FRIDAY, JUNE 30, 2017, 9:43 AM
"Hi, you've reached Chris. I'm currently unable to take your call. Please leave a message and I'll get back to you whenever I can. Thank you."
BEEP.
"Hey, it's me. Are you okay? You haven't been answering any of my calls or texts. What happened out there? It's not like you to go silent like this. Please call me when you get the chance. I'm starting to get a little nervous about this whole thing. Talk to you later."
END OF MESSAGE.
The Phillips' first week in their new house was largely uneventful and their adjustments toward their new environment varied. Olivia was ecstatic about nearly everything: the park down the street, a tree a couple of houses over that looked like a giraffe, the stray cat who wandered in and out of their yard on a daily basis. Everything was a new adventure for her, which she gladly reported to all of her family. However, there was no subject that was rambled on about more than the boy next door, with whom she played with every day. They played anything that popped into her mind, whether it was a simple game of hide-and-seek to a role-playing game of being adventurers fighting for their lives in the Amazon. Emma expressed concern over some of their games for being too rough for the partially-crippled boy, but Cameron assured her that it didn't bother him at all and he loved playing with her, which made Olivia's eyes glow brightly in joy.
Kendall found himself spending most of his time inside or in the backyard, trying to keep away from all of the noise going on elsewhere in the house and bury himself in his reading and discoveries. He found out that their new house contained 60-watt filament light bulbs in the dining room and hallways, giving the rooms a much brighter appearance than what he was used to. He heard from somewhere that they were the bulbs of the future, that they were supposed to be more energy-efficient or something. He decided that he would keep his eyes open for any books or online articles on the subject.
So far, he'd made the backyard his safe haven for reading and observing the surrounding yards. He noticed that the neighbors opposite of the Wildes had automatic lights and sprinklers in their backyard. He gazed in amazement as the sprinkler heads rose up out of the ground, gave the grass and plants a good soaking, and then disappeared back to their secret depths. He wondered what made them work like that, how they received signals from whatever source told them when to activate, how durable such a fragile connection would be in the rain. Of course, that would have to wait for another day, for there was something else that had grabbed his attention.
Josh was having the hardest time adjusting to this new life. Every day, he would barricade himself in his bedroom with his stereo on and his phone never leaving his hand except when he needed to go to the bathroom. Aside from eating meals, none of the others saw him that much, which prompted his parents to sit down one night after dinner and have a small talk about him.
"All he cares about are his friends and girlfriend back home," said Emma. "If we don't do something, he may one day decide to hitchhike his way back up to Minnesota. He needs a push to let him know that we're serious about this being our new life...and about his future."
"I know," said Richard. "And I think I have a solution in mind."
Richard hadn't just been relocated, he'd been promoted at work. Being a stockbroker, his work in the financial sector was critical, especially since things had taken a lousy turn as of late. His boss back home had made the decision that it was time to take action, hence the move to his company's main headquarters in St. Louis. Thanks to the promotion, Richard was now a leader of a new team of recruits. Though his first few days were definitely different than what he was used to, he had hopes for the benefits his new position would bring him.
Emma was unemployed, which she didn't mind. With three children and a husband who successfully provided most of the income, she had no quarrels about being a stay-at-home mom, especially since she did have her own side business of selling cosmetics online, which allowed her enough money to provide some additional amenities, meet a few new friends, and even rent a car. As a whole, she was adjusting well to their new life, aside from a sense of dread simmering deep in her stomach concerning the restaurant they'd seen on their way into town.
By the end of the first week, things had begun to settle as the new normal for most of them. The children were eating breakfast with their father while their mother was working up a few more eggs and bacon.
"So how's your boyfriend?" asked Josh with a smirk.
"He's not my boyfriend! We're just getting married is all!" Olivia said, glaring at her older brother from across the table.
"Uh-huh," he said with a smirk. "So when's the wedding?"
"Next month, and you're not invited!" she shot back with arms folded.
"Aww, but who's gonna eat all the cake?" Josh teased. "Oh, I know. Kendall will! He loves stuffing his face with anything he can find."
"Wrong. Kendall's gonna be whacking his brother upside the head with his heaviest book," said Kendall, briefly taking his eyes out of the book.
"Speaking of books," said Emma, "put that thing down. You're at the breakfast table. And Josh, if I hear you tease your sister one more time, I'm taking your phone away!"
Josh groaned and turned his gaze to his mobile device once more. "Sheesh, you make a little joke, and the humor cops come crashing down on 'ya."
"Yeah, well, I'd hold back your next wisecrack, buddy," said Richard, "'cause if you think you're spending all summer sitting around the house playing on that thing, you've got another think coming."
Josh looked up at his father half-confused and half-nervous. "Really?"
"Oh, yes," said Richard, eyes locked firmly with his eldest son's. "Do you remember when we discussed how it was time for you to start helping out around here?"
"Like do more housework?" asked Josh, rolling his eyes.
"That too," said Richard, "but I was actually referring to getting a job."
Josh's eyes widened. He sat upright in his chair for the first time. "What?!"
"You heard me," said Richard. "You're fifteen. It's time you learn about the responsibilities of life, and getting a summer job is a good start."
"But I don't want a job right now!" Josh protested, returning his father's glare. "Working's for adults!"
"Oh, but you are an adult now, aren't you?" Emma chimed in. "I mean, that's what you always tell us when we set a curfew, isn't it?"
Josh turned to his mother and gave her the death glare. If there was one thing in the world he absolutely hated, it was when his parents used reverse psychology on him. His fists clenched, nearly breaking the phone still in hand. Kendall and Olivia both sat silently watching the drama unfold before them, neither one daring to get caught in the crossfire.
"Why would I want to get a job when I can't even work full time?" he argued.
"Because it's good experience," said Richard. "Besides, I already have a place in mind."
Emma turned to her husband in confusion. He didn't mention that before.
"Where?" Josh grumbled.
"Freddy Fazbear's Pizza World."
Emma's eyes went wide in shock and her mouth hung open. Kendall took notice of his mother's reaction and studied her face, hoping to gain insight into this mysterious behavior. Olivia had a smile on her face. She remembered the restaurant that they passed by the day they moved in. The mere mention of the name brought excitement to her giddy heart. Josh was taken aback by his father's suggestion.
"You mean that kiddie pizza place?" he asked.
"It's not a kiddie place," said Richard. "I've done some browsing online and it looks like it hosts activities and entertainment for all ages. And guess what? They're currently hiring."
"Oh, really? They're hiring? That's dandy," said Josh in a mocking tone. "Lots of jobs are hiring right now."
"Yes, but most of them require you to be at least eighteen years old," said Richard. "Trust me, son. I've done some research. This is the only job in the area willing to hire a high school student with no experience right now."
"Richard," said Emma. "Are you sure about this?"
He turned to his wife, confused by her concerned look. "Honey, we discussed this, remember? It's time for him to get experience."
"I know, but there?"
His eyes narrowed. "Okay, what is it with you and this place? It's not the same as that other restaurant from when you were a kid."
"Not here!" she said sharply through gritted teeth, gesturing to the children with her eyes. Richard glanced at his kids, all of whom were watching them, clearly sensing another argument. Olivia looked scared, Kendall looked curious, and Josh looked slightly amused. Richard looked back at his wife and nodded into the living room. The two of them got up and walked out of the kitchen.
"Is Mom okay?" Olivia asked as she continued to gaze after her parents.
"I don't know," said Josh, getting up. "It's Mom. She's always weird about stuff like this, like when she didn't want me to go into the rich kids' neighborhood on Halloween 'cause she said it was 'too eerie.' Who knows?"
He placed his dishes in the sink somewhat forcefully and began to walk back to his bedroom. As he did, he began to think about how unusual the situation actually was. She and Dad usually agree on stuff like this, he thought. It's like they're a team of cops always cracking down on you, making sure you're doing what you're supposed to. He shrugged. Oh, well. Maybe there's hope in getting outta this job thing after all.
But as he reached his bedroom and heard a fresh batch of arguing from his parents below, he remembered cringing for the first time in a while. Still, this is getting pretty intense.
Kendall finished his breakfast and slipped out the back door and into the backyard, eager to avoid the verbal battle that was unfolding inside. His parents never argued too much, but when they did, it could get intense. He walked over to the giant oak tree in the back corner of the yard and sat down with his book on basic robotics. He'd never really given them much thought before, but when his mother insisted on buying a Roomba for the house, he figured it would be helpful to know more about the self-activating machine that would be vacuuming their house on its own at three o'clock every other afternoon, especially since Olivia would likely be driving their parents up the wall with questions about it.
He opened up to the chapter on design. He was keen to discover how the inner mechanisms worked. He found it intriguing that something which wasn't actually alive could still be made to operate in a certain way that seemed human. How does it work? Are they just made to accomplish a certain task with the focus of an inventor while being mindless to the world around them? Or do they ever stop and wonder what life is like outside of their menial work?
He looked down at some of the diagrams illustrated on the page, featuring random parts and defining terms. He flipped a few pages and came to a page on sensors and AI capabilities. It explained how robots interact with the environment, how they use the information they receive to compute their actions and perform their tasks. He considered further how it was possible to create such a device, one that could actually read and interact with its surroundings. Furthermore, he wondered whether or not the future would someday hold an answer to the big question: will robots ever become sentient? Will they ever be able to stop their programmed duties and just take a moment to look around at their world and say-?
"Hey!" A loud, sonorous voice came from nearby, causing Kendall to jump so violently that his book fell to the ground with a loud crash. Groaning, he turned to see the amused face of Cameron Wilde peering over at him from above the fence separating their backyards. "Sorry. Did I scare you?"
"No, I'm always this jumpy when I'm reading," said Kendall, trying to hide his sarcasm as he went to pick up his book. He found his page and began to smooth it out when he sensed a presence nearby. He saw Cameron now standing right next to him, hovering over him.
"H-how-?"
"There's a gap in the fence right there. See it?" Cameron pointed at a narrow hole near the back corner of the yard. Kendall squinted in confusion.
How did I never notice that? His eyes widened. How long has he known about that? And how did he manage to get over here so fast with his cane?
"What'cha reading?" Cameron asked.
"A book," said Kendall.
"What's it about?" Cameron glanced at the cover. "Robots? Cool. Like the ones in movies? Or comic books?"
"No," said Kendall. "Like those automatic vacuum cleaners."
"Oh," replied Cameron, sounding disappointed. "I thought maybe it was a book on live robots."
"Live robots?"
"Yeah, the ones that move around and actually look like people or animals. Kind of like in that one movie about the apocalypse. What was it called?"
"Rise of the Sentients?" Kendall guessed, and Cameron nodded.
"Yeah, that one. Those robots were really creepy."
Kendall remembered it clearly. Being so young when it first came out, he remembered being afraid more than anything as he decided to brave his first scary movie with his parents one night while huddled against his mother's arm throughout the entire movie. It was about a sinister inventor who tried to take over the world and "fix" humanity's fragile brokenness by introducing a way to live life as a mechanical hybrid only to have the plan backfire horribly when the robots decide to capture the world for themselves, leaving the fate of the world in the hands of a small team of researchers and guards led by a brave journalist who leads the fight of man vs. machine. Looking back, it certainly had its cheesy moments which prevented it from being a big hit like The Terminator, though it still had a bit of a cult following and the lead actor was given praise for portraying his character so believably. What was his name again? That guy with the red hair? Carl Baker or something?
"Where's your sister?" asked Cameron.
"Inside," said Kendall. "I hear you're getting married," he added with a smirk.
Cameron's eyes went wide. "Oh, she's pretty serious about it, is she?" Kendall nodded. "Well, looks like I need to tell my parents I need to go tuxedo shopping. I wouldn't want her to think I'm a slob for the rest of our lives. Just think of all the shopping sprees she'll drag me to when we get older!"
Kendall scoffed as he imagined his little sister in her teen years, worrying about what to wear and asking how she looked in nearly everything.
"Hey, my parents are taking me to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza World on the fourth. You guys coming?" Cameron asked.
Kendall froze. So far, that name had caused his mother nothing but worry, and him nothing but curiosity. He was unaware of what the place was exactly, aside from being some kind of pizzeria. It didn't make sense. What's so creepy about a pizzeria, anyway? But then he remembered his parents discussing animatronics, robots that, like Cameron said, "move around and actually look like people or animals." Could that be it? He looked into Cameron's eyes, which were focused on him waiting for a response.
"Hello?" said Cameron. "Anybody home up there? Freddy Fazbear's is hosting a big event on the fourth of July. My parents are taking me. I've never been there before. They said that there are some handicapped amenities there, whatever that means. Are you guys coming?"
Kendall shook his head. "I...don't know."
"Let me know if you are. We could check it out together."
"CAMERON!"
A high-pitched squeal echoed across the yard as a wide-eyed Olivia came rushing toward them, her lime green summer skirt flapping in the wind. Before Cameron could respond, she had brown herself upon him so aggressively that he almost fell backward.
"Nice to see you, too," said Cameron, stroking her hair. "I hear we're really tying the knot, huh?"
She pulled away and looked him straight in the eyes, beaming.
"No, silly! We're getting married! Remember?"
"Oh, right! Of course!" Cameron lightly facepalmed himself. "Is there going to be cake?"
"Even better...rocky road ice cream from our freezer!"
"Oh, boy."
Kendall watched the two talk about their big day, unsure whether to be amused at Olivia's childhood innocence or embarrassed that she was taking everything so seriously. Still, Cameron seemed to be playing along, but for how long?
"Are you two gonna kiss or what?" called a voice from the upstairs window. They saw Josh standing there, a large smile on his face.
"Ew! Just because we're getting married doesn't mean we're going to kiss! That's yucky!" Olivia yelled back, glaring at him. "And you're STILL NOT INVITED!"
Josh shrugged and disappeared back into his room, his laugh audible from where they were standing. Olivia huffed and turned back to Cameron.
"So, what do you want to play today?"
"Actually, I can't today. I have an appointment at the physical therapist."
"A what?"
"A special doctor who helps me walk better with my bad leg."
"What time will you get back?"
"I don't know. These things usually last for a little while, and my mom says she wants to do some shopping on the way home."
"Aw!" Olivia crossed her arms and pursed her lower lip in a pout.
"But I might be able to play tomorrow!"
"You'd better!" she said. "We still have to get across that river to get to the camp and give you your medicine!"
"Right. For my snake bite," said Cameron, remembering where their last game had left off.
"Cameron!" came a woman's voice from next door. "We have to get going, sweetie!"
"Okay, Mom!" he called back. "I guess I'll see you guys later."
He turned and began walking back toward the hole in the fence, cane making crunching sounds in the grass as he went. As he slowly maneuvered his way through, he glanced back and gave a wave, which Olivia enthusiastically returned. And then he was gone. Olivia immediately took off for the house, presumably to watch him leave from her upstairs window. Kendall, having lost his motivation to read for the time-being, gathered his book and followed his sister into the house. He was greeted by his father coming downstairs, adjusting his tie. He smiled at his son and turned over his shoulder.
"Alright, I'm off to work!" he announced loudly, calling up to his two other children upstairs. "Josh, I want to see email confirmation of that submitted application tonight when I get home!"
A bang came from upstairs that Kendall recognized as his elder brother slamming his fist on his nightstand. Richard grunted and turned to Kendall.
"Be good for your mother today." He leaned slightly closer and added in a soft voice, "She needs some Mom-time today."
Kendall nodded as his father patted him on the shoulder and walked out the door. Kendall turned to head back outside when he heard his mother let out a sigh from the dining room. Glancing inside, he saw her sitting at the table, staring at the wall as if it were a TV and sipping on her hot tea so ferociously that it looked like she was chewing, which she always did whenever she was worried about something. After debating for a few moments, Kendall slowly approached her.
"Mom?"
She blinked and turned to her son.
"Yes, dear?"
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she said, though her clearly-fake smile betrayed her credibility. "I'm just thinking, that's all."
"About the restaurant?" He didn't mean to be so straightforward about it, but it came out before he could stop it. His mother's eyes widened, and he expected to be told some excuse about why she was acting funny, but she turned back to her tea.
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I was." Kendall had always been a curious and clever child, and deep down, she had a feeling he would begin to catch on to her fears. Still, there were things that no child should have to ever see, to ever know about, to ever witness. "I'm just a little nervous about your brother working at that place."
"How come?"
She closed her eyes and sighed deeply in frustration.
"I've never liked those animatronics much. They just look so creepy, like they're staring right into your soul. I know they're really alive, but they look like they are. And the way that they move so robotically, yet so realistically. It unnerves me. Those eyes, those blank, dead eyes looking down at me right before a hand begins reaching out toward me to take me somewhere don't want to go…"
As she looked into her son's confused eyes, she realized that she had been rambling. She shook herself in an attempt to brush it off.
"But," she said, clearly trying to move on from her little awkward moment, "Josh really does need a job this summer and it is the only place that's really hiring right now, according to your father."
"So you're okay, then?" Kendall asked, still trying to get a bead on his mother's suddenly weird behavior.
"Yes. Well, no. Yes and no. I'm sorry, but your father never mentioned to me the fact that he'd already found somewhere for your brother to work. He sprung it on me this morning. I think I'm just letting my nerves get the better of me. Childhood memories, you know?" She gave another smile to her son as she kissed him on the forehead. "Thanks for checking up on me sweetheart. It means a lot. Now, what do you say I take you and your sister out and we see what movies are playing in the local theater?"
For the first time since the conversation started, Kendall broke into a smile of his own. "Okay. I'll go get her! What about Josh?"
She gave him a knowing look that he understood immediately. When Josh was in a bad mood, he made a contagious virus out of it, seeking to spread it to whomever else was nearby. It was better that he be left alone right about now. After a quick ruffle of his hair, she watched him head upstairs to get his sister.
Josh isn't a kid, he's a young adult, so he says, she thought to herself. He can take care of himself. Maybe this is good. He can go there, check the place out, and determine whether or not it's safe for Kendall and Olivia. I'm sure it is. Freddy Fazbear's has to be a brand name. What are the odds of more incidents happening in another location halfway across the country?
As she called out to her eldest son, informing him of their plans, and helped her other two children into the car, she felt a sense of peace come over her. She was most likely being paranoid about the whole thing. Still, there was a nagging feeling deep down that would not be silenced, something deep instinct telling her that it was too suspicious to be a coincidence. She did her best to brush it off as she listened to her daughter ramble on about Cameron and the cool things they were passing by.
Kendall, on the other hand, remained silent. He couldn't stop thinking about what his mother said, how distraught she'd been ever since they'd moved in. He thought back to something he'd read in his book:
"Although researchers and scientists are still experimenting, there is still yet to be a discovery of AI capable of free thinking or free will."
Remembering the unsettling images of that movie, he shuddered as he thought about what life would be like being chased by a demonic-looking machine seeking to kill him in the cruelest way possible.
After fumbling with his keys for nearly thirty seconds, Chris pushed open the door to his single apartment and stumbled over the threshold. After setting his small bag near the door, he walked over to his bed and plopped down, wanting nothing more than to drift off to sleep. After a restless adventure getting back, he was drained. But he couldn't sleep. He was too fraught with worry.
What happened? he thought. I had it in my hands! I had it, and then… He didn't remember anything except a jolt of pain...and waking up with a major headache a few hours later. He remembered his horror when he realized that it was gone. What he'd spent hours searching for was nowhere in sight. But who would have followed me all the way out there? It's the burnt remains of an old, abandoned building that few people even knew about in the first place! Someone clearly had been there, though, and had clearly knocked him unconscious. A homeless man passing through? No. Why would he care about something disgusting and mysterious like that? He'd be looking for food...and shelter.
He shifted slightly, causing his wound to protest against the shift in pressure. He cried in pain and covered his head. That's when another thought occurred to him.
How am I going to explain this injury at work? They're already suspicious of me taking off for a week like that!
As he began brainstorming possibilities, a beeping startled him. It was his answering machine. He noticed that he had two new messages. He walked over and played them. They were both from the same person, a close friend of his. The first was from shortly after he'd left, wishing him luck on his journey. The second was received only hours ago. This one sounded much more distressing. Without another moment to consider, he dialed the callback number. After a few rings, there was a response.
"Hello?"
"It's me," said Chris. "I think we might have a problem."
A/N: I hope the chapter lengths are okay. I know that some of my chapters in "Nightmare House" got pretty long, and I wanted to avoid that for this story, not just for your sake but because it didn't help my writer's block at all. Hopefully, I can do a better job of narrowing them down.
