And His Name Was Steve

Chapter 5: The Body

A/N: Hey guys! This chapter includes: mental health issues, missing children, bullying, cursing, physical touch and blood. Just wanted to let you <3. So sorry for releasing this a day late! But otherwise I hope you enjoy!
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Thursday: November 10th, 1983

Red and blue lights created a light show around the Byers's home. Lea pulled into the driveway behind five police cars. Biting her shaky nails, she hyperventilated. Her tears irritated her puffy skin, feeling like it was sandpaper.

"Jonathan?" Her arms reached out, running towards him. "Lea..." he whimpered and enveloped his arms around her chest. Gripping each other, they just cried...and cried. Their tears soaking each other's shirts like a waterfall. " I was there...I was...there when they pulled him outta the water." Lea pulled away, clutching her mouth. "He's gone...he's gone...HE'S GONE! HE'S GONE! HE'S FUCKING GONE." She hit her fists against her head rapidly. Jonathan took hold of her hands and unsteadily pressed his lips to her forehead. His pool of tears poured on Lea's muddy hair.

Inside the house, Joyce was staring into space. A single tear trickled down her cheek. Hopper, the police chief, removed his hat, staring down at it. " Our working theory right now is that Will...crashed his bike, he...made his way over to the quarry and, uh...accidently fell in," he paused and scrunched his eyes, "the earth must've given way...Joyce?" Her eyes fell blankly on the wall. "Joyce. Do you understand what I'm saying?" She shook her head and trembled, "No. Whoever you found...is not my boy. It's not Will." "Joyce-" No, you don't understand...I talked to him, half hour ago!" She ran over to the cabinet, pulling out a wad of Christmas lights. "He was...he was here. He was talking...with these!" "Talking?" Hopper answered in disbelief. "Uh - huh. One blink for yes. Two blinks for no," she held up her fingers, "And...and, uh...and then I made this so he could talk to me." Joyce pointed to a wall covered in rainbow Christmas lights. Under each colored bulb was a letter in the alphabet. "Cause he was hiding...from that...that thing." Hopper pinched the bridge of his nose, "The thing that came out of the wall?" "Yeah!" Joyce nodded and walked towards him. "The thing that chased you?" "Yeah!" Jonathan's lip quivered as he ran towards his mom. "Mom, c'mon please -" "No, maybe he's -" "Mom, you gotta stop this!" Jonathan grabbed her arms. "It's after him!!" Joyce howled, "He's in danger. We have to find him! We-" she grabbed Hopper's hand, screaming into his face. "What exactly was this thing? It was uh, some kind of animal, you said?" Joyce kneaded her head, " Uh, no, it was...it was almost human, but it wasn't. It...it had these long arms and...it didn't have a face." Lea gasped, leaning onto a table. Didn't have a face repeated in her head. The demogorgon. Jonathan stomped away, melting into Lea. "Jonathan!" We need to go!" He pulled away from her, "What?" She clutched his hand and scurried out the door. "I'll explain in the car!"
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Static crackled. "Can you please stop that!" Mike barked as he shifted through some of Will's old drawings. El continued to play with Mike's radio. "Are you deaf! I thought we were friends, you know? But friends tell each other the truth! And they definitely don't lie to each other. You made me think Will was okay, that he was still out there, but he wasn't. He wasn't!" El bowed her head, a small tear plopped in front of her. "Maybe you thought you were helping, but you weren't! You hurt me! Do you understand? What you did sucks! Lucas was right about you. All. Along!"

Lea and Jonathan burst through the door! "Mike!" "Lea, what the hell are you doing here," he pouted. "Ms. Byers, she said she talked to Will. With lights, and th...that he was hiding from-" "The demogorgon!" His eyes bulged in realization. Static continued as El played with the device. Over the radio a familiar voice was singing: "So come on and let me know. Should I stay or should I go?" The three's jaws dropped to the ground. Jonathan slapped his mouth, a smile forming. They looked at eachother, before bolting to Eleven. "Should I stay or should I go now? Should I stay or should I go now?If I go there will be trouble. If I stay there will be double." Grasping the radio, Mike shouted, "Will, is that you? It's Mike. Do you copy? Over. " Nothing. Jonathan took it out of his hands, "Will, are you there? Will!" His eyes filled with tears, he's alive! The static rumbled as Eleven wiped the blood from her nose. Jonathan sat next to El, "Was it...was that-" "Will." El beamed, gazing into Mike's eyes.
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