Mike pulled into the lot early, same as every morning. On his drive in, he could easily spot the neighbouring businesses, all still dark with "CLOSED" signs in their windows. Some cars sat in the designated employee parking spots.
Mike had been showing up for a few weeks now, mostly to learn the layout and meet the staff. Nothing official, just prep work. He got out of the car and walked inside.
The building still had that newly constructed look; everything felt fresh. Those guys in the kitchen were already busy preparing pizzas for when the place officially opened up. Nancy was moving through the back hallways with her clipboard. She was the manager—sharp, efficient, the kind of person who didn't need to raise her voice to get things done. Dominic, her assistant, stood near the stage, checking something on a clipboard of his own.
Mike ended up near the prize counter, checking the shelves and helping out where needed. The dining room was already prepped. Tables wiped. Chairs straightened. Nothing left to do but wait.
Ralph found him there, coffee in hand.
"First official day. You ready?"
"Thrilled." Mike didn't look up from sweeping the floor.
Ralph leaned against the counter, in no hurry to leave. "You've been here, what, three weeks now?"
"Something like that."
He took a sip. "I've been working with the company for a long time now. Back then, it was mostly me stuck on the line with the night guards in the middle of the night, briefing them on protocol. Some of the crew started calling me 'Phone Guy' because of that. Luckily, Nancy wants me pre-recording messages on cassette tapes now. It'd be funny if they started calling me 'Tape Guy' instead. The new guard's name is Maxine; as long as she listens to the tapes, everything should be straightforward, and I can finally get some peace. This location's nice though; too bad I won't see it all the way through. I'm planning to retire in a few years so I can finally focus on my daughter."
Mike glanced toward the stage. Freddy and the others just stood there looking ahead at nothing in particular. "I'm not so confident about the 'straightforward' part, but it must be nice to get some rest finally." He remembered just how "straightforward" it really was. Pity he hadn't enjoyed the luxury of doors at the previous location.
"Don't worry; if she follows the instructions on the tapes I record, she will be completely fine."
"You don't sound sure."
"I'm just a little nervous; after all, it's opening day." He laughed, a little too high. "A big day with a lot happening. But everything's been running smoothly."
Ralph lingered, like he was hoping Mike might say something else. "Anyway." He cleared his throat. "Good luck with today. It should be a nice long day of work, but nothing you can't handle. Just remember to take your breaks."
"Can't wait."
Ralph hesitated, still not sure if Mike was joking. Mike didn't clarify. Ralph walked off—the same voice from that phone call six years ago. Still sounding as nervous as usual. Mike couldn't tell if it was a good thing that Ralph didn't recognize his voice.
Mike finished checking the shelves and moved on, walking the same familiar hall he'd been walking for a few weeks now. Past the dining room with its empty tables and wrapped party hats. In the bathrooms, Mike made sure the toilet paper was ready, and the soap dispensers were filled. Luckily for him, there wasn't anybody using the girls' bathroom, and his status as a staff member allowed him access.
The safe room door looked like part of the wall. Mike knew it was there. He'd been inside there multiple times now. The fake wall was for what they claimed were budget reasons: cheaper to seal it off than to wire it into the security system. The room off the blueprints and out of the animatronics' programming mostly got used for storage.
The Spring Bonnie suit was sitting in the corner. It was very old and worn out, with faded yellow fur, frayed stitching, and half an ear missing. The cage was visible through the gaps in the fabric; springs rusted at the edges. It made no sense why they still kept it. According to them, it was the suit someone had used at the previous location. The one that set the animatronics off, and yet they were still keeping it here just out of sight.
He didn't stop. The old Spring Bonnie suit wasn't his biggest concern right now. He had other things to deal with, and that was making sure he did his job well enough, so he didn't get fired as he did in the last location.
Back in the dining room, the stage lights were up. Freddy stood ready at his microphone. Bonnie's guitar hung from its strap. Chica held the pink cupcake in her hand, its plastic eyes blinking. The cupcake was animatronic now. That was new. Foxy's curtain was closed, the servos humming behind it. Everything in place; it was only a matter of time before Foxy could put on a good show for everyone.
Greg was at his laptop near the backstage door, watching the readouts. Mike stopped on his way past. Just behind Greg sat the bulky shapes of three animatronics under a dusty tarp. Mike had seen it during training but never cared enough to ask what it was.
Greg glanced up and caught where Mike was looking. "Don't bother with those. They're not part of the show; one's from an old location, and the other two are scrapped concepts. They just sit there." He snorted.
Mike didn't respond. Greg went back to his screen. Just as Mike was turning away, he caught a subtle shift under the tarp. He stopped for a second before forcing himself to keep walking.
Nancy found him near the stage. "Hey. Walk to the emergency exits and make sure they are still opening properly. The fire marshal's been strict."
Mike made the rounds to the exits, making sure nothing was blocking them and that the doors opened as they should. He reported back to Nancy, who checked something off her clipboard, still looking calm and professional as always.
The clock ticked closer to ten. Mike helped the girl responsible for the prize stock and straightened out a few pieces of merchandise. Derek adjusted his apron and made sure the other guys in the kitchen were ready. Susan was still at the register preparing to count money.
Nancy appeared near the entrance, checking the front doors one last time. "Five minutes. Everyone in position."
Everyone was putting on the final touches—the kitchen staff prepping ingredients, and a janitor wheeling his cart back to the closet after cleaning up a mechanic's mess backstage.
Mike stood near the entrance alongside a few other staff members, ready to step in the second guests arrived.
Nancy's voice carried across the dining room. "Alright. Three... two... one... Showtime."
She unlocked the front doors and pushed them open. The crowd outside surged forward—families, kids, parents with strollers. A line had formed before sunrise. Freddy's wasn't just a pizzeria. It was a brand.
The dining room filled in minutes. Kids bolted for the stage. Parents claimed tables. The arcade lit up. The kitchen doors swung open, letting out a wave of noise: orders being shouted, timers beeping, and the clatter of pans.
Mike was already helping out, guiding families to empty tables and pointing out the restrooms.
Freddy's head turned in a slow, steady sweep across the dining room, his eyes catching the light. Bonnie's head tilted toward the nearest table, his glassy eyes tracking the crowd below. Chica's beak opened for the first song, the cupcake's eyes moving around and blinking.