<-----part 13, part 15----->
A/N: It's here....it's finally here!!
The alarm that I had set off started going off. I snapped awake and shut it off. Rubbing my eyes I sighed and said, “Come on Y/N, time to get moving.” I pulled the blanket off me and went to go change out of my pajamas.
I pulled up to the factory and sat in my car gripping onto the steering wheel. Was I really going to go into the factory after hours and try to find DogDays contract? And possibly the other contracts of the Smiling Critters? My palms were feeling sweaty. ‘Don’t sike yourself out’ I kept thinking in my head. I shut off my car and made my way inside the factory.
Normally employees couldn’t get in now, but since I’m a helper, I have clearance to get into the building at any time I want. Though I’m only supposed to use this little clearance when I need to give DogDay a bath but that’s beside the point! I scanned my badge and was let inside the building.
Since the cable car made a lot of noise, I decided to take the stairs to Playcare. I wasn’t really in a rush like last time so I would carefully go down the stairs this time. As I made my way down the steps, I couldn’t help but feel like I was being watched. Then again, there was hardly any light in this area so something or someone most likely could be watching me right now. If I get caught, I could just lie and say that I left my phone here or something.
Thankfully nothing interrupted me going down the eighteen flights of stairs, so I quietly pushed open the door that led into Playcare and looked around. The lights were shut off. Gotta say this place looked a little creepy without lights. I shuffled past the door, being sure to prop it open with a fake rock. I quietly made my way down the hill of tables and chairs carefully avoiding running into them.
Maybe I’m being paranoid, but I could’ve sworn that I saw a shadow move over from the Playhouse. Part of me wanted to check it out but I shook my head and focused on the task at hand.
I made it to the counselor's office and as soon as I was about to open the door, a purple tail wrapped around my ankle. “Uh oh.” Within seconds I was yanked into the air and met with CatNap laying down on the roof of the building. “Hey buddy. Haven't seen you in a while.” I said smiling but also feeling a little scared. CatNap didn’t say anything to me, only tilting his head to the side. “You’re probably wondering what I’m doing here, and I have a good reason for that so could you please put me down?” CatNap moved me over next to him and set me down still having his tail wrapped around my ankle.
“Not what I meant with that but okay.” “Friend.” I looked at him expecting him to say something else, but he didn’t. “Not much of a talker huh? That’s okay. Listen, I’m going to tell you something but promise me you won’t tell DogDay okay?” CatNap nodded his head slowly. I then whispered to CatNap, “I’m trying to find a way to get all of you guys out of contract with Playtime. That’s why I’m here.” CatNap just continued to stare at me, not saying anything. Suddenly, the grip that CatNap had on my ankle tightened. I looked at CatNap and his whole presence shifted. “The prototype will save us. Not you.” Huh? Who was the prototype? “Anyone who gets in the way-” CatNap then moved me up into the air and out from the roof. As I was being held upside down, I had a feeling what he was about to do. “Hey hey! We’re friends! Please don’t drop me please!” I whispered to him but was also yelling at him. “-Is a heretic. You are a heretic, friend.”
He loosened his grip on my ankle. When I was falling it seemed to happen in slow motion. My mind was racing. ‘Do something!’ ‘Tuck your head in!’ As I got closer and closer to the ground, I tucked my body close together and hit the ground, rolling down the hill. I protected my head, but the rest of my body was badly sore, and I got the air knocked out of me. I don’t know how I managed to keep quiet through all this. I soon came to the bottom of the hill and unrolled my body.
I laid still for a good few minutes. ‘What do I do now? My whole body is aching.’ I thought to myself. I could hear CatNap jump off the roof and start walking towards me. My body was completely numb. ‘Come on! Get up! Get up now!’ I kept screaming that in my head. I then had the strength to move and got up while groaning. Even though my body was in pain I ran towards the door I came through.
As I ran towards the door I didn’t dare look back behind me. I could just hear CatNap walking towards me so I knew he was chasing me. ‘Almost there! Keep going!’ I then saw that CatNap ran past me and up to the door. I stopped running and looked at him. He shut the door. The only way I could get out was now closed off. I held onto my body as it started aching more. ‘Where can I go?’ I quickly looked around and laid my eyes on the Playhouse. I could hide in there, but I’d have to move quickly.
I took deep breaths before turning on my heels and running towards the Playhouse.
It’s been three hours since I last saw CatNap. I looked at my phone and saw that it would be another two hours before Playtime opened, and the cable car would be brought down. The whole time has been a game of hide and seek with me and CatNap. I’d find a good place to hide and then he’d let out his red smoke around the area I was in, forcing me to move. I was tired and needed to rest.
When I was running away from CatNap I stumbled into a new area in Playcare that I had never seen. It was a room and along the sides were cells. I could hear breathing, or rather snoring coming from up ahead. I limped over to check out what or who was making that noise. Looking into the cells, I could see the noises came from the Smiling Critters. What were they doing here? Is this where they slept? I immediately noticed that DogDay wasn’t here; but there were two empty cells. I’m guessing one is for DogDay and the other one is for CatNap. I had a lot of questions in that moment, but I heard movement from behind me. I froze, fearing that CatNap had found me. There was nowhere I could go. I was trapped.
I fell to the floor and silently cried. ‘I knew I shouldn’t have done this. This was a stupid idea.’ “Angel?” I shot my head up and turned around and saw that it was DogDay. “Angel what are you doing here?” He looked at me and realized something was wrong with me. “What happened to you?” I tried getting up but once I did, I fell back onto the ground. “Angel?!” DogDay ran over to me and picked me up. “Talk to me Angel, what’s wrong?” “CatNap....I think he’s trying to..kill me.” When I spoke, it hurt. DogDay looked very confused which I understood. I just told him that his best friend is trying to kill me. Before DogDay could say anything else I said, “I tried to leave, but couldn’t. I-” “Shh. Don’t talk. I think I hear him coming.”
DogDay motioned me to stay quiet as he carried me out of the Playhouse. Thankfully we didn’t run into CatNap; though that could’ve meant he was out wandering outside. Luck was on our side as there was no sign of CatNap anywhere.
DogDay took me into my office and laid me down on his bed. “It’s alright Angel, you’re safe now.” I closed my eyes and tried to steady my breathing. “Now tell me what’s going on.” I didn’t want to tell him like this but might as well rip the band aid off now. “Okay, I’ll tell you. But please...bear with me as it hurts to breathe right now.” DogDay nodded and held onto my hand. “Friday is my last day here. Since I adopted Damian, I can no longer work here...and I didn’t know about that until Stella showed me in the email that I got when I was hired. That being said....I won’t be able to see you anymore...but I didn’t want that to happen so I thought if I could get a hold of your contract...and destroy it or something...you could come with me and Damian...I came here to look for it but CatNap caught me and called me a heretic and then dropped me from the top of this building... I tried leaving but he closed the only exit I had so I ran and hid from him.”
Never before had I seen DogDay look so angry. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before breathing out and opening his eyes. “Angel, I’m sorry that you went through all that. CatNap is not himself at the moment, however that is no excuse for what he has done to you. Rest assured that I will have a talk with him. Onto other things, I already knew that you would be leaving at the end of the week, Ms. Stella told me. She wanted me to look for another helper, but I don’t want to. I want to be with you and Damian out in the real world.”
DogDay got up and went over to my desk and picked up a file and brought it over to me. I reached out, grabbed it and gasped when I looked inside. Inside was his contract along with all the other Smiling Critters. This is just what I needed! “How did you- where did you get these?!” DogDay smiled at me while saying, “I’m not supposed to leave this area but I overheard a couple of staff members talking about contracts and where they were placed so I snuck out and fetched this for you. I know you only needed mine, but I would hate to leave behind my friends.” I looked up to him and smiled and said, “I was thinking the very same thing. It wouldn’t be fair if only you got to experience life outside of here.” DogDay raised an eyebrow and smiled while saying, “What are you getting at Angel?” “I was planning on having everyone here join us. I want to open my own orphanage and have everyone here come along.”
DogDay seemed a little confused from my plan so once I explained it to him, he seemed to be on board! “You really think it’ll work Angel?” “I have no idea, but I have to try.” “I’ll do everything I can in here while you take care of things out there.” I nodded before yawning. “Seems like someone is tired. Might I recommend you get some sleep on the best pillow ever?” I playfully rolled my eyes and said, “I wouldn’t want to sleep without my favorite pillow.”
DogDay then carefully picked me up and laid down on his back before he placed me on his chest. “Comfy?” I nodded yes and closed my eyes, feeling my body relaxed after all this time. DogDay kissed the top of my head and before I fell asleep, I heard him say, “Sleep well, my Angel.”
A/N: Who remembers when DogDay first said that to us? (This part went through so many changes which is why it took so long so post again I'm sorry for the delay but lemme know how this one is :D)