The sun was already shining when I woke up… it was the earliest I woke up that week. I don’t know how, but I slept better than usual. At least one day I get to enjoy the sunlight.
I decided to go for a walk through my neighborhood. When was the last time I’ve done this? Weeks and weeks ago, probably. Since I started working the nightshifts, I didn’t really go outside much, there was no time for it. I can’t remember why I worked the nightshifts, though. I wasn’t much of a social person and that was probably the best way to avoid people.
My neighborhood wasn’t that big, so I knew most of the people there. You could tell that I was the weird guy – not really weird, I just… didn’t fit in with the rest of the people. They didn’t mind it, though. They got used to me coming home in the morning hours and not really trying to make friends.
As usual, the old lady from across the street waved at me and we said a few words before I moved on. The weather was nice and I felt good that day for the first and last time in a while. I remember the cat that followed me, the tree I passed, even the cracks in the pavement. I remember it all… in so much detail. I don’t know why.

…

I got back to my house. Since I had plenty of time before I had to leave, I decided to watch some TV. I found a soap opera and no matter how crappy it was, I spent quite a while watching it. I got a good laugh out of it, to be honest. I got some groceries after that and enjoyed the rest of the day. Maybe I should ask to be moved to the dayshift after that.
An hour before I had to leave, I went to the bathroom to get ready. I put on my uniform and stared at myself in the mirror for a moment. With the purple shirt and the golden badge, I didn’t look like myself. I looked like him. My father. I’m not sure if it was an accident, but my badge said Michael Afton, even though I changed my name years ago. Whoever made the badge must’ve known him.
No matter how hard I tried, I could never change myself.

…

I arrived to work early again. I had enough time to check out the arcade at the main entrance, so why not spend the time there?
There was one single game that caught my eye – there was a game in the corner, with an “out of order” sign, even though the screen was lit and in perfect condition.
It began as a totally innocent game. I played as Circus Baby delivering cupcakes to the kids, avoiding obstacles and running out of time. Her eyes were blue again, and the game itself looked pretty old too. It took me a few tries to get to the end in time, where I saw an exit door and an ice cream. There was something about it that made me think that this wasn’t what I had to do. I picked up the ice cream and went back to the beginning. I was running out of time, but it didn’t matter. I did what I had to. A little girl, standing by herself… just like Baby said. She had ginger hair, green eyes and a pink dress.
I know who it was.
The 8-bit Baby couldn’t move anymore. The girl stepped closer to take the ice cream, but the moment she touched it, Baby’s stomach opened. A claw came out and grabbed the girl.
Then the screen went black.

it was her she got killed

…

In the elevator, HandUnit told me that my pay will be decreased due to my “lack of performance” yesterday. There were still two technicians on the site that I had to tell to go home.
However, today was my fifth day working there, so HandUnit made me pick a gift basket that I would get as a reward. Was it even a gift if its value was taken from my pay? It doesn’t matter. My choice was corrected to exotic butters, which I still don’t know where it got from.
The moment I got into the Module, I knew something was off. Looking around, I noticed that the clown mask was gone. I felt my insides twisting – what was going on?
The light in Ballora Gallery turned on, casting a shadow on the stage. Funtime Auditorium was the same. When I realized what the shadows were, everything was telling me to turn around and get out.
I should have done that.
HandUnit, I found your technicians.
Dead.
Hanging from the ceiling.

…

To get to Parts&Service, I had to go through the Funtime Auditorium again. I flashed my beacon, but besides the corpse, I saw nothing. I flashed it a few more times as I walked, but not a sign of Foxy. Last time I was here, I heard him say something that definitely wasn’t programmed.
“It’s time to take your final bow.”

it makes so much more sense now

Foxy not being there seemed wrong. Why? That was the only thing I could think about. I thought that he was deactivated, but I still didn’t dare to check the stage.
Thank god I didn’t look at the stage.

…

Parts&Service the same as last time, except that this time it was Baby that had to be fixed. HandUnit started giving me instructions, but it was cut off my Baby’s voice.
“Can you hear me? I’m pretending. Remember how I said that I could pretend? The cameras are watching, I must be careful not to move. Something bad happened yesterday. Something bad always happens. I don’t want it to happen again. There is something bad inside of me. I’m broken. I can’t be fixed. I’m going to be taken to the Scooping Room soon, but it’s not going to fix what’s wrong with me. What is bad is always left behind. Will you help me? I want you to save what is good so the rest can be destroyed and never recovered, but you must be careful. Ballora is here, in the room with us. Ballora will not return to her stage, Ballora will not return to her body. You must be careful, you must remain calm and listen to my voice. There is a button on my cheek. You must find it and press it.”
I pressed the button.
“There is a passcode that you must enter before you can retrieve me. Enter the code carefully.”
I typed as she gave me numbers to press. One of her metal plates on her arm opened, making me jump a little.
“Good, a hatch should have opened. Take the card that you find inside. Now you must turn back. I will guide you through Funtime Auditorium, so you can reach the Scooping Room. When you are there I want you to destroy this body. Put the card into your handheld device and I can continue to speak to you. Now, press the green button to your left, this will send me to the Scooping Room. You must follow my instructions in Funtime Auditorium. Ballora is going to follow you. She will try to catch you. I will help you avoid her. She will not follow you inside the Scooping Room, she is afraid.”
Why did I have to do it? I pressed the button and watched as Circus Baby was sent to the Scooping room. Something moved in the shadows behind her.
I put the chip in HandUnit and left the room. Baby’s voice echoed through Funtime Auditorium.
“Go back now. Go forward. Stop. Go forward. You are almost there. Stop.”
I didn’t turn around, I didn’t want to.
“She is right in front of you. Don’t move.”
…In front of me? Why? What was going on?!
“He is here to help, Ballora. He is not here to hurt us. Ballora, he is here to help us.”
I couldn’t imagine the “help” I was about to give them.

I should’ve stopped

“Go forward again, Ballora is behind you. She is afraid of the Scooping Room, she will not follow you.”

…

“Warning: You’ve entered a highly dangerous area. You’ve entered from Maintenance Hatch 1B, reserved for cleaning and repair of The Scooper! Entering this side of the room is strictly prohibited by unauthorized persone-”
HandUnit’s voice was abruptly cut off, followed with a loud bang. I looked around and remembered last night. Nothing’s changed, except for… something was on the other side.
“You are in the Scooping Room now.”
Something metal.
“Funtime Foxy has already been here today.”
Something alive.
“Funtime Freddy has already been here today.”
It looked human.
“Ballora has already been here today.”
But how did a tangled mess of wires look human? Was it the clown mask? It was just an endoskeleton, and yet…
“Circus Baby has already been here today.”
It looked like me.

run

What was that? Sure, I knew what, it was… the wires belonged to them, to the animatronics. They rebuilt themselves and made this. But why?

oh I knew why I just didn’t want to

“I’ve been out before, but they always put me back. They always put us back inside. There is nowhere for us to hide here. There is nowhere to go, when we look like this.”
Why didn’t I run?
“But if we look like you, then we could hide.”
I knew what was about to happen, but it was too late. It was always too late.
“If we looked like you, then we would have somewhere to go.”
They pressed the button. There were four loud beeps and then… silence. Just for a moment, just for what felt like ages. Just enough for me to move away, and yet I didn’t. I couldn’t.
“The Scooper only hurts for a moment.”

And I didn’t feel a thing anymore.