Smoke -- Jim Hopper

40. FREE

Even though finals week is less than two weeks away, and I should definitely be studying. I'm updating because I'm stressed and have been crying for like an hour but its fine. hahaha anyway, enjoy this chapter! We're almost done :( sad day BUT this will resume for season three! (Also I might make a side plot that happens if the wait is too long? let me know what yall think!)

Not edited

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The group was preparing to go their separate ways to finally put an end to this madness, but Natalie called Jim over to her one more time before he left.

Natalie wrapped her arms around Jim's shoulders and pulled him close to her once more. She pressed her lips against his, tears freely rolling down her cheeks. They broke apart and Jim tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Hey, hey," he whispered and softly smiled at her, "look at me, Nat."

She sniffled and looked at him with watery eyes, "I still don't think you should go, Jim."

Jim shook his head, "sweetheart, this is the only way."

Natalie held back another sniffle and nodded, "I know, please be safe Jim."

Jim cupped her cheek in his hand, "I always am." He then stood back up to his full height and gave her one last smile before he walked out the door with El.

Natalie wiped her eyes again and squared her shoulder. She had a job to do. There was no more time for tears, they had to address the problem.

"You ready to go?" Jonathan asked her.

She nodded, "yeah, let's go."

Jonathan wrapped his arm around her waist and helped her stand up. Natalie swallowed a cry of pain that about to escape from her mouth. Instead, she gritted her teeth together and shut her eyes momentarily.

"Are you okay?" Jonathan asked as they hobbled out to the car.

She gave him a sideways glance and flashed a brief smile, "yeah, fine." she said through pants.

Jonathan looked at her worriedly, "we're almost there. Just try not to pass out."

She stifled a chuckle, "No promises."

Jonathan rolled his eyes playfully at her and helped her into the car, "Is this okay? Does your leg need to be moved?"

She shook her head, "No, this is fine."

Bob placed Will next to Natalie and Jonathan and Nancy squeezed into the backseat with them. Joyce got in the driver's seat and Bob got in the passengers. Joyce started the car and followed Jim's cruiser until they came to a four-way stop. Natalie looked out the window and waved at Jim once more before they parted.

"You know where his cabin is right, Nat?" Bob asked from the front seat.

"Yeah, you take a left in about a hundred feet and continue driving for a while. It's going to be on our right," she recalled from her limited trips out to the cabin.

The car ride to Jim's cabin was silent until Nancy spoke up, "Okay, so how are we getting this out of Will? I know we are supposed to make it too hot for the virus to survive, but what if it takes Will too?"

Natalie shook her head, "No, it will work. Will is still strong enough to make it through."

The car came to a stop outside of Jim's Cabin, a lone light was on inside the house. Natalie took a deep breath, this was it. This was going to be over, finally. Bob carried Will out of the car while Jonathan and Nancy helped Natalie hobble up the stairs and into the cabin. Joyce set up the heaters and they tied Will down to a cot.

Natalie was seated next to Will so she could keep track of his vitals while they started to heat the small room up. Soon the room became almost unbearably hot and everyone was starting to sweat.

"How much longer till he wakes?" Jonathan asked.

Natalie furrowed her eyebrows in thought, "It should be soon, the virus probably can't take this heat much longer," she pressed her fingers to the side of her neck and counted his pulse, it was quickening, "Any moment now."

Then, Will's eyes snapped open and he started tugging at the restraints, "What is this?" he muttered, his eyes got wider when he realized that they were trying to drive the virus out of him, "let me go!" he shouted, his voice dropping an octave.

Natalie winced as he started screaming in agony and thrashing around on the cot, his eyes wild with pain. Jonathan had to look away tears threatening to spill over his eyes. Joyce, however, set her jaw and turned up the heaters and placed them closer to Will, hows screams intensified.

Suddenly, one of Will's arms got loose and he started trying to untie himself from the cot. Natalie grabbed onto his upper arm and tried to pull him back and Joyce crawled on top of Will, trying to pin him down.

"Get out of my son!" Joyce yelled in agony as Will locked eyes with her and screamed.

Quick as lightning, Will tore his arm from Natalie's hand and started to choke Joyce. Joyce clawed at her neck desperately as Will continued to choke her.

"Someone do something!" Natalie screamed while trying to pull Will back down without ripping her stitches.

With a growl, Nancy grabbed a hot picker from the fireplace and jabbed it into Will's side, burning his skin.

Will released Joyce with a pained scream and then he was thrown against the cot by some other force. Black smoke started to pour from his eyes, ears, and mouth as he convulsed on the bed. An unearthly scream came from his mouth as the Mind Flayer left his body.

Then it was over in a flash. Everyone let out a pant of relief and Joyce shook Will.

Will feebly coughed and barely opened his eyes, "Mom?"

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sorry, kinda of short, but all is good!