Poppy Playtime

Home Sweet Home

I exited the cable car and the phone started to ring again. I jolted from the sudden noise and grabbed it, answering the phone as I put it to my ear.
"Psst. It's me again, Ollie" Ollie spoke. "Cool place, right? The kids used to live here. Now look at it."
As he spoke, I walked down the steps. "Anyways...Do you see that statue in the middle of the room?" He asked. I glanced up, "I do."
Ollie replied, "Take the stairs that go under it. There's a really cool room in there that powers literally ALL of Playcare! I can give you a key down there." He hung up afterwards.
I looked at the phone and put it in my pocket. As I walked towards the statue, I noticed signs around it. But, one of them stood out.
I walked to it, reading the name aloud. "DogDay..." I muttered. "What happened to you...What happened to all of you?"
I walked to the door, taking the steps that led under the statue. I walked around the room before finding the key, grabbing it. I felt the phone ring in my pocket and I grabbed it, answering it again.
"So, you got the key..." Ollie spoke, "Now the question you're probably asking yourself is: Where does it go?"
I replied, "Yeah, that is what I'm wondering."
"Well, head back out and you should find a door just to the left of the cable car you took down here" Ollie explained. "Alright. Thanks, Ollie" I replied.
                                   ——
I reached the room and the phone rung once more. I answered it. "Welcome to the Gas Production Zone, the beating heart of the whole evil Playcare system." Ollie explained.
I paused for a moment, "Evil?"
He continued, "All that has you see coming from the machine is made right here in the factory. It's called The Red Smoke."
I approached the machine as Ollie talked. "Right now it's all headed off to the right. We need to make that Red Smoke go left instead. That's how we can get to him. The machine will probably have a few dumb safeguards for you to work around."
"But, I think you can do it. I'll call you once it's done."
I glance at the machine and then look around, "Okay...Time to get this machine working."
                                    ——
I walked back to the machine. I also managed to get a grab pack 2.0. I pressed the button on the machine and the Red Smoke started to transfer left.
But, as it was about to be finished, the power shut off, the lights going out. "Oh, come on!" I groaned and kicked the machine out of anger.
The phone started to ring and I grabbed it, answering it. "Hey, Ollie. The power went out. What do we do now?"
He replied "Go back under the statue. I sent you another key. Use that to get into Home Sweet Home. Once you're inside, find the building's backup generator."
"You got it. Thanks Ollie" I replied and hung up, putting the phone in my pocket. "Hopefully I won't be chased once again..." I muttered and started to leave.
                                       ——
I arrived at Home Sweet Home and unlocked it, entering the building. I walked down the hall, reaching a door and I opened it, only to be met with Red Smoke.
I jolted and stepped back, "Woah- What the?" I muttered, my eyes narrowing. I was hesitant, but entered.
As I entered, I started to cough "Uhg...Damn smoke. Where's that generator?" I looked around and started to walk downstairs. It was starting to feel endless, but the smoke faded away finally.
I stopped at the bottom of the stairs, seeing a endless hallway. "Huh...Why would they need this?" I raised an eyebrow. I started to walk through the hallway, my vision seeing it darken and start to look narrow. I blinked and stopped in my tracks.
I looked over my shoulder, not seeing anything. "I swear, something's following me..." I whisper and continue walking. I take the hallway to my left, but paused as the radio on the dresser played. I walked over to listen to it.
"Tragic news this morning. As of 9:45 am, local authorities report that the body of a young boy has been found on the estate of the late Elliot Ludwig, an esteemed toy maker and originator of the Playtime Company. At this time, an identity for the child awaits official confirmation."
I frowned and continued my search, but started to slow my walk...There were long claw marks along the walls and floors. I felt a shudder go up my spine.
Something is in here with me. I know it. I continued to walk through the halls, until I heard a phone ring. I look around and follow the sound, arriving at a room. I walked to the phone, picking it up and putting it to my ear.
Ollie's voice came from the line, "You need to run."
It was cut off. I raised an eyebrow, "Ollie? Ollie??" I ask. Nothing. I put the phone down and turned around, seeing a glimpse of CatNap peaking in from the doorway, but he disappeared.
I let out a small gasp, a shiver going up my spine. "...I knew something was following me." I muttered. I walked to the doorway, hesitantly peaking out, but didn't see CapNap anywhere.
I started to walk through the halls, hearing the radio's static go off. I kept looking around, feeling as if he would jump out at any moment. As I turned a corner, I paused.
There he was. He was standing at the end of the hallway, just staring at me. My breath caught in my throat, I was frozen. My hands were shaking. I hid behind the wall, but peaked out again, seeing him standing there still.
I took in a breath and let it out. I walked down the hall. As I got closer, I saw him disappear. I peaked my head around the corner, seeing claw marks all over the ground. There was even words carved into the floor.
It said "Haunts you"
I shuddered at that. I really had to find the generator and get the f*ck out of here. I continued to walk down the halls, reaching a hallway with torn wallpaper and claw marks. Distant screams of terror started to fill my ears.
It sounded so far away...So out of reach. As I reached a room, it stopped. I looked around, noticing writing on the walls. I then saw a tape. I grabbed it and put it in the VHS player.
I watched the tv turn on and I gasped at the face I saw. "Huggy...?"
A man spoke, "Greetings, Employees, and welcome to your first day here in Playtime! We're certain that in the days to come you'll find your new family here every bit as loving and supportive as your own."
"Feel free to wander the halls! Sit in the mess for lunch! Or watch our children play and learn to their little heart's content. Join the innovationists, where the bounds of science are continuously pushed."
"Or join the Counselors of Playcare, whose diligence and care for our children will help shape a brighter future, just you see."
"Now, every one of you has your part in that future, so should you come back tomorrow feeling unhappy for where you are, or what you've done..."
"Worry not, for your supervisor is here and happy to listen! And..." The screen slowly went black. "Should you ever come back...Years later...Your conscience finally getting the better of you."
"May you descend into the dark and the dust, finding all that awaits you are incomprehensible horrors..." As the man spoke, I saw an image of Huggy again, but in a more creepy look. I took a few steps back.
"Each hungry for your return, each eager that they might find you. Perhaps they'd smile at you from a shadow, their smiling mouths full of teeth and meat and plastic, watching and waiting patiently for their turn at a warm welcome."
"Or perhaps they won't allow you such time to figure your place in the world you'd left. A world that's theirs now. Welcome home..."
"Alex."
I gasped, watching as Huggy started to crawl out of the tv. I booked it, running down the hall. I could hear his footsteps getting closer.
I panted as I ran, trying to speed it up to get away from him. He caught up to me, pinning me down by his claw and he screeched, stabbing me in my right eye, my patch and face being splattered in blood.
I let out a piercing scream of pain, the returning feeling of his claws reminding me of that moment when he clawed my exact eye out.
                                       ——
I gasped and sat up, panting. I felt my right eye, the patch there, along with my scar. I sighed, taking a few breaths to calm myself.
"That was weird...It felt so real..." I thought and stood. I shook my head, "No. I need to focus and get that generator going."