you are not alone → stranger things

xxxix. asleep (part ii)

Saturday evening
Max's POV

I blinked my eyes open to a killer headache.

I didn't recognize my surroundings at all. I was in what I guessed was a bunk bed, with blue walls. It was dim, with only a lamp on the dresser lit. It looked like a boy's room.

I sat up, but immediately regretted it. My vision swam, and my head pounded like someone was driving a knife into it. My stomach did a barrel roll, and I tasted bile in the back of my throat. I took a few deep breaths until it subsided slightly, then gingerly touched my fingers to my head. There were bandages on it.

I tried to recall what had happened. We'd gone in the Upside Down and found Will on the ground. He had grabbed my ankle, and his eyes were red...

Then what? I couldn't remember.

I got up and climbed down the ladder. To my surprise, I wasn't alone. There was Will, sleeping peacefully on the bottom bunk.

I prodded him uncertainly. "Will?"

He stirred and opened his eyes. They were no longer red. "Oh, hey, Max."

"W-what happened?" I touched my head again. "My head is killing me. And I thought you were..." I trailed off, not knowing the word.

"I was possessed," he answered. "That wasn't me that hurt you, I promise."

"You did this?"

He shifted guiltily. "Well, the thessalhydra threw you with its powers, and your head hit a tree... you might have a minor concussion."

I sighed. "Oh." He sat up awkwardly, and we stared at each other before I asked, "Then what happened?"

"Well, long story short, it tried to kill El and then left my body when I stopped it, then went out the portal into our world."

"What? Where is it?"

He shrugged hopelessly. "I was going to find it as soon as we left, but Mom made me sleep."

"So this is your room?"

"No, it's Mike's room. Him and El are in the basement."

"Oh."

He looked at my feet, then back at my eyes. "Can I ask something?" I nodded, and he said uncomfortably, "Any normal person who was thrown into a tree would be a lot more hurt. How are you... not?"

"I've... grown resilient over the years," I answered vaguely.

He raised an eyebrow. "Am I allowed to know why?"

I suddenly found myself sitting beside him, closing my eyes. "No. Not really. The only person who knows is Dustin, and he found out by accident."

"I won't push you," he replied softly. "I know what it's like to not want people to know, even if it's better for them to."

I opened my eyes and looked at Will. His eyes were glimmering with understanding, reflecting the lamplight. I was suddenly filled with the urge to confide in someone, have them understand, have them comfort me like Dustin had. "My brother is a raging alcoholic who hits me and raped me once," I said suddenly. I tried to stop myself, but it was too late. "My mom is a drunk because my dad cheats and is never home. Is that good enough for you?"

He sat in shocked silence. "I... You have to tell someone, Max."

"Then I won't have a family or a house," I said angrily. "Foster care doesn't exactly sound fun."

"You could stay with someone," he said softly. "Mom would let you stay if she knew."

I sighed and got up. "I'll think about it, 'kay?"

He stood beside me and brushed my arm, looking worried. "This isn't something you can just think about. That's serious."

"I wouldn't have told you if I'd known you would act like this," I said unkindly. "So leave me alone. I can deal. I have for my whole life," I muttered. I walked towards the door. "You said they were in the basement?"

He frowned, but let me leave. "Yeah."