Save Us

Chapter 9

I didn't know why I had saved that night guard from being killed. More specifically I wasn't sure if it was because I didn't want to watch someone else die here or because I trusted him to some extent. Either way, the fact Foxy had even deemed me something to chase after and kill was a miracle in itself. Typically they left me alone at night, though I also tended to hide out by the safe room where they couldn't seem to go.

"Or perhaps can't go? Foxy stopped dead when I reached that area last night like he'd hit a wall." I scuffed the tiled floor with my shoe. "Programming stuff probably... but why? I need to know what is-who is- back there- and figure all of this out."

The last of the day's customers left and I watched as Fritz greeted Mike as the night guard walked in. The two briefly talked before Mike trudged off down towards the office. I waved in farewell to Fritz as was customary between us before watching him leave for the day... everything was quiet now. The animatronics weren't on their night mode just yet and the pizzeria was in the rare state of peace.

I stared at the doors at they opened once more and froze in surprise as the injured night guard made his way in. He didn't look too good with a bandaged arm and a fevered glint in his eyes. I watched him stumble slightly before holding onto a chair to steady himself as he looked around. Pale, sickly eyes landed on me but after a moment of hesitation he shook his head and looked nervously at the stage instead.

"Mike!" His voice sounded weak a forced. "M-Mike... Where... are you?"

I hid further from sight to watch as footsteps approached. Oddly enough, I noticed Schmidt looked... proud? Why would he look pleased to see Ash here? "Paine! You made it in... Uh, you sure you're up for tonight?"

"W-here... where is s-she?" Ash's glare was filled with anger despite the infection that seemed to have quickly set in since last night's ordeal. "W-where's... my... sis-ster."

Mike caught his injured coworker and I caught a glimpse of Ash's eyes rolling into the back of his head as he went unconscious. I mirrored his glance from the clock to the stage... there wasn't much time left until the night shift started and the animatronics started moving.

"Great..." Mike picked up Ash and carried him towards the office.

I followed slowly and risked peeking into the room once I was sure Mike had his back to me I leaned further into the doorway. Mike was kneeling on the floor with Ash slumped in front of him. At first I thought he was trying to shake the unconscious guard awake but then I saw him pull down the shoulder of Ash's partly unbuttoned shirt. I couldn't see what the hook wound looked like but by the string of cusses suggested it wasn't good.

The clock struck twelve as Mike finished re-cleaning the wound and fixing Ash's shirt. I backed away, quickly before he could see me on the cameras and ducked between tables as I made my way back to my normal area. Worry ate at me as I pictured Ash leaning against the wall looking ironically ashy grey.

"He mentioned a sister... that worried look when he did..." My forehead wrinkled as I tried to remember where I'd seen that angry yet concerned expression.

The night passed rather quickly compared to the eternity of the ones beforehand. I watched as the animatronics paused as their night mode turned off and they slowly stomped back to their stages with the dead eyed expressions of docile robotic sheep. Still I continued to wait, faintly able to hear Mike moving and talking, before watching as he walked out without Ash and stood waiting by the door as dawn light filtered into the dusty restaurant.

A new person walked into the store. He was older than Mike and while I couldn't make out many features with the lighting, was wearing a purple Freddy Fazbear's Pizza uniform hat and shirt. Oddly enough his hair was also pulled back into a pony tail.

"So, what happened exactly?" I jumped covered my mouth to hide the whimpering sound that came out as the man in purple spoke. His voice... I tensed so much I shook; on the stage the animatronics stared directly at the man, though of course they couldn't move.

Mike glanced back at the hallway leading to the office. "My newbie coworker came into work after an incident yesterday... He passed out but I couldn't leave to get him to a hospital; still hasn't woken up either."

"He's alive?"

"Yes."

The tall purple-dressed man made a scoff that almost sounded like a growl. "I'll take care of him. Go home and get some rest for your next shift."

"You'll cover for him tonight right?" Mike didn't budge, though I could tell he was trying to sound cool and uncaring about the situation.

"Said I would on the phone, didn't I?"

The new man shoved past him before being stopped once more by Mike. "I'd take him to the hospital myself if I could. But I want to find his sister. She needs to know about the situation... tell me how he is when you drop him off?"

The man tilted his head and I saw a sly, cruel grin on his face. "Of course."

"Thanks Vincent... I owe you one."

"Vincent... n-no... surely not." I took a step further away and nearly tripped over my own feet. "It can't be him... he did... something... something bad... Murder... Murderer! He killed them. He killed me!"

I felt fear and hate growing inside me as I relived the day my friends and I died. I couldn't believe I'd ever questioned anyone else now that I clearly remembered and recognized Vincent as the killer. I needed to get away... to hide...

"What's that sound?" I snuck under the table as the dragging sound got closer.

Vincent came into view hunched over and dragging Ash's limp body. I shivered; was this what it looked like when he was taking my friends' bodies and hiding them in the suits? I watched as he paused to check to front door was locked before dragging him towards the storage room; a feeling of dread began to rise up inside me. Still, part of me was hoping he was going to open the door... I'd be able to get inside if he did.

The sound of wooden boards being pried off followed by a rusty door being forced open tempted me closer. I couldn't go into the room with him there though, he'd see me, and hiding under the table didn't allow me to see what was happening. Finally the door was shut and I watched Vincent leave with the wooden boards to hide what he'd done. I knew he'd get away with it too. No one would know the boards were missing for some time and when they did... Ash would probably be dead if he hadn't been finished off already.

I quickly snuck off down the hallway and forced the door back open. The room smelled musty and rotten but through the minimal lighting I could see boxes, shelves, and figures slumped against the walls. I cautiously moved forward towards the one that actually seemed human and shook them carefully.

"H-hello...?" I shook his arm again, grateful I had picked the correct humanoid figure the first time.

A faint groan rose from the night guard and I shuffled back. I could make out his head lolling to the side before he completely woke up and glanced in my direction. "...You...?"

I didn't know what to say. Did he recognize me from the glimpses during his shift or the day in the restaurant? I cautiously moved closer. "I'll get help."

"Did he hear me? Doesn't matter... I need to get Fritz here. He can help." I hurried out of the room and dragged the door shut behind me to block out the stench. "I hope he comes to work soon..."