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“Will? WILL?” The forest was dark and cloudy. The echoes of the rest of the party’s calls were faint and distant. “Will?” The trees loomed over Mike, tall and slender. Every crunch of a twig below his trainers startled him, the wind’s whistle felt like a threat. “WILL? WILL?”
❊
“Crazy together, right?” They grinned in unison. Crazy together.
❊
“Hey, zombie boy, do you wanna dance?” Will haltered, and Mike nudged him encouragingly. Mike could only watch as Will was dragged away from him by some girl who probably didn’t know his name.
❊
“We’re friends.” Will looked hurt.
“But we used to be best friends.” It was true. They did.
❊
“Friends? No thanks.” Will’s eyes lit up with hope, hope that flew and soared and ran and made his heart feel like it might jump out of his chest. His breath hitched, caught in his throat, this couldn’t be happening, this was a cruel trick, a joke, it had to be, Mike was straight, when he was being bullied for being queer, Mike was supportive, but he wasn’t queer, he had made that clear. “Best friends.” Mike grinned, and Will smiled as politely back as he possibly could in this moment, he wanted to push him off the tower, hear the satisfying splat as he hit the floor, wipe the smug grin off his face, but he resisted, he could be best friends with Mike, if that was the closest he would get, that would be okay, he could bear it, he could, he would have to.
❊
November 6th, 2024
Mike appreciated the basement’s darkness. He needed to be alone to think. Today marked the day Will went missing. He wondered how Will would be feeling, he guessed it would still be a difficult day for him, but he hadn’t seen him in so long it was difficult to imagine. The memories of their years together were raw and painful; each one was a wound being ripped back open.
It’s not like he was ungrateful, he loved Jane and the kids, there was just always a voice in the back of his mind saying that maybe, just maybe, he loved Will more. It was an outrageous thought; one he only allowed himself to indulge in occasionally. It always ended up badly. Today was no exception, he was spiralling out of control, he needed to calm down. He needed to get out of here before something seriously bad happened.
The stairs out of the basement felt steeper than usual, Mike had to drag himself up every step, dreading what he would find at the top. He just had to get out of the house, he would go for a drive, to clear his mind. He could hear Jane and the kids in the kitchen, probably making dinner together, he just had to get through them, and he would be free. He took a deep breath and stepped inside the kitchen.
“Mike!”
“DADDYY!!”
“HI DADDY!!”
Jane swiftly kissed his cheek. He wiped away the remnants of the kiss with the back of his hand. “Mike, could you peel some potatoes for me? My assistants have dropped out of their veg peeling duties.” She jokingly rolled her eyes at Liam and Ellie, who giggled in response. “I was just going to go for a drive, Jane, I won’t be long.” Jane’s brows furrowed, “Is everything okay? Dinner’s nearly ready”
“I’m going for a drive.” He stormed out of the kitchen and slammed the door behind him. He could hear Ellie questioning his quick escape. “It’s just a tricky day for Daddy, he will be feeling better tomorrow, don’t worry.” Jane replied calmly, but Mike could hear her frustration.
Mike opened his car door and slid into the driver’s seat. He pushed the accelerator a little too hard, and his car jolted forward, startling him. He had no real plan of where he was going to go, but he decided the motorway would be an adequate distraction from his pounding thoughts.
He sped down the motorway with his window cracked open, so he could feel the wind and hear the roar of passing traffic, he almost forgot about Will. Almost. He soon realised where he was going. Back to Hawkins. Back to Will.
The military had practically taken over all of Hawkins by now, but a few small areas of Mike’s childhood town remained, including Will’s home. Mike couldn’t go to Will. He couldn’t. What would he say? “Hey Will! I know we haven’t spoken in years but I’m madly in love with you and am prepared to leave Jane for you, if that’s cool with you?” No.
Will probably has a husband by now.
The thought was unbearable. This wasn’t working, he needed a new distraction. He put on the radio. It crackled to life.
“And up next, ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ by Chappell Roan. Enjoy.”
Oh no.
♩ It’s fine, it’s cool ♩
this song always reminded him of Will. The lyrics were so heavily relatable for Mike, it was hardly bearable on a regular day, let alone a day like today, a day where Will was all Mike could think of. It was unbearable. He needed a way out. Switching the radio station wasn't enough. It was Will or nothing, and deep down, he knew he couldn't have Will. Nothing it was. He had already formulated a plan.
Mike put his right indicator on, pulling into the car park of a Walmart.
♩ You can say that we are nothin', but you know the truth
And guess I'm the fool ♩
He slammed the door of the car, engine still running, song still playing, muffled, but audible through the door. He ran into the Walmart, past the sweets and cakes, past the milk he had so often been sent here by Jane to buy, right to the Homewares aisle. Spatulas and pans covered the shelves, but that wasn’t what Mike needed. He needed a knife. Bread, vegetable, meat? Surely steak couldn’t be too different from human flesh. He picked up the meat knife and ran out without paying. He got back into his car, and drove away, ignoring the security guard behind him. THE STUPID SONG WAS STILL PLAYING
♩ And I cry, it's not fair
I just need a little lovin', I just need a little air♩
The lyrics cut deep into Mike’s soul, and he could see no other way out but to do this. He ripped the security tag off with his teeth, tearing off the packing. He didn’t care that the car was still moving. He didn't care where anymore.
♩ I think I'm gonna call it off even if you call it love
I just wanna love someone who calls me "Baby"♩
The blade was sharp.
He held it to his neck, pushing harder into his throat until he couldn’t breathe. Was he really going to do this? Over a song?
Not a song, he thought to himself, a boy.
♩ I think I'm gonna call it off even if you call it love
I just wanna love someone who calls me "Baby"♩
He didn’t cry. He couldn’t cry.
♩ You can kiss a hundred boys in bars♩
The tip of the knife was sharp. It was reassuring to know that if this didn’t kill him, the crash he was bound to have would.
♩ Shoot another shot, try to stop the feeling (well, I told you so)♩
Blood poured out of the small stab wound he had just created in the neck.
♩ You can say it’s just the way you are♩
His blood was thick and dark, his whole body throbbed in agony. He didn’t have long left.
♩Make a new excuse, another stupid reason♩
With all the energy he had left, he dug the blade into his neck. In his last moments, he saw the car he was in flying off the road. He stared at his blood-soaked hands. He’d really done this. His grip loosened and the knife clattered to the floor of the car.
♩Good luck, babe! (Well, good luck!)
Well, good luck, babe! (Well, good luck!)♩
Michael Wheeler had killed himself. With a meat knife. In a moving car. Over a song.
I guess love really does make you do strange things.
♩ You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling
Good luck, babe! (Well, good luck!)
Well, good luck, babe! (Well, good luck!)
You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling
You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling
You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling
You'd have to stop the world just to stop the feeling ♩