Chapter 10: Just Another Day
"I just need you to help us get rid of any standing water and anything else that needs to be taken out!" I heard Tess yell from the kitchen, and I also heard her slam her phone down on the counter. "Fuck!"
I carefully walked into the kitchen, not wanting to seem like I was eavesdropping on her phone call. Tess turned to look at me, and I froze. She breathed out a heavy sigh.
"You doing okay?" I raised an eyebrow out of concern.
"No, not really.", Tess put a hand onto her head in frustration.
"What happened?" I gently placed a caring hand on her shoulder.
"I tried getting us help with cleaning up the pizzeria itself, but nobody is willing to help!" Her voice cracked, the weight of the past few weeks finally slipping through. "Nobody wants anything to do with it."
Tess hung her head, her hair falling forward as she leaned her weight on the counter. I could feel how close she was to breaking. And part of me wanted to tell her what Freddy had revealed to me—what I knew was still hiding beneath the surface of that building—but now wasn't the moment. We were all running on fumes.
Before I could say anything else, footsteps padded down the stairs behind us. Hannah and Raymond entered the kitchen, still in sleep shirts and pajama pants.
Tess let out a shaky breath and turned away, stomping out of the kitchen to go cool off.
"Geez," Hannah muttered under her breath as she headed toward the stove, "that stress is really getting to her."
Yeah. It was getting to all of us.
I dropped into a chair at the table, my mind spinning. I could feel the pressure building behind my ribs—the weight of everything I knew and everything I hadn't said yet. We were all trying to fix up this place, chasing this dream of turning the pizzeria into something better, something alive again… but there were layers to it. Things we hadn't told each other. Things I hadn't told them.
I barely noticed Hannah setting down a plate in front of me until the smell of sausage and pancakes hit my nose.
"Hey," she said gently. "You okay?"
I blinked, forcing a tight smile. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."
She watched me for a beat, clearly unconvinced, but didn't push it. I stabbed a bite of pancake and popped it into my mouth just as she went to grab Tess.
By the time all four of us were sitting at the table, quietly chewing through our breakfast, a vibration buzzed on the table. Tess's phone lit up with an unknown number. She furrowed her brow, then picked it up.
"…Hello?"
There was a pause before a man's voice came through, distorted slightly through the speaker. "Is this the four college graduates that bought the old pizzeria?"
We all froze. Tess looked around at us, her eyes flicking from me to Hannah to Raymond.
Then, cautiously, she put it on speaker. "Yes, this is the four college graduates."
Raymond's brow furrowed. "What does that mean?"
Before any of us could ask more, the man on the phone continued.
"Every day for the next four weeks, I can get a crew out there to help with repairs during the daytime. No cost to you. Not a penny."
I sat up straight, eyes narrowing. Too good to be true. Before Tess or Hannah could say anything, I reached forward and tapped the microphone mute button.
"Wait—what are you doing?" Tess snapped.
I raised a hand calmly. "We need to talk to the animatronics about this first. If we bring in outsiders without telling them, it could… complicate things."
Tess opened her mouth like she wanted to argue but then slowly shut it again. Raymond looked confused, but even he nodded slowly. Hannah looked at me like she knew there was something I wasn't saying. She wasn't wrong.
We unmuted the call.
"We'll give you our answer tomorrow," Tess said carefully.
The man on the phone didn't argue. "Fair enough. I'll be waiting." The line went dead.
Silence fell like a blanket over the kitchen.
No one spoke for a long second.
Then, Tess stood up abruptly. "Alright. Let's finish breakfast and head out to the pizzeria."
The old pizzeria looked more tired than ever as we pulled up—cracked windows, chipped paint, weeds crawling up the walls like nature was trying to reclaim it. This place had become our second home, but it was clear it wasn't going to last much longer without serious help.
Tess didn't waste a second once the van stopped. She was already out with the toolbox in hand. Raymond followed her, and Hannah and I trailed behind, the familiar creak of the metal doors welcoming us in.
"Carlos," came Freddy's voice, slightly static-laced and weary, from down the hall.
He appeared a moment later, limping slightly as sparks flickered from his damaged leg.
Tess was already kneeling beside him before anyone could greet him. "Let's get that leg fixed before it gives out for good."
Raymond popped open the toolbox, and Freddy lowered himself carefully onto the stage, wincing as he moved.
Bonnie peeked out from the hallway, ears twitching, followed by Chica, who stayed half-hidden behind the wall. Foxy leaned in the stage-left doorway, arms crossed and silent, his lone eye scanning the room.
I crouched near Freddy—not to interfere with Tess's repair work, but to bring up what I'd been avoiding since this morning.
"Hey… Freddy. Guys. We need to talk about something."
Freddy turned toward me, his animatronic gaze locking onto mine. "What is it?"
"We got a call today—from someone who knows we bought the place." I swallowed. "He offered to send a crew out here to help with repairs. Every day. For four weeks. Free of charge."
Freddy's body went rigid. "Strangers… here?"
Bonnie took a step forward, his metal fingers twitching. "What if they see us?"
Chica's voice was quiet, worried. "What if they try to shut us down?"
Foxy's hook tapped the metal doorframe once. "Ain't risk-free, mate."
"I get it," I said, raising both hands. "I do. If someone wanted to walk into my house uninvited and start making changes, I'd be upset too. But we're falling behind out here. This place needs more help than just the four of us can give."
Freddy looked away, clearly torn. I could see the anxiety etched into the movements of the others. They were scared. And honestly? I didn't blame them.
"That's why we had an idea," I said. "You four—Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, and Foxy—come stay at our house while the crew works. Just for the four weeks. You won't have to hide during the day, and we can work on your repairs there, too. Tess and Raymond could get you fixed up faster without having to worry about hiding you in the dark."
Bonnie blinked. "Leave… the pizzeria?"
"We'd still be together," Hannah chimed in gently. "We've got plenty of space."
Foxy didn't say anything, but the twitch in his jaw said he wasn't thrilled.
Freddy looked at me, processing it. "Your home… are you sure?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "We'll keep you safe. It'll be temporary, and it'll make everything easier. And to be honest… might be nice to have some company around the place."
The four animatronics exchanged glances. Hesitant, uncertain. Then, finally, Freddy nodded. "Alright. If this is what it takes to save this place… We'll go with you."
Bonnie let out a breath he probably didn't need to take. Chica gave a shy little nod. Foxy muttered, "If ye try and cram me in a closet, I'm walkin' out."
Raymond laughed lightly. "No closets. We'll clear out the whole downstairs living room if we have to."
He glanced between us and added, "I'll get a rental truck for you guys. Tess's car definitely won't cut it. We'll come pick you up late tomorrow night—don't really wanna explain giant animatronics to a couple of our nosy neighbors."
"Smart," Hannah said with a grin.
Tess gave Freddy's leg a final tightening and stood up. "There. That should hold you for now until we can get into it deeper back at the house."
Freddy stood slowly, testing his leg. It moved better—still stiff, but no sparks. He looked at all of us with a slow nod.
"Then tomorrow night… we go home with you."
Back at the house, the four of us were split up and moving with purpose.
Hannah and I had taken one of the guest rooms in the basement while Tess and Raymond worked on the other. The air down here was a little cooler, and the basement had that faint, dusty smell of storage and old boxes. We were clearing out old linens, some half-assembled furniture, and way too many holiday decorations we never even used.
"I still think we're overthinking it," Hannah said as she fluffed a pillow and placed it on the freshly cleared bed. "I mean… do you think they're even gonna use the beds?"
I glanced over, raising a brow. "You saying animatronics don't appreciate a memory foam mattress?"
She snorted. "I'm saying I've never seen Freddy curl up with a blanket. They're always awake. Like… always. It's kinda creepy."
"Comforting," I said with a mock sigh as I folded an extra blanket at the foot of the bed. "Can't wait to wake up at 3 a.m. to find Bonnie standing in the hallway like a horror movie."
"That would be peak haunted house vibes," Hannah smirked and nudged me with her elbow. "We should prank Tess with that."
I rolled my eyes but couldn't help laughing. "You are way too eager to cause chaos."
"What can I say? I thrive on it."
After one last check—lamp plugged in, fresh sheets, enough floor space for Bonnie's long legs—we moved to the next room. Raymond and Tess were just wrapping up in the second guest room across the hall.
"Bedrooms ready?" Raymond asked as we all headed back upstairs.
"Yep," I said. "Not sure if they'll sleep, but at least they'll have their own space."
"They'll appreciate it," Tess said, brushing her hair out of her face. "Even if they don't sleep, it's still… I don't know. A gesture. A safe place."
We all nodded and made our way into the garage, which looked like a disaster zone of tools, old bikes, random boxes labeled "don't throw out", and definitely things we should've thrown out. We stopped at our childhood homes the other day to pack everything we still wanted or needed while our parents weren't home. The four of us knew that our parents didn't want us back here at all, but we needed to follow through with our goal.
"This is gonna be the tough one," Tess muttered, hands on her hips. "Freddy is not going to squeeze between your old lawnmower and that busted drum set, Carlos."
"Hey, that drum set is vintage."
"It's collecting dust."
"It's still vintage," I argued, grinning as I grabbed a few boxes to stack in the corner.
Raymond pulled out an old shelf unit while Hannah started unplugging the power tools we rarely used. Tess got to sweeping, and I helped rearrange the storage bins to make room along the wall. We were carving out as much open space as we could—enough for two of them to be in here comfortably, maybe even work on repairs if needed.
"I think Freddy and Foxy can hang out here," Raymond said, eyeing the open space we'd made. "They're both on the bigger side. Bonnie and Chica can take the bedrooms."
"Works for me," Tess said, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Oh! Maybe some curtains for the garage windows? Don't need the neighbors peeking in."
"Already one step ahead," Hannah said, holding up a folded blackout curtain from the closet.
I leaned against the garage door, taking it all in—the effort, the cooperation, the quiet hum of anticipation in the air. We were really doing this. Bringing them here. Making space not just in our lives but in our home for them.
And somehow, that didn't feel crazy. It felt… right.
We stood back to admire the garage one last time. The floor was clear, the shelves pushed to the side, and we'd set up a sturdy fold-out table with enough tools to do serious repair work if needed. We'd even dragged over a couple of old rugs to soften the space, give it less of that cold, concrete feel.
"Alright," Raymond said, clapping the dust off his hands. "I think that's as good as it's gonna get."
"Yeah," Tess agreed, stretching her arms over her head. "They'll have plenty of space in here now."
Just as we were about to head back inside, Tess's phone started ringing in her back pocket. She checked the screen—and we all knew from her expression exactly who it was.
She answered. "Hello?"
The voice on the other end was cool and direct. "Have you all given any thought to my offer?"
Tess glanced around at the three of us. We nodded quietly. No turning back now.
"We have," she replied. "We're going to take you up on it."
"Good choice," the man said simply. "My crew will meet you at the pizzeria tomorrow morning. Eleven sharp. They'll know what to do."
Before any of us could ask another question, the call disconnected.
Tess lowered the phone slowly, eyebrows drawn in. We all stood there for a moment, a strange quiet settling over the garage.
No one spoke right away. Just that shared look between all of us—the kind of look that says we're about to change everything, aren't we?
Finally, I broke the silence. "Alright. I'll order dinner for everyone. We've got a long night ahead of us."
"Get something good," Hannah said with a small smile. "We earned it."
Everyone started heading back inside, and I peeled off to my room, shutting the door gently behind me. I flopped down on my bed, letting my phone light up in my hand as I opened the food delivery app.
Pizza? Too on the nose. Thai? Maybe. Burgers and fries? Safe bet. My stomach growled as I scrolled, but my mind wasn't really on the food.
It was about us heading out at 12:30 a.m.
It was on those four animatronics who'd be saying goodbye to the only home they'd known for who knows how long.
It was on the strangers we'd be meeting in the morning—people we were trusting with not just a building, but a secret that could change everything if it got out.
Still… I couldn't help but feel hopeful.
If this crew really was as good as the guy claimed, maybe—just maybe—we'd finally get the pizzeria back on its feet. Maybe we'd stop treading water and start moving forward.
I added a few burgers, fries, and drinks to the cart and hit "Place Order."
We'd eat. We'd prepare. And at 12:30 a.m., we'd bring our friends home.
I just hoped the night went as smoothly as I wanted it to.
The clock in the living room ticked past midnight. The house was quiet now—tired but focused. The smell of leftover fries and burger wrappers still lingered faintly in the air, and everyone was gearing up for what we'd been planning all day.
I stood by the front window, peeking past the curtain. The neighborhood was mostly dark, save for the occasional porch light or the glow of a TV flickering through a living room window. No signs of movement. No curious neighbors out walking their dogs. Perfect.
Behind me, Raymond was double-checking the keys to the rental truck we'd parked around the block, just in case anyone in the neighborhood got nosy about a random box truck in our driveway. Hannah pulled on a light jacket, and Tess was lacing up her boots, her focus razor-sharp.
"Truck's ready," Raymond said. "Back's empty, and we've got moving blankets to keep things from clanking around."
"The padded straps are in there as well," Tess added. "We'll set them up once we're back."
"You guys ready?" I asked, grabbing my hoodie off the chair and slinging it over my shoulders.
Hannah nodded. "Let's go get our friends."
The drive to the pizzeria was quiet, the kind of quiet that only happens past midnight—like the whole world was holding its breath. I sat in the passenger seat next to Raymond, who kept his eyes steady on the road. Tess and Hannah were in the back, going over the checklist again just to keep their nerves in check.
We turned onto the road leading to the old building, and there it was: the run-down, half-forgotten pizzeria, its outline barely visible in the moonlight. We parked the truck around the back, hidden near the old delivery entrance. The place looked even more eerie at night, like it was holding secrets in every shadow.
The four of us slipped out and quietly unlocked the service entrance, the door creaking softly on its rusted hinges. The moment we stepped inside, the familiar scent hit me—old pizza grease, warm electronics, dust, and something else that was uniquely this place.
Freddy was waiting for us in the main hallway.
"You came," he said, voice low but relieved.
"Of course," I said, patting his arm. "You didn't think we'd leave you behind, did you?"
Behind him, Bonnie peeked out from the dining room, eyes glowing faintly in the dark. Chica followed quietly, clutching a small satchel of spare parts we'd given her earlier for the trip. Foxy brought up the rear, stepping lightly despite his size, his hook tucked close to his side.
"All of you ready?" Tess asked, her voice just above a whisper.
Freddy looked at the others. They all nodded.
"No turning back now," Bonnie said, almost to himself.
We started with Freddy. Raymond and I guided him carefully down the hall, making sure his repaired leg could handle the steps outside. Hannah held the door, and Tess checked the corners like we were on some kind of stealth mission—which, honestly, we kind of were.
We used the ramp we brought to load him up gently into the back of the truck, covering him with a moving blanket just in case. Chica went next, then Bonnie. Foxy was last—he was the tallest and the trickiest to maneuver, but he managed with a low grunt and a muttered "Blasted truck ceiling…"
Once everyone was inside, we secured them with padded straps and added a few more blankets for good measure.
I closed the truck doors slowly, trying not to make a sound, and turned back to the others. We all exchanged tired, nervous looks.
"They're in," I said.
Raymond let out a low breath. "Okay. Let's get them home."
The drive back felt longer than before, even though it wasn't. I kept glancing in the side mirror, irrationally paranoid that someone would follow us or that one of the animatronics would knock something over and make a racket.
But they didn't.
They stayed quiet. Still.
Maybe they were just as nervous as we were.
By the time we reached our street, the neighborhood was still asleep. No lights on. No barking dogs. Just silence and shadow.
We parked in the driveway this time—no more sneaking around. The house lights were off except for a single hallway lamp we'd left on in case we needed to move quickly.
We opened the back of the truck, and Freddy was the first to carefully step out, his glowing eyes scanning our quiet street.
"This is… your home?" he asked, voice hushed in awe.
"Yeah," I said, stepping beside him. "Your home, too. For now."
One by one, we helped them inside—Foxy and Freddy went into the garage where we'd set up their area, while Chica and Bonnie were gently led downstairs into the basement bedrooms we'd prepared.
It took some time, but by 1:15 a.m., they were all settled. Blankets draped over workbenches, power cords plugged in, diagnostic tools nearby. Chica quietly examined her room. Bonnie sat down slowly on the edge of his bed and just… looked around, unsure what to do with the space.
Freddy rested one hand on a metal shelf in the garage and gave me a faint smile.
"You've done a lot for us."
"We're just getting started," I told him.
He nodded once, solemnly. "Then we'll do our part too."
When I finally made it back to my room, I didn't even bother changing. I collapsed on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, adrenaline still buzzing quietly in my veins.
Tomorrow, everything begins.
The crew would arrive at 11.
But tonight, the house was full. Full of us.
Full of hope.
