October 2nd, 1985 – A quiet park on the edge of the Afton neighborhood

Everything around him felt empty, the fog hanging heavy, making the world seem even more distant. It was the kind of day meant for staying inside—watching TV, sipping hot chocolate, curled up on the couch, staring out the window at nothing. No kid would want to be alone in the cold, would they? But there he was—just one boy sitting still on the swing, his head lowered, lost in his own thoughts.

He didn't even hold his teddy bear anymore. His arms were empty.

Today wasn't a day for happiness... Today was... special, but in a way that hurt. And Evan promised he'd never forget. Michael promised too, but somehow, he had forgotten. Their dad... he never made any promise at all. And their mom? She was long gone from their lives, like she never cared. So, Evan was the only one left, carrying the weight of it all on his own.

Despite his bond with his plush, Evan never really liked the color yellow. It was way too bright. It didn't fit him... But she made him a yellow one anyway, believing that maybe it would make him less mopy. He had been a good brother and accepted it. But now? He didn't even know how to feel about the color anymore.

A sharp bark broke the silence, jolting Evan out of his thoughts. Before he even had time to react, something shot past him, brushing against his legs at full speed. His body tensed, his heart racing as the swing jolted wildly beneath him. He nearly toppled forward, face-first onto the hard ground, his hands gripping the chains in panic.

But just as he braced for impact, the swing stopped abruptly. So did his heart. His breath came in shallow gasps as he tried to steady himself, the world spinning for a moment. It was only after a few seconds, as his chest heaved, that he noticed her—a girl standing right in front of him, holding the swing steady. She had caught it, stopping him from embarrassing himself completely.

She smiled softly, a faint flush creeping across her cheeks, while Evan just stared into her bright blue eyes. He didn't look angry, just surprised—and maybe a little dazed.

"Sorry, my dog, he... well…" she started awkwardly, trailing off as her gaze shifted to the dog darting around the park. She didn't bother chasing after it, though, her attention lingering on Evan instead.

Evan's eyes followed the dog for a moment. Normally, he was afraid of anything with sharp teeth—dogs included—but this one seemed different. It didn't bark aggressively or lunge. It just ran, full of energy, like it didn't have a care in the world.

"What's his name?" Evan mumbled, his voice barely audible.

The girl blinked in surprise, as if she hadn't expected him to speak. But then her lips curled into a smile, warm and genuine.

"Sparky," she said, giggling a little.

Evan's lips twitched into a faint smile too, though it wasn't quite happy—more bittersweet, like something heavy still lingered in his chest. He looked down quickly, his fingers gripping the chains of the swing. That day was still weighing on him, making it hard to push past his shyness, his fear, to talk to… this girl.

"I only come when I'm sure there's... no one around," she admitted softly, her voice breaking the stillness of the park. "Because... well... I don't think dogs are really allowed here, but, you know... as long as no one sees me..." She smiled, a little sheepish, her gaze flicking to the dog that sat by her feet.

Evan nodded, unsure how to respond. God, why was he so bad at this? Talking to girls wasn't something he did. Ever. Except for Liz, of course, but that didn't count. He tried to say something, anything, but his throat felt dry, and words just... didn't come.

"But I... I didn't think anyone else would actually be here," she said, her voice quieter now, almost thoughtful. Then, without hesitation, she lowered herself onto the swing beside him. Like it was the most natural thing in the world. Like they'd known each other for years.

Evan's heart thudded painfully in his chest as he stared down at his scuffed shoes. He could feel the heat rising in his cheeks, and he hoped to God she didn't notice. After a few moments of silence, she leaned forward, reaching down for something on the ground.

"Is this yours?" she asked, holding up a yellow bracelet, her head tilted in curiosity.

Evan's stomach dropped. His eyes widened as he stared at it. Oh no. Oh god, this was so embarrassing. Bracelets were for girls, weren't they? What was she going to think of him? He could already feel the panic bubbling under his skin, his face burning as if it were on fire.

"N-no, it's not mine," he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. He locked his gaze back on his shoes, wishing the earth would swallow him whole.

The girl turned the bracelet over in her hands, inspecting it. "It looks like mine," she murmured, her voice tinged with a distant sadness. "Except mine's pink. My... huh... my best friend made it for me."

Evan's breath caught. He lifted his head slightly, just enough to glance at her. His chest felt tight, like his heart was clawing its way up his throat. This couldn't be real. Could it?

"Y-your best friend?" he asked, his voice trembling.

She smiled faintly, but there was a sadness in her eyes. "Yeah... she had this phase where she loved making bracelets for everyone. Even for her brothers," she said with a quiet laugh, though it sounded hollow. "It only lasted a week, though. After that, she got obsessed with... well, some creepy clown animatronic or something."

Evan froze. The pieces were falling into place, and it felt like the ground had been ripped out from under him. This wasn't just any girl. This was Susie—his sister's best friend. The realization hit him like a punch to the gut, and he had to fight to keep his breathing steady. Act normal, Evan. Act normal.

But he couldn't stop himself. There was something he had to know.

"How... how were her brothers?" he asked hesitantly, his voice barely audible.

Susie's expression shifted, her brow furrowing slightly as she thought. "One of them..." She paused, biting her lip. "Well, he wasn't really nice," she admitted carefully.

Evan's stomach churned. Of course. She hated him. She probably thought he was weak, pathetic, useless. Just like everyone else did.

"But her little brother," Susie continued, her voice softening, "from what Liz used to say... he was kind. Sweet. Quiet. As if he was the best little brother in the whole world."

Evan felt his throat close up. The tears he'd been holding back blurred his vision. She didn't know. She didn't realize she was talking about him. But hearing her words, hearing what his sister had thought of him, it broke something inside him. The tears spilled over, and he couldn't stop them.

Not anymore.

Susie's eyes widened for a moment, her fingers hovering just above his wrist. She had expected something, but not this. She studied him closely, confusion and concern flickering across her face. The air between them felt heavy, like something important was about to break free, but neither of them knew what to say.

Evan swallowed hard, the lump in his throat growing, and wiped at his eyes, doing his best to control the sudden flood of emotions. He had spent so long hiding, trying to move on, pretending everything was fine. But right now, with Susie looking at him with those eyes—soft, understanding, yet confused—he couldn't keep up the act any longer. He was too tired. Too raw.

"The... the bracelet, it's... it... it's mine..." he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. His breath hitched, and he sniffled, the words feeling like they were ripping him open. "It was hers... It's... it's from Elizabeth."

Susie's expression softened instantly, and she took a small step back, her hand now gently offering the bracelet to him. The weight of her sympathy stung, but it also felt comforting in a way that almost made him want to break down right then and there.

Evan hesitated. He had imagined this moment in so many ways, but never like this. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, how to make this right, how to make her understand. He didn't even know if he could.

But before he could even decide what to do, Susie took the bracelet from her hand and, without a word, slipped it onto his wrist. Her fingers brushed against his skin, and it felt like something inside him shifted, something both familiar and heartbreaking. He looked down at the yellow bracelet—his sister's gift—and something in his chest broke wide open.

"You... knew Elizabeth?" she asked softly, her voice quieter now, as she kept her gaze on his wrist.

Evan felt his throat tighten again. How could he even explain? How could he tell her what it felt like to watch his sister slip away, to lose her and then live with the silence she left behind? How could he say all the things he had buried for so long, when she was the last person, he thought would ask?

He wanted to scoff, to tell her how he used to see her every day, how he missed her, how... but he couldn't. The words stuck in his throat, too heavy to speak.

Instead, he sighed deeply.

"I... I'm Evan... Evan Afton...".