bitchin' , ʷⁱˡˡ ᵇʸᵉʳˢ

twenty-two

chapter twenty-two
[ he remembers me ]

they were all running down the hall as will laid in a hospital bed, crying and screaming. wills screams and cries were what caused melissa to cry uncontrollably. she couldn't watch this. she couldn't see him like this.

"will, where does it hurt?" a female doctor had asked him.

"all over!" will cried.

the doctors then took a pair of scissors and cut his shirt right off him, "he says he feels like he's burning. check for burns." dr. owens ordered.

even through her tear fulled eyes, melissa scanned wills body for burns and saw none.

"i don't see anything." the doctor lady said, confused on why he would feel burning if there's no actual burns on his body, the group all shared a look, "where does it hurt most will?"

"everywhere! everywhere!" will yelled and the doctors then took a needle, and stuck it into his arm, causing will to fall asleep.

"is he going to be okay?" melissa called out, as the doctors stopped her and mike from walking with them any further, "hey! answer me!" melissa started running but mike held her back.

she fought him but soon gave up as she collapsed to the floor in tears, mike collapsing with her as he comforted her.

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melissa and mike were fast asleep in two chairs, sharing a blanket bob had put on them. mel's head rested on mikes shoulder while will was also sound asleep in his hospital bed. meanwhile, hopper was getting checked out since he was trapped in vines in the upside down and joyce and bob were in the corner of the room, away from the kids, talking.

"mom?" wills eyes fluttered open, causing both mike and melissa to wake up as well.

"hey sweetie, how are you feeling? you okay?" joyce asked, rushing to his side while bob called for a doctor.

"okay, they're on their way." bob said, entering the room again, "hey."

will looked at bob, confused as if he doesn't remember who he was, "who is that?" will asked, looking at his mom.

"what?" joyce asked, confused, but still keeping a smile on her face though. melissa and mike shared worried glances.

"it's me, big guy. it's bob."

"are you a doctor?" the boy asked, scanning him up and down.

"no, no, it's just me. just....just bob." bob smiled while melissa added, "bob newby superhero." in which bob smiled at.

just by looking at him, the younger hopper knew something was wrong. he held no emotion whatsoever. if you knew will, he at least held pain, fear and sadness in his eyes but now, nothing.

the doctors were quick to act after joyce had explained to them what just happened. they attached medical pads to his temples, which monitored his brain. mike, bob, joyce, melissa and now hopper stood around the end of wills bed.

as dr. owens began asking will questions, melissa grabbed a hold of hoppers hand, holding it tightly.

"do you know your name?" dr. owens asked.

"will."

"your full name?"

"william byers."

"do you-do you know who i am?" there was a pause as will stared at dr. owens' face, trying to remember.

"you're...you're a doctor."

"have we met before?"

"i don't remember." dr. owens hummed in response.

"you don't remember me? okay, how about, uh....how about this guy here?" he pointed to mike. will then turned his head to the said boy. mike awkwardly raised his hand and sent will a little wave, "know who that is?"

the pause was intense. both mel and mike hoped will remembered.

"it's alright. take your time."

"that's my friend," will finally spoke, "mike."

the said boy smiled, glancing happily at melissa and joyce.

"what.....what about her?" dr. owens pointed to melissa, "you know her?"

wills eyes flickered to her before his head followed. she sent him a small smile and a wave. she was scared. really scared, that he wouldn't remember her.

hopper could sense that emotion radiating off of her and he was quick to rub her back, trying to calm her nerves down.

"that's..." will furrowed his eyesbrows, studying her face, trying to remember. he released all the tension in his face when his eyes met hers, "melissa." her name passed through his lips, the best sound ever, "my best friend."

she couldn't help but smile, hearing that. he remembered her, of course he'd remember her. she was important and important people are remembered.

mike sent mel a smile then patted her on the back in congratulations.

melissa turned to hopper and smiled, relief flying off her face. he smiled at her and rested his hands on her shoulders.

he knew how scared she was. you could see it. anyone could see it.

"what about me, kid?" hopper spoke up, "you remember me?" will stared at him for a moment, then shook his head no to the man, "they tell me you helped save me last night. you remember that?" again, will shook his head.

"do you remember anything from last night? about what happened?" dr. owens asked the boy.

"i remember they hurt me," will answered in this weird new voice melissa wasn't familiar with.

"you mean the doctors?"

"no. the soldiers."

"the soldiers hurt you?"

"they shouldn't have done that." wills voice now had anger in it. melissa felt goosebumps appear all over her body. this wasn't will. melissa knew that it wasn't, "it upset him." he spat.

"you say upset him. is that him?" dr. owens handed will a photograph of the drawing will had made. it was the drawing of the shadow monster.

the monster both will and melissa saw, halloween night.

will turned to the man, nodding his head. melissa saw a splash of fear fill his eyes. he was in there. melissa knew it for a fact. he was still in there.