A sunny day could show how it was going to go for anyone...

First, like every day, I was woken up by my alarm from my clock on the nightstand beside me. I smashed the button to turn it off before it kept screaming this stressful sound. I rubbed my sore eyes to wake up more. I stared at the ceiling for a good five minutes and then I decided to get out of my warm embrace the cover of my bed was giving me. It is sad I leave such a comforting cocoon I made myself in during the night.

Second, I look at the calendar to see which day I was on today. Friday, 10th of september 1995... It was my last day of work before the weekend came. I smile at the idea of what I would be doing on my break time in my sweet home. But this smile soon dropped off of my facial expression.

Third, I realized this was also the day of my birthday. I was going to turn one year older. I am still young but somehow knowing that I was slowly getting close to death was not a good thought to start to have in the morning. I shook my head and glanced at the time on the clock. I was going to be late if I don't change now.

So in only ten minutes, I was able to change my attire to my work outfit and get a proper clean look on my face and hair. To my relief I had time to take a snack for a small breakfast before I got into my car and rode to my workplace.


The Playtime.Co factory.

This place was where I worked. I was... An engineer, a janitor and more there. I was given a lot of work some employees didn't like to do here. It's like I was only a remplacement for someone. I didn't mind them because it was all I was doing here. Work the day until it gets dark outside and go home to come back tomorrow to repeat the same routine. I had hoped to have less tasks today since it is my birthday.

Unlike the old workplace I used to work at... Here I can have a ten minute break and have a nice chat with some co-workers.

While I was focused on putting down my bag of belongings in a locker I was called by someone.

Avery, he was the supervisor around here with Rich. Seeing him with a smile and a wave of hand that was welcoming me. "Hey y/n! It is so good to see you on time!" He said with such joy. If you could compare him to a golden retriever, there is no doubt that they both have the same personality.

I moved away from my locker and closed it with a code of three numbers before I turned my body over to his direction. I raised a hand up with the dumb close in it to wave side to side to him. Then I closed the hand full and had the thumb press on top, moving the wrist forward and backward while I gave a small smile to the man.

It took a small moment for Avery to understand the small ASL language I used as he nodded his head to confirm that he understood. I was glad some employees could know and learn about hand language because I am mute. "Me and Rich are going to put up some Huggy Wuggy boxes in the warehouse for the children, wanna come with us?" Normally he would just leave me to go do my work and wish me luck. Does this mean he really wants me to work with them this morning?

I was excited but I cannot let this emotion surge through me as I quickly walked to him. I nodded my head a lot before I stopped and showed an 'ok' sign to him. I shall show my professionalism at work and not let such childish moves get in the way. Avery chuckled to my enthusiasm and waved for me to come along as he was leading the way to the storage.

The area was... Very huge. Some conveyors are leading to what would be the make-a-friend machines as there were some boxes already being transported there. This place was too big for only a few people to work in. To the point I felt like an ant standing in it. I heard and spotted someone back over a shelf. Grumbling or mumbling some profanity about something.

Soon they huffed in exhaustion and got out of the big carton box they had been searching in. The person I have been staring at was Rich. Our dear grumpy worker that always complains about the factory. He seemed to be devastated on what he was searching for a second ago.

Avery was the first to get closer to his colleague and speak with a comforting way. "Hey Rich, Me and y/n came to help out on finding those huggy boxes." He patted his friend's shoulder as he already went to a shelf to start the search. The grumpy man glanced at me and said nothing. Me and him never really got in a good relationship since I ever appeared in the team. So I only gave a nod of my head to him and went to a shelf to also help out.

Only half an hour later... We found nothing. No box that would contain any of the Huggy wuggy's franchise. There were some Mommy long legs... Some Poppy... Cat bee, candy cat, Bron, Boogie bot or even Kissy Missy herself. Those main characters were all there in each box addressed to them, but no trace of our dear blue fuzzy monster.

"Ugh, Rich, where are those huggy boxes?" Avery asked, already annoyed, to find some empty boxes on his way.

Rich sighed as he threw a box away in a harsh way. "I swear this place is going to make me crazy for those Huggy boxes!" he was frustrated already as he just threw his hands around.

Avery comes over to try to calm down his colleague. "Hey don't let this get to you so easily.. We will find those." He reasoned that he glanced at you. You gave a thumb up to validate this as you were already going to search another shelf. You were sure that in this big storage you will find them.

And you did... You spotted a box that was moving on a conveyor belt. It was open and you had spotted a blue arm hanging out from it. It was going to pass the hatch and get to the make-a-friend area if you don't stop it.

You quickly waved Avery and Rich over to make them react. yet the two were deep in a conversation they could not notice you.

You glanced between them and the box that was slowly getting closer to the hatch. You got into action by jumping onto the conveyor belt and hopped over one box to another until you got to it. If only you had a grab pack, you would have stopped the hatch down. Avery was the first to notice you and say something before Rich also reacted and rushed to use his grab pack to stop the whole conveyor belt. you let out a sigh of relief as you took the box and hop out of the now stopped belt. "Dammit... Next time hit us instead of rushing onto a roller coaster!" Rich gave a pointed look at you while Avery came and checked that you were alright before he took the box from your hands to inspect it.

You said you were sorry with your hands as you were trying to tell that you had tried to get their attention. Rich seemed to not care about your apologies and instead ignored you as he was intrigued to see what was in the box. Ton of Huggy wuggy toys were in there. To a relief the both looked at each other and smiled in joy. Both looked at you and they looked thankful despite the small scare you gave them.

"Well uh... Ahem, I wanted to say thanks to you for finding those on time." Rich was thanking you? That is something new to hear this morning.

You smiled and gave two thumbs up to ensure you were fine and happy to help out. Even though the meaning behind that hand language was not really what it said. But the grumpy man seemed to understand well. "Alright, what about you go uh... Take a break or something? Me and Avery will take care of the rest here."

You shrug and waved goodbye to the both before you leave the warehouse. You faintly heard them talk to each other. But you did not care enough as you didn't want to eardrop on them. Instead you were taken on the floor by some kids when you left the long dark hallway with pipes. They sounded happy to see you. Normally you were told to never interact with the orphans that were wandering around the factory. well mostly to the area they were brought into to play in.

"The machine is making weird noises..."

"Can you please help us?"

"Yeah! You have magic hands!"

With the children it was hard to speak with ASL. Most haven't learned it. But you were glad to teach some on your break time. You stand up and help them too as they immediately grasp your hands and pull you to the Make-a-friend area. You follow without putting a resistance and you soon see the three machines in question. The left and right one seemed to function well. It was the middle one that was giving such trouble. 'Mh... I never thought one would do this.' You thought, before you, the red machine eyes were moving around in a circle and making a lot of sounds that belonged to a train horn mixed with a boat one.

You signed for the children to stay back and not approach any closer while you would work on it. All held some hope in those innocent eyes as they watched you go closer. You had to pass the big plastic tube and get behind the machine to open the panel that would control its function. To your surprise the circuit wires were all in a total shamble. You had to put those in a better placement to see the problem was a hidden switch that has been flipped. This one had a word label on top of it 'crazy mode' written there. You flipped it off and it seems to be the miracle that put the red machine to act back to how it used to be.

The kids applaud in pure ecstasy to be able to create their friendly toys now. You bow to them like in a show when it ends, which brings some giggles out of them. You never know what was funny in that, but you let them have their fun.

Now that you have fixed something up, it was time to take a break. So you left Make-a-friend and went into the cafeteria to get something from the coffee machine. There was also a snack machine, but most of them were full of Candy cat chewing gum or mommy long legs gummies. Candies were not something you wanted to eat, so a warm coffee is it.

But as usual, there was this big Huggy statue that would reside in the center of the area, where of course each door there led to a different path or room. The theater, where children can go watch movies or cartoons there or even the workers can go there too when it's about the business of making fun videos for the toy production. There was the power room. It is where the electrical and back generator would be in case there is outrange of power.

Most technicians or engineers go in there once a month to do a check up that is nothing out of the ordinary. Which I was the one sent to do so. There is the innovation room, which was... Where the director and co-founder chat with some workers about making new toy production. So basically it's just a big room that held a long rectangle table surrounded by chairs with a tv left at a corner with a movable whiteboard. I only saw the room once because I was not allowed to go in there.

There was also a testing room. Which I know obviously it's to make and test the toys resistance and be sure nothing harms the children when they play with those.

Lastly, the cafeteria, where I was going to. Yet I can't help but stare at the statue's eyes as I walk over my destination. The thing was giving me the chills. Don't get me wrong, the smaller versions of this are indeed cute. But seeing this giant was making me uneasy. Like I had the impression it was not just a statue made for just a presentation for the tour given by the customers that come to see the factory.

You remembered when you got to help another worker that was the guide. You had to translate with asl for the deaf people that were there that day...
You could feel someone's eyes set on your back all the time you passed this room to get to an area you were called to work over. Every time you would check over your shoulder to see no one behind you. It was only when you looked up...

'I could have sworn I saw its eyes glance down at me.'

When you blinked, its eyes were back staring forward at the entrance of the area.You shook your head as you quickly got inside the cafeteria and closed the double doors behind you. You felt safe there and didn't want to go back there now. So you went to the coffee machine and pressed some buttons of your choice. A cup dropped out and then it got filled with a dark brown color and some whipped cream(or not) and a cube of sugar was added afterward. When it was done the machine let out a cute sound to say it was ready to take your drink. Which you did and take a sip from it.

It was hot, warm enough to have you take another gulp before taking a random chair over a table to sit on. You were not alone in that room. You gave a friendly wave to some colleagues when they spotted you from afar. Even though you would get a weird look sometimes, which made you wonder if this morning you did really make yourself look presentable. You glanced down on yourself, seeing everything was fine about your outfit. You frown and look back up to the group. They were chatting and sometimes glancing at you again. what was wrong with them suddenly?

You stood up, taking your cup with you as you left the cafeteria. Their look was getting to your mind and you prefer to not have some problem created during your small break. You went automatically over the podium and sat down right next to the Huggy statue feet.

'I don't understand what they are looking for? I mean I'm... Clean and not a weirdo for sure. I can't speak like them but there is no need to look like me in such a way.... It's like I have done something wrong where all I did was work my ass around here! Was I wrong to believe this was the best to work in?'

You were lost in your mind, taking some sip until your cup was already empty. You kept bringing up the empty cup to your mouth until you realized you were drinking nothing. You set it down and sigh. Maybe you were freaking out over nothing? Maybe you need to see a psychologist that will help you get rid of those negative feelings?

Something soft landed on top of your head, caressing your hair in a caring way. Confused, you glance up to see a long blue limb and a big yellow hand ruffling in your hair you suppose. Eyes wide you quickly can see the statue has changed its position. It was standing sideways, towering over you with concern filling those plastic eyes that now looked alive. You shifted backward, getting on your feet you can't believe this. So it was... He was alive? They really made an actual living toy in this place? Or was it an hallucination of yours? Even though he was indeed alive! The breathing, the way he moved his limbs around or even the head tilt he just did now!

You were starting to panic as you took some steps back. Almost you slipped onto one of the Huggy boxes that were put on display around the podium. Your breath quickened and you immediately wanted to run away from the being before you.

The moment was cut short when a worker stepped in the room and saw what was going on in their point of view. They thought you were going to be attacked whereas Huggy was only making careful moves toward you to make sure you were alright. But the man didn't have any other way but to call out. "Hey! What are you doing out there? You're supposed to stay still when the lights are on!" He was scolding the blue monster like he was a child.

You took the distraction to rush and get out of here and run into a hallway leading to some elevator.

During your flee, you didn't see how the blue being had changed his behavior toward the worker that was scolding him. He looked less friendly and more like a beast ready to kill at any violent move from the man before him. He bared his teeth with a warning with a deep growl.

The worker's face would pale up a bit at the sight as he had become a stuttering mess and immediately called on a talkie for backup.

Meanwhile you had pressed a lot of buttons leading to any other levels in the building. Which results in you ending up in an unfamiliar place. Your terror after meeting the famous mascot children babbles about... You realize you got to a restricted area only higher ups and some workers that were on top of your ranks could go into.

'What the.... This place looks vast...' It was. A big room with a bunch of doors leading to an office. Each one labeled with... People names you had never heard of. You never thought after getting out of the elevator and walking through some corridors you would get to... A laboratory?

Well where you are looks like a waiting room for a doctor to come get you. Even though the posters and flyers put around on the walls tell otherwise. There even was on the right, a turned off television pinned on the wall.

Right next to a disturbing poster. This one showed... The inside of one of the toys? Like one for a representation of the inside of a human body. There are similarities on it. Though there is a small description written so little in the corner of it that you had to get a closer look.

'We gave them the name "anthropomorphics toys!" those beings we created by our own hands! With human DNA and blood we were able to produce a new species to our factory! Isn't it fun?'

Your face kinda crunch up on this little text you just read. So the factory did make the big mascot by only using human DNA and blood? This sounds so unreal to you. This must be a joke, yet you indeed saw Huggy wuggy statue move like a living person or being would.

You needed to tell someone about this discovery. Even though this is a dumb idea. After all, telling this information could actually get some workers to act in pure panic or even end up quitting.

You had to tell no matter what the situation ended up being. Others needed to know what the factory was hiding.

Taking a step back, you turned around to go back to the elevator. Only to stop in your tracks when you see your boss. Leith Pierre. The head of innovation of Playtime.Co. He looked serious and standing higher than you. He was giving the vibe to be the one in control.

Since Elliot Ludwig was gone... This man decided to be the one that held the chains over the place.

You never liked him despite him being your employer.

"Y/N.... What are you doing here? This place is not allowed for workers in your range to wander around."

You vaguely signed with your hands to him about how you accidentally ended up here and thought about going to one of the rooms you used to go to clean up. You intend to pretend to be dumb and have a way to tell him how similar this level and the other level looked similar with the structure.

"Mmh... So you weren't reading this on the wall as well instead of going back from your steps?"

This man was not easy to convince as he was smart to see right through you. He knows that you knew about the big mascot around the factory being an anthros.

The troubled look you gave was disappointing. He let out a deep sigh as he held both hands in front of his chest. It's like he was going to discharge you or something because of this.

"I regret to announce it to you... To keep this to yourself. Or else I am going to fire you. Do you understand me Y/N?"

If you were flabbergasted right now. You didn't show it. You stayed as silent as you were. One blink or two but nothing said through your hands. The innovator was waiting for an answer that you understood. You gave a slight nod after a minute of thinking about the situation. If you follow, you won't meet such a consequence. Plus you needed the money given here. It's not like somewhere else no one could employ you.

Leith smiled proudly at your answer as he got closer to give you a warm pat on your shoulders. "Oh, By the way, Happy birthday to you." You didn't have time to say 'thanks' back when something was dropped in your hands and your boss walked away to where he had come from.

You were in shock that your boss was actually the first to tell you this morning a happy birthday. You shook your head and glanced down at your hands curiously. The gift you received was... A keychain of Huggy wuggy winking at you alongside a flying heart over with a raised thumb up. You can't help but smile at how cute this was. But it quickly drops as soon this makes you realize the agreement you just made.

To be continued...