CARLA WHEELER HOPPED OUT OF THE POLICE CHIEFS CAR.
Her feet hit her driveway with a small thump and the girl leaned back into the vehicle to grab her schoolbag. From the drivers seat, Hopper sent her a small look, "Stay safe."
"Always will, Chief." Carla Wheeler began walking backwards towards her front door, eyes still set on the Chevy Blazer, "Thanks for the ride, again."
"Anytime, kid." the older man huffed before rolling his window up, sending a final glance—as if he was making sure she was going to go inside the Wheeler home. After finding Will's body in the Quarry, he suddenly had a new layer of precaution. Something in him that told him he needed to keep a better eye on the town, on the kids. Even a kid like Carla Wheeler, who knew how to take care of herself.
Carla watched the cop car disappear, before finally turning around and heading back into her home.
But, she barely made it to her front door before it hit her.
Will was dead.
The Wheeler's lip trembled at the thought—at the reality. Will Byers, a boy whom she'd known since he was a little kid was dead and gone. She'd get no more of his exotic drawings, no more hugs or smiles. No more, Hey, Carla's or D&D rants.....
It was suddenly too much to handle.
She'd almost stayed at the Byers' house because of the noise. With the police sirens and lights, the chatter of officers and the sound of tears and denial filling up her mind, it left no room for Carla to think about Will. But....Jonathan had insisted she left before disappearing into his room and the least she could do was listen.
They needed to grieve and, well, so did she. These feelings couldn't be bottled up as she usually tended to do with feelings.
After hearing the terrible news, the Byers' and well as Carla had been led back to the home for further questioning and explanation. Joyce had denied that her son was dead, claiming she'd spoken to him less than thirty minutes ago and Jonathan had listened to Hopper's words with a guilt-ridden expression until he was free to go to his room—more than likely to break down.
Carla too had listened to Hopper's words but instead of waiting to break down, she'd allowed herself to do so right then and there. Tears had rolled down her cheeks silently, as if Will was her son, her brother—which in reality, was what she really saw him as.
The news had spread rather quickly for it being found out tonight. Hell, every newspaper in town probably on top of the story, adding details that were never confirmed, twisting Will's death into a suicide or something worse.
It had taken a toll on everyone too. It had been a while since anyone died mysteriously in Hawkins, Indiana, let alone went missing. Hopper now looked towards the Byers' with a guilt-ridden expression—maybe he hadn't done enough. Maybe if he'd just looked more into the case, Will could have been found—Joyce was in complete denial and Jonathan was broken. And Carla? Well, the Wheeler girl wasn't exactly sure what she was.
She believed Will was indeed dead—they'd found a body, after all. It would be absolutely cruel to fake something like that—but....something just didn't feel right about this. It felt like something more sinister was behind the boy's supposed 'drowning'.
But, it was true. Will Byers was dead and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Opening her front door, Carla slowly stepped into her home. She could hear the news—of course broadcaster's had already made it to the Quarry, and were interviewing the chief—on Will's death, and turned to see both of her parents situation in front of the television. Karen had tear filled eyes, Ted solemnly holding her hand.
At the sound of the door closing, the brunette woman turned to see her elder daughter in the entrance way. She could see her tear stained cheeks, her trembling lip and was immediately on her feet to comfort her daughter. Mike had shown the same reaction—the two siblings taking Will's death hard.
As if her mother's tight embrace was enough to finally cause her to snap, Carla racked out a sob. Karen held her daughter close—she needed the comfort.
Will Byers, a boy whom Carla had seen as a brother, a kind and loving boy who'd never even dare to hurt a fly was dead. He was gone—he wasn't coming back.
The next morning, Carla was sitting in the waiting room of the coroner's office.
Karen was quick to allow Carla and Mike to skip school—they were close to Will and needed time to grieve before returning to a place where his death would be whispered about—and Carla was quick to dedicate her free time to helping the grieving family.
Jonathan had asked her to come with him and his mother to go and see Will's body, the Wheeler immediately accepting. If Jonathan needed her there for emotional support, she was going to show up. It was the least she could do.
Of course, she didn't go and see the body herself. Carla felt as if it would be inappropriate for her to follow the Byers'—she wasn't immediate family, and this was definitely a moment for just Joyce and Jonathan—and if she were honest, she wasn't sure she'd be able to do it without crying.
Beside her was Chief Hopper. She wasn't sure why he was there, but he was the Chief of Police, so Carla didn't question. He'd been indulged in a conversation with the receptionist—something about how the coroner was someone from the lab and not the usual.
The Wheeler hadn't paid attention—she didn't find it important—and allowed herself to daze off. Daze off so much in fact that she barely heard Hopper trying to gain her attention.
"—the other night?"
Carla raised a brow, "I'm sorry, what?"
"Were you at that Harrington kids party the other night?" Hopper repeated what he had said. Carla's brows furrowed, how did he know? And why was he asking her about it?
She replied after a moment, "Yes, I was."
"Barbara Holland was there, yes?" the man continued, causing the girl to nod, "Did you notice any odd behavior coming from her that night? Did she seem off—say or do anything that wasn't normally her?"
"Not trying to sound mouthy, but why do you need to know?" Carla snapped, confused on what this info was needed for. Why was he asking her? She barely knew Barb—definitely not enough to know if something was really off. "Where do I relate to Barbara Holland?"
Hopper sighed, "Would you rather have me call the station and we do it there?"
"Why would you call the station, this isn't serious—"
"Because Barbara is missing and the last place she was seen was that party."
The Wheeler's mouth fell into an 'o' shape. Barb was missing?
Carla suddenly felt bad for not answering the fucking question like she should have, but now she was suddenly off track. Will going missing was a tragedy, a once in a blue moon event. But now, someone else was lost.
Two kids gone in a matter of a week?
"I'm sorry." Carla muttered, feeling bad for the Holland family, as well as for wasting Hopper's time. She quickly got to answering the question, "Barb seemed normal at the party. I mean, she did shot-gun a beer but, uh, we were all partying so...."
"There was alcohol at this party?" Hopper raised a brow. He knew that he couldn't stop teens from underage drinking and hey, he'd been a teen before too—he'd done his fair share of underage drinking—but if he heard about it, he was legally inclined to tell the teens parents.
Oops. Carla hadn't met to spill the fact that they'd been drinking, but it was too late to take back her words now. She was pissed at Steve anyway, so it honestly felt good when she admitted, "Yeah, Steve had them there. Me and my sister didn't take one—our mom would flip."
He paused a moment, taking a mental note to contact Mr. Harrington before saying, "Continue."
"Uh, she cut her hand and I helped her get to the bathroom. I went back outside and she never came back out. We all swam in the pool for like an hour or two and when we came back inside, she started to talk with Nancy. I left before she did."
"Other than drinking, are you sure nothing abnormal happened? Something that could relate to Barbara?" Hopper inquired, raising a brow. He trusted Carla's words—the Wheeler's were good kids.
Carla shook her head, "No, I didn't notice anything off other than the fact that she was physically at the party—Barb doesn't normally do social events, but Nancy forced her into it. But, I'm not that close so if you want better information, I'd ask my sister."
Hopper didn't have time to reply before a figure rushed past him—Jonathan. As the boy sat down, Carla scanned over his face, taking in the pale complexion, the beads of sweat on his forehead, the way he was anxiously clenching his fists against his pants. He looked like he could be sick. Carla placed her hand on his own fidgeting one, giving a small squeeze.
Glancing at the boy, Hopper asked. "How's your mom doing?"
"I don't know." Jonathan lightly shook his head.
"How long's this stuff been going on? With the lights and uh....Will and the thing in the wall?"
"Since the first phone call, I guess." Jonathan replied. The two stopped talking for a moment before the Byers boy started up again, "You know, she's had anxiety problems in the past. But this.....I don't know." He took a deep breath, "I'm worried it could be—Ugh, I don't know. She'll be okay. We'll be okay. My mom....she's tough."
"Yeah, she is." Hopper agrees, a reassuring look on his face. He places a hand on the boys back, "Hey. She is."
The two men give each other a soft smile before being interrupted by the yelling of a different voice. "Ma'am! Ma'am, I need you to sign—"
Carla looks towards the front desk to see a man in teal blue scrubs and Joyce Byers. The brunette woman looked furious, the coroner—as the Wheeler assumed—holding a clipboard and a pen, trying to get the mother to sign.
"I don't—I don't know what you think that thing is in there, but that is not my son." Joyce firmly says, voice loud. Her outburst caused the two teens and Chief to meet her side, the latter stepping forward.
"Joyce, wait a second." Hopper tried to intervene, wanting to hear what had happened but it honestly just upset Joyce more. Whatever was in there, under that sheet was not her boy and no one was going to convince her it was. Will was alive, and she was going to do whatever she could to find him and prove it.
"No!" Joyce exclaimed, pushing past everyone to exit the building.
"Mom!"
"Mrs. Byers—"
"Ma'am! I—Ma'am!"
The two brunette teens rushed out the door after the woman, calling for her. At first, they went by foot, running and yelling before Carla eventually said, "Get in the car, we'll find her faster."
The two friends drove around in Jonathan's car before eventually spotting Joyce walking down the street, coat pulled close to her figure. The Byers boy slowed down, rolling down the window so he could speak to his mother. "Mom, will you get in?"
"No, I-I need to think....Just go on home with Carla." the mother rejects, walking faster as if she could out walk the vehicle hot on her tail.
Carla sighed, "Mrs. Byers, will you please get in the car? We can talk about what happened."
The brunette woman dismissed the plead with a shake of her hand, causing Jonathan to stop the car and exit. The boy chased after his mother, "Mom!"
The Wheeler watched from the passenger side, not wanting to intervene. They were grieving, and they were bound to have an outburst over their disagreements sooner or later. It was bound to happen.
"Mom! Mom!"
"Just go home, Jonathan!"
"No, this is not an okay time for you to shut down." Jonathan voiced.
"Shut down? What?"
"We have to deal with this, Mom! We have to deal with the funeral!"
"The funeral?" Joyce scoffed, "For—for who? For that thing back there?"
"Okay, let me get this straight." Jonathan was getting pissed, "Will, that's not his body because he's in the lights, right? And there's a monster in the wall. Do you even hear yourself?
"I know it sounds crazy. I—I sound crazy. You think I don't know that? It is crazy!" Joyce stammered, trying to explain her wacky thoughts, "But I heard him, Jonathan. He talked to me! Will is—is calling to me! And he's out there, and he's alone and he's scared, and I don't care if anyone believes me! I am not gonna stop looking for him until I find him and bring him home." She pauses, "I am going to bring him home!"
At this point, the two had drawn a crowd with their yells, and Joyce storms past them. Unlike his mother, Jonathan keeps going, "Yeah, well, while you're talking to the lights, the rest of us are having a funeral for Will! I'm not letting him sit in that freezer another day!" The crowd shoots him a weird look, and Jonathan shoos them off before returning to his car, slamming the door loudly.
Carla could practically see the frustration and anger radiating off of her best friend, so she kept any comments about what had just happened in her head and instead muttered to the boy, "Just take me home."
maras misc
the way joyce was right and no one believes her always sends me. if only they knew......
i didn't change much about this chapter, just a lot of the grammar and added some more of the scene!
i cut out carla's nightmare bc i could not re-write that thing, it was a hot mess. i did add her telling hopper about drinking bc honestly she'd let it slip and be okay with it bc she's still pissed at steve for everything. it'll add to when steve saves her in the end.
also today is my last day of summer break 😭😭😭
literally screaming, crying, throwing up. jumping off the bridge. i really don't want to go back because i have like 0% free time to write this fall (school until 3, dance classes wed—5:30-7:40—& thurs—7:30-8:30 & if i get into mary poppins jr then rehearsals mon/tues/wed/fri/sun. so yeah, bye bye free time.
this summer was really fun (eras tour, disney land, florida with my dad's side, helping at my babysitters, speak now tv) and i'm sad to have to go back to school and have to wait a whole like ten months to get my summer era back :/
this summer was also peak of my writing! chapters 9-20 (yes, i got shit done believe it or not) of gone were written this summer. it was the most productive i've been in a while (looking at vanished which took me years to write istg) and i'm sad that i won't be able to write as much as i was this summer.
anyway, as i mope around.....
hope you enjoyed <3 see you back with chapter nine!