Downside Up [W.Byers]

023

Will and Ruby walk through the halls at a fast pace, searching for the small creature. "South is clear. Lucas? Anything?" Will says into the walky talky.

"Nothing here, man." He responds. "We have to find him." Ruby sighs. "Don't worry. I'm sure we will." He smiles, taking her hand.

They slowly walk, stopping in front of the boys' bathroom. "Should I Wait out here while you look?" Ruby asks. "No. It's fine. I'm a little scared, if I'm honest." He chuckles nervously.

"Alright. Come on." She smiles softly, pulling him inside. "I hear him." Ruby whispers. Will walks forward towards the final stall, pushing it open.

"Guys, we found him." He says quietly. "Where?" Dustin asks. "In the bathroom by Mr. Salerno's."

"Copy that." Mike speaks up. "It's okay." Will looks down at Dart. Ruby looks down as well. "We're not gonna hurt you."

Dart screeches, causing the both of them to gasp. Ruby steps in front of Will, shining her fire. By then, Will has run out of the bathroom without her taking notice.

"Will?" She asks. Once she finds no sign of him, she runs after him, not thinking about Dart. "Will." She watched him run through the halls in a panicked motion. "Will!" She screams, yet he doesn't seem to hear.

"Will!" She runs after him. He had left behind his walky talky. She picks it up. "Guys, Will ran off. He's heading to the field." She says in panic.

"We're coming." Mike replies. "Will! Wait! Please!" She shouts, struggling to catch up to him. "Will!"

He finally comes to stop, yelling. "Go away!" He shouts. "Will?" She feels her heart shatter. Why would he want her to leave? "Will?" She asks again. "Go away!"

"Go away! Go away! Go away! Go away!" He screams. Ruby feels a tear roll down her cheek as she begins to run off in sadness. On her way back to the school, she bangs into Mike. "Ruby, are you okay?" Dustin asks.

She doesn't answer. After staring at them for a split second, she runs off.

"Where's Ruby?" Joyce says worriedly as she paces around the house nervously. "I drove her away." Will mutters. "Look, can you tell me what happened?" She sighs.

"I can't remember." He shakes his head. "Just try." She insists. "I was on the field, and it all just went blank, and... and then you were there. And Ruby was gone." He explains.

"Will, I need you to tell me the truth." She exhales. "I-I am." He stutters. "I just wanna find Ruby."

Joyce lets out a sigh, then gets up, picking up a piece of paper and bringing it to the table. "This shape, I saw it on the video tape from Halloween night. It's the same shape as.. as your drawing."

"These episodes that you're having, I think Dr. Owens is wrong. I think they're real. But.. but I can't help you if I don't know what's going on. So, you have to talk to me. Please." She pleads. "I know you want to find Ruby. And I promise we will, but I need you to talk to me. No more secrets."

Will nods. "Did.. did you see this thing again on the field?" Joyce asks. "Yes." He nods. "What.. What is it?"

"I don't know." He begins to cry. "It's almost more like a f-f-feeling." He stammers. "Like the one you had that night at the arcade?"

He nods. "What does it want?" She sighs. "I don't know." A tear rolls down his cheek. "It came for me, and... and I tried. I tried to make it go away. But it hit me, Mom." He cries.

"Well, What does that mean?" She asks worriedly. "I felt it.. everywhere. Everywhere." He shakes. "I— I still feel it. I just want this to be over. I want Ruby back."

Joyce pulls him into a hug. "It's okay. It's okay. Hey." She coos. "Listen. Look, look at me. I will never, ever let anything bad happen to you ever again. Whatever's going on in you, we're gonna fix it. I will fix it. I promise. I'm here. We'll find Ruby, too." She sighs.

"Can we go look for her, mom?" He asks tearfully. "Yeah. Come on, baby. Let's go." She pulls him up, wrapping an arm around him.

Ruby sits down at a tree, wrapping her arms around her knees. Little does she know, that the heat is slowly radiating off of her, and onto the forest ground.

She sobs into her arms for a few minutes, until the smell of smoke enters her nose.