𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡 - Byler ✔

Chapter 31 - Max

3rd Person

"I missed you too.." Eleven smiled at Mike.

They heard the waiting room doors burst open, and Lucas came through, his eyes shining.

"Guess who's just woken up!" He exclaimed, and Mike got up.

"Did Max wake up?" He grinned, his eyes wide.

Lucas nodded hurriedly, and he ran back to Max's room.

Mike looked at El quickly, and he saw the little sparkle in her eyes.

"Thank you." Mike mouthed, before both of them got up to see Max.

They walked into her room and she was chatting away to Lucas, her eyes shining.

"Mike and Eleven are here!" Lucas grinned, and Max turned her head to look at them.

"El!" Max gasped, and Eleven chuckled.

"Wow thanks for the welcome." Mike scoffed.

"You know I love you too, Mickey Mouse." Max giggled before turning back to El.

"I missed you so much! What has happened since I've been gone?" Max smiled, and El began to fill her in.

Mike stood back and watched them laugh and talk, a little bit of sadness beginning to pool in his stomach.

"You alright, man?" Lucas spoke to Mike, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"What? Oh yeah, yeah." Mike muttered.

"You can talk to me, what's wrong?" Lucas tried, and Mike let out a small sigh.

"I-I don't know.. I guess, seeing Max so happy and healthy just makes me sad because Will can't hear anything and he's terrified." Mike shrugged, and Max's brows furrowed.

"Why, what happened to Will?" Max asked Mike.

"Mike I'm scared. I-I'm so scared. I'm so scared."

"I know, I know I know."

"I don't want to die I-I'm not ready."

"You aren't going to die, we- we are going to get you to a hospital!"

"Mike!" Lucas shouted, and Mike held his hand up to his face, wiping away the tear that had falled down his cheek.

"Wh-.. What?" Mike frowned, looking over at Lucas.

"Okay we need to talk." Lucas grabbed Mike's arm and pulled him out of Max's hospital room.

He took Mike outside of the hospital where nobody was and stopped walking, turning to face Mike.

"Okay seriously, what's going on?" Lucas demanded, and Mike groaned.

"Nothing!" He tried, but Lucas wasn't having it.

"Mike. You just had to wipe a tear off of your face. What is wrong?" Lucas frowned.

"Nothing.. Just when Max asked what's wrong with Will I just remembered w-what happened in the- the creel.." Mike trailed off, not able to finish his sentence.

Lucas sighed and wrapped his arms around Mike, causing the taller boy to break down.

"I know, Mike. I get nightmares about the night with Max too. It will get easier, I promise." Lucas told Mike, who let out a small sob in response.