chairs in the Game Area, stood up when a young boy and his mother entered the area. He glanced over at the animatronics - it was his turn to put on a good performance too.
"Uh, hello, hello!" Jeremy greeted with a grin. "What's your name, buddy?"
The little boy grinned back at him.
"You said the same thing as the man without a hand!"
"Oh, you mean Phil!" Jeremy remarked. "Yeah, he's my best friend!"
"Is that why you both wear purple?" the boy asked.
Phil had worn that purple shirt with the red bowtie again today, hadn't he?
"Yeah, that's part of it!" Jeremy answered.
"You still haven't told him your name, sweetie," the boy's mother commented to her son.
"Oh, yeah! I'm Tyson!" he exclaimed.
"Nice to meet you, Tyson, I'm Jeremy. I don't suppose today is your birthday, is it?"
"Yeah! I'm six years old!"
"Congratulations! Well, Tyson, how about we get some tokens for you? Phil and I really like the skeeball machines, what about you?"
Jeremy made sure to show around the other guests and get them tokens as they arrived, until Phil and "Freddy" came back inside.
"That's everyone!" Phil commented, as Ronaldo gave a thumbs up from inside the costume. "I'm going to help Ronaldo put away the costume, and then the three of us can have a quick snack, okay?"
"Sounds good," Jeremy agreed.
They smiled at each other, their gazes lingering an extra moment, before Phil helped lead Ronaldo to the back area.
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Everyone in the room applauded as Tyson blew out all the candles on his cake with a single breath. Even though they were standing on opposite sides of the room, Jeremy and Phil exchanged a smile with each other. Unlike the first one for Tyler Proper, the final party for Tyson Prim had gone perfectly fine, and it was finally drawing to a close.
"Michael?!"
Phil froze at the sound of the mother's voice.
"Oh, Mrs. Schwartz, he's just being a kid! He probably ran off to go see the characters again," Mrs. Prim tried to reassure.
"It's not Schwartz, it's - "
"Ma'am?" Phil asked, stepping over to her. "Uh, if you'd like, I could go find him for you."
"Oh, thank you, I would appreciate that a lot," she said.
"I'll be right b-"
"Nah, it's okay, I've got it," Jeremy assured, patting Phil on the back. "I'm security around here, remember?"
"Just... as long as someone finds my son, okay?" Michael's mother asked impatiently, her voice lowering to a murmur. "... I should've known better than to bring him to this... murder hole..."
"It's alright, Mrs. Schwartz, I'll be back before you know it!" Jeremy assured. "Leave the kid to me, okay? See ya, Phil!"
Before Phil could reply, Jeremy had darted out of the Party Room.
Jeremy ran down the hallway, deciding to check the Game Room first, peeking under tables. As he went towards the stage, hoping he wasn't about to find Michael playing on the stage itself, he paused when he heard a metallic clatter.
Kids Cove, Jeremy concluded with a grin.
Sure enough, as he stepped into the small room, he spotted a boy about five or six years old standing near a toppled-over Mangle.
"Is your name Mike Schwartz?" Jeremy asked, walking over to him.
"No," he answered. "It's Mike Schultz."
"Oh," Jeremy shook his head. "Hey, Mike, my name's Jeremy. You know your friends and your mom are all waiting for you back at the party, right? You wanna go over there and play with your friends?"
"Nah," Mike answered, looking back down at Mangle. "I have more fun playing with Mangle."
"Yeah, one of my friends had a lot of fun with Mangle, too, because she was responsible for constantly fixing her," Jeremy commented. "But you know, uh... you'll be missing out on cake if you don't go to the party..."
Mike looked up, intrigued.
"I do like cake..." he shrugged. "Okay."
Mike ran up to Jeremy, completely fine and eager to return to the party.
But that's not how everyone in the room saw it. A man in purple and a small child, about to leave... it was a familiar scene to Mangle, but not a pleasant one.
Both Jeremy and Mike jumped when Mangle started emitting that familiar staticky radio signal.
"What's that noise?" Mike asked, covering his ears. "I don't like it!"
"I think you must have hit a switch or something when you pushed Mangle over!" Jeremy hypothesized, raising his voice.
"Turn it off!" Mike whined.
"I don't know how!"
The man in purple was raising his voice. The child was showing discomfort. These were not good signs.
Mike let out a small shriek as Mangle started to stir to life, positioning herself on all fours in a crouching position.
"What's she doing?!" Mike cried out.
"I don't know!"
She leapt, causing Mike to let out a piercing scream. Despite her rickety appearance, Mangle still certainly seemed capable of impressive movement, one of her limbs reaching through a panel in the ceiling to support herself near the corner of the room.
"A-A-Alright, come on..." Jeremy stammered, reaching out a hand to Mike. "We need to let Mr. Fazari know something's gone seriously wrong!"
Mike wiped his eyes and nose, trying not to cry as loudly, looked over at Jeremy.
"Everything's going to be okay. Remember my friend? Her name's Heather. We're going to find someone like Heather to fix Mangle, so she doesn't do this again. Will you help me call someone to fix Mangle?"
Even though his hand glistened from nasal mucus, Jeremy didn't pull back at all when Mike placed his hand in Jeremy's. He gently held his hand for a moment to reassure him, and Mike seemed to quiet down a little.
That is, until Mangle started to crawl along the ceiling, almost directly overhead of them - Mike screamed his tiny lungs out.
"Mike! It's okay!" Jeremy insisted, gently tugging on his arm to get him to follow. "We just have to - GO!"
Almost like a reflex, he shoved Mike away as Mangle's upper body lunged down from the ceiling. Jeremy couldn't have known that she had never intended to hurt Mike, however, as her animatronic hands reached forward and her jaws opened wide...
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"Michael Peter Schultz!" his mother scolded, as the teary-eyed boy ran into the room. "Don't run off like that!"
"Mangle!" he sobbed, clinging to the shirt she wore. "Mangle...!"
"You can play with Mangle some other day, we are LEAVING as soon as - "
"Mangle's going to eat him! She's going to eat Mr. Jeremy!"
"They're dumb robots, they can't possibly hurt - "
A purple blur ran past her out of the room, as voices in the room began to raise their concern.
"Wasn't that the assistant manager?"
"If that's how he's reacting... how dangerous IS this place?"
"I knew this place was going to lead more people dying!"
"Daddy, what does 'dying' mean?"
"Hello there, everyone! I'm the manager of this establishment, and I just wanted to make sure..." Frank commented with a smile as he stepped into the room to check on things, although that quickly disappeared once he noticed the panic rampant among the parents and children.
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It wasn't supposed to go this way. It wasn't right. This couldn't be happening. He had gotten Jeremy moved to the day shift to try to protect him!
The Game Room blurred around him as tears filled his vision, already fearing for the worst, as Phil finally ran through the doorway to Kids Cove.
Jeremy's arms were braced above his head, one hand on each part of Mangle's jaws, forcing them closed. However, her hands were clasped around Jeremy's forearms, trying to pry his arms away.
"Jeremy!"
"Phil, see if you can - "
Another purple man. This situation was far more dire than before. Mangle began thrashing in Jeremy's hold, as he struggled to restrain her.
"Jeremy, hang on!" Phil called out to him. "I'll see if - "
"No!"
Phil had run only two steps forward before Jeremy's shout had stopped him.
"No, Phil, you can't come near this thing."
"I'm not gonna leave you!"
"I don't - ngh! - want you to get hurt!" Jeremy insisted, grunting as Mangle tried to shake his arms off.
"But what about you?!" Phil exclaimed. "I-I have to try! There must be something I can use... m-maybe in the room with spare parts...!"
"As long as you stay safe, if there's nothing there, just call someone...!" Jeremy suggested, quickly adjusting his grip on Mangle's jaws as she shook her head. "... And Phil..."
Phil looked back one last time.
"... If... if something happens... it's not your fault," Jeremy reassured with a sad smile. "Just remember I love you, okay?"
"Y-yeah...! Love you too!" Phil choked out, before he turned and ran.
He dodged past a mother and father, hurrying into the Parts and Service room. He needed something that he could use from a distance, but also stop Mangle quickly. An electric cattle prod sounded pretty useful right now... even if he had never really liked the concept of them. He stepped carefully around the dismantled animatronics, ignoring the odor, keeping his eyes peeled for anything -
Foxy's hook was practically pointing at an open toolbox, and right on top of everything was a pair of lineman's pliers - with insulated handles no less.
"You always were my favorite," Phil marveled, clutching the pliers in his hand, before he turned and ran back.
He could do it. Everything would be okay, Jeremy was going to be okay, Phil just had to -
"Phillip!"
He was yanked backwards so hard, for a split second it almost felt like his right arm could've been torn off. Phil stumbled to catch his balance, Frank keeping a tight grip on his arm.
"Uncle Frank, please!" he begged.
"Where do you think you're going?! You idiot, help me evacuate the building! We have to make sure everyone's accounted for!"
"U-Uncle Frank, I-I can't, I-I-I have to - I-I need to - "
"Need to what? What's more important than all these peo-"
They both looked in the direction of the Game Area, faces pale with horror, as a blood-curdling scream filled the air.
"JEREMY!" Phil screamed, about to run, but his uncle's grip remained firm.
"We'll call someone, okay?! But we also need someone to make sure everyone else left the building safely, and I can't do both things at once!" Frank snapped.
"But Jeremy... J-Jeremy...!" Phil squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth, trying to contain his tears and the urge to scream; Jeremy could be severely injured or even dead right now and there was nothing he could do about it.
"I can do it!"
They both turned their heads to look at Ronaldo.
"My English is not perfect... but I can call 9-1-1 and I am sure they will understand."
He didn't even wait for Phil or Frank to give him permission, sprinting off into the Game Area, en route to one of the phones in the back.
"... Come on, we have to go count the guests."
"No! I-I'm not going with you!" Phil insisted, trying to wrench his arm free.
"Why are you so intent on saving him?" Frank let out an exasperated sigh. "Why did I ever listen to Rico, nothing good was ever going to come out of hiring that..."
Phil was already terrified at the thought of losing Jeremy... and the way his uncle's expression darkened did not help things.
"... You haven't been lying to me, have you?" Frank interrogated, his voice low, tightening his hand for emphasis.
"Th-this isn't the time!" Phil tried to pull away, but his uncle still did not let go, continuing to raise his voice as he spoke.
"Is that man the one you love?!"
"Let me go!" Phil cried out, a tear rolling down his left cheek, more threatening to escape him.
"So you don't deny it?!"
"Uncle, s-stop!"
"Do you love him or not?!" Frank demanded, yanking Phil with him towards the front door.
Hot tears poured out of Phil's eyes as his lips curled angrily.
"I LOVE HIM!" he yelled. "I love him, and I swear on my life, I won't let him DIE!"
With that final word, he ripped himself from his uncle's grasp with all his strength and sprinted down the hallway, his pulse pounding in his ears, as only two words echoed in his mind.
SAVE HIM.
He came to a halt once he reached Kids Cove, however, his anger and energy replaced by fear and paralysis. Jeremy was lying on the floor on his back, unmoving, a puddle of blood forming around his head as Mangle continued gnashing her teeth into whatever was left of his forehead.
Phil swallowed down the bile rising in his throat and started sneaking closer, trying to find the optimum balance between silence and speed. The eye on the endoskeleton head attached to Mangle made eye contact with him, causing Mangle to turn her head.
Phil froze in a panic for a second, before running straight at the creature. His early days of tackle football seemed to come back to him, because he jumped right onto Mangle's back. He clung onto her desperately as she thrashed around, his legs wrapped around her torso and his right arm wrapped around her neck as he shakily moved the pliers towards the various wires running along the endoskeleton leading to her blood-stained animatronic head.
Mangle rocked forward and back like a bucking bronco, nearly shaking Phil off, his legs the only thing still clinging to Mangle as his arms flailed up in the air.
Which would soon prove to be his undoing, as Mangle took advantage of the opportunity to sink her teeth right into his forearm, just below the elbow. Phil screamed again, his throat raw, as he shakily reached his left arm out to the endoskeleton's wires.
Chomp. Chomp. Chomp.
Mangle was literally tearing him apart, he realized, his vision growing hazy as his entire body trembled. He leaned forward, his weight pushing his body against Mangle's endoskeleton, as that final push allowed him to catch the wires in the pliers and clip them almost effortlessly.
Immediately, Mangle stopped moving, collapsing in a heap on the floor, though her jaw still remained clamped around his torn up arm.
A rushing noise was starting to fill Phil's ears, as his vision turned white and staticky. He rolled his head to the left, still barely able to make out the figure of Jeremy lying nearby. His heart was still pounding and his stomach was churning and it occured to Phil that he should probably try to breathe. He could faintly hear Ronaldo's voice, almost like it was a yell echoing from deep inside a cave, although he couldn't figure out what he was saying, too garbled to even figure out the language.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. This job was supposed to keep Jeremy safe, just like how the animatronics were intended to keep children safe as well as entertain them. Phil's stomach rolled again as a terrible realization hit him.
Mangle was only following her programming; she hadn't asked a favor from a CEO to give someone a job that would ultimately lead to a nightmare come true. She wasn't the one who had set these events into motion.
The last thing Phil saw was Ronaldo's shadowy figure kneeling over him before everything faded into darkness, his final thoughts grim.
It wasn't Mangle's fault... It's... me...
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"... me...? ... ake up... can you hear me? Phil...?"
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Remember back in Chapter 5, when I recommended you guys try watching the opera 'Carmen'? I still highly suggest it. Especially that song from the finale... whatever it's called. Probably nothing relevant.