They Will See You Soon, Sophie - The Walten Files

The Prodigal Daughter

        It was the old props room. This was where old stages, posters, and props from the old Bon's Burgers restaurant were stored. Sophie remembered this from the tape.  Rocket looked up excitedly at the doorway at the other end.
        "There!", he squeaked.
        "I know,", Sophie replied.
        Sophie clicked off her flashlight, and walked inside.

* * *

        It was pitch black. Sophie flicked on her flashlight, and saw them.
Three broken animatronics laid in front of her: Sha, a sheep, Banny, a purple rabbit, and Boozoo, a human-like magician. There they sat, in various stages of decay. Suddenly, Sophie remembered a warning from the tapes: Please do not shine a light on our robots.

        Too late. With a mechanical whir, Sha lifted her head slowly. Then, she turned to face Sophie, staring back at her with half-lidded brown eyes. The other animatronics followed suit.
        Sophie squirmed in place as she felt six plastic eyes on her. Keeping her shaky flashlight on them, she backed slowly toward the exit.
        "Sophie," Sha called out in a soft motherly voice. That somehow calmed Sophie down. It was a voice that she had yearned to hear for many, many years. But not here. Not like this.
        "Mom," Sophie shakily called back. Looking closer, she noticed something. Sha bore an uncanny resemblance to Sophie's lost mother, Rosemary. She didn't know if Sha always looked like that, or if it was because of the restless spirit possessing her.
        "Your father did this to me," Sha clumsily raised an arm to motion toward herself.
        "I know," Sophie held back tears. To think, for the past decade, her mother had been suffering in this dark facility...
        Then, as if her limbs weighed a ton, Sha pressed her arms against the ground. She grunted, clearly struggling to get herself off the ground. It took a moment, but eventually she managed to stand up entirely.
        Sophie hadn't considered just how tall the animatronics were. Sha was tall enough to rest her chin on Sophie's head.
        Sha shuffled towards Sophie, while twirling sluggishly. It took Sophie a moment to realize that Sha was dancing. At least, somewhat.  Her clumsy movements threatened to top her over entirely. Miraculously, she managed to stay on her feet. After that, she stopped and bowed slightly, presenting herself before her daughter.
        "Aren't I Beautiful, Sophie?" Sha asked. Sophie couldn't really believe it. How broken does someone have to be, to consider being a monstrous animatronic "Beautiful"?
         Before Sophie could answer, something hit her. Something, or rather, someone, was missing. She panned the flashlight across the room. Banny and Boozoo were still eyeing her, but didn't say anything. Sophie noted that Billy the Clown had his own room. Which left-
          "Where is Dad?", Sophie finally answered Sha with another question. Sha tilted her head sideways.
          "Where is he?" Sophie felt her stomach tightening into a knot. Unbeknownst to her, both Banny and Boozoo were staring up past her, eyes wide open.
          "Where is Jack Walten-" Just then, Sophie felt a clawed metal hand grab her shoulder. Her blood ran cold. She felt the presence of the large blue rabbit behind her.
          "Don't worry, my little bunny," Bon spoke with the unmistakable deep voice of Sophie's long lost father. "This will only hurt A L O T ...."