All Is Hell, In The Afton Family.

03

Michal makes his way to the kitchen holding the blueprint in his hand. He looks down to see burnt toast in the garbage. “Oh, Elizabeth, I’m-..” He looks back at the counter where his younger sister sat. Her and Evan sat on the counter eating grilled cheese. “Me and Evan made it.” Evan looked up and Michael then back at his food. Taking a small bite off the grilled cheese.

“Oh…” Michael mumbles. “I had to go talk with dad.” Michael trails off. Looking back down at the burnt grilled cheese he was supposed to make for his younger siblings. “Sorry, guys.. I.. I got caught up with discussing something.”

Elizabeth looks at Evan who just nods. He stumbles off the counter, grabbing a teddy bear. As he grabbed a cookie and wobbled his way back to his room. Michael watched him carefully.

“Did you yell at daddy again?” Elizabeth asked in a gentle voice. Looking back down at the floor.

“Eli… Elizabeth, listen,” Michael sighed. He walked over to her and sat on the counter next to her. He was quiet, his gaze shifted to the blueprint in his hand. Looking at the model of the large clown. “These animatronics, our father, are making. I don’t have a good feeling about them..”

Elizabeth sniffled, trying to hold back the tears as she looked down at the floor. She bawled her small hands into a fist. Jumping off the counter. “Elizabeth,-” Elizabeth interrupts. “No, Mikey! Daddy is finally giving me something! Making me something!” Hot tears start to stream down her face.

“And- and you want me to ignore it! You just don’t get daddy, he loves us!” Elizabeth yells. She wipes her tears off her face with the back of her hand. But more just take their place. Michael’s eyes softened. “She’s too young to understand.” Michael thought.

Michael stands up, crouching down to her level. Placing a hand on her shoulder. “How about I make it up to you, hm?” He smiles sweetly. Elizabeth sniffles angrily. “How?” Michael chuckles. “I’ll pick you up from school tomorrow and get you some ice-cream.”

Elizabeth looks up at her older brother with a joyful expression. The tears seemingly stopped on their own. “Yes!” She hugs Michael. Michael was taken aback, but nonetheless, returned the hug with a soft smile that tugged on his lips. “I knew you weren’t a complete let down!” Elizabeth said joyfully.

Though Michael wanted to be mad at the rude comment, he couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, okay.” He chuckles, patting her back. She lets go and laughs. Running back to her room.

He sat on the floor, he sat alone. He leaned back laying down on the cold tile. Glancing back at the blueprint. He read details on it. “He made it this year,” He said quietly, reading the ‘Made in 1982’ label on the bottom. “Holy Jesus, this clown is huge..” He groans looking at her height. “7’2 feet, inspired by a 7 year old girl- who isn’t even 4’11 yet.” Michael scowls, not too pleased with his fathers work.

“Can’t wait till mum see’s this mess.” Michael runs his tongue inside his mouth under his bottom lip. As soon as he thinks of his mom, he hears the door open. Michael sits up. “Mum,” Michael calls in a loud tone.

His mother walks into the kitchen. “Why are you yelling, kid?” She says confused. Her green eyes scan his face and the blueprint in his hand. “This,” He says, standing up and handing his fathers blueprint to her.

She grabs it, raising an eyebrow at him. Looking down to read it. “What in hell is this bullshit?”

She says reading it. “Father’s work. Apparently- he told Elizabeth that he made it for her.” Jayne, his mothers eyes narrowed making eye contact with her son. Her eyes twitched. “Go to bed, Michael. I’ll talk with your father,” Jayne states.

Michael scoffs. “Mum- I can help!” Michael tells his mother. She looks at Michael with glaring eyes. “Excuse me?” She says looking him up and down. Michael’s eyes avert. “Okay, good night,” She hums in response. Walking out the back door and into the garage.

Michael walks back to his room, flopping back down on the bed. Groaning as he bounced when he jumped on the new mattress. “I’m not a little kid, no more. I can help,” Michael muttered as he curled in to his blanket. Soon falling asleep.
***
“Brother!” A young girl yelled, jumping up and down. Noah rolled over, throwing a pillow at her. “Go away, rat,” He grumbled. She snickered. Jumping on top of him. “Ugrh!” He groaned in pain, his body jolting up.

“Up!” She says with a huge smile on her face. “I’m up, I’m up- damn.” He says running his fingers through his hair. He yawns and his younger sister jumps off his bed. “Where's mom, Vanny?” He asks, looking over at her with lidded tired eyes. “She left last night,” Vanny says, picking a green plastic lightsaber. “Hey- drop that, girl.” He says sternly.

“Dweeb,” She snickers. Noah jumps out of the bed and runs after her. She giggles running out the room. She runs down the stairs and Noah follows after her. Shirtless, wearing jeans and socks. She jumps on the couch while he tackles her with tickling. “Ahah! O-okay! I-I take it back! Ah! Stop!” She yells through laughter.

Noah scoffs, hitting her belly. “Blegh,” He body slightly jolted at the hit. Noah stands up. “I’m getting ready, you need to as well.” She rolls her eyes laying on the couch. “Okay, I will.” She huffs.

Noah runs back up stairs. Noah starts getting new clothes to wear. He takes off his jeans when a card falls out of them. He picks it up and reads it. Remembering what happened the day before at the field. Noah scoffs.
***
But before he knows it, he's dressed ready to go to school. But he's standing at the rotary phone, picking it up and putting the number in. “Hello?” A familiar voice is heard on the other line. But it sounds more tired than the day before. “Hey, you remember me, right?” Noah asks, twirling his finger on the cord.

You could practically hear the grin on his face. “Of course! How could I forget such a young handsome man,” Dave says. Noah's nose scrunches up. He hesitates before speaking. “...About that job offer,” Noah says in a soft voice. “What exactly would I help you with?” Noah asks.

“You would be my assistant, help me make some of my projects or just take notes more for me to fill out later.” Noah thinks about it. Though it doesn’t sound too hard,. Noah is just a lazy person. “The pay?” Dave chuckles. “6.75$,” Dave smiles.

That was a lot of money. “You’d be working for me every other day.. So 4 days a week.” Noah thinks about it. “Can I get back to you after I talk about it with my folks?” Noah asks. Knowing his family wouldn’t care. But he needed time to think about it. “Of course.” Dave says, “Also,”

Noah speaks up. Dave raises his eyebrow. And he hums in response. “You mentioned a pizzeria, I want to see it. I don’t want to be killed by some maniac.” Noah states, harshness in his voice.

“Well of course. That’s smart.” Dave says with a hearty laugh. Noah could see right through those smiles, laughs, and kind attitude. “Will tomorrow do well for you?” He asks Noah. “Mhn, yeah, I’ll call you back later tonight for further details.” Noah states.

Hanging up the phone he leans his head back on the wall, he lets out a big sigh. It shouldn’t be this complicated, but that Dave guy had shivers running down Noah's spine. I mean, who would give a kid a job, if you’ve never met the kid.

And to add to that they met in a field. He didn’t seem fearful of Noah? Noah was more muscular. Dave was confident that was for sure.