so close, yet so far // jancy

Chapter 11

Jonathan walked swiftly; his hands in his pockets. There was no wind in the upside down, only chilled still air. He was venturing around town, scoping out his perimeter. He walked inside the local grocery store, in hopes of finding some food. He didn't know if food carried over into other dimensions, but since objects did, he figured food did as well.

He smiled to himself as he found some food on shelves. He didn't know if it was safe to eat, but he couldn't starve. He refused to die in here. He grabbed 3 boxes of crackers and jogged out of the store.

He made his way to his house, and into his room. He felt some comfort here; even if he was alone in another dimension.

It was ironic to him, considering two years ago if you asked him if he wanted to be alone by himself in another dimension, he would say, "Hell yeah." But now he felt otherwise; he longed to see Nancy and his family. He missed Nancy's laugh; the way it could light a room up. The way it comforted him and made him smile. He missed his mom's caring figure that put others before herself. He missed Will, and how he could make you feel better instantly. He missed them.

........................

When Karen and Ted went to work the next day, Joyce and Hopper explained to Nancy what Will had told them—that, apparently, Eleven could not help by closing the gate, and that Jonathan couldn't return until Will sacrificed himself through the gate.

"So the mind flayer is keeping Jonathan sort of like a hostage until Will does what it wants?", Nancy asked.

"Exactly", Hopper replied.

"And there isn't another way? To get Jonathan out?"

"I'm afraid not."

Joyce and Nancy stiffened at Hopper's words.

"There has to be another way. There has to be!", Nancy cried. "This isn't fair!"

"I know, kid, it isn't fair at all. I don't know what to do..."

"We've got to think of a plan. There isn't any other option. I am not about to let Will give his life up, and I don't want Jonathan stuck in there for an eternity."

Joyce and Hopper agreed.

"Anybody got any ideas?"

Nancy thought for a moment. "Joyce, when you mentioned Eleven helping you, didn't Will immediately have an episode after that? And wasn't it about what would happen if Eleven tried to close the gate?"

"Yes, why?"

"And you remember how you told me that Will said the mind flayer was like apart of him?"

"Yes?"

She clapped your hands together. "What if the mind flayer can see and hear everything Will is doing at all times? So when you mentioned Eleven, the mind flayer somehow heard it, and it made Will have an episode, showing the outcome of Eleven. Maybe it's like certain words trigger episodes about outcomes."

Joyce shuddered at the thought of the mind flayer seeing and hearing everything through Will. "This makes sense, Nancy. It does. But where are you going with this?"

"I know this sounds cruel to Will, and Joyce you can say no, but I have an idea. What if we test certain plans around Will, and see if he has an episode about the outcome of our plan? Like we'll form the plan around Will, so the mind flayer can hear it. Maybe then he can trigger an episode to Will, and Will could tell us what he saw."

Joyce grimaced. "You're so smart, Nancy. I would have never thought of that. I just know how scared Will gets when he has an episode..."

"We don't have to do it. But it's the only thing I can think of", Nancy sighed.

"We could always ask Will if he was okay with this and see", Hopper deadpanned.

"No? We can't. If my theory is right, then the mind flayer can hear everything through Will. It would know our plan to make plans up and test them."

"Oh, right." He felt stupid; he was mad at himself that a teenager was less oblivious than he was. He glanced at Joyce, whom was rooted to the chair. Her face showed no emotion. She sat in silence for a few minutes before saying, "Let me think about it. If I can't think of another way to figure this mess out, I might consider yours Nancy."

Nancy nodded. "I don't want to hurt Will either."

Joyce jumped up, and dashed out the door. Hopper ran after her.

"Joyce!"

She turned, facing him. "What?"

"Where are you going?"

"Home! I need to think."