Alone With Them

Chapter 24

It did nothing, the bird barely even reacted. Great.

"Bonnie!" She wasn't sure if she was crying out for help or from anger. What was the point of having a weapon if it was useless?!

The rabbit slammed a fist down on Chica's spine when she attempted to rise, clawing her way closer to Cathryn, and he flinched when the chicken fell to the ground again. "She'll definitely hate me for that later."

Bang! Bang! Bang! "Bonnie!" Cathryn could feel her pole vibrate every time she hit it against Chica. She was almost curious about whether she was denting any metal underneath the chicken's suit, but she couldn't focus on it when Chica screeched again, opening her mouth wide enough Cathryn worried she'd be able to see the chip!

"What are you doing?" Bonnie's voice sounded tense with anger as he leaned forward to make eye contact with Cathryn over Chica's shoulder. He reached out and yanked the pole from her grip.

"Hey!" Even if it wasn't doing anything, at least holding the weapon made Cathryn feel useful! Now all she could do was kick and scream as Chica painfully tightened her hold on her ankle.

Bonnie ignored Cathryn's cry of protest as Chica began scooting closer. Apparently, it was easier for the bird to defy him when his weight was spread out evenly.

"Freddy!" Cathryn squealed desperately as her ankle twisted the wrong way. Chica opened her mouth again, now close enough to reach her. "Help me!"

Just as Chica moved to gnaw Cathryn's foot off, Bonnie shoved a hand in the robot's mouth and held down her bottom jaw. The chicken stopped trying to eat Cathryn and instead focused on her pried open mouth she was now struggling to close. Chica's face trembled from the effort.

"Hey!" Bonnie scolded the bird as she gradually re-gained control over her mouth. "Hey! You're going to ruin my fingers!" He plunged one side of Cathryn's pole into Chica's beak before forcing in the rest. It held her mouth open like a car jack. "Don't gape! Grab it!"

It took Cathryn a moment to realize Bonnie was now talking to her. She shook away the fear swelling in her chest and leaned closer to Chica's open beak. She was close enough the chicken could reach out and crush her throat if she so pleased, but Chica was too distracted by Bonnie to notice.

Cathryn had to move fast.

Chica realized what was happening when Cathryn hovered her right thumb and pointer finger in the chicken's mouth – Cathyrn had decided she had a better chance for success if she used her dominant hand again. It was like the bird could sense Cathryn's presence nearing the back of her throat, because the thrashing and howling increased.

Cathryn desperately wanted to plug her ears as Chica's screaming made her eyes water, but she ignored the urge and moved her hand further into her mouth. Metal gears and thin cords flashed in the dull lighting, and Cathryn couldn't help but be shocked by just how many parts the animatronic had. And she couldn't even see them all!

In the furthest part of what Cathryn could see, there was a brief flash of green. Her hand danced closer to the colored piece, trying her best to avoid touching any sharp edges.

"Would you hurry?" Bonnie shouted, the sound like nails running down a chalkboard, as he struggled to hold Chica down.

Cathryn forwent caution and pressed her fingers directly against the piece, feeling for a highly specific, sharp square. Her thumb grazed against the flat side of something, and after a moment more of inspection, Cathryn recognized the feeling of the chip. Her fingers pinched it roughly and with a sharp tug it popped out of place.

Chica's body shuddered, before it gave in and fell motionless.

"Did you damage it?" Bonnie asked, scrambling in his stiff-robot manner to get off of Chica and see the small square in Cathryn's hands. "You practically clawed it out of her." It was hard to tell if it was a compliment or an accusation.