Chucky E. Cheese: Chapter One

To celebrate the holiday of Halloween, I have begun writing my R.L. Stine inspired short story. However, due to the length of this story, I am going to release it as a serial, two chapter, note. (I know, fucking epic right?) I hope to have the second half done by Halloween; so if you're really that bored, you can look forward to it. If you have any ideas, for how the second half should go, let me know in the comments. Also, think before you start to complain that this is boring! If anything, the second half is going to be totally mad, and in the spirit of Halloween, so don't worry. I just wanted to have it properly setup so it doesn't seem like pure craziness.

And, following in the footsteps of the classic, Texas Chainsaw Massacre series, this is:
Based on a True Story


My Night at Chuck E. Cheese

By Josh Yagley

I stumbled into the night, and out of the school. Thinking back to the exam I had just escaped from.

The test had gone horribly. It went so poorly, in fact, that I couldn't get any work down for a few problems. Knowing it was futile, I tried to figure out someway that I could have possibly passed it. Maybe if he gives partial credit it will work out... god dammit Professor! I am sure a couple problems weren't even covered in the homework!

When I finally got to my car at the end of the parking lot. I took my seat at the steering wheel, and I put the key into the ignition, and turned it. Nothing came from the car.

"GOD FUCKING DAMMIT WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON TODAY?!", I kicked the old car a couple times, not so much to try to get it to work, but more to let off a little anger. After I settled down, I pulled out my phone and called up information to get a tow truck. After getting a hold of the towing company, they told me that there was a big accident on the highway during rush hour. And their entire truck force was out there to clean it up. He then said that it was going to be a couple of hours before anyone would be available and said they would call me once someone was heading my way. I thanked him and said to try to get here as soon as possible.

Now I have to wait two hours?! This is just fucking great. God, my fucking luck has been amazing today?!

Trying to think of something to do, I remembered that there was a strip mall down the street. There must be some place to get something to eat there. So, I grabbing my jacket and cell phone, left the car, and started heading down the street.

It was cold; too cold for my thin jacket and the breeze cut right through it. But thankfully the strip mall was just as close as I remembered it.

Looking at the large building, I noticed that the only store that hadn't shut down, was the Chuck E. Cheese at the end on the structure. Every other store was long gone and had all of there lights off, some with plywood behind the window to avoid break ins. Damn the Michigan economy really does suck.

But back to the Chuck E. Cheese, the store had a bright yellow and red awning, with their mutated, furry, mascot staring right at me.

While it wasn't the most appealing place for me to hang out. But I thought to myself; I'm pretty cold, and have quite a bit of time to kill, so I might as well head in. Even though it was a little weird, how the mutant mouse's eyes seemed be looking right at me.

It was actually a little creepy; but I chalked it up to poor logo design.

When I first walked into the child controlled hell hole; I was immediately sent into an over stimulated shock from the blinding lights and screaming kids. I was forced to close my eyes so they could adjust to the sun-like, array of spot lights and arcade machines. When I first opened them, all I could see was a blur of kids yelling, shouting, and playing games that I didn't remember as a child.

Going back and forth on, if I was going to stay. I decided that while it was going to be a draining night; I was already; hungry, tired, and this was by far the closest thing to civilization I could get to in walking distance. So I went looking for a seat, so that I could get a drink, and possibly a pizza.

At the end of the aisle, I saw an empty booth. Thinking that it would be the least conspicuous. I started heading to the table. Passing booth, after booth, full of parents; I finally got to my spot, in the corner of the building.

As soon as I got to my position, a waitress showed up out of the blinding lights to take my order.

She was very pale, and the only other feature I can remember was her smile. Her smile, was bright and perky, but extended way past what could possible be comfortable. While young, I could tell that this constant smile was beginning to take it's toll on her. You could see stretch marks and wrinkles on her, no older than 25, face.

When she spoke, it was like hearing a commercial.

"WELCOME TO CHUCK E. CHEESE! WHERE EVEN YOU CAN BE A KID AGAIN! My name is Justine, and I'll be you waitress today. Is there anything I can start you off with?"

I looked at her blankly for a moment, still trying to block out all the screams of the kids behind her. Finally uttering out, "Uhh, okay, I'll just have a water. Thanks."

"Sorry sir, but we don't have that here", she delivered with her super sized smile.

Myself, now confused, looked into her blank, but still smiling face.

"You don't have water?"

"Not for customers. Chuck E. doesn't think it is fun enough."

I was now completely puzzled by this. Both from the fact that they didn't serve something that I thought by law any restaurant had to be able to give a customer when they asked for it; to the way that she referred to their mascot as her boss, even though I obviously wasn't a child.

"Well couldn't I just get some water from the kitchen faucet?" I retort.

"That sink is broken", breaking her smile for a split second, before correcting it.

"Fine," giving up on the obviously meaningless battle, "then what do you have"

"Mountain Dew, Pepsi, Root Beer, Dr. Pepper, and Chuck E.'s Favorite"

"What's Chuck E.'s Favorite?"

"It's a mix of Chuck E.'s favorite drinks; it's the house favorite, hence the name. And we have never met someone who didn't like it."

"All right, I was just curious. I'll have a Dr. Pepper."

"Are you sure you don't want to get Chuck E.'s Favorite?"

"Yeah, I'd enjoy a Dr. Pepper, it's fine."

"All right, I'll get that right out for you."

The waitress disappeared into blinding lights from whence she came.

I was left at my booth, by myself, with little to do, besides; look at the wall, and listen to the constant, high pitched, shrieks of children, behind me, due to my seating position.

With my spare time, I started to examine the table I was sitting at. It was bright yellow, with cute, dark, circles drawn on it, to give it the appearance of holes. As to match it, the booth's seats, which were designed in a similar way. One thing that surprised me though about the booth, was how good of shape it was in. Considering that this was a children's place for amusement, everything was in apsoloute perfect shape. No holes in the fabric and no drawing on the table.

I then, felt under the table expecting a coating of used bubble gum on the surface, but it was perfectly clean. Thinking that this was odd, I continued to feel around, still nothing. But then I felt something in the middle of the table, a change in the surface. From the cheap, rough wood surrounding it, this surface had a smooth finish and I couldn't feel the grain anymore.

Thinking that this was odd, and with nothing better to do. I tucked my head under the table. The first thing that caught my eye was that, just as suspected, there was no gum anywhere on the bottom of the table. Then, shifting my eyes to the center of the wood, there was a section that had been sanded down, fairly recently too. There was still some wood dust from the sand paper. Wiping off the dust, I realized that there was something etched deep into the wood. I could barely read it, but blowing the dust off made the message quite clear. "HELP ME"

"Mister?"

I slammed my head on the table trying to raise it.

"Are you okay?" she said, without a smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine..."

"Okay great!" her smile now back, "Here is your Dr. Pepper."

"Thanks", taking the cold beverage and feeling for a bump on my head.

"Do you know what you want to eat?"

While she never gave me a menu, I guessed that because Chuck E. Cheese is well known for their crappy pizza. That it was the only thing on the menu.

"I'll have a small pizza, thanks."

"Anything on it?"

"Just ham."

"All right, I will get that right out for you. Also, Chuck E. and his Animal Pals will be preforming a show any minute now. If you want to move to one of the theater tables, I can bring out your pizza to you there."

I thought to myself; I frankly, have nothing better to do. So I accepted her offer.

She left, and I went into the bright lights and found, the "Cheesiest Theater" at the other side of the arcade. I quickly found a table, laid my jacket on the chair, and took my seat.

As I was sitting down at the table staring at the curtain, my mind wondered back to what the vandal wrote. Why would a kid write that? I would think that he would understand that was in bad taste to write something like that. Then, I thought back to my days as a child, riding on the bus to school. I remembered some days when the windows were fogged up, some of the more rebellious of the kids would write, "Help Me!" on the window. Which would be backwards to anyone looking at it from out side the bus. Maybe the vandal was just some teenager, with a new knife. I guess some people just never grow up.

Deciding that this was the most likely of situations. I glanced at the clock above the curtain. Nearly 6:00, the show should start any minute now.

Then, just as predicted, the clock started it's toll. As it did, Chuck E. Cheese went dead silent. Then on the second chime; the sound of hundreds of tiny feet began stampeding to the stage. On the third; the oldest of the kids got to the bottom of the curtain, and started waiting. The forth; the younger of the children quickly took the seating at the tables around me, so that they could see the stage. On the fifth toll; the room was totally silent again, and nobody moved. On the final, sixth chime; the curtain ascended and the the crowd erupted into cheers and shouts, that slammed on my ear drum.

"We love you Chuck E.!"

"Play us a song!"

"Pick me, pick me!"

These chants could be heard all around me. My brain screamed that something was wrong here; there was no way that this was right. But I stayed. I don't know why, but I stayed.