𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐭

xi. NOW-MEMORIES

  

     Bob sets down the map of Hawkins, along with the cardboard backing of a notepad, a ruler and then takes out a pen as Charles stood beside him, watching him. "Alright, I'm 3.6 inches, what do you got?" Bob called out. "I'm not sure! Mrs. Byers!" Mike shouted from one of the rooms.

     "Hold on." Joyce said as she walks into the living room, holding it to the sign that said Tippecanoe. "Twenty-one feet, four inches." Joyce says. "What about Tippencanoe to Danford Creek?" Bob says and Charles looks over at Joyce.

     "Danford? Where's Danford?" She asked. "Dining room." Will said and Charles looks over right away, he smiles when he saw the boy. "Sixteen feet, ten inches." Joyce said as he held the measuring tape to the sign. "What about Danford to Jordan?" Bob asked but Joyce simply sighs at that.

      "Oh, come on. This has gotta be enough." She says as she walks over with Will. "It's not. It's.. it's really not." Bob said as Joyce stood between Charles and Bob. "Okay. Can't you figure it out?" Joyce asked as Mike walks over, standing on the other side of Will. "Well, it's hard. The ratio isn't exactly one-to-one. I mean, if you're twisting my arm, and you are twisting my arm, I would say that the X is.." Bob said then stopped as he drew one line.

     "Maybe a half mile southeast of Danford?" He says as he looked at Will and Charles then at Mike as Joyce sighs. "Thank you. Thank you." She says, kissing his cheek then grabbing the map.

      Will looks at Charles who looked at Mike with a confused look before the three boys quickly follow the woman rushing out of the house. "What? Are we.. we really going?" Bob asked them.

On the way down the old dirt road, in the car, the three boys sat in the back seat as the two adults were up in the front. On instinct, Charles seated himself between Will and Mike in the back.

"There's nothing. There's nothing here." Mike said and Charles looks at Will, their hands were together, like they always seem to be. This time however, Charles didn't panic and let his fingers interlock with Will's. "Are.. Are we close?" Joyce asked as Charles then looked out the window.

     He doesn't see anything. "We're in the vicinity." Bob says and Joyce looks at him. "What's that mean, the vicinity?" She asked. "It means we're close, Joyce, though it's not percise." Charles said as he reached out, grabbing her shoulder comfortingly. "But we did all that work." She said, sounding stressed out as Will squeezed Charles' hand.

    "I told you, the scale ratio is not exactly one-to-one. We need to take—" Bob is cut off when Will jolts foward, "turn right." He says and all of them look at the boy right away. "What?" Joyce said instantly in a confused and questioning tone.

    "I saw him." Will said, looking at his mom then Charles. "Where?" Joyce said as he looks outside. "Not here. In my now-memories." Will said right away as he leaned over. Joyce looks back at him, then ahead to continue driving.

    "In your what?" Bob said in shock. "Turn right!" Will shouts, his grip on Charles' hand becoming tighter all of the sudden. Joyce turns the car only for them to crash into stacks of hay with a sign on them of a pumpkin and the name of a farm. All of them start screaming as Will's grip became tighter again and seems to increase more.

      Suddenly Joyce stopped the car and Charles opened his eyes, gasping softly. "Holy shit!" He yelled as Joyce looked back at the boys. "Are you okay?" She asked her son with a worried look on her face. "Superspy." Mike said suddenly.

     "What's Jim doing here? Joyce?" Bob says as he looks at Joyce who looks back at the boys in the backseat again. "Boys, I need you to stay here." She says as she takes off her belt. "No. Mom, mom, mom, it's not safe." Will said as he leans over. "That's why I need you to stay here! Stay here!" Joyce said before slamming the door closed.

     "Will.. Will, you're sort of hurting my hand.." Charles whimpered and Will pulls his hand away. "S-S-Sorry.." He whispered and Charles looks at him. "No, it's fine.. You were just squeezing too hard.." He says and Will nodded slowly.

"I'm sorry.." He said again as Charles grabbed his hand again, he holds Will's hand with both of his gently. After waiting for a while, the three boys got out and approach the hole.

"Do you see anything? I mean, in your now-memories?" Mike asked as Charles looks at Will standing between them. Will shook his head and then they heard vehicles from far, they all turn around to see at least three vans. The lab. Charles knew by the words on the sides of the vans.

Charles and Mike simultaneously look at one another before they look down at Will standing between them who stepped closer to Charles.

As the men from the lab go down into the hole, Will and Charles were just standing around with Mike when Will suddenly fell to the ground. "Will!" Charles rushed to his side immediately.

"Will? Are you okay? Will?" Mike said as he crouched down on the other side of Will who Charles was holding gently. The boy was shaking in his hands, appearing to have a seizure.

"Will, what's wrong?" Charles said but Will didn't stop shaking, then suddenly the boy flipped on his side, he was still shaking and his eyes was rolled to the back of his head as he laid on the ground, Mike stepped back immediately as Charles stood up, gasping slightly. "W-W-What's wrong w-with h-him?" Charles said as he turns to Mike who reached out towards him, grabbing his arm. He looks back at Will as Mike pulled him towards him, wrapping an arm around Charles' shoulders.

authors note u didnt hear it from me.. but mike & charles would be kinda cute..