MELANCHOLY [S.T. B. Hargrove]

11

"Hey, do you have the time?" I ask Nancy.

She looks at her wrist, but she wasn't wearing a watch. "Jonathan?"

Jonathan turns and looks down at her. "Yeah, Nance?"

"Time?"

Jonathan looks at his watch. "A little past eight-thirty."

"Shit," I curse under my breath.

I lean against the booth that was just outside the science lab gates.

"Max," I call. "You know what I'm going to ask."

Max rubs her lips together and shakes her head. "We're in this now. We can't leave it or our friends behind."

"Hey," Steve whispers, grabbing my arm. "I understand that you made plans, but.. I'm not a babysitter. I need all the help I can get with these shitheads."

"You asking me to stay?"

"I'm asking for your help above all else. I can't.. do all this, like.. alone."

I look at the kids. Then, to Nancy and Jonathan. Which part could Steve not handle? The rabid kids or the ex-girlfriend and her new man?

I grasp the bottom of my shirt. it was one of Billy's. God, I hated letting him down. Maybe I could make it to a phone and call the house? But.. what if Neil answered? I couldn't leave Billy in the dark. He'd be upset.

From the lab behind us, a screech blows through the air like an explosion.

"What was that?" Lucas asks.

"Scientists?" Dustin offers.

"No.. that was my mom," Jonathan speaks up.

I push myself off the wall as Nancy and Jonathan bolt to his car and drive off into the parking lot. Nervously, I run my fingers through my hair.

Steve takes my place of leaning against the wall. After everything we just went through.. this was hell. Waiting and just.. watching.

"I'll stay," I inform Steve.

"Yeah?" he asks.

I look back to the lab. "Sitting on the side out here is bad enough. It'd be worse if I left and knew shit was still going down."

Steve smiles a little. "Been there."

I remember what he said about his first time seeing all this. How he was going to leave, but couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Plus, we need you. You're like.. a badass fighter," Dustin adds.

I scoff and pat his back. "I'd shove you down a well so Max wouldn't break a finger, buddy."

Lucas giggles and Steve laughs. Dustin makes a face and inches closer to me despite my picking on him.

"Guys!" Max shouts.

I jump in alarm and turn to her. Jonathan was speeding back toward the gates with another car behind him. I grab Dustin and pull him back as Steve does the same for Max and Lucas. Jonathan flies past us and a cop's truck stops right beside us.

"Let's go!" the driver demands.

Steve opens the door and rushes the kids in. He makes sure I'm in the vehicle as well before getting in himself.

I end up sitting between the front seats and back seats- more on the floorboard than anything. Then, the cop takes off after Jonathan.

--

"If any of those scientists get out, you're gonna be asked a lot of questions. Forced to say other things. Secrets," Jim Hopper informs- the cop that picked us up.

"Steve gave me a bit of the run down," I assure. "I was thinking about just pretending to not speak English."

Hopper huffs an idea of a laugh. "I wish it was that easy."

I look to the room Jonathan, Nancy, and Will were at. Poor Will was passed out, still in a hospital gown.

"Max told me a bit about the 'zombie boy' thing. I'm guessing there's more to bodies getting mixed up considering the whole demon, reptile chupacabra from hell."

"A whole lot more," Hopper sighs.

I look up to the clock on the wall of the Byers' house. It was just barely able to be seen amidst all the drawings splattered through the house. Vines. Water streams. Something Will had drawn.

I don't know why I kept looking up there. I stood Billy up. He was probably worried sick.

"How's Joyce?" I ask, needing my attention on anything else.

Joyce's boyfriend, Bob, was killed at the lab. I didn't know Bob personally, I hadn't even got to meet him but the two times he popped in at the store and the pair would disappear into the back room for about twenty minutes. But, I knew Joyce cared about him. She talked about him so much that it felt like I'd actually talked to him myself.

"She's in her room. Not talking. I.. I don't really know what to do," Hopper admits.

Joyce wasn't close to me like Max was. But, she still was a friend. She accepted me. We had a good time working in the shop together.

"Can you watch Max for a little?" I ask Hopper as I stand.

"Um.. yeah, why?"

"Joyce has two sons and you on her side, which is fine. Maybe what she needs is a little girl support," I answer simply.

I go to talk by Hopper, but he grabs my arm. I look down at him, confused.

"Thank you," he whispers. "I'll watch Max."

I smile and pat his shoulder when he lets go before walking down the hall. Joyce's door was closed. I knock a couple times to let her know I was here before walking in.

She looked awful. My heart ached for her.

She was sitting on the edge of her bed with a blanket around her. Her cheeks were stained with tears- dry and crusted. Yet, there were still wet streaks from the new tears that fell.

I should've thought through my plan more. But, I just.. sit beside Joyce and say nothing.

I curse myself in my head. Billy was one thing- we've known each other forever. I could read him easier than I could read a book. Max was another- she reminded me of myself and I knew myself enough to know how to feel better.

Was I overstepping a boundary? Was I in Joyce's way? Did she need something else?

Joyce sniffles and hangs her head. My eyes widen as her head lands on my shoulder. She cries a bit harder, her hand finds mine. I squeeze her hand to assure her that I was here for her.

I rest my head on hers, cuddling the older woman closer. I hold her tighter as she cries to me.