11:15 p.m.
As the clock wound closer to the appointed time of her shift, April was scrolling through the email that Mr. Fazbear had sent her earlier that day. She had also sent Irma a text message asking her to give her a ride to the pizzeria. After shutting off her computer and putting her cell phone inside her bag, April heard a knock on her door. The girl walked over to the door and p it open to see Irma standing in the hallway outside. She was wearing a light jacket, indicating that it was a bit cold outside.
"Hey April," the teen greeted, "Are you ready to go?"
"Yeah, just give me a second," April replied, grabbing her keys from the entrance table before closing her door and locking it. With that, the two girls walked out the apartment and over to Irma's car, which was parked against the sidewalk just outside the building. After a lengthy car ride, which wouldn't have been so if not for an unexpected traffic jam, the two finally arrived at Freddy Fazbear's so April could begin her first night on the new job.
11:30 p.m.
"Thanks again for the lift, Irma," April said as she got her things and got out of the car.
"You're welcome, April," Irma replied, "See you tomorrow morning." With that, Irma turned the car back on and drove back down the road, leaving April facing the restaurant alone. Taking a deep breath and brushing a strand of hair away from her hair, April walked up to the front door and pushed it open before walking into the front lobby, where she saw Mr. Fazbear talking with a couple of employees. The manager heard the door open and saw April standing behind the employees he was talking to.
"As, Ms. O'Neil," he greeted with a smile, "Glad you made it." He turned to the employees.
"You two are dismissed. Have a good night." With that, the employees turned around and headed for the door, but one of them looked at April with a face that April could only describe as concern before he left. Turning back to the manager, April walked over and shook his hand.
"I'm ready to get started," April said, anticipating any last-minute instructions. Mr. Fazbear smiled at the teen's enthusiasm.
"Excellent, but before we go over the rules of the night watch, I need to ask you one thing," Mr. Fazbear said, "What are your clothing and shoe sizes?" April raised an eyebrow in response.
"I wear a women's medium and size 6 shoes," she replied.
"Good, that'll save us time in finding the right uniform for you," Mr. Fazbear said as he led April down the hall to a back room. Upon entry, April noticed a shelf lined with uniforms of varying sizes. Mr. Fazbear walked over to the shelf and took a bundle of clothing and a pair of black shoes from it. Turning back to April, the manager handed her the items and pointed to her left.
"There's a changing room over there," he instructed as April turned in the direction he was pointing in and saw a door, "Go ahead and get dressed, I'll be waiting outside." With that, he went and walked out the door, while April went to the changing room. Ten minutes later, April stepped out of the room to reveal her new uniform. It had a white shirt with a black tie, a blue vest with a security badge on it, black pants and black shoes. She also had a blue cap that read "Security" in white letters. After she put her day clothes in her bag, April walked out of the room and back into the hall, where Mr. Fazbear was waiting for her.
"Alright, now what?" April asked.
"Follow me, and we'll get you settled into your new office," Mr. Fazbear answered as he led April to the security office she had seen the other day, only now it looked like someone had taken the time to properly clean it. The dust was swept up, the cobwebs in the corners were removed, and the scraps of paper were removed and thrown in the wastebasket. April sat down on the chair in front of the desk and prepared for any instruction that Mr. Fazbear had to give her.
"Alright, the nightshift runs from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.," Mr. Fazbear explained, "You'll be monitoring the security cameras in the restaurant to make sure that nothing happens after hours, like nothing or no one gets in or out. However, you can't leave this office while on duty, so if you need to use the bathroom, now would be a good time." With a quick nod, April got up from the chair.
"Could you point out where the bathroom is?" April asked.
"It's down that hallway," Mr. Fazbear said as he pointed to the door behind her, "The women's room is the last door on the left." Nodding, April walked down the hall. A few minutes later, she retuned and sat back down.
"There's nothing else that I have to say for you other than 'good night' and 'good luck,'" Mr. Fazbear said as he and April shook hands again, "See you in the morning." With that, the manager walked out of the office and left the building. Once he was gone, April placed her bag on the desk and leaned back in her chair, taking a moment to relax before the six long hours ahead of her commenced. Tiredness suddenly coming over her, the teen found herself closing her eyes and drifting off into a quick nap.
12:00 a.m.
1st Night
A loud ringing abruptly woke April up from her nap as the girl frantically sat up, looking for the source of the sound. She eventually realized that it was coming from the telephone on the desk, and that there was a red light blinking on the console. Just then, a message began to play off the phone.
"Hello? Hello, hello? Um, I wanted to record a message for you to help you get settled in on your first night," said a disembodied voice over the phone.
Well, that's really nice, April thought as she listened to the message.
"I actually worked in that office before you," the voice continued, "I'm finishing up my last week now as a matter of fact. So, I know it can be a bit overwhelming, but I'm here to tell you that there's nothing to worry about. Uh, you'll do fine. So let's just focus on getting you through your first week, okay?"
Sure, why not? April thought as she took out a pad and pen from her bag and began taking notes.
"Uh, let's see, there's an introductory greeting from the company that I'm supposed to read. Kind of a legal thing, you know? 'Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza: A Magical Place for Kids and Grown-ups alike, Where Fantasy and Fun Come To Life. Fazbear Entertainment is not responsible for damage to property or person. Upon discovery that damage or death has occurred, a missing person report will be filed within 90 days, or as soon as property and premises have been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpet have been replaced.'" April looked up from her notepad and widened her eyes in shock.
"What?!" April asked herself as the message went on.
"Blah blah blah, now that might sound bad, I know, but there's really nothing to worry about. Uh, the animatronic characters here do get a bit quirky at night, but do I blame them? No. If I was forced to sing those same stupid songs for 20 years and I never got a bath? I'd be a bit irritable at night, too. So remember, these characters hold a special place in the hearts of children, and we need to show them a little respect, right? Okay."
"Okay," April replied in a shocked whisper, still getting over what she just heard a few moments ago.
"Just be aware, the characters do tend to wander a bit. Uh, they're left in some kind of free-roaming mode at night. Something about their servos locking up if they're turned off for too long. They actually used to be able to roam around during the day, but then there was The Bite of '87. Yeah, it's amazing that the human body can live without the frontal lobe, you know?" April's widened her eyes again.
Looks like that bite wasn't just a rumor Casey, April thought.
"Uh, now concerning your safety, the only real risk to you as the night watchman here, if any, is the fact that these characters… Uh, if they happen to see you after hours, they won't recognize you as a person. They'll, uh, most likely see you as a metal endoskeleton without its costume on. Now since that's against the rules here at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, they'll try to… forcefully stuff you into a Freddy Fazbear suit." April raised an eyebrow in confusion.
So if they see me, they'll try to make me wear a stupid costume? That doesn't sound so bad, April thought. What the message said next, however, would completely turn those thoughts against her.
"Now, that wouldn't be so bad," the voice said, parroting April's words, "if the suits themselves weren't filled with all kinds of crossbeams, wires and animatronic devices, especially around the facial area. So you can imagine how having your head forcefully pressed inside one of those things could cause a bit of discomfort… and death. Uh, the only parts of you that would likely see the light of day again would most likely be your eyeballs and teeth when they pop out the front of the mask." Upon this revelation, April felt like she was about to collapse out of her seat. Those things were trying to kill her?! And she signed up for this kind of job?!
What were you possibly thinking, April?! The teen practically screamed the thought as the message went on.
"Y-yeah, they don't tell you these kinds of things when you sign up. But hey, first night should be a breeze. I'll chat with you tomorrow. Now, check those cameras, and close the doors only if absolutely necessary. Gotta conserve power. Alright, good night." The recording ended, leaving April in a state of shock, confusion, and terror. Without thinking twice, she quickly reached out for the tablet on the desk and turned it on, seeing the footage of the stage camera. All three animatronics were still on the stage, as they were when the day ended. Quickly taking a deep breath as she panned to the camera in the main party room, in front of the stage, April began talking to herself in an attempt to calm down.
"Okay April, you got this," she said with attempted confidence, "That guy was just pranking you, trying to give you the willies. There's absolutely no way that these things are alive," she muttered. Her hopes, however, were dashed when she turned the camera back to the stage, only to see that Bonnie was nowhere to be seen. April began sweating and began flipping through the cameras in hopes of finding him. Eventually she found him in the backstage area. The large purple rabbit was standing in the doorway, and was facing in the camera's general direction.
"How the heck did you get there?" April questioned, then she remembered something the guy in the message said something about them being able to walk around at night. Deciding that Bonnie was no longer an imminent threat, April flipped the camera back to the main room, where she saw that Freddy and Chica were still on the stage. Sighing with relief, April looked through the cameras in the supply closet and the bathrooms, finding nothing out of the ordinary. Deciding to retrace a few steps, April turned the camera back to the stage, finding the other two animatronics were still in their places. The red-haired girl then turned the camera back to the backstage area. What she saw, however, caused her to cry out in fear and alarm. There was Bonnie, still in the backstage room… and he was staring straight into the camera up-close.
"What is this place?" April asked in a hushed panic. This was going to be a very, very long night.
2:00 a.m.
1st Night
So far, things had been going absolutely hectic for April. Two hours in and over a fifth of her power supply had already been used, Chica was now off the stage, and at one point, Bonnie had almost gotten into the office had April not heard his heavy metal footsteps approaching and closed the door in time. April was also thankful that she hadn't had anything to drink before starting her shift, because she would've had to get a new uniform otherwise. But now she had her hands full with two animatronics roaming through the restaurant, her life hanging in the balance. April opened the camera tablet to check the whereabouts of her new mechanical friends.
"Alright, all quiet on both sides," April said as she saw that Bonnie was in the dining area and Chica was in the restroom area. April checked the other areas and saw that Freddy, as usual, was still on the stage. She then flipped to an area of the main room that seemed to be closed off by a curtain with a sign that said "OUT OF ORDER" in black paint.
"What's back there?" April quietly asked. She had seen that place a couple times during her camera scans, and her curiosity began to get peaked by its contents. Putting the camera down, April reached over to the light button next to the door on her left to check if anyone or anything got too close for comfort. Pressing the button, a small light appeared in the hallway, but there was nothing in sight. Sighing with relief, April performed the same procedure on the other side, and also saw nothing there as well. Picking the camera back up, April scrolled through the different sections of the restaurant and saw that Chica had left the bathroom area and was standing in the entrance of the east hall.
"Come on, chicken girl," April challenged, "Let's see what you've got." Moving the camera positions, she saw that Bonnie was standing in the supply closet, his violet eyes staring up at the camera once again. April put the camera down and checked the light outside the hallway, and got quite a nasty surprise when she saw Chica standing right outside the window. Instinct now taking over, April quickly reached up to the red button and pressed it down hard, causing a huge metal door to slide down in front of her, preventing Chica from advancing any further. She also noticed that the bird's jaw was hanging down at a rather disturbing angle, and even revealed a second set of teeth in the back of her mouth.
"That must be part of the endoskeleton," April thought out loud as she saw the animatronic slowly turn and walk away. Turning the camera back on, April saw that Bonnie was now back in the main dining area, Freddy was still on the stage, and Chica was back in the restroom area. Beads of sweat were forming on her brow as she looked back down at the power supply.
"Only 73% left," April muttered, "If this keeps up, I might end up running out of power. Better be careful."
4:30 a.m.
1st Night
As the night progressed, April's trial against the animatronics raged on. She had stopped sweating, but the anxiety was still taking hold of her. Only 57% of her remaining power was left, and a big portion of that usage was preventing Bonnie from getting into the office for a second time. She looked at her watch and saw that she only had an hour-and-a-half left to get through the night. Picking up the tablet again, April flipped through the cameras to check the feed. Seeing that Chica was back in the main dining area and that Bonnie was back in the backstage area, April put the tablet down and took a moment to relax. Never before in her life had she ever been so scared.
"Never thought I'd be putting my life on the line for a simple paycheck," April thought out loud, "But I signed on to do all five nights of the job, and I'll make sure I get it done." After taking another deep breath, April picked up the tablet again and turned it on, allowing her to see through the camera in the backstage area. This time, Bonnie was gone again. Shifting the feed on the cameras, April found him standing in the dining facility alongside Chica, although the bird seemed to be leaving the area given how close it was standing to the camera. This time, though, April already knew both Chica and Bonnie's tricks and was prepared for them both. Deciding to flip the camera elsewhere for a bit, April looked back at the curtained-off section of the main room. While nothing was happening there, it still interested April to no end.
"What made them close that place off from the rest of the building?" April asked before flipping the camera back to the main dining area. Bonnie was still there, but now Chica was gone again. April quickly flipped through the cameras in the eastern hall, the restroom and the corner outside the door, but the robotic bird was nowhere to be seen. She then flipped through the cameras and came across a section of the building where the camera was completely blacked out with white letters that read "CAMERAS DISABLED – AUDIO ONLY." April was about to change cameras when she began hearing loud, metallic noises. From the sound of it, it almost sounded like someone was rearranging the tools and cookware in a room that April immediately assumed was a kitchen. And since Chica was the only animatronic in that area of the building, April pinpointed her location.
"What are you doing back there?" April questioned as she lowered the tablet. Reaching over to the light button on the left, April pushed it and looked down the hall, but saw nothing. She then moved to the one on her right and pushed it, but saw nothing there as well. However, since she knew that the animatronics were still likely to appear at any given moment, April wasn't about to take any chances. Flipping the camera back up, April noticed that the noises stopped, which obviously meant that Chica was no longer in the room. Flipping cameras, April saw that Chica was now next to the restrooms. If Chica was on the move, then April knew that Bonnie would likely be moving as well. Changing cameras to the western hall, she now saw that Bonnie was standing at the end of the hallway, his silhouette barely visible under the dim light. April realized that if both robots were entering the hallways at the same time, it meant just meant one thing: the two robots were trying to double-team her from both sides.
"Looks like they're trying to come up with a plan," April said as she watched the robots get closer on both sides from the cameras. Eventually April bolstered up the courage to approach the left side first. She reached out for the button when she heard a loud screech coming from out in the hallway. The sound practically made April jump straight out of her seat as she pushed the door button just as she saw Bonnie dash toward her. Once the door slid shut, April quickly wheeled over to the other side of the room and was about to push the door button when she heard a disturbing groan coming from outside the room. April immediately knew that Chica was about to pounce, so she immediately pushed the door button on that side as well, causing another large metal door to slide shut in between her and the crazed animatronic outside. April looked back at the camera tablet and saw that she now only had 42% power remaining.
"Looks like fending those creeps off had a bad side effect," April muttered as she heard the two robots walk away outside, "I can't let something like this happen again."
5:30 a.m.
1st Night
This was it. The home stretch, the final run. April was more determined than she ever was all night to make it and get out so she could get home. Only 32% of her power remained, and she would make sure that at least 1% of it would remain by the time the shift ended. Picking up the camera tablet, April shifted through the screens and saw that Chica was in the main dining area and Bonnie was in the supply closet once again. April then flipped back to the stage camera and saw that Freddy, as usual, was still in the same place. This left her rather puzzled.
"The other two animatronics have been stalking around the place all night, yet Yogi over here hasn't moved an inch at all," April pondered, and she was far from wrong. No matter how many times she checked the stage camera, Freddy was always in the same spot, but his furry pals were still roaming around the restaurant. That thought, however, was put on hold when April checked the lights and saw Bonnie standing right outside her door. Yelping in surprise, she quickly reached over and slammed the door button down as hard as she could, causing the large metal door to slam down in front of the mechanical rabbit before he could get in and inflict grievous bodily harm on her. Another five minutes passed, and April opened the door to see if the coast was clear. Sure enough, Bonnie was gone, but keeping the door closed like that reduced her power to 25%. Checking the cameras again, April saw that while Bonnie was back in the main room, Chica was once again on the move.
"These things sure are persistent," April muttered as she found Chica standing in the restroom area. But this time, something was different about Chica. April took a closer look and could've sworn she saw the mechanical bird twitching its head, like it was having a technical glitch or something. Creeped out by the footage, April quickly lowered the camera and flicked on the lights to see if Chica was approaching. Seeing only a dark hallway, April went back to the desk and looked at her watch. She only had ten minutes left before the shift was over and she could go home. Her musings were cut off, however, wen she heard a disturbingly familiar groan coming from outside her door. Adrenaline shot through her like lightning as she bolted over to the door and slammed it down hard, preventing the Chica from getting inside.
"Almost done," April said as she looked at her watch and saw that she only had five minutes left. Her power was only at 17%, but she was sure that she'd make it. She just had to hold out a little while longer. Turning on the light for good measure, April saw that Chica was still standing outside the door, her beak hanging wide open and her magenta eyes fixed on her like a child eyeing a new toy. April began sweating as she and the bird stared each other down for a minute before she turned around began walking away. April looked at the tablet and saw that Bonnie was in the backstage room and that the power was now at 11%.
"You'll be fine, April," the teen said as she looked at her watch. Just 90 seconds left. As the seconds ticked down, April could've sworn she heard music coming from the hallway. Daring to place her ear close to the door, it sounded like the music in the party room began playing again. Just then, April heard an electronic beep coming from her watch. She looked down at her watch and practically cried in happiness.
6:00 a.m.
Quickly picking up the tablet, April saw that all three animatronics were now back on the stage, like nothing had ever happened. Wasting no time, April picked up her bag and walked out of the door as quickly as she could and entered the front lobby, where she saw Mr. Fazbear unlocking the door. The manager apparently saw her, as his face lit up with a smile.
"Ah, good morning, Ms. O'Neil," Mr. Fazbear greeted warmly, "I trust your first night went well?" April's left eye twitched slightly as she fought the urge to tell him the truth.
"Yeah, it went just fine," the teen replied. Mr. Fazbear nodded and opened the door.
"You are free to go home now, since your shift is now over," Mr. Fazbear said. April didn't hesitate to start moving forward, but stopping for a moment to take a quick glance at the animatronics. Shivering slightly as she stared at their dormant eyes, April turned back to the door and began walking again.
"See you tonight," April said before she walked outside and closed the door behind her. Once she was outside the building, April quickly took her phone out from her bag and dialed the number of the only friend she knew was awake at this time of day.
"Hey Casey, I know this sound a bit short notice, but can you come pick me up from work?" April asked when she heard her friend answer the phone.
"Sure thing, Red," Casey replied, "Just let me get the address of the place and I'll come and get ya."
"Thanks, I really appreciate it," April said before saying goodbye and hanging up. If this was what she had to put up with at work, then this was going to be a very long week.