#phonetutorials

Shuffling in the hallways, the creak and groan of old endos carrying the weight of thick padding (and something else?). Lurching shapes and glassy eyes that stare at you through static-laced camera feeds.

And the thump-thump-thump of footsteps off to the left, too slow to be Foxy but too light to be any member of the band.

"Hello, Mr. Goodman!" calls the cheery mirror of your own voice. Recorded and remixed enough to land firmly in the territory of uncanny valley, despite how genuine the animatronic acts. Phone Guy plants itself at the lefthand entrance (the security room is for Authorized Personnel only!) and waves, as happy to see you as it ever is.

"Anything to report?"

He knew he should not be setting foot anywhere near that place. (His sister had warned him against it countless times.) But... his curiosity was starting to get the best of him.

Every time he passed by that pizza place, whether it be while wandering aimlessly or in the way to some other place, he had to stop for a moment just to get a good stare at it. That place gave his sister the creeps! But she had never elaborated on what exactly made that place so spooky.

Nothing in the outside of the building stood out to him as spooky. It just had a weird-looking bear on the sign! And "weird" did not translate into "spooky" by default, that was a misconception!

In a matter of minutes, his distance from the place had decreased drastically. Before, he simply took a step or two closer, acting innocent every time. Now, he was exploring the back of the building. Although there was nothing other than trash bins, graffiti on the walls and... a back door.

An idea popped into his mind almost instantly. (He could just go in and investigate!) Or so he thought, for as soon as he intended to pull his trusty hammer out, the door opened all by itself. ❝ Oh! ❞ It was an employee!

Head pounds and vision struggles to stay still as Holly slowly opens her eyes. What was she-? Memory comes slowly to fill in the gaps. She had just finished modeling work , most of her coworkers had already left to enjoy their weekend off, and was headed to the parking lot. 

Something or someone was behind her when she reached the exit door, and the memory of one hell of a headache before it all goes blank. Vision settles and her brain quickly realizes where she is.

Freddy’s, not literally that would be impossible, she’s in the virtual Freddy’s building. Hands reaching up to feel the square of the vr headset on her face.

“Oh, oh this can’t be good.”

On the bright side she’s not working the night shift, that would suck to do with a probable concussion, but it’s also a downside as that's the only mode she’s ever really play tested.

Okay one step at a time.

Coppelia had just been venting really. The divorce between her and Marcus had been mutual sure, but how the hell were they supposed to co-parent if he was moving all the way to New York! Holly had just gone down for a nap upstairs and it was just her and her father, and everything just sort of began to spill out over two mugs of tea and the two sat on the couch. He took her worries about how she was going to do this in stride, and Pel’s face softened as he made a promise that he’ll be here for her.

“.....Thanks dad.”

Tossing and turns, hands gripping onto whatever they could find as cries from the nightmare leaked out into the real. A gasp was pulled from it by consciousness like being plucked from under the ocean. Heart hammering in her still small chest and face now feeling the wet of her tears. Eyes needing a moment to adjust to the room and the figure with her.

Pel felt like an utter fool for believing for one second that anyone from school had actually wanted to hang out with her. Hell the only kid her age who ever wanted to hang out was Marcus and he went to a different high school entirely. What was supposed to be a fun day at the roller rink turned into her crying in a storage closet after calling her father asking if he could come to the rink, utterly coated in red slushie and whatever else the group of girls could throw.

Thankfully it hadn’t taken him long to find where his daughter had fled in the building, Coppelia silently hoping she hadn’t left a trail of mess to show the way. Gentle words from him followed by her loud sniffle, trying to dry her tears on her hand but everything is wet and sticky and gross.

Gears whir and broken voice box produces a familiar static. The Toy Foxy’s Mangle huddled in the corner of a heap unable to move because the children disconnected one of her legs and that one piece was needed to hold the mangled limbs upright. A distorted mimicry of a frightened dog backed into a corner and growling a warning of not trying any funny business.

“B-but what if he’s lost forever and ever this time!”

Carl had been moved, again, and Susie had managed to work herself into quite the tizzy over it. What if he’s somewhere dark and cramped , oooohh she doesn't like those. Or worse what if the rabbit has-.

Tiny face in her tiny ghost hands, no lungs and yet there's a tight feeling in her hollow chest.