Stranger Things: Riley's Version

Chapter Five: The Body

After tossing and turning all night with dreams of Will and what he might have gone through, the sun finally rose. Lucas stirred awake from beside her but neither of them moved from the bed, both staring up at the ceiling. Lucas's mom came in a few minutes later telling them they didn't have to go to school. They both just nodded but didn't move from the bed.

    Lucas's walkie crackled to life suddenly Mike's voice coming over the air, "Lucas, do you copy?" They both glanced over at the walkie neither really wanting to answer, "Lucas, come on, I know you're there... this is urgent, I'm serious." He continued. "I'm not gonna stop until you answer... Lucas." Riley looked at her best friend who just continued to stare at the ceiling. She reached across the boy to the walkie talkie but he just grabbed her arm stopping her.

      She looked at him, eyebrows scrunched in question but he just continued to stare at the ceiling. Riley could understand, him wanting to ignore Mike and just lay in bed all day. But if it was urgent and they didn't respond and something was to happen to Mike, Riley could never forgive herself. And right now she was already dealing with the guilt of Will, she didn't think she could hold anymore. "Lucas!" Mike shouted through the walkie, before continuing on chanting the boy's name. After a few more Lucas's the boy dropped Riley's arm and rolled over grabbing the radio from his nightstand. He sat up and extended the antennae pulling Riley up with him.

    "Go away Mike. I'm not in the mood alright. Over and out." He stated cutting the boy's chanting off.

    "No, not out," came his reply. Riley raised her eyebrows at that, surprised at the boy's brazenness. "I'm not messing around okay. This is about Will. Over." Now that caught Riley's attention, what else could there be to say in regards to Will.

    "What about Will?" Lucas questioned from beside her. "You mean about his funeral? Over." Riley couldn't believe that was an option for discussion when it came to one of her friends. They were kids, they shouldn't have to worry about attending a funeral for one of their friends. Her head dropped to Lucas's shoulder as she closed her eyes and just breathed in the scent of her best friend trying to get her mind off of Will.

    "Alright what's up Wheeler?" Riley asked after she picked up the walkie.

    "No, not his funeral. Screw his funeral," shot back Mike's voice. Riley snapped her head back up at that, amazed at Mike's feelings towards the whole thing.

    "What?" Lucas questioned obviously just as confused as her.

    "Just get over here stat, and bring Dustin and Riley. Over and out." He responded with finality. Lucas dropped the walkie, his eyes meeting hers as they both looked at each other confused. Riley just shrugged her shoulders and stood up moving to the door.

    "What else are we gonna do today?" She asked him. "Call Dustin I'm gonna go get changed." She called out over her shoulder as she exited his room making her way through the house and headed towards hers. Sure she was confused on what exactly Mike wanted to talk about but it beat sitting and thinking about what she saw last night over and over again.

    After getting dressed and ready for the day Riley immediately made her way to the Sinclairs house on her bike meeting Lucas and Dustin out front. They all made their way to the basement entrance of the house knocking on the door.

    "This better be good Wheeler," Riley said as the boy answered the door. They all made their way into the room sitting down on the floor in a circle.

    "It is, I promise, El is able to contact Will." He stated.

    "What?" they all questioned.

    "Through the walkie we can hear him." He told the group, "El show them." El started flipping through the static until she seemed to have found the right channel. They heard some whimpering coming through the walkie but that was it before the channel cut to static again. "We keep losing the signal, but you heard it, right?" Mike said looking at the group excitedly.