Detective Byers (English Vers.)

12) Consequences and questions

12) Consequences and questions

Jonathan had sat on the landing for hours while Will drew inside. The eldest had explained the situation to the youngest that morning, against his mother's wishes. Jonathan was certainly the best person able to understand his brother. Unlike Joyce, he didn't see him as an eternal child. Will was a being of great complexity. He clung tightly to his childhood, from which he still drew the strength to smile, and he had a colourful imagination, as well as emotions with no filter. However, the events that marked his life made him an adult, against his will of course, but an adult all the same... A person just as able as Jonathan to hear the most difficult truths.

Awareness had tipped Will into a state torn between cold anger and profound astonishment. And finally, after an hour or two, he had returned to his resigned brother:

“I think I understand her a little bit…” he simply let out.

“Then explain it to me.” Jonathan sighed before leaning against the railing. “Explain it to me, because I don't understand...”

Will sat down on the steps of the porch, brought his knees up against him and put his head on them.

“It's hard to explain... I think that sometimes, with everything she's done for us, whether it's during everything that's happened or even today... she forgets about herself a little, as everything she does is to make us happy. You know, she... When he was controlling me... I know, like that, there's no connection, but I felt like my only goal was to serve his interests, it became the right thing to do... And more and more, I was fading away for him.”

Jonathan remained pensive. Will never spoke of the two dark years when he'd experienced the horror of being plunged into hell and then when he was possessed. So he was surprised that he brought it up with such... no, detachment was the wrong word. With maturity! Almost as if he accepted all this as a part of his existence. He was healing...

“Do you think mom is trying to... focus on herself... By joining the police force?”

“Maybe she's trying to experience something strong for herself, she wants to make a choice for herself, to evolve... That's how I see it.” Will’s look became worried. “Do you think it's going well?”

“I don't know. But she's strong... She's gonna give it her all.”

Will nodded, seemingly uneasy, and moved closer to his brother, who put a protective arm around his shoulder. 

They waited again...

...and waited...

So that the wood they were sitting on became more and more uncomfortable. But neither one of them was determined to move, as if driven by a hunch. Will repeatedly confided his anxiety to his older brother, who tried to reassure him as best he could.

And they waited again...

Finally, the squealing of the tires could be heard at the end of the driveway. Will stood up quickly, his eyelids that were starting to feel heavy suddenly opened wide. He ran in the direction of the car. Jonathan stood up, and felt fear in him when he heard Will scream.

“It's Hopper's car!”

If their mother hadn't come back in the car herself, it was because there was something wrong... The two brothers, struck by this thought, looked at each other in panic before turning their attention to the approaching car.

“Wait...” Will said. 

-What?! What's up?” Jonathan asked as he joined him. 

“Mom’s inside!” the youngest one said as he joined the vehicle that had just stopped.