Salt To The Wound (A Stranger Things Story)

Season 3-Chapter 9: 264 Hours Missing(Mikes POV

The whole entire ordeal with El and the guilt he felt was extremely prominent. He felt as if he was one of the main ones responsible, if he just went to the cabin with her then maybe she'd still be walking the halls with him today.

He was walking with Will to class amd both were pretty silent and they weren't holding hands either like they usually did. They were just walking side by side. This was normal nowadays ever since they found out El was dead and they caused it.

"Hey Mike and Will, I've been thinking we should get you two therapy because you've kids been through it," Lonnie said and Mike looked at him. "I don't know if we can trust the therapist who knows maybe their going to be some murderer," Mike said and Lonnie eyed him. "Listen this therapist-shes trutsworthy," he said and Mike looked at Will and Wilk shrugged. "I guess we can," he said and Lonnie smiled and so they went over to the therapist office.

"Hey I'm Theresa and I'll be your therapist," she said looking at Mike and Will and then they looked at each other.  "So you both are going to come here together?" She asked and they both nodded. "Well take a seat," she said and they sat down. "So what's troubling you?" She asked and Mike looked at her. "We found out our friend died," he said and then he looked back down. "How's this make you feel?" She asked and Will squeezed Mike's hand and Mike decided not to say anything. "You guys, I want you to feel comfortable around me," she said and Will looked at her. "We don't know you, how could we feel comfortable around you?" Will asked and she took off her glasses. "Because I'm here to help you and I want the best for you," she said honestly and the boys looked at each other and back at her. "It makes us feel guilty because we had a slim chance to save her but we didn't," Will said and she looked at him compassionately, "saved her how?" She asked and Will looked down. "She was kidnapped at first, and if we stayed with her than we could've saved her," Mike said and she looked at him, "well you couldn't of known," she said and Mike looked down and didn't say anything else and neither did Will. "Well let's continue this tomorrow ok?" She said and they nodded.

The next day at school was the same as the last. The group was very distant from each other each dealing with those sequence of events in different ways. Mike felt an overweighing weight of guilt over him and it was slowly starting to take him down and he reached a limit. Suddenly Mike couldn't breathe when he started thinking about those events, like his airways closed. He rushed into the bathroom and was struggling to find a way to let the air reach him. He collapsed to the floor and was slowly starting to pass out panicking. "Holy-hey listen breathe with me," Jake said to him holding Mikes hands. And they took some deep breathes and Mike felt much better. "Thanks so much," he said and Jake nodded. Mike didn't know what would've happened if Jake didn't show up right there.

And so they were back at the therapists office. "Anything happen today?" She asked and Mike nodded. "When I started to think about the video that I saw that told us of Els fate, I started to have a panic attack," he said slowly. Will was surprised and that was because Mike didn't tell anybody about it. "Well was this because of the guilt you were feeling?" She asked and he nodded. "This guilt-its overtaken me, and I can't even function normally anymore and I don't know what to do," he said and she nodded. "When you start to feel like it's taking control, squeeze this," she said handing him a stress ball. "Squeezing this is like putting your emotions into it. It'll help clear your mind," she said and he nodded. "Will what about you?" She asked and he looked at her. "This whole situation, it's messing with me. I haven't felt like eating anything all day. I haven't felt like this since before my dad came back." He said and Mike turned to look at Will and Wills eyes were watery. "With that I'm going to need you to write on this chart of everything you've eaten on whichever day, if you eat enough you get 5$ each day. And don't lie to me becasue I'll tell," she said and he smiled and nodded. "Seems like this entire situation has brought trauma to you both," she said and the two boys looked at each other. "Listen to me, it's not your fault, the person who's responsible for this is whoever took her. Not you two, your both innocent," she said and they both looked down not believing her. "It'll take a lot more days until you both realize this, times up I'll see you both tomorrow," she said and they nodded and walked out. This therapist seemed like she could be trusted, or could she.

Mike stayed over at Wills which was a normal thing nowadays. "Did you really have a panic attack?" Will asked and he nodded. "I'm sorry I should've told you," he said and Will shook his head. "You don't need to tell me anything you don't feel comfortable sharing," he said and Mike smiled. "And so you really didn't feel like eating today?" Mike asked and Will nodded. "It's so weird because I haven't felt like that in over a year," Will said and he nodded. "I'm sorry you felt that way and couldn't tell me," he said and Will smiled. "It's not that I couldn't tell you I was just embarrassed liek you'd laugh at me," Will said and he was shocked. "I would never," he said and Wilk nodded frantically. "I know but it's just how I felt at that moment but of course I know you wouldn't actually laugh," Will said and Mike smiled. And so they went to sleep both thinking about the events that transpired