Chapter Text
After Vecna has appeared, Hawkins isnot the same anymore. Many things have happened during passed years and now it feels like this damned place is stuck in a time. The military army, which were put there for "safety reasons" from a government, really isnot doing anything much. Some people have to live away from their houses. Government only gives people an empty promises almost every day but they only care about what is happening on the other side of the wall. People still lives with a hope that this will end one day...
Things are going pretty normal at first sight but it's clear that nothing can be the same anymore. Everything feels off. Eiry feeling is hanging in the air with a blood freezing tension. Every corner of the town feels dark and cold, where monsters crowl and are waiting for their prey. But something else is also there. The dark shadows are covering almost whole place. It feels like the mind flyer has took a step from Will's visions and pulled the whole town in its darkness. The nights are even more chillier and creepy than it were before. Nothing is giving comfort. Even the warmth of the shinning flames from the fireplace. Seems like everything became dull in these late years.
Wheelers house is standing in the dark. The warm yellow shine is spilling out from the windows but the dark is swallowing the lights before they touch even a small piece of the outside world. Wind is shaking tree's branches as it hits on the the wall with a soft scratches. Inside, there's Mike sitting on his bed, looking into a book. His head is down and his curls are falling from his head to his face. He sighs and puts a book away. He thought it would help him pass some time but he can't focuse. He gets up and looks outside. The streetlights are barely lighting up some space.
Mike always thought that this would effect on him in some way but it didnot. Yes, he felt sad but not for much long as he expected. It kinda bothers him. Will was his best friend after all... and he lost him twice. It happened really fast that no one realized it fully.
A 3 months ago something exploded at the military forces area. People of Hawkins were told it was some machine that blew up because it was old. At least that's what goverment has told to them. Some people believed it, some didnot. On the same night Mike and his friends were here, at his house, playing D&D. Everyone went back to home around 10pm. Last time Mike saw Will was when he said goodbye to him. Just like that night when he was kidnapped by a Demogorgon when they were 12. On the second morning Will vanished. Just like that. He disappeared again. His mom and brother had a hard time. They started searching him everywhere. But there was no trace of him. Even El tried to find Will with her mind powers but she could not. Joyce had a hard time to accept that Will was lost forever. This horrible fact was enough for her to collapse. They put her in a hospital for a 2 weeks because of heart problems. For Jonathan... He's barely handling the fact that his brother got disappeared again and now his mother is feeling unwell.
El kept trying to find Will with her mind powers and still is doing it... but for Mike... he isnot sure anymore. Will is lost and there's no trace of him left behind that would tell him that he's alive. Everything is getting worse day by day... the town will collapse if things won't get fixed and no one is taking responsibility to do that... for Mike, hope died on the day when he saw will's smile for the last time.
On that damn day...
He should've known! He should've stopped Will going to his home! Asked him to stay... Maybe that would saved him from upcoming danger...
But now... everything's like this. Lifeless and dull.
Mike shakes his head to scatter his thoughts away. He sighs and goes out in a hallway. He walks downstairs and sees his mom and sister sitting at the table. Holy is drawing while her mom is reading a book. His father is watching a TV just like he always does around this hour. Nancy is probably at her room. He goes into a kitchen and grabs a mug and a kettle. Mike makes some tea for himself. No one is saying anything. Only a person in the TV is speaking loud and clear, about some plants.
After he pours a hot water in the mug, Mike goes down to his basement. He turns the lights on and goes to the couch. Everything here is the same when he was a kid. This place is the only thing that hasnot changed for all these years. He sighs and lean back on the couch, looking up at the ceiling. He'll go to the school tomorrow... but it will be the same just like every other days...
The morning comes. It's cold and grey. The clouds cover up the sun like they don't want it to see what is going on in Hawkins. Mike wakes up. He stares at the ceiling for a while then gets up and gets ready for a school. He skips a breakfast as he heads to school. People are going to work. Everyone is trying to have a normal life but nothing is normal in this town anymore and everyone knows that. Humans got a bit weird after that incident. Some doesnot talk with others and stay at home most of the time because of the fear, some of them are a bit extra violent, some claim to have seen some pale skinned monsters, and some people... disappear...
There's a new paper on the missing people's board. The man pins the paper with a nail. He turns his head around and looks at Mike who was staring at the people's faces on the board. Man slows down moving his hammer as he looks into his eyes. He stares at Mike with an intense gaze and Mike feels really uncomfortable. He just looks away and quickly passes by. Dead leaves are crashing under his feet. Autumn has got really cold. Finally he reaches the school. He stands in front of the building, looking up at it. Deciding whether to go inside or not.
— Hey. — He hears a familiar voice. Mike turns around and sees Dustin looking at him with a smile. He smiles back.
— Oh, hey. — He responds and sees Lucas at Dustin's side. He greets at him too.
— You werenot at school yesterday. I tried to contact you too but you didnot answer. — Dustin keeps talking as they go inside.
— Yeah... I was feeling... kinda sick. But I'm fine now.
— Aww, man. — Lucas joins the conversation — You got sick for the third time in this week. You really don't take care of your health, right?
— It wasnot really a sickness... I was just feeling a bit unwell. — Mike sighs.
Yeah, he was feeling unwell yesterday. But it wasnot because he was feeling sick. He just didnot feel like meeting anyone or talking with anyone. He's been like this for a while now... he's pretending to be sick so he will avoid going out... maybe it's because of this place... maybe it effects on him too... or.. maybe it's something else. He can't tell.
— So, — Lucas stops and looks at them. — Are we really going to go search for Will after school?
SILENCE.
It feels like Lucas has asked something illegal. Dustin looks at Mike who is staring at the floor. Should they go? Will it change anything... Everything is a mess in this town already... People are either missing or found dead in different places. Torn apart, broken limbs and jaws, without eyes... What if when they go to find Will they'll see him like that too... dead and...
— Mike? Wheeler? Hellooo? — Lucas waves his hand at his face to get Mike's attention. He blinks quickly and looks up.
— Uhh... sorry... — Mike finally looks at him and answers. — Yeah.. yeah, we should go.
Dustin and Lucas share a look and then nod to him. If there is a little bit of chance to find Will Mike will take it now. He shouldnot be like this. He should try to find him. He shouldnot give up. That's not what friends do.
School hours pass really boring and lazy. When it's finally finished, three of them go to the woods. They decided to search Will here first. There might be some gate somewhere but it will be hard to find. And if they find it... well... they'll think about what to do next.
Searching go hours. It seems like they're just walking around the same spot. Nothing is helping. Compasses are useless. After a while they get tired, their legs hurt and all of them are feeling exhausted. They stop for a moment.
— I don't think we will find him any time soon — Dustin says while sitting down on a big rock.
— Oh, you think so, Sherlock? — Lucas turns around to him.
— Oh, shut up!
Mike looks around. It's getting late. Darkness is slowly dragging woods in its own claws. Mike sighs and looks at Lucas and Dustin who are arguing.
— I think we should go to home. It's getting late.
Dustin and Lucas look at him as they stop fight.
— What about Will? — Dustin asks.
— We'll search tomorrow too. But in a different place.
— Yeah... — Lucas speaks — I agree. Let's do it in a daytime. I don't want to get eaten by a Demogorgon.
— I'm sure it will spit you out the moment it'll taste you. — Dustin gets up and grabs his bag.
— Shut your mouth, idiot. — Lucas pushes Dustin a bit.
They keep talking as Mike follows them behind. His brain is sinking into thoughts again. Night grows darker as Mike reaches home. He opens a door and hears a TV noise. His mom is making a dinner in the kitchen and his dad is on his usual spot: couch. Holy and Nancy are probably at their rooms.
— Mike? You're back? — His mom comes out in a living room. — The dinner will be ready soon.
— I'm not really hungry.
— Why? Are you sick again? — She takes a step to him.
— No. I just don't feel hungry right now. — Mike's words make her stop in a midway as he heads to upstairs.
He throws a bag on the chair as he closes a door behind and falls on the bed. Sighs and closes eyes. Without even realizing how tired he actually is, Mike falls asleep like that. He wakes up in the midnight. His mouth feels dry and it feels like he's been sleeping for days. Everyone is asleep as he comes out in a hallway. Mike goes downstairs and pours a water.
Suddenly a noise echoes in the air from outside. The lights flicker as he puts down the glass slowly and furrows eyebrows. He has seen this type of flickering before and it's not because of some electricity problem. It's a Demogorgon. He quickly goes in a living room and grabs a golf's stick. He feels scared. But that's not important now. Mike looks outside from the window. It's quiet and empty. Suddenly he hears a noise. It's low and almost muted. It's coming from his basement.
Mike goes to that door and slowly opens it. Stairs creak beneath his feet. The noise gets a bit louder as flicker intensifies. He feels scared again but ignores it. Suddenly the noise and flicker stops and it's complete quiet now. Mike takes a deep breath as he slowly opens a door a bit, just enough to see what's outside. He sees a man's silhouette. Someone is standing outside, facing the door but a bit far. It's hard to tell who he is since his face isnot visible in the dark. Mike opens a door and steps outside. The warm light spreads into a darkness.
— Who the hell are you?! — He raises a voice a bit.
— Mike... — A low, soft voice sounds loud in this dark, quiet night.
A man slowly steps in the light and Mike sees him. It's Will. He's wearing the same clothes from that day but it's dirty. Will's whole body is shaking. Mike widens eyes and takes a step forward quickly, dropping golf's stick on the ground.
— Will..? It's you.
— I... didnot know where else to go... — He looks like he'ld fall at any second.
Mike approaches Will quickly as he collapses into his arms. He loses a balance but manages to hold him. Mike looks at Will's face. It's really him. Though he looks really tired and weak, but it's really him. His face is pale and a bit of bloody from the scratches on his face. Mike notices that Will feels and looks thinner. He sighs.
All this time he though Will was gone forever. But now he is here, in his arms, fainted but alive. Mike clings to him and buries his face in his shoulder. And only now he feels how much his disappearance has affected on him. Only now he realizes how dull his life have become just because he was gone. But now Will is here... and Mike doesnot plan to let him go ever again.