Monsters, Inc., Saturday Afternoon (Monstropolis Standard Time)
"Good afternoon, children," the spider monster started. "No, potential new recruits, welcome to Monsters Inc. My name is Henry J. Waternoose and I am the company director of this, Monstropolis' foremost scaring facility. From here, we provide over 50% of the city's scare so that your lights, televisions and other appliances are powered and available at the flick of a switch. Each of you have been nominated by your respective schools as potential candidates for our recruitment program. Perhaps one day, when you've finished your education, any of you could find a place here at Monsters Inc. You, young lady," Waternoose said, pointing to a gangly purple monster with many tentacles and just as many eyes. "You could find yourself working for our research and development team. Or you," ignoring the one-eyed green monster jumping up and down at the back, begging for attention, he pointed out another monster that looked like an oversized jellyfish. "You could join our elite team of scare assistants." He then pointed to the large, blue and purpley-pink furry monster at the back. "Or you, son, what's your name?"
"Me?" the furry monster asked. "Uh, James P. Sullivan, sir."
"Why, James P. Sullivan here could be one of the outstanding scarers of tomorrow."
"Really?"
"Anything is possible if you apply yourself to your studies and work diligently to impress the selection board. Any of you could become part of the Monsters, Inc. family. Now, children, if you'll follow me, we can commence the tour." He scuttled across the lobby on all eight legs and the group of young monsters followed him. At the back of the group, James P. Sullivan and the short, green, one-eyed monster trailed after the rest.
"Did you hear that, Mike? He said I could be a scarer."
"Everyone makes mistakes, Sullivan," Randall Boggs said, appearing out of nowhere.
"Ahh!" Mike yelped. "Randall, come on, I've told you to quit that a million times."
Randall sneered at them both and slinked off.
"Do you think Mr. Waternoose was right?" Sulley asked.
"Of course he was," Mike assured him. "Don't listen to Randall, he's a putz. Yeesh, Sulley, look at you! You're huge! You have sharp teeth and that roar, let me tell ya, with a little work it could put any human kid in therapy for life!"
"You really think so?"
"Think so? I'm Mike Wazowski. I don't just think so, I knooow so. C'mon, we don't want the company's future lead scarer and scare assistant to fall behind."
***
Sulley was in awe. Well, so was everyone else, but Sulley was the star of the show here, so his awe was the one that mattered. They'd actually been able to see the scare floor in action, with doors coming down, scarers going through and the scare assistants filling up power canisters as the screams of children could be heard on the other side. He could see himself doing this after school. He could see himself being a great scarer if given a chance, going through door after door, scaring human children to harvest scream to power Monstropolis.
A bell sounded. Mr Waternoose raised his hands to get the tour group's attention. "Lunch time! If you follow me, I'll show you to the lunch room." As Waternoose started to lead the group out, the scarers and their assistants started filing out too.
"This is my big chance to get noticed by Waternoose, buddy," Mike said. "If nothing else, I am grrreat at lunch. You coming?"
"In a second," Sulley replied, still looking around. "I'm gonna see if I can hang back, get a feel for the place."
"Okay, but don't skip lunch. You get grouchy on an empty stomach."
Sulley sighed, but mustered a smile. "Yes Mike. I won't be long."
Mike scampered off after the rest of the group, leaving Sulley breaking several health and safety rules by staying on the scare floor alone. Even when empty and quiet, the floor was impressive. He looked at each and every empty station before his eyes settled on the one near the far exit.
There was a door. Not the exit door. There was an actual door locked into place at one of the scare stations. Sulley had been listening when Mr. Waternoose explained what went on. All of the doors were meant to be gone.
Sulley came out of the shadows and looked up and down. The floor was definitely empty. "Uh, hello?" His voice echoed up to the high roof. "Anyone around? There's a door here." He plodded over and looked up at the light. Yep, active. Sulley looked around again, then reached for the door knob. Maybe someone was scaring in there. He stopped before he turned it, then looked at the panel. He really wasn't meant to touch it, but it shouldn't have been there.
Sulley quickly made the decision to let someone know about the door as soon as possible. He turned away from the door, but looked back quickly as he felt something brush past his side. "What? Who's-" Sulley didn't have a chance to finish his question. He'd been trying to twist around to see what had touched him when his foot caught up in a cord along the ground. "Whoa-whoa-hooooa!" Sulley waved his arms frantically.
He didn't see the door behind him creak open.
He didn't know how to keep himself from tumbling backwards through the door.
He didn't have any clue at all what he'd managed to get himself into.