Chapter Text
Storm clouds tossed and turned overhead and cold air pushed between structures and into any space it could invade. A heavy chill was laying across the environment outside and you groaned, wrapping yourself up better in the coat you had on. It was a thick, comfortable wool and you tugged down the sleeves and did your best to stay warm. The gentle rumble of a diesel engine kept you to my senses and your urgent desire to warm up would only increase. Cold. Much too cold. Outstretching your hands, your fingers uncurled and the soft, delicate pads and palm were revealed to the vent ahead and to your right. Warm air flooded through the passage and you sought out it's heat to ease your dissatisfaction.
Winter was a dreadful season. A gorgeous, white season that gave many opportunities for activities you could only do during one time of the year. It also sucked. Sucked ass. Major ass. It was cold and the air was dry, causing the moisture to lack in your skin and your knuckles to crack and bleed. Your nose was always tipped red and it dripped. Tissues were usually everywhere and in any available pocket you had on your body.
You couldn't complain as much as last winter, though. You had been living out in the country with your family, and that was less easy than what city winters brought. It could be debated, but you knew it was better and worse in different ways. City winters were definitely a preference though, if it meant shorter and safer drives and companions that you could carpool with to work.
After moving into town, it was evident to you that Ryan was somewhat of a blessing. He was your winter ride and you wouldn't have to sit behind the wheel as long as your schedules were fairly synced. For work, anyways. It wasn't something you'd planned and when coming to a new place, the last thing you expected was to run into an old classmate back from back home. The world works in funny ways, and though neither of you had been close back in school, a familiar face helped a lot.
As the engine continued to rasp, the old blue pickup he drove rattled and you was tousled a bit. A lurch here and there, or an unexpected bump you would blame on the snow. You ignored it for the most part and a smile inched it's way over your lips as you felt the heat finally starting to work its magic. Your fingers wiggled in front of the vent and a small sigh left your lungs, chest decompressing.
The numbness starting to fade, you looked to the window on your side and onto the passing cars and lamp posts. The buildings behind them were somewhat of a blur all thanks to the absence of your usual glasses. An accessory you almost desperately needed when you didn't have contacts and acknowledged distance was important. You felt like a fool for not bringing them, and on today of all days.
With a piercing feeling in your gut, you were worried about how the day would go. A sudden stress. A number of reasons increased it and your mind was suddenly on a set of tracks leading to your own anxious demise. Your jaw tightened and you started to chew on the inside of your cheek, eyes dulling with a focus that lacked any physical semblance in the real world. Lost.
"Hey?" You jolted suddenly, mainly centered on your neck as your head whipped around and you looked to Ryan. He had shaken you from your thoughts and you gathered that your companion noticed that your brain had left reality. "Are you going to make it?" He was smiling at you, a potential tease being thought out on his part. You could tell by the slight twist to his lower lip and the way his brown eyes scanned your face. His lip piercing caught your eye.
You focused on him. In his mid-twenties, he was a couple years older than yourself and had somewhat darker, tan skin. His hair was also darker but the locks were longer and had the smallest of curls to them. They were barely maintained by a bandana around his forehead that was a contrasting shade of blue compared to his darker red winter jacket.
Your lack of a response, mainly cause of your surprise, must have pressed him to keep talking. His eyes were warm and inviting and his voice was just as easy going as he looked back to the street and pressed his turn signal. "You are looking pale. I mean, paler than normal at least." Ryan told you. "Did you eat this morning, or is the stress really hitting you that hard?"
A ball was caught in the back of your throat and it took you longer than was reasonable before you could figure out a response. It was a small inhale at first, and then you turned to look back outside your window. "Come on, I think I'm fine." You huffed, your cheeks puffing up a bit with embarrassment. You didn't want to vocalize your anxiousness, whether it was obvious or not. "This job just feels like a bigger deal than others."
"Is it really, though?" He asked, almost wanting to test whether you believed that or not. You watched him lean towards the wheel, reaching back with one of his hands to fix his coat. Then he leaned back and relaxed, turning onto the next street.
"Of course! I'm going to have to be on my prime constantly! Plus, that stack of paperwork sitting on my kitchen counter seems to tell me so as well!" Your tone got a bit higher and you knew that the small cracks in pitch were a dead giveaway that you were stressing out. "What's this place called again?"
Ryan let out a short, quick laugh at the question. "God, you are easy to frazzle then. And it's just Fazbear's. You are going to have to remember that if you'll be working for them."
Right. 'Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex'. That was the name of a massive, mall-like establishment that had been dedicated as a party, theme attraction, arcade, birthday center, and whatever else they could possibly market off. It sounded like a giant, indoor amusement park, though you hadn't actually gone inside yet, let alone seen the building itself. Since you moved into town, you had been scrambling for work until your savings had nearly gone dry. It always terrifying, but after running into Ryan and him becoming aware of this, he suggested you worked at the Pizzaplex. A surprising offer, really, but from what he described the pay was amazing, the benefits were just as good, and a number of positions had reccently opened up. You had to try.
Ryan talked to some co-workers and passed you some basic paperwork after the first conversation, and then an interview was set up online. You were surprised that they wouldn't ask for you to come in in person but you weren't too bothered. It meant you would only need to be half-presentable. It worked out, you was asked what positions you'd like from a small variety and they wanted to know your skills. After some talking, your interviewer suggested another potential job and you took it. Apparently it had to do with monitoring one of the animatronics but lacked specifics.
"It sounds like a ton to remember." You muttered, lifting up one of your warmed hands and absentmindedly beginning to chew on the cuticle around your pinky. In his reflection through your window, he seemed confused. You turned your head back to look at him. Maybe Ryan needed a bit more context- You tended to forget to provide that. "I mean the layout and everything. All the regulations on the paperwork and the legal stuff. The Pizzaplex sounds massive."
"It absolutely is." Ryan said with a chuckle. "But nevermind whatever I say. You'll be able to see it for yourself now." He lifted his left hand off the steering wheel and pointed ahead. The main road you both were on through town led you past a number of stores and shops with different themes. A few cafes and specialty food places were also scattered between them, and you knew the mall was nearby. What you thought you were looking at was the mall.
You were wrong.
Without your glasses, your companion had to wait patiently until you drove ever closer. Rapidly, a large property was opened up and upon it was the massive parking lot. You couldn't imagine the number of vehicles that could have parked there, and on top of that, the fact that more than one person could ride in them. Obviously. Behind the lot was a huge building that stood three or four stories high. Like a massive mall of it's own, it stretched out. You wonder how long it was on the side if it was indeed this wide.
"It's like an airport, hell-" You gaped, your jaw falling open a bit. That was the next thing that came to mind when comparing it's size. "I definitely feel under-qualified now." Your eyebrows knit, the tension returning before he clasped a hand over your wrist to attempt a little comfort.
"Nonsense! There are plenty of maps to go around, and staff get access to service halls and tunnels so it's less of a maze for us. You'll do great!" That did not necessarily reassure you, knowing that such things would be needed. He chuckled, starting drive around the lot. There must have been a special area for workers and he was heading in that direction. It made sense. "Plus, you have me here. Everything will work out. Don't stress."
Easier said than done.
Your attention was taken from Ryan and his voice to the front of the building as you drove past. It looked to be solid and made of a white, sleek-clean concrete. At least concrete or something like it was on the exterior. (It wasn't exactly one of your knowledge bases). Plastered to the side was a massive bright and colorful sign with the location's name. Between the text were six cartoon-stylized animal characters. An orange bear, a green alligator, a purple bunny, a red fox, a white duck, and a gray wolf. They each grasped their own instruments like a band and seemed to welcome visitors in. You thought it was cute, although you could only imagine the 'furry' jokes that took place inside.
"I can bet that kids just pour into this place, huh?" You asked as you pulled into a parking spot and started to unload. Reaching between your feet, you pulled up a mini-backpack onto your lap. It functioned as a purse and would have some of your important things in it. Slinging one of the straps over your shoulder, you stepped out onto the pavement.
You heard Ryan's door slam shut shortly before he walked around the truck and joined you at your side. "That would definitely be a winning bet, little miss. Though I'm afraid I won't pay you on it, since it's pretty obvious." You stuck your tongue out at him and started to walk. You figured you would be led towards an employee entrance on the side, but instead he just led you around the building and up to the front again. Your legs didn't like this.
Given it was just a little past noon, the lot was already quite full and there was activity at the front doors. Some families were moving in with an uneven mix of adults and children. There were surprisingly more adults, but given it was during the week that did make sense. School and all. With a good deal of people, you were glad that this was just going to be a training day. Touring, informative, and flexible. At least, that was what you had been told.
Going in through the sliding doors, music first met your ears. It was bouncy and fun like something you could mess around and dance to. You would have, perhaps, if you were with friends and this wasn't for work. A smile still spilled onto your face and you passed by a robot. It was your first encounter with one, though it lacked the action you expected.
Motionless, it had a primarily white body and blue round or circular plates on it. The design was somewhat person-like but heavily simplified. Round red cheeks sat beneath its unmoving eyes and it carried a greeting sign on it. In a repetitive fashion it would say, "Welcome to Freddy Fazbear's Mega Pizzaplex! A family friendly, fun entertainment center! Enjoy our games, food, and fun! We are not liable to any injuries that result from guests tampering with animatronics, technology, or our operating systems!"
The end note had your eyes widened a bit, but you were distracted as an actual - human - staff member leaned over and held out a small pamphlet towards you. The greeter themselves wore a striped red and blue shirt that went horizontally across their body. Their cheeks were painted red like the robot beside them and they pointed back and forth and seemed to answer any questions asked. They looked friendly enough but you and Ryan moved along before anything was said.
The first room was sectioned off by small dividers and meant to keep guests that hadn't yet purchased tickets away from the rest of the building. Two ticket booths were set up nearby with lines running from them. A couple kids bounced excitedly with their parents in a line, whispering to each other in hushed tones. The bright smiles on their faces made it clear they were ready for their trip. The music was a bit louder in here, but not unbearably so. Neither were the lights too bright, and instead allowed the Pizzaplex's neon lights to glow and illuminate most of the space. There were large posters and decorations that hung from the walls and ceilings that featured the same characters that were displayed outside.
Taking your hand, Ryan pulled you through the small crowd and towards the next entry way. It was a set of turnstiles with scanners. Seeing him fidget with his jacket pocket, a card was pulled out and he held it up to the device. With a quick green flash, the turning mechanism swung open to allow for access and you both hurried through. This next room had a high ceiling like the last. In the center of it was a massive golden statue of the orange bear from earlier, grasping a microphone in it's hands. Poised like a rockstar and clearly the focus of this place, you could guess that this character was Freddy Fazbear.
"Where are we going?" You asked, trying to straighten yourself up a bit more. Looking around was a bit hard when you weren't familiar with the place. Everything looked attractive to the eye, but you figured that you weren't going to fool around without official business first.
"It's just the security office right here." Ryan answered, bringing you towards a door a few yards away that read "SECURITY" in bold, capital letters. "Normally we won't clock in here, but since this is the start of the Pizzaplex, it'll be way easier to begin touring from this point."
"Gotcha."
Just like the name implied, it was a security office. Ryan rapped against the door until it opened and another employee greeted you and welcomed both in. You could tell that they were familiar with each other, but you blanked somewhat and just focused on the room itself. There was a long desk against one of the walls with a couple wheeled chairs strewn nearby it. The wall had a number of screens and monitors that all focused on this central area where the visitors came in, as well as the two massive parting hallways that went in opposite directions. There were also a couple desks that had their own screens and a couple filing cabinets and whatnot. Personal stuff for whoever was in the office.
You took note of the main details but soon looked back to Ryan and the guard who was known as Paul. You didn't wanna look nosy or weird on your first day. Paul seemed friendly though, a larger man with a lack of hair over his head. He appeared to be balding and in his mid forties with a heavier body to show for it. A box of donuts nearby made you chuckle a bit to yourself at the stereotype that he could fit.
"Here, you'll need these things." Paul hummed, turning and bending down to lift something up off the floor behind his desk. You waited until the man revealed a basket and set it up on the table. Then he lazily pushed it towards you and reached aside for his coffee. A few things were in it and now that it was put within reach, you started to filter its contents.
There was a badge with your name on it, which you clipped to your chest with the pin. You fiddled with the little latch and then made sure not to prick yourself. There was also a simple baseball-style cap that read "STAFF" on it and a small note that explained the flexibility of worker's clothing as long as it was family friendly. The only qualification aside from being child-presentable was that you have something that easily identified you as a member of the faculty. Smiling, you pulled the cap onto your head.
Amongst a small cluster of papers was an itinerary for your touring. They definitely wanted you to be familiar with the layout of the Pizzaplex and to know a bit about it in case guests inquired. A special map was left for you and a badge that you stuck into your pocket for the time being. It would give you access to whatever you needed to get into as far as your position was concerned.
Ryan was with you, continuing to chat away with Paul on the side while you put yourself together. Not too far into your basket digging, Paul gestured towards you for attention. "Oh by the way, you have your forms on you, right?" He asked. "I'm supposed to collect them from New employees for management."
"Oh, gosh no. The stack is at home. I was actually told they would give me until the end of my first week to finish them and drop them by. At least-" You paused, looking between them both. Oh no. You didn't want to have messed up so soon already. "-that's what I thought. Unless I was wrong?" You looked to Ryan for help.
"She's not a janitor, Paul. She'll actually be supervising the daycare attendant." He soon cut in, coming to the rescue. You weren't sure how that changed things, but you could only assume whatever you were doing required more paperwork than someone who cleaned toilets and scrubbed floors. Knowing how bad you needed the money, you would have taken that job too.
Paul stopped for a moment, turning and stepping aside to pick up a clip board. His soft eyes flashed over it and he shrugged. "Huh, I guess my notes don't specify. But in that case, I'll just expect the papers by then. You should be off the hook and ready to go as far as I'm concerned."
You were relieved that this small hiccup didn't last long, just grabbing the last two items in your small basket. One was a wrist watch in a bright orange color with white accents. It had two little ears and a flashing interface. The note for it said it was a 'Fazwatch' and could be used for alerts and updates while on site. Then there was a sticker of a basket filled with butter sticks which you questioned but tucked away for later. You didn't know what that meant but it was silly enough to keep.
Ryan beckoned you over to the wall with all the monitors as you hastily tried to put the watch on your wrist. You felt you were doing a poor job at trying but kept it up as he started to explain one of the devices. "This is one of our clock-in and clock-out scanners." He started, running his hand over the top of it and wiping off a thin layer of dust. Then he tapped it a couple times which amused you for whatever reason. "It has a little camera and you can just hold your badge up to it. Green flash means it worked and you are in and a red flash means that something was wrong." To demonstrate, he used his own. It flashed green. "When it's done, you'll get a print out of your own time and hours for the week to keep for personal records if you want them."
You had just finished fighting with the buckle on the fazwatch, spinning it a bit on your wrist and then stepping forwards to try. Pulling your own badge back out, you did what Ryan told you to. It flashed green and the device buzzed as it printed out a small slip for you. Aside from your starting time, any other record had a zero since you were brand new to the job. That was the beauty of being new, though all the zeros were a bit satisfying to see.
"Alright, cool. No issues with that." Your friend commented on it, smiling and turning his head to Paul. "I'll get her going then! We'll see you around later." He waved, and you did the same as you were ushered towards the door with your new items, the slip you stuffed in your pocket, and then the map you had with it's accompanying schedule. Paul waved back but rather than saying anything, sipped his coffee and pushed an earbud into one of his ears.
Back outside, the security door was shut behind you and you were near the golden Freddy Fazbear statue. You started to shuffle with the map, giving it a look. Apparently this decorated but primarily open central room was known as the Atrium. It was the heart of the Pizzaplex and your notes explained that it divided off into the primary sections that guests would choose to go through. All visitors went through this area and were then encouraged to visit Rockstar Row and then another hall that led off to a few of the larger entertainment areas.
"I'm working in the Daycare, right?" You asked, baffled a bit as you continued to unwrap the map. There were a few levels to the Pizzaplex and you wanted to see when you'd be learning about where you worked. Ryan nodded and pointed to your itinerary which you took up next. The Daycare was listed at the end which caused you to sulk a bit in place.
"Yeah, but you should have everything you need at this point." He scratched the back of his neck, looking to you. You felt like a mess, but you guessed you would be left to do the touring and navigating on your own. "I'll leave you to your.. stuff… and get down to Parts and Services." That was right- Ryan helped with maintenance and repairs on the animatronics. "Are you all good?" His warm brown eyes met yours to double check.
You swallowed at your abandonment issues and nodded, looking down at your shoes and then back up to him. "Yeah, I'll get started and see what I can find out about the amazing Freddy Fazbear's Pizzaplex." You gestured a little, showing some fake enthusiasm. While the place itself was undeniably exciting, going off on your own was a little daunting. "I'll see you later, Ryan."
"Alright! I'll try to come check on you during one of my later breaks." Waving one last time, he adjusted his coat and headed away again, off to do his own work.
You were left to look around and squint at the signs and posters. A blind bitch without her precious glasses.
-
About three hours were spent slowly walking throughout the different halls and learning the layout of the Pizzaplex. It was interesting to see the design choices but you were also given the opportunity to weave your way around and read signs and boards. You tried to pick and choose the quieter areas, moving between sections as groups of visitors shifted so you could avoid them.
Rockstar Row was a large museum-like hallway that featured a number of newspaper articles, statues, pictures, old posters, and display cases that belonged to old Fazbear locations. It was flashy and bright along the ceiling with neon lights, keeping this section well lit. Meanwhile, the lower portion was less of an eyesore so guests could actually understand what they were looking at without having a potential aneurysm. Apparently it was part of a long chain of different restaurants and pizzerias in the past and the mascots changed a few times over the years. It also had a few curtain-blocked rooms that must have housed the main animatronics.
They were like big display cases in themselves.
Freddy Fazbear was the orange bear and figurehead of the entire cooperation. His curtain was a warm red though pulled back just enough to see the inside of his room. It seemed like they actually had human-level decorations for comfort, which you found amusing. Bonnie Bunny was the purple rabbit, and his curtains were a vibrant blue color. Roxanne Wolf was the gray wolf, and she had purple curtains. Both of their rooms were fairly neat, though Roxanne clearly had more beauty supplies visible at her vanity. Montgomery Gator was the green alligator's name and his curtains were - as one could guess - a deep jungle green color. He had the most messy room from what you could make out, but his curtains were pulled shut enough to make it hard to tell. The duck wasn't even much of a duck at all. Apparently she was a chicken named Chica. Her curtains were also closed but a pizza box was visible beneath them. You questioned that. Lastly was Foxy the Pirate, who was a red stereotypical fox. Aside from his eyepatch, anyway. His curtains were yellow.
Covering the basics, you couldn't get more specific on their appearances for the time being. You didn't have your glasses so you had to work off general colors and the larger details. Plus, getting up close and personal with each sign would take forever. It was easier to stop at one display board that explained what they were and talked a little about each of the band members. Some other animatronics were mentioned as well, but none of them seemed to be particularly popular. Even Montgomery and Roxanne were newer additions at this establishment.
All of the animatronics had their own themed areas for guests to have fun at. They included games and group activities. You had to walk to each of them and have a look around, but you avoided going inside just so you could have a general layout. It would have taken way too long to tour through absolutely everything.
Freddy Fazbear was tied to Fazerblast. It seemed to be a large laser tag area that featured aliens and defenders. You wondered who came up with that idea but it looked really fun. Gatorgolf was for the alligator man himself, and it featured a few different golf courses and an impressive jungle themed area. You were pretty tempted to go inside. Roxanne Wolf had a Raceway for go-carting and apparently there was a salon. (You wondered how good they worked, and if employees got special discounts on haircuts in there). Chica Chicken had Mazercize which was a large gym that additionally fed people junk food while they worked out. The irony. Bonnie Bunny had a bowling alley for himself with an ice cream parlor. Foxy the Pirate had a younger children's area called Kid's Cove that was themed around him too.
The Fazcade was a large arcade with hundreds of machines to play games on. The area had heavy music blasting when you passed and you could only imagine which edgy teenagers lingered in that area. A second arcade was called the Superstar-cade but it lacked the funky disco vibes.
Littered around the Pizzaplex was a good many booths and restaurants that were meant to lure in guests and empty their pockets. With all the theming and extra flare that was put into everything here, you could see how easy it would be to ring up cash.
There were also service tunnels that moved between different areas that you could go to and each area had its own security office. Some service tunnels were clearly marked but there was no indication to head into them on your itinerary. You didn't bother, and especially when it came to the lower levels. It also seemed as though you didn't need to check out Parts and Services or the Stage until later on. That made things easier on you.
-
Once you had seen every nook and cranny that was necessary, you could finally turn your attention onto the Daycare area. It was where you were actually supposed to work, and despite your disinterest in children, you wanted to see it the most. Especially since you had yet to encounter any animatronics aside from staff bots and you were supposed to be working with one. Using the Atrium, you found a daycare pick-up point that you assumed was where parents usually took their kids. Or left them. Either way, it was connected to the daycare so you figured you would use it.
The large garage-style door was pulled up to leave the hall open and accessible but there was hardly any activity inside, aside from a couple people leaving with a little girl. You watched them pass and awkwardly waved at them before heading on in.
A shop entrance was close by. It was labeled the "Lucky Stars" gift shop which you thought was a cute name. You didn't stop to go in though, just taking in the nearby scenery. One of the walls was made of red and brown brick and painted on it were two animated characters. A sun-themed bright one on the first, while the second had a relaxed moon character. There were posters that seemed to advertise candies for them as well. Moondrops? Sundrops?
The farther you went, the closer you got to another statue. Gold like the Freddy one, but tall and gangly with many limbs. You squinted, trying to understand what abomination of a machine you were looking at. Then you remembered you were blind and realized there were in fact two statues that were back to back. The same sun and moon characters. The brighter one was standing tall with his arms spread out and reaching for the sky while the other was crouched low. You weren't sure whether to feel creeped out or more invested in their appearances.
Past the massive statues were another set of turnstiles. There was a booth with a woman behind it but you were paid no mind. Biting the inside of your cheek you moved along, withdrawing your badge to try and scan it. You winced as it flashed red and beeped aloud, looking back and forth to see if anyone was paying attention to you. You were nervous about attracting sudden attention but the other worker didn't seem to notice. It was a little foolish since you were doing nothing wrong. Trying for a second time, you positioned the card better. This time it flashed green and spun out of the way, allowing you to walk through and onto the other side.
There was a small path that led to a guard rail. It seemed to wrap around the actual play area until it met the back wall on either side. A small gap on the other side allowed people on the same level as yourself to look below. The play area itself was massive and at the heart of this room. It was surrounded by a fencing along the top that stretched up all the way to the ceiling, though you couldn't tell if it completely caged off or not without my glasses. From the floor up for about three feet it was like any wall and then it became a long glass pane. Then the fencing. Across from you was a castle-themed hole in the wall that must have been a room of some sort, but without your glasses there was no way you would be able to see into it or figure out distinguishing features. You did identify the large cloud shapes that spun around on the wall with some kind of turning mechanism.
On the floor were a number of playhouses and massive cagey jungle gyms. They were in various colors with cartoonish character cut outs and slides that struck out of the sides. From where you stood, things seemed fairly safe but it was daunting to think about how many little kids could technically be in there. Was one animatronic supposed to watch all of them? Or two? Or you?
The silence was what really got you after a few minutes of staring. Aside from a playful and child-like tune that repetitively bounced off the speakers in the room, you couldn't hear any kids. Or see them. The large room was clearly empty, though a staff bot with a mop was downstairs, outside of the play area. A staircase was to your left that wrapped around the side and a massive set of wooden double doors with big black metal hinges was a little beyond that. They led directly into the daycare.
Your eyes narrowed and you frowned, your eyes tracing out the path the stairs would make it from you to the door. You were absolutely done with walking around and your weak shoulder ached enough due to your bag having been on it for the last few hours. You didn't want to walk anymore. You wanted an alternative.
There was one.
Past the stairs was a bright yellow slide. The hole to enter it was there with a colorful sign that said "Slide into fun" in a silly, wiggly font. With the doors in the way, you couldn't see where exactly the slide would deposit whoever went down it. It didn't matter to you though because you just knew by the look of it that it was designed for children. There was no way it wasn't.
Your eyes darted to the left and right before your body turned and you swiveled your head around to check for anyone that might have been watching. Your lips pursed in a faux attempt to whistle - which you were incapable of doing - and you crouched down by the slide before lowering onto your butt. You could tell by looking through the tunnel that it got dark fast, and you weren't enjoying the prospect of managing a little static after shooting down the plastic. But this was what laziness got you.
You pondered whether you should actually do it before deciding you had taken a long enough time as it was. "To hell with it." You muttered, getting almost flat on your back and gripping the small bar above to hold yourself. The handhold was a little small for you. "How bad could this be?" Without any time to question your own choices, your hands released the bar and you forced yourself down the slide. It was faster than you expected and a yell left your throat as you plummeted into the darkness.