Graveyard Shift

Chapter Two: Hello Hello

Stan just had to jinx himself, didn't he, he thought as he stood in the office alone. It was 12:10, and the former night guard had yet to show up. He was supposed to show Stan the rest of the ropes, but it seemed like he wasn't gonna show, and no one else was around. On the swivel chair, neatly folded, was a uniform much like what the man had been wearing. Wearily, Stan went to the bathroom to change. The bathroom was much like how Stan expected it to be– brightly colored and a little nasty, with a moldy smell that hung in the air, the dim lights buzzing loudly overhead. It wasn't any worse than the motel bathrooms were, though, or the bathroom in any gas station. Dressing quickly Stan was pleased to find that the uniform was only slightly too large, his belt needing to be sinched somewhat tightly to keep his slacks from sliding down. Dressed for success (pft), he went back to the office and sat down, getting comfortable as he messed with the camera, happy to note that he hadn't forgotten the three buttons that operated it. Small victories and all that.

Show Stage, Dining Area, West Hall, West Hall Door– the door to his left that led from the hall to the office-, Supply Closet, East Hall, East Hall Door– the door to his right-, Backstage, Pirates Cove (Stan couldn't see anything but a purple curtain covered in stars, though), Kitchen– this camera wasn't working, it was just static– and finally the Restrooms. 11 cameras total. It would take some getting used to, but Stan was sure he'd get acquainted with the layout of the place quickly enough. That said, he needed to find his way to the kitchen to check out the camera and figure out why it wasn't working. Grabbing the flashlight that was on the desk, he walked down the east hall to the dining area, taking a moment to sweep the light over the room, just to check. All of the tables were still empty save for the chairs that had been stacked on top, the arcade was now dark and quiet, and the three animatronics were still standing on stage, looking freaky but otherwise fine. All was well as far as Stan could tell. Satisfied, he turned around and saw the entrance to the kitchen right next to the hall he'd just come from. Perfect. Pushing through the swinging double doors he entered a typical restaurant kitchen, with checkered tile flooring and steel cooking equipment, a pizza oven in the center of the room. Stan wondered how hard it would be to find all of the ingredients and make himself a pizza, before pushing that thought aside. Focus, Stan, you're on a mission here. Checking all four corners of the room he found the camera in the far right of the room, hanging slightly crooked, its lens cracked, looking like someone had tried tearing it down. Great, well, he had no idea how to go about fixing that. He'd just need to try bringing it up to... someone in the morning.

A shrill ringing broke the silence of the night, Stan nearly dropping his flashlight as he spun around, startled. What the fuck was that? He followed the noise back to the office, coming from the phone next to the monitor. Willing himself to relax, Stan picked it up, wondering who could possibly be calling.

"H– Ahem– Hello?" He muttered, swallowing thickly in an attempt to dislodge his heart from his throat.

"Hello? Hello– Hello? Uh, I wanted to record a message for you to help you get settled in on your first night. Um, I actually worked in that office before you– I'm finishing up my last week now, as a matter of fact. So, I know it can be a bit overwhelming, but I'm here to tell you there's nothing to worry about. Uh, you'll do fine. So, let's just focus on getting you through your first week, okay?"

Stan's brow furrowed in confusion as he listened to the shaky recording of a man who kinda sounded like he was being dangled off of a cliff– voice high and nervous and, at moments, sounding like he was seconds away from bursting into tears. Who was this guy? He mentioned working in the office before Stan, but this wasn't the voice of the security guard Stan had met earlier.

"Uh, let's see, first there's an introductory greeting from the company, that I'm supposed to read. Uh, it's kind of a legal thing, you know. Um, "Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, a magical place for kids and grown-ups alike, where fantasy and fun come to life. Fazbear Entertainment is not responsible for damage to property or person. Upon discovering that damage or death has occurred, a missing person report will be filed within 90 days, or as soon as property and premises have been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpets have been replaced." Blah blah blah."  There they go again with the whole damage and death thing. Did that stuff just happen a lot here? How?