When Will saw the ashes of the painting scattered on the floor of the shed, a strange feeling arose in him. Something he could not explain and didn’t want to know what it was.
He was frozen and shocked. His eyes were unexpressive and his sight was glued to the ground.
Smoke still billowed through the shed, even when the fire lasted only a few seconds.
Mike coughed from the smoke they were both inhaling. So, he quickly moved and grabbed the bag that Will was carrying before from the floor.
- Will, we have to get out of here. - He said, holding Will’s arm and pulling him out of the shed.
Will did not move by himself. He could not even take his eyes off the burned painting as Mike led him to the door. All he could hear were mysterious bells and growing fire sparks. He was blinded by the smoke and deafened by the strange noises running through his mind.
He could not even measure they could have been part of a tragic accident.
Seconds later, when Mike could finally take Will out of the shed, he stopped outside to check on Will. He held him from the shoulders and checked if he was not hurt by the fire.
They were both breathing fast and Mike was still coughing a little. But, after all, they were both safe and healthy. Will was still a bit shocked. He didn’t even flinch towards Mike’s gestures. He was just, somehow, living in a parallel universe.
- I’m sorry, Will. - Mike apologized, even though nothing that happened there was his fault.
Will looked up for the first time since they had left the shed and met Mike’s eyes. He could see the guilt and repentance in his look.
- It’s okay… - Will muttered. - Are you..?-
- I’m fine. I’m fine. Let’s just go back to the cabin. - Mike interrupted
Will nodded and followed Mike, still destabilized by the situation.
Will made the whole way deject and thoughtful, walking behind Mike with clumsy steps. Mike constantly stopped for a few seconds just to check if Will was still following him, since he didn’t even emit any type of noise.
Mike honestly expected Will to take it out on him more than ever. To complain or cry. To even blame him for everything that had happened. But he was quieter than ever, and that worried Mike so much.
But he wouldn’t force Will to talk if he didn’t want to, because he knew how devastating it had probably been for him to see his work turning into ashes.
He knew it, because he felt as devastated as Will. Because that painting was his most prized possession. It had a sentimental value that no gift from another person could be able to have.
It was their thing.
But it just was, because it didn’t exist anymore.
That was how Mike and Will just kept silently walking to the cabin. When they finally arrived and knocked on the door, Jonathan opened it and they entered the house.
- Finally. - He said. - Why did you guys take so long? It’s been almost two hours.
- Sorry, sorry. We didn’t notice. - Mike replied, nervous.
- Will, can you give me the bag? - Jonathan asked.
Will was quiet, leaning on a wall, and when he heard Jonathan’s question, all he did was look at him with his most confused expression. The dissociation was really taking control over him at this point.
- What bag? - He asked. He didn’t even know what they were talking about.
- The- The bag you went to the shed for - Jonathan said, confused.
- Here it is. - Mike said, quickly handing the bag to Jonathan.
- Thanks. - Jonathan replied. - Will, what’s going on?
- Uh? - Will asked, disengaged from the conversation. - Nothing, I’m just… I need to go to the bathroom. - He replied and then left the room.
Seconds later, Will entered the bathroom and carefully closed the door. Now that he was alone, he could think about every feeling he had been keeping inside of him since he had left that shed with Mike.
He didn’t even know when his tears started to run down his face, or when that feeling he had in his chest began to grow. He just knew he didn’t want to feel that way, because it was not a good moment to be sensitive. It was actually the worst moment to be sensitive, given that they were all under the eye of the storm. Especially, Will.
But it was already late, it was too late, because he had been retaining too many emotions in just a few days.
Will let himself lean against the door of the bathroom, sliding down to the ground, unable to hold back his tears. He always used to feel really bad for crying, because he was not supposed to. But, unfortunately, he always had a good reason to cry.
But this time that reason was not sadness or disappointment, this time it was a stronger feeling that he never used to have.
The anger.
It was anger. An anger that was born of helplessness and frustration. From the hopeless feeling and belief that he could never be able to live in peace again. And that feeling, that anger, was the only feeling that 001 needed Will to feel.
Because it is from the anger that revenge is born. And 001 wanted revenge so badly.
Will finally realized why he had been feeling so strange and chased since he left the shed. His thoughts were not only his anymore, and someone was provoking, taunting him to feel that way.
Because 001 had an advantage knowing what Will was thinking. But that connection was also a disadvantage to him since Will could also know what he was thinking and feeling, so he needed Will to be by his side or… to be dead.
Will tried to fight that feeling so hard, to seek comfort. But how could he? If he was just crying alone on the floor of the bathroom.
Perhaps the only way to get distraught from Henry was to not be alone, at least until the anger was gone. That’s how Will wiped his tears away and left the bathroom.
But when he saw everyone in the living room, he reconsidered his decision. How would he explain his teary eyes to everyone in the room?
No, it was definitely better not to go there, so instead he went to the kitchen and, not having a better idea, he grabbed a plate, an onion and a knife. At least Mike’s stupid excuse would be useful this time.
He carefully began to chop the onion as he could hear some footsteps heading for the kitchen. He wondered if those were from El or Jonathan, as he kept pretending to cook.
- Hey… - Will heard.
He suddenly stopped cutting the onion and froze. It was definitely not El, nor Jonathan.
- What are you doing? - Mike asked.
Mike, whose voice got deep into Will’s mind as fast as it could never before. The voice of the one person 001 was chasing so hard.
The one person who, somehow, always managed to save El and Will from him. The one who always figured out how to defeat Henry and how to survive. The one who always ruined his plans. Again, and again.
Will tried not to let 001's sense of revenge consume him. But it was too hard, and he felt so weak for that. Will, who had only two options from Henry’s point of view: join him or disappear.
- I’m…, just making dinner. - Will replied. His hand was trembling and his cuts were imprecise. He was forcing himself so hard to not get internally caught again.
- You don’t have to use that stupid excuse with me. - Mike said. - I’m sorry about that, by the way. I didn’t know what to say when Jonathan asked why you weren’t at my house.
Will kept chopping the onions, cut by cut, focusing on what Mike was saying to try to stop that force that slowly consumed him.
- I’m so sorry, Will. About the painting, about the excuses, about everything. - Mike continued. - I know you’re not feeling well and you can talk to me, you don’t have to keep all that shit to yourself.
When Will remembered the painting accident, that feeling appeared again.
- You don’t have to blame yourself for anything that happened. It’s.. it’s all my fault. - Mike said, even though nothing was actually his fault.
- Yes, it is. - Will replied, sharply.
Then, he turned around and looked Mike in the eyes. His gaze was indifferent and expressionless, it almost felt like there was no emotion inside of Will. Besides, they were darker, really darker.
- You were warned, Mike. You knew it would all be thanks to you. - He added.
- Wha- What are you saying..? - Mike asked.
That’s when Mike realized something was off, something was wrong with Will, because, how could he know that? Mike never told him about his vision.
- Now you did everything I needed you to do and you didn’t even notice. I don’t need you anymore, I don’t need you to ruin my plans again. - Will finally said.
Oh, it was definitely not normal. He was definitely not Will.
- Will, tell me what happened. - Mike said, stepping back as he saw how Will tightened his grip on his knife and headed towards him.
In just a few seconds, Will reached Mike and pushed him against the wall as he raised his dangerous knife at him. That made so much noise that the rest of the family that was at the cabin quickly appeared on the scene.
Mike was frozen, Will was fighting him (or, 001, better said, using Will’s person). But he would never, never in his life, for any reason, fight against Will. He would never hurt him.
- Will, what are you doing? - Joyce exclaimed, scared.
- He’s possessed. - Mike exclaimed, while Will held him tighter against the wall
When -Will- heard Joyce’s scream, he quickly looked at her. And for seconds, just for a few seconds, Mike could notice that something in his eyes changed. They got lighter again.
- You remember Joyce, right? - Mike asked.
Will, still holding Mike, nodded, hesitantly.
- And him? - Mike asked, staring at Jonathan.
Will nodded again, and, as he kept thinking about them, his eyes were still as green as they’ve always been. As beautiful as they have always been for Mike.
- And… me? - Mike asked.
Will looked at him again, but his eyes were still unexpressive. He did not say anything.
- Don’t you remember kindergarten, halloween, our DnD campaigns? - He insisted, but still did not get an answer from Will. Not even after ten seconds.
Jonathan, given that Will did not answer Mike’s question, got closer to them, preparing himself to stop Will from doing anything dangerous or bad.
- Do you even remember my name? - Mike asked one last time.
Mike was still looking Will in the eyes as he saw how they slowly turned dark brown again.
That was it, Will had not the strength to remember Mike, not like before. Their relationship was so broken and fucked up that Will could not even say his name.
And now, Mike had in front of him a possessed Will who was basically trying to kill him.
- You’re… you are a threat. - Will finally replied, holding Mike against the wall again.
El ran to the living room for the supply bag as Jonathan grabbed Will from behind to stop him from doing anything else. But Will was being controlled by such a strong force that, when he tried to free himself from Jonathan’s arms, both him and Mike fell to the ground.
Now it was easier for him to hurt Mike, because he could not get away from him.
But Mike still didn’t flinch. He would never touch Will, even if that was not really him.
Suddenly, El appeared on the scene again and gave Will a sleeping shot, and Will promptly fell over Mike, accidentally hurting Mike's arm with the knife he was holding before.
It was not a serious injury, since it was just on his skin, but it still hurt a lot.
But Mike didn’t care. He didn’t care about anything but Will at that moment. Will, who was unconscious and asleep over him, again. That was the worst déjà vu Mike could have ever experienced.
But Mike, ignoring the pain in his arm, wrapped Will in a hug, holding him so he wouldn’t fall to the ground. Because, even after being deeply hurt, they would always be there for each other.