MARLEY // Max Mayfield

Sensory Deprivation

"Marley..." Marley rolled her head to the side, her eyes closed tight. There was sweat lining her brow and wet patches littering her shirt front, it was the fever again, that on and off illness she had been experiencing throughout the entirety of her day. It was getting worse, Nancy could tell by the way the girl's breaths rose and settled erratically, by the way, her eyelids fluttered open and closed every few seconds but no notes of consciousness flickered within them, "Marley...!" She stirred from her little coma with a start, lurching forward and bashing her head against the seat in front of her.

She grumbled lowly and held at her forehead, the car interior spinning in her eyes. Nancy hovered over the girl carefully, a look of pure concern etched across her features.

"Nancy, wha...what?" Marley was ill. That was plain to see. "I...oh god...I don't feel so good."

"Come on," Nancy hoped out of the car and turned back to Marley, her hand outstretched. The girl took it and clumsily clambered out of the car, looking around once her feet settled against earth. Joyce, Jonathan and Hopper were nowhere to be seen but Nancy was quick to reassure the girl they had just gone ahead after she had insisted they go on without her. "Let's get you to the bathroom or something..."

"I..." Marley staggered forward, landing on her hands and knees dry heaving.

"Marley!"

"It's hot..." she panted and Nancy bent down, placing her hand against Marley's forehead. She wasn't hot, she was burning. The temperature threatened to scorch Nancy's skin and she pulled away after barely a millisecond of contact, it left a tingle upon her hand where they had connected and Nancy shuddered at the feeling. She looked back upon Marley. There was a writhing beneath her skin, travelling to her palm and disappearing beneath her bandage. She groaned within her throat, heaved with such exertion her entire body wracked with every breath. It was agony. 

And then it was over.

Marley let out a breath and blinked a couple of times, shaking her head around. She felt fine, better actually, better than she had felt in a long time. The change was instantaneous, not even a click of the fingers or bolt of lighting could compare. Once hot, boiling even, and now, normal. The sweat was still there clinging to her shirt -- to her body but no more joined it.

She was completely fine.

"...Marley?" Nancy began tentatively placing a hand on her shoulder, there was movement beneath it and she recoiled, staring on in fear, "are you ok...?" There was a mumble of sorts from the girl as she stood up, brushing down the front of her pants hastily. "Mars?"

"I'm fine..." Marley whispered again, just loud enough for Nancy to hear this time. "I'm...fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah...let's go find the nerds," Marley muttered, she looked disoriented as she past Nancy, patting her shoulder slowly as if to spur her into motion. But Nancy remained outside for a moment, staring upon the spot Marley had fallen before she hastened to follow after her, habitually throwing glances over her shoulder to the place they had just been.

"Listen, kid, this is the chief, if you're there, pick up," Hopper's voice demanded as Marley stopped in the doorway, Nancy bumping into the back of her. She muttered an apology and fiddled with her cuticles leaving Marley to peer down on her curiously. "We know you're in trouble and we know about the girl."

"Let me try," Marley voiced and the three in the room turned to her, halting every movement. Hopper let it drop to his side a moment as he sighed and held it out to her. She took it. "Mike, it's Marley, this isn't a Lando case ok? You gotta pick up Mike, so we can help El. I know she's there with you," Nothing. "I promise you we are not with the bad men!"