Fnaf DarkSide: Beyond the Neon

Chapter 7: Reflections

Friday, July 13th 1986

9:25pm

Donnie froze and a harsh chill ran down his spine at his newfound knowledge of the situation. "W-what?" the employee got closer and continued. "She went into a party room earlier in the night to do a birthday greeting and immediately after that ran into a wall at a high speed which damaged her enough to warrant a full night's repair." The employee slowly turned her head back towards the room they came from and then locked eyes with Donnie. "I'm not supposed to say all this stuff and break customer immersion but the truth is kid, at the time you would have been in that room she would have been being disassembled to have the damage surveyed." The employee took Donnie's hand and began to speed walk back through the halls and towards the lobby, something else was going on that Donnie wasn't being told about. "I am getting you back to your parents, I am not letting anything happen to you on my watch."

Together Donnie and the employee rushed down the glistening halls. What had seemed beautiful before was now a blur of light and hectic movement.The employee and Donnie weaved through a newly formed massive crowd in the lobby towards the even more crowded exit. All the patrons of the establishment were out in the lobby now and slowly leaving out into the cold starry night.

All around him Donnie could hear people talking and even some kids crying as they left the building. Yeah, that's about how Donnie felt. He wanted nothing more than to leave and break down crying because at least then he could vent the mix of emotions he was feeling right now in some shape or form. Standing near the entrance of the building, Donnie's mother was frantically talking to an employee until she saw Donnie approach. She rushed over to Donnie and pursed her red painted lips in an expression that was all too familiar to Donnie. "Donovan Hardbrook! Where were you?! You not only missed the entire party, you nearly gave me a heart attack with your sudden disappearance!" Before the employee could pipe up and tell Donnie's mother what happened, she took Donnie by the arm and began to speed walk out the door wit him.

"When we get home, you are going right to sleep! Do you understand me?" Donnie put his head down to the side and nodded slowly. "Okay mom.." Donnie wanted to tell her what had caused him to wander off, but he knew she wouldn't care. She never listened to Donnie even when he happened to be right. Ever since Donnie's father left the picture she had been nothing but cold towards Donnie. Sure she was nice every now and then, but it was obviously a farce. It was a mask for her to escape into. A way to forget the severing of their once happy family that happened all those years ago. While she certainly was a mother to Donnie, she wasn't a very present one. She was there when Donnie needed her, but she wasn't there in the head. She supported Donnie, but only when it catered to her vision of what he was to be. She fed Donnie, but never anything he actually enjoyed. It was clear she wanted Donnie to be just every other kid. She had wanted Donnie to be white collar Mr. Hardbrook who one day would go on to find a Mrs. Hardbrook and spend the rest of his days slaving away in a cubicle until he inevitably became fertilizer for the cemetery ground. But that's not what Donnie wanted for himself. Donnie had alway wanted many things. But now more than ever, he just wanted someone who truly noticed and supported him.

The drive home wasn't long, but it definitely felt like it was. Donnie had lied silently with his cheek pressed up against the cold car window as he stared out at the plethora of buildings that lined the streets of central Hurricane. Donnie tried to remember the days before Fazbears, before Afton Robotics. When Hurricane was nothing but a sleepy town located on the border between Utah and nevada. But ever since the robotics boom of the late 70's, people from all over the states and even the world had flocked here to get a taste of the mechanical marvels found within and to set up shop. Donnie had remembered years ago when there were more than two companies competing for the control of little Hurricane Utah. Back then Donnie was a lot younger, but he could still remember how so many wondrous establishments had lined the streets. CandyCat unlimited, The Fitz Brothers, Smiles & Servos, Utiliton, all of them constantly putting out new locations in an attempt to one-up each other. Each of them all offering new and exciting locations each with a unique adventure only a kid could dream of. That was, until the incidents started happening. A violent string of murders and accidents began to plague the new animatroic industry that had made landfall in Hurricane. Vinny Vega of CandyCat Unlimited fame found dead after being pushed off his balcony and splattering onto his luxury car from a four story drop. British brothers Jeremy and Simon Fitzpatrick found mangled and hanging out of their car windshield after an unfortunate car accident. Sharp businesswoman Prudence Sinclair of Smiles & Servos was found clutching her throat in bed, a garrote wire tied tightly around her throat. And finally, young inventor Eric McLain who was the ceo of the upcoming Utiliton brand was found sat on his apartment couch, his decapitated head situated on his lap. Donnie remembered hearing each and every incident on the news and radio, each and everyday the same question was raised: how much could this reasonably go on for? By the time that question was answered, only two companies remained. Afton Robotics and Fazbear entertainment.

Hurricane felt like it was cursed. But yet, no one ever left. Instead the population only got bigger, and the town even more crowded. Donnie had always liked to believe that Hurricane was like a violent train accident. It was horrible and brutal, yet no one could look away from it.

The car finally pulled into their driveway. Even though Donnie was in trouble, he was just happy to be home safe and away from that place. As the car came to a full stop and turned off, Donnie opened the door and quickly hopped out. He didn't even wait for his mom, he walked over to the door and lifted the doormat and grabbed the spare key they had kept there. Donnie put it into the keyhole and turned it until the door made a click. Once the door opened Donnie rushed inside and ran upstairs and into his room. He slammed his door behind him and lied down, not even bothering to undress. Donnie shut his eyes and slowly but surely began to drift off to sleep.