The Body Part 2
Luna and the others biked to the school. Luna sat on Dustin's bike while El sat on Mike's.
They entered the school and Mike turned to face them. "Okay, remember, if anyone sees us, look sad." Luna thought that was a strange thing to say given that, though they knew Will was still alive he could be in imminent danger and it shouldn't be hard to be sad.
A voice started talking over the loud speaker. "Attention students, there will be an assembly to honor Will Byers in the gymnasium now. Do not go to fourth period."
They reached the AV room and tried the door but it didn't open. "It's locked," Mike said, stating the obvious.
"What?"
"Hey do you think you guys can open it? With your powers?" Dustin asked us.
El looked confused but I smirked. I happened to have a one key fits all for any situation.
Before I could open it a man walked over. He looked at the others in confusion, "Boys?"
They all turned around rapidly. "Hey."
"Assembly's about to start."
"We know. We're just, you know..."
"Upset"
"Yeah, definitely upset."
Luna shook her head. Gods, they were bad at this. Had they never lied before?
"We need some alone time."
"To cry."
"Listen. I get it. I do. I know how hard this is, but let's just be there for Will, huh. And then... the heathkit is all yours for the rest of the day. What do you say?"
Did he actually believe them. How stupid were the people in this town? Though, they never realized that the lab was conducting human experimentation so she wouldn't exactly call them wise.
He turned to look at them. "I don't believe we've met. What are your names?"
El looked scared and before she could say something that would give them away she cut in. "I'm Luna and this is my sister Ellie. We're Will's cousins. Second cousins technically. We came for the funeral."
The teacher nodded. "Welcome to Hawkins Middle, Luna and Ellie, I wish you were here under better circumstances."
"I do too. We didn't know him well but I was terribly sad to hear the news. He was such a sweet kid." It was easy for her to fake being sad. All she had to do was think of her friends. A small tear even left her eye.
"Are you from around here?"
Luna shook her head. "Born and raised in Colorado. Surrounded by mountains and nature on all sides. It's a beautiful place."
He nodded. "Shall we?"
He started walking and Luna went to follow but she paused after feeling everyone starting at her. "What?"
"How'd you come up with that so fast?" Dustin asked.
Luna smirked. "Talk fast. Think faster." She winked and whirled around.
They entered the gym and everyone stopped and stared at them. "Abort," Dustin whispered trying to turn around.
Lucas pushed him forward and they walked in the gym. The talking continued and they sat down.
While she was sure that they assumed she had said those words as a throwaway phrase it meant so much more to her than that.
Talk Fast, Think Faster, had been a game they had created at the lab. The game was simple. Two people would come up with fake name and a fake life, they'd ask each other questions and you had to answer without hesitation as if it really were your life.
It had been particularly fun to come up with fake lives given that there's weren't exactly fantastic. She had gotten quite good at it.
Luna had never been to Colorado, of course, but Rose had always wanted to live there in the nature and Luna felt like she could imagine it.
All of them together and happy. It was a dream that would likely never come to fruition.
Luna wasn't listening to whoever was given the speech but she heard some kids laughing behind them and she clenched her fists.
A kid had, as far as they knew, died. It didn't matter if they didn't know him, or didn't even like him they could have the decency to pretend to give a fuck.
She would admit to being a bit too callous about death but this was a kid. It was far different from all the lab workers she had slaughtered. From what she had heard he was a sweet and kind kid and he didn't deserve this treatment.
Once the assembly was over and everyone was leaving she saw Mike heading over to the people who had been laughing at Will.
"Hey. Hey, Troy." Troy and his friend turned around. "You think this is funny?"
"What'd you say Wheeler?" The kid she assumed was Troy asked.
Mike stammered slightly and she could tell he was scared but Luna admired him for standing up for his friend. "I saw you guys laughing over there. And I think that's a real messed up thing to do."
The other kid spoke up. "Didn't you listen to the counselor Wheeler? Grief shows itself in funny ways."
"Besides, what's there to be sad about, anyway? Will's in fairyland now, right? Flying around with all the other little fairies. All happy and gay."
Luna squeezed her fists, getting ready to do something that she really shouldn't. But she'd always been known for taking things one step too far.
Before she could Mike walked forward and pushed Troy making Luna grin. Good for him. Violence was fun.
"You're dead, Wheeler. Dead!"
He leapt up but before he could reach Mike he stopped and paused. Slowly a liquid started trickling down his leg and it was decidedly not water.
Everyone was looking around and starting to laugh.
Luna figured she could leave it at that. El's little truck was certainly funny, but this man was a bitch and she wanted him to hurt.
She squeezed her fist feeling the blood in his body. Slowly she solidified the blood a little above his right knee and threw it at his femur bone causing it to snap.
He screamed in pain and fell to the ground and Luna giggled. Revenge really was the best medicine.
People stopped laughing and a teacher came over causing everyone to rush away. They headed towards the AV room but Lucas stopped to stare at her. "Wasn't that a little harsh?"
"He's still alive, isn't he?"
~~~~~
Cora collapsed on the ground ignoring the snow burying into her skin. The pain was relief.
While she had been mourning her sister Ally had been suffering in a lab. She probable forgot all about her older sister. Or worse, just figured she didn't care.
That she agreed that Ally needed to be sent away.
"Cora?"
She whipped her head up, wiping away her tears as she stared at the face of Steve Harrington.
"Go away."
"I... what are you doing?"
"I said go away."
"You need to get back home."
She glared at him and he took a step back. She was not going back to her house.
He looked around before sighing. "Come with me."
"Why?"
"Well, You can't stay here."
"Why not?"
"It's winter and snowing outside and you don't even have a coat on. You're going to freeze to death."
"Why do you care? You've never cared about me before."
"That doesn't mean I'm going to let you die." He grabbed her arm pulling her up. She glared at him but it was weak. She didn't have any energy to fight back.
It felt like nothing mattered anymore.
She grabbed the box of Ally's stuff and let Steve lead her away. "Where are we going?"
"My house."
Cora paused going a double take. "Your house."
"It's fine. My parents aren't home and you clearly don't want to go to your house so it's the best option."
Cora nodded numbly. The situation was far from ideal but she couldn't be anywhere near her parents or she might just kill them.
~~~~~
Luna and the others entered the AV room and crowded around the radio.
"Now what?"
"She'll find him. Right, El."
El didn't respond but she looked deadly serious and Luna could tell she was having a flashback. Luna wished she could stop but she knew El wanted to help so she stayed silent and let Eleven do her weird telekinetic thing.
"She's doing it. She's finding him!"
"This is crazy."
"Calm down. She just closed her eyes."
Luna grinned but didn't talk. Over the radio the lab would be listening and even though there was a good chance they wouldn't recognize her voice anymore she didn't want them to know she was here.
The lights burst and the boys stared at El intently.
A thumping started on the radio and Luna frowned.
What was that?" Dustin asked.
Then a voice cried out shrill and scared, "Mom. Mom."
"No way."
The boys started yelling trying to get Will to listen but her obviously couldn't hear them as he kept talking to his mom.
His words sent a chill up her back. "It's like home, but it's so dark ... it's so dark and empty. And it's cold. Mom. Mom. Mom, please."
The radio exploded into a fire and they quickly put it out. Luna grabbed El who was unmoving and with the help of the boys pulled her out.
They ran out but Luna couldn't get Will's words out of her head. He was so young, he shouldn't have to go through that. And if he was he likely wouldn't be the last.
The lab had finally done something too big for them to contain and they along with the whole town of Hawkins were going to pay for it.