Just Friends - Byler

VI

Will wakes up from his sleep drenched in sweat and looks around frantically.

"It was just a dream." Will reminds himself under his breath, in attempt to calm down his pacing heart.
Will sits up in his sleeping bag and continues to look around, no one's with him and it's pitch black.

"El's probably with Mike." Will crinkles his nose in disgust at thought.

Suddenly Will hears a noise that sounds similar to a creature he never wanted to hear again, the demogorgon.
It was nowhere to be seen though, and it definitely could not get into the basement. Suddenly there were black slimy vines crawling up the dark basement walls.

oh no. Will winced, his heart now beating faster than ever and his throat tightening in fear. It can't be, I'm not there, it can't be. He repeated, closing his eyes as tears were rolling down his face at a rapid pace. Why me, why me?

He opened his burning eyes and ran up the basement stairs, "Mike!" He yelled.
"Mike,Mike help!" He twisted the doorknob in hopes that it would magically open for him, it never did. He knew he had powers too, well not completely,he was just guessing he did.
Even if he does, he doesn't know how to use them yet, you know what happened earlier.

"Mike!" Will sobbed loudly.
The vines were getting closer and the room was getting darker at this point.

"Mike, help!" Mike heard a muffled voice call from down the basement, it sounded like Will. He gently pushed Eleven off of his chest, careful not to wake the sleeping girl and ran down the stairs as quietly as possible. The voice was getting louder as he approached the basement door.

"Will?!" Mike shouted back "open the door Will!" It was quiet now.

Just about everyone in the house woke up from the yelling and ran downstairs turning the kitchen light on.

"Mike, stop yelling and go back to sleep!" Karen scolded Mike while Joyce and El rushed behind her.

Mike turned to look at his mom, with teary eyes. His hand still trying to open the basement door. Mike let out a shaky breath, "something's happening in there and the doors locked, I don't know what to do! He's not answering me back anymore."

Joyce's face turned white and she looked at Karen, who was clueless and didn't know a single thing. "I'll handle this, go get your sleep Karen." She smiled sweetly and convincingly.
Karen looked one more time at Mike, gave him a hug and headed back upstairs to sleep again.
Once Karen was fully upstairs Joyce went to the basement door and tried for the handle, it of course didn't open.

"Will, honey. Unlock the door." Joyce half-whispered trying to sound as calm as she could.

"I'm tired Mike." Eleven whined.

"Then go!" Mike snapped, tears still in his eyes. He immediately regretted it when Eleven shouted "I dump your ass!" and stomped to the guest bedroom which was once Nancy's.

Mike rolled his eyes at those words he once heard and tried for the doorknob once again. This time it successfully opened, weird. He opened the door and was brought into a hug and he surprisingly hugged Will back tightly, thinking of the fact that he could've lost him because of whatever was happening down there. Will was cold and he soaked the sleeve of Mikes shirt with his tears.

"What happened Will?" Joyce asked worried.

"I'm fine." Will simply replied, not even looking up at her, he was too busy taking in Mikes affection which he was probably never going to get again.

"Okay well that's good Will but, you really frightened us all." Joyce spoke.

Will just sobbed harder into Mikes shoulder and Joyce took that as way of him telling her to go away, so she walked back upstairs to the guest room with a loud sigh.

"Mike," Will whispered into his shoulder. "I don't wanna go back down there."

Mike took Will out of the hug and stared him in the eyes, "it's ok Will, you won't have to go alone." Mike walked into the basement turning on the lights that flickered for a while before spinning himself around to face Will.

He looked back at Will's eyes and flickered them down to his lips for a split second before looking back into the still frightened eyes of Will. He held out his hand and plastered a soft smile on his face, which Will hesitantly took and smiled back. "Let's just keep the light on, okay?" Mike smiled to Will, in his gentle tone he used for Will only. He led Will down the basement steps and layed out a blanket and pillow on the couch for him.

"I'll just use the sleeping bag." Mike answered to Wills confused expression. Will nodded and walked to the couch taking small steps, looking down at the ground for any slimy, gross vines that may suddenly appear again. He sat down on the couch and Mike did the same, "Will, it's alright. I'm here, I'm here Will." He repeated the last part hesitantly putting his arm around the boy, careful not to startle him again.

"Mike?" Will spat out in a soft whisper, "can you stay up here with me? J-just for the night." His tone hightening at the last part.

A/N:
I think people are forgetting to vote on the chapters so if you see this please remember to vote! I really would appreciate it. My alarm started blaring and I cut my finger on a hole puncher right now but what am I doing? Continuing to write. I'm now bl33ding and I hope i don't get it on my keyboard. Sorry TMI. Thank you so much for 100 reads by the way! I am so happy :) I also found a love for classical music. I actually listened to a playlist while studying last night and writing this chapter. It's beginning to get to the good part of the story, can't wait to write that!

Time written: April 3,2022 4:45 p.m
Word Count: 1025