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It had been a couple of days since his Father had started working on his new project. He called them ‘the Funtimes’. Elizabeth was completely enamoured with the clown animatronic that their Father was building. She had brought up multiple times how it had to have been built based on her.
Michael found it absolutely hilarious.
There was no way their Father would ever build anything based on any of his kids.
It just wasn’t like him to do that…
This also meant that William had been down in the basement quite often whenever he got home from work at the restaurant. It meant that Michael had to cook for his younger siblings more often because their Father was ‘too busy’.
However the teenager had been having an odd sensation the past day. He had been walking home with his siblings when he felt like someone had been watching him. He could feel these eyes filled with hatred burn into his very being yet he couldn’t pinpoint who they belonged to when he tried looking around.
It unnerved him.
Was someone actually watching him?
A stalker, maybe?
He did piss quite a number of people off, so maybe that could be it.
They want to get back at him for bullying them?
It was just weird that it all of a sudden started now.
He also did get the occasional love letter and he was probably seen as one of the hottest guys at his school. However he doubted it was a girl that had a crush on him.
He just gave off this aura at his school of ‘Fuck off and leave me alone,’ especially when his friends were around.
No way a girl would want to ask him out.
Right now, Michael was taking the trash out, holding the plastic bags full of their rubbish out to the bins out in the backyard. He lifted the lid up and threw the bag into the bin, letting the lid go and wiping his hands together of the sensation of touching said bin until … he froze.
He felt that presence once again.
It was here in the backyard of his house.
He turned around, scanning the vastness of the grassy yard and dark night sky. There was no moon tonight so there was no light in the sky to help him. It meant whoever had snuck into their yard had the shadows of the night on their side.
A shiver went down Michael’s back as he backed up towards the back door, keeping an eye on the backyard. It was then that he caught sight of something near the large tree in the yard with the tyre swing. A large shape was half hidden behind the tree and was staring at him with vibrant pink eyes.
Pink?
Those weren’t an eye colour.
That wasn’t normal.
They seemed to be almost glowing too.
Either way, Michael rushed back into the house, shutting the door and locking it behind him, breathing heavily.
There was actually someone out there.
There was someone in their yard.
He needed to tell his Father.
But would he even believe him?
William is so concentrated on his current project that it almost seemed like he wouldn’t even notice if the house burnt down.
But Michael had to tell him this.
His Father had to know that someone had broken into their backyard and was spying on them.
His Father would know what to do from there.
If Michael called the police straight off the bat his Father wouldn’t be happy with him. He’d think it was another prank from the teenager.
A reckless one.
His Father would just tell the police that Michael was doing a prank call when it was actually the truth.
He had to tell his Father, so that the man saw with his own eyes what was outside before they called the police. Whoever was outside wasn’t planning on breaking in anytime soon.
At least he hoped so…
They were just standing behind the tree; waiting, watching them with those unnerving pink eyes.
So, he had to move now while nothing was happening.
Michael hurried through house, down the hall and passed the couch where his siblings were currently watching the television. Evan turned his head, seeing his older brother power-walk by in confusion towards the basement.
“Mikey?” Evan questioned his brother; who stopped, turning to his brother, annoyance clear on his face.
“What Evan? I’m in a hurry here,” Michael growled out.
The boy shrunk under his brother’s glare, hugging his Fredbear plush close to his chest. “W…Why are you … going to the b…basement? Y…You know that Dad d…doesn’t like us d…disturbing him…”
Michael rolled his eyes at his brother. “Yea, I know, but this is important.”
“What is?”
“None of your business, crybaby!”
Evan shrunk back onto the couch as Michael made his way down the basement stairs and towards the door at the bottom of the staircase. Once he got to the door he knocked on the door and waited for his Father to open it or indicate that he had heard Michael.
“What is it, Michael? I’m quite busy right now,” came his Father’s voice in a growl.
Michael fiddled with his fingers as he tried to think of how to properly explain this to his Father. “Well, I just took the rubbish out and I saw something in the backyard…”
He cringed at how tiny his voice sounded.
He sounded like Evan.
He didn’t want to seem weak in front of his Father.
“You were probably seeing things. It’s dark outside, so you probably think you saw something.”
“But I saw these unnaturally coloured eyes. They were staring at me and it made me feel…” Michael shivered, remembering how he had felt when the eyes had stared at him. “…scared…”
After Michael had said that he swallowed, waiting for his Father to answer him. He heard a few clanging noises behind the door before it finally opened and his Father stood in the doorway, glaring down at Michael with angry blue eyes.
“Michael, there is no one in the backyard. Now get your siblings ready for bed and stop this nonsense. I don’t need another delusional child in this house,” William snarled out, promptly slamming the door shut in Michael’s face before he could reply.
Michael shook, making sure to keep his breathing under control.
He had made his Father angry.
Who knew what the man would do because of that?
Michael decided to do as William said and went back upstairs to the lounge, noticing both his sibling were staring at him from the couch. He glared at them from his spot on the top step leading to the basement. “What the fuck are you two gawking at?”
“Did you get in trouble?” Elizabeth asked, curiosity crossing on her face.
“No.” Michael crossed his arms and gave off a confident air around him. “He just told me that you two need to go to bed now. Now upstairs, squirts.”
Elizabeth hissed at Michael as she jumped from the couch, passing him causing him to hiss back at her but more aggressively. Evan followed his younger sister, staring at the interaction between the two as he went.
Michael watched the two go down the hall towards the bathroom before combing his hand through his hair and letting out a shuddering sigh.
Now what was he going to do?
“Of course he didn’t believe me. How didn’t I see that?” Michael rounded the couch and sat down on it, putting his head in his hands. “What if it was just my imagination?” Michael frowned as he lifted his head to look at the window near the television and froze.
The pink eyes were closer now. He still couldn’t make out anything a part from the shape due to the shadows of the night, but those eyes weren’t normal.
Michael turned his head, contemplating going back down to the basement to tell his Father since it was now at the window. But if his Father wouldn’t leave his office then how could he see the eyes? Michael turned back around and the eyes were now gone and the teenager didn’t know whether that was a good or a bad thing.
It was probably a bad thing…
As now that it’s gone where had it gone?
And why was he the only one seeing it?
XXXXX
Michael had been feeling uneasy all night. He hadn’t been able to sleep thanks to seeing those eyes. Now he knew how Evan felt when he had those nightmares.
It wasn’t a good feeling.
He felt like throughout the entire day that he had been watched. Whenever he wanted to mention it to someone he just clammed up and didn’t say anything.
Who would believe him anyway?
It had only been a day and he was already getting paranoid.
It was the eyes.
The unnatural pink eye colour.
And the underlying hatred within those eyes aimed towards him.
It scared him…
His friends had even asked why he looked so tired and he just told them he stayed up late playing games. He couldn’t even focus in school because he thought he’d see those eyes again. He knew he probably wouldn’t, but the feeling they gave off just unnerved him so much he couldn’t focus.
Right now, it was the night after he had first seen those eyes and Michael had stayed home while his Father had gone to Fredbears to do some last minute repairs while his siblings were already in bed. The teenager was sitting on his bed, staring at the covers with a tired frown on his face.
He couldn’t sleep.
He was still worried about those eyes.
He didn’t know what they were or who they belonged to.
They were also immensely creepy.
The sound of a door closing caused Michael to jump and turn to his bedroom door, hoping it was just his Father coming home from work. He got up from his bed, making his way over to his door, peeking out into the dark hall, swallowing.
“You’re not Evan. You can do this,” he told himself, trying to muster up enough courage to continue.
He left his room, down the hall and stopped at the top of the staircase that led down to the lounge, kitchen and bathroom. He scanned the dark hallway that connected to the staircase, trying to see if he could see anyone.
“Father?” He called out, though it was quiet just in case.
He made his way down the stairs, keeping his eyes on his surroundings until he got to the bottom. A frown crossed his face until he heard a door creak from the direction of the kitchen. He made his way over to the kitchen, entering it and placing his hand on the light switch to turn the lights on only to be knocked down by a sudden force.
“AH!” Michael cried out, falling against the corner of one of the cabinets before landing on the floor. “What the fuck…” He grabbed at his injured side, glaring up at who did it only to see those same pink eyes.
They were in his house.
They were in his home.
How did they get in?
His Father always locks up when he leaves for work and Michael makes sure to double check.
He made triple sure the front door was locked tonight after what happened last night.
“Y…You’re the one who’s been watching me?” Michael growled out though it came out as more of a whimper. “Y…You’re stupid creepy pink eyes and M…Michael Myers shtick.” The teenager pointed out the bear mask the other wore as the man tilted his head as though amused by the teenager.
The man in the bear mask stood above the teenager and seemed to just observe him, tilting his head to the side. This unnerved Michael as he crawled back, trying to get away from the man in the mask.
“I…I don’t know who you are … but you’re trespassing…” Michael said, voice coming out with a slight stutter.
The man took a threatening step towards the teenager and Michael realised that this was like a real-life slasher movie scenario. He was basically cornered by a masked man who could potentially kill him.
Why else would this guy be watching him and break into his home other than to kill him?
His breathing increased as the big hands of the man came close to his throat. Michael choked and backed up against the cupboard, now fully cornered. The man grabbed Michael by the collar of his pyjama shirt, pulling him to his feet and choking him in the process. The man’s other hand had grabbed a hold of a kitchen knife from the knife rack and was scanning the teenager’s form, trying to work out where best to end him.
Michael coughed, trying to get any words out before this man killed him. “W…What did … I…I ever do … to you…?”
Those pink eyes gaze at his face as the teenager started to lose colour in his face. A laugh escaped the man; a soft husky voice yet it also sounded broken and on the verge of lunacy. The man threw the teenager into the next room over, making sure he didn’t hit any furniture to attract attention. The boy rolled across the floor, coughing and spluttering as he tried to catch his breath and get back to his feet. He wasn’t given the chance before a foot was placed on his chest, keeping him pressed firmly against the floor.
“Ow! What the fuck, man!”
It hurt.
The man’s foot was on his ribcage. The foot wasn’t crushing him, but it was certainly putting pressure on his ribs.
A chuckle escaped the man as he leaned down, so that his face was near Michael’s. “Oh, what didn’t you do? That is the question.”
“What?” Michael choked, lifting an eyebrow in confusion.
The man lifted his spare arm without the knife in hand to his mask and removed it. Michael stared at the face that had once been behind the mask, staring back at him. It was almost like looking in a mirror; a mirror that was over a decade older. The man had the exact same facial shape and expressiveness as Michael however it was the pink eyes that turned him off.
“You look…” Michael mumbled out, cutting himself off, staring wide-eyed at the man.
“…like you?” The man finished for him with a smug smirk on his face. “It’s because I am you.” The man pointed at himself then at Michael. “I’m you from the future.”
“The future?” Michael mumbled out, swallowed thickly, still in pain at the crushing weight on his chest. “I don’t understand. W…Why would I come back in time to try and kill — well — me?”
Okay, that was just confusing.
A chuckle escaped Future Michael’s lips as he twirled the knife in his hand. “Let’s get this straight…” He pointed the knife at Michael’s face, threateningly. “…you and I are very different. I’m here because of a mistake you will commit very soon and so I’ve come to rectify it.”
What mistake had he committed that a future version of him was willing to come back in time to kill a past version of himself?
He didn’t know a lot on time-travel, but wouldn’t that pretty much erase his future self’s existence?
Was his future self really that desperate to stop whatever he did?
“B…But does this really have to equal in my death!” Michael exclaimed, sounding terrified that his future self actually would go ahead with this.
His future self did look a little deranged, so should he have really asked that?
Future Michael looked like he was contemplating the idea of killing his past self; pink eyes staring up at the ceiling as though in a haze. He broke out of it and looked down at his past self with a wide grin on his face that made Michael shiver.
What had made him become like this?
“Technically no. I would just need to get rid of Father, but…” Michael widened his eyes at hearing this. “…considering what I—you did I can’t let this opportunity slide.”
His future self planned to go after his Father after this?
Why? What had Father done?
Sure, he wasn’t the best Father, but he hadn’t done something outright horrible.
He couldn’t believe how much he’d completely lost it in the future.
What had happened for him to become like this?
Future Michael lifted the knife above his younger self; a wide grin split across his face. “Time to die.”
“Can I just ask…” Future Michael paused, raising an eyebrow at his younger self. “…what made I—you become like this?”
A rumbling chuckle left the dry lips of Future Michael as he narrowed his eyes at his younger self. “I’m the only one in our family alive. You don’t know what that does to someone.”
Michael froze up upon hearing this.
He was going to be the last of his family left alive.
And from how old his future self looks it’s not that far in the future either.
Michael felt sick.
He’d be alone.
No one would be with him.
And from the looks of it he went crazy too.
What the fuck…
“Well, it’s a technicality.”
The grin on Future Michael’s face widened as his spare had pressed something on his neck. A necklace of sorts and his image almost seemed to shift and morph, replaced with that of a rotting corpse, teeth showing through gaps in his cheeks and black voids for eyes.
Michael couldn’t breath.
What even was this?
He definitely needed the bathroom now.
He felt like he was going to throw up.
“Do you like what you see? This is what you become. A corpse forever to roam the Earth.” A chuckle escaped his mouth. “Brilliant, isn’t it?”
Brilliant, isn’t the word Michael would’ve used.
He would’ve used ‘fucked up’ or ‘messed up’ instead.
He was definitely not expecting this.
Just what type of future did this man come from?
How could he even begin to put into words how disturbing it was to see a future version of his own face morph into a rotting corpse?
It was definitely a sight that wasn’t leaving his memories anytime soon.
Future Michael lowered the knife as if in slow motion towards Michael’s throat and the teenager closed his eyes, waiting for his inevitable doom. His future self was going for his neck; his jugular vein meaning he’d bleed out in the most excruciating way possible.
It was quick yet painful.
Why did his future self want to do this?
However the pain never came and the teenager opened his eyes only to see that same pair of pink eyes staring back at him with irritation. The man turned his head to look back at someone who’d most likely interrupted the two. The knife at Michael’s neck just barely meeting the skin at his throat.
Michael couldn’t move his head, afraid of causing the knife to go any deeper into his skin. He just knew that one of his siblings had come downstairs and seen what was going on as they were the only other two in the house.
But he thought they were both asleep.
“L…Leave him alone!” His brother cried out, a nervous stutter to his voice. The boy could vaguely make out the pink eyes in the darkness of the house, glaring at him but at the same time they were looking at him with sadness.
“Evan…” Future Michael whispered; that maniacal tone was gone now and was replaced by deep sorrow.
Michael watched as his future self kept his eyes on Evan for a bit longer as if contemplating whether he really should go through with it even with his brother watching. The man let out a shaky breath and took the knife away from the teenager’s neck as Michael let out a breath he’d been holding.
“This doesn’t mean I’m done with you…” Michael froze up as those eyes turned back on him once more. “Just because I’m letting you go this time doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. This is a warning…” Future Michael threateningly held the knife against Michael’s neck once more. “…don’t fuck this second chance up.” He grinned down at the teenager, menacingly. “Otherwise I’ll just come back and finish the job. I’ll be watching you. Always watching, Michael Afton.”
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway caused the man to glance up at the front door, noticing the headlights of a car in the nearby window before looking back down at his past self.
“It seems that the bastard is back. You better think before you act in the future…” Future Michael stood to his feet and glared down at Michael. “…otherwise I’ll be back.”
Before Michael could respond the front door opened and William walked in causing Michael to turn and face him. The man glared down at his eldest with irritation on his face before noticing Evan near the staircase.
“Michael, what are you doing on the floor? And why is Evan out of bed?” William asked, annoyance in his tone.
“I…” he turned his head back around only to find that his future self was gone causing a shiver to run down his spine.
“I’ll be watching you. Always watching, Michael Afton.”
He had left so quickly and without a sound it was almost as if he was never there.
Michael’s eyes went to his brother; who looked just as shocked as him.
The boy looked just about to cry too.
Then against he did witness his older brother almost get killed…
The teenager decided to finally get off of the floor and allowed their Father into the house, closing and locking the door behind him. Michael led Evan back upstairs as William went about his way to the basement. The teenager winced, grabbing at where he’d bumped into the cabinetry earlier.
That would definitely leave a bruise.
“Mikey, are you okay?” Evan asked his older brother as they finally reached the boy’s room. “W…Who was t…that man?”
He couldn’t tell his brother it was himself from the future that had some weird vendetta against his younger self.
It would only confuse the boy.
“It was just a robber, Ev. I guess knowing Father was coming home scared him off.”
That was as best of an excuse as he could make it.
“Okay, I…I’m glad t…that you’re okay.”
Michael smiled and turned his head away from his brother. “I’m glad I am too. Thanks … for distracting him. That was … brave of you.”
He’s not used to saying such mushy stuff to his brother but it was true.
His brother had indeed been brave.
He hadn’t stood aside and watched Michael get killed, but had decided to distract Future Michael.
“How’d you distract him? I couldn’t really see?”
“I threw F…Fredbear at his h…head.”
Michael tries to hold in a laugh. No wonder his future self had looked annoyed it was because Evan used Fredbear as a projectile whenever he felt threatened. His future self probably remembered that.
“So, he’s still downstairs?”
Evan nodded his head at the question. “I…I went downstairs because I…I heard the n…noises. I know I…I shouldn’t have, but I…I heard your v…voice and got w…worried.”
Michael ruffled his brother’s hair as the boy lay under the covers of his bed. “Do you want me to go and grab him?”
The boy nodded his head at his brother’s question and the teenager got up from his seat on the edge of his brother’s bed, heading for the door. He made his way back down the hall, the stairs before he was back in the lounge area by the front door where his future self had thrown him. He looked around for the gold-coloured bear before noticing it on the floor behind the couch. The teenager approached the bear, picking it up and dusting it off in the process.
His brother loved this bear yet he also used it as a type of weapon too.
It amused Michael whenever he wasn’t annoyed by his siblings.
As he made his way back up the stairs his eyes made contact with the kitchen, taking note of the knife rack and froze. The knife that his future self had grabbed was still missing … meaning that he still had it.
“This is a warning … don’t fuck this second chance up. Otherwise I’ll just come back and finish the job.”
He had meant it.
He kept a weapon on him and that way if he screwed up his future self would just come back to kill him.
But what did he even do to piss off his future self?
He was never given a reason.
He had said that it was one mistake that cost his future.
A shaky breath left Michael’s lips as he continued up the stairs. “I guess I’ll have to be careful from now on.”
And he was.
He always made sure to look after his siblings whenever their Father wasn’t around like he had done initially just a bit more than he used to. He didn’t leave his sister alone when they went to Circus Baby’s and he decided against pranking his brother on his birthday.
Were these the mistakes his future self meant?
Even as he continued to go through life he always felt like something was watching him still. He would look around and see nothing there however occasionally he would see a pair of pink eyes glaring at him from the shadows.
They still gave him a disturbing feeling as if he had done something wrong and his future self was back to kill him, but he never did.
He just continued to watch just like he had said.
He just watched him and that constantly made Michael paranoid.
Until the day he never saw those eyes again as an adult he still felt them on his back; judging him. Now he knew why his future self had lost it. He may still have his family, but the constant torment over the years of those eyes on him and the fear of doing something wrong would get him killed had dug him into a hole so deep he couldn’t get out.
He knew he wasn’t crazy because Evan had seen him too.
But who would believe that the man that broke into their home was Michael’s future self and had been haunting him for several years?
No one would.
So Michael had to keep it to himself and slowly watch as his siblings went on for better things in their life and he stayed where he was.
In his head.
Trapped.
Tormented.
Constantly by someone that’s already left him but had left an imprint on his wellbeing.
Michael could never tell anyone because if he did … he might just cause a certain corpse to appear on his doorstep once more…