𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐭

xiv. DEAD BODY.

JONATHAN was trying to pry open the window but then a gunshot went off which frightened the three of them. "What the hell was that?" The older Byers boy exclaimed before glancing back at them, "stay here!" He shouted at them, turning back to the door.

The boys stood in the doorway and Jonathan came running back. "Get back! Get back!" Jonathan grabs onto Mike and Will. "We gotta go right now!" He shouted as the three younger teens clung onto each other in fear when the glass behind Jonathan broke. "Shit! Shit!" Mike shouted as Charles pulled Will with him. "Go! Run!" They ran towards the agent ushering them over who shoots at the front door way as Charles pulled Will behind him.

"Stairs! Stairs!" Charles pointed and Will held onto him more tighter as the agent shot at the man running up towards them. "Follow me." The man leads the way, Jonathan holding his shirt, Mike holding onto the back of Jonathan's shirt while Will held onto Mike's arm and Will's hand tightly, but then a man burst into the house through the garage door.

"What the hell is going on?!"

"Just stay there." The man instructed them as Charles noticed Will freaking out, in hysterics so he pulled him into his arms. "Get down!" The man now shouted so they got down and Charles grabbed either side of Will's head, "hey, hey, relax. Focus on me." He tried to calm him down but Will couldn't stop freaking out. "I shoot, you run!" The agent now tells them so Charles pulled back, grabbing Will's hands. "Come on!" He said and they ran to the door.

Will and Mike now hold onto the shot agent and Charles ran ahead with Jonathan, stopping the Surfer Pizza Boy van. "Stop the car!" The Byers shouted as Charles ran around. "Go! Go!" Charles opened up the back and waited for them to get in, Harmon climbing in. "Go, go, go!" Jonathan ushered Charles in next. "Woah, is that real blood, man?" Argyle asked.

"Drive!" They yell rather than answering his question. "Okay, alright," Argyle turned around, "oh, my God, why is that guy holding a gun?" He asked, freaking out. "Drive!" They all screamed at him. "Okay!" Argyle drove off.

Because he hates blood, Charles just sat in the passenger side of the front, but kept glancing back at Will, Mike and Jonathan tending to agent Harmon's wounds. They kept shouting and Charles held his hands over his ears because of the shouting, closing his eyes.

"Why is it so quiet back there, huh?" Argyle suddenly asked so Charles sat up, pulling his hands away to look behind at the other three with Agent Harmon. "Yo, is he dead? Jesus, man." Argyle freaked out. "Talk to me!" He exclaimed as Charles moved to the back right as Will turned to him. "Is he dead?" He whispers and Will just grabs his arms. "We should get off the road." Jonathan tells their driver at the sight of the car following them.

"Argyle, get off the road, now!" Will said as he tried to block Charles' view but the boy glanced over his shoulder and saw the man who had bled out. "Shit, he's dead, isn't he?" Argyle exclaimed as Charles' eyes widen and Will looks at him. "Get off the road!" Jonathan and Mike shout as Argyle turns to drive off road and Charles just put his hands over Charles' face.

"Are you okay? You're not hurt or anything, right?" He asked, holding him closer and Charles quickly shook his head. "No. A--Are you?" He grabbed Will's forearms gently and the brunette shook his head. On the drive, Jonathan had moved up to the front and Will pulled Charles into his arms, holding his head.

"Just don't look..." He whispers as he caressed Charles' dark brown hair gently and Mike was sitting beside them with a blank face. "What's the plan here, man?" Argyle was freaking out and Jonathan wss carefully explaining they head to the junkyard where they hit golf balls at cars to let off steam and such, saying it'd be the perfect spot to bury the body.

At the junkyard, Will insisted Charles stays in the van and eats the pizza they ordered. "How could I eat? A man died not even two hours ago, Will. Just let me come help--" "no, just stay here, okay? I--I don't think seeing a dead body would do anything good to your mental health at the moment..." Will tells him before cupping his face and leaning down to kiss his forehead. "Okay... fine, but if you guys need help..." Charles clutched his hand.

"Okay, I'll come get you right away, alright?" He says and Charles sat there, just as told but heard Argyle shouting while they were burying the body. He kept glancing over, especially at the mentions of the government killing El. He glanced up and saw Will looking at Mike. He barely finished up the slice of pizza, spotting Argyle coming to the van.

"Hey, kid... if you don't wanna get high by secondhand smoke, I'd suggest hopping out." Argyle said as he got into the van and Charles slowly stood up, crossing his arms before he turned around, watching a bit curiously as Argyle take a bong out of his bag.

"What... does it feel like?" He asked suddenly and Argyle just gave a grin. "Purple Palm Tree Delight?" He asked and Charles slowly nods, examining the man take out his weed. "Just as it says in the name, a frigging delight, kid. But hey, you're only like, what? Thirteen, you should--" "I--I'm fifteen already." He said and Argyle slowly grins widely at the boy.

"Are you saying you wanna try it?" He asked and Charles glanced over at where Will and Mike took seats on the roof of a car. He looked back at Argyle and softly nodded. "I--I wanna try it." He says quietly and Argyle chuckled. "I should not be giving a minor weed, man." He denied but Charles pointed, "many adult drug dealers sell to minors everyday. Marijuana's illegal anyway, so who cares?" He tells him.

"Shit. You're right."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

authors note many kids younger than 15 smoke weed all the time so i better not get shit for writing charles literally just trying weed for the first time ever (i was 16 when i tried it plus it's only weed anyway??) (plus it's for the plot and all the angst it will ensue hehe)

+ early update today!! switching the scheduled timing to 9:00 am again (EST)