Demise of Mayfield

Chapter 15: One Step Closer

The mind flayer roared, straying away from Vecna himself. It brought flakes wherever it went, the ground painted in whites and greys - seemingly mimicking snow. It beckoned the demogorgons, the demodogs, and the demobats out into Hawkins, out to seize any life it comes across.

-

Will sat up and gasped for breath. He brought his hands up to his throat, his fingers gently clawing at his skin as he swore he felt something plunge and sink down profoundly against his neck - like a stalactite falling down and crumbling against the ground so loudly. He turned his head around, scanning the area. It was dark, faintly catching sight of the smallest window with its weakest moonlight shining between the cracks.

There was hardly anything. He noticed the wooden walls, noticing some holes and darkened patches. There were shelves with tools, a few chairs stacked along the wall. He hunched forward to stand up, but he felt a lump form on his throat. Something pricked along his skin on his wrists as well as his ankles. Will hadn't noticed the uncomfortable position his arms were in, his wrists tightened securely behind a wooden pole.

The fibers of the rope felt like a blade as it burned his skin with every tug. His skin was being torn off bit by bit, and he gagged on his saliva, trying to regain his composure.

"You woke faster than I thought," he heard from behind.

"Max," Will breathed out, peeking out of the corner of his eye, "you don't need to do this."

Max made her way to Will and stood in front of him, her eyes hazy. "Max isn't here, Will. It's time you come back to me." Her hand inched to his face, fingers bent crookedly with the tips hardly grazing along his face. Her head tilted just a bit. "Once I get control of you, no one can do anything, really."

"T-That's not true." Will said. His eyes flickered while hanging his head low. He didn't want to look at Max's face directly in the eyes. "T-The others will do something; they'll save us!" He raised his head and spat.

One scoffed. "Who's to say they won't give up and lose hope?"

"They... won't," Will bit his lip. He gulped and turned away, his eyes looking at Max's shoes. "I know they won't."

Will's face scrunched up, feeling her fingertips press against his face tightly. His eyes squeezed shut, his heart racing on against the pressure that arose within him.

"Just give in. You know there's no other way."

Will opened his eyes. "No."

-

The mind flayer screamed and thrashed beside the Wheeler's home. The ground trembled, and the people held onto dear life. They threw their arms around each other, around something to hold themselves steady.

Slowly unlatching herself from Mike, El made her way outside - her arms stretched out to maintain her balance. Her eyes were narrowed, and she raised her hand, eyes glued onto the mind flayer. Her nostrils flared, and she hung her head down, gaze remaining on the mind flayer.

"Kid, don't!" Hopper shoved the door open, his chest heaved quickly as he made his way down to his daughter.

El glanced over, her lips wavering into a frown, "I need t-to." Her hands trembled, and El slowly turned back to the mind flayer - her hand falling as she saw Vecna in its place. "No," she whispered, eyes dilating.

Her gaze remained fixed on him even as Hopper grabbed her wrist and pulled her back inside. Her arms pushed against her father, but she watched as the door closed shut and kept her inside.

"El," Hopper ran his hand against his mustache. "You can't just go running out like that. It's not safe-."

"He's out there! I need to stop him-."

"El," Mike cleared his throat. "Before we deal with One, we have, uh, another predicament."

Eleven looked at Mike, "What?"

Robin stepped forward, clearing her throat, "U-Uhm." She scratched the back of her throat. "Max.. disappeared."

"What...?" El stepped closer.

Robin rolled her shoulders back, her lips pressed into a thin line. "I-I don't k-know." She brought her hands up to her face, sliding her fingers against her hairlocks and brushing it upwards. "I don't know..."

"What about Miya? And Lucas?" Eleven brushed Mike off and stood in front of the older girl. "Are they okay?"

"They're just... unconscious," Robin bit her lip. "They won't wake up..."

Eleven pushed between Robin and Nancy, who had just stood beside Robin, and she let her feet guide her to the basement. Her heart hammered furiously against her ribs, her breath heaving heavily as she rushed down and around the corner, seeing Miya and Lucas. The closer she stepped, she could feel One's presence , and she felt her insides twist as she was repulsed by his presence lingering near her friends.

"El?" Nancy came down slowly. "Anything you need?"

"We need heat." Eleven murmured. As she looked at Nancy, she could faintly see Lucas and Miya squirm in place when she mentioned they needed heat. She watched Nancy leave quickly, gliding as if she was riding the air, and she turned back to look at them - watching them stop moving.

Her eyes were glued onto her friends, listening to footsteps join her from behind.

Nancy hooked up some heaters as did Robin. Steve began piling up blankets on the two younger ones who lay on the ground, facing Robin and Nancy who turned the knobs on the heaters at full blast - watching the metal begin to turn orange as it heated up.

"We did this with Will," Nancy let out a small laugh as she felt the heat increase. She watched Jonathan put even thicker blankets on Lucas and Miya, her eyes soon landing on the two as they writhed around from the heat.

Miya opened her eyes, and pants escaped her lips as she began to overheat. She wriggled. She tried to get out of the blankets, but she couldn't, forgetting she was restrained. Tears crept up to her eyes, Robin's name muffled in her agonized cries as she felt uncomfortable.

Robin's heart was splitting apart, her lips drying as she watched Miya sob and quail uncontrollably. She wanted to run and sweep her off from the floor, her arms to wrap so tightly around the girl's frame, but she had to hold back. Her eyes glossed, and she looked away.

Lucas's eyes bulged open, a holler escaping his mouth. His body thrashed and trembled violently, his eyes rolling back as he rocked vigorously on the ground. A puff of smoke swirled out of his throat, floating out through the broken window, and Lucas stopped. His breath was heavy, chest heaving in with a deep inhale and heaving out with a heavy exhale. "What...?"

Too distracted with Lucas's outburst, no one noticed the loud silence from Miya's lips. Her breath was shallow, hardly any movement with her chest as she regained her energy that was consumed by One, or the mind flayer. She could taste the coldness of ice along her tongue, the way her lips dried from how uncomfortable she felt being controlled.

Her eyes were fixated on the ceiling as she focused on her breathing. She gradually felt the heat decrease, and she watched a shadow overcast her.

"Miya...?" Robin asked, looking down at her.

Miya heaved out a breath. "Robin..."

Robin got on her knees and pulled her head down. "Can I-."

Miya pulled herself up just a bit and caught Robin's lips into a kiss.

Eleven looked out the window. "It's not over yet."

"I sure wish it was," Eddie sighed, messing with his hair.

-

"Will," Max sing-songed. "You ready?"

Will stepped forward, his eyes fogged. His lips were forming a frown, and his arms rested at either side. "Yes. It's time." He followed Max outside, feeling the remnants of the mind flayer enter him.

"It's time," One came before the two. "Hawkins will fall."