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I looked to each one of them and finally said, “I trust you know why you’ve been called here? Chica executed the human, but it wasn’t the one we’re after.”

They didn’t settle for disappointment. Failure was normal every time a new guard was hired. The Imposter worked for the company and even hired the new employees, but none of us had seen his face when he murdered us, so it was a guessing game at who he might be. He was smart and wicked, knowing we lusted for revenge but was sure the employees never addressed him as “boss.” It was questionable if he even came into the restaurant at all.

I continued, “But this opens up another opportunity for him to reveal himself.”

“How can we know, Jester?” Freddy asked. It had been asked before, but I felt that this was a test of position as opposed to an actual question.

I was about to reply when Freddy went on, “Neither you or the Protector seem to know where Imposter is or how to stop him. You tell us to use our hate to keep us functional but what happens when it becomes stale and pointless and we slowly start to fade like you?”

Foxy, Chica, and Bonnie were staring at Freddy as if his argument meant something for once. It made sense and it was true. I was getting weaker and the once rich mull of Hellish loathe that had sweltered in my existence had become so friendly with me it had flattened out into a patient simmer.

Foxy glanced at me but I didn’t look away from the bear. I said, “Someone has grown up.” I expected him to glare but he didn’t. Perhaps he feared me more than I thought. I continued, “You have questioned the Protector’s authority before, but I wonder why you choose now to have the courage to fully express your argument.”

The energy coming from Bonnie was rigid with tension. He wanted to step away from me, but he only kept his stare on the floor. Freddy lifted his face and answered, “The others respect me. They may look afraid now, but they would follow me if I made it possible.”

I almost laughed, “The same way they chose to follow you into the restaurant even when you knew not to talk to strangers?”

Freddy’s eyes turned black but he made no action. He immediately replied, “You are no different than us! You were an orphan and murdered in the same way! You followed the Protector’s instruction because you were insecure and confused and in your confusion you trapped us in these suits instead of letting us go.” The other actives shifted. They saw truth in this but Foxy still stood straight against the batter of words. He was still on my side. Freddy saw this and brought to light another vulnerable tool, “Our parents didn’t even know we were still here. They’ve mourned and moved on and still we remain with no satisfaction. Jester is the reason we fail to succeed.”

This child needed to be disciplined.

I swung an arm with claws outstretched and it elongated like a shadow stretched by light. My hand crashed into Freddy’s mask and my claws wrapped around his head. The speed and force of the action pushed Freddy off of his feet and I slammed him into the concrete floor. My body followed my arm in the spirit of a second and my smiling mask came close to Freddy’s. “I gave you life! Imposter stole the only chance you had at living and I returned it out of sympathy with the help of Protector. Thirty-two years may have changed your personalities, but not your emotions or mindsets. You’re all still children.”

I let him go and stood above them again, inspecting their faces. “No one even bothers about you any more but I. Less and less children come to the restaurant, and repairs have stopped in hopes of stopping us altogether. He’s running this place. He’s still out there. Doesn’t that make you angry?

“Remember how unaware you were of the danger--how friendly and fun that man in the suit was and how excited you felt when he promised treats and prizes. Now remember how it felt to have that promise broken along with every bone in your fragile bodies. The black terror that penetrated your hearts, the shock of paralysis keeping your eyes open as he enjoyed every perverted moment of taking your lives from you. The last thing you heard were your own screams.”

Their eyes had all gone red as the bulbs behind the covers got hot with rage and terror of reliving that terrible night. I continued carefully, “Now imagine the confusion and terror of darkness slip away as I took you into my arms and placed you into these shells of protection. You are tools--weapons. Concentrate on what you’re capable of and the imposter will get what he deserves.”

A garbled echo warped the air before I had just finished and all of us looked in the direction of the backroom door that lead to the basement. He was summoning me. I melted into the shadow of a shelf holding mechanical parts and shifted to teleport, not bothering to see what look Freddy’s solid, black eyes had for me.

Description
I looked to each one of them and finally said, “I trust you know why you’ve been called here? Chica executed the human, but it wasn’t the one we’re after.”

They didn’t settle for disappointment. Failure was normal every time a new guard was hired. The Imposter worked for the company and even hired the new employees, but none of us had seen his face when he murdered us, so it was a guessing game at who he might be. He was smart and wicked, knowing we lusted for revenge but was sure the employees never addressed him as “boss.” It was questionable if he even came into the restaurant at all.

I continued, “But this opens up another opportunity for him to reveal himself.”

“How can we know, Jester?” Freddy asked. It had been asked before, but I felt that this was a test of position as opposed to an actual question.

I was about to reply when Freddy went on, “Neither you or the Protector seem to know where Imposter is or how to stop him. You tell us to use our hate to keep us functional but what happens when it becomes stale and pointless and we slowly start to fade like you?”

Foxy, Chica, and Bonnie were staring at Freddy as if his argument meant something for once. It made sense and it was true. I was getting weaker and the once rich mull of Hellish loathe that had sweltered in my existence had become so friendly with me it had flattened out into a patient simmer.

Foxy glanced at me but I didn’t look away from the bear. I said, “Someone has grown up.” I expected him to glare but he didn’t. Perhaps he feared me more than I thought. I continued, “You have questioned the Protector’s authority before, but I wonder why you choose now to have the courage to fully express your argument.”

The energy coming from Bonnie was rigid with tension. He wanted to step away from me, but he only kept his stare on the floor. Freddy lifted his face and answered, “The others respect me. They may look afraid now, but they would follow me if I made it possible.”

I almost laughed, “The same way they chose to follow you into the restaurant even when you knew not to talk to strangers?”

Freddy’s eyes turned black but he made no action. He immediately replied, “You are no different than us! You were an orphan and murdered in the same way! You followed the Protector’s instruction because you were insecure and confused and in your confusion you trapped us in these suits instead of letting us go.” The other actives shifted. They saw truth in this but Foxy still stood straight against the batter of words. He was still on my side. Freddy saw this and brought to light another vulnerable tool, “Our parents didn’t even know we were still here. They’ve mourned and moved on and still we remain with no satisfaction. Jester is the reason we fail to succeed.”

This child needed to be disciplined.

I swung an arm with claws outstretched and it elongated like a shadow stretched by light. My hand crashed into Freddy’s mask and my claws wrapped around his head. The speed and force of the action pushed Freddy off of his feet and I slammed him into the concrete floor. My body followed my arm in the spirit of a second and my smiling mask came close to Freddy’s. “I gave you life! Imposter stole the only chance you had at living and I returned it out of sympathy with the help of Protector. Thirty-two years may have changed your personalities, but not your emotions or mindsets. You’re all still children.”

I let him go and stood above them again, inspecting their faces. “No one even bothers about you any more but I. Less and less children come to the restaurant, and repairs have stopped in hopes of stopping us altogether. He’s running this place. He’s still out there. Doesn’t that make you angry?

“Remember how unaware you were of the danger--how friendly and fun that man in the suit was and how excited you felt when he promised treats and prizes. Now remember how it felt to have that promise broken along with every bone in your fragile bodies. The black terror that penetrated your hearts, the shock of paralysis keeping your eyes open as he enjoyed every perverted moment of taking your lives from you. The last thing you heard were your own screams.”

Their eyes had all gone red as the bulbs behind the covers got hot with rage and terror of reliving that terrible night. I continued carefully, “Now imagine the confusion and terror of darkness slip away as I took you into my arms and placed you into these shells of protection. You are tools--weapons. Concentrate on what you’re capable of and the imposter will get what he deserves.”

A garbled echo warped the air before I had just finished and all of us looked in the direction of the backroom door that lead to the basement. He was summoning me. I melted into the shadow of a shelf holding mechanical parts and shifted to teleport, not bothering to see what look Freddy’s solid, black eyes had for me.