I, Will Byers, Am Not a Victim

Chapter 34: Stronger Than You Know

What happened next was an awkward, uncomfortable silence. I expected Eleven to yell back, and I wouldn't have blamed her if she did, but that was not what happened. She took several deep breaths and draped her arm over my shoulder.

"Will," she said softly. "You're not a victim. You're smart, brave, tough, and the nicest person I know. You survived the Upside Down for over a week, with no powers. You survived possession, and even gave us the message to close the gate when you couldn't speak. We would have died if it weren't for you." I nodded, holding back tears. Her words to me were genuine. They always were. I know that some people lie to protect other's feelings, but not her. As she always says, friends don't lie.

"Thanks El," I said back to her, wiping away the single tear that went down my face. "I'm sorry for what I said. I trust you, and if you say you can handle this on your own, then I believe you. As I headed towards the door, she grabbed my arm.

"No," she said. "I didn't want you to put yourself in danger, but you're a lot stronger than even I thought you were. I might be able to handle this by myself, but you did save me, so maybe I do need help. If you want to come along and back me up, I won't stop you, but if you want out, I'll understand." That was the best answer I could hope for. I wasn't quite sure if she trusted me in this situation, but I got another chance, and this time, I knew what to do.

"I think it's time for me to head home, but I'll help you any way I can. Where and when do you want to meet?"

"I think you already know the answer. Feel it out. You know where the Demogorgons are coming from, and all you have to do is feel it out. I'll meet you there tomorrow." I nodded, thanked her, and went home. I actually left at a reasonable time, and would be home before it was too late.

When I got home, Mom and Jonathan knew something was different about me. After El helped me see things from a new, positive perspective, I held my head up high. That's when I realized that even though we can't control everything that happens to us, we can control how we deal with them. I showed strength and courage when I needed to, and I wasn't weak, like I thought I was.

During dinner, I made the decision to tell Mom and Jonathan about my discussion with El. I purposefully left out the details on how I was planning on going with her to the Upside Down, but I figured it couldn't hurt to tell them what we talked about.

"Hey Will," Jonathan said as he smiled at me. "You seem a lot happier today. I'm glad to see it."

"Yeah. I actually went over to Hopper's cabin to talk to El."

"Hopper's cabin?" Mom asked. "You know that's too far away to ride your bike."

"I know, Mom," I answered. "But I found a shortcut, and it doesn't take me long to get there. After all, I got back here quickly, didn't I?"

"I guess," she said back to me. "I just get worried. You know me."

"I know," I said back. "I wanted to tell you about what we talked about."

"What is it?" Jonathan asked with a bit of concern in his voice.

"Well, we talked about what has happened to me over the last year, and how I've been feeling about it. I've felt bad, like I was aburden to everyone, and needed to be saved, but she helped me see things a different way. I'm not weak or helpless. I'm strong and brave for getting through all of it, and I've helped a lot of people."

"That's right," Jonathan responded. "We never thought you were weak. You've been through a lot, but you're a lot tougher than you think you are. I don't know what would have happened if any of that happened to me. I'm just glad you were strong enough to come back to us." Even though he can be socially awkward at times, he always had his moments, especially when talking to me. It's like he always knew exactly what to say whenever we talked.

  That night, I slept well, with no nightmares or weird dreams. I knew what I had to do, and that it would be tough, but I was ready. I was tough, brave, and powerful, and with El by my side, I felt unstoppable.