𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 '𝐍 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐋

𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕗𝕚𝕧𝕖

You narrowly avoided Monty and Chica, slipping across the hall behind photo booths and potted plants until you were standing directly in front of the daycare wing. Hesitantly, you scanned your daycare pass at the door and slipped into the wide-open room.

The daycare was much bigger than you remembered. You'd forgotten just how big it really was after working in Rockstar Row. The lights were on (thank god) and a familiar peppy tune was being pumped over the loudspeakers just like it always was. Even working there for just two months, there was nothing you could ever do to erase that song from your memory.

Ever.

You whined uncomfortably as the door sealed shut behind you. You were officially locked inside until Freddy could come and release you from the exit.

"I sense that you are upset. What is wrong?"

"I-uhh..." you stammered, staring at the massive netted structure in front of you. "I used to work here."

You would have thought he of all people would know what happened. It was a huge scandal for the company aside from every other scandal that they faced in its entire history of operation (cough cough, the bite of '87, cough cough).

"In the daycare?"

"I was a stupid party princess."

Talking about it made you remember and remembering made you panic and panicking made you even less confident about approaching the network of jungle gyms and ball pits below. Without thinking, you tugged on one of your uniform ears and flattened it with your hands. Anything to keep your nervous fingers busy.

"You...do not like the daycare?"

"No. Not really."

Understatement of the year.

Freddy went quiet and you thought he was done talking before he spoke up again in his comforting, gravelly voice. "Did something happen there?"

You whimpered and pulled both ears over your eyes. It was embarrassing how pathetic you were acting. The mere mention of the incident made you melt into a nervous puddle on the spot. The whole reason you agreed to the promotion was so you didn't have to show your face in this part of the Plex ever again.

"(Y/N)?"

"Maybe? I dunno. I don't wanna talk about it."

"You don't have to tell me anything. I just need you to be brave for me, alright? Can you be brave, superstar?"

It was so hard to say no to Freddy. "Yeah."

"I'm so proud of–!"

The signal jammed right as you approached the slide at the crest of the daycare entrance. But you could take a wild guess about what the rest of his message might have said. You groaned and bounced nervously on your toes, looking down into the tri-colored slide.

Usually, you would enter through the service door, which required a level five security pass—a privilege no longer available to you. There was literally no other choice. You were going down the baby slide.

It was meant for toddlers. You've cleaned it enough times to realize that. Besides, it was painfully obvious from the sign plastered right above it that warned anyone over the age of fifteen from trying to go down.

You might as well have boarded a rollercoaster without a seatbelt on with how fast your heart was beating as you slid down the twisted tube. The urge to reach out and claw your way back up was strong, but you reached the very end before you could even consider it.