"Riles...Riles, come on." I looked up, my eyes blurry from tears to see Dad standing in front of me. He crouched down, grabbing my arms and pulling me to my feet.
"Its my fault..." I sobbed. "Its all my fault, its my fault."
"No, its not your fault, what are you talking about?" He asked. I shook my head.
"I was too scared!" I shouted. "I was too scared, so I didn't say anything, I should've told you what happened a year ago when I got back, if I had we could've fought to prevent it and this never would have happened! Now that little boy is dead and its because of me, Dad, its all my fault." I started falling again, sobs, wracking my body, but Dad held me up with his arms under mine, pulling me against his chest. I wrapped my arms around him, bawling into his shirt as he stroked my hair.
"You don't know what happened to you is what happened to him, Riles. You just don't. And even if it is, this is not your fault. You were a victim just as much as he was." I pulled away from him, wiping my eyes before putting a hand over my mouth.
"And I survived." I pointed out, my eyes trailing over to where they were loading Will into an ambulance. "What for? Did-Did I survive just so I could let this happen to another person? Someone younger, someone who-who couldn't survive like I could?! I got a second chance at life and I wasted it, I took it from him!"
"You didn't kill him Riley-"
"Yeah?" I asked. "Well I might as well have." He furrowed his eyebrows and I shook my head, pressing my wrist against the bridge of my nose as I fought to compose myself. "I'll go with you...to tell Joyce and Jonathan." he shook his head.
"I don't think that's such a good idea-"
"Please, Dad." I said, my voice barely above a whisper as it broke, "Please, I couldn't save him, at least...at least let me play a part in giving his family some kind of closure." He sighed, but nodded, wrapping an arm around me and leading the way towards the car. I didn't see the kids anywhere, so I assumed they'd gone home before anyone spotted them, or noticed they were missing.
Dad led me to the passenger seat, opening the door for me and closing it once I got inside. I put the visor down, opening the mirror and wiping my eyes with my sweater sleeves in an attempt to look somewhat presentable as he started the car and pulled out of the quary.
"I don't think what happened to Will is the same as what happened to you," Dad told me, "But just in case I'm gonna need you to tell me what happened, once and for all, ok?" I nodded, sniffing and closing the visor again.
"You think that story can just wait...just a little while longer?" I asked. "Just give me until tomorrow, I just need some time to process all of this and-"
"Its ok," He said, "Just...let me know when you're ready." I nodded.
"I will. I promise." He shot me a concerned glance, and I met his eyes for a moment before looking forward again. "DAD, WATCH OUT!"
He slammed on the brake, skidding the car to a stop mere inches away from a car that was parked in the middle of the road, all of the lights on, with two people standing in front of it, hugging by the looks of it. I squinted my eyes, trying to get a better look.
"Stay in the car." Dad said, getting out and walking over to them. I did as he said, leaning down to peer our the windshield as he spoke to them. Once he started coming back to the car and the people went back to get into theirs, the driver made eye-contact with me, and I instantly recognized him as Jonathan.
I could feel my heart squeeze in my chest with the idea that I would have to tell him that his little brother was dead...and he would have no idea that it was because of me.
~~~
We went back to the Byers' house, and Dad and I both led Joyce inside while Jonathan stayed outside to talk to some of the other officers. I furrowed my eyebrows at the sight of the house, practically void of furniture and covered in Christmas lights. One wall had the alphabet painted onto it in black paint.
"What is it?" Joyce asked. "What's going on?"
I didn't know her very well, but I'd seen her at the general store a lot of times and we'd exchange polite, casual conversation, mostly about school and how Dad was doing and stuff like that. She was nice...she didn't deserve this.
"A trooper found something in the uh...water that's at the quarry." Dad said, his voice gentle. He had his eyebrows drawn together, and I could tell that this was hard for him to say. I reached down grabbing his hand and squeezing it. He squeezed back. "Our working theory right now is that Will crashed his bike, he...made his way over the quarry and, uh...accidentally fell in. The earth must have given way."
Joyce didn't react to this news, but instead stared at the wall over our shoulders with a daunted expression. I took a small step towards her.
"Mrs. Byers?" I asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Do you understand what he's saying?"
"No," She said, shaking her hair as her voice trembled, "Whoever you found...is not my boy. Its not Will."
"Joyce-" Dad started. I held up a hand.
"Why do you say that?" I asked.
"I talked to him a half hour ago." She said. She walked over to the wall, opening up a storage cabinet and picking up a ball of string lights. "He was...He was talking with these."
"Talking?" Dad asked skeptically.
"Uh-huh. One blink for yes, two for no. And, and uh, then I made this so he could talk to me." She walked over, pointing to the alphabet, and I thought back to Eleven saying that this is where Will was hiding. It was starting to add up. "Cause he was hiding," My head perked up, "From that...that thing." She pointed at the wall and my eyes widened.
"The thing that came out of the wall, the thing that chased you?" Dad asked, causing me to furrow my eyebrows.
"Yeah."
"Mom," Jonathan said, coming up behind us and over to her, "Come on, come on please, you've gotta stop this."
"No, maybe he's...Its after him. He's in danger. We have to find him! We-" She grabbed Dad's hand.
"What exactly was this thing?" Dad asked. "It was some kind of animal, you said?"
"No, it was...it was almost, human, but it wasn't. It...it had these long arms and...it didn't have a face." I nodded to myself. That was it. That was the Demogorgan to a tee. She put her hands over her mouth.
"It didn't have a face." Dad repeated as Jonathan walked briskly out of the room. I gave Dad a knowing look and he nodded, following after them. I guided Joyce down onto the couch.
"Riley..." She started.
"Shh, shh..." I whispered.
"I'm not crazy." She said. I nodded.
"I know...you're not crazy." She looked at me with wide eyes and I looked around to make sure no one was listening. "You're right, you're right, he was hiding here, there's a monster with no face, its all true, I've seen it."
"Oh, thank God." She said, grabbing both of my hands in hers.
"Ok but listen, listen, I need some time to convince Dad of that, ok? I just need to get my thoughts in order, but I promise you're not crazy. Where Will is...I was there. Its where I was when I went missing." Her eyes widened.
"You know where he is?" I nodded.
"Yes, and I am so glad we talked to you, because now that I know he was talking to you, I know he's not dead, which means that I can figure out a way to get back there and I can figure out a way to save him, but until then, I need you to keep this to yourself, ok? Because not only is no one going to believe you, you're going to be putting yourself and Jonathan in danger if you tell anyone else about this, ok?" She nodded.
"Thank you...thank you." I nodded.
"It might not hurt to find something to defend yourself with, in case it comes back." She nodded and Dad came back in the room. I stood up and we both walked out to the car, getting in it. He started it up and then hesitated before turning it off.
"We're staying?" I asked. He nodded. "Why?" He sighed, running a hand over his face. "You believe her...don't you?"
"I don't know what I believe." He said, looking at me. "Do you believe her?" I nodded.
"I do...its real, Dad. Everything she said, its all true." He furrowed his eyebrows, turning slightly in his seat to face me.
"What do you mean?" I turned forward, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath.
"I know she's telling the truth because, the monster she's talking about? I've seen it." I said, nervously clenching and un-clenching my fists. "Its the thing that kidnapped me a year ago."