As the morning sun pierced through the curtains, you gradually regained consciousness and blinked, you tapped your phone and read the time, realizing it was already 7:00 am.
"What the...?" you mumbled, surprised by the absence of tears streaming down your face...
Weird
With a sigh, you swung your legs over the side of the bed,
You headed to the bathroom, stepping into the shower and feeling the warm water cascade over your body. Thoughts raced through your mind as you lathered up and brushed your teeth.
"No uniform?That's strange.." you pondered, realizing your employer hadn't provided one... you decided to simply wear your own clothes—a black button down shirt and pants that made you look professional. You slipped on your favorite shoes, completing your attire, and made your way downstairs.
"Hey, Y/N, I just dropped your sister off at school," your mom greeted you.
"Morning, Mom. Yeah, I'm about to leave," you replied, reaching for your car keys resting on the kitchen counter.
"Again?" she asked and stopped what she was doing.
"Uh... yeah" you checked your phone again "damn, I gotta g- Bye!" you called out as you practically ran out the front door, glancing back to see your mother waving goodbye.
Sitting in your car, you once again relied on the trusty GPS to navigate your way to your brand new workplace. Despite your excitement at being hired, a nagging sense of confusion lingered in the depths of your mind.
"It's a bit peculiar that they hired me on the spot," you pondered aloud, considering the possibility of your own reputation being damaged by being associated with this supposedly shady business. "
Well...if it was that bad people wouldn't take their kids there..
you reassured yourself , as you drove away from your neighborhood.
Connecting your phone to the car's audio system, you played your favorite song, humming along as you passed vacant lots on your route to work. The air outside was cold and damp, almost uncomfortably humid. The smell of the damp seat cushions in your car made you slightly nauseous. In an attempt to alleviate the discomfort, you cracked open the car window, but it only worsened the odor.
Just as frustration was beginning to mount, a vivid fluorescent sign came into view—your new workplace. The cold, grey, foggy morning lent an eerie atmosphere to the area, making it appear almost sickly. Despite the unsettling feeling, you managed to find a parking spot near the entrance of the building, partly out of laziness and partly due to your unease. Easy access to your car provided reassurance...just in case.
It's probably just all those warnings from mom getting in my head...I'll be fine.
you reassured yourself while stepping out of the car and approaching the double doors.
Inhaling deeply, you pushed open the doors and entered the building. They weren't locked, but it was clear that the establishment was not yet open
The interior felt cold and empty, yet strangely well-lit. Two animatronics sat lifeless, their glassy eyes fixed ahead.
"I get we're not open but they couldn't at least cover the things up? It's fucking creepy."
you muttered under your breath, the combination of your own anxiety and the faint smell of grease and plastic adding to the feeling.
With a cautious shuffle, you made your way toward the front desk where Jenna stood.
"Hey y/n! Over here!" Jenna called out, waving her hand to catch your attention. You smiled and walked over to her, noticing two other people standing nearby.
"This is Rose and Matt!" Jenna exclaimed as you approached, introducing her colleagues. You nodded and waved, attempting to be friendly.
"I'm Y/N. Nice to meet you," you greeted them.
The person you assumed was Matt seemed excessively tired, offering a groggy wave before departing.
"Don't mind him, he's just leaving. He had the night shift," the woman you assumed was Rose explained, her smile brightening the interaction. You reciprocated with a nod and smile.
"So, what exactly is my job...?" you inquired, attempting to sound confident.
"Well, we mainly make sure the kids don't get too close to the robots, bring out cheap pizza and cake, and basically just hang around," Rose answered, emphasizing her explanation with animated hand gestures.
"Ah, okay... seems easy enough!" you chuckled, feeling a bit more at ease with the nature of your tasks.
The three of you engaged in conversation, introducing yourselves and sharing lighthearted laughs. After a few minutes, Rose swung open the doors, and families began trickling into the building, filling it with life.
You started to navigate, assisting children in finding their parents and occasionally bringing out pizzas with Rose's help. As you paced around the restaurant, an inexplicable sensation of being watched crept over you.
The once motionless animatronics suddenly sprang to life, performing a sort of synchronized dance on the stage before you. It felt strange witnessing their fluid movements.
Engrossed in observing them, you entered a sort of trance, oblivious to everything around you despite the children running around you.
Lost in your thoughts, you focused on the robots, their presence captivating you. Suddenly, a sharp impact broke your trance like state.
Smack-
You stumbled backward, gasping. Looking down, you discovered a little girl with long blonde hair in a pink dress. She had run into you at full speed.
The girl sat on the ground, rubbing her head. As she glanced up at you, tears began streaming down her cheeks. Instinctively, your maternal instincts kicked in (although you cringed at the thought).
You extended a helping hand, lowering yourself to her level, and asked in the gentlest voice you could muster, "Are you okay? Did you hit your head?" The girl gazed up at you with her wide, green eyes, nodding in response .
"I'm sorry, miss. I didn't mean to run into you," she spoke with a slight British accent.
"No, no! It's okay! Don't worry about it. Are you sure you're alright?" you reassured her, doing your best to comfort the teary-eyed girl. She nodded, using her arm to wipe away the remaining tears from her face.
Curiosity piqued, you wondered why this little kid seemed to be staring into your soul. Glancing around, you caught sight of someone who seemed to be the cause of her fixation.
"Elizabeth? I told you to stay in the office-"
You turned around to face the source of the girl's attention, gripping her hand tightly as you rose to your feet. Standing before you was a man who demanded your attention and raised many questions.
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1105 words
(Edited)
Hey :) I made a couple changes to most of the chapters a couple days ago and I've had them in my drafts for a while and now I'm just changing the actual chapters now, tell me what you think :D
-River
