I feel that what I'm doing is creepy, but it's nothing compared to what Tom Vreene's been going through the past couple of days.

I got to the street across Freddy's at 5 AM, passing the time with a Marlboro pack. Sometimes, when I look into the restaurant, I think I can see the animatronics up and running again. Tom's been doing a pretty good job so far, but I think I can tell with how much the animatronics are moving around that he's slipping. He won't last much longer.

Mr. Faz drives up to the store at 6 in his Corvette, humming the Toreador March. I've got a hoodie on so he doesn't see me, but the fact that he just drives by without even seeing me just makes me want to stick a nail in his head. He unlocks the front door and Tom practically leaps out of the store.

"Hey, sport. How's the job treating you?"

He says this, but only in passing, just walking into the store without waiting for a reply. Tom though stops him before he goes in, grabbing frantically at his suit.

"Please...please, you've got to listen to me…"

Faz backs away a few steps.

"Whoa, hold on there, sport!"

Tom doesn't let up.

"Please, sir, please, the animatronics…"

"Oh, having fun with Freddy and the gang?" Faz says cheerfully through his s_-eating smile.

"They're trying to kill me!" Tom bursts out. "They wander around and try to get into the office! Why haven't you gotten someone to check on them? There's something wrong with them!"

Faz gives a laugh that I swear Freddy copies.

"Oh…oh, son. You've been hearing the stories, haven't you?" He gives Tom a sympathetic but condescending smile. He claps his hand on Tom's shoulder, making Tom flinch. "You don't really believe such ludicrous rumors, do you?"

"But…but they're…they've been…"

"Son, really? You think that the animatronics stuff people inside suits and kill them? Don't you see how ridiculous that idea is?"

Tom gets angry and shrugs Faz's hand off.

"If they're not true, why do you have me in an office with doors like that?" He lifts his hands up as if to grab his head. "Why on earth do you have doors that run off of power, anyway?"

Faz gives Tom a disappointed look. He explains, as if to a child. "Now sport, this is a business. I can't just splurge on anything I see fit." He shrugs. "Freddy and the band just need some time to stretch their legs once in a while. We need someone to keep an eye on them to make sure they don't get into trouble." He smiles and taps Tom on his nametag. "You've got an important job to do. Now, you go home and get some sleep. I look forward to seeing you in the reopening."

"But…please, you've got to…"

Faz doesn't hear the last bit as he walks into the restaurant. Tom stares after him and leans against the wall in exhaustion.

"No…no…I just don't want…I can't…"

He walks into the parking lot, staring at the ground.

"You're the new night guard, right?"

Tom jumps and spins around, seeing me with my hoodie down. He's got his fist over his chest.

"I'm Mike. I was the night guard before you."

Tom stands there, hyperventilating until he begins to realize what I just said. Then, he opens his eyes wide.

"You're…you're Mike Schmidt…"

"Yeah."

Tom grabs my shoulders, like I'm his last hope. He's right.

"You've…you've got to help me…you've got to tell Mr. Faz what's been going on in there!"

Poor kid. He doesn't get it yet.

"Don't you think I've done that already? Why do you think I got fired?"

"But…but…those things….the animatronics…"

"They're evil, yeah."

Tom grips me tighter. His fingernails are digging into my arms, but I don't say anything. I feel like this guy needs a stress reliever.

"We've got to tell someone! We've got to do something! Those things aren't safe!"

"Don't you think I know that? I was here when three kids were killed. I had to fight those things off, and Fazzy just covered it all up and fired me for everything I did."

"But…maybe, if you tell people about what went on...I mean…you knew, right? You know what those things are…what they do?"

I sigh. Of course I know. How could I not? "Yeah, I did."

He backs off and points at me.

"But…but you never told anyone about the animatronics. I've read in the paper that you didn't give a statement."

"I gave a statement, Tom. I told them once what happened. They laughed, and asked me what really happened. I said nothing else. Those two kids that lived said exactly the same thing, but when they wouldn't change their story, the police, lawyers, and reporters all said that they were crazy, drunk, or high. Do you really think that if you say anything to anyone that they won't say the same thing about you?"

Tom stutters a bit more. He's close to crying. He breaks down, and gets on his knees, grabbing me by the front of my hoodie.

"Please…you've got to help me…there's got to be something you can do...I'll do anything you want! Anything! Just get me out of this!"

I give Tom a minute to calm down before I say anything.

"Really, Tom? Anything?"

"Anything! I'll do anything! I'll give you whatever you want! I'll pay you, I'll be your slave, just…just help me!"

"Pay me? Really? You know I know exactly what you get paid, right?"

Tom groans and sits against his car.

"Tell me, Tom, why don't you just quit?"

"They've…they've got me on contract. I can't leave this job for two months." Or until he dies.

A contract. It's incredible what people can do with a piece of paper, what they can make people do.

"I need you to think carefully, Tom. Are you really willing to do anything? There's nothing that could hold you back?"

Tom looks up, a light in his eyes. He realizes that I'm giving him a way out. He breathes out.

"Anything."

I consider Tom for a minute. I remember when I was him, stuck in a job that was going to eventually kill me. I wish someone had come along for me back then. With as desperate as I was, I would have done exactly what I'm about to ask Tom to do.

"I've got an idea Tom, but I need your help to make it work."

Tom stands up, looking me in the eye.

"What do you want?"

I look at Freddy's, and back to Tom.

"Let's get a coffee. You're going to need to stay focused for this."

About five minutes later, we're at a Starbucks, and I'm explaining my plan to Tom.

"Mr. Faz invited you to come to the grand reopening, right?"