The Fall of the Aftons

025: Michael Song

Busy weeks passed by faster than Michael could comprehend. Spring arrived suddenly. But even though the weeks were going by, there was something that he couldn't wait for. And finally--finally--the day came when Michael was going to move into William's house. He was officially adopted after months of waiting impatiently.

Michael packed up his few belongings; his Fredbear plush, his plush from Noah, his clothes, his toiletries, his blue sweater, and a few small prizes he won at Fredbear's Family Diner all went into his backpack. His blanket went over his shoulder, his pillow in his arms--along with his many books--and Khael's old sweater tied around his waist. 

"Are you ready, Michael?" Miss Iaea asked. Her head was peeking through the door. "Mister Afton is here to bring you to your new home." Her eyes looked misty as she spoke. Michael wasn't surprised--when one of the other girls was adopted the month before, he had heard her crying in the bathroom. It was obvious that she cared for each of the children she took care of.

"No, not yet," Michael told her as he walked over to Felicity's bed, stepping over the plushes on the cold concrete floor. He crouched down and gently set his belongings on the ground, then stood back up and moved a pile of stuffed animals. Felicity was underneath all of them, crying softly. 

"Wh-What?" Felicity asked, wiping her eyes with her index finger as she looked up at him.

He tackled his friend in a giant hug, knocking a pile of her plushies to the ground. "I'll visit as soon as I can, okay, City?"

She whimpered as she hugged him back in a bigger hug than his. "I'll miss you, Michael," she said, a small sob messing up some of her words. "Wait!" She let go of Michael and dug around her bed, looking for something.

"What are you looking for?" he asked, and before she could answer, she lifted her hands with something in them and shouted, "Aha!" She handed him what was in her hands, and it turned out to be Lava, one of Felicity's favorite plushies. 

"Look at the tag on the back of his neck," she told him with a wide smile. 

He turned around the orange-and-black stuffed rabbit in his hands and stared at the tag. Felicity's name had been written sloppily onto it--the tag read F. L. Worchestersheeran in red ink--but it was crossed off with a black pen.

"Why'd you cross out your name?" he asked, still staring at the tag. 

"He's yours now," she told him. When he looked up at her, surprised, she giggled. "I have a lot'a stuffies. I can spare one. He's yours now!"

He stared at her with curious eyes, wondering why she was doing this. "Thank you," he said, smiling sadly. He hugged his friend again, then walked over to Miss Iaea after he picked up the rest of his belongings from the floor. "I'm ready."