To Catch a Falling Star (Steve Harrington)

(1.13) Will Is Here

"Will! Will!" Joyce started to shout as soon was entered the Upside Down, something that no matter how many times I tried to stop her from doing she continued to do.

Hopper shouted as well, but not as often. He seemed off, different than he was before. Something had happened. I didn't know what, but it wasn't good whatever it was.

The trip through the Upside Down was different. Everything was just like the above, just covered in a layer of slime. It was a type of Scratcher, the kind that spread and covered everything in its tracks. It took control of the area around it with ease, destroying everything in its sight.

Will was in the library.

It was as simple as that. Will was trapped against the wall of the library, one of the arms of the Scratcher's shoved down his throat. Joyce screamed when she saw him, and Hopper panicked, running forward and yanking on the vines that wrapped around him. Every vine that he pulled off, was replaced twice as fast. It wasn't working, and that's when I stepped forward. I set my right hand on the vines, and send one short blast of ice into the vines. They fall away easily, and Hopper and Joyce catch him, knocking me away without meaning too.

I didn't mind. I knew what they had to do, they shouted. Nonstop, and when something goes on for so long, it's easy to tune it out. I looked around, images of this world and the other world merging together. I could see Eleven. And the others, the boys that I had just met. I could see them as clear as day, and when their image faded, I was back in the Upside Down.

And it hit me. The darkness of this world, the emptiness I couldn't do this. I couldn't stay here. The image bounced back and forth.

Eleven, darkness. 

Mike, darkness. 

Men with guns, darkness.

Steve, fear in his eyes, darkness.

A shout of joy brought me back, and when I turned I couldn't see them anymore. Pitch black midnight filled the area around me, and I panicked. I didn't recognize what was around me. I didn't know where I was. I could hear Hopper and Joyce yelling for me, but I couldn't find them.

I couldn't find them.

I ran faster, and harder, not caring about the pain that it brought my recent injuries. All I wanted was to find them. And I didn't. They found me. Joyce was quick to hug me, and Hopper smiled at the sight of me.

"You think you can lead the way kid?" Hoppers voice was strained as he spoke, the weight of Will was weighing (its 4 am, leave my alliteration and terrible wording alone) him down, and I nodded. I didn't want him to worry, so I was quick to lead them through the maze that was the Upside Down. 

The more that I walked the more that I panicked, I knew the way out, I know that I know the way out. But something about this place kept me on edge, constantly in fear. I was ready to be through it all. To forget the Upside Down, to forget the lab, to forget everything that could go wrong. That did go wrong. The exit was difficult to push through, there was an odd film that sat over it, and to push through was hard enough.

I could feel my energy leave me the second I passed through the barrier. I stumbled, falling into the wall of the room, a silent scream fell from my mouth when my left hand touched the wall. I hugged it to my chest, letting my eyes fall shut as Hopper and Joyce came through behind me. A flurry of sounds and movements startled me out of my half-asleep state, my eyes shot open to see a group of doctors grab Will from Hopper and hook him up to machines that beeped.

Another set of hands grabbed me, not roughly, but not kindly either. When their hands landed on me, I panicked at first, and tried to pull away, but all of my injuries ached with every movement. And so I fell, my vision and hearing went in and out. I could hear Hopper telling them to leave me alone, before following after me when they pulled me away.

The hands that continued to touch me pulled at my clothing and pressed into my wounds. They did not give me anything to lessen the pain no matter how much I thrashed and threw myself. Straps of fabric were wound around my legs and hips, holding me to the table while the doctors corrected my injuries.

It was painful to say the very least, and I could only hold myself in the light for a short time. 

When I passed out, a feeling of bliss came over me, everything that was became no more, and the world was dark. I could breathe easily, and I had no worries. The image that came over the darkness was peppered with pink and gold. Happy colors, for happy times. I could see Steve, and the boys all smiling and having fun. I was there, smiling as well. I could see myself at the school, and spending time with Steve.

I could see me, moving past all of this, and being happy again. 

I did not know if any of this would come to pass. I didn't even know if I would wake up again. But this little bit of hope, this little bit of a normal future that I could have was enough to keep me moving forward.

I watched this future with a smile on my face, as chaos happened on the outside of my mind.