It had been two weeks since Mike had become unemployed, and he was struggling.
It had been a shock to show up for his shift, just to find the pizzeria completely shut down. There had been rumors, of course, of this sort of thing happening. The business had been going downhill for years, decrepit halls and worn-out attractions no longer fostering the attention of children like it once had. Therefore, it wasn't necessarily surprising to the guard overall - it was more the abrupt manner in which they did so. They had left him with nothing but a note at the locked door informing him his job was terminated, and no final paycheck.
(A warning had been scribbled onto the side of the paper to not pursue it. Mike knew it would do no good, anyway - he had been employed and paid under the table, due to his age and lack of required records. The company would likely deny him having ever worked there if he contacted them.)
Having his income swept out from under him was awful. His landlord had been utterly unforgiving - Mike was facing eviction soon, and was dreading returning to the streets. Those first few weeks after being thrown out had been nothing short of hellish, and he was sure to do it once more would crush his soul completely.
With his mind full of worries after yet another rejection from a potential employer, Mike was stumbling his way back home. This part of town was rundown, long ignored by the county and largely abandoned. It was a quicker route than the main roads, but the ex-guard was already regretting taking it. The long shadows of dusk made it hard to see the many cracks and holes in the pavement, and his crutch was repeatedly getting caught within them. Bending down, Mike was twisting it free for the umpteenth time when he heard a noise that made him freeze.
He was well-versed in the sound of mechanical movement, straining his ears each night to hear the approach of any animatronic. Those footsteps were unmistakable to him. I have to be hallucinating. It's the stress! He frantically thought. Although he hadn't given much thought as to the fate of the four mascots, far too caught up in his own problems, there was no reason for any of them to be out here!
Slowly, Mike raised his head, eyes widening in horror when he was met with the sight of none other than Freddy Fazbear in the alley.