𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧 | Max Mayfield

FOUR

''Will!'' Dustin yelled out for Will. He was missing.

''Dustin! Tara!'' Joyce called out as she approached. ''What's going on? Tara, where's your brother?''

Lucas rushed through the swinging doors.

''The field!'' He exclaimed through panting.

They ran out onto the field, to find Mike shaking Will's shoulders.

''I just found him like this!'' Mike rambled through his words to everyone. ''I think he's having another episode!''

Max rubbed the back of her neck nervously.

''Will!'' Joyce yelled out as she shook him. ''Sweetie, wake up! It's Mom!''

It was a risk with Max around, but Tara grabbed Will's cold hand and closed her eyes.

She went into his mind.

The first thing she noticed, the world around her was all dark and cloudy.

Then, she saw Will.

A big shadow monster, like he had described, was with him.

It went into him, into his body, his mouth, everything.

Tara's eyes went a faint red of anger.

''Get away!'' Tara yelled as she stuck out her hand.

It was taking her strength and energy, but she didn't stop.

She managed to throw the monster off Will.

They both woke up, in the real world.

Will let out a heavy gasp for air.

Tara fell backwards and Max caught her, confused as ever.

Tara was left feeling awfully drained of energy, but she'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Joyce helped walk Tara and Will over to the car and they got in.

''...I can't remember.'' Will lied to Joyce.

''I need you to try.'' Joyce told him.

''I-I was on the field and then it all just went blank and then you were there.'' Will stammered through his lie.

''Will, I need you to tell me the truth.'' Joyce asked him.

''I-I am.'' Will stuttered.

Joyce pulled out a picture she drew.

''This shape, I saw it on the video tape from Halloween night. It's the same shape as your drawing.'' She told Will. ''These episodes that you're having, I think Dr. Owens is wrong. I think they're real. But I can't help you if I don't know what's going on. So you have to talk to me, please. Did you see this thing again on the field?''

''Yes.'' Tara responded for him in case he lied.

''What is it?'' Joyce asked.

''I don't know.'' Will said, his voice cracking as tears filled his eyes. ''It's almost more like a feeling.''

''Like, the one you had that night at the Arcade?'' Joyce asked him for clarification.

Will nodded, a tear rolling down his cheek.

''What does it want?'' Joyce asked.

''To kill. To hurt Will.'' Tara replied as much as she could figure out.

Will slightly nodded. 

''It came for me and- I tried. I tried to make it go away. But it got me, Mom.'' Will said as more tears ran down his cheeks. ''I felt it everywhere. I-I still feel it. I just want this to be over.''

Joyce pulled him in for a comforting hug.

''It's okay, Shhh...''

The next day, Joyce let Tara stay home along with Will.

''Why can't I go?'' Tara asked. She wanted to see her friends, and Max too.

''Because this isn't normal. We need you. Will needs you.'' Joyce explained to her as she dialed Hopper's phone number.

Hopper pulled up at the Byer's residence and entered the house.

The house was freezing cold, as Will told Joyce that's what the monster wanted.

Tara wrapped herself up in one of Mike's hoodies, along with a blanket.

''Hello?'' Hopper called out.

Tara's eyebrow raised as she recognized his voice.

''Where the hell have you been?'' Joyce whispered to Hopper.

''I overslept,'' Hopper admitted. ''What the hell's going on? It's freezing.''

Joyce and Hopper entered Will's bedroom, where Tara and Will sat.

Once Hopper's eyes laid on Tara, he was confused.

His gaze went from Tara to Joyce and Will. Tara, to Joyce and Will.

Hopper then let out a scoff of realization. ''Of course...''

''Hi.'' Tara said innocently.

''So this thing, this shadow thing. You told your mom it likes it like this. It likes it cold?'' Hopper asked Will.

''Yeah.'' Will replied.

''How do you know that?'' Hopper asked Will.

''I just know.'' Will said. 

''Does he talk to you?'' Hopper asked.

''No it's like, I don't have to think. I just know things now. Things I never did before,'' Will explained. 

''And, what else do you know?'' Hopper asked Will.

''It's hard to explain. It's like old memories in the back of my head, only they're not my memories.'' Will explained. ''I mean, I don't think their old memories at all. They're now memories, happening all at once, now.''

''Can you describe these now memories?'' Hopper asked Will, his tone gentle and patient.

''I don't know- it's hard to explain,'' Will stumbled over his words.

''I know it's hard but can you just try?'' Joyce asked Will.

''It's like, they're growing and spreading... killing.'' Will explained through tears.

Tara held his hand comfortingly.

''The memories?'' Joyce asked.

''I don't know, I'm sorry,'' Will said as he cried into Joyce's shoulder.

Joyce suddenly had an idea.

''Hey, what if you didn't have to use words?'' She asked him.

Will grabbed a couple pens and started frantically drawing down on the paper.