Robotic Hearts, and The Terror Soon To Come

Solutions and Comfort.

He carefully got you onto his back, standing up straight once you were secure. He sighed again.

"Off we go..."

...

Moon marched through the daycare, child carried on his back, his brother trailing behind with a flashlight in hand. Sun clutched that flashlight desperately, clearly not a fan of the dark.

Your heart pounded in your chest, you could see a little better now, and quite frankly that made it worse. You could hear every little sound, every mechanical being that lurked out the room were brought to your attention. Out of sight, echoing in your ears, every click and step lingering in your mind. You tried to find comfort in the two that you could see. The two who were locating and turning on the generators with ease. They seemed to have memorized the layout. Though you did wonder why said generators were in the play structures. But it didn't matter, everything was fine, it would all be fine, you just had to hold on.

You could see the S.T.A.F.F bots outside, they were scarier in the dark. There was another figure out there, it looked like Freddy, just more messed up. The power was restored before you could finish the thought, it was probably for the best.

"That.. That's good.." Sun sighed, flicking the flashlight off and setting it to the side.

"Mhm, should last us at the very least until maintenance or whoever gets here.." Moon grumbled. It was unclear whether he was upset about the power going out, or the thought of more workers being there. Possibly both.

Moon slowly rotated you until he could hold you against his chest.

"You still alive, lil' buddy?"

You just nodded and clung onto him, oh so scared, and yet so tired. It was around one o'clock by then. Being there, and following Sun and Moon's schedule already meant that you went to sleep later than usual. Maybe that's why Moon insisted on having you take longer naps.. Regardless, now it was even later than before, and you just wanted to forget what you'd seen.

Moon noticed your sleepiness almost immediately. ".. I think it's time we put this one to bed, Sun."

"Yeah.. They've had a long day... But please make sure you get them a toothbrush sooner rather than later. We aren't exactly fit to take the child to a dentist..." Sun mumbled anxiously, looking down at you with a weary gaze.

You could've sworn you heard Moon curse himself under his breath, but you were just too tired to care.

".. Yeah, I'll get on that..." He muttered before carrying you to his wire and bringing you back up to his room. He laid you on the bed and rubbed your head, silently watching for a few minutes. After a while he'd tilt his head and speak softly.

"What's wrong?... You're usually asleep by now..."

"I'm scared..." You whispered. Those automatic monsters still plagued your shaken mind, the ways they stalked the halls burned into your mind.

"Oh.. Well that's no good.." Moon crawled into the bed with you. He wrapped you up in a blanket, and held you close, he held you like you'd shatter if he let go. He rubbed comforting circles into your back.

"How about a bedtime story today...?" He asked oh so softly.

"Mhm.." You mumbled, trying to hide in his warmth.

He kept one hand rubbing your back, and put the other gently on the back of your head. He took an artificial breath in, and then another out before starting to speak with the most care you'd ever felt.

"On the night you were born, the moon smiled with such wonder that the stars peeked in to see you and the night wind whispered, 'Life will never be the same'. Because there had never been anyone like you... ever in the world."

Moon, seemingly reciting from memory, started to sway with you.

"So enchanted with you were the wind and the rain, that they whispered the sound of your wonderful name..."

He looked down at you, already asleep. He slowly laid down with you in his arms, carefully plugging himself into the wall. Moon loved you so dearly, he'd do anything to protect you. And he'd stop at nothing to keep you with him forever. "Good night, little one..."

[Story fragment taken from "On The Night You Were Born." by Nancy Tillman.]