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Joyce woke up a little into the afternoon looking up to see a note from Jess. 'Had to get off to work, I'll be back today in the afternoon when I get off work I'll bring some stuff round xxx'
Joycesighed flopping back down on the sofa closing her eyes again but not falling asleep. Will woke up a little later as she helped him, taking his temperature which was surprisingly low as she ran him a hot bath.
As Will got into the bath she tried to get a hold of Hopper but it went straight to his voicemail, she then tried Jess but again same went straight to voicemail. She called Florence at the station to see if Hopper was there but he wasn't. And then she called the the newspaper.
"Hello Hawkins Newspaper." Maureen the receptionist answered the phone, Joyce remembered her from when Jess introduced them to each other.
"Hello is Jess there?"
"Joyce is that you hun?"
"Yeah it's me. I've been trying to get a hold of Jess but she's not answering. Is she in?"
"She hasn't been in for a whole week at least hun."
"What?"
"Yeah she's been taking sick day after sick day. I went to go and check on her and visited they're trailer but it's deserted." Joyce hung up the phone in shock just as Will complained that the bath was too hot. Joyce tried to explain to him that she's got to get his temperature back up.
Will scared her demanding that he can't have it too hot, quote that 'he likes it cold.' Thai freaked Joyce out even more and made the desperation to get ahold of Jess increase.
As Will fixed the bath temperature himself Joyce dig through Wills room to find his walkie she eventually found it having no clue as she changed the channels.
"Jess? Jess are you there?" Nothing. Just then there was a knock on the door. Joyce rushed to it and swung the door sighing in relief to see Jess.
"You okay?" Jess eyebrows furrowed as Joyce dragged her inside.
"Where have you been?"
"Been getting this stuff for you and Will. Joyce hun are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Joyce sighed.
"Joyce!"
"First of all do you have any jumpers?"
"Um no why?"
"I have to turn the heating off." Joyce handed Jess one of her cardigans as she sat her down on the couch explaining everything.
"Joyce we need to take him to a doctor."
"No I promise I promised no doctors."
"Okay okay. What can I do to help?"
"I don't know. I don't know! I don't know what o can do. I feel like he's not telling me something but I'm not doing enough to get him to tell me."
"Joyce."
Joyce continued rambling. "And I don't know what to do and I'm so scared that this thing is eventually going to take him like it did last year but this time I can't do anything about it." Jess said nothing to try and stop her rambling but pulled her by the shoulders, wrapping her arms round her threading her fingers through her hair.
"Shush, shush, it's okay. I've got you. I've got you." Jess placed a kiss to the side of Joyce's head. "I love you both so much, whatever is hurting Will and therefore you I promise I'll kill it. Then you can all have a normal life."
Just then there was a knock at the door Jess got up to go and get it to see her brother. "Nice to see you, finally. Joyce told me she's been trying to get a hold of you for ages. Where were you?"
"I'll explain later. Why is it so cold in here?"
"Long story." Jess mumbled closing the door behind her and Joyce dragged them into Wills room where he was sat on his bed with all the windows open.
Hopper sat next to Will and on the other side was Joyce as Jess sat across from them, Joyce's hand never leaving hers. "So this thing, this shadow thing. You told your mom it likes it like this. It likes it cold?" Will nodded. "How do you know that?"
"I just know."
"Does he talk to you?"
"No it's like... I don't have to think. I just know things. Things I never did before. It's hard to explain. It's like old memories in the back of my head. Only they're not MY memories. I mean I don't think they're even old memories. They're- they're now memories." Will teared up as Jess squeezed Joyce's hand subconsciously. "All happening at once."
"Can you describe them sweetie?" Jess spoke in no more than a whisper.
"I don't know it's hard to explain."
"I know it's hard but can you try just try for us."
"They're growing and spreading." Hopper reached over and held his sisters hand seeing the fear on her face. "Killing."
"The memories?"
"I don't know. I'm sorry." Will cried as Joyce hugged him reassuring him it was okay.
"Hey bud?" Jess spoke up. "What if you don't use words to help us understand. I mean you're practically an artist right." Will looked up to Joyce as she nodded at him. Jess moved out the way and Joyce got his colouring stuff as he started drawing random patterns.
Jess and Hopper collected them all as Will drew more placing them on the coffee table trying to figure out what they are. "Hop. I know a jigsaw when I see one. Look those two pieces fit together." Jess took the drawing from Hoppers hands and placed it next to the one next to hers. "See?"
"You're a genius!!" Hopper ruffled up her hair.
"Ow!"
Jess, Hopper and Joyce collected and collected the what felt like endless amount of drawings from Will trying to piece each one together. They worked at least late into the night to end up with just a chord of what looked like tunnels.
