𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐭

vii. I'M HERE

As Charles did another check, walking all around the whole building, he froze in his steps when he saw a curly headed girl head up the steps of their school. "Eleven?" He whispers to himself, walking over but then stopping, shaking his head. "No.. It can't be her.." He whispered again, looking down then walked the other way again.

"East is clear. No sign of Dart." His radio went off as he walked alongside of the building to the back where he tried to look for the creature. "West is clear, too. Charles?" Dustin said and Charles sighs, raising his radio to his face.

"No sign of the shitball outside. I'm coming inside. Will?" Charles says and Will responded right away. "South is clear. Lucas? Anything?" He said as Charles walks into the school building. He sighs when Lucas kicks a door in, "excuse me! Mr. Sinclair!" A woman scolded the boy.

"S-S-Sorry. I was looking for study hall." Lucas stammered his explanation. "Bye." He says, walking out and turning towards Charles who was stifling his laughter. "Nothing here, man." Lucas said, walking over and turning Charles around so they can walk down the hall together.

"Dude, weirdest thing happened outside." Charles started and Lucas looks at him. "What?" Lucas asked as they continue looking for Dart. "I saw this girl outside and she.. she looked like—" Charles is cut off when their radios went on. "Guys. I found him." Will. Charles holds up his radio.

"Where?" He asked into the radio. "In the bathroom by Mr. Salerno's." Will responded with. "Copy that." Mike said and Charles looks at Lucas. "What about that girl?" Lucas asked and Charles shakes his head. "Forget it. Let's just go over to the bathroom Will is at." He said to him. "I don't want him getting hurt." He says and Lucas nods.

Charles runs into the bathroom, "where's Dart?" He asked Dustin who was already there. "I don't know. Not here." Dustin said right away. "What?" Mike said then looks into one of the bathroom stalls as Charles looks around. "He said by Salerno's, right?" Max asked the four boys.

"Yeah, maybe Will has him." Dustin explained and Charles squints his eyes at the boy. "Wait.. Where's Will?" Charles said with worry then he is exiting the bathroom, looking down both ways of the hall before running, searching everywhere. They all were looking for Will, all around the school.

Then Charles saw Will out in the field, "Will!" He screamed before he is running over to the boy. He was having an episode, shaking and he wouldn't open his eyes. "Will! Will!" He said, grabbing both of Will's shoulders. "Will!" He yelled louder but Will still won't open his eyes. "Will, come on," he whispered, shaking Will's shoulders gently.

He turns around when he heard people running over, "I found him like this. I think he's having another episode." He said when he saw Joyce who grabs Will's shoulders, like how Charles was holding him. "Will! Will! Will! Sweetie, wake up! It's mom!" She said as she shakes him.

"Will! Will, wake up! Can you hear me? Will, please, just wake up." She said as Charles watched in worry, worried Will might not even wake up. "Will, please, just wake up." She said as Max came to stand by Charles, putting a hand to his shoulder. She looked equally as scared and worried.

"Will, honey, please. Please, wake up! It's mom! It's me!" Joyce said then Charles lets out a sigh of relief when Will gasped, opening his eyes.

The three boys and Max follow Charles and Joyce who were leading Will out of the school. Charles is holding Will's backpack and his jacket as they lead Will over to the car. Charles opens the door and helps Will into the passenger seat before he got into the back and Joyce got into the driver's seat.

At the Byers', Joyce gave both boys something to drink before they all sat at the dining room table. "I can't remember." Will said, staring down at the table. Joyce sighs. "I need you to try." She tells him. "Will.. You can tell us." Charles said as he leans closer and Will looks up at him.

He looks at his mom. "I.. I was on the field and.. and then it.. it all just went black, and.. and then you were there." He says to her. "Will. I need you to tell me the truth." She says and Charles sighs, looking down. "I am.." Will stutters.

Joyce stood and walked away as Will looked at Charles who was staring at him in worry. Joyce walks back over with a piece of paper he sets down, "this shape, I saw it on the video tape from Halloween night. It's the same shape as.. as your drawing." She says and Charles leans over.

"These episodes that you're having, I think Dr. Owens is wrong. I think they're real. But I can't help you if I don't know what's going on. So, you have to talk to me. Please. No more secrets, okay?" She says and Charles looks up at her then at Will who nodded his head. "Okay." She says. "Did.. did you see this thing again on the field?"

He looks at the drawing then at her, nodding. "Yes." He says. "What.. what is it?" She asked. "I don't know. It's almost more like a feeling." He said, looking like he was tearing up and Charles reached out underneath the table, putting his hand on Will's. "Like the one you had that night at the arcade?" She asked him. "Yes." He says.

Charles looks down, "what does it want?" He asked and they both look at him. "I don't know.." Will said, his hand still shaking even underneath Charles'. "It came for me.. and..." He trailed off. "And I tried. I tried to make it go away. But it got me, mom." He said, sounding scared as he looks at her and Charles looks up at him right away.

"Well, what does that mean?" She asked. "I felt it.. everywhere. Everywhere. I-I still feel it." He said and Charles looks at Joyce who also looks at him. Will continued sobbing and Joyce pulls him into her arms as he spoke, "I just want this to be over." Charles continued holding Will's hand underneath the table, tightened his grip even.

"It's okay. It's okay." She whispered then pulled back from him. "Listen. Look, look at me. I will never, ever let anything bad happen to you ever again. Whatever's going on in you, we're going to fix it. I will fix it." She tells him, holding his face in her hands. "I promise. I'm here." She adds.

"I'm here too.. And I will stay here by your side, through all of it. Like I always have been." Charles said and Will looks at him next. The two hug next as Joyce held a hand to Will's shoulder.

authors note fRiEnDs DoNt LiE! 👊🏼😡🥺