Chapter Text
Father is screaming my name at the top of his lungs. It’s a feral scream, horrifyingly human - human, in the sense that he actually sounds scared. For the first time in years. He’s screaming for help. And for Henry. Then me, again.
I don’t know where he is, but something tells me Henry Emily wasn’t too far off when he said the deepest pits of Hell would welcome my father with open arms.
In fact, I don’t even know where I am. Everything’s... dark, except for a bright light in the distance. The kind of light that should make me squint my eyes, but for some reason, I don’t. I don’t think I have eyes anymore, let alone a body.
Good riddance. It was a shambling purple mess. I’m ready to leave my old body behind. Whatever comes next, even Hell, cannot be much worse. I don’t expect the light to guide me to Heaven. I just want to accept my fate, whatever it may be.
I move towards the light, leaving my father’s pathetic cries for help behind. They become more and more faint, and the light brightens. I hear new voices, younger ones. They sound... happy?
“Mikey.”
Is that... really Evan? Is that his voice?! I haven’t heard it in so many years - I have to make sure! I have to see him!
The voice behind me shrieks at the top of its lungs.
“MIIIIIIIIIIKE!”
That... wasn’t a final cry for help.
It was a threat. A promise of vengeance. A feral cry of rage.
The white light envelops me, and I feel a comforting warmth for but a moment before it is taken away from me. Then, suddenly, my vision bleeds red, then goes dark.
My eyes are closed. As in, I have eyelids again. I feel the weight of gravity once more, pushing me into a pillow and mattress. My nose smells something like... dirty socks and stale air? With a hint of... soda?
That canNOT be what the afterlife smells like, neither Heaven nor Hell. I open my eyes.
I turn and look around. The sight of my old teenage bedroom shocks me wide awake and I jump up into a sitting position.
“What?”
I look myself over. It’s me, the old me. My teenage body.
“What the hell?”
A car turns on outside, and I jump outta my skin.
“Father!” I gasp.
That’s the sound of Father’s car starting up. I can hear it driving away, leaving the gravel road and turning onto the asphalt.
I rush out of bed and pull on my clothes on the floor. The realization of what is happening is racing through my mind at top speed:
I am in the past, maybe even from way back before everything, and yet somehow I have a memory of everything that has--or is going to happen. My father just left the house with the car. I need to check up on my siblings.
I throw open my door, and a small shocked Evan yelps in surprise in front of me.
“Mikey!” he yells, throwing up his arms defensively in front of himself.
He’s alive!
“Evan?” I rasp out, my voice breaking.
Evan slowly lowers his arms and looks up at me uncertainly.
“Mikey?” he says. “Do you... remember?”
My heart is racing in my chest. When I speak, it sounds like I’m out of breath.
“Wh... You too?”
I’m not the only one who remembers everything.
A new small voice speaks up from down the hall.
“Was that Daddy?”
Elizabeth. She’s alive too! Does she remember, as well?
“Lizzie!” Evan exclaims, this time more excitedly. “You’re you!”
But something’s... not right about Elizabeth. Her eyes are... indescribably hurt.
“Where is Daddy going?” she asks, ignoring Evan to look me in the eyes.
“I... I don’t know,” I answer. “He just left. With the car.”
Evan joins in, the fear and frailty in his voice returned.
“W-what if he comes back? What do we do?”
Then, suddenly, Elizabeth perks up. The hurt leaves her.
“Of course!” she says. “Daddy will be back. He wouldn’t just leave me.” She laughs, forcing herself to believe it. She’s taken to ignoring Evan and I, mumbling to herself. “Yeah... that’s it. I’ll make Daddy proud...”
“E-Elizabeth,” I stutter, walking over to the small girl standing in the hallway talking to herself. “You’re not... you’re not Baby anymore.” I grab her arm. “See? You’re you. You’re human.”
She looks at my hand on her arm for a long time. I want her to look me in the eyes, but she won’t. Evan walks up behind me, his voice clearly nervous.
“Y-you don’t have to do what Daddy’s animatronic wants you to do anymore, Lizzie...”
She stays still for a while, then shakes her head and pries my hand off of her.
“I’m gonna wait for Daddy to come back,” she says, still in denial.
I sigh, watching her go back to her old room.
A small hand tugs at my shirt, and I look down at Evan. He’s still so... small and frail. Still that scared little kid.
“What are we gonna do?” he asks me.
I put a soothing hand on top of Evan’s head.
“Good question...”
Good question, indeed. What ARE we gonna do?
The phone rings, and we both jump.
Elizabeth bursts out of her room.
“Is it Daddy?!” she yells, running to the phone in the living room.
“Wait, Lizzie!” I yell, dashing after her.
She’s already picked it up, giving a hopeful “Hello?!” into the old phone. All too quickly, her excitement leaves, and Elizabeth pouts, disappointed. She hands me the phone.
“It’s just Uncle Henry,” she complains.
“Uncle Henry?” Evan echoes behind me.
I grab the phone.
“Henry?!” I exclaim.
“Michael!” Henry’s voice gasps. He’s either run a marathon or he’s hyperventilating. “Quick, where’s your father?!”
“He’s gone, took the car!” I tell him. “It’s just me, Evan, and Lizzie here. We all remember everything!”
“You too? Okay, we don’t have much time,” Henry takes a quick gasp and coughs frantically. “Listen, you can’t stay there! Come over to my house, all of you. I’m not gonna be there, but Charlotte will let you in! My wife’s here, as well. You’ll be safe with us.”
“Okay... okay!” I say. He’s probably right. “We’re on our way.”
“Good,” Henry says, clearing his throat. “I’m gonna go check up on the others. Get to them before he does.”
“Good think--oh,” I say, realizing he already hung up. Well, there’s no room for formalities in situations like this. He’s gotta make sure those other kids are safe too.
As I put down the phone, I turn my attention to Evan and Elizabeth.
“We’re going over to Hen--Uncle Henry’s place,” I tell them. “We’ll be safer with more people around. Okay?”
Evan nods immediately.
“Okay!” he says. “Let’s hurry! I don’t wanna be here if Dad comes back.”
But Elizabeth simply looks at me, blank expression on her face.
“Lizzie?” I ask, carefully.
She answers coldly.
“I’m gonna stay here, in case Daddy comes back.”
Evan stammers nervously, clearly scared of his sister.
“B-but Lizzie, he’s... he’s not...”
I get down on one knee, put a hand on Evan’s shoulder and make eye contact. I give him a reassuring look. Then I look Elizabeth in the eyes.
“Liz, listen to me carefully. Father’s a monster. His creation killed you, and you were trapped inside it for years. I know it must be confusing to suddenly be back to yourself like this, but right now, we have to go to Uncle Henry’s place. We have to stay alive. Change the past, so none of these atrocities can ever happen again. Okay?”
Lizzie’s eyes gloss over for a moment. She looks close to tears, but clenches her small hands defiantly.
“Maybe... Daddy had a good reason...” she whispers, voice breaking.
“Lizzie,” Evan says, voice frail yet clear. Strangely, he’s the only one of us who doesn’t sound like he’s about to cry. “I know you had to pretend to agree with Baby’s programming, to... to make life easier for yourself. So it wouldn’t hurt so much.” Evan takes a step forward and extends his small hand towards our sister. “Come with us. Mikey and Uncle Henry can help. Please?”
Lizzie looks at Evan’s hand, shaking. She hiccups once, and then she can’t stop herself. She’s crying, bawling her eyes out. Evan hurries over to her and hugs her. I get on both knees and hug both of them, squeezing us close together. Evan sniffles and cries alongside our sister. My vision blurs, and I can’t stop the warm tears from trailing down my cheeks and dropping off of my chin. When I speak, I can taste the salt. My voice is shaking.
“We’re together again...” I sniffle, squeezing them both harder, feeling their warmth and realness press up against my chest. They’re soft and squishy living breathing humans again. No longer cold and hard metal contraptions of hellish designs. “For ever... I promise...”