HIDDEN !¡ MIKE WHEELER

05. ✰

"BYE, JESS!" MABEL waved to the lady as she drove away. She turned around to the schoolyard, seeing Mike, Dustin and Lucas but no Will. In front of them was Troy and his friend that followed him everywhere.

Dustin was taking off his jacket as Mabel slowly walked up to them. He put his arms in front of him and cracked his bones. The two bullies gagged, shoving past the three kids. "Everything okay?" Mabel asked.

"Just Troy and his minion being assholes," Lucas told her. "I think your cleidocranial dysplasia is cool. It's like you have superpowers or something. Like Mabel," Mike smiled. "Yeah, but I can't fight evil with it," Dustin said, picking his jacket and bag up from the floor.

"Okay, can we not talk about my superpowers when we're here? Too many people," Mabel shivered. "Mabel doesn't have superpowers. She's just a weirdo who believes she does," Lucas rolled his eyes. "I'm right here!" she threw up her arms. "Oh, by the way, where's Will?" she asked.

"We don't know. His mom called by my house this morning looking for him. Probably went to class early. Let's go," Mike said, walking into school as the kids follow. Mabel couldn't shake the feeling that something bad had happened but it went away when she plopped herself into the seat in homeroom.

THE BELL RANG and students rushed to leave the room as Mr. Clarke trailed on about finishing chapter twelve and blah, blah, blah. Will still hadn't shown up to school so the four kids assumed he was home sick.

When everyone cleared out, they all ran up to Mr. Clarke's desk. "So, did it come?" Mike asked excitedly. The boys had told Mabel they were waiting to see the radio thingy Mr. Clarke told them he was getting.

"Sorry, boys. And Mabel. Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but..." he began slowly. The boys excitement quieted down as they frowned. "It came!" Mr. Clarke beamed. They were all led to the audio visual room.

When they got inside, laying on the table was the radio. "The Heathkit Hamshack. Ain't she a beaut?" Mr. Clarke stood in the corner of the room and crossed his arms. Mabel had no idea what this thing was but she was weirdly fantasized by it.

"I bet you can talk to New York on this thing," Dustin smiled, turning a knob on the machine. "Think bigger," Mr. Clarke gestured. "California?" Lucas asked. "Bigger," Mr. Clarke laughed. "Australia?" Mike's eyes widened as he put on headphones. Mr. Clarke nodded.

"Oh, man! When Will sees this, he's totally gonna blow his shit!" Lucas chuckled. "Lucas," Mr. Clarke raised a brow. "Sorry..." Lucas apologized. The three boys played with the knobs and buttons on the device as Mabel leaned against the table, watching.

Mike leaned up, bringing his mouth to the microphone. "Hello, this is Mike Wheeler, president of Hawkins Middle AV Club," Mike laughed into the microphone with an Australian accent.

Dustin grabbed the headphones off Mike and put them on his head. "Hello, this is Dustin, and this is the secretary and treasurer of Hawkins Middle AV Club," Dustin spoke in the same accent. "Here, Mabel, try!" Mike placed the headphones on Mabel's head.

"Hi, I'm Mabel and I'm not a part of the club but it's really fun to talk like this. Okay, bye!" she giggled, speaking in the same accent. Lucas reached for the headphones on Mabel's head but the kids were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Sorry to interrupt but, uh, may I borrow Micheal, Lucas, Dustin and Mabel?" the principal walked in with two police officers standing behind him. The kids all exchanged worried glances as they were led into the principal's office.

They all sat down on the couch. "You were all with William Byers last night, correct? Any idea on where he is? His mother was in my office this morning freaking out because he never came home," the policeman asked as he sat down on a chair across from the kids.

The three boys voices overlapped each other as they all talked at the same time. "Okay, okay, okay," the policeman raised his hand. "One at a time. The girl first, since she hasn't said a word." Mabel furrowed her eyebrows. "Me?" she asked quietly. "Do you see another girl in here?" the officer sighed.

"I left before Will, sir," Mabel told him. "Yeah. And what time was that?" he asked. "It was around 8:20. A few minutes before the rest of them left my house," Mike answered for Mabel. "And you went straight home?" the officer questioned. Mabel nodded.

"Now you. You said he takes what?" he pointed at Mike. "Mirkwood," Mike said. "Mirkwood?" the officer repeated. Mike nodded. "Have you ever heard of Mirkwood?" he asked the man sitting next to him, taking notes. "I have not. Sounds made up to me," the man answered.

"No, it's from Lord of the Rings," Lucas spoke. "Well, The Hobbit," Dustin corrected him. "It doesn't matter," Lucas raised his arms. "He asked!" Dustin defended. "He asked!" Lucas mocked his friend in a high voice.

"Shut up, guys!" Mike yelled over them. "Hey, hey, hey! What'd I just say? One at a damn time. You," the police officer focused his attention back on Mike. "Mirkwood. It's a real road. It's just the name that's made up. It's where Cornwallis and Kerley meet," Mike said.

"Alright, I think I know that," the officer nodded, leaning back. "We can show you if you want," Mike told him. "I said that I know it!" he raised his voice. "We can help look," Mike said. "Yeah," Mabel nodded.

"No. After school, you are all to go home. Immediately. That means no biking around looking for your friend, no investigating, no nonsense. This isn't some Lord of the Rings book," the police officer told the four kids.

"The Hobbit," Dustin corrected again. "Shut up!" Lucas whisper shouted, backhanding him on his leg. Dustin reached over Mike and Mabel, hitting Lucas back. The two kids smacked each other while Mike and Mabel sat quietly in the center of it.

"Do I make myself clear?" the officer quietly asked. The boys kept arguing until the officer stood up. They all stared up in fright as the tall man stood over them. "Do I make myself clear?" he asked again. "Yes, sir," they all gulped in unison.

author's note !
gyeong-gyeleul neom-eo pyeolchyeojineun unknown jeo kkeutkkaji
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