What lies in the shadows~~~ Michael Afton x Reader

Chapter 6

This chapter has been proofread as of 10/31/23. As always, if you see an error, please let me know!

11/09/23 edited for minor mistakes.

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Mike quickly yanks his head back from peeking around the corner, and just as I go to look, Mike is also yanking me back.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Just as Mike whispered to me, banging is heard from just around the corner.

"Mike! You no good for nothing... If you don't open this door! I swear-"

Vanessa intends on continuing, but Mike isn't having any of it. He quickly plucks himself from the wall, about to head around the corner. He then remembers that I'm with him. He grabs me by my waist, guiding me to a door. He opens it and places me inside.

"You stay here. Got it?" He sternly responds.

"What if I said I don't want to?"

"I'd say, "Too bad, so sad. "Stay put? Ok?" Mike shuts the door quietly and walks away.

I crack the door, though, so I can better hear the exchange.

"Vanessa! What a pleasant surprise!" Mike's voice dripped with sarcasm.

Vanessa's eye twitches as she watches Mike. "Where were you? I flew up here as soon as one of the animatronics alerted me to the happenings in the daycare! I knew I wouldn't make it to the daycare on time, and now that you weren't in your office, I probably won't be able to track them on the cameras now!"

Mike doesn't pay any mind to her as he unclips his walkie-talkie. "You know my job doesn't just confine me to one security office, right? I have to go check the other offices to make sure their cameras work. Also, I'm sure the kid is smart enough to evade cameras. I mean, you haven't caught him yet, so I'd like to assume that. Plus, you know the walkie-talkies exist, right?" Mike holds up the device, waving it.

"Listen Mike! I have a lot on my plate right now. Between you and me, I'm almost 100 percent certain Mrs./Mr. Nosy mechanic (L/n) is helping that stupid child. I also wouldn't be lying if I said I didn't have suspicions that you were too. So, I'd watch your back and maybe be mindful of who you are helping." With that, she's marching down to the hallway.

I quickly shut my door and listen as she stomps past the door. Not noticing I'm holding my breath, I let out the breath I had been holding. The relief doesn't last long, though. Suddenly, my door is thrown open. My eyes widen, and I flitch. I covered my face with my arms.

"Hey, Dork! it's me! There is no need to be such a scaredy cat. You're easier to scare than Evan ever was." Mike laughs as he grabs my arms, pulling me out.

"Yea, well, don't just fling the door open like that again." I smack him in the stomach.

"Come on. We've got a boy to guide." Mike smacks me right back on my shoulder.

'easier to scare than Evan.' The short sentence rings through my head. Last time I checked, we didn't have an Evan that worked here. Surely he wasn't talking about Gregory either. I rack my mind for any other time he had mentioned the name, but my mind comes up short. Though the thought of it being one of his deceased siblings rings through my mind.

"Was Evan a sibling?" I asked testing the waters. Stepping through the security room door and shutting it.

Mike visibly stiffens as he sits in the office chair. It seems to just now sink into him what he had said. The atmosphere in the room shifts almost to that of regret and guilt.

"Yea... he was my younger brother..." Mike slouches in the chair.

"I'm sorry-" Mike cuts me off as I roll up beside him in my own office chair.