Halley's comet | Steve Harrington

xv. coffins interrupted

~

Joyce stood protectively close to Halley as they walked down the sidewalk. Jonathan drove on the road beside them.

"Will you two please just get in?"

"Jonathan, I, I-I need to think, okay? You just go on home." She let go of Halley, pulling her jacket tighter around her.

However, her brother wasn't one to back down, especially not at a time like this. He continued to drive alongside the walkway, "Please just get in, come on Halley." She waved him off. Picking up her pace to catch up with Joyce as she started through a crosswalk.

Halley was vaguely aware of Jonathan parking the car and running after them.

"Mom! Stop." he said, taking her shoulder, she shrugged him off, her eyebrows furrowing. They were both angry at each other now, and Halley knew this was going in a bad direction.

Joyce put her hands up, "Just go home Jonathan."

"No," he leaned in closer, trying to grant them at least a little privacy in the busy street; he looked to Halley, and she could tell he wanted her on his side, but she couldn't do it this time. He turned back to Joyce. "This is not an okay time for you to shut down."

She was taken aback, "what?" but Halley already knew where this was going. He was a lot like them in that aspect; emotional. He was easy to read, signs easy to tell.

"We have to deal with this Mom," he said, "we have to deal with the funeral."

Even Halley scoffed at that, though it was Joyce who pushed back, "The funeral? For...for who? That thing back there?" she shook her head, squaring her jaw.

It was his turn to laugh, a sharp one breath, where he had to look away for a moment before he could answer. "So let me get this straight. Will— That's not his body, because he's in the lights, right?" his voice was low, "And there's a monster in the wall? Do you even hear yourself?" Halley flinched at the harsh tone. But he didn't even seem to notice.

"I know it sounds crazy!" Joyce said, throwing her hands up between them, "I sound crazy!" she admitted, but Halley wouldn't agree. She knew what she saw the night before.

Clenching his teeth, Jonathan nodded, only allowing himself a single word, "yeah."

"You think I don't know that? It is crazy! But I heard him, Jonathan. He talked to me! Will is... is calling to me! And he's out there, and he's alone, and he's scared, and I... I don't care if anyone believes me! I am not gonna stop looking for him until I find him and bring him home. I am going to bring him home!" Joyce said, her voice equally stern and absolutely devastated.

She started walking off. And Halley was left in the middle looking between her mother, the only other person who truly understood that there was some serious bullshit going on, and her brother, who had been by her side since forever.

"Yeah, well, while you're talking to the lights, the rest of us are having a funeral for Will! I'm not letting him sit in that freezer another day!" Jonathan shouted after her.

Halley noticed the tears in his eyes, and the one that had not so subtly fallen down his cheek.

She stayed with her brother.

~

"You should cut her some slack."

"Did you even hear her?" Jonathan whispered, as the funeral home director brought them over to another casket.

"It's made of soft wood with a crepe interior. Uh, now, I... I don't know what your budget is, but over here, we... we have copper and bronze." the man said continuing on.