"Gregory!" Sun grabbed my shoulders and leaned in close. "The hour is at its end! The hour is at its end! The power is gone, and Moon is coming!"

I couldn't focus. My eyes were darting around the empty void around us. My heart was beating out of my chest. "What?" I yelled.

"There is a flashlight, up there!" Sun pointed towards the daycare counter, but I couldn't see it. It was like he was pointing into the pitch black darkness. "Take it, and hide! Now!" He pushed me in the direction of the counter. Without thinking, I ran over and searched for the flashlight.

I couldn't see anything. All I could hear was Sun groaning and the sound of metal scratching the floor. I searched the whole counter with my hand while I listened to mechanical whirls. Eventually, my hand wrapped around what felt like a flashlight, and I immediately turned it on and pointed it in Sun's direction.

I was stunned. I watched as Sun's face retracted into itself. His triangles retreated into his head, and the smooth outline of the circle became clearer. His clothes folded inside out, changing its color, and his eyes rolled back, revealing bright, beady red eyes. His body contorted itself as he changed character.

He stood, slouched, with his head down. He took a step forward. "Naughty boy," a slow, mechanical voice spoke. His pace began to quicken, and I had no choice but to run.

I stopped looking at Moon and moved my flashlight to see in front of me. Even with it, it was incredibly dark, and I tripped over one of the toy towers. I scrambled to get back up, but I could hear Moon screeching, "Clean up, clean up!"

I had made it across the daycare, so I turned to look back. Moon was cleaning up the tower I had toppled over. I had some time to think before he chased after me again. Looking around the daycare, I realized there aren't many hiding places. There is, however, two massive play structures that are twisty and easy to get lost in. Maybe I can lose him there.

I crouched down and climbed through a blue tube. I crawled on my knees while climbing through the structure, looking for a good place to hide. I came across a thick cord that led higher into the play structure, and decided to use it as a guide so as to not get lost. When I made it to the top, I learned it was connected to a generator.

Why is there a generator in a children's play structure? I don't have time to critique the architecture of this place, but maybe if I turn it on the lights will also turn on. I flipped the switch, and while the light on the generator turned green, the room lights did not change. I looked through the holes of the play structure, and saw a red light in the separate structure. Another generator. Why are there multiple generators in a children's play structure?

I don't know how many there are, but if I manage to find them all, I might be able to turn the lights back on, and revert Moon back to Sun. But I had to act fast. I could hear Moon giggling to himself, saying, "Bad children must be punished." It sounded as if he was below me, so I couldn't race down to the bottom. Instead, I opted to look for the entrance of the bridge that connected the two structures together. With a couple of turns filled with brightly colored walls, I managed to find it, and ran through to get to the other end.

This structure was much bigger than the previous one. While climbing through it, I discovered things like bridges inside the structure, slides that lead into other places within, and fabric that dangle from the ceiling to act as a roadblock to slow kids down. I had seen the red light from the top, so I climbed to the top and found the generator. Just like last time, flicking the switch didn't turn the lights on, and simply turned the red light to green. I had to look for more.

There was another generator not far from this one. I simply had to turn and drop down into it. I flicked the switch, and moved on to the next one.

Moon was loud. I couldn't see him, but I could hear him moving, and he was fast. His body made noise as his limbs and wires moved, and the sound of his feet and hands landing on the ground echoed through the daycare. I could hear his endoskeleton tick as his head spins. I need to find the next generator.

I was back on the bottom floor, and I found one generator near the back. As I flipped the switch, Moon dropped to the floor outside the structure. The wall between us was a cross-hatched fence, and he reached his fingers through the holes. "Found you," he said.

I screamed and ran. The exit to this structure shouldn't be far, and if I'm not fast enough he'll make it there before me and catch me. As I ran through, I could see Moon following through the walls, looking directly at me.

I could see the exit, and just as I was about to crawl out, Moon swiped his hand through and grabbed my shirt. I hit his arm with as much force as I could muster.

"Let go! Let me go!" I yelled, but he just laughed. I had to act fast. I shone the flashlight directly into his eyes, and he instantly dropped me and screeched, rubbing his eyes. I picked myself up and ran through the structure. I could see a red light. Another generator.

Moon was scratching the walls as he climbed through. Running to this generator has backed me into a corner. This better work.

Just as I flicked the switch, Moon lept at me. The light on the generator turned green, just like the rest. And then, the lights turned on.

Moon laid on top of me, but he was no longer moving. I sat up and looked around. I felt a sharp sting on my face, and I brought my hand to my cheek. My palm had blood on it. Moon must have cut me right then.

Suddenly, Moon's animatronic body started to move. Instinctively, I kicked it away, but I was still backed into that corner. Slowly, Moon's features began to be replaced by Sun's. I couldn't do anything but watch, and I was still hyperventilating from running and adrenaline.

When Sun had returned, it took him a couple seconds to assess what was happening. He saw the low ceiling above him, indicating that he was in the play structure, the generator that had been turned on, and me, trying to steady my breathing while my cheek bled.

"Oh no..." he said quietly. "Oh no no no. Gregory, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He apologized over and over again. "Sorry, sorry sorry sorry sorry, I'm sorry!"

I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to say. I wanted to yell at him, but I couldn't think of any words to yell. I stared blankly at the colorful tiles on the floor.

"Gregory, please, Gregory," Sun continued, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, Gregory."

He stared attentively at me, waiting for me to respond. "Uhm," I began, "can we leave?"

Sun looked around at the interior of the structure. "Oh, oh! Yes, let's go," he said. He offered out a mechanical hand, but I didn't take it. I got up and brushed myself off, and once we exited the claustrophobic structure, I felt like I could breathe again.

Sun slouched and looked away dejectedly. "Sorry, sorry," he kept repeating. I sat down next to the play structure and touched my wound again. It stung quite a bit.

"Does it hurt? Do you need a bandaid? First aid? An ambulance?" Sun asked. His voice was back to normal with a tinge of worry. "No, it's fine," I said. I'd really rather not have him worry over a simple cut.

Sun sat down across from me, but far enough that he couldn't touch me even if he reached. He hugged his legs and rocked himself in place, much like a child would when scared. "I'm really sorry," he said again.

"It's fine-" I tried to tell him that it didn't matter much, but he jolted up. "No, no Gregory it isn't, and it never will be!" he said.

Are we... talking about the same thing? It might hurt a bit, but this little scratch isn't going to kill me.

"I'm supposed to protect you! I-I can't be your protector and be the thing you need protecting from at the same time," he said. He sat down again, this time with a loud thud.

"I know I can be scary," he explained, "but I want nothing more than to make you happy." His voice changed when he said that. It was much less robotic and scratchy, and sounded more synthetic. "Moon wants that too, but he has been acting strange lately, and I don't know why."

Moon has been acting strange lately. I remember when I was first here, a couple years back, and was dropped off at the daycare. My memory isn't as clear as the sky, but I do know that neither Sun or Moon actually hurt me, they were just scary.

"You should leave. I-I don't want to hurt you again," Sun said. He stared at his feet, waiting for me to say something.

"Hey, Sun?" He perked up when he heard me speak. "Yes? What?"

"Can you take me up there?" I said, pointing to the stage that he had originally entered from. Sun stared at me in disbelief. Then he started laughing.

"Ha! Haha! Gregory, you're funny," he said. "Why do you want to go up there so badly?"

"I'm looking for something," I said. "If you've lost something," Sun said, "we can look for it in lost and found."

"No," I explained, "it won't be there. I'm looking for clues, but I can't tell you for what." Sun thought to himself for a moment.

"I can't take you up there, Gregory. All that's up there are arts and crafts that kids have given me!" He said. "Well, except for..."

"Except for what?" I interrupted him. What could it possibly be?

"A VHS tape," Sun said in a cheery tone.

"A VHS tape? What's on it?" I asked. "Oh, I don't know," Sun admitted. "Someone gave it to me a long time ago, but I have no way to watch it, hahaha! You can have it, if you'd like."

"Really?" This may be a stretch, but it's the only thing I've got. Maybe coming to the daycare won't be a total waste if I leave with it.

Sun nods, and hops back onto the stage. He disappears for a moment, and reappears with the VHS tape in hand. "Here you go!"

"Thank you! I'll give it back once I'm done," I promised. "No, it's my gift to you! Keep it," Sun said. I couldn't hide the excitement on my face, and I smiled at Sun with gratitude.

"But you should leave now," Sun said sadly. He held out his hand. "I'll walk you out," he said. He sounded like he was about to cry. Does he cry every time someone leaves?

Hand in hand, we walked to the gate. With a push of a button, it opened. He let go, and waved his arms. "Goodbye, Gregory! Bye! Goodbye!" he exclaimed. I just silently waved back, and he slowly closed the gate.

With a VHS tape in one hand and my paper doll and flashlight in the other, I knew I needed to look for a place to watch this VHS tape.

I just had no idea how.