Poppy Playtime ~ An Angel's Bleeding Heart

Chapter 2 : A New Playmate

He felt like he was sinking, his mind swirled with faded and dull memories. Recollections that felt so worn that they feel more like dreams. But Gabe knows that these weren't dreams for the truth cannot be sullied. He dreams of his teen years when he first employed at the factory. It was his first real job, not like the favors he did for his neighbors nor the extra chores he did to help his father with the crops. But a first, real, official job.

Gabe dreamed of his first day there.  He was so engrossed with his performance he actually overworked that day.  He remembers his first friend, Tyler.  A strong guy with a good sense of humor.  His sister Joyce, who also worked there with him.  And Freddy, the office worker who they regularly meet in the cafeteria.  He remembered the jokes they made, the laughs they had together.  And despite it all being relegated to the confines of work, their friendship was strong.

But he then dreams of that moment when his view of the toy factory changed forever.

It was but a week before the factory was closed down.  During lunch hour, he found one of the doors leading to a facility for authorized staff only has been left cracked open.  And him, being the typical seventeen year old teenager that he was, ventured inside there knowing he's off limits.

The halls were stark white, nothing like rest of the colorfully decorated factory.  The floors being hard concrete and fluorescent lamps blaring their harsh buzzing.  He remembered it being cold.

He then heard it, screams.  Or something closely like screaming.  He couldn't tell due to how in human it sounded.

Gabe followed the bewailing noise till he found a door.  He dared to look inside.

He remembers the crippling fear that clenched his heart when he ran as far as possible, he remembers the shame he felt when he quit the factory that same day, and he remembers the guilt when he hears how the factory was locked down and everyone inside including his friends, have disappeared.

It was dizzying, nauseating, gut wrenchingly sickening.  His mind reflected that, as he spun deeper and deeper into his own self loathing.

But then, just as his dreary distress reaches its climax.  He can see in the darkness, it was Poppy, gazing at him with worrying eyes.  She then spoke, in the same soft voice when they first met.

"Wake up."

<<<<<<<<<<~>>>>>>>>>>

"Gah!"  Gape gasps, his lungs pulling as much clean air as possible.  His hand found its way to his chest, clinching where his heart should be.  The subtle yet strong beats can be felt through the rising and falling of his chest as he gazed up to the wooden ceiling.  He wondered how long he could have been out for, and how.

Having taken his much needed breaths, Gabe pushed himself back up, the Grabpack feeling heavy on his back.  Taking in his surroundings, he red and pink lights that once danced around the room have now gone dark, leaving only the warm yellow lamps from the hallway to illuminate the dim bedroom.  He also notices the case that he has just opened is empty, with no sign of that talking doll anywhere.  Which can only mean one thing.

"Great, more weird toys to deal with."  Gabe said to himself.

Once he brings himself back onto his feet he then leaves the bedroom behind.  Then upon entering the living room he sees that the entrance from which he originally came in from before has been blocked, with many debris and random items stuffed into the hallway.  How strange.  How did all this stuff get there?

Doesn't matter now, he has to keep moving.  If he meets that Huggy monster again, or whatever that doll is, he doubts the encounter would be anything but friendly.