"Ok, should I just fuckin' sprint?" Jack yelled at the camera.
He was still on edge from being startled by Ennard. Crossing the dark, treacherous Funtime Auditorium back to the Parts & Services room wasn't as easy as he thought. With a whim of courage, he moved the character forward – bracing for another jumpscare.
"Go! Don't look back!" he shouted, raising his fist with feigned bravery. "Power... freedom!"
Five Nights at Freddy's: Sister Location was quite different from the game series' classic "one-room" set-up, but perhaps moving around was an even bigger challenge. It was the perfect series to play for the month of October – the spooks, the jumpscares... killer animatronics ready to shove you into a suit of metal and wires.
Jack felt a chill in the room as his character's footsteps echoed through his headphones. The fan wasn't on, nor was the air cold. Yet an unnerving aura plagued him since the beginning of the recording and intermittently from weeks prior. It was curious, spine-chilling, almost burdensome - he struggled to accurately describe it. But he certainly couldn't show it. Millions would be watching this video tomorrow.
He held his breath. Seconds passed – no sign of Ennard. Not even a sound.
The tension dissipated into surprise, then disappointment – realizing his fear was in vein. Maybe this horror game was affecting him too much.
"There's nothing here," he stated to the camera in a calmer tone. "What were we afraid of?"
Another strong chill hit him – this time making the room seem a little off-balance. Concern creeped into his head. "Am I getting sick?" he thought. But there was no time to question it in the middle of a recording. He had arrived at the Parts and Services room once again.
A small light revealed Circus Baby's worn, painted face as the automation system explained the instructions Jack already listened to once before. All he needed to do was listen to her message one more time and safely return to the control room. The instructions ended with a sudden static screech, making him jump.
"God, that scared the shit out of me," he said with wide eyes.
Suddenly, he felt as if his surroundings began to close in on him. The cold presence that pestered him all month pierced straight through his chest. His vision darkened and dissipated into particles of dull color. All was silent. His mind felt cloudy and void, as if he was caught between reality and a dream-like trance. Was the room spinning? Was he even still recording? He couldn't tell.
Any worried thought he could conjure up quickly dispersed when he heard the echo of an eerie laugh.
Circus Baby's message played through his headphones once more, but the voice was not hers. This time it was masculine, emphatic, and shrill:
"C̶͗an yo̶͘u̴ he̴͙ar̷͎ mẹ̸?̶̟" the voice asked. "I'm̷͂ p̵r̴ete̴nd̸in̸g̴. R̵em̴e̴m̵b̵e̷r h̶ow̶ I s̵ai̶d ̴I c̶o̵ul̶d̷ p̷re̸ten̶d̶?̸ T̸he̵ cam̵eras̵ ̵a̵r̵e ̶wa̵tc̷hin̸g. I ̶mu̸s̵t ̶be ca̷re̶fu̴l ̶n̶ot̴ ̶to̷ ̴mo̸v̵e."̵
The voice then began to change the message to a warning far more sinister:
"̵S̷om̵eth̴ing ba̷d ̷h̸a̶pp̷e̵n̶e̵d̴ ̷to̴ ̵yo̴u̴. ̵S̶o̵m̴et̸hi̶n̶g ̷bad̷ ̶a̶l̴wa̶y̷s̵ ̵h̵a̵p̶p̴e̶n̶s̵...̵ ̷A̷n̶d ̵it'̴s go̵i̷n̶g ̶t̸o̷ h̷a̴p̶pe̴n̶ a̸ga̴in̴. I̴...̴ ̴A̴m̴...̵ ̶N̸e̵ar̷.̵"̶
The last three words reverberated around him before his senses slowly returned. Jack gasped for a breath of air, as if he had been lifeless for a few minutes. In fact, he wasn't quite sure how much time had passed. His blue eyes darted around the room, eventually focusing on the idle computer, then the camera. Flush with fear, he stared at the lens.
For once, he was speechless.
He shook his head, trying to forget the phenomenon and focus back on the task at hand.
"I-I'm not sure what just happened" he stammered for words. "Robin, please edit that out."
He took another deep breath before slipping back into his role and continuing the game.
Yet in the back of his mind, he couldn't shake the incident. He couldn't ignore it anymore. Was there a mysterious force toying with him, or was this all in his head? He wanted answers, but he hesitated to pry – in fear of the terrors he might confront.
Wouldn't it be nicer to continue on as usual and hope the mystery resolves itself?
He was dreadfully unaware, but he needn't ask the question:
For the terror was soon to confront him...
============
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