"Hey. Wake up." My eyes opened lazily. "Hey." I felt a fast thump against my cheek, shocking me awake. A man dressed all in black crouched over me. His face was hidden from view by a white and purple mask.

"What?" I muttered.

"You're alive. Good. Here." The masked man rose to his full height and extended a hand.

I reached out for his hand, but stopped short when I saw that I had no hand. Instead, a rusty metal hook protruded from the end of my arm.

"What the . . ." I held my hands out in front of me. The fur that had covered my hand had torn and broken away, leaving only a metal skeleton in its place.

"Easy. Take my hand." I lowered my hook and raised my metal hand. The masked man pulled me to my feet. I staggered, but he clasped my shoulder, helping me steady my stance. Looking down at my body, I found that the fabric skin that covered me in rags, torn in various places, exposing bits of a metal skeleton beneath it.

The masked man studied me as I much as I did.

"Are you in pain?" He asked. I was too enamored in my search to care what he'd said. My left foot had become a large animal paw, complete with claws. My right foot was like my hand, rotten fabric and skeleton.

"Where am I?" My words slurred as my jaw unhinged, exploding in pain. Caught off-guard, I unleashed a quiet scream of agony.

"Calm yourself." The masked man stepped closer and placed a black hand on my face. With a quick jerk, my jaw snapped back into place. The pain grew intense, and then it was gone.

I rubbed my jaw and nodded. "Thanks."

"I know this is disorienting, and I know you have many questions. I will answer as many as I can, but we are short on time."

"Where am I? Who are you? Who am I?"

"Welcome to your first night at Freddy Fazbear's Pizzaria. Your name is Foxy. And I . . ." The man chuckled to himself. "I am your Savior."

"That's not exactly descriptive." I murmured.

He sighed. "Who I am, is not important. There is much to learn about yourself before you try to understand anyone else." The man glanced at his wrist, but I didn't see a watch.

"Why can't I remember anything?"

"I'm afraid we're out of time. Come with me."

"Hey. I asked you a question. Answer me."

"There are many things that you need to hear said in the few dark hours remaining, and that is not among them. There are a few people waiting for you in the front room. Go see them." He turned away from me and stepped off the stage.

"Wait." I shouted, reaching for the man, but he vanished in the darkness of the room. Behind where he'd been standing a moment before, a small curtain opened up, revealing a doorway. I took a moment to steady myself and leaped off the stage. I hit the carpeted aisle hard, my feet faltering beneath me. My legs gave way, and I fell forward, crashing into one of the six rows of seats in the theatre. I pushed myself up, unaware that my hook had caught in the chair. With a loud rip, the metal tore free. I stood for a moment, glaring at the large, cotton-filled gash. The sharp metal hook almost gleamed in the dark.

I exited through the door. The hallway was just as dark as my theatre, lit only by a few street lamps that poured in through small windows. I kept my hook behind me, as I walked, careful not to damage anything else in the area. The hallway opened up into a large dining room. Nearly a dozen tables sat end-to-end throughout the large room. At the front of the room, on a concert stage, three others were waiting. A large bear dressed with a little hat was standing at the edge of the stage, a microphone in its hands. Its eyes glanced around the room. Off to the left, a bright yellow chicken huddled down, holding its knees close to its chest. It too, had a microphone in her hand, though smaller than the bear's. The last animal was a dark purple rabbit leaning against the side wall of the stage. It held his head, as if trying to lessen a headache.

"Who are you?" The bear asked in a deep, authoritative voice. The chicken rose to its feet and stood behind the bear. The bunny showed no change.

I stepped closer to the stage. "Foxy, I think."

The chicken peeked out from her hiding spot. "You're one of us?" it asked. The voice was obviously feminine. "He looks like a Fox."

"He looks terrible." The bear tilted his head, inspecting me. Looking down at my body, I suddenly felt ashamed at my disheveled appearance. I tugged at the scraps of fabric that once acted as my skin.

"My name is Freddy." The bear said. He motioned toward the chicken. "And this is Chica." She waved shyly. "And that train-wreck," he nodded to the bunny, "Is Bonnie."

"Are you guys new here too?" I asked.

"Yeah," Freddy said. "We just woke up like an hour ago."

I nodded. "Was there a strange man in black with you?"

"Yeah, we saw him too."

"Talking about me?" I turned fast. The man was standing behind me, just out of arms reach. I hadn't heard him approach.

I nodded, though I felt he knew already.

"Nothing bad, I hope." Freddy opened his mouth, but the man continued. "There's a few rules you four need to learn. That means you too, bunny." The rabbit, for the first time, joined the conversation. "Do you all see that clock? Right now it is 5:30 AM. At six, the first worker arrives. You all have to get in place by then."

"And where exactly are our places?" Freddy asked.

"You three stay up on that stage, and put on a show for the kids. You'll know the lyrics to their favorite little songs when the time comes." Freddy turned to his two compatriots.

"That would explain the instruments." The bear mumbled under its breath. The masked man turned to me.

"You have to stay in the back. Don't come out under any circumstances."

"What? Why?" I asked.

"You're not supposed to be turned on. If anyone sees you, they'll know something's wrong."

"So does that mean he can't walk around with us?" Chica asked.

"No. You three can't come off the stage during the days anyway. Mr. Foxy over there, can't leave Pirate Cove. These aren't my rules." The masked man explained.

"Fine," I said, "So what do I do back there all day?"

"Try not to be seen. If someone walks in, you stay hidden in the dark. Don't worry though, it's closed, so I can's see that as a problem." A silence fell over the group. "I know it seems unfair, but there are reasons things are this way. Get to your positions. I'll see you tonight, after the clean-up crew leaves around 11:00. Until then . . ." The man gave a slight bow. The darkness seemed to thicken around him, enveloping him. And then he was gone.

I turned to the crew on the stage. Freddy and Bonnie were getting into place, their instruments ready. Chica was still focused on me, a frown on her face. I smiled at her and left. I found my way back down to my cove. I entered through the doorway and the curtains fell closed behind me. Though, I could see in the dark, the sudden movement took me by surprise. I brandished my hook, but the masked man grabbed my arm.

"For the love of . . ." I caught my breath. "Stop sneaking up on me."

The man released my arm. "Sorry. Old habits die hard." Now, sitting in the silence, I got my first good look at the man's mask. Most of it was dirty white, with purple tears streamed down his face. The mouth curved into a smile.

"Why are you here?" I asked. He must have sensed a hint of anger in my voice.

"I came to apologize. I am sorry you are cooped up in here all day." He sighed. " There used to be a time when you were the biggest attraction in this place." The man glanced around the room. "So many children would line these seats to hear about Foxy the Pirate's amazing adventures. In this state, it's almost sad to see."

"What happened?" I asked, feeling an odd bit of sadness.

The man had his back to me, his head hung. He turned as if about to continue the conversation, but a loud ringing bell interrupted, signaling the arrival of morning. "We'll speak more another time. He opened the curtain, and was about to step through when he stopped. "You know," He led the curtain drop, leaving his last words echoing in the dark.

"You were always my favorite."