AFRICA ; stranger things

3 | where's will?

THE CAR'S BRAKES SHRIEKED AS THEY WERE HALTED TO A STOP AS THEY APPROACHED THE WOODS.

Joey felt herself becoming small and nearing closer to Jonathan and Steph. She looked up to the vast darkness above her. A splash of liquid hit her forehead and trickled onto her nose.
"It's starting to rain, Steph." Joey told her sister.

Steph's hands flew to her head.
"My hair." she sulked.
"My hair." Joey mimicked.

"Shut up you little bitch."
"You shut up-"
"Both of you be quiet!" Jonathan shouted, separating the two apart. "Will is missing and you are just bickering!"

Joey looked to the ground and Steph bit her cheek.

"Sorry Jonathan."

"Sorry Jonathan."

Jonathan nodded, tired. "Okay, let's find my brother."

•

Joey's laugh echoed through the trees as she stared at her sisters hair, who was incredibly mad as all of her hair had transformed into a frizzy mop.

The three of them were getting tired, and wet.

The rain wouldn't stop. It poured and poured and the squelching underneath their feet was becoming a familiar noise now.

Joey smiled as she caught Jonathan sneakily looking back at Steph's dress, which had now become see through with the rain. As soon as he felt Joey's stare lingering, he turned to face the front and continued to shout 'Will!'

And then, too Jonathan and Steph's shock, Joey stopped suddenly.

She whipped her head to the left as she heard a noise.

"What is it?" Steph asked.
"Shh!" Joey replied.

Joey listened carefully. She picked up three voices, although she couldn't tell who they were.

"I'm gonna see who it is." Joey decided and began to walk away.

"Joey, I don't think that's a good idea.." Jonathan called after her, followed by Steph.
"Joey, get back here!"

"I'll be fine!" Joey's muffled voice exclaimed, and then she was gone.

This part of the woods was even scarier and it was filled with even more trees than before.

It was so dark, Joey almost couldn't make out the outline of her hand in front of her face.

Stumbling backwards, Joey heard the leaves crunch underneath her feet. And her back brush against someone else's.

She screamed and heard three others.

Her face was lit up with three flashlights, almost blinding her.

Panic felt like a balloon in her stomach. Getting bigger and bigger with the more shaky breaths she took,

She put her hands over her eyes when someone said "Joey?"

The balloon deflated in relief.

She knew that voice.

Her eyes adjusting to the flashlight, she saw three boys.

Lucas, Dustin and Mike.