I glanced at the clock in my car I was running early for the interview. The plaza was not set for its grand opening till Monday morning, but they were doing the mass hiring event to fill the many vacant spots. Although I could have applied to anything I had decided to apply for the live in daycare and party attendant. The day care was the only department I did not have any experience in, but I always wanted to. I always loved working with kids and even worked as a teacher aid for a summer program.
It had been a few years since the Pizza Plex fire. Not much information was released to the public let alone laid off employees in regards of information. It had taken them a while to rebuild. I didn't even know about the reopening until I saw the ad for the new live in attendee position.
I hoped working there before would give me some leverage above other candidates. Though I didn't work there long and I was mostly a float employee in gift shops and themed attractions, I had the chance to spend at least a few days with each of the main stars. The animatronics were very lively even back then and seemed to almost be alive. Although they each had their quirks, I had grown a fondness for all of them after getting to know them. Shoot even Dj music man was fun to hang around once you understood how to communicate through song.
I took the final turn and entered the newly paved parking lot. It was the first time I saw the new plaza it looked like it had grown but defiantly had the same feel and look as the old plex. There were a few scattered cars I assumed they were other candidates for the open positions. I could defiantly admit that the Pizza Plex didn't skimp when it came to employee rate of pay.
Stepping out of the car I adjusted my blouse. I hadn't worn it in forever and the top button seemed to struggle to stay close and threatening to pop if I made the wrong move. I checked my hair in the reflection of the car door and held my resume binder close to my chest. I took a deep breath and a bit nervous. I was never a strong communicator and that is why I had always liked working at the Pizza Plex. Animatronics were much easier to talk to than people.
I walked up to the security booth, my shoes making a clanking noise on the newly waxed floors. I was honestly stunned at the interior it was like taking a step back in time to the first time I had came here.
"Hello, I take it you are here for the interview event?"
The guard. He was new and had a welcoming face. He was an older man with salt and peppered hair. I showed a bright smile.
"Uh, yes that's right."
"Right this way."
He gave me a small nod and stood. He was not much taller than me but had a small hunch on his upper back. I followed him through the turn tables and into the main room. He pointed to a small black door on the left.
"You're gunna go through that door, the hallway doors will be labeled for each of the job position. Just go to which ever you applied for and have a fantastic day, good luck." He promptly turned and left.
I followed through the door into the long hallway like he said they were all labeled I scanned each until I reached the end of the hallway. Daycare and Party. I opened the door, there were a few people already sitting in the black plastic chairs, most of them with their noses in their phones. The room was bland blue with nothing on the walls, the only thing was the black door across the room which I had assumed was the office that the interviews were being held.
I tried to sit down in one of the plastic chairs quietly but had seemed to catch the attention of the guy next to me.
"Hi, I am Marcus." Marcus reached a hand out.
"Y/N." I replied weakly shaking his hand.
He was ok looking, traditionally handsome features but nothing special. His dark hair was slicked back, and he had a single studded ear. He did have a good build though his shirt may have been a size too small for him but that was not my concern.
Something felt off about him, his smile was intense, and his eyes looked cold in contrast. It .... He made me uneasy. Giving a polite nod I opened my binder to busy myself skimming over my resume and papers, hoping it would kill need to talk to me but it didn't do the trick.
"So... You apply to be the day care attendee too huh?" I nodded again.
I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes at the stupid question of course I was here for the position what other reason there would be for me sitting here.
"Did you hear about all the cool updates they gave the animatronics. I heard they made them a lot more human like and stuff like that; like more anatomically correct. I heard from one of the guards, that they are can almost be mistaken as humans that's how updated they are; isn't that cool."
"Oh really." I responded not even looking at him. I wanted this conversion to end but Mr. Chatty was holding me socially captive.
"Sounds like it's a good improvement for the kids, I suppose." I replied dryly.
"I heard the studio apartments they built for the attendees are nice...." He said while leaning over, instinctively I leaned away.
"Kind of quiet, aren't you?"
I gave an awkward smile that's when the black door opened. My heart jumped in joy as it seemed like that was the thing that made him stop and divert his attention away from me . A girl walked out her security hat tilted down looking at her papers I could not make out her face.
"Y/N."
she looked up as I rose from my seat. I recognized her at once. Samari was one of the old guards. Her department was mostly covering Monty Golf areas, but she was always kind to me. we had grown to be good friends over the time I had worked in her area's. Our eyes met and I could almost see a light bulb ding as she matched my name with my face.
"Well... isn't it trouble, back again." She said through a chuckle a i squeezed past her once the door closed she threw an arm over my shoulder.
"It's too nice to see you, I didn't think you would be coming back after the whole mess ; Honestly how freaking crazy was that fire one minute the pizza plex is here the next poof!" she exclaimed dramatically throwing her hands up mimicking a small explosion. Samari crossed the room and sat in the office chair across from the table from me. Leaning on her elbow she leaned in.
"Yeah...It was honestly crazy it left a lot of people scrambling for jobs. I was lucky to get back in with my summer teaching assistant position." I sighed.
"Yeah, no one's even heard from Vanessa, so they called and gave me the lead guard position. So here I am stuck doing a thousand interviews for the past week"
"Congrats, you defiantly deserved the promotion, even with the punishment tagged with it."
"Tell me about it, with all the crap they got me doing it's a wonder I havn't tried to rip my hair out"
Rolling her eyes, Samari leaned back and glanced over my resume setting it down, she looked up at me.
"Well, I already know that you have tons of experience with the animatronics so that's good and that fact that you have childcare is even better, but the daycare attendant can be a lot to handle. they both have strong personalities, are you sure you want to deal with that?"
"Of course, I not worried at all plus after dealing with Roxie mood swings for a few months I don't think there is much a I can't handle in terms of challenging personalities."
"You can say that again," she said between laughs, "I guess, I just being selfish hoping you would apply for the float position again, we defiantly could use that work ethic of yours."
"Yeah, I defiantly thought about it, but I just really loved working with kids, so I wanted to focus on that, and that float position was really hard on the sanity if you know what I mean, I had to everywhere all at the same time it was kind of rough." I twiddled my thumbs back and forth nervously, I felt my ears warm from the compliment. Samari gave me a soft smile.
"Don't worry about it, you defiantly made it look easy though. I remember how they had you running around with your head chopped off. Always so busy, you could barely be still enough to have a conversation."
"Well I can't promise the work will be any easier but you got the job so welcome back to the team, trouble."
I smile at the ironic nickname , I was always a stickler for the rules. But it had been so long since seeing her a twang of guilt hit me for not staying in touch.
"The orientation and tour will be later this afternoon so stick around." Her fingers started to type at lighting speed and the printer roared to life once done. Samari grabbed the papers off a near by printer, handing them to me. " I know you know the layout for the most part but they added a few new sections so it would be a good idea so you can see your place and meet the other new attendees."
"Thanks by the way I really appreciate the job Samari."
"No worries, I know you're a hard worker, so I know you are going to take care of those kids. There you are all set. Just bring these back filled out orientation will be at 3."Samari said waving her hand at me as though brushing it off.
"And for the love of everything Y/N , just call me Sam it's weird when you say the whole thing."
I nodded taking the papers from her after a quick goodbye I left the office space. keeping my eyes straight head to avoid Marcus, but I could feel those cold eye boring into me as I hurried out. A broad smile stretched across my face when the door clicked shut behind me. Walking with a new pep in my step, I almost skipped out of the hall in back into the main space.
"Went well I am guessing?" The older guard smiled at me.
"Uh yes, it did very much so. My name is Y/N by the way since we will most likely see each other more often I will be posted in the daycare area from now on."
"The names Stephen and I will be posted... well right here. " He chuckled tipping his hat and bowed very lightly, like an old fashion gentleman.
"Very nice to meet you, Stephen."
I glancing down at my watch an hour had gone by since I got here and there was plenty of time before the orientation. Stephen must have noticed my internal debate on what to do between now and till the tours began.
"You know if you hadn't been up there, yet I think the daycare gate should be open if you wanted to peek inside, I don't think they cover it on the tour since so few people work in there."
"Oh really, it won't be any trouble if I do?"
"Oh no, your fine." Stephen went back to his paper work so I gave a small thanks and headed up the stairs.
The plaza was a identical copy to before but it was just so odd being so silent. As long as I can remember this place was always roaring with life. I turned heading towards the big doors of the day care.
I quietly opened them and slipped inside. The hallway was long and dark with vending machines lining the way. Once out in the lobby there was a large fountain adorned with artificial trees. The soft carpet muffled the sound of my shoes.
I carefully lifted the gate and crouched underneath carefully not to tear my pants. Dusting off my knee I was met with a large gold statue of the day care attendants, at least the old versions of themselves.
I remember their names being Sun and Moon. I had to admit that statues broad unnatural smile was a little unsettling and it finally clicked on why they had so many complaints of children fearing daycare. But I would take creepy statue over creepy Marcus any day.
I had heard stories of the daycare bot from the old attendants. Mostly how creepy the thing was and how apparently, they had spliced it's personalities with a second AI in order to save some money, which led to a lot of issues and aggression from the bot. But with the new updated models I assume that they just made two separate animatronics to trouble shoot the issue.
I tiptoed over to the nearest table setting my belongings down. I moved to lean over the rale taking in the department and smokes it was huge. So much for not having to run around everywhere. I sighed and stretched my arms. I had just started to notice how warm it was in here.
Looking over the bright slide behind me seemed to lead directly to a giant ball pit below. Above the ball pit was a platform leading somewhere I couldn't make out. I moved my gaze to the giant play scape sat in the middle of the room.
Everything was so wonderfully colorful and bright. Even the attending desk was littered with colorful toys. I saw a small crafting area in the back corners along with a reading section as well. The daycare honestly had everything and anything a child could want to play with. Off to the slide was a dimmed secondary room the large sign above read NAP ROOM.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw something scatter across the opening to the nap room, curious I leaned further over the rail trying getting a clear view but saw nothing, shrugging it off as just my imagination I decided to take a seat and knock out my paperwork instead of investigating.
Hardly skimming the paper, I signed each page. As I reached the last page and signed my last need signature a loud CRASH echoed through the daycare. I nearly jumped out of my skin at the loud noise.
Jumping up, I flew back to rail leaning again trying to see better. There it was again, a dark shadowy figure flashed by the entrance to the nap room again. I knew I had saw something. No one should be in here since the place did not open for another couple of days.
I glanced over the only way down was to take the slide into the ball pit. My shoulder slumped as I debated once again whether it was worth going to check out.
If it were somehow a kid who snuck in it would be a big problem for Samari. If it was just the attendant animatronic, I should introduce myself. I chewed my nails indecisively. Glancing at my watch still had hours before the orientation. Fine, I thought to myself.
I mean what was the worst that could happen.
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Author Note:
HI everyone, Thank you for reading! I am very excited about this project, its the first time I've written anything like this. Please take the time to like, comment and provide feed back or request.
I do also want to tell you know that all the naughty bits of the story will take time as I really want to focus on the relationship development between characters and let those things happen naturally. When the smut does come I will provide a tag within not only the chapter title but at the beginning of the story and when the smut actually begins.
I really hope you guys enjoy and since I am currently in college I want to attempt to keep on a schedule for updates.
So as of right now I am expecting to update once maybe twice a week and posting will always happen weekdays before 4:00 pm EST. Though I am not exactly how in-depth or long this story is going to be I am hoping for at minimum 10 long chapters (over 1500 words per chapter) so consider saving it to your read list.
Thanks for your support!
Sincerely,
Xeph.