𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕
── .✦ Me and El glide across the rink, hands interlocked as we laugh and skate together. I glance over at El, admiring her smile and the way her hair dances in the air. I feel happy, my heart fluttering in my chest every time she looks back at me. The music blasts, and I find myself lost in the moment, enjoying every second I get to spend with my girlfriend.
She slows down a bit because some kid in front of us had fallen, and I take an opportunity to glance behind us, my eyes darting around the rink for any sign of Will. I scan the place, searching for a familiar boy with brown hair. I don't see him, which causes a pang of worry in my chest. A sense of unease starts to creep over me, and I can't help but feel concern for him.
El suddenly stops, her brows furrowing as she grips my hand tighter. She turns to me, her expression serious. "Mike, something doesn't feel right." I turn my attention immediately to her, and I can't deny the gnawing feeling in my gut that agrees with her.
"What do you mean? What's wrong?" I ask. She frowns, her eyes darting around the rink as if searching for something invisible.
"It's hard to explain...I can just feel it. Something's off. Will..." My heart skips a beat as I hear El mention Will's name. My worry intensifies, and I swallow hard.
"Will? What about him? Have you seen him?" I try to get more information out of her. Some other skaters give us a dirty look as they swish past us, trying to get by. "We should probably get off the rink." I say, grabbing her hand and gently pulling her along to the exit.
"No, that's the thing. I haven't seen him since we started skating. I can sense his presence but it's...faded. As if he's not fully here. Something's wrong, Mike. We need to find him." I nod, my worry for Will growing stronger. I glance around the rink once more, hoping to catch sight of him.
"Okay, let's go find him. We should check the bathroom, he might just be taking a break." She nods in agreement, and we start to make our way towards the restroom, our skates gliding across the felted floor. As we approach the restroom, my mind races with possibilities. I hope that Will is just taking a breather in there and that everything is fine. But deep down, I can't shake the feeling that something isn't right.
We reach the men's restroom, and I push open the door, stepping inside. The room is dimly lit and empty, the sounds of the rink muffled by the thick walls. We glance around the room, searching for any sign of Will, but there's no one else in the room. The only sound is the steady drip of a leaky faucet and the soft hum of the overhead lights. My heart sinks as I look around, taking in the empty stalls. No Will.
I turn to El, my expression panicked. "He's not here. Where could he have gone?" El looks equally concerned, her brow creased with worry. She glances around the room, her eyes searching for any sign or clue.
"I don't know. I have a bad feeling about this, Mike. We have to find him. Quickly." I inhale sharply, my expression determined. The absence of Will only fuels my worry and desperation to find him.
"We'll split up and search the rink. He has to be somewhere." I say. He agrees, and we part ways, heading in opposite directions. I step back onto the rink, my eyes scouring the sea of faces as I call out Will's name.
No one responds. People brush past me, their conversations blending into the background music. I grow more and more agitated as I search, but still no sign of Will. I start to get desperate, checking the arcade, the food court, and even outside, but Will is nowhere to be found. Sweat beads on my forehead as I push my way through the crowd, my heart beating rapidly in my chest.
Time feels like it's standing still as El and I continue our search, the unease growing within us. We meet back up in the middle of the rink, breathless and frustrated. My eyes meet hers and she freezes, seeming like she's trying to listen to something. Faint noises reach us from the direction of the bathroom, and our gazes shift towards the door.
"Do you hear that?" I say. El's expression tightens, her hands clenching into fists.
"Yes. It's coming from the bathroom." Without waiting a second, we rush towards the bathroom, the sounds growing louder as we get closer. The door appears ominous from the lights, and a shiver runs down my spine as I slowly reach out for the handle.
I push the door open, my heart pounding. The sounds are clearer now, and the sight that greets us sends a jolt of fear through my veins. The bathroom is completely replaced by the Upside-Down, and I gasp, my eyes widening in horror as I take in the horrifying sight.
El brings her arm up, slowly shaking as her eyes narrow, pointing to the wall covered in vines. You can barely see but there, pinned to the wall by thick, black writhing vines, is Will. His eyes are closed. his face twisted in a mixture of pain and fear. His body is shaking, his limbs struggling against the vines that entwine around him.
The room is silent, the only sound coming from the soft gurgling noises of the vines as they coil around Will's arms and legs. Without hesitation, I rush towards Will, El following closely behind me. Will doesn't seem to react to us, he just seems...emotionless. He doesn't move, other than the occasional tug at the vines.
I take a deep breath, reaching my hand out to grab the slimy black vine over his chest. I yank at it, which causes all the vines to tighten and I can hear hissing, as if they're mad. I scrunch my eyebrows, a look of determination spreading across my face as I adjust my grip on the vine, pulling harder. El matches my movements, grabbing a vine on his leg and tugging at it.
We've made zero progress after a couple minutes, and I start to grow tired as I pull at the vines more carelessly without the same amount of strength. I sigh, letting go of the vine and stepping back.
"It's pointless. We're never going to get the vines off." I groan, the sound of disappointment in my voice. El let's go too, stepping back to stand next to me. She stays quiet, thinking of a solution that could help Will. "Maybe you could use your powers?" I suggest. She looks at me, debating it.
"Well, I could try. There's no guarantee it will work, though." She replies.
"If it's a solution to help Will, we have to try." I persist, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You can do this. Just believe in yourself." I reassure her. She nods, smiling at me before walking forward and bringing her hand out. We stand in silence as El's gaze locks onto Will. Her body tenses as she focuses her powers. The air sound her crackles with energy. There's visible strain on her face as she continues.
The vines tighten even further around Will for a moment, resisting her efforts. But then, with a sickening snap, they loosen their hold. Will is freed from their grip, collapsing limply onto the floor.
