(CONTENT WARNING: smoking, cursing, anxiety, trauma, panic attack, mention of violence)
You gripped the beaten leather steering wheel with one hand, the other held close to your mouth for you to anxiously chew on your nails. A dark mass of clouds hung low overhead, as they had been for the past few days. They seemed to drench the road stretched in front of you with their ominous shade, and it only added to the strong concoction of emotions brewing inside of you. You took your hand away from your teeth to tune up the radio that'd been quietly whispering to you. As you turned the volume dial to the right, you could feel the melody float around your car and embrace you with its comforting notes.
You were on your way to see William, just as you'd promised him on Monday. It'd only been a few days since you'd seen him, but the memories of the interaction were still nagging at you. If you tried hard enough, you could even still smell him. Needless to say, you were eager to receive his attention once more, and the thought of being under his brutal silvery gaze again sent chills racing through your body. The way his words and actions were laced with threatening undertones excited you to no end, causing the most painful buildup of nerves within you as you waited for this day to approach. The day you would see him in his own territory.
Sure, you were mostly there to learn, but what was the harm in indulging yourself with this little infatuation of yours? It's not like anything would actually come of it, you were sure you couldn't be his type. Someone of his age with such accomplishments was far out of your league and you knew it. No matter, you were simply going to let yourself enjoy this fantasy. Perhaps watching him work from his own turf could be a treat to you, and a wonderful distraction from the ruins of your life.
Navigating through the familiar stop signs and traffic lights of Hurricane, you grew closer to the strip mall that William had said his business was by. The name of the establishment was a little foggy in your memory, though, as you'd been too overwhelmed by his -well... everything- to really memorize that detail. But, you did remember him saying that the place was new, so you figured it would be easy to spot alongside all of the age-old shops and restaurants in that area.
You drove along the businesses, slowing to examine every sign for something that stood out. After a few buildings, you were finally able to spot an unfamiliar sign. Figuring that this was probably the spot, you carefully pulled into the closest parking space in front of the building entrance. Your eyes scanned the building, which wasn't new in itself. You could vaguely remember the dingy bricks housing an old Italian restaurant that had gone out of business long ago. Not much about the building had really changed from your memory of it. It was sort of disconnected from the other businesses in the plaza, residing closer to the town forest than anything else. The same forest where you'd first seen William, you recalled.
Your eyes wandered up to a bright fluorescent sign that shone in the cloudy afternoon mist of the town. It was only then that you registered what the bold lettering actually said, and your stomach dropped.
Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria
...oh my god.
The name rang out in your ears, echoing through your brain. Your heart stopped and you felt like you were going to be sick. It was the same name you'd seen in the police reports over and over again. The place your mom had lost Cassidy.
How could you not have recognized that name when it left William's lips? Had you really been that distracted? Had he really fried your brain that much? You felt like your lungs were being crushed with the weight of the memories that were flooding into your system.
You could feel the blind, primal rage that clawed at your insides when you'd first received the phone call from your mom about Cassidy. You could feel the plastic of your dorm hall's landline in your hand as you gripped it forcefully, screaming into it. You could feel exactly how much you wanted to kill her in that moment. She promised you that she would be better. She promised you that she would keep Cassidy safe. She promised you that everything would be okay. And it was all a fucking lie.
You could feel the panic clenching around your throat and digging its way into your brain. The music you'd turned up earlier was a distant buzz now as you dug your nails into the steering wheel. Flashes of the past few months phased through your mind and you started to tremble, fighting desperately for air. You could see yourself frantically packing up your things, driving back to Hurricane, losing your voice from furiously yelling at your mother, and searching up and down every street from your car with hot tears stinging your eyes and dripping down your cheeks. The tears in your memory were now phasing into the present, clouding your vision and falling down your neck to your chest. The collar of your shirt grew wet from the gathering despair, but you didn't notice. You dipped your head down to let out a choked sob.
It was all your fault. You left her here. If you'd just stayed, that bitch would have never lost her. You would have kept her safe. You would have protected her. But you didn't. You left, and now she's gone.
Stifled cries tumbled from your lips as you let everything out, shaking and heaving in the driver's seat of your car. Panic attacks weren't new to you, but that didn't make this any less painful.
You couldn't tell how long it had even been since you started crying, but it felt like years. Eventually, the faucet started to weaken and the voices in your mind began to dull. You felt cold now, the a/c catching onto your wet face and fanning the tears with its frosty breath. You just sat there, letting the force dry them for you as you pulled the wreckage of your brain back together again.
A hand lazily reached up to feel your hair, making sure everything was still somewhat in place. You brought the rearview mirror down to examine your face, only to be met with a pathetic mess of puffy redness. You patted down your face and gently rubbed your undereyes, hoping to lessen any signs of the breakdown that you'd just dragged yourself out of. You felt almost empty now, having purged out those awful feelings and memories from within you.
You were sure you looked as shitty as you felt, but you had to remember why you were here and how good it could be for you. If you learned anything at all today, it could help you when you get back to college. Surely none of your other peers had the opportunity to study any complex robots up close and personal before. This could really help you stand out in your program. Besides that, you were now desperate for William's distraction. You wanted to think about anything other than grief, anything other than Cassidy. And if this could help you, then you were doing it.
You glanced over at the clock on your dashboard, surprised to see that it was 4:12pm, not much later than the time you'd given William on Monday. You drew in a few deep breaths to try to soothe your nerves, and then decided to allow yourself a piece of bubblegum as a personal comfort. After throwing the piece of gummy sugar into your mouth, you plucked up your pen and notebook from the front passenger seat and swung open the car door.
As you cautiously stepped out onto the pavement, you observed the building once again and found that you were being watched. Leaning against a wall to the side of the front doors was William, clouded in cigarette smoke that almost made him look like some sort of apparition. Your breath hitched in your throat and you prayed for the love of everything holy that he didn't witness any of your panic attack. You weren't sure if you could really talk yourself out of that one.
You did your best to give the man a smile as you approached him and he returned it with a slight nod. This felt wrong, it all felt so wrong. But you kept going.
"You came." He said as he flicked his cigarette to the ground, avoiding eye contact and squashing out the flames with a polished dress shoe.
"Did you think I wouldn't?" You questioned as you finally reached him, standing just a few feet in front of him. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing back the graying strands that had been hanging in front of his face. You noticed the sleeves of his dress shirt weren't rolled up today, and the lack of visible skin brought you an unexpected disappointment.
"No. I knew you would." His steely gaze rested on you for just a moment before he turned around to grab the door handle to the entrance.
"Come." He demanded as he stepped into the building. You scurried after him, catching the door he was holding open behind him.
The floors were an obnoxious black and white tile that repeated itself in a thin band that wrapped around every dingy wall. Long dining tables crowded the space, some occupying guests and food. Being a wednesday, it wasn't all that busy. The few parties present were mostly gathered around a large stage. As you followed William closer to the platform, you could make out three figures occupying the space. You assumed these had to be the robots that he'd mentioned at the dinner party.
A brown bear, a purple rabbit, and a yellow duck- no... chicken- loomed over the children gathered at the stage. Each machine moved in time with a cheerful melody, mimicking a human performance. You had to admit they were hypnotizing to watch, and there was no doubt in your mind that these robots were crafted with a refined skill and talent. Their movements were oddly fluid and unique to every character. You watched as they even walked and moved around the stage. You'd never seen technology quite like this before, and you found yourself itching to know more.
You only realized you'd stopped walking when you heard William's voice calling out your name from across the room. He was opening up a gray door with a label that read 'EMPLOYEES ONLY' in dark lettering. You spared one more glance to the intriguing robotic performers before rushing to catch up with him.
He flicked a switch by the now-closed door, lighting up a strangely long hallway. The fluorescent overhead lighting flickered slightly and bathed the room in an off-putting greenish hue. It put you on edge, but you ignored your racing heart and continued to follow William. The hall led to a larger room with various tables and shelves. Tools and equipment littered the space, but that wasn't what caught your eye. Laying across one of the large metal tables was another robot that appeared inactive. This one was a red wolf or fox, you couldn't quite tell. It was a bit more battered than the others, and it was adorned in pirate-esque accessories.
William stayed put by one of the tool shelves, watching as you decided to approach the strange machine. It was massive, definitely taller than William- or anyone else you'd ever known for that matter. You ran a careful hand up the robot's arm, over the texture and gaps of its exterior shell. You could even see wires underneath some of the exposed bits. All you could do was stare in complete fascination.
"Do you like him?" William asked you with a tone that just barely surpassed a whisper. The corners of his lips were turned up in a small smile at the sight. He seemed to be proud of the way his creation on the table had captivated you.
"How could I not? Did you really make this?" You fiddled with the notebook in your hands, itching to write down every detail he could tell you about the animatronic. William let out a smooth laugh, reaching for some equipment from the shelf he stood at.
"I did. Well, my associate and I did. But I did almost all of the planning and assembly." He bragged as he approached you. You stepped aside, allowing him space to work.
William set down the tools he'd brought over and started rolling up the sleeves of his crisp dress shirt, his lightly muscled forearms demanding your attention as he did so. It was only then that you noticed an odd pattern of scarring that banded his arms. When you saw them, you ripped your eyes away, not wanting to be disrespectful.
"D-do you mind if I take notes? I might be able to use this stuff in my classes." You asked uncomfortably, eyes wandering around the stained ceiling tiles. You desperately wanted to ask about the scars, but something told you that you shouldn't.
"Of course, darling, go ahead. But, before I get started..." He reached a hand over to you, cupped as though you were supposed to hand him something. You stared awkwardly.
"We don't allow any food or drink in the room when operating on the animatronics." He smirked.
Shit... You'd completely forgotten about the gum that you were still absentmindedly chewing. Your gaze bounced between his smug face and his still outstretched hand. He gestured towards you, further implying what he was waiting for you to do.
Your breath hitched in your throat and you nervously dipped your head closer to his hand, still keeping eye contact with him. His stare was laced with an unclean knowing as you complied with his demand and let the sugary gum fall from your lips to his outstretched palm.
"Thank you." He spoke rather smugly before turning to throw the gum into a nearby waste bin. You just stood, stiff and frozen in disbelief. William, on the other hand, seemed to be quite content with himself as he wiped his hand on the side of his pants and turned back to the robot on the table like nothing had happened.
Your gaze followed him as he grabbed hold of the mascot's chest and opened a hatch, exposing circuits, wires, and complex machinery. You nervously scrambled to open your notebook and draw a vague diagram after William started explaining each individual piece. You tried your best to catch every detailed explanation that left his lips, your pen frantically scribbling notes onto the pages before you.
This machine of entertainment was frustratingly intricate, and you had trouble grasping all of the components that had to line up for the robot to function properly. Each word that William spoke felt increasingly intelligent and distinguished as you made the connection in your head. This was his creation, and it was beautiful.
Page after page of your notebook became crowded with diagrams and notes of the robot's interior as time carried on. Most of the more complicated workings were in the head and torso of the mascot, but William still insisted on showing you every little bit of its endoskeleton. You couldn't deny that the excess of time he'd spent on you today made you feel special, but the clock now read 5:54pm and the restaurant would be closing soon. Although you'd remained mostly silent the whole time, you couldn't help but feel closer with William now. At the very least, your admiration had grown exponentially.
"I suppose we should be wrapping up, sweetheart. I'll be leaving soon." He uttered with a honeyed sincerity. You fumbled at the nickname before replying with a weak "Oh". He put the mascot back together and threw the tools he'd used to their original spot on the shelf.
"Thank you. A lot, for... you know. Doing this. It really means a lot to me, William." You struggled to tell him through a slightly flushed face and sweaty palms. He turned to you with a wide grin that showed off the chipped tooth you'd noticed a few times before. He ran a hand through his hair before speaking, disheveled from the work he'd been doing on the animatronic for you.
"Anything for you, darling."
Your knees threatened to buckle beneath you at the remark. The effect he had on you was unnatural, and he had to know it. He approached you slowly now, a smile still clinging to his pointed face. All you could do was stare up at him with widened eyes, and you imagined you must've looked like a rabbit standing before a hungry wolf.
He reached around to lightly press a calloused hand to the small of your back, encouraging you to walk with him to the exit. You silently complied, watching him flick the lights off before escorting you back into the main lobby area. All the guests were gone now, and the only remaining entities were a few employees that were scrubbing away at tables and sweeping the floors. Not even addressing them, William walked you straight forward and out through the exit of the building, only stopping once you were right outside of the doors. His hand retreated from your back, slowly grazing your waist on its way back to his side. You found yourself immediately missing the contact.
"I'm glad you're feeling better now, love. I must admit.. I was worried." He muttered fondly with a soft gaze that wandered around your face and hair. You gulped, hoping you'd misheard what he just said. Did he... could he have seen your breakdown? Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, shit, fuck, shit...
"Oh... Oh, that was nothing, really!" You awkwardly choked out, attempting to laugh it off and play it away as something completely different. Unfortunately, you weren't very convincing. He reached a hand out to gently brush your hair around in a comforting manner.
"Shh... It's alright, darling. I'm just glad I could help." He was gazing at you with some other emotion lurking in his eyes. You couldn't discern what it was, but it made you shift uneasily in front of him. You desperately wanted to disappear.
"You can always come back, if you'd like. I would love to teach you anything I can... Alright?" His hand held your hair a bit more firmly now, ghosting over the side of your neck. Having his touch be so close, but so far at the same time was driving you even crazier than before. The confusing mixture of feelings churned inside of your guts, disrupting your thoughts into static.
"Yeah... Yeah I would like that." The words spilled out from your mouth a little too fast, and the expression that took over his features told you everything. You were playing right into his hand. What his intentions were, you didn't know. But you didn't care. The mind-numbing feeling that possessed you with every interaction with him was intoxicating, and you were obsessed with it. In the few days you hadn't seen him, your desire for that consuming feeling grew viciously if nothing else. It was all you wanted to feel.
"Lovely. I look forward to it." His warm breath fanned over your face as he inched closer. At this rate, you felt like you might faint. Only inches away, he stopped.
"Drive safely." He whispered before ripping his intimacy away from you and stepping backwards. You let out a breath before inching backwards yourself.
"Of course, I... Have a good night, William." Your voice shook, and he only smiled and nodded before you turned and headed for your car. Your brain was completely fogged, debating on whether or not today's events actually took place. This whirlwind was surely leaving you with the most vile case of whiplash known to man.
You climbed into your junker car and started the engine, eager to get home to decompress everything and maybe look over your notes. You pulled out of your parking spot and started making your way out of the lot. In your rearview mirror, you could see William. He hadn't moved. He was still standing in front of the building, watching your car inch further and further away. The look plastered to his face in the distance sent shivers down your spine.
He was going to be the death of you.