thirteen - byler -

01.

TW: blood, implied spousal abuse, implied violence

stay safe <33
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Thirteen, the age of newfound freedom and fun, sneaking out at midnight, going to your first party, the first of many long teenage years. Well, for most thirteen-year-olds in the '80s.

Most, except for Will Byers. He would rather spend his afternoons reading comic books and playing DnD with his best friend Mike Wheeler than go to any party. Rather sit and listen to music than defy his parents or try a cigarette.

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The Byer's House

August 31st

11:42
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Will sat in his bed, wearing his headphones to block out the screaming coming from below him. It doesn't work. It never works. Tonight was one of those nights, his dad had come home from work that day to find that Will's mom hadn't unloaded the dishwasher yet because she had to work an extra shift at Melvald's, Joyce tried to explain but it was no use and now nearly two hours later she was still getting reprimanded by Lonnie. The young boy flinched as he heard a smashing sound and reached to turn up the volume and block out the sounds, only to find that it was almost all the way up. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to focus on the upbeat melody of 'Loverboy by A-Wall', one of his all-time favorites, Mike had introduced him to it, he simply fell in love with it.

Within minutes, he found his eyelids drooping and the shouting more and more muffled.

A sudden sound of glass breaking woke the sleeping boy right up and he jumped out of bed, the screaming had stopped, it'd finally stopped. He sighed in relief and almost lay back down before he thought of something, the screaming stopped. Why had it suddenly stopped?

He felt panic begin to rise in his chest as he slowly walked to the door and turned the knob. He walked down the stairs cautiously and poked his head around the corner to see into the living room, the door was wide open and swinging, indicating that someone had just left, he tiptoed over to the door and froze. His mind went blank, the only word in it being 'mom' his face paled as he ran over to his unconscious mother, she was passed out on the floor with a broken blood-soaked bottle next to her bleeding head. "Mom, mom, wake up," Will quietly pleaded, "Mom?" He shook her shoulders gently, "Mom please," he sobbed, hugged her close to him.

After around 40 seconds, he realized he had to do something, anything, to help her. He couldn't exactly call anyone because of how it happened so he'd have to take matters into his own hands. "I'll be back in just a minute mom I promise just hang on," Will whispered, standing up and hurrying to the bathroom to find his first aid kit, he frantically searched through the cabinets but couldn't find it, then he remembered that he'd moved it to his room for safekeeping.

He raced to his room, removed the first aid kit from underneath his bed, and was about to go back to the living room when he heard static, walkie-talkie static, "Will? Will pick up."
It was Mike.

"Will?"

"Will"

"Will Will Will Will Will-"

Will inhaled heavily and picked up the walkie talkie, "Mike I really can't talk right now, over and out"

"Wait-"

Will shut it off and ran down to the living room, he kneeled next to his mom and placed his head on her chest to check that she was breathing, she was. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in and wiped the hot tears that ran down his face as he grabbed the disinfectant and bandages and got to work. After he was done, he grabbed a blanket and put it over her so she wouldn't get cold, swept up some of the mess Lonnie made, and put some paracetamol next to Joyce for when she woke up. Will leaned on the couch next to her, his eyes drooping once again, and before he knew it, he had passed out.

He woke up to a the light patter of rain and a loud banging sound, looking up he soon realised it was Mike banging on his living room window anxiously,
"Will let me in."
Will's eyes widened when he remembered the gravity of the situation and he stood up immediately, his vision becoming black for a moment, he stumbled to the door and opened it an inch, there stood Mike, covered in rain with a concerned expression on his beautiful face.

"Oh my god Will what happened," He exclaimed,
"Nothing-"
"No something happened and I want to know what it was- is your mom ok? Are you ok?"
"Yes Mike, we're fine now please," Will said, glancing behind him nervously, "please leave," he whispered.
"No! I'm coming in." Mike said as he pushed past Will and into the Byers house.

He ran into the living room and knelt next to Joyce,
"Will, what happened?" he whispered,
"She-fell down the stairs."
"No she did not. You literally don't have stairs idiot."
"Oh- I mean she fell down other stairs." Will mumbled,
"This is actually freaking me out, just tell me."

Will stayed silent, racking his brain for something to say, Mike inhaled,
"Was it- was it your dad?" Mike whispered shakily,
Will looked up at him with wide tearful eyes and opened his mouth-

"What the hell is he doing here."

Will felt sick, he slowly turned around to see none other than Lonnie Byers.
"He just came over to talk to me about homework I swear-"
"Do you really think I'm that dumb," He laughed mockingly, "I know exactly why he's here."
Mike looked between the two in confusion,

"Your kind are disgusting, get out of my house." Lonnie boomed,

"Sir-"

"NOW."
Will gave him a look telling him to get out now and he hesitantly stood up, walking over to the door.

"Hurry up boy, don't make me say it again."

Mike ran out of the door, into the cold rain, and all the way home, forgetting his bike at Will's.

As soon as he stepped onto his front porch, he started to sob, he didn't really know why, he just did. Nancy heard him from her window and ran down to see him,
"Mike oh my god are you ok?"
He couldn't bring himself to say anything so Nancy pulled him into a tight hug, "It's going to be ok," she whispered and he really hoped she was right.

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1105 words wow!!

pls i really didn't plan for this to go from 1-100 so quick but ig it did💀 i hope you liked it anyways and i'll be posting regularly so that's pretty cool,

remember to drink water and take care of urself <333