so close, yet so far // jancy

Chapter 3

A bird fluttered in the branches of the tree Nancy was in, just a few feet above her. She jumped up startled, and she fell out of the tree, landing on the ground with a loud thud.

"Ouch!"

She had landed on her left arm. She got up and felt it. It felt fine, nothing out of place; it was just a little sore. She glimpsed at her watch, realizing it was 4th period now. It was her lunch period, so she could sneak in without much trouble.

Nancy walked back out onto the grass next to the road, and began walking towards the school.

I should be there in about 10 minutes.

She had decided that if Jonathan showed up to school tomorrow, she would apologize to him and ask about Will. But if he wasn't, she wouldn't go over to his house and irk him. She thought it was best to talk to him whenever he showed up to school, ready to talk to her.

.........................

Will let out another scream of horror, and Joyce ran to his side.

"Will, sweetie, please talk to me. I need to help you. Talk to me."

He had his eyes closed, and he was rolling around on the ground, whispering things neither Jonathan nor Joyce could understand.

Jonathan put his hand on Joyce's shoulder.

"Mom, do you think he's having another episode?"

Joyce looked up at him in utter fear; her eyes filled with worry and hatred.

"If that thing is messing with my Will again, I am going to attack it with eternal hellfire."

Jonathan simply nodded.

"I just don't understand. I thought Eleven closed the gate? How can he still be affected? It's been almost a year, and he's had no problems until now."

Joyce bit her lip.

"Well, this isn't the first one he's had since Eleven closed the gate."

"What?!"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before! I didn't want to worry you. The episodes he had before they were nothing like this. He said he just had visions, but he acted like nothing was wrong. I worried and worried about it, but he never said anything bad. I should have told you. I'm so sorry, Jonathan."

He stared in disbelief at his mother.

"Wow. I can't believe you didn't tell me. I'm part of this family too, you know! Sometimes I feel like I'm not."

Joyce stood up and hugged him.

"Oh, Jonathan! You are apart of this family! Without you, I'd go crazy with Will on my own. You keep us together. You're the link keeping this family from falling apart."

Jonathan hugged her back.

"I just wish you would have told me about Will's visions. I could have helped."

"I know, gosh I'm so sorry. From now on, I'll tell you everything. But I expect the same from you."

Jonathan pulled away, with a questioning look on his face.

"I heard you and Nancy arguing out there."

"Mom, let's not..."

Joyce interrupted him. "She sounded concerned. I could tell by the way she was talking. It sounded full of worry and concern."

"She was getting angry with me because I forgot to call her and say that I wouldn't be able to pick her up! That's all."

"Yeah it was that, but she's also worried about you. I can tell, Jonathan. She didn't skip school and walk all the way over here just to fuss at you. She came here to see if you were alright."

Jonathan shrugged. "She has a funny way of showing it."

"Yeah, she should have asked if you were okay, but she just panicked I think. She just became defensive. But I know deep down, she really cares about you and is concerned."

"If you say so..."

Will shrieked once more, and he woke up, gasping for air. Jonathan and Joyce rushed to his side.

"Will! Sweetie, what's wrong? What did you see?"

Will took in deep breaths; his hand on his heart.

"I saw it again. The mind flayer. In my other visions, I never saw it. I was just in the upside down by myself. But this time... This time the mind flayer was there. He was chasing me, and I could feel in my mind somehow that he wanted me to go with him. I don't know why...I just..."

Will erupted into tears, and embraced  Joyce tightly. Jonathan hugged both of them, crying silently.

"But do you know what the odd thing was?", he whispered.

"What?", Jonathan asked in a hushed voice.

"I was in the Hawkins lab, and the mind flayer wanted me to go with him. Through the gate."