The daisy II

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   "Say what?" she asked still with her arms crossed.

   "I know, it sounds like a bad idea, worse if we consider that I've gained weight, but I'm pretty sure that if I do my best I'm gonna get that money."

   Mangle kept feeling a knot in her throat for impotence of making stuff her way—the best one, however, she had to swallow it and accept it. She walked me towards the security office; it was the first time I was there. In it there was, just like I had seen in the distance, a desk with a computer and hundreds of crinkled receipts. I also subtly recognized a stain of dried blood right in the corner of the desk . I didn't say anything about it. She took a memory card out of a drawer and held it out.

   "Look, there are many songs saved in this memory card that people are used to play at bars or adult places, I guess it will work for you, but you'll have to hurry since these songs last just a few minutes. Do you want to do this?"

   "The more I think about it the less I want to do it. Please go and play those songs at once, I want to get this over with." And then she went out towards the dining area.

   I was thinking of wearing the same clothes I used to wear at Freddy's, except that this time I'd use a microphone's wire to help me study my body, as my black scarf and black gloves. I just had those things in mind and I was walking towards the parts and service room to get ready, although the longer the time was for me the worse the stomachache was. I never thought I was gonna do this as a profitable matter and not a personal one; I mean, the last time I did this was to prove my old friends that I didn't pull back on anything and that I was perfectly capable of any kind of stuff, it was just a moment for us to have fun and laugh, get along and for Bonnie to settle down. Now I have to gather enough money to hit the road with some dude that I met in five minutes. I don't even know if this is a joke or they're setting me up, but to go out and take the risk is better than still being laid down and locked in the rest of my life just waiting for a new job opportunity to knock on my door. I started to put on those clothes I had mentioned.

*    *    *

   "Salut, tout le monde!" Mangle exclaimed standing on the stage. "Tout d'abord, je tiens à vous remercier tous d'être venus aujourd'hui."

   Even that last dialogue of hers I understood that she was thanking everyone for coming, but then she started an incomprehensible speech for me. I just waited right behind the curtains until the moment she said my name. I could hear outside many animatronics cheering and clapping any time Mangle finished some dialogue. I replaced my scarf, my black hat, my sleeves and the rest of my clothes on its right spot, everything has to be perfect.

   "Mettez vos mains ensemble pour Freddy!"

   And then the curtains opened. I found myself in front of many lights, of drunk animatronics of many species cheering and thrilled for seeing a parcial out-of-shape bear. The light in the area of ordering food seemed to be blurring my vision, as if hundreds of cars were pointing their lights into the darkness towards me. I started to step close to the edge of the stage so that way some of these guys could think easily that they're touching me. I didn't get to make any expression, I just had all of my face muscles motionless while I was trying to process and understand what I was seeing. It was as if every single animatronic here would transmit some kind of energy through their screams, flattering comments, desires and little, sexual insinuations. I felt like the real me, the one who was found deep down sealed from the outside, stopped playing Freddy's role, and just came out the part that knew this had to be done to get what was needed. He started to sway and play with his clothes, the microphone's wire and with his most toned muscles on his body, including his pelvis. Even with that performance my eyes were still able to let the real Freddy see what was going on outside; he was seeing everybody happy and begging for more, they commanded it as if they owned my body justifying themselves with many dollars in their hands, they were shaking them in the air to me. The profit-seeking Freddy started to go and take every dollar from their hands and used them as a sexual object and rub gently his entire body now covered with some sweat. It didn't matter if one of those happened to break or get moist, what did matter was to keep the audience desiring more. I could see it in their faces, their jugs and their pants, they didn't want me to stop. I felt like I started to take off without any haste the few clothes I was still wearing, as I offered it as a little present for everyone to take with them a part of me. All of the lights around me seemed to be shinier while I was getting closer to my point of no return. This stomachache was spreading all over me as I removed my scarf and used it to show off my butt. I even used it as a towel so I could 'dry up' my exhausted body begging to be hotter and hornier. Bills and coins kept coming onto my spot, and I just couldn't do anything but to obey every single order they had. It was the moment for me to get closer to them so they could practically smell me; I wouldn't do that if I were them. At this point I could feel some hands and bills slap my butt and my ankles, which made me lose my balance and the rhythm of my performance; however, I focused on Freddy's plan seeking for fulfilling a mission. But, the top of my glowing moment didn't take place within these four walls successfully, 'cause when I turned to the audience, I had a vision of Bonnie himself among all of them sobbing for watching me doing this. The Freddy inside of me felt the urge of getting off the stage and run towards him just begging for his forgiveness, but he didn't do that, the Freddy in charge of carry this stuff on turned around and kept focusing on his business, no matter the guilty and disgusting feeling to himself. The show had gone just like I expected. I thank God and my native country for making incomprehensible the comments of theirs.

*    *    *

Mangle was about to finish counting the last wad of cash. I was just next to her, both waiting inside the room.

   "Freddy, this is just 135 dollars," she stated a little worried.

   I was too, of course, 'cause then all of that huge sacrifice I did would have been for nothing. I felt like I ran out of air, as I went towards onto my bed totally hopeless about my future with Bonnie. The Cupcake woke up as soon as he heard me getting on my bed.

   "Man! What happened to ya? Looks like somebody mopped the floor with your face." He laughed a lot and went out of the bed.

   In that moment I heard Mangle came to see me.

   "Freddy," her tone of voice was soft, "I think… I think I can give you the fifteen dollars."

   My few tears seemed to came back up into my eyes and I strengthened myself. I got up and I looked at her like a child looks at a brand-new toy in Christmas.

   "You… You mean that, Mangle?" My voice was hoarse; I was pretty exhausted. "But… where would you get it from?"

   "I had been saving it so I could buy a new remote control with a cancellation code for the three animatronics; my friends wouldn't have to lock them in and take them out when everything is over, as we also could go out and roam around during the night," she was saying kind of blue. "I've got to gather that money thanks to people who often drop coins and bills that go under the tables and desks. I somehow envy the way you got to get 135 dollars in one night."

   "Well… I—"

   "No, it's ok," she interrupted me, "I want you to take the money, but I also want to talk to you." And then she walked closer to me with the same look she had when a truck came over.

   "Is everything alright? You look worried."

   "I'm not like a gifted animatronic like you."

   "You're not?"

   "No, I actually possess a memory card more extended and logical to solve problems around me, it's just that even nowadays I still struggle with controlling it and use all of my knowledge; perhaps I still don't know how much I'm capable of, but sooner or later I'll know it. I say this for that sudden ride to Whistler, from which I'm still not convinced at all." She stopped for a while, and then she went on. "I want you and me to go."

   "What? The two of us? But—"

   "Yes, I know it's not impossible if I learn to control all of my involuntary movements. I can't leave you alone with him, I must warn you about the road that mec is going to take since you don't know Canada. But the most important, and what you must keep down, is my presence into that truck: you're going to make him believe you're the only one who leaves, but I'm going to sneak right into the back part of it; it won't be necessary for me to buy some clothes since I got the ones the restaurant gave me to work. What do you think?"

   "Well… I guess it all depends on what he's gonna tell me tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow morning

   "Awesome!" he said with the money in his hands, "we're setting off this afternoon."

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