HIDDEN IN THE FLAMES ; afton kids

chapter 4

"I don't think this is a good idea," I said to Elizabeth once I had caught up to her.

I was already panting like crazy. Despite being a five year old girl, she was one of the quickest runners I knew, especially when she was determined.

We where almost at Circus Baby's stage. There was only so much time left until she went inside.

As much as I wanted her to see the animatronic, I knew she'd regret it later when father punished her.

However, seeing the look of desperation in her eyes when she turned to face me, was enough to make me realise I was fighting a loosing battle.

"Please."

I could see the look in her eyes change from determination to desperation within seconds.

"Alright, just be quick Lizzy. Micheal's going to notice we're gone soon and we don't want dad knowing," I responded, knowing that this wasn't going to end well for either of us."

We continued to creep through the corridors, avoiding people and their children as we made our way over to were Circus Baby was.

It must of been five minutes of so since we left. I knew Micheal was looking for us. I knew there was a high chance father had been alerted of our disappearance because of him.

Yet, I found some enjoyment in being rebellious. It felt freeing to experience the world (or morw accurately the diner) through my own eyes rather than eyes covered by my father.

Every step I took, I felt braver. In retrospect, I know it sounds pathetic. Oh wow, a kid walking theough a corrdior! How brave of him. I'm sure nothing could of gone wrong.

Looking back on it, it was probably some form of emotional manipulation and abuse. Stuff that even a mature nine year old couldn't comprehend because just because I was mature doesn't mean I was smart.

Everytime I felt a tiny bit of fear, I'd look to Elizabeth. She tended to be about five steps in front of me at all times and fearless as ever. How I longed for her confidence.

The moment we arrived at Circus Baby's stage, Elizabeth's eyes lit up. You could see the excitement within her.

"You should probably go in now. We don't want father catching us," I told her before she made her way inside. "Oh - and be careful!"

Elizabeth began to walk inside. It was around that same moment I saw a fogure running my direction.

At first I couldn't tell who it was. I thought it was probably father, coming to get me and Lizzy for misbehaving and being disobedient.

Inside, an angry Micheal became visable. He walked powerfully through the corridor, anger spreading over hid entire body.

"Evan where is she?" he asked. His tone was a weird mix between angry and scared, whcih I found terrifying.

Panicking I responded with a stupud question. "Who?" I asked.

"For fuck sake Evan. Where is your sister. Where is Elizabeth?"

I couldn't bring myself to verbally respond. Micheal was scaring younger me with his anger, even if looking back on it, he was only trying to prodect us.

Shaking, I pointed at the door in Circus Baby's direction and Micheal ran in.

The next bit is a memory I don't touch often and, given the speed it happened, a bit of a blur.

That being said, I remember it all vividly.

Micheal legged it into the room. Elizabeth was standing right infront of Circus Baby.

An ice cream came out of the robots stomach. It seemed to be the regular flavour; vanilla, if I remember correctly, althought there were some minor bits of strawberry that I could barely see from a distance.

Making out their muffled conversation was the hard part. I could hear enough to get the basics although, it was hard and some of it was definitely incorrect.

"Elizabeth! We need to go-"
"No! I want to be Cricus Baby"
"I know you want to see her, but we can't."
"I'm already here."
"Do you sant to get in trouble.
"No."
"Then shall we leave. You've kind of seen her now."
"Yeah you're right."

The two went to leave together, hands held tightly.

Yet I noticed a twitch in Circus Baby's big, blue, robotic eyes.

I noticed a cognuity of small movemnts going rapidly.

But before I had time to mention them, he was dead.

You see, Circus Baby had moved in such a way were she managed to drop the ice cream, and grap who was in front of her.

And the person infront of her was non other than Micheal Afton.

My now dead brother.

In other words, the ice cream splattered across the floor and Circus Baby started to glitch like crazy.

As it was clear something bad was going to happen, Micheal pushed Elizabeth out of the way.

I could see her reaching out for Micheal as he got caught miliseconds before he could've got away.

At the speed of light, the robit girl had pulled him inside her stomach, the rapid speed tearing parts of his body of her stomach.

Suddenly, there was more than just ice cream and sprinkles on the floor.

There were blood and ripped skin.

Holy shit;

My brother was fucking dead.

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