LIVE.LOVE.DIE...REPEAT.

Mike Wheeler You Idiot

"So, were meeting up in about ten minutes ok? Make sure you bring the flashlights alright? I'll bring the bug spray and Jess is going to bring his megaphone. Ok, see yah soon. Yah ok. Bye Robin, love yah too." I hang up the phone with Robin and let my dad know that I'm heading out to the search party.
"Ok Charlie, make sure your careful. I'll join you guys in a few, I just have to finish putting my equipment away." "Alright, see you soon Dad."

"Hey Charlie, wait." My Dad calls out to me as I open the door. "Yeah?" He then walks up to me just looks at me for a moment and I'm unable to read his facial expression until he pulls me into a tight embrace. "Just..just be careful out there kiddo. Ok?" I wait for a moment before breaking the hug and I look him in the eyes, "Dad. I'll be careful, don't worry I'll be out there with Jess and Robin plus everybody else. There's nothing to worry about."
I assure my dad with a smile and I go to walk away before he calls my name again.

"Dad, I know be careful."
He chuckles, "That's not what I was going to say." I wait for him to finish his sentence "I love you" this brings a smile to my face, "I love you too dad." I then close the front door and make my way to my car.
~
"Will!"
"Will can you hear us!"
"Will!"
We've been looking for three hours and still no sign of Will, nothing but trees for miles and pitch black nothingness.
I feel myself beginning to get anxious realizing that were probably not going to find Will tonight . I go to reach for my necklace but stop myself as I decide to call out to Jess and Robin.
"Hey guys, I really appreciate you guys coming out to help look for Will."
I thanks my friends with a sincere and tiered smile as they join my side.
Jess is the first to respond, "Of course, Will's like a little brother to me. There's no way I was going to just sit at home when I could help look for him."
Robin then continues, "Totally, I may not know the kid personally but hearing the way you guys talk about him makes me feel like I've known him my whole life." she then drapes her arm over my shoulder and pulls me into a side hug.

I laugh to myself at a sudden memory I had of Will. "What?" Jess asks looking at me slightly confused. "I was just remembering this one time last year. Joyce had asked me to watch Will because her and Jonathan had to work, we ended up spending all day watching Star Wars. I could never really get into it though, but I loved seeing the look on Will's face and the way his eyes lit up when he would try to explain to me what was going on... Somehow, he convinced me to go trick or treating with him and "the party". And we all dressed up in Star Wars themed costumes."

Robin begins to laugh, "Is that why you were dressed up like Princess Leia?"
I jokingly roll my eyes at her mention of my costume, "Yeah. I tried to convince them to just let me go without a costume, but they said that they couldn't go without a Princess Leia and there was no way that any of them were going to dress up like a girl." I look down at the floor as I continue to remember that Halloween night, my laugh slowly dying at into a sigh as I wonder if that was the last Halloween that I was ever going to get to spend with the Byers boy.

Before I can allow myself to think too much, I hear the sound of dry leaves crunching under the footsteps of another person approaching, Chief Hopper. He carries a solemn look on his face though I can't blame him, everyone was praying and hoping to find Will tonight, we started to realize that our prayers weren't going to be answered tonight. He takes a moment before talking, slightly adjusting his hat he begins to speak, "Hey kids. Were gonna end the search party for tonight but were gonna pick up again tomorrow morning and if we don't find anything we'll continue into the night."

There's a moment where nobody says anything until Jess speaks up, "Ok. Thank you Chief, we'll get going then." As Hopper walks away Jess turns to Robin and I, "Lets start getting our stuff together guys. It's getting late anyways." He then goes to grab our flashlight and he notices my lack of movement from my spot,
"Charlie, it's only the first night. We'll find him, but it wont be any easier to find him if were running on low energy." He takes a moment to pause before continuing, "Ok I'll tell you what. Tomorrow I can try to skip school and we can go and look for Will ourselves. I'll just tell my mom I'm sick or something."