Crush Culture [M.Wheeler]

[29] A MAP OF HAWKINS

Mike and Nori anxiously stand at Will's door, waiting for Joyce to open it. "Hello? Will!" Mike bangs on the door with his left hand, using his other hand to hold Nori's.

"Mrs. Byers?" The door unlocks. "Hey." Mike greets. "Hey, Mike, Elle." Joyce smiles. "Is Will here?" Nori inquires.

"You know what? Now is not a really good time." Joyce responds. "Is he okay?" Nori cuts in again. Joyce sighs, stepping out and shutting the door behind her.

"Yeah. You know, he's...he's just not feeling real well. He's laying down, so I'll tell him you two stopped by, okay?" She says kindly, beginning to push them away.

When she walks back to the door, Nori turns to Mike, hoping he could come up with something to say. "It's about the shadow monster, isn't it?" He asks, causing Joyce to pause, turning around to look at them.

***

Mike and Nori had ended up calling their parents to stay the night, wanting to be there full time for Will. It was mainly Nori's idea as she refused to leave. They sat on the bed, Mike beside Will as Nori leaned her head on Mike's shoulder in exhaustion.

"It's like.... it's like I feel what the shadow monster's feeling." Will states, clearly sweating as the tears crowd his eyes. "See what he's seeing."

"Like in the Upside Down?" Mike asks. "Some of him is there." Will nods. "But some of him is here, too."

"Here, like, in this house?" Mike questions. "In this house and... in me." He trembles. Nori lifts her head up from Mike's shoulder, furrowing her eyebrows.

"It's like... it's like he's reaching into Hawkins more and more. And the more he spreads, the more connected to him I feel." Will continues tearfully.

"And the more you see these now-memories." Mike adds. "At first I just felt it in the back of my head. I didn't even really know it was there. It's like when you have a dream and you can't remember it unless you think really hard. It was like that." He explains.

"But now it's like...Now I remember. I remember all the time." He cries. "Maybe...Maybe that's good." Mike suggests while Nori remains silent, a tear rolling down her cheek from watching Will cry.

"Good?" Nori and will question at the same time. "Just think about it. You're like a spy now. A superspy." Mike states. "Spying on the shadow monster. If you know what he's seeing and feeling... maybe that's how we can stop him. Maybe all of this is happening for a reason."

"You really think so?" Will asks hopefully. "Yeah. Yeah, I really do." Mike assures. Will sighs, looking down at the drawing of the shadow monster. "What if he figures out we're spying on him?"

"What if he spies back?" He sniffles. "He won't." Mike responds. "How do you know?" Will shakes his head. Nori sighs, placing her hand on top of his, followed by Mike placing his on hers.

"We won't let him."

***

The next morning, Will shoots awake, gasping. Nori wakes up at the sudden noise, feeling as Mike slowly pulls away his arms that were wrapped around her waist and sits up.

"Will, what's wrong?" Mike asks. "Come on, let's go get you to your mom." Nori yawns, standing up and helping the boy over to the living room.