Greeting: Shadow, Crystal and Storm Jr. seem to be in danger. They are about to become a three-meal feast.
What can they do to save themselves? We can't figure it out unless we move on.
Go ahead, pals!
( Storm Jr. with Crystal and Shadow. In a curved corridor. First floor)
Shadow glanced both ways as the loud noises came closer.
Crystal and Storm Jr. were terrified. They stank of fear and Shadow was worried it may cause them to be found.
It was not a problem as they were not hidden in the first place.
There was nowhere to go and nowhere to hide. The corridor was dusty and nothing but empty.
They were like scared rats, driven into a corner by cats. They wanted to flee but where.
They were waiting for their inevitable death. The feet were coming closer and Crystal's core was speeding up.
She had to breath quickly as she was in panic.
Storm Jr. could already tell that the three animatronics had no way of defeating the monsters.
There were so many of them and they would be harder than the ones who attacked the pizzeria.
They would be accompanied by red-eyed ones.
The one single moment stretched like flour as a baker was turning it into a baguette.
Storm Jr. saw her life flash before her eyes. She saw the first glance of Leslie as he looked into her eyes.
Leslie and Shadow had been so wet and very wounded when Bulldozer had brought them in.
Storm Jr. recalled the book, she had read before meeting Leslie.
They had been wonderful times and she would never forget them.
Storm Jr. wished she had spent more time with Leslie.
After her betrayal, Leslie hadn't spoken to her much. They hadn't had a date since the trip on Faith's back.
Storm Jr. would have wanted to take Leslie for a proper date at least once. A date, during which they would have kissed each other on the lips.
She hadn't gotten any of those things but she had had a happy life nonetheless. She was grateful for having so many loving and tender friends.
She was grateful for her sister and parents.
Storm Jr. went through a lot of thoughts during two seconds.
She thought about the time, she had spent in the closet. Catty had saved her from an uncertain future.
Storm Jr. had come a long way from crying in the closet to having a witch for a boyfriend.
Her mind was scared but the thoughts comforted her.
Crystal had been suffering for the two seconds, her mind was not comforted by anything.
" I'm gonna die", she had repeated in her head.
Shadow's mind had been concentrating on finding a way to escape. He wanted to vanish with his friends.
" Vanish? That's it!", the idea popped into his head.
The monsters rushed around the corner and Shadow saw their eyes. He let the magic take him over and his namesake consumed him completely.
Shadow hugged the two girls and pulled them closer to him. Shadow knelt down and the girls sat down as he pushed them towards the wall.
Crystal and Storm Jr. weren't stupid enough to resist or move.
They held still and stopped breathing.
Shadow had never tried hiding someone else. Technically, the monsters should have not seen the girls behind Shadow.
He had never tried it so it was just a thesis.
" Please. Do not see us, bloody bastards", thought Shadow and closed his eyes.
A horrible grin appeared onto his face. The girls couldn't watch either.
The monsters ran closer to Shadow and the girls. The first rows ran straight past them.
Shadow was too frightened to calm down yet. More monsters ran by.
He waited for the monsters to run away. He wasn't going to move until the whole basement was empty.
One of the monsters was familiar with Storm Jr.
After all, she had almost woken up the sleeping monster.
The girl was no different than the rest but there was something familiar in the air.
It may have been asleep but Storm Jr. had a memorable scent.
It slowed down and its buddies started running past it.
The girl was right behind Shadow.
Crystal saw its leg after opening her eyes and grinned. Shadow was hidden but if the girl saw a part of Crystal or Storm Jr., they would be hidden no longer.
Shadow was using magic but it hadn't attached to the two others.
The monster was looking around suspiciously. It sniffed the air and took a step closer.
The noise, around, began to fade as the monsters had all run out. The girl needed to leave for Shadow and his friends to escape.
Storm Jr. opened her eyes and glanced at Crystal. The fox was shivering in fear and her feet were making noise.
The monster was not leaving because Storm Jr. was scared which amplified her scent.
The monster was not sure whom that scent belonged to.
Crystal saw the foot come closer and closer. Shadow had opened his eyes as well and looked at the girls.
" Don't worry. We'll survive", he mouthed to them.
Crystal was too afraid to nod. The monster was weirded out because there was nothing in front of it.
Shadow's magic created an illusion. It saw nothing but a wall.
" Who is in here? Are you invisible? What is this weird scent, I'm smelling?", asked the monster.
It came very close.
Shadow hoped it wouldn't take another step. He was hidden but not from touch.
The monster would hit Shadow's back if it came any closer. Storm Jr. froze her hand and Crystal gasped.
The monster saw a frosty particle appear out of nowhere as it came around Shadow's body.
It heard a tiny gasp that belonged to a scared fox.
" What kind of people are you?", wondered the monster.
Storm Jr. knew that it had seen them. She had to act before it would call the rest.
She jumped up and almost hit her knee on Shadow's snout.
The monster was about to shout when Storm Jr. shoved her frozen weapon into its heart.
" Huh?", there was a monster by the doorway.
He heard the other monster's growl of death.
" Hide her", whispered Shadow.
Storm Jr. pulled the monster's body into Shadow's embrace. She placed the body between her and Crystal.
Storm Jr.'s hand was covered in blood and it was dripping onto Crystal's body.
The girl's head leaned her way and stopped as it touched her shoulder.
Crystal was about to scream harder than ever. The monster might have been still alive.
" Don't you dare to scream now", mouthed Storm Jr. and shook her head.
Crystal couldn't help but stare into those black eyes that weren't moving.
There was no way of knowing where the pupils were but Crystal felt that they were looking at her.
The other monster walked past them casually and frowned.
" I swear there was someone here. I heard it", muttered the monster.
Shadow would have been pissed off if that monster had come for them too. Instead, it shrugged and ran off on all four.
" Is it gone?", asked Shadow, whispering.
" He's gone. Let's go before anything comes for us", Storm Jr. peeked around his shoulder.
Shadow became visible again and stood up. Storm Jr. stood up with him.
Crystal let out a loud sigh of relief, no one heard that.
" I was sure we'd be dead by now", Crystal wiped her forehead as she got up.
" We are not. We are alive and living things can crawl in vents so let's go", Storm Jr. crouched.
She made a platform with her hands.
" No. I will not go first. You go, Storm Jr. I'm done being the one in the danger zone", Crystal put her hands up.
" Fine then. I'll go if you help me. Leslie is my love anyway. He means everything to me", shrugged Storm Jr.
" Hey. I was built to protect him. He means as much to me", Shadow pointed out.
" That was not my point, Shadow. It...Well, whatever. I'll go first, that's all I'm gonna say", sighed Storm Jr.
Crystal helped her up and she removed the cover.
Storm Jr. crawled into the vent and waited for her friends. Shadow glanced at the vent and then Crystal got his attention.
" Shouldn't we do something about the corpse? It's pretty visible right here", she asked him.
Shadow knew what to do.
" You go in. I'll deal with this", he answered her.
Shadow helped Crystal get into the vent and then it was the corpse's turn.
" What are you doing?", Crystal asked Shadow.
" Wait a second. Could you girls move a bit forward?", Shadow was doing something.
Crystal pushed Storm Jr. forward so Shadow had some space. Shadow pushed the corpse into the vent and checked around.
" Shadow? Is that you?", Crystal felt the corpse behind her.
She poked it with her foot and her claw vent into its eye. She felt the warm corpse and retracted her leg.
" Eww. Gross", she shivered.
" Move forward. I need space", said Shadow, behind the corpse.
The girls moved forward again and then Shadow crawled into the vent.
He hoped everything would go right as he teleported past the corpse.
He felt Crystal's tail on his face and sighed. The corpse was behind them, in the vent.
They could move forward and the corpse was hidden.
" Let's go", said Shadow.
Crystal was happy to move forward. Storm Jr. was blocking the sight of the endless vent.
Crystal was safe.
" This is nice, isn't it? Such a calm walk in the vent. Luckily, nothing can get me", teased Crystal.
" Hilarious", Storm Jr. said sarcastically.
Crystal was so happy to be behind Storm Jr. She expected to hear Storm Jr. scream as she saw something in the distance.
Storm Jr. decided to tease Crystal a tiny bit too.
She stopped suddenly and felt Crystal pump into her rear. Storm Jr. heard a couple curse words and spitting.
Crystal's mouth was full of Storm Jr.'s tail fur.
" You should change your fur. It's coming off", said Crystal.
" Sorry. Didn't mean to stop like that. I just can't decide which way to take", apologized Storm Jr.
" Hey. That's not funny. I know that tone. There is nothing wrong", said Crystal.
" Everything alright in there?", asked Shadow.
They weren't moving which meant that the girls were doing something weird.
" Storm Jr. is teasing me for stopping all the time", explained Crystal.
" Move, Storm Jr. We are heading up if that helps. Now is not the time to be playing around.
They could be torturing Leslie is horrible ways right now", Shadow told her.
That sentence flowed through her body like a wave. She had to press on like a warrior.
Storm Jr. could do good decisions but sometimes it was up to luck. Most times it was impossible to know where the vent would lead them.
Storm Jr. wished there had been a way to check where to go.
Unfortunately, the builders had forgotten to put signs into the vents.
Crystal had slowed down so Storm Jr.'s bottom wouldn't be on her face all the time.
" I wasn't kidding about your fur, Storm Jr. There's so much of it coming off", Crystal told her.
Storm Jr. could hear that she wasn't kidding.
" I guess this body is getting old. Willa found it from a trash pile. She did fix most things but she isn't a professional.
I guess this body could use some care", Storm Jr. told Crystal.
She thought about Willa and the body when it had been on the table.
Storm Jr. had been out of her body and no one had seen her. Her astral form had been useful back then.
The tight vent reminded her of the table, she had been lying on.
The astral body was a cool thing. Then Storm Jr. got an idea.
" The astral body. Why didn't I think about that?", she thought.
" Hey, guys", Storm Jr. slowed down and stopped.
" What? Is there an obstruction ahead?", asked Crystal.
Storm Jr. looked behind her.
" Stay where you are. I'll go limp for a moment. Don't leave me, okay", said Storm Jr.
Crystal sighed.
" Alright. Do it", answered Crystal.
Storm Jr. left her body and went exploring.
When she was in a wall, she could see where the vents were. She could go around the building and see where Leslie was.
Shadow and Crystal were left in the vent.
" She'll go limp for a moment. Why is this weird thing of hers such a secret? Because it is not", snorted Crystal.
" I have no problem with it. If this makes her feel better, who am I to judge", replied Shadow.
Storm Jr. checked out the corridors and saw all the monsters.
" Good thing we took this route. We wouldn't have survived in there", she thought by herself.
She floated to the upper floors and listened for anything. She could hear monsters having fun.
They could be tormenting Leslie.
Storm Jr. went into the room where the monsters were. She was expecting to see something beyond horrifying and dreadful.
Something that would shock her all the way to the endoskeleton.
Storm Jr. even wanted to see it.
She wanted Leslie to be there, in a cage or in a corner, surrounded by monsters.
Storm Jr. had no idea why she wanted Leslie to be tormented. She loved him, he was her comforting friend and a part of her heart.
Perhaps, she wanted Leslie to go through torment so she would be a saviour to him.
Maybe then Storm Jr. would feel that they were even. She killed him but also saved him.
Those thoughts were drifting through her subconsciousness as she floated through the floor.
Storm Jr. came across a sight that was not what she had wanted to see. It wasn't Leslie but it was still as horrible as ever.
" Oh my god. Poor thing!", thought Storm Jr.
There was a brown wolf on a table in a room. He was being touched and bitten.
The monsters had not stayed away despite Electra's orders.
Storm Jr. had to get back to her body. Leslie had to wait.
He would have never forgiven her if she had abandoned that wolf.
Storm Jr. knew she couldn't let those things slaughter the poor wolf. Storm Jr. was fast so she decided to do one quick check.
She flew around the factory in order to find Leslie. He was nowhere to be seen.
" Well, even if he is not here, we rescued that wolf at least", she sighed by herself.
Storm Jr. had to ignore Leslie for the time being and focus on that wolf.
She found her way back into the vent.
Shadow and Crystal were getting numb after remaining still for so long.
Storm Jr. rushed in and woke up with her snout touching the ground.
" You okay?", asked Crystal.
Storm Jr. was panting like one of the monsters.
" Yea, I'm alright. Look, guys. I found someone. It's not Leslie but we have to help him", explained Storm Jr.
Crystal was confused.
Suddenly, Storm Jr. had found someone else to rescue?
" Is it dad? Or Storm? Who is it?", asked Crystal.
Storm Jr. began to crawl forward.
" I don't know. He's a brown wolf. I know nothing else", she said quickly.
Shadow and Crystal began to follow her through the ventilation system. Storm Jr. had learned the path to the room by heart.
She didn't have to check anything the whole time.
" Is this really that urgent? We are going to abandon our mission and head for some stupid wolf?", Crystal was confused.
" That's right", Storm Jr. glanced at Crystal, over her shoulder.
" Shadow. Can you hear me?", Storm Jr. asked him.
Shadow was at the back but his hearing was good.
" Sure. What can I do for you?", he asked Storm Jr.
" Can you tell mom and Foxy to come into that room? It's on the seventh floor and the room's number is 305", said Storm Jr.
Shadow smiled.
" Sure thing", he answered.
Crystal still had no idea why they had to abandon their mission to do something else.
Surely, she understood that it was the right thing to do but Crystal wanted to just get Leslie and leave.
The wolf would be happy to be rescued but it was pointless.
" Storm Jr.", sighed Crystal while crawling.
" What?", Storm Jr. said seriously.
She was focused on crawling towards the room so she wasn't very talkative.
" Please, say that you found Leslie at least. We'll get the wolf and then Leslie. After that, we'll leave this cursed place, right?", Crystal was hopeful.
" I couldn't find Leslie", answered Storm Jr.
She had no time to explain everything to Crystal.
" Great. I'll be crawling in these vents for the rest of my life", Crystal was depressed.
" We'll make it. You'll be grateful that you saved that wolf once we get back", assured Shadow.
Crystal was exhausted and they had to crawl uphill a lot. Crystal's body was giving up and the slope was slippery.
" I'm sorry, guys. I'll pass out like Faith. I can't crawl anymore. My body hurts", whimpered Crystal.
Shadow pushed her from behind.
" You can do it. This vent can't be that much longer", Shadow pushed her up the slope.
" The room is right here. The closest vent is in the room, above that room, we want to go", said Storm Jr.
" How do we get into the room, the wolf's in?", asked Crystal.
Storm Jr. had a plan already.
" We jump over the edge of the room and land to the one, below", answered Storm Jr.
Crystal remembered how the rooms were placed in the factory.
" We might be seen. There are monsters around and the rooms have no fourth wall", Crystal pointed out.
" These guys have better things to do than sitting in one of the rooms and enjoying the view. Nobody will see us", said Shadow.
The animatronics made it out of the vent. Crystal could see light, shining past Storm Jr.
It was dark out in the room but the vent had been pitch black. Crystal's eyes were shocked by the light as Storm Jr. jumped out.
For a second, Crystal thought that maybe there were monsters in that room. They would have eaten Storm Jr. fast.
" Come on, we have no time to waste", Storm Jr.'s face appeared by the hole.
Crystal was thankful that Storm Jr. had not been wolfed down.
She came out of the vent and so did Shadow.
Crystal was happy to be standing up straight and being able to extend her arms.
" I would appreciate if I didn't have to do that ever again", she told Storm Jr.
Crystal was done with crawling in tight spaces. She would let her friends go rescue Leslie all by themselves.
She would find her father, give him a big kiss and leave with him.
Crystal stretched and let out a relieved sigh. Shadow grabbed her snout.
" Keep quiet. The monsters are right below us. If they hear us coming, we are done for. We need to make a stealth-based attack", Shadow told her.
Storm Jr. walked to the edge, peeked over it but couldn't see anything. She could see the edge of the other room right beneath her.
The monsters were in the middle of the room.
" How could we get there? I don't think we can control our movement in the air", thought Storm Jr.
" What are you thinking?", whispered Crystal.
Storm Jr. turned around.
" We can't get there very well. We would need to swing to the room, below", answered Storm Jr.
Crystal looked around and noticed a rope.
" Could we use that? It looks old but it'll work. We can attach it to the door and then go for it", Crystal pointed at it.
" If it snaps, we'll fall to our deaths", Storm Jr. shook her head.
" Do you want to save that poor thing or not?", asked Crystal.
Storm Jr. couldn't say anything to that. Shadow attached the rope to the handle of the door.
" Please, don't break, handle", he hoped in his head.
The animatronics grabbed the rope and made sure it wasn't going to snap easily. They pulled it a little and it held together.
Their weak pull was nothing compared to the stress the rope would have once they jumped.
They went to the edge and turned around to face the door.
They were going to jump out and then swing back inside. The monsters wouldn't know what hit them.
" Are you ready?", asked Storm Jr.
" No", Crystal said with a shivering voice.
" Well, me neither", revealed Storm Jr.
Shadow counted from three to one and then they jumped. The three animatronics were quite a sight when they swung on the rope like in an action movie.
Farewell: They have found Leslie even though they don't know it. Let's see how this turns out.
I hope this was an enjoyable chapter and you had fun.
See you: THE ONLY WAY TO LIVE IS TO WRITE.
