Chapter 14: Taking A Trip Back In Time
Tonight marked the first night of round two of The Game. Benji couldn't sleep at all during the day. No matter how hard he tried, his mind refused to rest. All he could do while lying in bed was replay the conversation with The Puppet over and over again.
"There has to be another way!" Golden Freddy's concerned voice echoed in Benji's head, its tone strained with urgency.
"There isn't." The Puppet's calm yet unyielding reply followed, slicing through his thoughts like a knife.
Benji groaned, frustrated by his inability to find peace. He tossed and turned, trying to shake the words from his mind, but they clung to him like a shadow. When he finally managed to quiet his thoughts, his eyes began to feel heavy. His lids drooped, and sleep slowly crept in…
BBBRRRRIINNGGG!
The harsh sound of his alarm shattered the fragile calm. Benji's eyes shot open, his fleeting moment of rest stolen from him. He slammed his finger down on the alarm clock on his phone, silencing its relentless buzz.
"Ugh! God damnit!" he groaned, throwing his arms up in exasperation. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to stay in bed, to not face what awaited him tonight. But he knew he had no choice. The Game wouldn't wait, and neither would the animatronics.
Dragging himself out of bed, Benji trudged to the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face, trying to shake the fatigue that clung to him like a second skin. As he stared at his reflection in the mirror, he noticed the dark circles under his eyes. "You look like hell," he muttered to himself.
After getting dressed, he grabbed his bag and headed out the door. The walk to the pizzeria felt heavier than usual, each step weighed down by dread. The memories of the last round of The Game haunted him—the fear, the uncertainty, the narrow escapes. And now, here he was, about to dive back into that nightmare.
On his way to the pizzeria, Benji decided to stop and get some iced coffee. He parked his car in front and headed into the coffee shop. Aaliayh's head perked up when she heard the bells on the door jingle. Aaliyah's eyes lit up as she spotted Benji entering the coffee shop, though her smile quickly faded when she took in his haggard appearance.
"Benji? You look like you've been through a blender," she remarked, her tone laced with concern.
Benji offered a weak chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, well, let's just say sleep and I aren't exactly on speaking terms right now."
Aaliyah frowned and motioned for him to join her at the counter. "Okay, spill. What's going on? And don't give me the 'everything's fine' routine."
Benji hesitated, glancing around the nearly empty coffee shop. The last thing he wanted was to unload the bizarre and terrifying reality of The Game onto her, especially in public. But Aaliyah had a way of pulling the truth out of him, even when he tried his hardest to keep it buried.
"It's just… work stuff. You know, late shifts, weird dreams, that kind of thing," he said, attempting to brush it off. "Anyway, can I get a large iced coffee? Gonna need it tonight."
Aaliyah raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "You're the worst liar I've ever met, Benji. But sure, iced coffee it is." She turned to prepare his drink, but not before giving him a pointed look. "You're telling me the real story later."
As he waited, Benji's mind drifted back to the conversation with The Puppet. Its cryptic words, its calm yet unyielding demeanor—every part of it unsettled him. He clenched his fists, trying to suppress the rising tide of anxiety.
"Here you go," Aaliyah said, sliding the cup across the counter. She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Seriously, though, if you ever need to talk about anything—anything—you know I'm here, right?"
Benji nodded, forcing a small smile. "Thanks, Aaliyah. I mean it."
Before he could linger too long, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling it out, he saw a text from Scott. "Don't be late. They're already asking for you."
His stomach churned. He knew who "they" referred to—the animatronics. Or, more accurately, the ones who wouldn't hesitate to test him in The Game. Benji couldn't wait to see Golden Freddy and the others though.
"I gotta go," he said quickly, gripping his coffee like a lifeline. "But I'll take you up on that talk, okay?"
"You better," Aaliyah called after him as he pushed through the door.
Back in his car, Benji sat for a moment, staring at the glowing sign of the pizzeria in the distance. The words of Golden Freddy and The Puppet rang in his head once more, a discordant melody of hope and despair.
"There has to be another way…"
"There isn't."
With a deep breath, he started the engine and drove toward the looming building. Tonight, round two would begin—and Benji wasn't sure if he was ready to face what lay ahead.
The pizzeria loomed ahead, its neon sign glowing faintly against the night sky. Benji parked his car and sat for a moment, finishing the last sip of his iced coffee before heading inside. The familiar scent of pizza dough and the faint hum of the animatronics greeted him as he stepped through the doors.
Scott stood at the front counter, scribbling notes on a clipboard. He looked up, his face lighting up as he saw Benji.
"Benji! Just the guy I wanted to see," Scott called out, setting the clipboard aside. "The grand opening of the new expansion was a hit! Packed house, smiling kids, parents actually tipping—it was incredible."
Benji mustered a smile, trying to match Scott's enthusiasm. "That's great news, boss. Glad it went well."
Scott beamed, clapping Benji on the shoulder. "Couldn't have done it without you and the team keeping this place running smoothly. Anyway, I'll let you get to it. Have a good night."
Benji nodded, offering a polite wave as Scott returned to his paperwork. The moment he stepped further into the pizzeria, the air seemed to shift. A sense of unease crept in, the cheerful exterior of the pizzeria giving way to the darker reality Benji knew lay beneath.
Golden Freddy appeared as if out of thin air, his form glowing faintly in the dim light. Without a word, he pulled Benji into an embrace, his grip both firm and protective.
"Be very careful tonight," Golden Freddy said, his voice low and filled with an urgency that sent chills down Benji's spine.
Benji pulled back slightly, searching Golden Freddy's expression for answers. "What's going on?"
Golden Freddy sighed, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air. "The rules are different this time. The animatronics—all eleven of them—will revert to their forms from the 1987 location. The Originals and I will become… Withered. And Vixen—she will become The Mangle."
Benji felt his stomach drop. He had heard whispers of the 1987 location, of the horrors that had unfolded there. But hearing it confirmed made it all too real.
"There are no doors this time," Golden Freddy continued his tone grave. "But there's a spare Freddy mask in the office. It should help you ward off most of the animatronics. And the flashlight—it's your best defense. Use it to disorient and reboot their systems."
Benji nodded, mentally cataloging the tools at his disposal. "And The Puppet?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Golden Freddy's expression darkened. "The music box. It's the only thing that will keep The Puppet at bay. If it winds down completely…" He paused, his glowing eyes meeting Benji's. "It's game over."
Before Benji could respond, the sound of footsteps drew his attention. The Originals—Chica, Freddy, Bonnie, and Foxy—emerged from the shadows, their once-bright exteriors now faded and cracked. Despite their appearance, their eyes held a warmth that reassured Benji.
"We're here for you, mate," Foxy said, his voice rough but genuine.
"Stay strong, Benji," Chica added, her tone soft and encouraging.
"Remember, we're just a holler away," Bonnie chimed in, giving Benji a small nod of reassurance.
Freddy stepped forward, placing a hand on Benji's shoulder. "We'll do what we can to help. Just stay sharp."
Benji swallowed hard, the weight of their support was both comforting and daunting. As the clock ticked closer to midnight, Golden Freddy gestured for him to follow.
"Come," he said, his voice softer now. "The second security office is in the Toys side of the pizzeria. I'll show you the way."
The walk through the darkened halls was eerily quiet, the shadows seeming to stretch and shift with each step. As they reached the office, Golden Freddy turned to face Benji, his expression somber.
"I wish there was another way," he said quietly. "I truly do."
Benji smiled faintly, reaching up to plant a quick kiss on Golden Freddy's cheek. "Don't worry about me. We'll get through this."
Golden Freddy's eyes glimmered with an emotion Benji couldn't quite place. He nodded, stepping back as the clock struck midnight. The faint chime echoed through the halls, signaling the start of round two.
The Game had begun.
12 AM
The night guard sat down at the desk of the more spacious security office. The monitor system was big and blocky, however, it did have a tablet to have better accessibility. Even though he didn't want to leave the office. Benji noticed the spare Freddy head on the desk next to the flashlight.
"That's disturbing", Benji shuttered.
As soon as Benji picked up the tablet to the camera system, the phone rang.
Wait, what?! Benji suddenly became nervous as he answered it.
Uh, hello? Hello? Hello?
"Wait I thought you were dead?!" Benji remembered back to the end of the fourth night's call from the first time.
Uh, hello, and welcome to your new summer job at the new and improved Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Uh, I'm here to talk you through some of the things you can expect to see during your first week here, and to help you get started down this new and exciting career path.
Uh, now, I want you to forget anything you may have heard about the old location. You know, uh, some people still have a somewhat negative impression of the company. Uh, that old restaurant was kind of left to rot for quite a while, but, I want to reassure you, Fazbear Entertainment is committed to family fun and above all, safety.
Benji sarcastically chuckled at the comment about having safety a top priority. The old Fazbear Entertainment CEOs never worried about the safety of others.
They've spent a small fortune on these new animatronics, uh, facial recognition, advanced mobility. They even let them walk around during the day! Isn't that neat? Benji heard the guy on the phone clear his throat. But most importantly, they're all tied into some kind of criminal database, so they can detect a predator a mile away. Heck, we should be paying them to guard you!
The night guard chuckled with sarcasm again and rolled his eyes. "Yeah right! As if the brand, new animatronics would ever guard me."
Uh, now that being said, no new system is without its… kinks. Uh, you're only the second guard to work at that location. Uh, the first guy finished his week, but complained about… conditions. Uh, we switched him over to the day shift. So hey, lucky you, right? Uh mainly he expressed concern that certain characters seemed to move around at night, and even attempted to get into his office. Now, from what we know, that should be impossible. Uh, that restaurant should be the safest place on earth. So, while our engineers don't really have an explanation for this, the working theory is that… the robots were never given a proper "night mode". So when it gets quiet, they think they're in the wrong room, so then they go try to find where the people are, and in this case, that's your office.
Benji looked at the phone in the office with a flabbergasted expression. What the hell?!
So our temporary solution is this. There's a music box over by the Prize Counter, and it's rigged to be wound up remotely. So just, every once in a while, switch over to the Prize Counter video feed and wind it up for a few seconds. It doesn't seem to affect all of the animatronics, but it does affect… one of them. Benji heard the phone guy clear his throat once again.
Uh, and as for the rest of them, we have an even easier solution. You see, there may be a minor glitch in the system, something about robots seeing you as an endoskeleton without his costume on, and wanting to stuff you in a suit, so hey, we've given you an empty Freddy Fazbear head. Problem solved! You can put it on anytime, and leave it on for as long as you want. Eventually, anything that wandered in, will wander back out.
"As if I wasn't already told everything", Benji muttered to himself.
Uh, something else worth mentioning is kind of the modern design of the building. You may have noticed there are no doors for you to close, heh.
But hey, you have a light! And even though your flashlight can run out of power, the building cannot. So, don't worry about the place going dark.
The night guard didn't even know how to respond to what was just said.
Well, I think that's it. Uh, you should be golden. Uh, check the lights, put on the Freddy head if you need to, uh, keep the music box wound up, piece of cake. Have a good night, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.
With that, the phone call ended.
"Here we go", Benji muttered as he picked up the camera tablet.
2 AM
"Ugh, I'm so bored!" Benji grumbled as he panned through the cameras.
For the past two hours, nothing has happened except for Benji having to wind up the music box. When clicked on the camera that was labeled 'Kids Cove', his heart sank. He saw Vixen laying down the floor broken.
"Poor Vixen", Benji felt so bad for the mangled animatronic.
The night guard switched the video feed to the camera labeled 'Parts & Services'. There lay the four Original animatronics - his friends. They looked very disheveled and broken.
Now I know why the subject is so touchy with them. I would definitely feel the same way they would be if I went through that experience. Benji somberly thought to himself.
Benji looked back at the Show Stage feed. His heart dropped off of a cliff and into his stomach. It showed that Toy Bonnie had left the stage! Benji's heart raced as he frantically flipped through the camera feeds, trying to locate Toy Bonnie. Each click of the screen felt like a thunderclap in the deafening silence of the office.
"Where are you?!" he muttered, the tension tightening his chest.
Finally, the feed labeled 'Game Area' flickered to life. Toy Bonnie stood eerily in the corner, its electric-blue eyes staring directly at the camera. Even though the Toy's scare factor wasn't huge like its Original counterpart, the animatronic's painted grin seemed to mock Benji's growing fear.
"Oh no, nope, nope," Benji whispered, his fingers hovering over the monitor buttons. He instinctively reached for the flashlight at his side, even though it felt useless against the mechanical menace.
He switched the monitor back to the 'Show Stage'. The other Toy animatronics—Toy Freddy and Toy Chica—were still in place, their lifeless gazes fixed forward.
But for how long?
Benji didn't want to find out.
The static-filled hum of the monitors was interrupted by the faintest sound. It was subtle at first, like metal dragging against the floor. The sound grew louder, accompanied by soft, mechanical clunks.
It was coming closer.
He snapped the monitor shut and spun his chair toward the hallway on his right. His flashlight beam cut through the darkness, illuminating the empty corridor.
For now.
"Calm down, Benji," he whispered to himself, his voice shaking. "Just stay cool, stay alert. You can handle this."
The music box timer chimed faintly on his monitor, signaling that it was winding down. Panic surged in his veins. "Oh, come on!"
Benji quickly reopened the monitor, fumbling to navigate back to the 'Prize Corner' camera. As the eerie, spiraling tune began to fade, he rapidly wound up the music box.
Suddenly, a soft "thunk" echoed from the left vent.
Benji froze. The hairs on his arms stood up as his gaze darted toward the vent opening beside him. He grabbed his flashlight again, shining it down the narrow duct.
A pair of glowing, bright blue eyes stared back at him.
Toy Bonnie.
The animatronic tilted its head, almost curiously, before crawling forward. Benji quickly placed the spare Freddy head onto his head. It kind of smelled musty and it was hard to breathe for the night guard. The lights in the office flickered as Toy Bonnie twitched out of control. As the lights went back to normal, Toy Bonnie had left the office.
What the hell was that?! Benji asked himself with exasperation as he took off the spare Freddy head.
4 AM
Toy Bonnie had visited the night guard three times now. As Benji was scanning through each of the feeds, he noticed that Toy Chica and Toy Freddy were both active now! Benji had to wind up the music box again.
"Shit where are they?" Benji was frantically looking for the plastic chicken and bear.
Toy Chica was in the main hallway by the bathrooms. Benji still couldn't find Toy Freddy though!
The office felt colder now, the tension pressing down on Benji's shoulders like a heavy weight would be on them. He had barely caught his breath from Toy Bonnie's last visit, and now two more animatronics were roaming. The clock on the monitor taunted him: 4:12 AM. Just two more hours.
"Come on, Freddy, where are you?" Benji muttered under his breath, his finger flicking through the cameras with mounting urgency. Each feed displayed an empty hallway, a shadowy corner, or the lifeless stare of a dormant animatronic.
Then he spotted movement on the camera labeled 'Game Area'. At first, it was just a flicker—a shadow crossing the feed. But then it appeared, stepping into the frame like a giant, lumbering predator.
Toy Freddy stood motionless in the dim light, staring directly at the camera. His glossy eyes reflected a faint glint from the dangling bulb above. He raised one hand, clutching his microphone as if ready to perform.
"Great," Benji groaned, the sarcasm in his voice masking his rising panic. "He's got stage presence and bad timing."
The music box timer chimed again, its haunting melody slowing to a crawl. Benji's heart skipped a beat. "No, no, no—not now!"
Without wasting another second, he dove back to the 'Prize Corner' feed and furiously wound up the music box. The tension in his chest eased slightly as the melody returned to its normal, eerie pace.
But when he switched the monitor back to the hallway camera, Toy Freddy was gone.
"Where did you go now?" Benji whispered, his voice cracking.
The answer came in the form of heavy, metallic footsteps echoing down the main hall. Benji whipped his head toward the open doorway, his flashlight trembling in his grasp. The beam caught a faint shimmer—Toy Freddy's polished plastic surface reflecting the light.
The animatronic moved slowly, deliberately, his feet clunking against the tile floor. Each step felt like a countdown to disaster.
Benji grabbed the Freddy mask and jammed it over his head just as Toy Freddy entered the office.
From behind the mask, Benji could see the animatronic's glowing eyes scanning the room. Toy Freddy tilted his head, his servos whirring softly as he leaned in closer. The muffled sound of his mechanical breaths filled the confined space.
Benji's pulse raced. The mask was stifling, the stale smell of plastic and sweat making it hard to breathe. But he couldn't move. Not yet.
Toy Freddy lingered for what felt like an eternity before straightening up. He turned slowly, his heavy footsteps retreating back down the hallway.
Benji waited until the sound faded completely before ripping the mask off, gasping for air. His hands shook as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "This job is going to kill me," he muttered, half-joking, half-serious.
The clock now read 4:45 AM.
"Just a little longer," Benji whispered to himself, his voice a mix of determination and desperation.
But his moment of relief was short-lived.
A distant, mechanical laugh echoed through the pizzeria. It was high-pitched and unsettling, like a broken music box. Benji's blood ran cold as he recognized the sound.
Toy Chica was getting closer.
5:50 AM
"It's been one hell of a night," Benji muttered under his breath, glancing at his phone. The screen glowed faintly in the dim office light: 5:50 AM.
So close.
With one hand, he wound up the music box on the monitor again. The haunting melody spiraled upward, a strange comfort amid the chaos. But the faint sound of metallic footsteps shattered the moment.
Benji froze, his head snapping up from the screen.
Toy Freddy, again.
The animatronic bear loomed in the hallway outside the office, his glossy plastic surface catching the faint light. Step by deliberate step, he advanced, his microphone gripped tightly in one hand. The hollow thuds of his movements echoed like a countdown to the end of Benji's shift.
"I'm so close!" Benji groaned, his voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking louder might draw Toy Freddy in faster.
As the animatronic stepped into the office, Benji snatched up the spare Freddy mask, slipping it over his head in one swift motion.
The mask was suffocating, its stale smell clinging to his face. Through the limited view, he saw Toy Freddy pause, his lifeless black eyes scanning the room. A flicker of light bounced off the animatronic's glossy surface as the office lights stuttered, plunging the room into brief intervals of darkness.
Toy Freddy tilted his head to the right, his movements unnervingly slow, as if studying Benji. Each flicker of the lights made the bear appear closer, more imposing.
Benji's pulse thundered in his ears.
The animatronic's twitching stopped. With a low whir, Toy Freddy straightened and turned, his footsteps echoing as he retreated down the hall.
Benji waited, his breathing shallow, until the sound faded completely. Carefully, he removed the mask, sucking in fresh air like it was the first he'd had in hours.
"Come on," he whispered, eyes darting between the clock and the cameras. Every second dragged, feeling like a lifetime.
Suddenly, a clattering sound erupted from the left vent.
"No, not now," Benji hissed, switching his flashlight to the vent. A pair of glowing blue eyes stared back at him—Toy Bonnie, moving fast.
Benji reached for the Freddy mask again, but before he could pull it over his head, a distant, cheerful jingle broke through the tension.
6 AM
YAYYY!
The sound of bells and carnival music flooded the pizzeria, signaling the end of the shift. Benji heard the children cheer for him again while confetti flew across the screen of the monitor. The lights in the office brightened, and the mechanical whirring and footsteps of the animatronics ceased. Toy Bonnie froze in the vent, his glowing eyes dimming before retreating into the darkness.
Benji slumped back in his chair, the weight of exhaustion hitting him like a truck.
"Finally," he muttered, rubbing his face with his hands.
As Benji was packing his stuff up from the office, he heard a bunch of metallic footsteps approach the Toys' Area security office. He swiftly looked up, expecting the Toys again. However, to his delight, it was his friends! The Originals had reverted back to their forms from this year; all brand-new and fixed.
"Ye did amazing lad!", Foxy gave Benji a friendly pat on the back.
"For the first night", Bonnie snorted as a joke.
"I know it's just the first night, but you did well", Golden Freddy softly smiled at the night guard.
Benji blushed a bit from the praise that came from the golden bear animatronic. "Thanks, Goldie".
"You're not so bad", the group suddenly heard The Puppet's voice from behind them, "You still have four more nights."
"Thanks", Benji softly chuckled.
The Puppet turned around and promptly left the group. Benji and the Originals looked at each other with a confused look, shrugged, and headed back over to the original pizzeria's dining area. After giving each one of them their goodbyes, Benji finally left to go home.
"I hope tomorrow night goes smoothly", Benji muttered tiredly to himself as he buckled himself into his car.
Once the night guard was ready, he drove off towards his house to rest.