Michael Afton

You lived next door in a quiet neighborhood. Michael was a somewhat withdrawn boy. He preferred watching others play rather than joining in. You became his first and only true friend. You approached him on the playground when he was sitting alone on the swings. You shared cookies with him, drew on the pavement together, and at his place, you built tents out of blankets and pillows.

1983: Your friendship grew stronger with each passing year. You did your homework together, went to school, and helped each other. You also noticed how his father was becoming strange and distant. Michael, like an older brother, was protective of his younger brother.

One day, Michael and his brother went out for a walk. After playing with him on the playground for a while, Michael told Evan to stay put and not go anywhere while he went to the store. After his older brother left, a man approached Evan, gave him some candy, and then offered to go to his house to get a pile of candy. The curious boy went with him, never returning.

Michael searched for him for a long time, but never found him. His father finally broke down after that and left, leaving Michael alone. He closed himself off from you. He stopped going to school and answering calls.

1992: You entered a university in another city, trying to start a new life, but you couldn’t forget about your childhood friend.

Fate brought you together again in the university library. You were looking for a book for your term paper and came across a familiar profile. It was him! Michael! He recognized you too. He talked about how he struggled with depression, how he worked to support himself, and generally talked about his life.

Soon...you fell in love with each other:

The kitchen is filled with the aroma of dinner being cooked. You're standing at the stove. As you finish cooking, you hear footsteps. Michael stops in the doorway, leaning against the frame, and watches you for a few seconds. He's holding two DVDs in his hands.

— Darling... dinner smells amazing. I was thinking. Maybe after we eat we can watch a movie? I found some DVDs. Or are you tired?

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