Innocent till proven...dead?//stranger things\\

A call for mom//seven//

November/9th/1983         The song quote for this chapter is "Only love can hurt like this.."

Will and Gwen stood before their house in the Upside Down, relief flooding their expressions. As Will looked at Gwen, he sighed, "Okay, now what?" Gwen, her determination unwavering, grabbed ahold of the house phone. "We call Mom," she declared, her finger quickly dialing the familiar number.Will's face paled as he realized no one was answering. "I don't get it," Gwen said, confusion etched on her face. Will looked visibly ill, his veins darkened and hair frozen. He struggled to find words, his voice stuttering as if caught in a lie. "I-I don't know," Will stammered, guilt evident in his eyes. Gwen reassured, "It's okay," she said, "But right now, we need to get you back to Castle Byers. Then I'll come back and try again."Gwen ushered Will back to Castle Byers, ensuring he was safely inside. Once reassured that he was settled, she bid him a brief farewell and began making her way back towards their house. However, upon reaching the location where their house should have been, Gwen found herself standing in front of a payphone booth instead. Frustration filled her as she realized she hadn't quite reached the correct destination.

Although disappointment washed over Gwen, she didn't dwell on it for too long. She quickly dialed the familiar number and waited, heart pounding in anticipation. After a few rings, Joyce's voice rang out from the other end of the line."Will!? Will, baby, are you there?"Tears filled Gwen's eyes as she answered, "Mom! Mom, it's me, Gwen!" Joyce's voice filled with relief and concern. "Gwen! Baby, where are you?! Please, tell me!"But before Gwen could respond, the phone suddenly crackled and fizzed out, sparks flying from its broken circuitry. "Shit!" Gwen cursed, frustration and fear welling up inside her. She was so close, so close to talking to her mom, but the phone had betrayed her.The piercing sound of Will's terrified screams pierced the air, cutting through the eerie silence of the Upside Down. Gwen's heart skipped a beat as adrenaline surged through her veins. Without a moment's hesitation, Gwen began sprinting towards Castle Byers, her focus solely on reaching her brother and making sure he was safe. 

As she ran, she didn't care about the noise she was making. All that mattered was getting to Will as fast as possible.

Gwen finally arrived at Castle Byers, her breath ragged from the sprint. Her eyes widened with horror as she saw Will covered in slimy goop, his body shivering uncontrollably. Without hesitation, she rushed over to him and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him tight against her. "It's okay, it's okay," she repeated comforted him, her voice soothing. She felt so guilty she didn't get to mom,she left her brother.She wasn't doing anything thing right and now her mom is missing two kids, just one big disappointment..