The Fall of the Aftons

037: Michael Afton

Michael couldn't focus on anything the next day. Same thing with the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that, and so on. It went on for weeks. He couldn't focus on anything other than Terrance and how his cousin wouldn't stop glaring at him with hatred twinkling in his eyes. It horrified him. It was terrifying how utterly pissed Terrance was. Michael was afraid of him. He couldn't bear to be in the same room with him. It was so bad that it got to the point where he stayed with William the whole day--and he his behind his father whenever he heard or saw Terrance come near. 

Now it was about two weeks after the accident. Michael stood in front of William's office door at Fredbear's. He knocked on it a few times, wanting to be let inside. William and Henry's offices were the safe rooms. 

A few moments later, William opened the door and picked Michael up, then took him into the office and closed the door. But when Michael looked around, he spotted Terrance, whose icy glare was already on him. Panicking, he flailed in William's arms as he tried to get loose so he could escape Terrance. But William's grip remained strong. It kept him from exiting the dangerous room. He had to get out of there! Why wouldn't William put him down?!

"Michael, stop it! You're going to make me drop you!" William exclaimed nervously. Michael reluctantly obeyed, but he hid his face in his father's shoulder. "What has been going on with you these days? It's like you're afraid of Terrance!"

Terrance snort-chuckled. "He is afraid of me now," he explained, cruel laughter filling his words. 

"What? Why? Why are you afraid of him?" William asked. He turned Michael's head towards his, forcing him to make uncomfortably awkward eye contact. 

Michael stayed silent, despite knowing that William wanted an answer. He didn't know how to explain that saw pure anger in Terrance's eyes every time he saw him. That Terrance's ice blue eyes were so cold when he looked at him that they were practically dry ice.

"Have you been hurting him?" William asked disappointed, looking at his nephew. 

Terrance scoffed, annoyed. "I wish." He sighed and crossed his arms before he leaned back on his heel. "But no. I haven't been hurting him. Though if you ever need me to, I gladly will." He attempted to crack his knuckles threateningly by pushing his palms away from him, but it didn't work--his cast was too thick, which made it too awkward a position to succeed. 

"Terrance Oliver Afton!" William shouted as Michael whimpered and hid his face again. "That is quite enough!"

"Why?! He's a bloody bad-luck magnet! He got his entired family killed!" Terrance shouted lividly.

A shouting match set fire between him and William. But Michael wasn't paying attention to anything either of them shouted.

Had he actually gotten his whole family killed? Now that he thought about it, he was the reason everyone died--except his father, of course. He was the last one born, the last one that killed his mom. He failed get Aster to see the car in time, resulting in his eldest brother's death. He was the one who failed to save Khael from that man. And now Terrance had nearly died because of him. Who was next? He had no idea. Even though he couldn't predict the future, one thing was clear. 

Everything was his fault.

~ ~ ~

Michael slowly awoke to the glaringly bright lights on the ceiling. The light lit his eyes on fire for a few moments as he struggled to adjust. He could feel someone's loose grip on him, their arm propping him up slightly against themselves. The gray sleeve covering their arm was rough on the outside, but most likely softer inside.

"How did you sleep? Did you have any cool dreams?" a familiar voice asked--but it wasn't a voice he wanted to.

Michael scrambled off of Terrance's lap, using his arms to push himself further away once he was on the carpeted floor of William's office. 

"Are you all right?" Terrance asked quietly. He looked... concerned. Like he wasn't just trying to get Michael to trust him so he can try to hurt him, whether that be emotionally or physically. 

"W-What does it m-matter?" Michael asked, no longer trying to get away. "Why do you care?"

Terrance frowned. "You just slept for eleven hours straight. Have you been sleeping well lately?" 

"Why would I be? You keep glowering at me like you want to slaughter me!" Michael snapped. "What do you expect when you repeatedly terrify a three-year-old with a vivid imagination?"

"Pretty big words from a kid your age, huh?" Terrance joked. He gave a slight chuckle.

"I read a lot."

"I'm know." He sighed. "I'm sorry for scaring you so much, Michael. I didn't mean to make you lose sleep. I was just mad."

Michael stood up and stretched, then crossed his arms over his chest. "More like infuriated," he muttered.

Terrance laughed quietly. "What, did you read the dictionary? Goodness."

Michael gave a legendary eye roll and stretched. He left the room and set off to search for William. He refused to give a second thought about Terrance.