Other Friends

7

The news that they had found Will was shocking for the two teen girls, more so when Hopper told them that they couldn't find Bella's body. He said that they were going to keep looking through the lake for her body. They hated the thought of that. The thought that she was still missing. The thought that they were looking for her body. The thought that she might be dead. They hated it. They hated the school gatherings to 'mourn' Will, but never once mentioned their friend. The new reports completely forgot about her. It was like she didn't matter to them. But they knew she was important to them. Then came the day of the funeral.

Lizzie and Windy got ready at the Henderson's house, they both felt dread to go, but knew they had to face the truth. The two stood behind Joyce and Johnathan as they watched the casket go into the ground. They threw their flowers with the others. The funeral for Will almost felt surreal. It wasn't until everyone was getting ready to go to the wake that reality set in.

"Is that Johnathan and Nancy?" Lizzie whispers to her friend as she sees the two other teens sitting away from the group looking over something.

"What?" Windy says confused, looking in the direction, only to see what she's talking about.

"Should we talk to them?" Lizzie questions as they watch the two walk over to where some of the cars were parked and open a door.

"Yeah, I wanna know what the hell is going on." Windy says before making her way over to them.

As they reach them, Jonathan puts whatever he just grabbed in his pockets. "This is a terrible idea." Nancy says to the boy, crossing her arms.

"What's a terrible idea?" Windy says as they stop next to them.

Nancy jumps at the two's sudden appearance, Jonathan looks at them a bit conflicted before sighing. "It's the best idea we got." he says to Nancy before looking at the girls, "Listen, you might not believe us, but hear me out. Nancy saw something in the woods, something that-"

"It wasn't exactly human?" Windy suggests, causing the Wheeler girl's eyes to perky up.

"Exactly, did you see it?" she questions.

"I saw something, not exactly sure what it was though." Windy confirms, crossing her arms and looking away, just trying to forget about the faceless creature.

"We think whatever it is is what took Barb, Bella, and Will." Nancy tells them, fully turning to face the two as Johnathan just looks at the girls in shock.

"I'm confused, what is it?" Lizzie speaks up, lost in the whole conversation.

"It's like some creature. Stuff of nightmares honestly. And if I never have to see it again, I'll be fine." Windy poorly explains. "So, what's a bad idea?" she asks the two again.

"We're going to find it and kill it." Johnathan replies, slightly pulling out the gun for her to see.

"Oh, yeah I see how that's a bad idea now." Lizzie agrees, as she eyes the gun. "Do you even know how to shoot a gun?"

"Technically." Johnathan shrugs.

"Oh yeah, epic bad idea." Lizzie comments with an eye roll.

"I think we should tell your mom, she'd believe us." Nancy brings up.

"She's been through enough." he replies with a sigh.

"She deserves to know." Windy argues, siding with Nancy for once.

"I'll tell her when it's dead."

—--

The girls couldn't eat as they sat at the wake, all the adults mingling, it felt wrong. "You need to explain to me how you never told me you saw a monster?" Lizzie brings up quietly as she pokes at her meatloaf.