𝒞𝒶𝓉𝒶𝓈𝓉𝓇𝑜𝓅𝒽𝒾𝒸 ℒ𝑜𝓋𝑒 •BILLY HARGROVE•

CHAPTER XV

THE TWO GIRLS ran out of ways to pass time. After plucking each other's eyebrows, painting their toenails and attempting to tidy up Melanie's bedroom, they had officially reached boredom. Melanie let out a loud groan as she slid off the bed and onto her velvety carpet.

"Nance, how long has it been?"

Nancy pulled her watch from her pocket, her eyes rolling as she read out the time. "It's been forty five minutes. We still have about fifteen minutes to go."

"Ugh! Why does it take so long for a stupid stick to change colour?" She pulled her legs in as she sat cross legged on the floor.

"The manual said we need to wait at least an hour until we check it. It hasn't been an hour yet."

"Yeah well my patience is running dry and we're literally in the middle of a demogorgan war zone. We don't have any more time to waste." Melanie crawled up to her desk, exhaling deeply.

Nancy followed behind her, both girls watching their experiment on display. Melanie hesitantly pulled the stick out from the container.

"Holy shit!" She cursed as her eyes widened, the pale stick gradually turning blue. "Nancy... do you see what I see or am I going crazy?"

Nancy crouched down beside her, she rested her arm on Melanie's shoulder. "Oh this can't be right."

"You gotta be kidding me... I don't believe this." Nancy pulled a confused Melanie in for a hug as she let out a sigh. She couldn't wrap her head around how her whole future determined on this little stick. Everything was about to change.

Nancy reassured, holding her best friend tight. "Hey, remember that I'm here for you. Every step of the way. You'll get through this Mel."

"I'm so screwed. I was too busy trying to distract myself from everything happening around me and in doing so, got pregnant." She quickly wiped the tears that escaped her eyes.

"Sometimes things don't plan out the way we want them to and that's okay, it's one of life's many lessons—"

"Melanie! You in there?" A voice called out from the other side of the door, followed by a gentle knock. It was Jonathan. "Nancy! Can I come in?"

Nancy slid off the bed to open the door whilst Melanie tried to pull herself together, she sat on the bed with her head facing down. Jonathan noticed something was off as soon as he stepped inside her bedroom.

"Hey... are you okay?" He stood by the door as he watched both girls. "You look upset."

She wiped her nose against her sleeve, finally lifting her head up to look at her brother. "Yeah... it's just everything going on with Will, it's affected me more than I thought it would. That's all."

"I know." He murmured. "It's affected me too, you know. He's about to wake up, mom said she needs you."

Jonathan reached out for her and gently dragged her off the bed. Melanie slipped on her bedroom slippers and followed him and Nancy out of the bedroom.

He led her outside to their backyard where the shed was and a huge white light was beaming through it.

Melanie stepped inside and saw her brother strapped to a chair in front of the huge lights. Joyce, Mike and Hopper stood in front of him watching. She walked around him so she was in front, completely bewildered by what was going on. "What's going on? Why did you tie him up?"

Joyce motioned for her to keep quiet and crouched down in front of Will, she began reminiscing when Will was younger and her favourite memories of him, as did Jonathan. When they were done, they signalled at Melanie to start talking.

Melanie crouched down beside her mother on the other side, staring at her brother. It looked like Will... but it wasn't.

"I remember the day you were born." Melanie chimed in, her voice shaky as she was about to cry. "I was so desperate for a younger sibling, someone to boss around at home." She chuckled lightly. "As soon as I saw you, all I wanted to do was protect you. I wanted someone to care for and that was you... my little brother." She sniffled. "I hate seeing you like this."

Joyce held her daughter's hand, intertwining her fingers with hers. "Will, baby..."

Will looked around the room before he spoke and something inside him clicked. "Let me go."

Joyce sighed hopelessly, throwing her arms in the air as she stood up. Melanie just rolled her eyes. "It's not working mom, what if we've lost him?—"

"Wait!" Hopper ordered, glancing at them. "Lets go back, I need to show you something." He ran out of the shed and back into the house, the others following after him.

He stormed into the house, grabbing a piece of paper as he sat down on the kitchen table, everyone surrounding him. "I think he's talking, just not with words." He began drawing symbols down on the paper.

"What is that?" Steve asked.

"Morse code." They all answered.

Steve glanced at Melanie confusedly, who just shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah I have no clue what that means either."

"Will's still in there. He's talking to us." Hopper confirmed.

And so everyone went back to waiting around for a breakthrough to actually happen, Jonathan, Mike and Joyce were still trying to get Will to come through whilst the others were trying to translate the code and their plan was working slowly but surely.

Until the phone rang.

After Nancy ripped the phone out from the wall, all of them lined up near the window when they heard a familiar loud screeching sound coming from a distance.

"That's not good." Dustin mumbled.

"Oh shit... They're coming." Melanie began to panic.

Steve stood behind her, placing both hands on her shoulders whilst he massaged them softly. "Yeah they're here to eat you."

Melanie tutted. "Steve! Now isn't the time to start making jokes."

He shrugged, resting his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry. All I can do is make jokes because there's a possibility that we could actually get eaten. I want my last moments alive to be funny."

"You're so dramatic." She snorted.

Hopper came bursting through the door, startling everyone. "Hey! Get away from the window!"

Everyone stood back and Melanie was starting to feel sick to her stomach, she stayed at the back whilst they all lined up with their weapons, getting ready to attack. The screeches finally stopped and then came flying a Demogorgon through the window. All of them screamed and Melanie covered her mouth to prevent her from not puking.

Hopper gently kicked the creature and it didn't move which was an indication that it was dead.

"What the fuck is that??! Oh my god I'm gonna puke." Melanie turned her head away and closed her eyes. Within five seconds, the lock on the door was unlocked and the chain had been removed too, the door slowly opened and Melanie froze in her spot, as did everyone else by who they saw.

Eleven.