The gay screeching of young children vibrated little Kailee’s eardrums enough for her to excuse herself from the cacophonic lobby of Freddy Fazzbear’s Pizzaria. She was there in attendance for her best friend Stacey’s ninth birthday party. But since Freddy’s was so busy that particular afternoon, Stacey’s party had to wait to be seated. While they waited, Kailee brushed past other children her age and snuck swiftly and unnoticeably into the Party Room thanks to her small size. Surprisingly, there was not a soul to be found in the large room. Long tables were placed side-by-side in perfect order, far enough apart so a straight aisle was in-between each table like bookcases in a library. A stage almost as large as the room was the center of attention and what made this place so famous in the first place. Three animatronics stood center stage in a triangle formation. Freddy Fazzbear himself was the top of the triangle. To his left stood Bonnie The Bunny, her vibrant periwinkle purple fur straining Kailee’s eyes for just a moment, and who was personally Kailee’s favourite character. To Freddy’s right stood Chica The Chicken lace trimmed apron wrapped around her furry yellow waist. As Kailee approached the stiff animatronics, she felt no fear. She always noticed younger children crying and screaming at their parents, begging them to leave the Party Room once the machines began to move and talk in a monotone voice. But seeing them almost frozen in time did not startle her eight-year-old mind. Instead of running and screaming, she leaned against the front of the stage and peered up at the large metal statues. Her green eyes roamed over the furry body of Freddy. She felt a sort of tickle at her fingertips; the urge to touch. No one is around, so who would see and tattle? Kailee asked herself. A small devilish smile grew on her lips as she rose up on her toes and extended her hand forward toward Freddy’s large foot.
“Amazing, isn’t he?” An unfamiliar voice said from behind Kailee, who immediately dropped her hand and pretended to scratch her shoulder. Kailee’s cheeks flushed as she looked back at the stranger. He didn’t look a day over twenty-five with his dark shaggy hair that matched the short stubble around his smiling mouth, revealing perfect white teeth. His face was very handsome; although Kailee only heard her mother call her father that once or twice when she wasn’t suppose to be listening. He had on a leather jacket that was tarred at bit on the left shoulder. Under his jacket he wore a black band t-shirt that Kailee was not familiar with. His legs were covered by simple denim jeans. Kailee swallowed hard and nodded. “Y-yeah,” She stuttered. “Amazing.” The smile stayed on the man’s lips as he walked up beside Kailee and flattened his palms on top of the stage. “Sorry to startle you, little one.” He murmured softly. She nodded and returned a smile. He continued to stare genuinely at her small face. His eyebrows danced as he studied her features. Of course like every other child in the world, she was strictly told not to talk to strangers. She seemed to remember this right then and opened her mouth to tell him an excuse to leave, but he spoke first. “Don’t’ you just wish you could reach out and touch him?” He asked casually to lighten the tense vibe air between them. “I would, but…..” She trailed off and looked to her left at a sign pinned up on the wall beside the stage that read “DO NOT TOUCH THE ANIMATRONICS” in thick red marker. The stranger followed her gaze and pouted his bottom lip like a child, which made Kailee giggle. “I know,” He sighed, “what a shame. But it’s for the safety of the children, I suppose. We wouldn’t want anyone getting hurt, now would we?” He chuckled softly that made Kailee feel warm inside her belly. He had a nice laugh. Kailee noticed herself laughing along with him, their laughs blending together like a harmony. Feeling comfortable now, Kailee lounged her stance, leaning the side of her body against the stage. “What’s your name, little one?” He asked after their laughter subsided. “Kailee.” She replied easily. He smiled warmly. “Beautiful name.” Kailee blushed and starred down at her pink Converse sneakers. “What’s your name?” She asked, looking up at him through her long golden lashes. The stranger was silent for a moment, pursing his lips and tapping the tips of his fingers on the wooden stage. “Call me….John.” He said with a nod like he was agreeing with the name choice. Kailee noticed this particular behaviour and cocked her head to the side. “Nice name.” She smiled faintly and looked back at Freddy Fazzbear. “You know….I could let you touch him, if you want.” John said in a hushed tone. Kailee blinked in surprise and turned her attention to John once again. “Really? How? Do you work here?” She peppered him with questions, which her parents never liked when she did that at home. John nodded and leaned on his elbows on top of the stage. “I do, actually. I’m the night guard here. I’m off duty now since the sun is still up, but I just wanted to see how alive this place is during the day time.” He answered, then shuffled close to Kailee and kneeled down enough so they were the same height. “Kailee, I can bring you backstage after the show, but you mustn’t tell another soul.” He whispered in a tone that appealed to young children and put a finger to his lips. Kailee searched his cobalt eyes when he lowered himself to her height. The smell of cigarettes and stale bubblegum wafted up her nose. “I won’t….I promise.” She whispered. Her heart fluttered at the thought of being able to touch the animatronics. There was just something about the machines that drew Kailee to them…and John. John beamed and held out his pinky finger.. “Pinky promise?” This made Kailee giggle which warmed John’s heart in a way you wouldn’t assume. “Pinky promise.” She repeated and wrapped her tiny pinky around his large one. John chuckled and swung their conjoined hands together before letting go. “Meet me in the hallway where the bathrooms are after the show. I’ll be waiting.” He winked, straightened up, and started walking toward the lobby. He suddenly stopped and looked over his shoulder at her. “It was nice meeting you, Kailee.” His smile sent a shiver down her tiny spine. “You too.” She murmured and watched him leave the Party Room. The door closed behind him with a soft click. Kailee counted to ten before venturing back out to the lobby, slipping back in with Stacey’s party. The other kids in the group didn’t seem to know her absence. Good. Maybe they won’t notice. She thought hopefully. A few minutes later, Stacey’s party was ushered into the Party Room along with the other parties celebrating there. As the children were seated around their assigned tables, Kailee looked around the room, in hopes of catching glimpse of her new friend. She frowned when he couldn’t be found and turned her attention to the pizza that was set down on the center of the table. Mesmerized, Kailee watched the steam climb up from the greasy food and up toward the tiled ceiling. Through the steam, her eyes caught sight of a pair of familiar cobalt eyes. His eyes met hers and she smiled brightly and offered a small wave. He waved back the same and winked. A group of squealing children ran past John, chanting “The show is starting, the show is starting!” The group ran up to the stage, giggling as the animatronics came to life. Freddy’s Fazzbear’s Pizzaria’s theme song spilled into the room. “Come on Kay, let’s go up to the front with those kids.” Stacey was suddenly at Kailee’s side, gently tugging on her arm. Kailee nodded and stumbled over her own feet as she tried to keep up with Stacey. Briefly, Kailee looked over her shoulder to see John again. But to her disappointment, he was gone.
The gay screeching of young children vibrated little Kailee’s eardrums enough for her to excuse herself from the cacophonic lobby of Freddy Fazzbear’s Pizzaria. She was there in attendance for her best friend Stacey’s ninth birthday party. But since Freddy’s was so busy that particular afternoon, Stacey’s party had to wait to be seated. While they waited, Kailee brushed past other children her age and snuck swiftly and unnoticeably into the Party Room thanks to her small size.
Surprisingly, there was not a soul to be found in the large room. Long tables were placed side-by-side in perfect order, far enough apart so a straight aisle was in-between each table like bookcases in a library. A stage almost as large as the room was the center of attention and what made this place so famous in the first place. Three animatronics stood center stage in a triangle formation. Freddy Fazzbear himself was the top of the triangle. To his left stood Bonnie The Bunny, her vibrant periwinkle purple fur straining Kailee’s eyes for just a moment, and who was personally Kailee’s favourite character. To Freddy’s right stood Chica The Chicken lace trimmed apron wrapped around her furry yellow waist.
As Kailee approached the stiff animatronics, she felt no fear. She always noticed younger children crying and screaming at their parents, begging them to leave the Party Room once the machines began to move and talk in a monotone voice. But seeing them almost frozen in time did not startle her eight-year-old mind. Instead of running and screaming, she leaned against the front of the stage and peered up at the large metal statues. Her green eyes roamed over the furry body of Freddy. She felt a sort of tickle at her fingertips; the urge to touch.
No one is around, so who would see and tattle? Kailee asked herself. A small devilish smile grew on her lips as she rose up on her toes and extended her hand forward toward Freddy’s large foot.
“Amazing, isn’t he?” An unfamiliar voice said from behind Kailee, who immediately dropped her hand and pretended to scratch her shoulder. Kailee’s cheeks flushed as she looked back at the stranger. He didn’t look a day over twenty-five with his dark shaggy hair that matched the short stubble around his smiling mouth, revealing perfect white teeth. His face was very handsome; although Kailee only heard her mother call her father that once or twice when she wasn’t suppose to be listening. He had on a leather jacket that was tarred at bit on the left shoulder. Under his jacket he wore a black band t-shirt that Kailee was not familiar with. His legs were covered by simple denim jeans.
Kailee swallowed hard and nodded. “Y-yeah,” She stuttered. “Amazing.”
The smile stayed on the man’s lips as he walked up beside Kailee and flattened his palms on top of the stage. “Sorry to startle you, little one.” He murmured softly. She nodded and returned a smile. He continued to stare genuinely at her small face. His eyebrows danced as he studied her features.
Of course like every other child in the world, she was strictly told not to talk to strangers. She seemed to remember this right then and opened her mouth to tell him an excuse to leave, but he spoke first.
“Don’t’ you just wish you could reach out and touch him?” He asked casually to lighten the tense vibe air between them.
“I would, but…..” She trailed off and looked to her left at a sign pinned up on the wall beside the stage that read “DO NOT TOUCH THE ANIMATRONICS” in thick red marker. The stranger followed her gaze and pouted his bottom lip like a child, which made Kailee giggle.
“I know,” He sighed, “what a shame. But it’s for the safety of the children, I suppose. We wouldn’t want anyone getting hurt, now would we?” He chuckled softly that made Kailee feel warm inside her belly. He had a nice laugh. Kailee noticed herself laughing along with him, their laughs blending together like a harmony. Feeling comfortable now, Kailee lounged her stance, leaning the side of her body against the stage.
“What’s your name, little one?” He asked after their laughter subsided.
“Kailee.” She replied easily.
He smiled warmly. “Beautiful name.”
Kailee blushed and starred down at her pink Converse sneakers. “What’s your name?” She asked, looking up at him through her long golden lashes. The stranger was silent for a moment, pursing his lips and tapping the tips of his fingers on the wooden stage. “Call me….John.” He said with a nod like he was agreeing with the name choice. Kailee noticed this particular behaviour and cocked her head to the side. “Nice name.” She smiled faintly and looked back at Freddy Fazzbear.
“You know….I could let you touch him, if you want.” John said in a hushed tone.
Kailee blinked in surprise and turned her attention to John once again. “Really? How? Do you work here?” She peppered him with questions, which her parents never liked when she did that at home.
John nodded and leaned on his elbows on top of the stage. “I do, actually. I’m the night guard here. I’m off duty now since the sun is still up, but I just wanted to see how alive this place is during the day time.” He answered, then shuffled close to Kailee and kneeled down enough so they were the same height. “Kailee, I can bring you backstage after the show, but you mustn’t tell another soul.” He whispered in a tone that appealed to young children and put a finger to his lips.
Kailee searched his cobalt eyes when he lowered himself to her height. The smell of cigarettes and stale bubblegum wafted up her nose.
“I won’t….I promise.” She whispered. Her heart fluttered at the thought of being able to touch the animatronics. There was just something about the machines that drew Kailee to them…and John.
John beamed and held out his pinky finger.. “Pinky promise?”
This made Kailee giggle which warmed John’s heart in a way you wouldn’t assume. “Pinky promise.” She repeated and wrapped her tiny pinky around his large one. John chuckled and swung their conjoined hands together before letting go.
“Meet me in the hallway where the bathrooms are after the show. I’ll be waiting.” He winked, straightened up, and started walking toward the lobby. He suddenly stopped and looked over his shoulder at her. “It was nice meeting you, Kailee.” His smile sent a shiver down her tiny spine.
“You too.” She murmured and watched him leave the Party Room. The door closed behind him with a soft click. Kailee counted to ten before venturing back out to the lobby, slipping back in with Stacey’s party. The other kids in the group didn’t seem to know her absence. Good. Maybe they won’t notice. She thought hopefully.
A few minutes later, Stacey’s party was ushered into the Party Room along with the other parties celebrating there. As the children were seated around their assigned tables, Kailee looked around the room, in hopes of catching glimpse of her new friend. She frowned when he couldn’t be found and turned her attention to the pizza that was set down on the center of the table. Mesmerized, Kailee watched the steam climb up from the greasy food and up toward the tiled ceiling. Through the steam, her eyes caught sight of a pair of familiar cobalt eyes. His eyes met hers and she smiled brightly and offered a small wave. He waved back the same and winked. A group of squealing children ran past John, chanting “The show is starting, the show is starting!” The group ran up to the stage, giggling as the animatronics came to life. Freddy’s Fazzbear’s Pizzaria’s theme song spilled into the room.
“Come on Kay, let’s go up to the front with those kids.” Stacey was suddenly at Kailee’s side, gently tugging on her arm. Kailee nodded and stumbled over her own feet as she tried to keep up with Stacey. Briefly, Kailee looked over her shoulder to see John again. But to her disappointment, he was gone.