chapter 0: Prologue

Once upon a time, and this was a very long time ago indeed, there was a little princess. She was loved and cherished by everyone in her kingdom. Yet her innocence and pure heart led her to trust a very cruel man, which ultimately brought about her tragic end. Now, trapped in a cold cage surrounded by complex machines powered by the blood and fear of innocents, the poor princess silently cried out for help.

Hurricane,Utah

Friday, March 15, 2024

6:00 a.m

It was the beginning of another day in the famous city of Hurricane. Sunlight softly reflected off the old vintage buildings as people hurried out of their homes toward work, and the neon signs of restaurants and diners flickered off one by one.

In the old suburbs of the city, in a quiet and cozy neighborhood, stood an old house—large, yet with a welcoming appearance.

In one of the rooms of this house, where sunlight delicately filtered through the curtains, the space was filled with posters and vintage objects. There, Emilly slept deeply in her bed, surrounded by stuffed animals and cozy blankets. Then, the persistent sound of the alarm clock echoed through the room, accompanied by the meow of Kitty, her black cat, waiting outside the window.

The young woman finally opened her eyes and reached out to turn off the alarm.

—Okay, okay… I’m awake, Kitty— murmured Emilly, her voice still heavy with sleep, as she stroked the cat’s head.

She slowly sat up in bed, her long, voluminous golden hair cascading over her shoulders. She picked up her phone from the nightstand to check her reminders and realized she had a meeting scheduled in two hours at the famous Freddy's Family Dinner.

—I still can’t believe I got an offer from such a big company like Fazbear Entertainment. I wonder what the owner himself wants to talk to me about— Emilly wondered aloud, a mix of curiosity and anxiety in her voice.

She then slowly got up and walked to the bathroom to get ready and take her medication.

For several long minutes, Emilly stared at her reflection in the mirror. The scars on her body drew attention—deep, irregular, unpleasant marks spread across nearly all her skin, except her face. They were silent reminders of a past she couldn’t fully recall and one of the main reasons she had suffered bullying at the old psychiatric orphanage where she had lived before finally leaving upon turning eighteen.

These thoughts began to fade when Kitty started rubbing around her legs, purring softly.

—Are you hungry, Kitty? I’ll put your food out in a moment, little glutton. I have a feeling today’s going to be a very long day— said Emilly, letting out a small smile after swallowing her last pills.

Freddy's Family Dinner

Friday,March 15, 2024

7:50 a.m.

The day was sunny with only a few clouds in the sky. Emilly rode her small red scooter unhurriedly toward the famous Freddy's Family Dinner, still lost in thought about the email she had received from William Terrence Afton, the current owner of Fazbear Entertainment, a few days earlier. Of course, he was one of the four original co-founders of the company, alongside Henry Joel Emily, Edwin Davis Murray, and Fiona Margaret Murray. Yet, deep inside, Emilly felt an overwhelming discomfort mixed with fear whenever she saw or read about Mr. Afton.

She had often heard stories from some of the town’s older residents about the tragedies and incidents that had occurred at the company’s establishments during the seventies, eighties, and nineties—ranging from disappearances and murders of children and employees to bodies found inside animatronic suits. Although the police never caught the culprit, these cases were quietly shelved due to lack of evidence and company bribery. Over time, they gave rise to urban legends and rumors that the restaurants were haunted, though eventually, these tragedies were mostly forgotten, remembered only as tales to scare children.

As she thought about this, Emilly finally caught sight of the façade of the famous Freddy's Family Dinner, one of the many company restaurants still standing since the eighties. She parked her scooter in the crowded lot, despite it still being early. She looked toward the entrance and saw a crowd of people, mostly children, entering the massive building alongside their parents, wide smiles painted on their faces.

—What could be so special about this place?— Emilly wondered as she stepped inside the restaurant. Upon entering, she noticed a large reception area where a familiar old face stood behind the counter. Wearing the restaurant’s caricatured security uniform was Mike Schmidt, an old high school friend Emilly hadn’t seen in years.

—Mikey? Is that you?— Emilly asked.

—Emilly? Wow, what a surprise! It’s been ages since high school. How are you? Are you still in photojournalism and working as a freelance reporter?— Mike said, surprised to see her, despite his tired face, seemingly trying his hardest to stay awake while on the job.

—Yes, I am. I got an offer to work on a documentary and some reporting here, and I’m heading now to meet the owner himself. By the way, do you know where Mr. Afton might be?— Emilly asked.

Mike looked at Emilly with a weary expression and pointed in a direction.

—Ah, my boss… well, his office is backstage. I’ll ask Ness to help you since… I’m way too busy— Mike said.

—That won’t be necessary, Mike. I’m already here— said a voice. Suddenly, a man with a friendly appearance appeared, wearing glasses and a yellow bunny pin, accompanied by a young woman with pink and purple streaked hair tied in a ponytail, dressed in a security uniform like Mike.

—Ah, Vanessa, you brought your dad. I was just about to ask you to help Emilly find him— Mike said, returning to his work.

Vanessa nodded slightly, a faint smile on her lips, while William adjusted his glasses.

—Miss Emilly, it is a pleasure to finally meet you in person. I hope your trip here was pleasant— he said, extending his hand.

—It was fine, Mr. Afton— Emilly replied, shaking his hand while trying to mask the immense discomfort and fear growing inside her.

—Well, we have much to discuss, don’t we? Let’s go to my office, away from the noise— he said, gesturing for Emilly to follow him.

Emilly nodded and followed.

They passed through internal corridors where the sound of children laughing and cheerful music gradually gave way to a strange silence, broken only by the distant hum of machinery and the soft creak of the old floor. The walls were adorned with vintage Fazbear Entertainment posters—smiling mascots with unnaturally large eyes frozen in artificial poses.

For a brief moment, Emilly had the unsettling sensation that those eyes were following her.

William stopped in front of a wooden door and opened it.

—Please, make yourself comfortable. I believe this conversation will be very productive— he said with a polite smile.

Freddy's Family Dinner, Management Office

Friday, March 15, 2024

8:10 a.m.

The room was silent. Emilly sat in a chair, facing William, who was sipping a bit of coffee.

—Well, I suppose you’ve seen the email I sent you, haven’t you?— the man asked.

—Yes, I saw it a few days ago, but tell me, Mr. Afton… why would such a large and famous company like yours want a documentary and promotion produced by a small company like mine?— Emilly asked.

William let out a soft laugh and turned his gaze toward the window, observing the distant activity of the restaurant.

—To be honest with you, my young lady, I don’t trust these big media companies. They always find a way to twist everything involving Fazbear Entertainment, and it’s extremely difficult to disprove those lies once they spread. That’s why I’m looking for someone fair, competent… and with true journalistic talent. Someone like you— William replied.

Emilly took a deep breath.

—I see. So what exactly do you expect from me? A documentary? A promotional video? Or something beyond that?— Emilly asked.

William smiled. He then opened one of the drawers of his desk and pulled out a yellow envelope, which he carefully placed in front of her.

—Here is everything you need to know. I want a full documentary and a promotional video. In this document, I’ve listed the areas of the restaurant you may film and photograph… oh, and I also included the payment amount and the period you may stay with the company— the man said.

Emilly looked at the document and was quite surprised to see an incredibly high sum of money—enough to buy a larger studio, a team of professionals, and high-quality equipment. On top of that, the time frame was ten months. An offer impossible to refuse.

—So, Mrs. Campbell, do you accept the job?— William asked, extending his hand.

—You can count on me, Mr. Afton. I’ll give my best to create the documentary and promotional video— Emilly said, shaking his hand. William’s expression showed satisfaction at her response.

—Then welcome to our family. You’ll begin your work tomorrow night, as it’s the only time the restaurant isn’t busy— William said.

Emilly nodded, gathering the documents and standing up from the chair.

As she left the office, she had the strange sensation that the moment the door closed behind her, an unusual chill began to creep over her.

William Afton remained seated, watching the

closed door, his coffee slowly cooling on the table.

A subtle smile formed on his lips.

—Oh… this is going to be very fun— the man murmured.

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