INFORMATION
Written by: Pinkpony4
Chapter Word Count: 6'968
Published on FanFiction: 19th of July, 2022
Published on AO3: 19th of July, 2022

Chapter 4: Hello, Neighbour!

Michael stirred, wincing as he rolled over. He knew his car seat wasn't the nicest place to sleep, but this was worse than before. Usually his legs and back were the only things that hurt since he didn't have much room, but this was too much. Every inch of him protested at even the slightest movement: his neck, shoulders, back - every muscle was stiff and tight.

Slowly, he opened his eyes and looked around the dim… room? Blinking, he rubbed the gunk away from his eyes and slowly sat up but the room didn't disappear. Disorientated and confused, but awake in a way he hadn't been in years, he looked to his left and saw a wooden door painted blue, a colourful-looking kitchen, and one light hanging from the ceiling. On his right, he couldn't help but smile.

Little Geh Ge was sound asleep on his pillow, only occasionally kicking his legs and clenching his fists. Being careful not to wake his bub, he leaned down and kissed his forehead before slowly rolling away and getting up as carefully as he could.

The useless window only gave enough light for him to locate the drawer he had set his phone on top of. Turning on the soft nightlight, he checked the time.

5:53am

Michael wasn't sure what time it had been when he had gotten to bed, but he wasn't complaining about how good he felt. Even if his body felt like it was on fire, he had never felt so… alive. His mind was clear of fear and worry – there were no memories or remnants of nightmares left over from his sleep. It felt so nice. He couldn't remember the last time he had slept like that. If he had to guess, he'd choose ten or under.

Looking over his shoulder at Geh Ge, he picked out some clothes for the both of them before heading for the bathroom to take his tablets. He always took them dry, but he couldn't remember if he was supposed to take them with food. The instructions didn't mention anything about it.

Well, whenever he was feeling queasy, taking something small and cold tended to make it go away. Heading into the kitchen, he moved as carefully as he could. He would turn the light on, but he didn't want to wake Geh Ge up, so he was working blind.

Taking a plate, butter knife, and cup, he put them on the counter and started making his breakfast. It wasn't going to be anything fancy: just some buttered bread with plum jam, and a glass of milk with a bit of honey mixed in. He sat down and started to eat, all the while watching Geh Ge. He was moving a little more, and Michael wondered if he should wake the bub up. He decided against it – he didn't want a noise complaint to be his first introduction to the other inhabitants.

He finished his meal and started washing the dishes from last night, letting them dry before brushing his teeth and having another shower. Brushing his hair and getting changed, he decided to turn the heater off and open the window a tiny bit. The place wasn't really well ventilated, and it was getting a little too warm in here.

Michael leaned over Geh Ge, gently poking his cheek. His bub mumbled, tossing his head and starting to kick again. Michael got up and pulled out the bottom drawer where all of the books were stored.

Even if he didn't trust the contents of that guidebook for single parents, maybe it could offer some advice on what to do with a baby. Michael didn't know much aside from what he had been taught when he was a kid. Things like helping burp his siblings, what to feed them, how to change their nappies, and how to give them CPR had been hammered into him just in case something happened if his parents were away.

Everything else was new territory.

Evan was screaming again.

He'd been doing that a lot, and it was really annoying him, especially since this was the third time he had woken them up in this one night alone. Mummy told him to be gentle.

"He's in a lot of pain, my treasure. His teeth are coming out."

He screwed up his nose. "That sounds gross."

He wrapped his arms around Mummy's neck as she picked him up, bringing them into what once had been the guest room where his brother was. God, he could make some noise.

Daddy was hovering over Evan, one arm holding him still while the other was reaching for a water pitcher. For a moment, he thought Daddy was going to dump it on his little brother, but instead he tipped it into a glass bowl and dunked his pointer finger in. After a while, he pulled it out, and – much to Michael's confusion – stuck it in Evan's mouth.

"…What's Daddy doing?" he whispered into Mummy's ear.

"The cold water and the pressure are giving him some relief from the pain," she explained.

"Like how you two kiss everything better?"

Mummy laughed. "Yes, just like that."

The same thing happened a year later with Elizabeth.

Evan hadn't been very old when that happened. Curious, he sat on the mattress and looked through the table of contents, searching for something that had anything to do with a baby's mouth.

"Mouth ulcers… loose teeth… oral thrush… teething?"

Having not heard of the latter, he turned to the page it was on and started to read.

Teething is the process in which a baby's teeth start to push through the gums, causing them to become red and inflamed. Teething usually starts between four to seven months, although it can vary from infant to infant.

The first teeth to appear are usually the lower front teeth (called central incisors), around the average age of six months, and from there they follow a set order, although the timing of teeth can vary as well. Once teething starts, the teeth appear in pairs every two to three months.

Some symptoms to look out for are:
 - Dribbling
 - Rashes
 - Red and swollen gums
 - Crying
 - Feeding problems
 - And mild diarrhoea

Another identifier of teething is teething blisters. These are small blood blisters which are bluish in colour. They rest at the site where the tooth will break through and will disappear once it has emerged. Do note that if the blister is present for more than a month and no teeth have emerged, then a doctor or dentist should be consulted.

Not much can be done for a teething infant other than trying to alleviate the pain through gels and analgesics. Teething rings and cool (not cold) things can help soothe tender gums. Teething rings containing a freezing gel can be used in between feeds, along with rubbing the gums with a clean finger that has been dipped in cold water. Care should be taken when using the latter method, as the teeth are very sharp and bumping them can cause even more pain for the baby.

Something cold and firm (like a carrot) can also be given to a baby for them to bite on. This is not recommended, as it is a choking hazard.

Michael looked over at Geh Ge. So teething would be something he'd have to worry about in the future. He'd have to remember to check as his bub got older. He wanted to be ready for that one. He couldn't imagine how agonising it would feel.

His bub had yet to wake up, and the sun hadn't completely risen, so he turned back to the book and started from the beginning.

-o0o-

He'd only just gotten up to turn the nightlight off when it happened.

"Whhaiiea!"

Michael jumped, dropping the book and gently taking his bub's hands as Geh Ge started to wake up. His face was scrunched up and red as he screamed and kicked furiously.

"Hey," he whispered, leaning down and gently shaking his tiny arms. "Shhh… shhh… I'm here, Geh Ge. It's okay," he continued on, picking him up and gently rocking him. "What's wrong, bub?"

Geh Ge opened his eyes enough to look at him and they were filled with tears. Oh, the sight of them hurt his heart.

"Berrrgh!" he continued to cry, though they'd turned into wails rather than shrieks. Michael bounced him gently as he walked into the bathroom, ready to see what was wrong. Was Geh Ge allergic to the material his clothes were made of?

It took a bit of effort, but he managed to get Geh Ge out of his pyjamas and checked him out. The skin wasn't red or inflamed, and he didn't have a bad temperature. Michael double-checked, lifting his arms and legs but there were no rashes or odd marks on or near the creases of his skin.

Trying to comfort him, he brushed his hand over his bub's head when he felt something odd at the back of his neck. Holding Geh Ge closer, he gently took his head and pushed it forward, only to spot three red bumps clustered tightly together.

The first culprit he could think of was the bed. Sure, Michael may not be itchy, but he didn't have a baby's sensitive skin. But then he checked Geh Ge's pyjamas and saw the tag stitched to the neck. It was coarse, rough, and was sticking out at an odd angle that would rub and scratch anyone.

Frustrated with himself for missing something so obvious, he grabbed the baby powder from the bathroom cabinet and gently rubbed some of it on the itchy marks. Laying his bub back down, he took the scissors in hand and cut the size tag off, making sure it was gone completely (without unravelling the neck's seams). Tucking Geh Ge back inside, he did the same with the rest of his clothes and tossed the tags in the bin.

With the irritant gone and the powder having soothed the marks, Geh Ge's cries died down into sniffles. "There we go. Are you feeling a little better?"

Geh Ge only stared at him, rubbing at his face and completely missing the tears he was trying to catch.

"How about you have something to eat? Then you can have a nice bath and we can say hello to our neighbours! How does that sound?" he asked again.

He got a mumbled "eegh…" as a reply.

His bub cheered up as he watched Michael shake the baby bottle, waving his hands in an effort to grab it. Michael didn't hand it over until he had settled down and taken the formula slowly. The last thing he wanted was for his bub to experience the burn of vomiting on top of the scratchy irritant.

Geh Ge needed burping again afterwards anyway, so he supposed trying to get him to slow down wasn't working. He'd have to teach him to be a little gentle too; even though he was just two months old, he was already very grabby and rough.

But he was a baby, so he should have expected that. In time, he'd teach him how to be gentle.

After picking out some clothes for Geh Ge, Michael set to washing and drying him off, changing his nappy, and getting him comfortable. Once he was finished, his bub was right as rain. No one would have even known he had woken up in such a state.

Michael turned towards the blue door and sighed, resigning himself to the inevitable. It just wouldn't do to ghost everyone in the building, even if he knew no one would care after getting a glance at him.

At least, he hoped it would turn out that way. He didn't want anyone's attention.

Fate, like always, had other plans for him though, because his hand was just hovering over the doorknob when someone knocked. It was a feeble one, but a knock nonetheless.

Bracing himself, he slowly turned the doorknob, only opening the door up enough so he could peer through the crack. So what if he came off as creepy? This place wasn't in a nice neighbourhood, and he wasn't going to risk getting jumped on his second day there.

"Hello, dear. Dillon told us someone new moved in here yesterday, and I just couldn't wait to see who it was! Are you Michael?"

Oh, it was just an old lady. Regardless, he wouldn't let his guard down. "Yes, that's me. You're… Ms. Olivia, right?" he guessed, trying to be polite. Even if he didn't want to interact with others, it was better in the long run to start on the right foot.

"That's right! I'm surprised you remembered. I've had many neighbours on this floor, and they can never bother remembering it."

Michael only opened the door a little wider to get a good look at her and analyse her body language.

She had soft, white hair that was tied into a loose bun and blue eyes. Her skin was wrinkled with a few moles here and there, and in her ears were two gold studded earrings. She was wearing a soft pink shawl over a red coat that had a light-green dress that touched her toes. In her hand was a wooden cane with a Labrador carved on its handle.

Ms. Olivia had a sweet smile, but her eyes widened as he opened the door just enough to stick his head out while keeping Geh Ge out of sight.

Unnerved by the sudden change in demeanour, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

Whatever it was, she dismissed it with a shake of her head. "Oh no, dear; you just took me by surprise! You just weren't what I was expecting."

If they were trying to get on the right foot, Michael had completely missed the step. He was already hating this conversation and for one reason: it already wasn't going anywhere. Geh Ge was wiggling around, seeming curious about whom this new, slightly croaky voice belonged to.

"I'm sorry to hear that." What? Why was he apologising for that? "I'm… um… not used to strangers, if you don't mind me saying." AKA: go away; I don't want to talk to you.

She didn't seem to take the hint. In fact, she seemed to have not heard him at all. "Have you met everyone here yet? It'll be nice for you to get to know them."

"I'm… not sure they want to."

"Oh, but they do! Well, some of them. It'll just ease everyone's minds if they see you and get an idea of what you're up to. The last lot that lived up here were awfully loud and constantly starting fights with everyone else," she tried. Michael didn't budge. She sighed. "I know them all very well. If you're with me, you have nothing to worry about."

Michael looked down at Geh Ge, holding him closer. "It's not me I'm worried about. I'm… taking care of someone."

"Yes, a baby. I heard them crying this morning."

That made him panic. Dammit, people already knew he had Geh Ge! "I'm sorry if he woke you up."

"No, no, you don't have to be. It's been a long, long, time since I've seen a baby, but I remember how hard it was to raise one." She smiled at him again, and there was something about her eyes that told him there was more to that comment than what she was giving away. Michael recognised it all too well. He'd seen it every time he looked in the mirror after Evan's death.

Maybe if he humoured her, she'd leave him alone from then on out.

"…Alright," he muttered, holding Geh Ge closer as he finally opened the door and left the safety of their room. He locked it instantly, shoving his keys into his front pocket and turning himself in a way to keep his bub mostly out of her reach. He didn't like how much his hands were shaking.

Ms. Olivia gasped. Mistaking it for one made out of fear rather than delight, Michael whirled around to make sure there wasn't anyone dangerous down the hall. But that wasn't what had caught her attention.

"Oh, what a cute little boy! What's his name?"

He froze. Uh oh. Right… his name. Geh Ge wasn't a real name, but it was the only one he had. He struggled, wondering if he should lie. If he did and it got out that that wasn't his name, then there would be questions and maybe an investigation. If he told the truth, however, she would no doubt chat about him. Michael didn't want too many people to know about his bub. After all, his father was still out there. He wouldn't put it past the bastard to kill a baby. Especially if it was Michael's.

Panicking that the longer he hesitated, the weirder it would look, he blurted out, "Geh Ge." He could just play the name off as a nickname.

Ms. Olivia had completely misheard him. "Gregory? Oh, what a cute name for a cute boy. Hello Gregory," she cooed, waving at him. Geh Ge stared at her for a few seconds before attempting to copy her.

Michael was about to correct her when he paused. Gregory… it wasn't too far from Geh Ge. He wasn't willing to stray too far from the original name since it would be a hard habit to break, but Gregory was a perfect name. He couldn't hold back his grin, letting his guard down enough to run a hand over his bub's head. "He is cute, isn't he?"

"How old is he?"

"Two months," he blurted out.

She was silent for a bit, eyes roaming over him, before landing on his left hand. Oh, right. No ring. Which meant no significant other. Was she judging him for that? If she was, she didn't say anything about it. "How about we get a move on. They all have very busy schedules, even during the holidays, so the sooner we visit, the easier it will be to catch them at their best."

He frowned, glaring at the floor. Why him? "I… sure."

"You have nothing to worry about. You may think otherwise in a neighbourhood like this, but they won't hurt you," she reassured him. It wasn't really working. But, he didn't want to be rude, so he just nodded.

Following her down the stairs was a slow process. He couldn't help but ask if she needed help after noticing how hard it was for her to take them. Really, why was there no elevator?

Ms. Olivia sighed. "Yes please. My husband used to do this all the time, but he passed recently. I've just been getting the others to deliver things to my door."

Michael was not used to people just throwing their family business on him. He wasn't the best at comforting others, even if he was all too familiar with death. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Being careful, he let her loop her arm around his and they slowly took the steps one at a time. "That's alright, dear. I don't think I'll ever get over it, but what's done is done. I just have to keep going and be a happy old lady. It's what he would have wanted."

He nodded, having nothing to add. Just keep going. It had been the only thing left to guide him back then. The only thing he could thank his father for was saving him from… doing something irreversible after he had given into his grief over Evan. Michael's death wasn't going to help anyone. It ended up being a good thing in the end – he was the only one that could survive long enough to set some of those children free.

"Alright," Ms. Olivia started. "There are three people that live on this floor. One is a pair of sisters that make a living off of their art, and the other is a young man that does most of the maintenance for this place." They stopped at a white door and she knocked. "This is where the sisters live. The one with brown hair is Jamie, the one with white hair is Alex."

Michael stiffened as he heard shuffling behind the door. Not long after, it creaked open and two women appeared. They had a bit of paint on them, but Alex had brown stains on her hands from what he could only guess was from sculpting clay.

"Good morning, Ms. Olivia," Jamie said, looking over at Michael. "Who's this?"

Before he could answer, Ms. Olivia did it for him. "This is Michael, and his son Gregory." Michael winced. Now he was regretting telling her his bub's name, even if it was technically wrong.

They tilted their heads, eyeing him, no doubt just as suspicious of him as he was of them. Realising he should say something he greeted them, offering a small wave as well.

"Way to go, Michael," he thought. They probably thought he was a weirdo for not responding fast enough. Or they thought he was slow.

The reality was, once again, very different. They both smiled, wiping one of their hands on their art smocks and holding them out. He shook their hands one at a time and hoped they didn't notice how badly they were shaking. "It's nice to meet you, Michael. And you too, Gregory," Alex added, smiling at his bub.

"You moved in next to Ms. Olivia, right?" Jamie asked.

"Yes, I did. I arrived here yesterday."

"So you were the one we were hearing upstairs. We were wondering what all that noise was."

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you."

Jamie waved his apology away. "No problem; we could barely hear you over our music anyway."

"Do you girls know if Stevie is up yet?" Ms. Olivia asked.

Alex nodded. "Yep. He just finished switching out our showerhead."

She smiled, clapping her hands. "He's just a lovely fellow, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he is."

The sisters glanced at each other, sensing that this conversation was starting to crumble. "Um, would you like to come inside?" Jamie asked, trying to keep it going. She glanced at him. "It's a bit of a mess, but we've been working on a new piece."

Ms. Olivia looked at Michael, and he shook his head. "Sorry, I'm… I still haven't met everyone yet. Maybe another time." Maybe another time, to Michael, meant never.

They didn't seem upset about his decline. "Alright, but you better catch Stevie. He said he's going to have a nap."

"Thank you, dear. I'll be sure to have a look at your work after I've finished showing Michael around. Have a nice day, you two," Ms Olivia said.

"We will, thank you," they said in unison, shutting the door.

"Well, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Ms. Olivia turned to him, grinning. Michael shrugged, still not quite able to look her in the eyes. "Don't worry, dear. You'll get used to others in time. I used to hate interacting with others too."

"Yeah?"

"Mmhm. It was particularly bad back home. I used to live in Hurricane."

Michael stiffened. "Oh. I did too."

She nodded. "I know. I'll never forget your face." Her voice held a tinge of sadness to it. "What a horrible year it was for the town."

He squirmed as they walked down the hall. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh, Heavens no, dear; I'm not asking you to. Just know that I know how you're feeling and I'm happy to help."

Their conversation drifted off when they reached the brown door down the hall. "Well, here we are," she chirped, trying to sound happier than she had been five seconds ago. She knocked on the door, calling for Stevie.

The door opened almost immediately, and Michael felt bad when he saw the state he was in. He had heavy bags under his brown eyes and a steadily growing beard. There were some scars on his dark skin, no doubt from some haywire work.

"Hey, Ms. Olivia. Something broken again?"

"No, dearie. I just wanted to introduce you to our new neighbour!" she said cheerily, pointing to him. This time, Michael introduced himself.

"Hello. I'm Michael." He offered his hand. "I moved in yesterday."

Stevie shook his hand, grip firm. "Nice to meet you. I'm Steve."

Michael nodded, quickly pulling away so he could hold Geh Ge close, more for his own comfort. He was regretting agreeing to this – he had absolutely nothing to talk about. "I was told you do most of the maintenance here."

"Yep," he said, leaning against the doorframe. "What – you got something that needs fixing?"

He shook his head. "No. I was just wondering what type of work you do."

Steve waved his hand in the air absentmindedly. "This and that. Plumbing, electrical work, circuit boards, rewiring, fixing broken things. Last week I had to fix that fridge in your room after the last guys busted it. Is it still working?"

"As far as I can tell, yes."

"Good," he sighed. Perhaps just noticing Geh Ge, he raised an eyebrow. "What's his name?"

"…Gregory."

For a moment, he thought Steve was frowning at them, but he shrugged his shoulders. "If he makes a ruckus, it's no skin on my nose as long as it's not during the day. I take night shifts."

"Night shifts? Since when?" Ms. Olivia asked.

Steve rolled his eyes. "At that new Freddy's location." Michael stiffened, looking up in alarm. "It's a pain in the ass. They barely pay ya anything there, and their equipment's ass. They haven't even got any animatronics, so it's just some glorified pizza chain!" he huffed, crossing his arms.

Ms. Olivia seemed to deflate. "Oh… I thought they would have avoided Utah after what happened."

He shrugged. "I'm sorry, Ms. Olivia, but it's been forty years since those disappearances. Besides, it's a gigantic corporate entity. Expecting it to just go away is like expecting all of the McDonalds in America to disappear. It's just not happening."

Michael shivered, hugging Geh Ge even closer. "I didn't realise there was one here either. How long has it been open?"

Steve looked at him, probably trying to guess why his voice was so shaky. "'Bout a week. Place is pretty junkie, though. The franchisee doesn't have a clue on what he's doing. No one's gotten food poisoning yet, but everything's frozen. But that's to be expected of any junk food place."

"So, no animatronics at all?" Because surely that wasn't right. How could you have a pizza chain with Freddy's name slapped on it, with no Freddy?

"Nope. Not even a suit. Kinda was hoping to see one up close. They were amazing for their time. Don't know why there's none there. Maybe they put an order in and are waiting for them to arrive? I don't know."

Ms. Olivia looked between them both and before Steve could say anymore, she held her hand up. "I think it would be best if we dropped this subject. It's distressing."

Steve rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry. Ms. Olivia. I know it's still a touchy thing."

"It's alright: I did ask."

Having ended on a heavily awkward note, Steve nodded, saying goodbye before shutting the door.

Ms. Olivia placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Are you alright, dearie?" she whispered. He shook his head. "We can call this trip off. I can make a lovely tea, and I was planning on making some scones for everyone for Christmas."

He looked away, already walking towards the stairs. "No, it's fine. I just want to get this over with. I have stuff to do today, anyway."

She nodded, though he knew she wanted to keep the conversation going. He helped her down the stairs, staring at Geh Ge. His bub smiled up at him, reaching for his face. When they reached the first floor, he gently took his hand and squeezed it between two fingers. Geh Ge giggled.

It was going to be okay.

"Alright, here we are. Ash is a nurse that quit a few months ago. He's a lovely man, although he's just as jumpy as you are."

"I see," he muttered, deciding to knock on the yellow door this time.

The door opened almost immediately, to show the man with hair that matched his name wearing slightly baggy clothes. He looked as though he had only just gotten out of bed.

"Hi, Ms. Olivia. Mr. Afton. Was wondering when you'd say hello," he said before either of them could even open their mouths. Michael nearly choked at how fast he pronounced his last name. Did everyone know it? What if they did and decided to look him up? Then they would know about the death that hung over his family. About how their new neighbour had murdered his little brother–

"Hello, Ash. How have you been so far?"

"Been better. I've been setting up some things for Christmas. Mum's coming over," he said quickly, not noticing Michael's internal panic.

"Oh, how sweet! I'm planning on making scones. Is your mum allergic to anything?"

"Nope," Ash said, looking at Michael. Was that curiosity, or disdain? "Hey. Your name is Michael Afton, right?"

His words snapped him out of it, but he couldn't help but grit his teeth. "Yes. It's nice to meet you," he forced out. "But please don't call me that."

"What?"

"Never call me 'Mr. Afton' again," he tried to say as nicely as possible, but the hostility in his voice came out loud and clear. Ash looked alarmed.

"Uh… sorry."

No doubt noticing the tension, Ms. Olivia jumped in. "So Ash, how has your mum been?"

The two kept talking, letting Michael step away from the conversation. God, now Ash was going to tattle about how growly he had been over his name of all things. But his father was the only one ever addressed like that. Why couldn't he just live without his father constantly hovering over him like a shadow? Why did everything have to be so difficult? Couldn't he just have Geh Ge and live peacefully? Just for once, couldn't he have even the slightest bit of happiness that wasn't going to be crushed by his memories?

No, he'd never escape. He was bound.

"Why don't you come in? I want some advice on my decorating skills," Ash suddenly said a little louder.

Ms. Olivia was about to answer when she turned to Michael. "Are you alright with that?" she asked.

He shook his head. "No, I'm fine. I'll just go back to my room." Really, he'd be glad to get away. He needed some time to get himself in order after that crisis. He knew it wasn't going to be overnight, as much as he would like it to be. He'd need to slowly ease himself back into society.

In the meantime, he could get on to finding a job and catching up on the news. Yes, that'd do him some good. In fact, he wanted to get a radio for the room so he could listen to the morning's news while he cooked. That sounded like a good idea. Setting his sights on a smaller goal helped ease his nerves.

Ms. Olivia looked like she wanted to tell him to stay, but she must have noticed his discomfort. "Alright, dear. If you need anything, I'll be here."

"Thank you for helping me today. It was nice meeting everyone." It was in a way… all except for Ash. He decided he didn't like Ash and was going to avoid him at all costs. "I've still got some stuff I have to get done before Christmas."

Ash shrugged, not at all bothered at the rejection. "That's fine. Just remember to be careful out there. News said there was a chance of snowfall happenin' around lunchtime."

"Thank you. I'll see you this afternoon, Ms. Olivia," he added, relieved to finally be able to get away from him. He hated to be rude, but he just needed time.

Ms. Olivia seemed to be the only one that understood.

-o0o-

Even though his legs didn't like it, Michael had decided to walk. It had been nice to get some air into his lungs and let the mess of thoughts blow away, but the snow had started to fall so he was forced to go back home. That was alright though.

Everything was going to be alright. He had to keep telling himself that.

It was chilly and quiet back in the apartment. The only noise was coming from the howling wind and honking cars outside. He shivered as he made his way up the flight of steps as quietly as he could. He wasn't sure if anyone was sleeping, or if they had guests over. He didn't want to bother anyone.

He had gotten an old, second-hand radio and a newspaper while on his walk, and he was eager to sit down and rest. Some coffee, the radio playing some old music, and some reading sounded like a good idea right now.

Michael shut his door and slipped his jumper off and started busying himself in the kitchen again. He set the radio up and fiddled with the tuner a bit while Geh Ge babbled away excitedly. His bub may be full of energy for now, but Geh Ge would be out like a light once Michael fed him.

Unfortunately, his coffee couldn't be made the way he liked it since he had no sugar, but the milk was better than just hot water. Michael hated black coffee. His father loved it though. Maybe that's why. He settled himself down on the mattress with Geh Ge tucked in his arm, his coffee sitting near his legs, and the radio playing some old songs quietly in the background.

Needless to say, he was very content with his life right now.

Of course, there was the looming threat that he needed a job, but for now, he wouldn't be able to find one until the holidays had finished, so he had to be at peace with himself. He wasn't doing himself any favours by freaking out over things he couldn't control.

Geh Ge eventually finished and immediately started to doze off. He burped him a few times and rubbed his back, his bub mumbling gibberish as he drank his coffee. It was only once Geh Ge had fallen asleep completely that he set him down on his pillow and started to read the paper, occasionally sipping at his coffee.

There was a lot going on. With two days away from Christmas, a little gathering was going to be held in the local high school's oval on Christmas Eve for the public to gather around and sing some carols. Elsewhere, a similar event was going to take place, except it was asking the public to do some volunteer work and donate some food or gifts for the poor or homeless.

There was also news (or rather, gossip) about some sports stuff Michael hadn't bothered keeping up with, some advertisements for some store's last-minute clearance sale, some celebrity drama, details on the current political climate, and most importantly, something that actually interested him.

Michael stood up and retrieved his scissors so he could start cutting out the little advertisements for jobs. He knew the internet was more effective, but he was hoping that any company that was bothering to still put adverts in the newspaper were looking for people older than thirty. There were only three, but he put them aside for safe keeping. He'd inquire when the New Year rolled around.

He was nearing the end of his coffee when he reached the last story: an update on Fazbear's Frights.

Officials have finally concluded that the fire was caused by the faulty wiring and fragile nature of the electronics that had been in the building at the time. A recording from the manager that was left for the night guard even confirms that the equipment was a risk to use. Because of this clear act of negligence on the owner's part, they have been charged with violating several OSHA legislations and putting their employees at risk despite knowing the danger.

As for the unknown night guard that was working there at the time, it was confirmed that he had called in sick that day, although he has not been seen since.

In relation to this fire, locals have been reporting that they have seen a 'giant rabbit' that 'smells like death' wandering in the alleyways late at night. The owner of Fazbear's Frights confirmed that the thing wandering around may be the animatronic that had been in the building at the time. How or why a machine would escape is unknown, but many theorists that have followed the history of Fazbear Entertainment believe it to be one of the haunted animatronics from the old urban legends that surround the company.

Many family members related to the victims of those unsolved disappearances have expressed outrage over the amusement park's attempt to capitalise on the tragedy and claim that 'the destruction of Fazbear's Frights was a warning to anyone else that hoped to make a profit out of what happened'.

Currently, police are searching for the animatronic and are asking for the public's help, although they advise caution if they see it.

"Do not attempt to approach, attack, or follow it. If you see it, contact your nearest police station immediately."

The animatronic is believed to be a Bonnie model. It is described as being 6 feet tall, with a broken right ear, green, mouldy fur on a broken plastic casing, with the casing around the feet destroyed enough to see its feet. It also appears to have glowing, white eyes and wires poking out from its casing.

Some witnesses say that it walks with a limp and has poor posture. Others that have had the unfortunate fate of seeing it pass their window, report that they could hear it breathing and attempting to talk, even going as far as to claim that they could hear its heart beating.

"It appears to be attracted to noise. Please, we don't know if this thing is dangerous. Do NOT approach it under any circumstances and do NOT stay out after dark."

Michael set his empty cup down and glared at the photo on the page. It had been taken by a woman from her window. It was standing under the streetlight, looking right at her.

Well shit.

Muttering a curse, he put his cup away and folded the paper up, no longer in the mood for any more reading. He turned the radio off, put the job offers beside the scissors in the bathroom, and took the pack of nicotine patches out. Reading the instructions, he contemplated whether it was too late to put one on or not. It was one in the evening, and the patch said it took eight hours to fully work. Maybe he should have read about that earlier. He'd start tomorrow.

And that wasn't an excuse.

He felt the tingling sensation in his tongue start and he bit down on it, going to grab some water. He was not going to start smoking with Geh Ge nearby, and he was not going to leave the room just to be selfish. He had to get a grip on himself.

Downing half of it, he made himself some lunch, closed the window, and turned the heater back on. He needed something to distract himself completely. Staying in his own head wasn't good for him – it was too dangerous.

He tried to read more from that little guidebook, but it did little for him. He started to pace, but it did little for him. He started rearranging the books in the lower drawer in alphabetical order. He tried working on himself, stretching his sore limbs, washing his face and brushing his hair in an effort to calm him down. He knelt down beside Geh Ge and held his small hand; watching him shift around, face scrunched up, kicking his little legs and mumbling.

And nothing was working.

Biting his lip he looked at the door. He could… talk to people. But that was scary. It was new, and he didn't like new. Not anymore. But he had to embrace new things now – change was constant. He couldn't hide from it. He had to grow up.

Michael carefully picked Geh Ge up and stepped into the hall looking at the only other door in the hall. Taking a deep breath, he knocked.

"Who's there?"

"It's Michael, Ms. Olivia."

She opened the door, looking surprised. "Michael! I didn't expect to see you after this morning."

"I didn't think so either, but I need the company," he admitted. He wasn't letting his guard down… he just needed something to distract him.

Ms. Olivia smiled. "I understand." She stood back, holding the door open. "Come in."

The inside was very warm, both figuratively, and literally. It was larger than his and had one extra door that he could only guess led to her bedroom. The floor was covered in a red rug with animals stitched into its centre, with a well-preserved coffee table sitting in between a blue couch and armchair. Her kitchen was clean and made up of pretty little trinkets with animals painted on the porcelain cups and plates. Photos and paintings were hung up along the walls, and she had a window that actually served a purpose.

He sat down on the couch while she sat down in the armchair. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

TO BE CONTINUED…