The Fall of the Aftons

082: William Afton

Sitting at his desk, William cradled a sleeping Elizabeth in one arm and wrote notes on animatronic blueprints with his free hand. In the corner of his eye, he watched Evan fidget with the ear on his new Fredbear plush. He turned to Evan for a brief second as he gently commanded, "Say tack, Evan."

Evan stopped playing with his plush and set it down, then anxiously started to pick at his toes. "Dack," he mumbled, then winced at his terrible pronunciation. "Da-Dack. Dack. Dack!" He groaned loudly and threw his head backward, flopping onto his back. "I'm never go geh this!"

A sudden knock on the office startled William out of his working and caretaking stupor. He turned towards the doorway, not surprised to see Henry standing in the doorframe. But he was surprised to see panic and worry dancing in his friend's eyes.

"Will, where's Michael?" Henry asked nervously, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.

"Last that I was aware, he was reading in his bedroom," William answered. "Why do you ask?"

"He's not there, nor is he in the backyard." He tore a hand through his hair. "Do you know if there's anywhere else he could be?"

"Is he in the forest? At Ella's? TJ's? Analex's?" William asked as he stood up.

"He didn't respond when I shouted his name in the forest. But I haven't checked TJ's yet. Ella's on vacation with her family and Analex is away at summer camp."

"Is Mikey missing?" Evan asked, tears making his eyes shimmer.

Henry lifted Evan from the floor and rested the young boy on his hip. "We don't know for certain, bud. But I doubt he's missing," he replied sweetly, plastering on a fake smile. "He had to be here somewhere. We just probably aren't looking in the right places."

"Henry, go as Riley if Mike is with TJ or Lavender. I'll go check the spare rooms upstairs and the backyard," William said as he tried to walk out of the room. But Henry held him back, keeping him trapped in the small office. "Henry, let me go! We need to find Michael!"

"I will be the only one looking for him. The last time that Michael was missing like this, you were blind with hysteria and terror," Henry explained as he set Evan back on the floor."

"Henry, please! My eldest son is gone--I have to find him! You'd be just as desperate if Sammy or Charlie went missing."

Henry took Elizabeth from William's arms, cradled her for a few seconds, then handed her to Evan before he wrapped William in a protective hug. "I know. I would be desperate, too. But you're downright terrible at staying calm in situations like these."

"What situation? What's going on?" a voice other than William said.

Henry flinched and let go of his friend, then stepped further inside and moved away.

Michael was standing in the hallway, perfectly fine. His bicycle helmet was tucked underneath his arm, his backpack was slung over one shoulder, and his hair was sweaty. But other than that, he looked the same as he did when William had returned home a few hours ago.

Overcome with relief and happiness, William sprinted to his son and squeezed him in an overprotective hug.

"What's going on?" Michael repeated as he dropped his helmet into his hand.

"You weren't here when I was looking for you. We thought that you had gone missing again," Henry answered for William.

William stepped away and studied his son, who was starting to laugh. "Why are you laughing?" he asked, confused.

"The last time that I went missing, I was three years old!" Michael exclaimed, dragging a hand down his face. "Besides, I wasn't even missing. I knew where I was, and I was perfectly safe. You just didn't know where I was. And that's the case here, too, apparently."

"Where were you?" William asked.

"I was at the department store."

"What? Why?"

Michael tilted his head, a confused expression on his face. "I volunteer my free time there. Remember?"

William hesitated. "N-No, I don't remember."