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★★★
Harsh winds of early October rushed through the Wheeler's windows as a boy, the age of a teen jolted up. The boy was laying in a messy fort made up of chairs and blankets that was up for almost a year. His warm brown eyes wandered across the basement floor as memories swirled in front of him.
"Day 351,"
He spoke quietly into the brick shaped walkie talkie he held in his left hand gingerly. The boy was shaking, the feeling of loss and frustration raged all over his body as he let one tear drop, the first in a while. Grief tugged at his broken heart as he thought of her.
Her. Just this time, he allowed himself to replay all of joyful moments he had with the one that left. The boys didn't allow the shaggy teen to think about her, which meant trying to get him out of the fort and go to the arcade or campaign.
"Mike!"
His heart dropped with surprise at the sudden voice. Dustin.
"Hey man! Where have you been? Come thee us, It's Thaturday! Over."
Mike sighed in exasperation, and thought about it. He knew it would be for the best to get out of this mental-torture fort but half of him wanted to stay. Choosing the wiser idea, he got up and took his time before replying. "Okay I will, where? Over."
Just moments after speaking, Dustin spoke on the other line, traces of excitement were audible. "Meet us at the arcade thix sharp! Over."
..
It felt like years since he saw his friends but in reality, it was only yesterday.
"Hey mike." Lucas Sinclair said with a smile as Will Beyers and Dustin Henderson did the same. Maxine waved shyly and smiled also, standing noticeably close to Lucas. "Hey guys." Mike responded as the gang watched him with a masked concerned face. He hated being pitied.
At the arcade, Will's mother, Joyce, had stopped in at least three times until Will told her he was fine. After the incident with the upside down Joyce has been very weary of things. She's now like a grizzly bear mother, protecting her cub against anything even if it means freaking out if Will got sick and blaming it on the incident.
The friends watched Max play one of the newest games, everyone intensely watched as sweat glistened on her forehead in concentration. As much as Mike tried to focus on all of the commotion like he used to, he couldn't. Something was missing, or someone.
Even though Mike disliked Maxine for many reasons, he still was impressed. Her ability to beat Lucas in his games and somehow getting him to like her was very surprising.
