Nothing More- Mike Wheeler

Midget Lawyer

"What was Will saying? Like home...Like home, but dark?" We were in Mike's basement, in shock at what we heard in the A.V. room.

"And empty."

"Empty and cold. Wait did he say cold?" Dustin asked.

"I'm not sure, I kind of blacked out because of the shock. We heard our "dead" friend on the radio and it exploded. Do you know how crazy that is? How do we explain that to any sane person?" I sighed and dropped my head on the back of the couch.

Mike went back to brainstorming, "Like home. Like his house?"

"Or Maybe like Hawkins."

"Upside down," Eleven said, quietly.

The lightbulb above Mike went off just like Dustin the other day. "Upside down."

"What?"

"Upside down. When El showed us where Will was, she flipped the board over, remember? Upside down. Dark. Empty" The boys looked at him like he was crazy.

Lucas turned to me, "Do you understand what he's talking about?"

"I do," I walk over to the table and sit around the D&D board. The boys gathered around me, waiting for an explanation.

I point to a spot on the board, "We're here, and-" I turn over the board, "Will is here, he said like home but dark and empty. His mom and Jonithan have been home waiting for him so he can't be, but what if he is there, just in a different dimension? What if we just couldn't see him? What if- he is on the other side? What if this is Hawkins and this is where Will is? The Upside Down."

"Like the Vale of Shadows," Dustin added.

I pointed my finger at Dustin with a smile on my face," Exactly."

++++++++++++++++

It was the morning of Will's funeral. I pack my backpack with my black dress and shoes, I was going over to the Wheeler's house to get ready. Mrs. Wheeler asked me to go over so I could carpool with them and it's hard for me to say no to her.

I left around 10:23, it takes about 7 minutes to get to Mike's house.

Before I was able to knock on the front door Mrs.Wheeler opened it, it's like she knew I was there. "I know how punctual you are so I wanted to see if I opened the door exactly at 10:30 you'll be here, I was right! Come inside now, I'm already ready so I can help you." She grabbed my hand and led me up to her room. I spotted Mike in their room with Mr. Wheeler.

"Ah! Dad, you're choking me." Mike looked at me when I walked in, he looked embarrassed.

"Ah, there. It's supposed to be a little tight. Looks good, right Penelope?"

"Yeah, Mike you look like a midget lawyer." I walk up to Mike to scrunch up his cheeks. If looks could kill Mike would've mutilate me, like you wouldn't even know I'm human.

Mrs. Wheeler pulled me to the restroom and told me to change into my dress.

I took off my comfortable clothes and put on this harsh piece of cloth over my skin, I hate how flowy it is, my legs aren't used to the air hitting it, and I rarely show my legs. Luckily, I had flats and not heels, the last time I wore heels were for my confirmation, and let me just tell you it did not end well.

Dress check, watch check, jewelry check, flats check, I'm missing something... my shorts. Oh no. I hope it's not windy.

I walk back into the room and it was just Mrs. Wheeler, "Sit down so I can do your hair."

She grabbed her curling rod and started going ham on my hair.

It took her about 25 minutes to do my hair. Like I said earlier, my hair is hard to control and I'm very tender-headed so I kept wincing, causing her to have to restart on the same strand.